Hyper-electric rock ‘n’ roll bled its way onto the Underground scene with a performance by the Portland-based trio, The Gossip, on March 22 in Founders hall for a WQFS-sponsored concert to raise awareness for Planned Parenthood.Above teal and black carpet your grandmother rejected in 1976, fans ranging from Guilford students to NC State alumni huddled in cramped quarters to see 3 groups of musicians give them all they had.

Winston-Salem locals, The Finks (not to be confused with the surf-rock band by the same name) opened the night with a stunning performance of illegible harmonizing and too much overdrive.

With her baby-doll devil glare and Paper Moon haircut, lead singer Liz Simmons attracted many adoring glances, but it was the addition of a fiddle that caught fans’ ears.

By incorporating legendary bluegrass musician Bill Hicks’ weapon of choice, the fiddle, stop-and-go rhythms were peppered with a state of urgency and given the extra effect needed to set the group apart from other local indie-rock bands.

There was an air of sassiness to The Fink’s performance that showed that the music was not about dissection or execution, but rather, escape. It teetered upon a frightening mix of carnival allure, childrens lullabies and the occasional rockabilly boom-chik. The sound was reminiscent of a more visceral Man Man.

Next on the program was Panther, a man and his iPod from Portland, Ore. Panther looked like the offspring of Jerry Seinfeld and Dave Grohl, but there was more to him. He also had a temper and a habit for being condescending to the sound technicians.

Panther relied on shtick and shock the way Beck once did. But Panther is no Beck, and the crowd was not accepting.

He leapt on stage, twirled, and shouted obscenities to the tune of his prearranged beats. The lone highlight of his energetic assault came when, frustrated at his malfunctioning microphone, he discarded it to the floor and screamed the lyrics to the crowd.

His persistence and enthusiasm, in that brief moment, showed a flash of being a true showman. Unfortunately, it only lasted that one moment.

After Panther’s shenanigans it was time for the headliners to take the stage. The audience buzzed with excitement and milled around in the confined space. With the thermostat set to “hell,” The Gossip took the stage.

The Gossip’s sound infected the audience from the start.

Beth Ditto, who fronted the band, commanded attention with an incredible presence. Her vocal range and confidence seemed boundless.

Her shining moment came during the bluesy dance piece, “Yr Mangled Heart,” which captivated the audience like a snake charmer. Her inflections dictated when the fans were to marvel at her prowess and when to jump to the ceiling in ecstasy.

Guitarist Brace Paine struck every note with a pose, as if he had no bones in his body. He was part Flex Armstrong and part Scarecrow from “The Wizard of Oz”, and he was a skilled technician whose work at manipulating all three pickups on his reverse Gibson Firebird had a way of kidnapping you, seducing you, and then discarding you by a song’s end.

Nestled behind the drum kit in the corner was the heartbeat of the band. Hannah Blilie is a silent dragon with the face of an angel – but don’t be fooled. There is an aura of coolness that surrounds her that could rival even David Bowie.

Her rhythm was perfect and her endurance boggled the mind. One could swear she hadn’t broken a sweat midway through the set, but you’d rethink it after a brief scan at the audience gasping to keep up. She’s a jewel for this band and compliments them perfectly.

The Gossip had a well-organized production, but they refused to sound too polished. There was a level of intimacy between the performers and their fans, and nothing seemed to shatter it.

They simply played through audio problems during the concert; nothing phased The Gossip. They were consummate professionals who held a dialog with their audience. They were charmers and storytellers with playful sarcasm that was never mistaken for rudeness.

This was a band one could easily fall in love with, and many did by the night’s end.