Rogue Wave Washes Over the District

It Happened Last Night

Rogue Wave Washes Over the District

WASHINGTON, D.C. As chilly temps filled the air, the Oakland band heated things up at the Black Cat.

By Jeffrey Parker 11.06.07 4:00 AM

PHOTOS BY NESTOR DIAZ

"Thanks for coming out on Monday night," singer Zach Rogue said before the encore at the decidedly not packed Black Cat last night (Nov. 5). "Because we're better than football." Better than football? Combine that statement with the tattoos and the loud guitars, and you'd think Rogue Wave was out to destroy the very fabric of what it is to be wholesome and American -- but then he went in to a solo acoustic version of "Cheaper Than Therapy," from recent release Asleep at Heaven's Gate (complete with campfire sing-along), you realize that there's nothing but good intentions here.

After an exciting set from banjo enthusiasts and fellow Oaklanders Port O'Brien (think a softer Two Gallants, another screeching indie country band from the Bay Area), Rogue Wave brought it loud for much of the set, most notably on "Chicago x 12," which made pain anthemic, and "Lake Michigan," which brought forth tribal beats born of beating on beer bottles. It was on the softer material like old stalwart "California," though, that the appeal of Rogue Wave became clear: it's a beating heart with a (slightly) harder edge, or Death Cab turned up. Rogue dedicated "Ghost" to his daughter (who may or may not have been the baby with headphones on backstage), showing that lullabies can be accompanied by drums and guitars.

We asked: Rogue Wave just covered "The Sidewinder Sleeps Tonight," and old R.E.M. song. What other song would you like to hear Rogue Wave cover, and why?

Name: Colleen Trempe
Age: 16
Hometown: Burke, VA
Occupation: Student
"'Judy and the Dream of Horses' [by Belle and Sebastian], because it's one of my favorite songs, and don't you think that would be awesome, so chill?"

Name: Cat Lukach
Age: 23
Hometown: Bethany Beach, DE
Occupation: Researcher for the National Cancer Institute
"I would like to hear 'Clementine,' because Rogue Wave does a lot of songs about love, and I feel like they could express that song in a really cool way."

Name: Christie Harrison
Age: 23
Hometown: Alexandria, VA
Occupation: Transaction reporting assistant
"'Revolution No. 9,' because I have no reasoning, it just popped in to my head."

Name: Joshua Willis
Age: 23
Hometown: Sterling, VA
Occupation: Engineer
"'Across the Universe' by the Beatles. I think it would be cool to hear from, their sound, their perspective."

Name: Emily Morse
Age: 18
Hometown: Sykesville, MD
Occupation: Student
"'Across the Night' by Silverchair, because it's one of my favorite songs, and I think they would do a good job at covering it."

Name: John Jacobson
Age: 24
Hometown: Annapolis, MD
Occupation: Consulting firm
"Anything from Nick Drake, because no one does it, and you feel all elitist when you get the reference."

Name: Andrew Morse
Age: 24
Hometown: Sykesville, MD
Occupation: Recording engineer
"'Don't Stop Believin.' It's Journey. Anybody who does Journey is good in my book."

Name: Alex Lopoukhine
Age: 24
Hometime: Brookline, MA
Occupation: AT&T
"'Ain't No Sunshine,' because the acoustics would be really interesting to hear."