Dave Navarro News

"We're a new band, and we thank you for your attention." So said frontman Steve Isaacs at the conclusion of the Panic Channel's sold-out performance Wednesday night at the Roxy Theater.

The Panic Channel may be a new name to mainstream rock fans, but considering that three of the four members have played together in Jane's Addiction, to call the quartet a new band could be deemed a bit of a stretch. Judging from the commercially savvy, 13-song set delivered at the Roxy, they've got considerably more seasoning than most young acts. Some might even go so far as to call them a supergroup.

A former MTV VJ, Isaacs has a following of his own, albeit considerably smaller than that of guitarist Dave Navarro, drummer Stephen Perkins and bassist Chris Chaney. Pedigrees aside, from the moment the curtain dropped on the band and they kicked into the blues-soaked, heavy guitar grind of "Left to Lose," the spotlight was on Isaacs. And it remained there, for better or worse. At his best, and throughout the bulk of the 75-minute set, his vocals were reminiscent of a young Chris Cornell. Couple that with his made-for-MTV cover-boy looks, and the frontman is a superstar in the making.

Curiously enough, the one bona-fide superstar on the stage, Navarro, rarely stepped out from Isaac's flank. The guitarist had his moments on the heavier "Awake" and "She Won't Last," but it wasn't until a closing rendition of Led Zeppelin's "Dazed and Confused" that it really felt like the band kicked in on all cylinders. It's worth noting that the cover also was the first song of the night that didn't sound like it was written with radio airplay in mind. (The band's debut, "(ONe)," will be released August 15 on Capitol Records.)

Isaacs strapped a guitar on and was the perfect vehicle for the melodic rock surge of "Teahouse of the Spirits" and the pop melancholy of the lead single "Why Cry," but there was a decisive lull in the set through the midtempo "Bloody Mary" and "Go On." The frontman clearly was stretching to hit notes, as was made clear with the live mix, which had noticeable effects on his vocals. What could have been perfect opportunities for Navarro to step to the forefront were instead opportunities for the crowd to watch as Isaacs lowered his mike, with the notes carrying for another second or two.

The packed house didn't seem to mind, but those are the moments that separate the new groups from the supergroups.

Reuters/Hollywood Reporter