MUSIC
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MIXFest serves up snap, crackle, pop for all ages

Music Review/by Linda Laban 
Sunday, September 22, 2002

MIXFest, with Pink, Def Leppard, John Mayer, Avril Lavigne, at the 
FleetCenter, last night.

What on Earth could 17-year-old skater pop princess Avril Lavigne possibly
have in common with middle-aged soft-metalers Def Leppard?

Besides both appearing at WBMX-FM's MIXFest 2002 at the FleetCenter last
night, that is? Diverse as they are, both acts know how to spin out a pop-
toned hit. Indeed, the link between all seven artists on the bill was a
canny knack with hummable, memorable tunes.

True to its name, Mix-98.5's six-hour annual celebration, co-sponsored by
the Herald, culled artists from the United States, Ireland, Canada and the
United Kingdom. The show fused varying nationalities as well as musical
attitudes - just as long as those included a strong melody and a
persuasive backbeat.

Ending a long evening, Def Leppard, its glory days long since past,
dragged out too many middling songs, including ``Now'' from its
ballad-heavy new CD ``X,'' which is out Tuesday. Even catchy,
chart-busting '80s hits like ``Animal'' seemed dulled by time.

Among a handful of covers, Pink, now a brunette, also pulled out an '80s
hit: her powerful cover of 4-Non Blondes ``What's Going On.'' Played with
her well- oiled band, her funky samba ``Get the Party Started,'' pop rant
``Mizzundastood,'' which included some racy antics with her female
guitarist, and gorgeous ``My Vietnam'' were pure Pink.

British singer-songwriter-guitarist David Gray, and his younger U.S.
counterpart John Mayer, both backed by three-piece bands, put out the kind
of full-bore electric performances that should forever banish them from
the coffeehouse circuit.

Ex-Berklee student Mayer, receiving ear-splitting cheers, moved from
strumming his acoustic guitar during a pumped-up ``Your Body Is a
Wonderland'' to a lilting solo that turned into quite a show of
virtuosity.

The rich-toned Gray, playing before Mayer, belted out songs from his
breakthrough record ``White Ladder'' and beyond, swapping acoustic guitar
for keyboards to end with a rave-cultured finale.

Rushing the stage with her trio of guitarists while her drummer pounded
out a fierce beat, the Canadian punk coquette Avril Lavigne pogoed through
``Sk8er Boi'' before nailing the show with the killer chorus of her
power-pop ballad ``Complicated.''

Boston-based newcomers Rubyhorse - which hails from Ireland and mixes
dance and Britpop accents with basic melodic rock - and beloved Beantown
pop-rock veterans Guster delivered short, sharp sets (20 minutes each),
high on energy and hooks. Something like the average pop hit in fact.

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