Buzz Bands

A chic but ‘insane racket’

Don’t pigeonhole the Fuse! -- the exclamation point is used with good reason -- based on the trio’s ethnicity or their sartorial splendor. “We’re sick of hearing people say, ‘Why are Hispanic kids making that kind of sound?’ ” says drummer Luis Farfan, who prefers that you refer to him as F-1 and his bandmates as F-2 and F-3. “Why is that a question? Can only white kids make this kind of music?” Apparently not. The beat-heavy agit-punk on the group’s debut, “The Fisherman’s Wife,” advertised as the “insane racket of total discontent,” threatens to pop the buttons off the nice mod suits worn by the Downey lads. “Nobody quite knows what to make of our suits, especially when we’re trashing our gear onstage,” F-1 says, referring to the stage antics that have convinced a couple of area clubs to forgo booking the Fuse! again. “But we figure that no matter how we sound, we can at least look good.”

Fast forward

Indie-rock fans have plenty of New Year’s Eve options. Some of Wednesday’s highlights: The re-formed Dramarama, with opening act On the Speakers (fronted by ex-Creeper Lagoon frontman Ian Sefchick), ring in 2004 at the Roxy Theatre.... At the El Rey Theatre, Midnight Movies and the Adored provide the live tunes.... Fishbone heads a four-band lineup at Cafe-Club Fais Do-Do....Spaceland offers the rock of Detroit Cobras and Starlite Desperation.

-- Kevin Bronson