Going into the concert Monday, Aug.13, at the Saratoga Performing Arts Center, I had already seen both of the chief artists perform live. So, it’s impossible for me not to compare this show with those other concert experiences.

Incubus’ performance at the 2002 Y100 Feztival was intense. While the band wasn’t quite as spellbinding the second time around, they were inconceivably close.

Unlike most groups, Incubus’ music is more affecting and just plain sounds better live than it does on album. Their spectacular mood-driven lights show added colors, textures and atmosphere to their songs, and ranks second only to Radiohead’s.

Able to masterfully weave alternative rock, metal, hip-hop, pop and funk into their own distinctive sound, Incubus has attracted fans of all ages and musical tastes. Unlike many of their peers, the band continues to produce complex, varied music and remain successful.

When Incubus jams, it’s done with purpose. Not only do the interludes show off the singular talents of the band’s members, they also serve as great transitions from one tune to the next.

As good as Incubus is, it’s singer Brandon Boyd that makes the group truly remarkable. From the start of their set to the closing notes, his vocal range and clarity were stunning.

The group’s rousing set featured both smash singles and deeper album cuts from their catalog as well an excellent cover of Prince’s “Let’s Go Crazy.” The band played a few too many songs off the newest release, but the real shock for most fans was the absence of a number of the band’s staples including “Pardon Me,” “I Miss You,” “Nice to Know You,” “Warning” and “Talk Shows on Mute.”

Though it was a tad disappointing not to hear any of those songs, Incubus is nearing the level Pearl Jam has been at for more than a decade. Even when they don’t play everything people want to hear, it’s still a great show.

The first time I saw The Bravery in December 2005 at Madison Square Garden, the band served as an agreeable appetizer before the brilliant sonic feast of Depeche Mode. Thanks to a more appropriately sized venue and additional material from their undervalued second album, the new wave revivalists’ performance Monday night was far superior to that initial encounter.

At points during The Bravery’s set the group tried to hard to impress, but overall their post-punk-inspired alternative rock was lively and stylish. The perfect setting to see this band would be in a tiny, dingy dive bar, but at this point in their career that scenario is an unlikely one.

Comparisons to evident influences like The Cure, Duran Duran and New Order appear unavoidable and will likely nag The Bravery for their entire career. Frontman Sam Endicott, whose birthday it was, croons in a fashion that fans of Morrissey and Robert Smith should admire, yet many deem the outfit nothing more than a rip-off.

However, despite what the band may lack in originality, they easily reconcile with their energy and addictively arresting tunes people can both sing and dance along to. Besides, being considered a second-rate version of The Smiths is hardly an insult.

At 7 p.m. Simon Dawes, an Americana group who referred to themselves as the band no one has ever heard of, kicked off the show to a mostly empty amphitheater. Though the act was solid for their style of music, it’s truly baffling how such a colorless and inconsequential band earned the coveted opening slot for two exceptional artists.

Concert highlights: “Fearless,” “Believe,” “This Is Not the End,” “Honest Mistake” and “Unconditional” by The Bravery and “Anna Molly,” “Pistola,” “Summer Romance (Anti-Gravity Love Song)”, “Under My Umbrella,” “Love Hurts,” “Megalomaniac,” “Sick Sad Little World,” “Let’s Go Crazy,” “Stellar” and “Aqueous Transmission” by Incubus.