In these days of rapper Puff Daddy and the pop sounds of Chumbawumba, it is more than refreshing to hear original music performed with zest and competence.

To see a forty-something guy wearing sun shades indoors at night while playing a stratocaster is the perfect antidote to sampling machines and cookie cutter lyrics.

Computer nerds are now more important to music and the alienated teen with a guitar and a garage gets pushed to the side.

You might not realise it, but Nirvana's "Smells Like Teen Spirit'' is a "turn up the amp and stick it to the world'' song that owes as much to Neil Young as punk music.

Where right wingers heard nihilism, others heard angst, humour, and bittersweet lyrics all rolled into one four minute song.

Wednesday night's opening of Surf Club at the old Pier Six featured four guys who know their way around a pop song.

The way they rocked the self-proclaimed Bobby `Last Soul Man' Womack's already raucous "All Over Now'' is refreshing.

And front man Nils Lofgren's delivery of the line "I used to love her, but it's all over now'' is light years ahead of "I get knocked down, but I get up again'' from Chumbawumba.

It is also a lot more meaningful and less insulting than Puffy's "I don't understand people with short money''.

If you do not want to be pandered to and you like sophisticated music this band can cure your ills.

Nils Lofgren has been around, and the Crazy Horse and E Street Band alumni know how to rock. After all, he did the solo on Bruce Springsteen's version of "War! (What is it good for)''.

Drummer Andy Newmark -- as unperturbable on the hot seat as Rolling Stone Charlie Watts -- has Bermuda connections and is as rhythmic as the tides on the South Shore.

Newmark has played for Rod Stewart, Bryan Ferry, John Lennon, Van Morrison, Sly Stone, George Benson and Carly Simon and he is not of the "overwhelm them with flash school of drumming'' style.

I particularly liked his crisp fills in the song "Shine Silently'' and subtle use of the snare on the second and fourth beats throughout the evening.

Rhythm and blues or urban contemporary -- or whatever Madison Avenue calls it -- now has given us drumming that is a clone of just two seconds in the life of James Brown's main drummer Clyde Stubblefield.

Nils Lofgren and Newmark were joined by bassist Wade Mathews and Tom Lofgren on keyboards and guitar.

Local musician Ed Fox started the evening with an acoustic set, the highlight of which was the ubiquitous "Candle in the Wind'' by Elton John.

The Surf Club idea of live music, food, and drinks is not new but this time it might be successful. Of course I fancy myself as a music reviewer, but the food menu is eclectic and imaginative.

Even on what had to be a stressful opening night, the staff were courteous and efficient, although the occasionally dropped tray ruined the atmosphere.

Lofgren and company close out their stand on Saturday (April 18), and as he sings in "I Came to Dance'', "I ain't no philosopher, I came to dance'' you should go to rock and roll.

Patrick Burgess REVIEW REV ENTERTAINMENT ENT