Pop Reviews : Jett Cuts the Power at Variety Theatre

Joan Jett doesn’t rock quite as hard as she used to.

At the Variety Theatre on Thursday, it was evident that she’s been overcome by the Pop Monster. Her latest music, from her album “Notorious,” is alarmingly poppy--material that she would have scoffed at in the old days.

Her music was raunchier when she was with the Runaways, that pioneering late-’70s teen punkette group. Back then, in spirit and rebel stance, she was close to the toughest male rockers. Now she’s closer to the melodic, sappy sound of Belinda Carlisle--just one step from the old Go-Go’s.

Backed by a male trio, the Blackhearts, Jett doesn’t even look the part of the rebel rocker any more. She’s spiked that spiked-hair look in favor of something sexier: In a skin-tight black outfit with revealing holes, she looked more like a tomboy aerobics teacher.

Actually, the show wasn’t all that bad, if you weren’t too demanding. It worked on a toe-tapping, pop-rock level, particularly when she was playing comfortable oldies like “Bad Reputation” and her anthem, “I Love Rock ‘n’ Roll.”

Long ago she set herself up as an artist capable of offering challenging music. Unfortunately, she’s abandoned that tough terrain and slipped to safer ground.

The show opened with a set by the L.A. alternative/metal quartet Motorpsycho, which was plagued by sound problems. Still, the group’s flat performing style never breathed life into any of the potent music from its new album, “Wrenched.”