Jakob Dylan and the Wallflowers wasted no time Tuesday night, opening with the hard-driving “Sleepwalker,” the biggest hit from their third and newest album, Breach.

        Other bands might have saved that one for a more dramatic moment, but it was typical of the Wallflowers' straightforward musical approach.

        Unlike his famous father, the younger Mr. Dylan's songs avoid politics for more personal subjects. Still, the final encore seemed a pointed commentary on the presidential election mess.

        He and his band ended the night joyously plowing through the Who's “Won't Get Fooled Again” (a George W. Bush theme song), as Mr. Dylan took special delight spitting out the coda, “Meet the new boss, same as the old boss.”

        In between, Mr. Dylan and his Wallflowers — guitarist Michael Ward, keyboardist Rami Jaffee, bassist Greg Richling, drummer Mario Calire and guest guitarist/lap steel player Ben Keeler — played Breach.

        They've evolved into a world-class roots-rock band, bringing added heft to their Grammy-winning “One Headlight,” as well as newer rockers “Letters From the Wasteland,” “Some Flowers” and slower material like “I've Been Delivered” and even Mr. Dylan's lullaby, “Baby Bird,” Breach's hidden track.

        Mr. Dylan was an amiable frontman, bringing up a couple of female fans to try to sing (they couldn't) and further winning over his already responsive crowd of around 400 that the band had given up a Monday night slot on David Letterman's show to ensure they would make it to Bogart's.

        Punk legend and part-time actor John Doe opened the evening with 40 minutes of songs by his old band X and his newer singer/songwriter material. One song he said was inspired by playing in Cincinnati to a tiny crowd on a night when there were too many other shows going on.

        But his “Too Many . . .Bands” could just as easily be “Too Many . . . Folksingers.” At a time when singer/songwriters like Slaid Cleaves, Steve Earle and Mr. Doe's old L.A. pal Dave Alvin have upped the ante, Mr. Doe's singing, playing and writing just doesn't make the cut.

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