Undertow Band has earned a very loyal local following

Undertow Band has earned a very loyal local following

The Undertow Band, a South Baldwin based rock trio, specialize in grunge and alternative, but they always work a classic rock jammer or a modern cover of a banger into their sets during the two years they have been together.
The formula works, as they have quickly built a Gulf Coast following, with gigs scheduled March 22 at the Island Daiquiri Bar and March 28 at the Perdido Key Sports Bar.
Lead singer/guitarist Bryan Ussery, bassist/vocalist Mike Griffith, and drummer Mike Rohlfs are also booked to play Cobalt twice per month through November.
The band formed when Rohlfs ran an advertisement online that Ussery quickly answered.
“Turns out we are practically next-door neighbors in Craft Farms,’’ Rohlfs said. “He and I started jamming in my garage.’’
Griffith joined the band last fall after a stint in the Pensacola based Civilized Natives.
“Griff has really elevated our stage show and audience interaction,’’ said Rohlfs, who played at the legendary NYC club CBGB’s back in the 90’s. “He is the School of Rock program coordinator at Fairhope High and is every bit as Jack Black as it gets. He loves to test the audience’s musical knowledge regarding the songs we play.’’
The band has played locally at Shrimp Fest, the OWA July 4 party and most of Pleasure Island’s night spots.
“Every show where people really enjoy and appreciate the music we are playing is a favorite show for us,’’ Rohlfs said.
As far as the name?
“We get asked that a lot. People guess that we’re either named after Tool’s first album or after the bar in Orange Beach,’’ Rohlfs said. “Truth is, we wanted something that was easy to remember and had something to do with the water, as in, ‘Come check us out and we’ll pull you in.’’’