The Inside Out Strings band was started the way so many musical acts were born, from a couple of people jamming together.
For the Strings it came when members Nate Pitcher and Ross Cameron were music students at Minnesota State University Moorhead writing some instrumental music. The collaboration eventually grew into something worth sharing at an open mic night where Steve Burket heard them and convinced the duo its bluegrass-leaning songs needed his mandolin.
With that, the Inside Out Strings band was born.
Saturday, the group will play The Monkey Bar as the latest installment of FM's Finest, a concert series showcasing Fargo-Moorhead bands that's organized by The Forum and Jade Presents.
But the band you'll see and hear this weekend is quite a bit different than what formed on the MSUM campus roughly three years ago.
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For one, the band has since incorporated vocals to its music. It also added a fourth member.
"We played as a trio for a little more than a year before adding a drummer," the band says via email.
That was Mikey Howey, who joined the lineup six months ago. Now at full power, the Inside Out Strings have released a record and spent plenty of time gigging in the F-M area.
"Seeing people get into our music makes our energy level go through the roof," the band wrote via email. "Makes us feel a sense of purpose when playing. We try to involve the audience in the show."
And while there's a minor movement of folk and roots-based bands in the F-M music scene right now, Inside Out Strings stands apart, a bit, with a style that's has more pep and noticeable rock and jazz influences - especially in the modern jazz-rock-sounding instrumental "Affinity for Infinity."
The genre depth is refreshing, and also not surprising considering the Strings began in a university music department.
FM's Finest adds a band
A few weeks ago we asked you to vote on which Fargo-Moorhead band should play the April 30th date of FM's Finest. Well, we have a winner.
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As many of you requested, The Fillers, a rock band with jam tendencies, will be featured on that date in The Monkey Bar.
Of course, we expect everyone who voted to be there cheering on the group.
If you go
What: FM's Finest presents Inside Out Strings band
When: 10 p.m. Saturday
Where: The Monkey Bar in The Venue, 2525 9th Ave. S.
Info: $3, ages 21 and over only
