Catherine Wheel, Tracy Bonham Demonstrate the Power of Rock

Rock ‘n’ roll is sometimes just about being heard. Which means that committed art rockers of the likes of the Catherine Wheel aren’t about to be scared off because Britney Spears commands the charts.

At El Rey Theatre on Monday, both the Catherine Wheel and second-billed Tracy Bonham showed a worthy commitment to pushing rock in challenging new ways.

Catherine Wheel leader Rob Dickinson is not a distinctive vocalist, but he made up for any shortcomings on Monday with music that was big, dynamic and frequently emotional. The song “Sparks Are Gonna Fly” captured many of those qualities, but the English band proved even more melodic and satisfying elsewhere.

The quartet played in a room filled with fog, with stage lights firing frantically and relentlessly at the audience like cluster bombs. It added to an atmosphere sometimes evocative of Pink Floyd. But the Catherine Wheel has its own sound, mixing depth with a big rock presence.

Though her set was much shorter, Bonham left an equally powerful impression with rock that was aggressive and challenging yet utterly accessible. Bonham is still best known for her hit “Mother, Mother,” but her newest album, “Down Here,” collects music that is even richer and more distinctive.

During the psychedelic “You Don’t Know Me,” Bonham was a forceful singer even with a violin wedged beneath her chin. She then strapped on an electric guitar to layer sounds of static and anxiety on “Thumbellina,” which she described as “a song about losing your inhibitions.” Not that she had any.