We knew right from the start ... as soon as Milton Berle (in drag), live rats on serving dishes and ceiling-busting guitarists teamed up for 1984’s “Round and Round” video, pop-metal band Ratt was destined to appear on a lot of one-hit-wonder countdowns someday. Truth be told, though, the So-Cal glamsters were so much more. Okay, a little more. Early tunes “Wanted Man,” “Lay It Down” and “Dance” are as emblematic of the time as many of their peers’ more familiar singles. Sure, latter fare “Way Cool Jr.” and “Lovin’ You’s a Dirty Job” took a turn for the extra-cheesy, but don’t let that stop you from nibbling up this summer’s Stephen Pearcy-fronted reunion. – Spencer Patterson
No, Poison’s “metal” tunes were never particularly heavy, but just try listening to “Talk to Dirty to Me” or “Nothin’ But a Good Time” and not bopping your head and feeling the urge to sing along. Guitarist C.C. Deville may be an entertainingly wacky presence, but the band’s songs actually improved during his absence in the ’90s, when virtuosos Richie Kotzen and Blues Saraceno filled the guitar slot. C.C.’s back, and the emphasis is on nostalgia over musicianship, but those songs still have the power to get you singing right along. – Josh Bell
Poison with Ratt. August 17, 8 p.m., $42-$57. The Pearl, 942-7777.