Nice Dog

A couple of years ago, Keith Fort and Bruce Williams started burning CD-Rs with local bands and rappers, displaying them at Kerry Beary's Atomic Pop Shop and giving them away.

It was all done under the brand name of Seaux LA. Since that debut two years ago, Fort and Williams have grown the brand into something more — a community and music collective that spotlights all genres of music in Baton Rouge.

On Friday, Seaux LA hosts a show at Kerry Beary's featuring music from rappers Droll and Michael Armstead, and bands Mr. San Francisco and Nice Dog. Doors open at 7 p.m. Cover for the all-ages show is $8.

The concert is just one goal for Seaux LA, which has a blog and Facebook page to highlight bands, rappers and DJs for residents.

"We would always go to shows," Williams said, identifying how Seaux LA was born. "You would go to a hardcore show, and it's only hardcore bands and people. You go to a rap show, and it's only rap at that show. We always listened to everything. We thought it was smart to try and bring it together."

Fort said the idea is to grow organically, throwing shows and featuring artists you may not have heard on Seaux LA's platforms. A third compilation is now available, featuring tracks from bands like Nice Dog and Baby in the 90s alongside tracks from rappers like Droll and $upah.

"I just want to show my community that there's more out there," Fort said. "I just want people to know that you can get a homegrown environment. It doesn't have to be that you pay $35 to see a band at this club, and you've never heard them."

For now, it's a part-time gig. Williams is a freelance photographer and works at Trader Joe's. Fort is a DJ, gigging at daiquiri shops in Gonzales and downtown Baton Rouge. But with time, Seaux LA could be that full-time gig they want it to be.

"The music scene here is underrated," Williams said. "A lot of people don't know how much talent really is here. We've stumbled upon a lot of different, good people. It's all a matter of finding it. It's growing, too."


Droll/Michael Armstead/Mr. San Francisco/Nice Dog

Hosted by Seaux LA

WHEN: 7 p.m. Friday

WHERE: Kerry Beary's Atomic Pop Shop, 2963 Government St., Baton Rouge

COST: $8 at the door

INFO: facebook.com/seauxla - Matthew Sigue

BAND NAME OF THE WEEK: Girlfriend Island

BATON ROUGE AREA

FRIDAY

ERIKA & MATT: Beauregard Gallery & Bistro, 11:30 a.m.

CHARLSTON BOURGEOIS: Happy's Irish Pub, 5 p.m.

OPEN MIC: La Divina Italian Cafe, 6 p.m.

THE BLUES ANCIENTS: Pit-N-Peel, 6 p.m.

PARIS WILLIAMS: Kerry Beary's Atomic Pop Shop, 6 p.m.

DJ ERIC MILANO/LAUREN STEFANSKI/PETER SIMON: Slash Creative, 4556 Government St., 6 p.m.

HYDRA PLANE/ZAK OCMAND/EMILY MCCOLLISTER/HAL LAMBERT: French Truck Coffee, 2978 Government St., 6 p.m.

BATON ROUGE MUSIC STUDIOS: Bistro Byronz, Government Street, 6 p.m.

HOGY AND THE HEALERS: Red Stick Spice Company, 6 p.m.

2 DOMESTIC, 1 IMPORT: Tiger Deaux-nuts, 5162 Government St., 6 p.m.

CARBON COPY: Superior Grill, Government Street, 6:30 p.m.

CYNDER ROAD BAND: On the Half Shell, Prairieville, 6:30 p.m.

ROCKIN' ROUGE: Papi's Fajita Factory, Denham Springs, 6:30, p.m.

AMEAL CAMERON: La Carreta Restaurant, Bluebonnet Boulevard, 6:30 p.m.

CLIF ST. LAURENT: Caliente Mexican Craving, 7 p.m.

JONATHON BOOGIE LONG: Circa 1857, 7 p.m.

MICHAEL JACKSON TRIBUTE LIGHT SHOW: Independence Park Theatre, 7 p.m.

UNITED WE JAM: Magnolia Café, St. Francisville, 7 p.m.

O.B. BUCHANA/LACEE: Belle of Baton Rouge, 7 p.m.

STORMY/DR. STEPHEN FUTRELL: Thai Kitchen, 7 p.m.

JOHN FULLBRIGHT/MARTIN FLANAGAN: Manship Theatre, 7:30 p.m.

ARGYLE FRIDAY: Bottle & Tap, 8 p.m.

CHRIS MILLER & BAYOU ROOTS: UCT Hall, 8 p.m.

DMX/KOOL DJ SUPAMIKE: Varsity Theater, 8 p.m.

MIGHTY BROTHER/SHIP OF FOOLS/NICE DOG: Mid City Ballroom, 8 p.m.

MIKE HOGAN: Kalurah Street Grill, 8 p.m.

MITCH STEWART: Lava Cantina, downtown, 8 p.m.

WISEGUYS: Lava Cantina, Perkins Rowe, 9 p.m.

EDDIE SMITH & THE BAYOU BOOGIE HORNS: Club Coozan, 9 p.m.

IAN WEBSTER: 18 Steak at L'Auberge, 9 p.m.

SUNDANZE: Drew & Willie's Sports Bar, Denham Springs, 9 p.m.

TOTAL CONTROL: Ruffins' Downtown Daiquiri Lounge, 9 p.m.

THE HIGH DIVERS/MOTEL RADIO: Spanish Moon, 9 p.m.

WIL JACKSON BLUES BAND: The Blues Room, 9 p.m.

MATT KAYDA: Happy's Irish Pub, 9 p.m.

RUSTY YATES: Piano bar at Happy's Irish Pub, 9 p.m.

ROSS HOPPE: The Vineyard, 9:30 p.m.

CARDINAL COLLIDE: Park Place, Gonzales, 10 p.m.

THE ANTEEKS: Cadillac Cafe

SATURDAY

SWEET ROOT: Agave Blue Tequila & Taco Bar, Prairieville, 6:30 p.m.

ARGYLE FRIDAY: Ahuuas Mexican Restaurant, 7 p.m.

CARLO DITTA AND FRIENDS: Magnolia Café, St. Francisville, 7 p.m.

LEMON STEVIES/QUARX: Mid City Ballroom, 8 p.m.

JUSTIN MCCAIN: Bottle & Tap, 8 p.m.

THE BANDO: Spanish Moon, 9 p.m.

CHRISTINA OCMAND: Lava Cantina, downtown, 9 p.m.

MARCUS OUBRE BAND: Lava Cantina, Perkins Rowe, 9 p.m.

CONFIDENTIAL: Drew & Willie's Sports Bar, Denham Springs, 9 p.m.

DON, JARED & KONSPRIRACY: Club Coozan, 9 p.m.

JAKE GUNTER: Happy's Irish Pub, 9 p.m.

ELECTRO ROUGE: City Bar, 9 p.m.

WIL JACKSON BLUES BAND: The Blues Room, 9 p.m.

FLESH KARNIVAL: Nic's Bar, Gonzales, 9:45 p.m.

DEBBIE LANDRY: Old New Orleans Bar & Grill, 10 p.m.

TRUE SPIN: Cadillac Cafe

ARTEMIS: Gaston's Pub, Donaldsonville

SUNDAY

JAZZ BRUNCH WITH BARBARELLA BLUE: Lava Cantina, Perkins Rowe, 11 a.m.

BRANDON ROUTH: Galatoire's Bistro, 11:45 a.m.

KIRK HOLDER: Beausoleil Restaurant, noon

SONGWRITER SUNDAY: Jolie Pearl Oyster Bar, 1 p.m.

WHEELS OF FIRE: The Blues Room, 6 p.m.

THE FLOOZIES/CLOUDCHORD/DINO BRAWL: Varsity Theater, 7 p.m.

OPEN MIC BLUES JAM: Fat Cat Saloon, Prairieville, 7 p.m.

SINGER-SONGWRITER OPEN MIC: Old New Orleans Bar & Grill, 7 p.m.

RAMBLIN' JACK ELLIOTT/YVETTE LANDRY/RICHARD COMEAUX: Red Dragon Listening Room, 8 p.m.

MONDAY

DOROTHY LEBLANC: Beauregard Gallery & Bistro, 11:30 a.m.

TUESDAY

THE BLUES ANCIENTS: Beauregard Gallery & Bistro, 11:30 a.m.

BILLY CALLAWAY: Rico Louisiana Latin Cocktails & Cuisine, 6 p.m.

HENRY GRAY: TimeOut Lounge, 6 p.m.

CAJUN/ZYDECO DANCE LESSONS: Mid City Ballroom, 6:30 p.m.

EDDIE SMITH BAND: On the Half Shell, Prairieville, 6:30 p.m.

FOXHUNTER/THE BRETON SOUND/PARIS AVENUE: Varsity Theatre, 8 p.m.

STYK PANDORA: The Vineyard, 9:30 p.m.

WEDNESDAY

HONEYSUCKLE SWEET: Beauregard Gallery & Bistro, 11:30 a.m.

JAKE GUNTER: Lava Cantina, downtown, 6 p.m.

KIRK HOLDER: Bin 77, 6 p.m.

CHRIS LEBLANC: Superior Grill, Government Street, 6:30 p.m.

DENNIS & KEVIN: On the Half Shell, Prairieville, 6:30 p.m.

EDDIE SMITH: The Bullfish Bar & Kitchen, 6:30 p.m.

DIXIE ROSE'S ACOUSTIC CIRCLE: Teddy's Juke Joint, Zachary, 7 p.m.

JONATHON BOOGIE LONG: Bottle & Tap, 7 p.m.

LADIES NIGHT KARAOKE: Lava Cantina, Perkins Rowe, 7 p.m.

BLUES JAM HOSTED BY CLEVELAND JEFFERSON: The Blues Room, 8 p.m.

PARISH COUNTY LINE/SARA COLLINS/MICHAEL BRANDT: Texas Club, 8:30 p.m.

FASTLANE: Drew & Willie's Sports Bar, Denham Springs, 9 p.m.

THURSDAY

PAM GRISHAM AND SAMUEL: Beauregard Gallery & Bistro, 11:30 a.m.

BILL CHAMBERS/ERIC DISANTO/AMEAL CAMERON: Red Dragon Listening Room, 8 p.m.

RUSSELL MCCLAIN: Shu Shu's Bar, 8 p.m.

WILL WESLEY: New Orleans Original Daiquiris, La. 42, Prairieville, 8 p.m.

’80S NIGHT THANKSGIVING ANNIVERSARY: Spanish Moon

LAFAYETTE AND OUTLYING AREA

FRIDAY

PARADISO/OH, TUCKER: Steam Press Coffee Cafe, 5 p.m.

SHOTGUN LILLIE: The Grouse Room, 6:30 p.m.

MAC BRUNO: BoCat's Lounge at Cypress Bayou Casino, Charenton, 7 p.m.

RENÉ MARIE & EXPERIMENT IN TRUTH/TRIO VERIA: Acadiana Center for the Arts, 7:30 p.m.

MAJOR HANDY LA SOUL REVUE: The Wurst Biergarten, 8 p.m.

NTOON SOUL: Atrium Bar at Paragon Casino, Marksville, 8 p.m.

ALLIGATOR CHOMP CHOMP DANCE PARTY: Artmosphere, 9 p.m.

SINNERS/DURWOOD/JUSTIN MARTINDALE: Dat Dog, 9 p.m.

DJ PREMIERE: Club MeZazz at Paragon Casino, Marksville, 9 p.m.

BIG FREEDIA/STRAHAN AND THE GOOD NEIGHBORS: Blue Moon Saloon, 9:30 p.m.

RUSSELL CORMIER'S HOMEGROWN REGGAE: Feed N Seed, 10 p.m.

99 PLAYBOYS/THICKFAW: Steam Press Coffee Cafe, 10 p.m.

JOHN CONLEE: Route 92, Youngsville, 10 p.m.

FRANK KINCEL JAZZ TRIO: Blue Dog Cafe

SATURDAY

CAJUN JAM SESSION: Vermilionville, 1 p.m.

BARET FRITZ/FOUNDRY: The Wurst Biergarten, 5 p.m.

THE ISLEY BROTHERS: The Pavillion at Cypress Bayou Casino, Charenton, 8 p.m.

THE CAST: BoCat's at Cypress Bayou Casino, Charenton, 8 p.m.

DJ PREMIERE: Atrium Bar at Paragon Casino, Marksville, 8 p.m.

AARON FORET: Pat's Atchafalaya Club, Henderson, 8:30 p.m.

MEGAN JEAN & THE KFB/MICHAEL DOUCET/RICH DELGROSSO/PSYCHO SWAMP: Artmosphere, 9 p.m.

CURLEY TAYLOR AND ZYDECO TROUBLE/CC ADCOCK & THE LAFAYETTE MARQUIS: Feed N Seed, 9 p.m.

THE DIAMOND DEVIL REVUE: The Freetown Boom Boom Room, 9 p.m.

’80S NIGHT: Steam Press Coffee Cafe, 9 p.m.

NOELLE TANNEN/FILTHY NO NOS/ZACH RHEA'S NEW MUSIC COLLECTIVE: Dat Dog, 9 p.m.

ABRAM SHOOK/CHRISTIAAN MADER/TASCHE & THE PSYCHEDELIC ROSES: The Wurst Biergarten, 9 p.m.

DJ PREMIERE: Club MeZazz at Paragon Casino, Marksville, 9 p.m.

JAMBOXX: The Grouse Room, 9:30 p.m.

HIGH DIVERS/MOTEL RADIO: Blue Moon Saloon, 10 p.m.

KEITH FRANK: Rox at Cypress Bayou Casino, Charenton, 10 p.m.

SUNDAY

MIMOSA BRUNCH WITH MYLES MIGL: Artmosphere, 11 a.m.

BRUNCH WITH NICOLE MARIE NEEDHAM/ETHAN WAYNE: Steam Press Coffee Cafe, noon

WAYNE & THE SAME OL' TWO STEP: Vermilionville, 1 p.m.

JAMIE BERGERON & THE KICKIN' CAJUNS: Whiskey River Landing, Henderson, 4 p.m.

GERSHWIN SPECTACULAR: Heymann Performing Arts Center, 5 p.m.

QUINTRON & MISS PUSSYCAT/MOLLY BURCH/GRAND NATHANIEL & THE GHOSTS/JULIE ODELL: Acadiana Center for the Arts, 5 p.m.

JR LACROSSE: Pat's Atchafalaya Club, 6 p.m.

MARTY CHRISTIAN/LEE ALLEN ZENO/FRANK KINCEL: Blue Dog Cafe

ROOTS JAM: Artmosphere

MONDAY

BLUEGRASS JAM: Cité des Arts, 6:30 p.m.

JANKY KARAOKE: Artmosphere, 9 p.m.

TUESDAY

JANKY KARAOKE: Artmosphere, 9 p.m.

WEDNESDAY

PAUL TASSIN & SAM SPHAR: The Grouse Room, 8 p.m.

THE NOVEAU STRING BAND: Artmosphere, 8 p.m.

THANKSGIVING EVE BLUE MONDAY JAM SESSION: The Jefferson Street Pub, 8 p.m.

TERRY & THE ZYDECO BAD BOYS/BLAKE MILLER: Feed N Seed, 8 p.m.

ALL BLACK THANKSGIVING EVE PARTY: The District, 9 p.m.

CAJUN JAM: Blue Moon Saloon, 9 p.m.

THURSDAY

AN ALL-STAR TRIBUTE TO TOM PETTY: The Jefferson Street Pub, 8 p.m.

SAL MELANCON/KEITH BLAIR: Route 92, Youngsville, 8:30 p.m.

NEW ORLEANS AREA

FRIDAY

THE MAINE: House of Blues, 6 p.m.

MICHAEL PEARCE: Chickie Wah Wah, 6 p.m.

PIERCE FULTON/NVDES: House of Blues, 7 p.m.

PAUL SANCHEZ/SEAN KELLY/DANIELLE HOWLE: Chickie Wah Wah, 8 p.m.

DR. MICHAEL WHITE & THE ORIGINAL LIBERTY JAZZ BAND: Snug Harbor, 8 p.m. & 10 p.m.

CONTRAFLOW: Southport Music Hall, 8:30 p.m.

HISS GOLDEN MESSENGER: Tipitina's, 9 p.m.

LOST BAYOU RAMBLERS/MIKE DILLON BAND: One Eyed Jacks, 9 p.m.

PHUNKY MONKEYS: Rock 'N' Bowl, 9:30 a.m.

MC SWEET TEA: Siberia, 10 p.m.

THE GRAND FINALE: The Howlin' Wolf, 10 p.m.

PUBLIC/SYNTHETIC GHOSTS: Gasa Gasa, 10 p.m.

STRANGE RANGER/GIRLFRIEND ISLAND: Circle Bar, 10 p.m.

RETURN OF THE G: Republic, 11 p.m.

SATURDAY

DMX/THE SOUL REBELS/LOU MUZIK & FRIENDS: House of Blues, 8 p.m.

THE CREOLE STRING BEANS/THOUSAND DOLLAR CAR: Chickie Wah Wah, 8 p.m.

RENÉ MARIE & EXPERIMENT IN TRUTH: Snug Harbor, 8 p.m. & 10 p.m.

BONERAMA/DARCY MALONE & THE TANGLE: Tipitina's, 9 p.m.

ROCKIN' DOPSIE, JR. & THE ZYDECO TWISTERS: Rock 'N' Bowl, 9:30 p.m.

AUDIEN EUPHORIA TOUR: Eiffel Society, 10 p.m.

THE DARTS/ESCOBAR/BABY BATS: One Eyed Jacks, 10 p.m.

THE JAG/DUSTY TUPELO/SWEATERCREEP: The Howlin' Wolf Den, 10 p.m.

JACOB BANKS/VERA BLUE: Gasa Gasa, 10 p.m.

TROYBOI: Joy Theater, 10 p.m.

VILE BODIES/SOFTIE/WOOF: Siberia, 10 p.m.

FILTH/ASUKUBUS/THREE-BRAINED ROBOT/COREY CRUISE: Circle Bar, 10 p.m.

MOTTO: The Howlin' Wolf Den, 11:30 p.m.

KLUTCH/K9NE: Republic, 1 a.m.

SUNDAY

BRUCE DAIGREPONT: Rock 'N' Bowl, 5:30 p.m.

ABRAM SHOOK/TASCHE DE LA ROCHA/RENSHAW DAVIES: Gasa Gasa, 6 p.m.

ANI DIFRANCO/MILCK: House of Blues, 7 p.m.

MICAH MCKEE/BLIND TEXAS MARLIN & FRIENDS: Circle Bar, 7 p.m.

THE DELTA TROUBADOURS: The Howlin' Wolf Den, 7 p.m.

ANDREW BAHAM & 4 AM: Snug Harbor, 8 p.m. & 10 p.m.

MESCHIYA LAKE & THE LITTLE BIG HORNS: Chickie Wah Wah, 8 p.m.

JUJU CHILD/THE HYPNOTIC ROOTS BAND: Ace Hotel, 9 p.m.

HOUSE OF THE YOUNG: House of Blues, 9 p.m.

TODD DAY WAIT'S PIGPEN/THE BONEBREAKERS/THE MUD RIVER WARBLERS: Siberia, 9 p.m.

WITCH BURIAL: Circle Bar, 10 p.m.

THE HOT 8 BRASS BAND: The Howlin' Wolf Den, 10 p.m.

MONDAY

LOYOLA CONTEMPORARY VOCAL ENSEMBLE: Marigny Opera House, 7 p.m.

WEST COAST SWING NIGHT: Rock 'N' Bowl, 7 p.m.

ALEX MCMURRAY & MIKE DILLON: Chickie Wah Wah, 8 p.m.

KELELA/LAFAWNDAH: Gasa Gasa, 8 p.m., sold out

TYLER, THE CREATOR: Joy Theater, 9 p.m.

TUESDAY

BRIMSTONE & GLORY AND A CIAMBRA: Orpheum, 7 p.m.

LATIN NIGHT: Rock 'N' Bowl, 7 p.m.

TIGERAMA: Saenger, 7:30 p.m.

ACOUSTIC OPEN MIC: Siberia, 8 p.m.

SANSONE, KROWN & FOHL: Chickie Wah Wah, 8 p.m.

21 SAVAGE: Joy Theater, 9 p.m.

UNSANE/PLAQUE MARKS/AR-15: Gasa Gasa, 9 p.m.

JAMEY ST. PIERRE: Chickie Wah Wah, 10 p.m.

WEDNESDAY

CHRISTMAS QUEENS: House of Blues, 7 p.m.

THE IGUANAS: Circle Bar, 7 p.m.

THE BOOGIE MEN: Rock 'N' Bowl, 8 p.m.

MESCHIYA LAKE & TOM MCDERMOTT: Chickie Wah Wah, 8 p.m.

THRILLER VS. BAD: Southport Music Hall, 8 p.m.

BEAR GRILLZ: The Howlin' Wolf, 9 p.m.

CHRIS MULE & BAYOU FIYA/BRASS LIGHTNING: Tipitina's, 9 p.m.

LOUCEY/SPAWNS/BABY BATS: Gasa Gasa, 9 p.m.

PJ MORTON & FRIENDS: Ace Hotel, 9 p.m.

JASON RICCI & FRIENDS: Chickie Wah Wah, 10 p.m.

DJ 2 NYCE AND MORE: Republic, 10 p.m.

THURSDAY

BILL SUMMERS/TODD MEZCLA: Ace Hotel, 7 p.m.

NATALIE MAE & GINA LESLIE: Circle Bar, 7 p.m.

GENO DELAFOSE & FRENCH ROCKIN' BOOGIE: Rock 'N' Bowl, 8:30 p.m.

JUVENILE: The Howlin' Wolf, 10 p.m.

THANKSGIVING SOAPBOX DERBY: Siberia, 11 p.m.

’80S DANCE NIGHT: One Eyed Jacks, 11 p.m. - Advocate Staff Report

Though Roy and Wagner knew each other from high school, the four of them formed a close bond quite quickly. They were ready to express their passion for music through the raspy, independent, bluesy sound they formed.

In the summer of 2014, the band put out its first EP, consisting of four tracks. The group’s first song and music video was titled “Waves,” and it did very well among its fan base and on social media. With the success the band received, they knew they could achieve more if they set their minds to it.

Keyboardist Keenan Torrence joined them the next year and added the soft, delicate sound of piano keys, giving the band an alternative sound.

Its success led Nice Dog to begin collaborating on a professionally recorded 10-track album. The band held its recording sessions at Baton Rouge Music Studios in August. Ryan Erwin, a sound engineer, is working with the band to release the record by the end of the year.

“It has taken longer than expected, but we have been taking our time with the process,” Wagner said. “We want to be concise so our sound can be heard.”

The group is optimistic that its fans will be pleased, considering the great reactions to their past music.

They has performed at many local venues including the Varsity Theatre, Spanish Moon, Atomic Pop Shop, North Boulevard Town Square and the former Chelsea’s Café.

Its four-track EP can be heard on Bandcamp’s website where they will also release their upcoming album. The album is slated for a summer release.

The album will also be available on Spotify, iTunes and Google Play. Baton Rouge Music Studios will have hard copies of the album, and they will be available at any of Nice Dog’s performances. - Corrine Pritchett

Ten minutes ’til showtime, and the band didn’t have a name.

Across the street from Galvez Plaza sat the gourmet hotdog stand Nice Dog. Garrett Howell shuffled over to the sweet lady running the stand and asked permission to share its name. She said yes, and Nice Dog the band took the stage.

Local indie-blues band Nice Dog might fit the trope that bands name themselves on a whim. But they also embody the gritty, goosebump-inducing sound of traditional blues music. Combined with strong guitar riffs and brassy vocals, Nice Dog has been perfecting its indie-blues sound.

The band is young—all of the members are college-age—but has an air of practiced efficiency and connectivity in the way the musicians interact. That could be because—other than keyboardist Keenan Torrence, who joined in late 2015—the group’s members met nearly six years ago in a young musicians program at Baton Rouge Music Studios.

Since 2011, drummer Garrett Howell, singer and guitarist Logan Wagner, bassist Robert Denoux and guitarist Austin Roy have written original songs and performed them at local venues such as Spanish Moon, Phil Brady’s Bar & Grill, North Boulevard Town Square, Atomic Pop Shop and the former Chelsea’s Cafe.

Nice Dog recently performed its first set at Varsity Theatre, a venue many consider a sort of rite of passage for local musicians.

The band recorded a four-track EP in summer 2014, packed with Wagner’s beautifully scratchy vocals, Howell’s steady but moving drum beats and Roy’s plucky guitar riffs.

Now Nice Dog is prepping its first professionally recorded, full-length album. Baton Rouge Music Studios hosted the band for recording sessions during the first two weeks of August, and with the help of sound engineer Ryan Erwin, the band is working to release the album by year-end.

Coming from diverse musical backgrounds, the musicians agree that rehearsals and writing sessions can sometimes be overwhelming, but they try to use that to their advantage.

“We collaborate a lot, and we let ideas fly around, and that’s how the best ones are born,” Howell says. “Where our tastes overlap, that’s where our chemistry is.”

With 10 tracks, the new album will still hold tight to the bluesy sound on that first EP, but some songs are a part of what the members call Nice Dog’s “elaboration and expansion” stage. Howell says the songs will be more spacious and psychedelic.

The entire project was inspired by “Waves,” the group’s first song and music video. When the song became a hit with fans and the video was a success on social media, the members of Nice Dog knew they had more in them.

“We had a lot of fun with ‘Waves,’ and it was a double win because our followers liked it, too,” Wagner says. “So why not make an entire album and see where it goes?”

Nice Dog also has a small tour in mind now that the album is in the works. The tour would include venues in places like New Orleans, Houston, Austin and Orange Beach, Alabama, before coming home to Baton Rouge.

Currently, they are on the books for a Sept. 15 show at the Spanish Moon.

The 2014 EP can be heard at nicedogband.bandcamp.com. The full-length album will be released on that website, plus on Google Play, Spotify and iTunes. Hard copies of the album will be available at the band’s local gigs or at Baton Rouge Music Studios. - Amanda Capritto

Some of the best and brightest of the Baton Rouge music scene are ushering in the fall with “Back to School Parties” at Spanish Moon and the Legendary Noise Floor this month. Organized by the music blog Jive Flamingo, the series began late last month highlighting local favorites along with some up-and-coming young musicians. The series continues at the Spanish Moon Sept. 5 featuring the local synth-pop band England in 1819 with Austin-based band Mobley and the young blues-rock band Nice Dog.

On Sept. 14, singer-songwriters Clay Parker and Ryan Harris jam with the young indie act Gardens and fresh-faced songwriter Caroline Schaff at the Legendary Noise Floor. The series ends Sept. 20 with Baton Rouge hip hop emcee Marcel P. Black, DJ Automatik, Atlanta-based Detroit Mutant Radio and local soul band Cafe Au Lait at the Spanish Moon. For more information, go to jiveflamingo.com.

SEPT. 7: Bop along to the twinkling melodies of Islands at the Spanish Moon. thespanishmoon.com
SEPT. 12: The multi-instrumental ensemble Kopecky Family Band shows off its rich harmonies and musical chops at the Spanish Moon.
SEPT. 19: Rebirth Brass Band brings its funky New Orleans sound to Chelsea’s Cafe. chelseascafe.com
SEPT. 24: English musician and songwriter Iain Matthews performs an intimate set at the Red Dragon Listening Room. reddragonlr.com
SEPT. 26: Long-running and much-loved jazz funk ensemble Galactic takes the stage at the Varsity Theatre. varsitytheatre.com
EARLY NEXT MONTH: Witty country singer-songwriter Kacey Musgraves performs at the Varsity Theatre Oct. 3. - 225 Staff