The Red and Black

Nelo formed in Austin, Texas but recently made the decision to move to Athens.

The band will play at 11 tonight at J.R.'s Baitshack.

"We knew enough about the music scene (in Athens) to know that we would fit in well, so we all just took a vote and decided this was the place to come," vocalist Reid Umstattd said.

He said the group's music is "a hybrid of pop and some kind of jam band."

The band, which also includes Matt Ragland (songwriter, acoustic guitarist), Mike St. Clair (bass), Chris Hill (drums), David Long (saxophone) and Stephen Goodson (electric guitar) - has a jazz background. Four members studied jazz at the University of North Texas Music School.

Ragland and Umstattd started playing together in high school, and the band began in 2002.

Its name came from two different things.

"One everyday context is that it's used in the game of spades, but what it literally means is nothing or nothingness," Ragland said.

"I thought it was kind of a cool name for us because we're kind of nothing right now and hopefully one day we will be something," he added.

Last year, Nelo recorded a self-titled home recording mastered in Athens and sold at concerts.

But the band has moved up since then - it's currently working on a three-song EP at Tree Sound Studios near Atlanta where Elton John has recorded.

- Alexandra Walker

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