birmingham092200

He may be from Music City, but it's the Magic City that Will Hoge gives credit to for his musical break. It was in July of'99 that the songwriter and his new band got their first gig outside of their Nashville home.

Hoge, guitarist Dan Baird, bassist Tres Sasser and drummer Kirk Yoquelet took the stage at Zydeco for a show that would lead to more opportunities in Birmingham and beyond.

It was here, too, that Hoge said the band first played with Jump, Little Children. This summer, Hoge's band teamed up to tour with the North Carolina group and draw off their solid fan base. The two will play Five Points South Music Hall Saturday.

"We just sort of hit it off personally and musically," Hoge said of that first Birmingham concert with Jump. "We're similar in that our audience and their audience relates to both bands, but (our music) is also different enough that you aren't sitting through two hours of music that's all the same show."

Both are rock bands - Hoge with a Springsteen-like'70s rock sound and Jump, Little Children with a flavor that draws on hip-hop and dance music to rock'n' roll.

Hoge's band hits Birmingham whenever it can, he said, playing twice this week. Since the city is home to the Independent Record Coalition and WRAX (107.7 FM), which Hoge said often gives new artists a change, the Magic City will be the top place the band will promote its debut record in January.

The CD was recorded with the full band in the studio, Hoge said, relying as much as possible on first takes for a sound that mimics the sincere sound of influences like Tom Petty, Bruce Springsteen and Van Morrison.

"When people hear my music, I hope that 'honest' is a word that comes up," he said.