The outlandish live antics of Sidewalk Driver are practically legendary and perhaps quintessential to anyone who considers themselves a true fan of the Boston Music Scene. From his avalanche rock and roll energy to his always captivating onstage get-up, frontman Tad McKitterick is completely comfortable in his own renown. In fact, he seemingly revels in it. So it’s only natural for him to deflect predictable inquiries regarding his stage persona with the greatest of ease. “I’m not a very image conscience person. I don’t perform like a normal person. I don’t act like a normal person–so why should I look like one?”
He builds on the sentiment with palpable fervor. “Judges wear robes because they dish out justice. I wear platform boots because I dish out fantasy. I can honestly say that the fact it engages the audience is secondary. On stage, it just feels right.” Vocally, Tad also prefers being more interpretive than derivative. On Sidewalk Driver’s debut album, “For All The Boys and Girls,” he’s torn between excavating punk reverie (“Dancing With Her Friends”) and striving for priceless guitar fuzz gems (“Never Quit”).
When it comes to his future musical endeavors, McKitterick is ambiguous when addressing the direction the band will go in next. “I feel like ‘For All The Boys and Girls’ had a lot of departures within itself. We just sort of write what we write.” He inevitably becomes tongue and cheek when describing the strategies employed to test how dulcet Sidewalk Driver songs are. “We play new songs for a small committee of transients and animals, and if they like it, then we know we are onto something.” For their upcoming performance this Saturday at The Sinclair, McKitterick states the obvious when the singer is asked if he has any tricks up his sleeves. “Candace, you should know by now that the tricks are my sleeves.”
Sidewalk Driver plays the Sinclair on Saturday, July 18 with Venetia Fair, Salita, and The Color and Sound (9 p.m., $12, 18+)
