POP MUSIC REVIEW : Hooters: Painful Earnestness at Roxy

The Hooters’ act is showing some stretch marks these days. The Philadelphia quintet is nothing if not talented, hard-working and well-meaning, but some wonder has gone out of the way these well-scrubbed rockers use “roots” instruments to spice up their polished, Midwest bar-band spiel. And their ever-increasing sense of Social Consciousness strains their tight, light pop fabric at the seams.

Two sorts of painful earnestness were on display Monday at the Roxy. Reflecting those early years spent on the club circuit were their dated moves. Reflecting their subsequent maturation and concern were the topical references (“This one goes out to Nelson Mandela”), the obligatory swipe at organized religion, and a woeful closing sing-along of a Dylan standard (“Mr. Tambourine Man,” with confused-looking guest Stevie Nicks as the Tambourine Lady).

The mandolins and accordions and social awareness should make the music more human, but more often remind us how sterile much of it is. The Hooters were better off concocting such guilty pleasures as “And We Danced” and “Day by Day,” both of which provided rapturous highlights Monday.

Opening act Nuclear Valdez has a similar dubious achievement: They’ve written as silly a Lenny Bruce tribute as Bob Dylan’s. But that and a few other youthful missteps aside, they’re a pretty terrific rock ‘n’ roll band. Their sizzling, aching single “Summer”--the best pop song ever written about the Cuban revolution?--is a successful example of the sort of tune the Hooters keep going for.

Both bands play tonight at the Bacchanal in San Diego, Friday at the Ventura Theatre, and Saturday and Sunday at the Coach House.