The thing that has launched Walk the Moon to the top of the music charts is their ability tap into two of the biggest trends sweeping over American youth these days: going to wild music festivals with reckless abandon and getting lost in nostalgia for 1980s America. If you can imagine this being translated into music, you would be left with hits from Walk the Moon.

In particular, their "Shut up and Dance" and "One Foot" chart-toppers deploy those anthemic, synth-y, crowd-sweeping sounds.

Most of their music emphasizes an exuberant, happy energy deployed through electric guitars, keyboards and other computer-generated sounds. Even though I find their top hits to be a tad overwhelming, their lesser-known tracks, on the other hand, are more tame in comparison and can make for some enjoyable listening. Such tracks, however, probably won't make the cut into their performance line up.

Speaking of high energy and performances, these guys like to go all-out on stage, deploying strange dance moves and embracing their inner-weird, which is pretty cool. Lead singer Nicholas Petricca cites Prince, Talking Heads and David Bowie as influences to his music and stage performances.

For those who enjoy this band, their show at Mohegan Sun on Saturday should make for a dreamy synth-laced escape from everyday life.

Walk the Moon, 8 p.m. Saturday, Mohegan Sun Arena; $25-$35; 1-800-745-3000.