FRAT BOY BAND OF CHOICE

France has produced some killer DJs of late. And the resurgence of gritty electronic music fusing raunchy rock and pop with even raunchier house beats has created a sound of its own. Much of this popularity can be attributed to the electro music label Ed Banger Records, which has been globally broadcasting their tracks over the last five years. But beyond bringing electronic music back, a hype has evolved -- not only amongst the nü-ravers, but with the jock rockers as well.

Electro duo Justice (the most popular of the Ed Banger crew… so says Wikipedia) seem to appeal to a younger and more pop-oriented audience. MTV’s college division, mtvU, aired its annual Woodie Awards the other night to celebrate university-student-approved music. Amongst the TRL-favorite nominees like Motion City Soundtrack and Say Anything, Justice was up for Best Video Woodie with their single “D.A.N.C.E.” They lost. But their music still made it onto the iPods of beer-pong-playing students (and even into the crime drama show C.S.I.: NY).

This past October, New York City concertgoers were graced twice by Justice members Gaspard Augé and Xavier de Rosnay -- once for a CMJ showcase and again for the final set of their world tour. Justice kept the crowd rowdy as they spun their anthem hits both nights at the Mad Max-esque venue Terminal 5. But what miffed some fans was the crowd that the show pulled in. The floor was covered with frat boys protecting their underage girlfriends. Just when we thought the boy band sensation was over, Justice comes along!