June 10, 1997, Tuesday, 2 STAR Edition
SECTION: HOUSTON; Pg. 10

LENGTH: 515 words

HEADLINE: A star shines in Dogstar's solid show

BYLINE: JOEY GUERRA; Special to the Chronicle

BODY:
The loudest cheers at Sunday night's Dogstar concert at Numbers came near the end of the band's polished performance.

But those hoots and hollers weren't to acknowledge the three-member band's energetic 75-minute set.

The screams of approval came because bass player Keanu Reeves' woolen hat fell off, revealing the young movie star's short brown hair for the first time that evening.

To most of the public, Reeves is the handsome lead actor in hit films such as ''Speed and A Walk in the Clouds,'' which have made him a fixture in the hearts of both men and women worldwide.

Indeed, the club was filled with fans from every end of the rainbow, from worshipful females and males to groups of teens and middle-aged women - all of whom seemed more interested in catching sight of the actor than actually listening to the unexpectedly tight and melodic music.

Reeves' decision to join a rock group and tour small clubs came as a surprise, and his rising status in Hollywood may make it difficult for some to take Dogstar seriously as a musical act.

Nevertheless, the band put forth a solid effort in its second show in as many years at Numbers. Dogstar's sound is comparable to early U2 - thanks to the soulful vocals of lead singer Bret Domrose - as well as Tom Petty or a harder-edged Counting Crows.

Reeves was unassuming and self-consciously charming on stage, never stopping to strike movie star poses or schmooze with fans when the spotlight was on him. Considering the fact that many audience members let out shouts of ""I love you, Keanu'' throughout the show, his unpretentiousness was admirable.

After releasing a four-song enhanced CD last year, Dogstar signed a deal for a full-length album. The release fell through because of a major argument with the record company, lead singer Domrose told his audience. He urged fans to pick up a copy of the unreleased CD, ''Our Little Visionary,'' which was on sale at the concession booths.

The group raced through a number of tunes from the mostly straightforward rock effort, including ''Forgive and No Matter What,'' which highlighted the guitar-driven melodies all three members seem to love.

After an hour of feel-good rock 'n' roll, Dogstar returned, much to the delight of fans, for a three-song encore, which included a revved-up cover of the Beatles' ''Ticket to Ride'' and Reeves' losing his hat.