The Fray, Jack's Mannequin, Meese

If the sun's shining, it's a perfect occasion to break out Jack's Mannequin's two albums, 2005's Everything in Transit and last year's The Glass Passenger. Ebullient piano, sugary pop harmonies and bright California rock barely conceal each album's melancholic undercurrent, from Transit's odes to heartbreak to Passenger's triumphs over mortality. Optimism wins out on the latter album, thanks to euphoric moments such as the string-laced "The Resolution" and the Fleetwood Mac-like "American Love." He may be opening for fellow piano rockers The Fray, known for its somber songs more than anything—but don't let that get you down.

Also on this bill: The Fray's fellow Denver-based Meese, a band often compared to The Fray because of its home base, but one that's much poppier and willing to think outside the box.