Jul. 6: No Doubt about it

Jason Gonulsen
Special to Metromix

It's been around five years since No Doubt has embarked on a summer tour, so the band's stop in St. Louis this Wednesday at Verizon Wireless Amphitheater is a big reason to celebrate for their legion of fans. However, with the band being away from the road and studio for so long, what can one expect from them these days? Have they slowed down at all? After all, every band member is either approaching 40 or already there.

Judging from the live show reviews that have been written so far, it appears that Gwen Stefani and Co. are as frisky as ever. The show has been running around 90 minutes, and yes, you'll probably get to hear your favorite song and witness Stefani do a few push-ups with ease. The surprise might be that they aren't playing new material, even though a new studio album is supposedly on tap for 2010. I'm not so sure that No Doubt fans will sour at this news, but it's at least worth mentioning. You can call it a "greatest hits" tour if you must.

Whatever you do want to call it, prepare to be dazzled; Stefani may be a mom now, but she's still an energetic star who's willing to show off. You wouldn't have it any other way, would you?

If you're not one for "big" shows, here are a few other "smaller" shows to check out this week:

Tuesday: The Robert Cray Band at The Pageant: The Blues don't get much better than this. Even if you're a hockey fan.

Wednesday: SunnO))) at The Firebird: It will be loud. It will probably be packed. You'll probably want to call in sick on Thursday.

Saturday: The Trip Daddys at Off Broadway: Local boys bring their rockabilly sound to one of St. Louis' best venues.

Five No Doubt videos to check out before the show: