Saliva

During Saliva‘s 2007 hit, “Ladies and Gentlemen,” Josey Scott raves through megaphone-style distortion about A feast for your eyes to see/An explosion of catastrophe. He then indulges in grunge-pop crooning before revisiting the group’s 2001 smash, “Boom Click Boom,” with a series of onomatopoeic explosions. “Ladies and Gentlemen” quickly became the preferred audio-adrenaline injection for athletes: Several teams use the tune as entrance music, including the Missouri Tigers. Another local sports institution, WHB 810’s morning program, The Border Patrol, selected the song as its introductory theme. (“The Border Patrol is like a circus sideshow,” explains producer Aaron Swarts.) Scott still adopts a rap cadence during some tracks, such as current single “King of the Stereo,” but Saliva has transitioned subtly from confrontational nu-metal bravado to laid-back, Southern-rock cockiness. Scott interacts earnestly with audiences, stoking fans’ regional and national pride with host-city shout-outs and patriotic numbers. Saliva promises listeners will be “bowled over by the wonders,” but for all the carnival-barker fanfare, the band’s concerts feel as down-home cozy as county fairs.

“Click Click Boom” by Saliva: