Rogue Wave w/ N. Lannon
Crocodile, Seattle, WA
03.03.17
Releasing an 80’s cover album can be very risky business. If you play the songs in their original format, there will always be a harsh comparison. But if you take it in another direction and put your own spin on it, you could catch flak for changing a hit. Oakland’s Rogue Wave threw caution to the wind, releasing Cover Me, which turned out to be a beautiful collection of 80’s covers, which they supported with a live show at Seattle’s Crocodile.
The night opened up to a small crowd with N. Lannon, a whispery indie group from San Francisco. The set started off on a softer track with long instrumentals and not a lot of diversity, which didn’t do much for the band. However, it picked up quite a bit by the second or third song, and was very enjoyable. The group played passionately, and it was fun to see the band members interacting and messing with each other.
By the time Rogue Wave took the stage, the crowd had grown in size to nicely fill in the venue, and audience members were happy to sing and dance along to the familiar music. The band opened the night with a cover of “Rescue” by Echo & The Bunnymen. The way they covered this first track gave a solid introduction to what was to come.
Rogue Wave’s covers sat nicely in the middle, where the tracks sounded different from the originals, but not so much so that they were unrecognizable unless you were a die-hard fan. Their updates didn’t stick out as 80’s songs, but kept their influences intact. If you didn’t know it was a cover night, it would probably have sounded like a normal concert from a band with a bit of a retro vibe to it. Then again, maybe you could’ve just guessed from the flashy, blue metallic jacket on lead singer Zach Rogue.
The night continued with updated versions of hits by names like The Cure, Genesis, and ZZ Top. “Sharp Dressed Man” was very well done. They redid it as a much less aggressive guitar song, and changed it into a more haunting, echoey track, but the crowd was still happy to sing along to it.
Overall, the night far exceeded expectations. N. Lannon had a nicely skilled set once it got warmed up, and Rogue Wave finished off the night with the fun 80’s covers everyone was hoping for. While staying respectful the original creators and tracks, the band updated them and mixed things up just the right amount, and we even got a disco ball towards the end to complete the wonderful night. This is where the body text goes. Just paste here and fill in the rest of the title.
Review by Lulu Dawson
Photos by Zach Etahiri
Rogue Wave
Nyles Lannon
