I went into last night's show -- a formidable performance by early teen girl band Care Bears On Fire -- thinking it would be cute, but I walked out knowing that they'd probably hate me for saying that. Care Bears On Fire are a band that formed in 2005, when most of the members were in 4th and 5th grade. Yes, that's right -- that means that the girls are now in 8th and 9th grade, respectively, but don't let that fool you; Jena, Sophie, and Izzy know how to rock. The show at Cake Shop was packed tight with family and friends, and many children who danced their little hearts out to the girls' punky music, showing support for their sisters or friends or mentors.

When the trio walked out, they looked like punk/pop (not the other way around) girls who didn't want to fit the norm: clunky boots, dyed hair, short plaid skirts and leggings, maybe a chain or two. In fact, one of their songs addressed just that issue: "Everybody Else" is an anthem about wanting to be outside of what's normal. And these girls certainly aren't normal, but in the best way. Jena stepped up to the mic and said, "Wow, it's so good to play a show in New York! We've been on the road for a little while, so it's great to be back." My friends and I thought that was cute, but when I got home and looked it up I realised that they'd been on the road because they played at Lollapalooza, one of the biggest music festivals our country has to offer.

They showed a real music savvy, despite relatively youthful and base lyrics (which is something I can imagine will change with time). Watching them play was awesome, because they had more technical talent than I see in a lot of bands I've seen on much larger stages. It's always easiest to tell with bass players, for me -- and though it wasn't prodigal playing, Jena's bass lines had more complex changes than bass lines in songs from some of my favourite bands. The one cover of the night that they did was something "near and dear to [their] hearts, Everybody Wants To Rule The World," a Tears For Fears cover that they hardened and sped up into a really interesting punk take on the song. I think these girls have a lot of talent and a lot of support, and they can go really far if they keep it up. They've certainly got the attitude for it: rock star, but sweet.