The Idiomatics: Tasty as a cake

BY JESSE SCOTT

The Idiomatics are full of surprises.

One night, they bake a cake for the audience. The next night, they break a guitar onstage.

Regardless of the playful, interactive route the band takes on a given evening, the audience is always guaranteed a night of quirky alternative–indie rock at its finest.

The Idiomatics will play a free show at Colonial Tavern in downtown Fredericksburg on Friday, March 9.

“We’re basically like four mama’s boys that like to let loose onstage,” said vocalist and guitarist Michael Geddes. “We always throw in a dramatic surprise or two to really get the interaction going with the audience and to just have fun.”

The Fredericksburg-based band has played more than 200 shows since forming in 2008. Over the years, Geddes, guitarist Alex Culberth, drummer Brian McGuire and bassist Michael Raphael have built up enough tracks for a full-length album.

The band plans to release its first LP in April. It will be the band’s first album since releasing its “Star King” EP in late 2010.

“The new record is all about life and the cycle of life,” said Geddes. “It features all the types of music that we love funk, rock, punk and progressive. We even have a track that is just drums and bass. The new album is different, but never leaves the Idiomatics realm.”

The Idiomatics are kings of making simplicity sound complex. They consider bands like Cake, Radiohead, The Cold War Kids and Grizzly Bear as their biggest influences, and you can feel their deep-rooted, artistic inspiration bleed through any live or recorded Idiomatics tune.

“I like to say that there is no one out there that sounds exactly like us,” said McGuire. “That’s what I love about this band. But, if push came to shove, I’d say we’re a mix between the Pixies

and Radiohead.”

The Idiomatics’ new album will present a much fuller sound than what audiences hear onstage. Over the last year, the band has played around with different sound effects on iPads, Android phones and other electronic devices to give the new album a unique, modern vibe.

“There are a lot of overlying elements on the new album,” said McGuire. “We wanted to let everyone know what the songs really sound like in our heads, not when we’re four guys playing on a stage. In our minds we have a whole orchestra with instruments right by our sides.”

Once the new album is complete, The Idiomatics will refocus on their community efforts. The band loves nothing more than giving back to the ’Burg and surrounding areas through its music.

“In the past, we’ve helped out with tsunami relief efforts, and we love helping Relay for Life,” Geddes said. “If there is a community organization out there that needs help and wants us to play, we hope that they get in touch with us.”

As for the band’s next antic, you can count on something memorable at the upcoming Colonial Tavern show. What that entails will be yet another surprise.

“We like to think that our best show is always our next show,” Geddes said. “When we get offstage, we always talk about how awesome it was and how much fun we had. We strive to put on a better show each and every time.”

Jesse Scott is a freelance writer

and Fredericksburg native.

What: The Idiomatics

Where: Colonial Tavern, 406 Lafayette Blvd., Fredericksburg, 22401

When: Friday, March 9,

10 p.m.

Cost: Free

Info: 540/373-1313,

theidiomatics.com

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