The audience steadily became larger as students enticed by the energetic sound of the Tattooed Love Dogs filled the Hinde Auditorium where the band played Wednesday, Oct. 11 at noon.

The mood was a little stiff in the sterile auditorium until the lights were dimmed, and drummer Larry Schiavone joked, “Can we get some more beer up here?”

By the third song, the mood was created, the band warmed up, and the Tattooed Love Dogs produced the rich, country-via-alternative sound they are known and loved for.

The band looked like any other student on campus, dressed in t-shirts, jeans and the drummer in a baseball hat, making them seem approachable and down-to-earth, much like the style of their music.

The band played songs off of their current CD, Oklahomadejaneiro, which guitarist Mike Blanchard explains is inspired with a southern sound, as well as covers off of their previous release, Gnashville.

The band closed the hour-long set with the hard-rock sounding “Ghost on the Highway,” with Jeff Daniels look-alike bassist Peter Gandesbery performing the vocals.

Tattooed Love Dogs have received two Sacramento Area Music Awards in the rock category in 1995 and 1997, and one SAMMIE in the country-bluegrass category in 2000. Receiving these awards happily confuses the band, “?perhaps we are a damn fine two-thirds rock- one third country-bluegrass band.” Fans can catch the band at their next local performance at The Distillery on Friday, Nov. 3.