MR. MISTER SHOWS THAT YOU CAN GO HOME AGAIN

It should come as no surprise that Mr. Mister’s homecoming show Thursday at the Palace was an immaculate affair. As would be expected from a band with strong studio credentials, every state-of-the-art note was perfect and the sound was crystal clear--even in this notoriously bad-sounding room.

What wasn’t expected was the band’s dynamic, personable performance. The quartet doesn’t break any new ground or even attempt to stretch its own limits, but it’s unquestionably a top-notch purveyor of contemporary pop entertainment.

Not everything about the show was appealing. Singer Richard Page projects Sting-like arrogance--maybe it has to do with being a blond bass player. And the band’s chart-topping pop hymns “Broken Wings” and “Kyrie” suffered from such lifeless deliveries that they might as well have been lip-synced. (“Broken Wing” even sported a pre-recorded bass track and less than lifelike fade-out.)

Other than that, though, there aren’t too many complaints. Buoyed by the enthusiastic hometown crowd and the fact that “Kyrie” is currently the country’s No. 1 song, Mr. Mister put on an energetic display.

Page is a strong singer, with a voice that at times sounds like a smoother Phil Collins. The band’s overall live sound is generally reminiscent of Duran Duran’s, thanks largely to guitarist Steve Farris, whose style (as well as hair-do) bears resemblance to Duranie Andy Taylor’s. Pat Mastelotto’s powerful drumming also is a key in raising the sound above the blandness of Toto--another studio-originated band with which Mr. Mister has been compared.

Still, Mr. Mister--like Toto--is a band without much soul or originality. Nothing in the show demonstrated any distinctiveness or innovation.

Much more promising was the opening performance by local band Cock Robin. The quintet’s material sounds just as commercial as the headliner’s, but the spirit and passion exuded by singers Peter Kingsberry and Anna Lapazio could melt the armor of even the most hardened anti-pop cynic. This is music made purely for the joy of making music.