Smithereens deliver straight-ahead rock

“They like their steak rare, their poundcake plain and their coffee black,” intoned the announcer.

That pretty well summed up the attitude of the Smithereens and their style of performing. The Capitol recording group served up a loud, energetic, hard-driving brand of rock ‘n roll to the near-capacity crowd Wednesday night at the University of Maine’s Memorial Gym. And the crowd responded, continually and noisily.

The New Jersey natives started slowly, as the sound mix muddled the vocals of lead singer Pat DiNizio during the first couple of songs. That problem was soon cleared up, however, while the group, dressed in basic black T-shirts and jeans, hammered out their songs new and old.

It also took DiNizio a while to open up. For the first third of the concert, his contact with the crowd consisted of spitting out the name of the next song. But later on he warmed, and had the audience shouting along on oldies like “In a Lonely Place” and “House We Used to Live In.” They also danced along to most everything in the last third of the concert.

The Smithereens mined all five of their albums during their 17-song, 80-minute set. The mostly college-aged audience even was enthusiastic about older songs like “Something New,” “Time and Time Again” and “Only A Memory.”

The crowd was very familiar with songs off the group’s latest album, “Smithereens 11,” including “Room Without a View,” “Yesterday Girl” and “Baby Be Good.”

Of course, drawing the most approval was the album’s second single “Blues Before and After” and the smash hit “A Girl Like You,” with which the band closed their regular set.

Vocalist and guitarist DiNizio was most evident, but the band’s other members all got their chance to shine. Drummer Dennis Diken was featured on “Room Without a View” and “House We Used to Live In.” Bassist Mike Mesaros was in constant motion, whether strutting from side to side on the stage or doing Pete Townshend-style leaps.

Guitarist Jim Babjak was a presence throughout, but was really in the spotlight during the band’s encore, “Blood and Roses.” During that seven-minute version of the song, Babjak came down off the stage and worked his way to the center of the crowd on the floor, playing a solo all the while.

The cohesion of the 10-year group was apparent, as they featured a number of precise, unison movements through the concert.

The Smithereens delivered what they’d promised, straight-ahead, no-frills rock ‘n roll.

The opening act was MCA recording artist Richard Barong, based in New York City.

Barong’s band seemed like a fusion, with the rock ‘n roll standard electric and acoustic guitar, bass and drums on one side of the stage and a cellist and percussionist on the other. The music sounded like a cross between REM and the Ramones, with exquisite male harmonies, throbbing, jangly guitar and punkish energy.

Barong sounded like Neil Young before the ravages of time hit. Percussionist Valerie Delvano was a standout, propelling the music along aided by conga drums, tambourine, even timpani.

Barong’s group offered intriguing, unique music, a rare thing in this day of electronic, sampled music.