POP AND JAZZ CAPSULES : THE RIFF THING

Like the officials at Coca-Cola, Accept and Queensryche--who co-headlined a metalfest on Saturday at Irvine Meadows Amphitheatre--apparently recognize the strength of their product’s old formula. Accept doesn’t fool with that newfangled speed-metal or the lean, melodic stuff. Instead, the German quintet toed the heavy-metal line, hammering out dense, lumbering riff-rock. Clinging steadfastly to that approach, Accept delivered brain-battering music that was absolutely unexceptional. Nice flashpots, though.

Similarly, Queensryche dispensed orthodox metal of the no-frills, few-thrills variety. The difference: This poised young band from Washington state invested much more energy and conviction into its wholly unoriginal attack. That kind of zest--and the resulting audience rapport--is likely to take Queensryche a long way in the metal world.