There's a striking ageism in indy-rock that's apparent at any given show. Usually there's at least a healthy decade between the average audience member and the artist. It's a telling trend, as most of these youngsters will grow up to appreciate bigger and better things: they will refine, discover and reform their musical tastes. Then there are those of us who never grow up, still playing the same tunes year after year. Enter the Faint, fresh from naptime, to show us what once existed between lunch and recess. I remember first being introduced to the Faint more than three years ago during parking-lot dance parties, but then I saw them last Tuesday when they played at the Roxy with TV on the Radio . The latest in indy-rock marketing is packaging two previously dissimilar bands to cull audience members. However, it was most disconcerting to survey the audience and feel like one of the oldest members in attendance. The party was over before it started.Opening act Beep Beep were an unexpected burst of humor and goofiness. Playing songs from their debut Business Casual, their jagged dance-rock was reminiscent of the playful band, Q and not U.

TV on the Radio then carefully took the stage, setting up with purpose and humor. Without frivolous quipping or posing, they began their set. The band members stood with dignity and curiosity, and they supported the diverse instrumentation of their record with an imaginative variety of percussion and vocal rearrangements. At points, singer Tunde Adebimpe would beat a beer bottle or the floor with a drumstick to add interesting percussion textures to the live sound.

The band swayed in harmony and percussion from one song to another, creating a net to cover their tracks. Their single, "Staring at the Sun," was distinctly lacking the dynamic and drive of the original EP version. Additionally, The set was disappointingly short, offering a permutation of songs from their new album and various singles. Most notable, however, was Adebimpe's voice, which was genuinely elevating. He interacted thoughtfully and energetically with guitarist Kyp Malone's voice to create a unique vocal environment that still retained its soulfulness while losing the a cappella novelty. It was as cathartic as possible within the confines of the critical eye of the audience.

Methodically slow, playful, humble and gentle, TV on the Radio is a band that doesn't take itself too seriously, which is easily its greatest asset. It is in this vein that they can easily slip on new forms and still stay focused and meaningful. Still, while each member is engaging and inspirational, the band lacks that extra something to take its act to the next level. Still, TV on the Radio is well on its way, and have the smarts and soul to be successful.

They demonstrate that cool is to never care at all about what people think, because if they should do so they might stop to ask themselves, "Why are we on tour with the Faint?" A good answer was delivered by rambunctious audience members following TV on the Radio's set yelling: "You guys should be headlining!"

The Faint members rapidly took the stage and set up with pretentious indifference. The under-aged fashionistas of the crowd bludgeoned their way to the front, waiting impatiently for the wall of dance that was to explode any moment. The Faint, however, only had ridiculously cheap beats to offer. The space of songs from the new album Wet from Birth was extremely busy, but without the dynamic fooling that made the Faint novel and danceable so long ago. The live sound was filled with droning lyrics that were embarrassingly immature, and blunt unoriginal guitar lines failed to impress. Even more annoying was the pulse pounding dance happy audience that threw open their beer with incontinence the second Faint cut loose.

Most new material arrived as stale as the old, with only the likes of oldies "Call Call" and "Worked up so Sexual" to remind one why teenagers in parking lots would enjoy such decadence in the first place. Thanks, but no thanks, Faint. Your pelvic thrusts, disco sweat and mascara have run their course.