Huddled in a dark equipment trailer, members of the up and coming band Chronic Grass tell the story of how they came to meet and what drives them to play, before returning to the stage at Moe's Barbeque.
"The name came from Bernard's [Breitung] prior band, Chronic Blues, and we decided to do some blue grass, so we changed it to Chronic Grass," said Daniel Raine, banjo player and vocalist.
Raine and fellow musician Davis Little make up The Little Raine Band, but recently launched a side project with Bernard Breitung of Chronic Blues. Add Zach Drew into the mix, and it became the four-piece band Chronic Grass.
Breitung, vocalist and rhythm guitarist, had the idea for a while of forming a blue grass band, but never found the right people--until now.
Playing at Moe's Barbeque on Thursday, Jan.17, was the band's first time playing together as a four piece. "It was just the three of us a month ago, and we got tired of switching off, so Zach came in and started jamming on the mando and now we don't have to switch instruments, and we're all comfortable," Breitung said.
Before playing in Auburn together, the band played a stretch of shows in Mobile at venues such as Callaghan's, Soul Kitchen and The Garage.
Chronic Grass is an independent band right now, which means they book themselves, and a lot goes into booking shows.
Breitung said it's mostly about building and establishing relationships with those involved in the music scene in Auburn.
"I've known the guys here at Moe's [Barbeque] for two years--I was standing outside the door before it even opened with my guitar like 'y'all want somebody to play? I can play right here,'" Breitung said. "So I've known them, and they've known me, so it takes a lot of that."
Breitung added that while a booking agency may occasionally help, it can be beneficial to not be exclusive.
"When you're exclusive, you're locked in, so independent really is good."
Little, lead guitarist and vocalist, agrees.
"Part of playing is to be free and to play wherever you want to," he said.
And they can all attest to the feeling of performing live.
Breitung said it's all about the audience and the band feeding off each other.
"The more people there listening and vibing to it, the better you're going to be in the zone," he said. "You play pretty much all your life to be in that moment where you're soaked up and feeling it. It's the energy, you know--you can feel it."
Raine agrees that it takes the energy from the audience to push the band members to perform their best music. "The energy is just such a rush, and you're just grooving at one moment," he said.
"That's what I live for," Little said. "You can smoke weed, you can drink--but honestly, once you're up on stage playing, that's the high. I go to school, I do my stuff, we practice, but once you get back to the gig, there's so much love here."
Zach Drew, the soft-spoken mandolin player, sums it up with a few short words. "I just like to jam."
While the band continues to work around the schedule of The Little Raine Band, the members are hopeful for the future of Chronic Grass.
"I'm just going around what their schedule is, and if it turns into something bigger and keeps going, then so be it," Breitung said.
Chronic Grass plays at various local venues in the Auburn area, and is looking to eventually play shows in Atlanta. To find out about more upcoming shows, follow the band at twitter.com/ChronicGrassAL. Promos and a website are also in the works.
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