Ticket to Mars played an electrifying set at downtown's Acme. It was part straight-ahead indie rock, part psychedelic, experimental. The small but affable audience was receptive to this quartet's blend of rock, pop, and freeform stylings.

Ticket to Mars driving forces are guitarists/vocalists Ian Bell and Colin Held. They made a formidable team in their playing, which was forceful and in sync. Add the steady bass of Tomer Busidan and adroit drummer Brian Hersh, Ticket to Mars played sharp and avant garde.

Ticket played songs off of their last album: "Left Behind," "After DNA," "The Trilogy 1. Ticket 2. Lift Off 3. Last Days on the Red Planet," "Damage," and this critic's favorite "Squirrel." The group's performance of Trilogy only confirmed that the conceptual rock of early Yes and Rush still lives on, but more in a modern rock context.

This performance was made only special by the fact that this was the last show with Held. Ticket will be in the studio recording new tracks. Perhaps this solid show will be an indicator of things to come on the next record.