The string of words that make up the name Death by Stars sounds at once full of portent and utterly frivolous. This dichotomy seems to seep into and help define the band's music as well. Combining the biggest, most direct qualities of punk, electronica and psych-rock, the band has cooked up a cutting, immediately hooky sound. There's an invigorating quality to Death by Stars that seems to transcend their basic formula of spacey, psychedelia-informed vocals encased in programmed beats, exploding into life-sized dance-punk refrains. In a live setting, Death by Stars veers into performance art territory, with light shows and costumes. It's a delirious soup - all surface, really. But what a surface it is.

Of course, Death by Stars - having formed in the earlier half of last year - is a band still in the process of finding itself. The three-piece is made up of Bees, Patrick Galactic and Cherry Danger (if those are their real names!).

To read Rev. adam McKinney's full feature, click here.

Death By Stars

with the Hyper-Space Dumpster Sludge Junkies, Oven Rake, the Dirty Words and Sliide
Saturday, Oct. 29, 8 p.m., no cover
Dorky's Arcade, 754 Pacific Ave., Tacoma
253.627.4156