This is a slightly different topic than music to open a show so I started a new topic. Here is the deal, I haven't been "hip" and current with underground bands for a while and I'm looking for names of bands that resonate with the 20 somethings.

I have my first Mentalism show coming up in about 2 weeks and the demographics will mostly be college educated folks in their mid 20s. I have a point in my act where I am trying to "gauge" someones personality by asking them to tell me "Like them," Love them," "Don't like them," or "Never Heard of them," when I rattle off a list of bands.

It is all build up for a drawing dupe where I peg what a person will draw through a combination of suggestibility combined with understanding that persons personality based on the bands they choose. Thus, If I were doing it on 30 somethings I'd rattle off bands like, Dead Milkmen, R.E.M., Liz Phair, Siouxie and The Banshees, Queensryche, Black Flag, N.W.A. and so forth. Trying to hit one major band in each subculture. The key to the bands is that I am looking for slightly obscure bands but well known within a certain sub culture.

So far I figure I'll use Linken Park, since it is a band that most have at least heard of, and either Jack Johnson or Ben Harper, but beyond that...I have no idea?

Thanks

I listed bands and artists from different genres I know (I am 23 and like to think I am educated)

Indie: The Killers, Plain White T's, Oasis, Owl City, James Blunt , James Morrison, Maroon 5.

Punk Rock/Skater Rock: Greenday,Blink 182, Sum 41, The Offspring.

Pop: Take That, Westlife, Boyzone.

Pop Rock: The Hoosiers, Pink, Lissie, Counting Crows, Avril Lavigne.

Rap/Pop: Akon, Dr Dre, Eminem, Cee Lo Green, Tinchi Stryder, Flo Rider, Mike Posner, Black eyed peas, David Guetta.

Rock/Metal: Marylin Manson, Iron Maiden, Metallica, System of a down, Queens of the stone age, Trivium, Snow Patrol, Papa Roach,Foo Fighters Slipknot.

All popular in each category, not extremely well heard of if you are outside that genre.

P.s The songs are put into the categories I deemed fit (without getting into sub genres) this is not a point for debate people!.

Hope this helps

Thanks for that. That' funny, maybe I am not as out of date as I thought! Most of those guys were around 10 years ago. I just wasn't sure if people were still listening to them. Heck Iron Maiden was old when I started listening to them. (they are almost as old as Sabbath!)

There are some new names in there that I haven't heard of so I'll check those out. Also I might comprise a separate list for men and women since women women only listen to sensitive emo crap.....jk

Bumping this one to see if anyone else has anything to add to it? I think we shouldn't discount the power of music. For instance, if I am working with another Gen Xer and mention R.E.M. and they say "Love 'em" Then I can push it a bit. "REM before or after the Green album?" To real hard core REM fans Green was the turning point for the band. It is when they went from a Indy band that the cool kids were listening to, to a mega platinum band that everyone was listening to. So by mentioning that album, that turning point, you take a hit (a band that most people have heard about in the last 20 years) and make it much stronger by showing a bit of understanding of the bands history.

Don't forget jazz. Drummer, Dave Weckl has put out some great music that would be excellent for performance music. One of his upbeat songs, Tomatillo comes to mind. This clip isn't of Dave but he sure knows how to play like Dave;
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2qpnspBy1_w

The musical guitar duo Seis Cuerdas;
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yvfpMBQq ... re=related

The rock band, Rush has done some very interesting instrumentals;
Leave That Thing Alone;
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FLq0tpZZe7M

Where's My Thing;
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hOj0eO3zCbc

The Main Monkey Business;
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ajfuf9W6B0

Remember that one can cut and paste their own track with editing software for when you want to cut out portions or combine and lengthen others.