But racing out of the garage like a finely-tuned behemoth is Sponge,

which has added a twinkling shine to the deteriorated chrome of the Rust Belt.

Sponge plays tonight at 8 p.m. in Shryock Auditorium.

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Guitarist Mike Cross said his hometown was a good incubator, instilling a blue-collar work ethic into him and his band that helped them through the roadblock of a stagnant scene and inspired the brooding lyrics of the heavy-yet-poppy quintet.

Detroit is a good place to get a band started, Cross said. But we didn’t spend a lot of time playing around. We basically used it as a tool to get our stuff recorded and to test out our live show.

Cross said he was influenced by Detroit’s musical legacy, but his goal lay out past the shores of Lake Erie.

We changed our thinking from being locally successful, he said. The idea of having a bunch of friends come out and seeing us is not what we wanted to do.

Sponge released Rotting Piata on Sony Records in August 1994 and hit the road the same month, on which it has remained for all but two weeks since.

Rotting Piata did not see stellar sales until late last year, when MTV and large-market radio stations picked up on Plowed, the debut single.

I look at stuff like that as the turning point, Cross said. We didn’t start seeing some success until we started headlining about January.

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The success led to a gold record for Rotting Piata, selling more than 500,000 units.

Cross said that appearances on Late Show With David Letterman and The Jon Stewart Show were exciting, but the thrill was short-lived since it is all part of the job.

It’s something you think about when you’re writing your own songs, he said. You see it as a milestone.

Cross admits that Sponge is a product a musical hooker working the alternative streets for its pimp, Sony Records. But he is glad to have the opportunity to offer his services to the fans.

When you sign a record contract, you basically give the record company freedom to exploit you’re music, he said.

I think we stay on top of our game to make sure there’s nothing getting out that we don’t want.

I feel fortunate, rather than being exploited.

So once again, the stars are shining above Detroit, smiling as Sponge and fellow Detroit rockers Big Block (who open tonight’s show) kick out the jams, lending their raw power to help re-bore the Motor City’s engine.

Sponge plays tonight at 8 p.m. at Shryock Auditorium. Poster Children and Big Block will open. Tickets are $14 and are available at the Student Center ticket office, Discount Den and Disc Jockey Records.