Home is often a far away thought for many bands, but one Iowa City city band remembers where they grew up, as well as the music from that era.

Nick Burd, lead singer and guitarist for Iowa City-based Burn Disco Burn, says the band’s name comes from a lyric in the song “Panic” by The Smiths, one of the band’s main influences.

In addition to The Smiths, he says the band has an eclectic group of influences, such as Yo La Tengo, Catharine Wheel and Death Cab for Cutie.

Lead guitarist Chris Ellis says the biggest influence for the group, which also includes bassist Kathryn Musilek and drummer Matt Heideman, comes from growing up listening to the big college rock bands from the ’80s.

“We listened to bands like The Smiths and R.E.M., and we think it comes out in our music,” he says. “The easiest way to describe us might be indie rock, but that has become a very generic term,” Ellis says.

The inspiration for the band’s lyrics are also quite inspired, coming from a wide variety of sources, Burd says. One source in particular came from the 1966 film, “The Chelsea Girls.”

“The movie meant something different to everyone who has seen it,” he says. “It was not too obvious or set in stone.”

The band will be playing at the Bali Satay House, 2424 Lincoln Way, on Saturday evening, as well as an in-store appearance at Hastings, 620 Lincoln Way, on Saturday afternoon. Ellis says the band chose to play in Ames because of its close relation to some of the band members.

“Musilek and I grew up around Ames, so we have friends and family in the area,” he says. “This is our first big tour and we didn’t want to overlook where we came from.”

Both members agree the entire band equally contributes to the sound of Burn Disco Burn.

“Everyone has a different area to cover, so we rely on each other to make sure stuff gets done,” Burd says.

The band released its first album, “I Love You and What You’ve Done With the Place,” in December 2002, on their own label, Peachykeen Records. To promote the album, the band is taking a six-week tour through the Midwest and to the East Coast, including stops in Chicago, St. Louis, Baltimore and Philadelphia.

Although the tour was intentionally scheduled to help sell the current album, Ellis says the band members also plan to play much of their upcoming work, which they hope to record when they return to Iowa City after the tour.

“We’re proud of all the songs we have and so it’s a good way to incorporate the old with the new,” Burd says.

Ellis says playing at the Bali Satay House will give fans a chance to hear some new music and hopefully sell a few albums.

“We just want to make some more fans and have a good time,” he says.

For the future of their band, both Ellis and Burd are optimistic about what lies ahead.

“Ideally, we want to be famous, while not having to compromise our music,” Burd says.

“We want as many people to hear it and if we make money, all the better,” Ellis says. “I just hope we make enough money so we have gas in our van.”