Around 2002 three men took their passion for music and form that drive into the band “Brainchild.”

After a couple years of the band working, they added a new member who is now on bass. What started off as a blues band has morphed into the group dabbling in different genres of music.

Jake Schultz, a guitarist for the group, said he likes to think the band is a rock band that has influences from jazz, reggae, blues and funk music.

“We try to do a little bit of everything,” Schultz said.

Schultz started to play the guitar his junior year of high school.

From third grade up until high school, Schultz said he played the saxophone in school bands and always had a passion for music.

He said tampering with different instruments helped him to become the guitarist he is today.

Pony Bush, Brainchild’s drummer, said he has been playing drums since he was younger and it is a passion of his.

“I was always kind of banging on stuff when I was a baby and I got my first drum set when I was about 5,” Bush said.

Once the band graduated from high school, they began to play more a jazz sound, Schultz said.

He said the band tries to travel as much as possible, but the members all have full time jobs and their conflicting schedules can sometimes stop the flow of traveling.

But when the band does travel, they go around the Midwest area and at 9:30 p.m.  Saturday at Macs Uptowner, the group will be putting on a show for the Charleston community.

This is not the first time the band has been in Charleston and Schultz said he enjoys coming into town.

He said the band does not have a list of songs planned out and sometimes they figure out the playlist an hour before the show.

“We usually try to base the songs off of the feel of the crowd, or what kind of crowd it is,” Schultz said. “We make our set list from there,”

Schultz said the band used to practice quite often, but as of lately because of each of the member’s personal lives, they try to practice once a week.

Schultz said even if he does not get to practice often or book tons of shows, he still loves what he does.

“Even if I’m not successful at it, it’s just playing in front of people or playing with a group of guys is just a good feeling,” Schultz said. “It’s the feeling you get while you’re playing, not the success.”

Schultz said ideally, he would like to play four of five times a week, but lately the band has been playing every weekend.

He said one of the most challenging things is to find someone who can book the band.

“It’s hard to find booking, it’s hard to find somebody that can make it profitable and make it a business,” Schultz said. “It’s all sorts of expenses like gas or where we’re going to stay at night or what we’re going to eat.”

Schultz said the band’s goal is make the people of Charleston have fun and dance.

He said they always try promote a good time.

“If we can open their ears to some different kinds of music or different styles, that’s always good too,” Schultz said.

Bush said he enjoys coming back to Charleston because the crowds always makes their night better.

“In my opinion it blows all the other college towns away,” Bush said. “Eastern’s it. They have a way of making us feel like rock stars.”

T’Nerra Butler can be reached at 581-2812 or [email protected]