The Clarks Return to Sherlock's

Saturday, April 2

Sherlock's once again finds itself in the path of Pittsburgh's The Clarks, a band that has spent fewer of the past 30 years gathering moss and more of them gathering fans and momentum. The foursome of Scott Blasey (vocals), Robert James Hertweck (guitar), David Minarik Jr. (drums), and Greg Joseph (bass) has rock'n'rolled its way along the I-79 corridor dozens of times, bowling crowds over with its no-frills power pop and sing-along choruses.

The group's popularity peaked in the early 2000s after they joined up with producer Justin Niebank and the Razor & Tie label, for the albums Let It Go (2000), Another Happy Ending (2002), and Fast Moving Cars (2004) all charting on Billboard's Heat Seekers Albums list. While they faded from the ever-fickle public consciousness shortly thereafter, the band still holds a great deal of cachet with local audiences. Success has always been a two-way street with this bunch, who has toured and worked tirelessly since their inception in the mid-'80s at hard-partying IUP. The Clarks' most recent album, Rewind (2015), is a collection of covers that formed the framework of their shows in their early years – and the band they would eventually become. The Replacements, The Smithereens, and R.E.M. are obvious comparisons – but Scruffy the Cat and the Hoodoo Gurus might escape the memory of the average listener. – Matt Swanseger

9:30 p.m., doors open at 8:30 // 508 State St. // clarkstickets.shop.ticketstoday.com // $20