The Spazmatics may look like preppy dorks in neck braces and taped eyeglasses, but they rock like nobody's (risky) business.

From new wave to pop trash, the great awkward-years classics by Wham, Duran Duran, Depeche Mode and Toni Basil are covered in all the exuberant, cheeky glory by the house band, the Spazmatics. In between sets, DJ Morty, who is also known for his nights at Canter's Kibitz Room and The Standard, might just be the only guy around who can make a beat-matched mix of Michael Jackson, The Cure and Frankie Goes to Hollywood actually work. Dance-floor fans of Morty and the Spazzes generally include a mixture of cute girls (most of whom were probably still in diapers when these '80s tunes were hits) sporting miniskirts and legwarmers; slightly older tough-guy types who aren't too cool to sing along to Wham; and casually dressed thirtysomethings looking for a flashback.—Lina Lecaro