ROGUE WAVE @ Cabaret Juste Pour Rire

By Mike Bresciani - The Lonesome Strangers - 10/27/2007

How biased can a review of a Rogue Wave show be? Let’s find out…

Rogue Wave was back at the Cabaret Juste Pour Rire music hall after having played a split-bill with Nada Surf on their 2006 Winter tour. This time around, as headliners, the draw was significantly smaller, with the top half of the Cabaret being closed off. It didn’t matter, anyhow. The concert floor was full of eager fans waiting to hear their favorite Rogue Wave tunes.

A lot has changed for Rogue Wave since their 2005 sophomore release, Descended Like Vultures. For starters, there’s yet another new bassist in the band, as Patrick Abernathy took Evan Farrell’s place in the lineup in early 2007. Along with a new member, the band had just released a new album, Asleep at Geaven’s Gate, while switching over from Sub Pop to Jack Johnson’s Brushfire Records. Asleep…’s sound doesn’t stray from their signature dreamy, introspective pop, and while Descended Like Vultures might’ve caught your ear upon first listen, their latest release may take a couple trips to sink in.

One has to wonder: when was the last time you went to a show, eager to hear some "new stuff"? Really, think it over. Although we look forward to hearing new material from our favorite artists, we seldom want to hear it performed, since we look forward to hearing our desired songs. Tonight was no exception, as people in attendance were calling upon Zach Rogue to perform their personal favorites. "Eyes" and "California" were probably the most anticipated songs of the evening, as members of the audience kept screaming out one or the other. The band did play a hearty selection from their entire catalogue, providing an obvious emphasis on the new record. Songs like "Lake Michigan" and "Harmonium" stood out, while "Chicago X 12" took special notice, as it was introduced as a song about drummer Pat Spurgeon’s need for a new kidney (which he did, thankfully receive).

Older songs like "Every Moment" and "Bird on a Wire" were given a live makeover, as they were played in a more up-tempo manner, while the rest of the Rogue Wave catalogue remained rather intact. This reviewers’ personal highlight of the show would be hearing the whimsical "Sewn up" from 2003’s Out of the Shadows, while the low-point was leaving the show not having heard "Love’s Lost Guarantee" after hearing the song over and over in the Wristcutters: A Love Story movie trailer.

How many times have we come across Rogue Wave without ever owning one of their albums? When one thinks of cross-marketing music with film and television, it’s easy to jump to a band like Rogue Wave (in a good way, of course). Their songs are everywhere, from blockbusters like Spiderman and Napoleon Dynamite, to television shows like Weeds, Heroes, and the defunct O.C. This is where the lines between "selling out" and "earning an honest living" become blurred; however, most fans and critics would presume the latter of the two. With this in mind, it’s fair to believe that a good chunk of their fan base was introduced through one of these many mediums, though there’s no shame in admitting it (yours truly downloaded "Bird on a Wire" years ago, assuming it was a tribute, and was pleasantly surprised…).

And so, for fans and newcomers to Rogue Wave, please note: even though the O.C. has always sucked, Rogue Wave’s music is still wonderful, and they remain at the top of their game.

Tune in to The Lonesome Strangers with Mikey B every Wednesday from 3pm – 5pm