Rogue Wave Rocks The Canyons

Despite a rainy venue, the indie rock band Rogue Wave still blasted away at the Canyon’s Saturday evening after the dual slalom wrapped up. This popular group from Oakland, CA blended wistful vocals over blankets of sonic textures. Songs by the band have been featured in movies like Just Friends and in T.V. episodes such as Heroes, Friday Night Lights, Scrubs, Chuck, The O.C. and Nip/ Tuck. 48STRAIGHT caught up with lead singer Zach Rogue, who headed up the band after losing his job in the dot-com bust, to talk about life as a rockstar, singing for the movies, and the upcoming election.

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You guys have a lot of songs that are featured on various TV shows and movies. How does that work? Does the network ask you to write the song first or do they request the rights to songs you have already released?

There have been a couple of incidents where I have written some stuff for movies but with the vast majority of songs whether for a TV show or film, some music programming person will request to use one of our songs, and we have the choice to say yes or no.

Have you ever been watching a TV show and heard your song come on?

We had a song for this HBO Cinemax commercial, and my wife and I were watching some show and our song came on; it really flipped my lid.

Have you ever met any of the stars on those shows?

I think the distance between us, and the people who perform on those shows is pretty vast. I don’t really know many famous people.

Are you the most famous person you know?

Well, no, that would be sad.

What is the biggest misconception that people have about rock bands?

I think the biggest misconception is that if you have your song licensed in a TV show or movie or if you go on tour with a big band that somehow you are rich. Or that you sold out by licensing a song because you are so rich “why would you need to do this”. It is this really kind of bizarre understanding, a disconnect of understanding how difficult it is, people think that somehow if you have had some notoriety, you have got it made. Also the whole girls, sex and drugs thing doesn’t really happen. Even if it did, you would never go out with a girl that was like hanging outside your door. That is a silly little myth.

Are you guys outdoor athletes?

I used to snowboard quite a bit, but I had a back accident so I am done now.

What is the most important issues to you in the upcoming election?

I think there are so many problems that it is hard to know, but I think the first step is kicking as many Republicans and actually Democrats who are complicit and not making changes out of office as soon as possible. There is no rebellion in this country anymore. People need to start stirring things up and demanding changes because we don’t need a “Dick” McCain. Obviously we need a Democrat in the White House, but it is a lot more serious then that. It starts at the top, but at the local level people need to demand changes and it is not just “oh you are not going to get re-elected to office because you raised taxes” people should deal with taxes because we need to invest in our own States and locally we need major changes. People need to get angry and fight for changes and fire our elected officials if they don’t do their job. Right now they are not doing their jobs, they are just collecting money, and it is a disgusting corrupt system that needs to come down and be rebuilt. So start with Obama, he's a symbol of a lot of other things that need to change. He represents the change people are yearning for, but one man can’t change everything, and though it would be wonderful if he were elected it goes so beyond that. People need to educate themselves and fight for things that matter to them.

A Music Lineup Unlike Any Other

On any given weekend, the Jeep 48Straight music lineup reads like prescription for ADD. You can rock the slopes during day and then boogie as soon as the lifts close. Music venues go all night, every night, and everywhere.

DJs spin records during the Street Party, while the BASE Camp Music Pavilion pumps out tunes by artists like Michael Franti and Pepper Band. This is before any of the late night shows kick in with legends such as Pato Banton and Crystal Method.

If you or someone you know can’t sit still, is easily distracted, or requires constant entertainment, then the Jeep 48Straight music extravaganza is the place to be this summer and winter.

Concert Video Gallery

Check out videos from last season's concert lineup.

WARNING: ROGUE WAVE TO HIT PARK CITY

As if the music line up at 48STRAIGHT wasn’t killer enough, the indie rock band Rogue Wave will play in Park City, Utah when the tour touches down Sept 19-20th. Headed by Zach Rogue (who created the band after losing his job in the dot-com bust) this popular group from Oakland, CA blends wistful vocals over blankets of sonic textures. They released their first album, Out of the Shadow in 2004. In the fall of 2005, they released their second album Descended Like Vultures. Their newest album, Asleep at Heaven's Gate was released on September 2007.

Songs by Rogue Wave have been featured in movies like Just Friends and in T.V. episodes such as Heroes, Friday Night Lights, Scrubs, Chuck, The O.C. and Nip/ Tuck. Their song "Harmonium" is used in an ESPN commercial for the UEFA Euro 2008.

The current band lineup consists of Zach Rogue (vocals, guitar), Pat Spurgeon (drums, samples, guitar, vocals), Gram Lebron (keyboards, guitar, drums, vocals) and Patrick Abernethy (bass, vocals), who replaced Evan Farrell in 2007.

Hell's Belles Ready to Rock in New Jersey

World-famous and ready to rock, Hell's Belles, the premier all-female AC/DC tribute band, will take center stage at 48STRAIGHT when it touches down at Mountain Creek, New Jersey for a free concert on Saturday, August 23. Playing all AC/DC, all the time, all over the globe, spanning all the pure rock brilliance of AC/DC's career (from "High Voltage" to "Back in Black" and beyond), Hell’s Belles is all about empowering women in rock-n-roll.

According to the Boston Herald, “Adulation doesn’t get more ironic. With hits like “Whole Lotta Rosie”, “You Shook Me All Night Long”, and “Big Balls”, AC/DC isn’t necessarily aiming for a female audience. The Belles transform these bawdy songs into vehicles for feminine empowerment.”

Formed in 2000, the brainchild of former member Amy Stolzenbach (Guitar) and Om Johari (Vocals) is legendary for its nights of epic proportions. Hell’s Belles has played at venues all over the world, including Japan, Canada, and the good ol' USA. Sold-out, sexed-up, and starving for a little dynamite -- there's not a Hell's Belles audience that hasn't been blown away by the raw power and undeniable appeal of this all-girls band.

Brett Dennen Set To Light Up Stage In San Luis Obispo

Brett Dennen is a folk/pop singer-songwriter from Oakdale, California who has been compared to Neil Young, Bob Dylan, Tracy Chapman, Jack Johnson, Paul Simon, James Taylor, and Wynonna Judd. Dennen's music has been featured in several television shows, including Roadtrip Nation on PBS, Grey's Anatomy, House, The Unit, and Scrubs. He also appeared live on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno on April 2008.

Dennen is part of “The Mosaic Project” in the San Francisco Bay Area; a nonprofit uniting children of diverse backgrounds. As The Mosaic Project's resident “rockstar”, Dennen created an original musical curriculum for the program, which they released as an album called Children's Songs for Peace and a Better World in 2003.

In November 2007, Dennen was named as one of Rolling Stone's, "10 Artists To Watch” and in 2008, Entertainment Weekly named Dennen a "Guy on the Rise", one of 8 emerging singer-songwriters.

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