Many bands worship at the altar of the ’90s reggae rock band Sublime. Since frontman Bradley Nowell’s drug-related death in 1996, groups including Hawaii’s Pepper and Southern California’s Slightly Stoopid have kept Sublime’s mix of reggae, rock, punk and hip-hop alive. Locally, Sublime acolytes 3 Hour Shower and Cali Nation have insured that Sublime’s musical philosophy endures in local venues.

Forming a little more than two years ago, The Dependents are another

Monterey County group that clearly emulate Sublime. On their “5 For 2,” The Dependents’ Kyle Dunn plays a skittering guitar like Nowell and impersonates the departed vocalist’s growled delivery. They also take a quick Sublime-esque detour from surging punk to a slowed down reggae lope on “Punk Shit”; meanwhile, “Drinkin’ Weed” is the requisite party song like Sublime’s cover of “Smoke Two Joints.” It’s also hard to imagine that The Dependent’s take on Bob Marley’s “Roots Rock Reggae” would have sounded much different from a Sublime version, if the ’90s trio had ever done one.

Actually, The Dependents– a band from Salinas featuring Dunn, bassist Wade Neal and drummer John Seier– sound more promising when they strike off from the expected Sublime elements. “Cool and Lovely” sounds like a rough cut of an old Bob Marley song, while “Under Spells” is a rock ballad with a nice whistling solo. Meanwhile, the aptly named “Lost in Dub” is a repetitive but hypnotic instrumental.

The Dependents and Wasted Noise play 9pm Saturday, Nov. 22, at Giovane’s, 348 San Juan Road., Salinas. $6. 444-6717.