GreenSugar takes its bluesy rock to local stages

When they were students at Stevenson High School in Lincolnshire, 30-year-olds Parker Dodson and Jon Patrick Luby were both into the grunge music scene. Both loved bands like Pearl Jam and Stone Temple Pilots, and while Dodson was lead singer in a local band, Luby was his No. 1. fan.

Now, after years of college and each doing his own thing, Dodson and Luby are on the same side of the music scene, working together as part of a combination blues/rock band called GreenSugar that plays shows in Lincolnshire and Chicago this weekend.

The band - with Luby on drums, Dodson on vocals and lead guitar and three other bandmates - has spent much of the past two years playing venues in Chicago and the suburbs and is now expanding to weekend trips across the Midwest. But GreenSugar has yet to play with another group that matches its style, Dodson said.

"We haven't shared a bill with anyone where they're playing the same stuff as us and that's a double-edged sword," Dodson said. "I personally look at it as a good thing. Some people think it's kind of tough, but what are we going to do, change our style? That's not going to work."

The band has, however, gone through some style changes over the years as it added more members. It now includes two guitarists, two drummers and a bassist, which some people see as a throwback to the 1960s and '70s era of classic rock.

"Our second guitar player brought a great '70s rock and roll edge to it which was great," Dodson said. "Once we added Mike (Starcevic, guitarist) to the mix, it really took the band in more of a southern rock vibe, traditional two-guitar lineup."

Adding Erick Froseth as a second percussionist on drum set has also given Luby, who grew up in Buffalo Grove, more freedom to improvise and experiment.

"He holds back the beat so I can go for something crazy and not have as much pressure," Luby said. "We're finding ways to make the beats fit together and it adds interest."

GreenSugar had to audition 10 bassists before choosing Jason Rollins to round out the group, Luby said.

Many area bass guitarists would rather play punk or metal music, he said, and the band had trouble finding someone who would make a significant time commitment. For Luby and Dodson, who both live in Chicago now, playing with GreenSugar is not a small commitment on the side; they hope it will turn into a career.

The band self-produced its most recent album "Gorilla Fingers," but is searching for a record label and a booking agent, Dodson said.

"When someone wants to play your CD at a party and you can bob your head and be proud of it instead of being like, 'Man, we're listening to ourselves at a party and that's cheesy,' ... you can kind of tell when you finally have a product that is strong enough," Dodson said.

GreenSugar capitalizes on its Chicagoland ties by playing local venues including The Cubby Bear North in Lincolnshire in front of a crowd that includes friends, neighbors and rock 'n' roll junkies.

"My parents live in Buffalo Grove and they come see us all over the place," Luby said. "They're always very helpful with bringing out the neighbors."

Dodson believes it's the band's rootsy and bluesy, yet danceable, blend of rock that allows it to draw fans ranging from the college crowd to their parents.

"I'll take either one - a 21 year-old or a 50-year-old," Dodson said. "It's not so much the canned pop that's so popular right now, but it's always good at a party scene where everyone is letting loose."

Catch the band this weekend:

• 10 p.m. Friday, Aug. 14, at The Cubby Bear North, 21661 N. Milwaukee Ave., Lincolnshire, (847) 541-4700, $6

• 8 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 15, at The Elbo Room, 2871 N. Lincoln Ave., Chicago, (773) 549-5549, $10

<div class="infoBox"> <h1>More Coverage</h1> <div class="infoBoxContent"> <div class="infoArea"> <h2>Related links</h2> <ul class="moreWeb"> <li><a href="http://www.myspace.com/greensugarband">GreenSugar's MySpace page</a></li> </ul> </div> </div> </div>