As their name implies, VHS or Beta is one of many bands riding the wave of '80s nostalgia. But don't let that geeky reference to the home video options of that decade deceive you. They're also very much a modern band, borrowing equally from '80s synth-pop and new wave as the dance-punk of the early aughts.Forming in Louisville, KY in 1997, bassist Mark Palagy, drummer Mark Guidry and guitarists Zeke Buck and Craig Pfunder were inspired by a shared love of disco, punk rock, soul and electronic music. Daft Punk was clearly an influence, as anyone could tell by listening to their debut EP in 2002, Le Funk. Songs like "Solid Gold" suggested a love of something something poppy that could be brought to the dance floor, hopefully resulting in kids in skinny jeans actually moving around a bit. But they were a rock band first, despite their love for house, and it was clear they weren't trading in their guitars or drum kit anytime soon. Chea Beckley was added to the line-up to handle vocoder, samples and keyboard duties.Their rock sound became more pronounced on 2004's Night on Fire, which played right into the decade's dance-punk craze. Relying on chicken-scratch guitar and steady, percussive beats, the band grew notorious for performances that would leave crowds sweating and exhausted from getting down. They began to wear their '80s nostalgia on their sleeve, with vocals reminiscent of Robert Smith's, and music that borrowed much from new wave. Critical reception was mixed, with some judging the record as an incomplete, transitional album.But 2007 quieted the doubters. Bring on the Comets proved the band had found it's voice in between disco-rock and house. Leaning away from the dancey sensibilities of their earlier records--though not abolishing them altogether--VHS or Beta created a compelling blend of styles that would trade off between synth-pop balladry and dance floor-pounding rockers.