Band: Day In Day Out
Genre: Punk/ Progressive Rock
RIYL: Blink 182, Boys Night Out

The Garage, Mount Pleasant wsg A Second too late and Math Jan 15, 8 p.m. Free
New York New York, Chesterfield wsg Years of Decadence Jan. 22, 8 p.m. $5

It's not always easy coming up with the perfect band name. Sometimes you pick one that will get a laugh, the one that overshoots and misses it entirely, and sometimes you pick one that perfectly captures who you are.

For Mount Pleasant punk/progressive rock band, Day In Day Out, its name is one that defines it through hard work, perseverance and drive.

"What makes us different from other bands is we just have a different kind of work ethic," Guitarist Steve Krantz said. "I mean, failure is not an option...We just need to do whatever we have to to keep playing music because it's what we love."

Surely then, the band's new album, which they slaved over for more than a year, is a testimony to its moniker. It's called Cedar Street (Mind Over Matter Records), named after a street where the band would go to record. It's a split record shared with Clinton Township band Math Objects.

"[Back-up singer] Jake [Zyrek]'s brother has a house in Kalamazoo. It's this old warehouse in the ghetto on Cedar Street where we would meet every weekend to record," Guitarist Stefan Borghesani said."We'd go there for four days and would only sleep for so many hours while we were there."

The band, which consists of guitarists Krantz and Borghesani, Terry Bishop (bass/vocals), Pat Sheufelt (drums) and Zyrek got its start in while the members were still in high school. Now, CMU college students and graduates, the band continues its homework elsewhere, working hard to improve the Mount Pleasant music scene.

Each month the band runs shows out of its house in Mount Pleasant, which they call The Garage. It invites local and national musicians to perform.

"Our house is a little shack by the railroad track with no windows on the front, but we have shows in it," said Sheufelt. "The cool part about it - having the house venue - is that we're getting to network with all these bands that are out of state but then also local, Michigan musicians too."

The house often takes a beating, Bishop added, with the energy of the musicians and crowds pumping through it.

It's worth it though, considering the Mount Pleasant music scene allows little room or acceptance for a punk/progressive rock band like Day In Day Out.

"It's kind of hard for us, in Mount Pleasant there is a hardcore scene and then there's an indie scene and they don't mix at all," said Borghesani. "They don't ever really have contact with each other and us being a progressive band, it's kind of hard because we don't really fit into one."

The band wants to give opportunities to bands like itself who have trouble getting started, Borghesani added.

Shows at the garage are always free and are held at 801 Pleasant Street Apt. C. But if you have trouble locating it, Krantz says, it's hardly a problem.

"We play really loud. Way louder than any other band in Mount Pleasant and I'm 100 percent [sure] on that."