Somewhat confusingly, the Hague also seem to go by And I Was Like, What?. Whatever the band wants to call itself is fine by me, as long as they stick to what they do best: performing Britpop-inflected indie rock that draws inspiration from epic mopesters like the Smiths while adding their own curious flavor. Much of the band's appeal lies in their liberal use of violin to offset the arena rock hooks and histrionic vocals of the lead singer. With occasional dips into math rock-ish interludes, the Hague complicate their sound and work to differentiate themselves from the never-ending sea of indie rock acts. Bands like the Hague, with such a huge sound, are a joy to catch live in an intimate setting, before they get signed and the stadiums ruin everything.

[The New Frontier Lounge, with Slowwave, Land of Pines, 8:30 p.m., cover TBA, 301 E. 25th St., Tacoma, 253.572.4020]