Nerd to the core

When I heard The Aquabats were storming into San Luis Obispo tonight, a giddy shiver shot up my spine.
Spawned from the Southern California punk and ska scenes of the 1990s, The Aquabats are that rare nerd band with a cool edge – fully accessible, totally fun and utterly geeky. And because they float just below the radar, we get to see them in places like SLO.
Just how awesome are they?
We’re talking about a band that dresses like refugees from some unknown episode of “Super Friends.” (Think short pants, goggles, rubber helmets and really big belts.) A band that performs with scores of stage props, including footage of Saturday morning cartoons and Asian martial arts flicks.
The Aquabats sing songs about snakes, pirates, robots and Martian girls. They go by names like MC Bat Commander, Chainsaw and Crash McLarson.
They are, as the song of the same title states, “Super Rad.”

The Aquabats play an all-ages show tonight at Downtown Brewing Co., 1119 Garden St. in San Luis Obispo.
Hunter Revenge, led by AFI bassist Hunter Burgan, and DJ Lance open the show at 6:30 p.m.
For more information, call 543-1843 or visit www.downtownbrew.com.

-- Sarah L.