A Polished Dogstar Emerges, Though Fans Fixate on Reeves

A question that’s dogged the band Dogstar since it first hit the Los Angelesclubs in the mid ‘90s was answered at the Key Club on Thursday--sort of.

Would the women who pack the trio’s shows be there screaming if movie idol Keanu Reeves weren’t playing bass in the band? Yes, it turns out. They screamed even when Reeves was sidelined for five minutes due to amp problems.

However, if the question was simply would they be there if Reeves weren’t in the band, it still seems like something that would happen only in one of the programs of “The Matrix.”

In this world it’s hard to imagine women--and it was almost entirely women--lining up on Sunset for hours before the show for this band if a movie star weren’t involved.

That’s not to say Dogstar doesn’t have other attractions. This homecoming date, celebrating the release of the group’s second album, “Happy Ending,” showed that singer-guitarist Bret Domrose (who gets screams of his own), drummer Robert Mailhouse and Reeves have all matured into more than respectable musicians.

Their combined efforts now have some of the polished, post-grunge darkness of Bush, with elements of the ‘70s to ‘80s arena-rock of Journey or Bon Jovi. Domrose remains the ostensible focus, with Reeves an amiably low-key sidekick.

The band’s version of the old Carpenters hit “Superstar” was typical--a nice irony-free take on a pop classic, but nothing distinctive enough to make it more than a pleasant novelty.

Just like the band itself.