A wanton wind recently whirled down the highway to Hollywood from the byways of the Santa Clarita Valley, a brash breeze that brought the tasty tunes and brand-new video by local favorites Rue to the Key Club on Friday, Jan. 12. The well-attended affair was coordinated for the video-version debut of “Another Sad Love Song,” one of a dozen or so tracks that will appear on the band’s upcoming “Songs of Love and Pain” compilation, which is hoped to be finished later this year. Produced in conjunction with Olaf of Ravenous Creations, along with media maven Metal Sanaz, the new video was the centerpiece of an evening that also included a full live set of old and new Rue music, plus plentiful good rocking from other area acts.
The show began with punchy performances by So-Cal bands Rayzing Sons and Mankind Is Obsolete, with L.A.’s Impel scheduled for a nightcap handful of songs later, when Rue was through. At about 10 p.m., emcee Sanaz took the stage to laud Rue’s continued success and artistic commitment, tossing out t-shirts before the lights went down for the video. Then the ringing tones of guitarist Echo’s opening chords meshed with drumroll flurries from Rick McKay, overlaid with melancholy piano lines that matched the moody tone of the black-and-white-and-red cinematography projected on the overhead screen. Bittersweet vocals from Jenna Ross began with subdued control, soaring into insistent yearning as the chorus turned to crunchy drive. The music’s tempo rose and fell while the video’s film-noir imagery suggested the sadness of love left incomplete and unfulfilled. Jenna glided from crystalline clarity to bluesy belting, her wounded-heart 
styling somberly complemented by the video’s edgy visuals. As “Another Sad Love Song” ended on a haunting, hovering note, the audience responded with avid applause, confirming that Rue had hit the mark with a winning combination of sight and sound.
And immediately thereafter came Rue’s chance to flash their chops in the flesh. Out stepped Echo and Pedestrian – the short-haired guitarist looking fit and fired-up in a black “Lamb of God” t-shirt; the slim, long-locked bassist taking a theatrical tack in a swanky, pleated white shirt with black suspenders, pacing boldly in knee-high buckled boots. At the drums sat Rick, casual and competent in shorts and a grey “Syndrome” tee, with the Key Club backdrop behind him, and a big “Rue” banner off to his right. Then Jenna strode onstage in spike-heeled boots and mesh stockings, her limber legs rising to oh-so-abbreviated shorts. A study in dangerous elegance, the singer was sheathed in a black-and-red striped jacket over a studded black crop-top, all adding up to a combination that was partly intimate, partly intimidating.
Rue’s live set opened with “Collide,” and Jenna’s angelic face, made up with flawless, vibrant artistry, flashed with earnest emotion as she sang, matching the intensity of the music. Next, as “My All” commenced with keyboard work on a Korg Triton Studio 88 from black-clad side-man David Orozco, Jenna shed her jacket, displaying a finely-toned physique that attested to her unstinting discipline. She writhed and reached, beckoned and bent, reaching out to everyone in the audience, from floor to rear to rafter seats, inviting all to participate in the unfolding of Rue’s often mournful yet always moving messages.
The thunderous conclusion to “My All” was followed by expert excursions through “Parody” and “Signals,” during which Jenna’s gloved hands held her microphone 
high, like the spear of a victorious Valkyrie. She thanked the crowd, and gave a special shout-out to Sanaz for her friendship and support. Rick’s sticks flurried in a rolling lead-in to a brisk solo from Echo, which was followed by the title cut from Rue’s 2004 studio release, “The Attraction.” Jenna’s vocals sailed and swooped through “Eternally Yours,” after which David’s competent Korg intro initiated the driving progression of “In the Dark,” highlighted by another tight lead from Echo.
After a powerfully poignant rendition of “I’d Die 4 U,” Rue dished up a second serving of “Another Sad Love Song,” producing a live delivery that was every bit as energetic as the previously-viewed video. Fans sang along with Jenna, caught up in the climbing intensity of the compelling piece, once again applauding clamorously at its close. Echo and Pedestrian posed heroically while Jenna waved and bowed, her face alive with the awareness that she and the band had given their best to the crowd. Rue rocked with a style that was certainly emotional yet not what most would call “emo,” often intense yet by no means “screamo” either, setting forth solid melodic compositions with instrumental excellence, coupled with poetic passion in a blend all their own. The fine new video and subsequent solid live performance left none in attendance any reason to rue their trip to see Rue, a superb local band on the rise.
