“I guess we’re nerd-core,” said guitarist Anthony Kanalas. “Wait, no, I’m joking.”

This is fairly representative of 4th Gear, five guys who seem to find it impossible to stay on task when offstage. When forced to seriously define their sound, they list it as “alternative pop rock,” but that hardly does justice to their fun, catchy music.

The band — Kanalas, guitarist Kevin Fitzgerald, drummer Jamie Wright (who can not play drums barefoot), bassist Joe Cholewa and new vocalist Eric Landshaft — has been together in some form or another for five years.

“We’ll play pretty much anywhere,” Cholewa said. “From basements to the House of Blues. We just like playing shows.”

So far they’ve played shows with bands like El Guapo, Catch 22 and Hawthorne Heights, though their music might be more at home with bands like Midtown or Sum 41. On stage, Landshaft seems like he’s still working out the kinks in his new position, but vocally, his unassuming delivery is the perfect fit with his bandmates. The DeKalb resident played in his hometown for the first time Saturday, on the Soundstage at Corn Fest. Before the set, 4th Gear sat down with the Northern Star and answered four questions.

Northern Star: Can you guys list the top three movies of the year so far?

Fitzgerald: “Clerks 2” is the best. That movie was amazing.

Kanalas: “Talladega Nights” is up there.

Wright: I liked “Cars.”

Landshaft: “Cars”? Are you serious?

Wright: Put “Cars” in there too; that’s three.

NS: What’s the best album you have each bought this year?

Landshaft: You guys know what I’m gonna say — Ryan Cabrera.

Wright: (groans)

Landshaft: What, you’re the one who liked “Cars.”

Fitzgerald: I’ll go with Reliant K, definitely.

Wright: The Fray. No, Quietdrive. Quietdrive. Go with Quietdrive.

Kanalas: Bullet for My Valentine. I love them.

Cholewa: Ludacris.

Landshaft: Ooh, wait, change mine to The Rocket Summer.

Wright: Oh yeah! Rocket Summer is amazing!

Landshaft: Yeah, cross out Ryan Cabrera .

NS: If 4th Gear could have a flavor of Ben & Jerry’s ice cream named after it, what would it be?

Fitzgerald: Probably something fruity.

Wright: Yeah, I guess so.

Cholewa: Really? Yeah, I guess you’re right.

Kanalas: How about “Tutti Frutti”?

Landshaft: Isn’t that already a flavor?

Kanalas: No. “Tutti Frutti Nosebleed.”

Cholewa: Why “Nosebleed”?

Wright: How about “Naked Tutti Frutti”?

Fitzgerald: It needs something else, but I like that better than “Tutti Frutti Nosebleed.”

Landshaft: Like a name.

Kanalas: “Chiquita”?

All: “Chiquita”!

Cholewa: “Naked Tutti Frutti Chiquita”?

Kanalas: No, how about “Naked Chiquita Tutti Frutti”?

NS: Sounds good. Last question — what is a crazy story you can tell about being in 4th Gear?

Fitzgerald: Well, there was that soft core porn we made.

Evan Thorne is a music critic for the

Northern Star.