Pitchfork

Dr. Dog [Bowery Ballroom; 10:25 p.m.]



Wednesday night at the Bowery Ballroom felt like a Battle of the Bands' Awkward Names. The shaggy hippies of Dr. Dog played a pretty glorious pop set, but is that a medical degree that dog has? (These guys seem more homeopathic.)

Cold War Kids [Bowery Ballroom; 11:25 p.m.]





Then the skinny-jeaned Christians of Cold War Kids staggered around for a bit, their singer coming off like an embittered Taylor Hicks yelling at you from the next barstool. (The band name denotes that they grew up amid crisis and drama, man.)

Tapes 'n Tapes [Bowery Ballroom; 12:30 a.m.]





Then came Tapes 'n Tapes (where's the other apostrophe, guys?), who turned out a markedly high-energy and bottom-heavy set-- tight and professional, packed with rockers from their earlier days, and a decent distance from the slacker delicacy of their debut LP, The Loon. Don't let their half-beards fool you: These guys bounced, beamed, and thanked the kids in front politely, like a band that's enjoying success in both senses of the word "enjoy."