Mixing a blend of jazz rock with indie-pop, Salt Lake City band Kid Theodore brings a unique sound to the local music scene.

"Someone once told us that if the tour buses of Modest Mouse and the Doors got in a collision, that would be Kid Theodore," guitarist/keyboardist Brandon McBride said, describing the band's sound.

The band will play in Provo on July 23 at local venue The Velour, located at 135 N. University Ave.

Kid Theodore has been on the music scene for more than three years, consisting of members Cole Barnson, Ryan Darton, Brandon McBride, Gardner Stevenett and Austin McBride. Brandon McBride is the only remnant of the band's original three members.

"A lot of instruments like the tambourine and shakers are missing now," McBride said, "but the meat and potatoes are still there."

The band's newest members include 19-year-old Gardner Stevenett, with only few months as Kid Theodore's drummer, and recently added Austin McBride as the band's keyboardist. Even with all of the changes in its lineup, the band's name has remained the same since the beginning.

"You know Mr. T? The T stands for Theodore," vocalist/guitarist Cole Barnson said. "We wanted to represent the childhood of the man everyone knows today. Kid T to Mr. T - Kid Theodore!"

"Just so you know, we change that story every time," McBride said jokingly. "There were like 10 bands with the same name Theodore when we started."

Each of the band members have day jobs that help support the band, themselves and their families.

"Our main focus is that we can get this [music] to be what we do for a living," McBride said.

"And so I don't have to mooch off my wife," Barnson added.

Working day jobs, playing 8-12 shows a month and balancing family isn't always the easiest thing, but the members of Kid Theodore find ways to turn the stress into fun.

"Ryan [Darton] has a scar on his forehead," McBride said. He said Darton got really into a show once and hit his forehead with his bass.

"I look over, and he just has blood running down his face," McBride said. "Not just a little, but all over. Now he has a Harry Potter scar"

"I had to superglue it [the cut] like every other day on the tour," Darton said. "We sweat a lot, so I had to put on a new layer each night."

The band already has two albums under their belt, an EP called "Goodnight Goodnight" and their first full length album "Hello Rainey," released last year. "Hello Rainey" is a 16-track record full of catchy, danceable pop-jazz tunes, complete with an introduction, conclusion and mock commercial breaks in between.

"Our first album was sort of thrown together," Barnson said. "But on our second album we really took the time to write everything and to get exactly what we wanted. Of anything I've ever released, it's definitely what I'm most proud of."

Kid Theodore will be performing live in Provo at The Velour on Wednesday, July 23 at 8 p.m.

Barnson said people who come will enjoy themselves. Copies of their albums will be available for purchase during the concert.

"We might even offer them snacks," McBride said.

Copyright Brigham Young University 23 Jul 2008