Do-it-yourself approach works for rockers Sybris

The rock band Sybris is still at the do-it-yourself stage.

"We have always been like that," bassist Shawn Podgurski said by phone from Chicago. "Even after we got signed to a record company, we still like to be involved as much as we can.

"It's not that we're control freaks. It's just the fact that we like to know what's happening with our stuff. Quality control."

In addition to Podgurski, Sybris includes guitarist Phil Naumann, vocalist/guitarist Angela Mullenhour and original drummer Bill Bumgardner. The band came together in 2003, and, according to Podgurski, its name is an intentional misspelling of the historical hedonistic Greek city Sybaris.

"Phil, Bill and I were in another band with another singer before that, called Combo No. 3," he said. "The other singer didn't want to tour. So we had to look for another singer. Phil and I went to coffeehouses and other places and sat down with singers to see if they were interested in going on tour."

That's when they found Mullenhour. "She blew us away. We went out and bought some drinks and went to play music, and she's been with us since."

They were signed by Chicago label Flameshovel Records, home of Chin Up Chin Up. It was then that Bumgardner was replaced by Eric Mahle. But the changes didn't stop the band from keeping its focus. "We have always spent 12 hours at home making concert tour shirts and booking shows," said Podgurski. "It's second nature to us. It's tough, but it's a labor of love. We do it because we believe in our music."

This says something about a band that went on a 58-date tour and didn't have a booking agent or tour manager. "We did things ourselves and we reached a lot of people."

Earlier this summer, the band released its self-titled full-length album and booked another string of shows. "We want to keep doing bigger and better shows," said Podgurski. "We would eventually like to quit our day jobs and do this full-time."

If you go ...

What: Sybris, Cat-a-Tac, Dead Riff to Drag, Glacial

Where: Kilby Court, 738 S. Kilby Court

When: Saturday, 7:30 p.m.

How much: $8

Phone: 320-9887

Web: www.kilbycourt.com

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E-mail: scott@desnews.com