Julio and the Saltines offer array of songs, a good time for the audience

Julio and the Saltines. Repeat it fast five times and see how easily it’ll turn into a tongue-twisted debacle.

Say the name once, however, and it’s likely to arouse attention and pique curiosity so as not to bother saying “Julio and the Saltines” another four times.

“That’s what we were going for,” said Matt Doda, who plays lead guitar and does background vocals, “to come up with a name that would catch people’s attention.”

Doda is one of the three Saltines in the cover band with Chris Alley, bass player; Reuben Long, drums; and Julio Navarro, lead singer, guitarist and the official un-Saltine.

“Julio has this huge personality,” Doda said. “He’s Hispanic; we’re not. Most people get it instantly.”

A single father of a 2 1/2-year-old, Navarro, 30, agreed to talk about the band while driving to a show in Murrells Inlet recently. He said the group, which performs around the Grand Strand area, assembled about three years ago, and the foursome agree they’re ambassadors of a good time.

“We’re always willing to learn new songs,” Navarro said, “to be a better group, appease the crowd and get everyone up and dancing.”

To do that, Navarro said it’s all about playing what the audience wants to hear.

With an ever-expanding song list, the group makes sure the audience has access to several laminated lists that are handed out prior to a performance. The band plays everything from rock, country, heavy metal — “You name it,” Doda said.

All musicians from a very young age, honing in on one particular influence isn’t easy, said drummer Long, however, being able to play a wide variety of music for a varied-age audience is part of the challenge and something the group of 30-somethings pride themselves on doing well.

“We’re like the audience’s own personal jukebox,” said Long, noting they’ve all studied music “long enough to learn [a new song] really quickly.”

Alley and Long both noted the band mates’ distinct difference in personalities.

“We’re all so completely different,” each said separately.

But no matter the quirks, getting together and playing music is an altogether different experience: The chemistry is there, the mix works when performing, and that may be one of many perks for the group, which enjoys putting on a show almost as much as playing music.

“We once had an older person come up to us and say, ‘You guys made me feel so young again,’” Alley said.

The gigs, though plentiful, don’t come easy.

Doda said there’s hard work that goes into rounding up work for the group, which does its own networking.

“We’re not your typical ‘wedding rock band for hire,’” Doda said. “We work hard and focus on solid pure, great sound — and balance is important.”

Most of the band members are involved in multiple projects but said expanding on their musical backgrounds is what they’d like to be known for doing best.

“We don’t make a set list, we make a song list,” said Long of the band. “We let the audience determine our show.”

This story was originally published December 25, 2014 at 12:00 AM with the headline "Julio and the Saltines offer array of songs, a good time for the audience."