Westport Meltdown

When the Westport Meltdown first invaded midtown, in 2003, it was a three-club crawl, each venue stocked with profanely aggressive nu-metal bands. The 2008 installation takes place exclusively at the Beaumont Club (on two stages) and showcases mostly radio-ready hard stuff. Canvas, the only group on this bill that predates the inaugural Meltdown, has survived incarnations as a rap-rock act and a commercially ambitious anthem factory. These days, the quartet sounds like a more melodic Megadeth. A few newer outfits recently underwent massive transformations: Changing Faith added singer Kara Taylor, and Karma Effect revised both its name (previously Underground) and its sound (formerly grunge, now alt-heavy). Hardcore dervish the Dollhouse Rumor provides the Meltdown with air-raid riffs, the pop-leaning Woo Band donates a wah-wah-wrapped George Michael cover, and Black Oxygen ranges from swaggering classic rock (“Black Leather Renegade”) to broad modern ballads (“Cherish Her Eyes”). For the full lineup, see banzaimagazine.net.