Brian Q. Newcomb

If Jakob Dylan is still feeling self-conscious about comparisons to his more famous singer-songwriter father, it wasn't showing Sunday night when he led his band, The Wallflowers, through a sturdy set of his own songs and a few choice covers. And that appeared to be quite all right with the nearly full house at The Pageant, since most of the band's fans were more fixated on hearing their favorite songs and interacting with the gentle frontman than exploring his genetic heritage.

Kicking things off with two rockers from the new album, "Breach" - "Sleepwalker" and "Some Flowers Bloom Dead" - it at first seemed as though the singer would maintain the rather stoic artistic distance that dominated the band's shows four years ago, when they were supporting their last album, "Bringing Down the Horse."

However, after a few songs Dylan became more personable and loosened up, shaking hands with a young girl at the foot of the stage, interacting with fans, smiling as he responded to their requests. There were no real revelations. In fact, most of the banter was superfluous, apart from shouting "It's a lie" as his introduction to "I've Been Delivered."

But more important than the singer's newfound stage confidence, The Wallflowers have continued to develop as a rockin' little unit. This was especially apparent on the old hits, like "6th Avenue Heartache," "One Headlight" and "The Difference."

Rami Jaffee's piano runs and rich B3 swells moved to the solid rhythmic bass of Greg Richling and drumming of Mario Calire, while guitarist Michael Ward stepped up with tasteful solos and vocal harmonies. With a guest providing third guitar and the occasional lap steel, The Wallflowers played with confidence and a stronger sense of purpose than in the past.

The other new ones were well crafted. "Letters From the Wasteland," "Hand Me Down," "Witness" and "Murder 101" all built on the recorded versions, with sturdy determination and grit. It was less well-known older songs, "Laughing Out Loud" and "Three Marlenas," where the band proved its mettle. These tracks wear well, suggesting the durability of Dylan's songwriting.

A cover of the David Bowie classic "Heroes," which the band had recorded for a movie soundtrack, wasn't much of a surprise, but the band's encores were unexpected. Ward led Richling and Calire through a riotous cover of "Song 2" by the Brit-pop band Blur. Then came "Baby Bird," a children's lullaby written by Dylan, which is a hidden track on "Breach." The finale, a no-holds-barred attack of The Who's "Won't Get Fooled Again," allowed The Wallflowers to step out with boldness, something they chose not to do on their own material.