Cara Louise Band to deliver eclectic performance tonight at Rude Dog Pub

Cara Louise Band defies easy definition, as something approaching country and indie but not quite either, but that just adds to the interest, band members say.

Cara Louise, lead singer of the St. Louis band, said there have been a lot of changes and a lot of musical influences since the group began in 2012.

Louise, who is one of only two original members of the five-piece band, said the group's sound has a "very country sound," but band members cite influences ranging from reggae to pop to funk.

"We're veering further away from standard country music," she said. "It's more Americana, more experimental with genre in general."

Louise, a singer-songwriter who has been singing since she was 2 years old, said the group is trying to experiment without losing the sound of its first album.

Cara Louise Band will perform tonight at Rude Dog Pub in downtown Cape Girardeau.Submitted photo

It can be a hard line to walk, she admits.

The band's six members include drummer Scotti Iman, Adam Donald on guitar and steel guitar, Sean Kamery on violin and Caroline Steinkamp on backing vocals.

The band's regular bassist, Simon Chervitz, is on tour, so a substitute, Trent Dickerson from Jackson, will be joining the band for the band's performance tonight at Rude Dog Pub in Cape Girardeau.

"We're a full band, that's for sure," Louise laughed.

As to the band's live show, Louise said they're definitely a live band as far as their music goes.

"Our live show does more justice than any of our recordings," she said.

Band members move around on stage, and with six people, there's always someone to look at, something to watch, she said.

But Cara Louise Band isn't about just one type of music, beyond original songs.

"We do country songs, drinking songs, but also heartfelt ballads people can hopefully connect with," Louise said.

Some straight classic rock 'n' roll songs are also on the set list.

"When you're a singer-songwriter, you can play with genre -- it's so fun to do that, why not?" Louise said.

Guitarist Donald said the group plays what the members like.

"We're not country. We're like alt-country," he said, laughing. "Not leaning toward the Deftones or anything, but more indie country."

The band members all come from different musical backgrounds.

"I love that we can all come together when it's time to write a song, and everyone puts their own touch on it," Louise said.

Drummer Iman said he spent several years playing what he calls "real traditional country" in Texas and spent time playing with Western-swing bands, among others.

"My favorite thing about playing with this band, we can do some traditional things but can play with more experimental music," Iman said.

Iman's father was a blues organist in St. Louis, and he said growing up around that musical style was a great experience.

"I watched his band as much as I could," Iman said.

For guitarist Donald, classic rock is his jam.

"I like the Eagles; need to get that out of the way," he said, laughing. "I like a lot of classic stuff, some new indie as well, but I feel like my heart is with the classic rock."

Bassist Chervitz tends more toward funk and bluegrass but has a wide range, Donald said.

"We always come together and make it work," Donald added.

"We help each other out when writing," Iman said. "It's refreshing to have so many people from so many different backgrounds musically that you can throw it all at the wall and see what sticks, writing new tunes."

For her part, Louise said she started out with a love affair with Bob Dylan's work, along with Patti Smith and Regina Spektor. She doesn't have a lot of formal musical training aside from some voice lessons, and her time studying at Southeast Missouri State University in Cape Girardeau centered on mass communications and journalism, which lent itself to writing, she said, but she wasn't a music performance major or anything like that.

"Carole King is probably my favorite singer-songwriter inspiration," she said.

Not surprisingly, a variety of songs is on the new album, released in April by Gaslight Studios in St. Louis.

It's a small label, Louise said, which combines a live recording studio with a restaurant and bar.

"It's a really neat, brand-new studio in St. Louis," Louise said.

Cara Louise Band will perform with Cape Girardeau band The Big Idea tonight at Rude Dog Pub, 123 Main St. in downtown Cape Girardeau. Doors open at 8 p.m.

"If there's anything we do well, it's transferring energy from onstage to the crowd," Louise said. "It's gonna be a fun show for sure."

Cara Louise Band's new album, "Fire's Out," will be available for purchase.

mniederkorn@semissourian.com

(573) 388-3630

Pertinent address:

123 N. Main St., Cape Girardeau, Mo.