The history of the Minneapolis band The Stereo sounds more like the plot of an indie-rock soap opera, rather than real life. The band has gone through more line-up changes, breakups and reformations than everyone?s favorite television show, “Saved By the Bell.”

Founded as a two-man group, hence the name The Stereo, in 1998, with Rory Phillips (The Impossibles) and Jamie Woolford, the only constant over the past three years has been Woolford.

During that period, nine other people have been in the band ? including the current lineup, which rejoins Woolford with former band mate B.J. Wuollet along with Kevin Scanlon and Chris Serafini of Pollen.

You can see the next chapter of The Stereo unfold this Saturday at Union South?s Club 770, where they will certainly offer some of the best stripped-down, three-chord pop-rock this side of Jimmy Eat World.

The Stereo?s latest album, No Traffic, was written completely by Woolford, who, after dropping the rest of his band and swearing off touring like a bad habit, still yearned for the musical outlet the group had provided him.

Apparently old habits do die hard, as Woolford is back on the road again with a brand new line-up whose life expectancy is probably somewhere between fruit fly and a goldfish.

Madison’s own Five Dollar Foundation, fresh off a recent video shoot, will start things off right.

“It was a grueling shoot,” claims guitar/vocalist Jason Ough about the three days of filming. “We had to sit around all day playing our instruments while looking at pretty girls we didn?t know.”

The band’s debut album released last year, Wrong If By Wrong You Mean Right, has moments that sound like the Alkaline Trio, Elvis Costello and perhaps a little Blink 182. The four-piece will join Kansas City?s rock by way of ska quartet, The Gadjits, as opening acts.
Ough and Steve Reidell of Five Dollar Foundation perform accoustic tonight at Cafe Montmartre. Show starts at 8 p.m.