Written by DCist Music Contributor Chris Snyder.

The District’s own innovative musical trio, Trans Am, has been dubbed many things since their debut self-titled full-length album in 1996: post rock, synth pop, prog, electro-funk, “Funk Carioca” and electro-rock, to name a few. Varying in style and composition with each new record, the band has taken fans on a virtual “trans”-itional journey from one end of the musical spectrum to the next, ultimately adding vocals, acoustic guitar and even pre-recorded sound bites from George W. Bush. With their most recent 2004 release, “Liberation,” Trans Am have created a post-9/11 post-rock album addressing the current state of national paranoia with little to no lyrics, a notable feat as the sinister sounds alone speak louder than words.

And so DCist, through all the hype, was prepared for three orange-jump-suit-clad rockers (as seen in the various promo shots) to step out on the Black Cat stage and amaze us with all sorts of eccentricities. In fact, it was the two opening bands whose performances sent a befuddled shock through our system.