On Friday night at the Launchpad, The Porter Draw will likely attract a diverse crowd, according to the band.
From hippies to punk rockers, the elderly to rock 'n' roll kids, guitarist Josh Gingerich said everyone will enjoy what the band has to offer at its CD release party.
The Porter Draw is Russell Pyle on guitar, Gingerich on guitar and harmonica, Ben Wood on the banjo, Vince Edgerton on bass and Mojo Atzberger on the drums.
Pyle said the band's first CD, "Trouble," offers listeners original tracks from all members of the band.
"Me and Vince both come from a hardcore metal and punk background," Pyle said. "I went to see a show in Philadelphia, and this band who opened up the show played bluegrass music, and they were playing it fast as shit. I was so blown away by it, I said 'I want to do something like that.'"
Edgerton said he first heard The Porter Draw when it played one of its first shows at the Blackbird Buvette.
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"It immediately turned into this mayhem of people in that bar," Edgerton said. "It turned me onto bluegrass, which is never something I thought I really liked."
Wood said his musical background is rooted in traditional bluegrass.
"While what we are doing now is totally great with me, and I am totally excited about it, it wasn't what I envisioned myself doing," Wood said. "My songs are definitely some of the more simple ones that we play, so kind of finding that place in the middle where everyone is getting what they want, everybody is cool."
Gingerich said releasing an album has been a goal of The Porter Draw's for a long time.
"We realized it was probably better to play out a little bit more, and then everything else with the band got the other guys in the group," Gingerich said.
Edgerton said The Porter Draw was successful in the studio from the start.
"We were toying with the idea of trying (recording) out," Edgerton said. "We went into the studio one time, and we knocked out one song completely, and it was probably one of the most amazing things I've felt. It was a learning process."
Wood said one of the band's early shows at Burt's Tiki Lounge was a success and that it encouraged them to be a part of the Albuquerque music scene.
"Our first show at Burt's, we had people dancing in the middle of the street," Wood said. "I don't think you will see any other band that looks like they are having as much fun on stage as we are. It's hard to boast about something like that, but when you feel it, you feel it."
Pyle said the Albuquerque music scene has been very receptive to the band.
"I thought it was going to be hard to network and to get to know other bands," Pyle said. "But once you start doing it, you realize that people aren't dickheads in this town. At least the musicians aren't."
Edgerton said all the opening bands at Friday's show are friends with one another and are always trying to be supportive at their shows.
"Every time another band that we're connected with has another show, and they say, 'Hey will you come out and help show some support?,' if we're not playing a show, I'm going to try and bring another friend to that show," Edgerton said.
