The Stomping Grounds’ intimate setting is alive with activity. Patrons are busy reading, talking, eating and engaging in other distractions. One of them, Gwen Mitchell Trio percussionist Charlie Duda, who goes by “Chuck D,” is not faring well at his chess match.

“I am only playing with about an eighth of my attention,” he says.

In just a few minutes he is routed – his king is mated in less than a dozen moves. Bandmate Mark Vasquez’s camcorder sweeps around the table from face to face, capturing the scene for posterity. In search of help, Duda rotates the board to face the group’s namesake, Gwen Mitchell.

“You’re playing Gwen now,” Duda says.

Perhaps his mind is elsewhere. Duda and his bandmates are just minutes from taking the stage.

Music has been an enduring part of the lives of each of the members of the Gwen Mitchell Trio. They reminisce about playing their first childhood melodies on cooking utensils before moving on to more traditional instruments.

“I would play on pots and pans and everything in the kitchen, but I think my favorite instrument was the cheese grater,” Duda says.

“When I was a kid I would run around and sing in my underwear,” Vasquez says. “Later on I would play the piano along with KISS songs.”

The origin of the Gwen Mitchell Trio goes back to an open mike night when all three performers were in attendance. They were performing separately and caught one another’s attention.

When the trio finally united as a single group some time later, they admit that they chose their title mostly out of convenience.

“There were no objections,” Duda says.

The bandmates do, however, have a definite plan to re-christen themselves sometime in the future.

“We will know it is time to change our name when we run out of business cards,” Duda says.

A name change is just one item on Trio’s agenda. The trio is not shy to predict big accomplishments in its career.

“We are going to open for AC/DC and KISS,” Vasquez says.

“And reunite Megadeth,” Duda adds.

The trio recently started toward a more short-term goal – going into the studio to begin recording its first album as a group.

They recall many outrageous occurrences during their performances, but two stand out as the most memorable.

“There was the bra thrown on stage; that was pretty memorable,” Mitchell says.

“And the pussy paws,” Duda adds, drawing laughter from the entire band. “I play some of the songs with mallets. One night some drunken lady really liked them, so she yells at me, ‘Hey! Play with the pussy paws.'”

Another favorite moment occurred when the trio ad-libbed its “Pizza song” for an audience member who had a freshly baked pie delivered to the concert.

“It would be great if somebody had a pizza delivered to this show and gave us an excuse to play the song,” Duda says.

The trio has one bit of advice it would like to offer to up-and-coming touring bands.

“Whenever you go someplace to play,” Duda says, “don’t say, ‘Name of the place we are going’ or bust … because bust will happen first.”

This tidbit of wisdom was prompted by another memorable experience playing on the road when the trio witnessed a resourceful van driver making repairs on his vehicle.

“The door fell off,” Duda recalls, “And this guy put it back together with nothing. I think he was using the bones in his finger for a screwdriver — it was amazing.”