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 the band's 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. Catch Death By Stars Friday at The New Frontier Lounge as part of Partie Animale Part 2. 

[The New Frontier Lounge, with DJ Babycham, 9 p.m., no cover, 301 E. 25th St., Tacoma, 253.572.4020]