Photo courtesy the Cheap Seats

The Cheap Seats

The Cheap Seats, a "hard power-pop" band based in Richmond, is actually rooted right here in the Roanoke area.

The band -- Nick Woods (vocals, guitars), Matthew Wirt (guitars, vocals), Taylor Lineberry (bass, guitar, vocals), P.J. George (drums, vocals) and newest member Judson Lowe (keys, vocals) -- formed about three years ago in order to bring a batch of Woods' songs to life. They eventually became a full-time band.

All of them graduated from Salem High School except for Lineberry, who earned his diploma from Patrick Henry High School.

Wirt was the first to move to Richmond, and the others followed.

The move has proved wise. The former Confederate capital is a prime location for touring bands, since it's nearly in the middle of the East Coast.

Now they need to get a van, so they can stop filling three cars with gear and spending a small fortune in gasoline.

The group's show on Saturday at Martin's in downtown Roanoke will prove to be a reunion of sorts, as opening band the Honored Guests (out of Chapel Hill, N.C.) features Patrick O'Neil, who used to play in Roanoke's own Magnus with Nick and P.J. According to the Cheap Seat's Myspace page (myspace.com/thecheapseats), they "don't remember for sure, but we think they played mostly Japanese wedding songs and old sea shanties."

Go to the IO Jukebox to hear sound samples from both bands.

Q: What do you guys listen to?

Matt: I like a lot of weird, crazy stuff ... noise bands. Tortoise.

Judson: I like the Pixies a lot.

P.J.: I like and will listen to all styles. All I don't really like is really heavy metal and gangsta rap.

Nick: My biggest favorites are the Beatles and Talking Heads ... I like the Pixies a lot, too, and some newer music.

Taylor: I like "really good music." Lately, I've been listening to Ben Folds Five and the Beatles.

Q: Not to knock Roanoke, but has the move to Richmond helped?

Nick: Yeah. I like it a lot. We've played with a lot of really good bands here, and there's more places to play.

P.J.: Roanoke, unfortunately, doesn't have many places to play and they never have a P.A. The clubs here do.

Q: Where'd you record your album, "Fly Low, Icarus!"?

Nick: We recorded it two Christmases ago at Matt's house in Richmond, before the rest of us moved here. His roommate produced it.

Matt: Nick had written a lot of songs, and we began recording them. Because we enjoyed it so much, we developed into a "real band."

Q: A lot of younger people are snapping it up. Do you get to do many all-ages shows?

Matt: We played this party and this teacher was there who told his students he was going to see us, and they got really excited and asked him to ask us to play an all-ages show so they could finally see us. We played the Green Dolphin on New Year's Eve, and all the under-21s had to stay outside on the sidewalk to hear us. We like it when they do that, but it'd be better if they were inside.

Q: Are you pursuing a record deal?

Nick: I'd love to find a distribution deal, but for the next record, not this one. We'd like some sort of financial assistance, though.

P.J: We're getting to the point where a booking agent would help. Matt does all the booking, and he's getting swamped.

Q: How about your sound?

Judson: Early on, people mentioned that we were similar to Built to Spill or Rogue Wave, but more energetic and much poppier.

Matt: I like to say we're closer to [Canadian solo artist and the main-man behind the New Pornographers] A.C. Newman, but more pop-heavy.

Q: I can see that.

Matt: We've heard some weird stuff, too. Fountains of Wayne ... it's a good thing you're a musician, too, and not just a music writer. One guy said we sounded like Bob Dylan and we're super-loud rock. He spelled his name "Bob Dillon," which is terrible ... (Laughing). The guy who wrote it was the owner of the magazine, too! Terrible!

HEAR THEM LIVE

When: 9 p.m. Saturday

Where: Martin’s Downtown Bar & Grill, 413 First St., downtown Roanoke

Cost: Free

Call: 985-6278