There is nothing easy about keeping a band together. From conflicts about style and musical direction to
countless hours in close quarters on the road and in the studio, there are infinite reasons why bands
start strong, fizzle out and go their separate ways.
Factor in the challenges of funding tours and new equipment with the ever-changing music business and it
is amazing that any band can thrive for a long period of time.
For the venerable jam band ekoostik hookah, the secret to maintaining a core band over two decades is
three fold; dedicated fans, band mates who remain friends and a little luck.
"We are lucky enough to have a fan base that enjoys our music and doesn’t give up on us," front
man Dave Katz said in a recent telephone interview. "Over the years we have gone through some
personal changes, but no matter what we have gone through we have always kept new music coming out and
we have tried to stay diverse with what we play."
"I suppose luck has a lot to do with it too, and the fact that we have a bunch of guys in the band
that can get along together," he added.
ekoostik hookah returns to Bowling Green this Friday at 8 p.m. for its debut at The Cla-Zel. Tickets are
$18 in advance at www.clazel.net and $20 at the door.
Founded in Columbus in 1991, ekoostik hookah has become somewhat of an Ohio musical institution over the
past 18 years. Chances are most music fans who have never attended a show or listened to an album have
heard of the band.
From their bi-annual Hookahville festival to thousands of appearances at venues throughout Ohio and
around the country, few bands enjoy such a diverse following and notable presence in the jam band world.
Much of their success can be attributed to the development of a grass-roots fan-base through countless
tours and do-it-yourself marketing.
"I just think it was one of those things that (the band) was there at the beginning of the jam-band
thing," drummer Eric Lanese said in 2008. "We certainly were not at the level of some bands at
the beginning but we just stuck with it."
Largely known for their energy-pumping live show and genre-eschewing approach to original music, ekoostik
hookah has continued to stay relevant and fresh in the jam band scene by enticing new fans through
diverse music, while maintaining old fans through their consistent sound and live performances.
"There has never really been a conscious effort to go in any particular direction," Katz said.
"I don’t think you can say ekoosik hookah sounds likeÉand then plug in any particular thing. We
sound like us."
