Boss City Sounds adds modern twist, a little estrogen to traditional ska

Their tunes are nearly as svelte as their threads, a lively, contemporary take on traditional ska. The coed Boss City Sounds looks good and sounds better. Singer Kelsey Joy Lugo spills the beans on the band.

What do the Boss City Sounds sound like?

"Fun, upbeat, danceable, soulful, different. We sound like the return of happy upbeat traditional ska, with a modern twist. The Toasters meets Toots and the Maytals meets Aretha Franklin."

Ska has become a pretty testosterone heavy genre in recent years. What are the pluses and minuses of being a female voice among so many dudes?

"It can be tough, because sometimes among so many boys, it can start feeling like people don't take me seriously as a girl. At the end of the day, it's not about the competition or being the only girl to me, I'm just doing what I love to do with my friends. Overall, I think we're doing something different and I'm proud to be bringing some estrogen into the mix."

You guys are some pretty snazzy dressers. Favorite Vegas fashion haunts?

"We like to get a little fancy, so not really any fashion haunts. Most of the time we just wear whatever feels natural and comfortable. Sometimes that happens to be suits and a cocktail dress."

You're about to release your debut. What can we expect?

"You can expect lots of energy and soul. Something traditional, upbeat and bright and lots of fun. We're saving up and we want to make it great."

See the Boss City Sounds at 9 p.m. today at the House of Blues at Mandalay Bay, 3950 Las Vegas Blvd. South. The show is free; call 632-7600.

Contact reporter Jason Bracelin at jbracelin@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0476.