The Aquabats

The Aquabats are geeks who are so geeky they're cool -- and not poser-geek cool, either. These guys don't just wear horn-rimmed glasses and thrift-store chic; they also dress as various villain factions from the original Batman television show. (Dare ya to do that at the bars this weekend.) But if ever there was a time for nerds to turn off their computers and PS3s and hold their heads up proudly, 2006 is it. And the members of the Aquabats are unafraid to lead the nerd herd. Pared down to a trim six members from an all-time high of fourteen, the act plays a loopy, SoCal ska punk, an unapologetically feral shout-out to dweebs who like to rock. And Charge!!, the Bats' latest effort, is solid, if gimmicky. Barely containing the group's harebrained enthusiasm, the disc's tunes stand up on their own -- even without the villain suits. Geeks, unite!