N.E.R.D. Steps Into the Spotlight

As the production whiz team the Neptunes, Pharrell Williams and Chad Hugo lent their signature style to hits by acts as diverse as No Doubt, Mystikal and Britney Spears. On Saturday at the House of Blues, some of the pair’s friends helped their own group, N.E.R.D., step credibly into the spotlight.

N.E.R.D. (which stands for No One Ever Really Dies) also comprised the duo’s rapper pal Shay and Minneapolis band Spy Mob, which played its own fine set of melodic soul-pop before adeptly assuming backup duty. The philosophy behind the acronym--that people’s energies never disappear but only change form--somewhat governed the group’s crunchy amalgamation of hip-hop, funk, rock and R&B;, at times recalling the vibe of Run-DMC.

The sold-out 80-minute show featured such standouts from N.E.R.D.’s debut album, “In Search of ... ,” as the propulsively funky, mock-macho “Things Are Getting Better” and the head-banging anthem “Rock Star,” along with a turn at Busta Rhymes’ single “Pass the Courvoisier Part II,” on which Williams appears. The set was far more dynamic than your average hip-hop concert, making it easy to forgive the lack of strong vocals and the pedestrian lyrical tendencies.

Occasionally the music felt repetitive, but the main pitfall was a lengthy guest turn by singer Kelis, another Neptunes beneficiary. She injected lively, Tina Turner-esque soulfulness into N.E.R.D.’s steamy “Truth or Dare,” but soon wore out her welcome with her own material.