Rogue Wave – Dingwalls, Camden 11/05/08

Camden Lock was drenched in golden streams of sunlight, lager and laughter on a hazy summers night. Although the temptation to stay in this Sunday and skip Rogue Wave may have crossed my mind, the lure of a band that make music perfectly suited for such an evening was too strong.

Admittedly, the sun devil had won me over into missing the support band Eastern Conference Champions, bar their final few strums. The buzz of the canal and beautiful people draped over its walls, partnered with an icy liquid to quench your thirst is pretty hard to beat. It seemed to be the same for the band, ten minutes after supposed strum off, a few may have noticed Zach Rogue scuttling down the side of the Dingwalls. The look in his eyes, but more the can in his hand, suggested he had also been enjoying the atmosphere. The Californian sun kissed band’s tour began back in February; weather like this must be a bedazzled dream.

With an opening blast of ‘Ev Mo’, the decision to come inside was instantly justified. Rogue Wave don’t hold back in their sound, even in the smaller venue. The line up consists, for the majority, of four guitars, mixing between steel, electric, bass and acoustic. Although the number seems high, it’s not over whelming, as most of the music is a short, sharp sound, that tends not to overlap.

‘Lullaby’ is a mix of guitar picking mayhem that had the crowd swaying round their hips. The sway continued as Rogue led them through a valley of music that dips and raises in style not just between songs, but also in them. That’s what makes such fine listening; they don’t get samey. From the slow melodic ‘Christians In Black’ to the upbeat ‘ Chicago X 12’ that with its glockenspiel accompaniment, the new album (out in the UK in June) could easily make itself known to the summer collection.

Zach’s explanation of most songs and an invitation for a few crowd members to join on stage (disappointingly turned down) made each song personal. When forthcoming single ‘Lake Michigan’ fell upon the crowd, it brought the less informed fans in and the place really came alive. The hum-along chorus took off and the night became a blur. Damn those thirst quenching devil drinks.

The bands encore finished the set with the two tracks of Rogue Wave that I enjoy the most. ‘Eyes’ had Zach playing solo to a collection of girls that had their Hazel eyes pouring into his. It didn’t take much to figure how their evening could have been made perfect. Then with the final track starting with an intense brush-on-symbol solo from Pat Spurgeon, the bringing together of what seems like five separate pieces of music showed how vast the bands talent is, the pace taking minds off into the music, along with a few bodies.

Strolling out of Dingwalls a very satisfied man, the atmosphere around the Lock and its concrete island was still there. If only they knew what they had missed.