Matty's will host Pocket Change this weekend.

The guys of Pocket Change can’t stay away from each other for too long. Each member of the band is engaged in some other form of band or music, but in the end they all find the time to come together for a show in Anderson.

Bass player Shannon Hoover said he and his band mates have played music their whole lives. Hoover formed the band in 2000 while at Anderson University with keyboard player Nate Smith. Since then, the band has played private functions, restaurants and club dates.

“We truly are a working band right now,” Hoover said, “We plan on doing some recording pretty soon, but for now we’re just doing as many dates as possible.”

The band plays mostly in Anderson, although they do branch out to surrounding areas if necessary and, of course, the band finds time to explore other musical endeavors. Drummer Jason Owens is involved with his other band The Work, while guitarist/vocalist Zeke Merriweather and Smith are church musicians.

Hoover said the only problem the band ever runs into is deciding what to play. He said all members of the band love a variety of different musical styles ranging from rock and blues to jazz and funk. In Hoover’s mind, there’s only one solution to the problem.

“We just do everything,” Hoover said, “We play jazz standards, instrumentals, blues and old folk music.”

According to Hoover, the band tries to incorporate covers audiences don’t normally hear. The band plays jazz hits like “Footprints” and several other instrumentals. They also explore the blues with Stevie Ray Vaughan’s “Pride and Joy” and even include Van Morrison’s “Into the Mystic.”

The band does include some originals, some of which, like “The Truth,” are provided by Merriweather. Audiences will have to listen out for other originals that are still unnamed.

Hoover said the band generates a set list before stepping on stage and they try collectively to plan the flow of each night. Whether or not they stick to this list is decided once they start, but Hoover thinks it’s important to look professional on stage while building momentum during a show.

“We like to start with lighter stuff early on and work our way to dance music and rock,” Hoover said, “You don’t want the crowd to see you thinking about it onstage and, more importantly, we don’t want to worry about what’s coming next.”

Hoover said he looks forward to returning to Matty’s. He enjoys the atmosphere and the crowds and admires what Matty’s and other restaurants featuring live music are trying to do for Anderson.

“These establishments are making downtown Anderson what it needs to be,” Hoover said, “Each restaurant now thinks about music when they open; when the owners automatically have music in mind that’s when the music scene really grows.”