Break out your tie-dyed shirts, Birkenstock sandals and skip the shave for the return of the “laid-back band” in Ames. The foursome known as Temperence Street is on the brink of breaking the seal between being considered strictly a “bar band” and local headliner.

Temperence Street has played about a half-dozen shows in the area, and recently began playing monthly at People’s Bar & Grill, 2424 Lincoln Way. Since coming together last November from the fragments of other disbanded local groups, the band members claim to still be searching for their own particular style — but they are not without direction.

“Some of our stuff could be called funk-infused rock … some of our bass lines are more reminiscent of ’70s funk,” says Chinmoy Panigrahy, senior in architecture and lead/rhythm guitarist. “We don’t want to adhere to one genre.”

The band members say the variety found in the local music scene inspires them to remain unique and focused on putting on a crowd-pleasing show.

“We don’t want to be lumped into any one category, but some people have said we play ‘damn dirty hippie music,'” says bassist Tom Lorenz.

Band members say they take inspiration from groups such as Phish (particularly Trey Anastasio), Rush, Yes, Jimi Hendrix and Medulla Oblongata.

“Playing brings out the scientist in me,” says drummer Brian Burnham. “I like to experiment and try new things to keep it interesting.”

“I think music is the best form of communication,” adds Fabian de Kok, sophomore in art and design and the band’s vocalist and lead/rhythm guitarist. “It is a universal way to share ideas and philosophies with people.”

Emphasizing their shared infatuation with reaching out to their audiences and feeding off the energy of live shows, band members agree they’re all in awe when they consider the power of inspiring others through their music.

“There’s definitely something more mysterious about music than other art forms,” Panigrahy says.

Although the members of Temperence Street only manage to practice together about 10 hours a week, Lorenz says their dedication to performing comes through in their music. He says the band gives special attention to the technical detail in each song they play, regardless of whether it is an original tune or a cover.

“We try to do as much original stuff as possible,” Lorenz says, “We’ve got a couple original songs like ‘Rubix,’ ‘Collective Enrique’ and ‘Baja Mija’ that we do some improvisations on.”

The band also puts forth a level of dedication exclusive to veterans of the Ames music scene.

“In the beginning, we put some cover songs in our sets to fill time, but we’re phasing it out as we write more,” Panigrahy says. “We like to challenge our physical and mental abilities to execute stuff like quick time signature changes.”

With their creative energies focused on advancing their musical careers, the band members support each other while balancing rehearsal times, class schedules and work responsibilities.

“Each one of us pushes another,” de Kok says. “The trick is to not be individuals, but to work as a whole.”

Who: Temperence Street

Where: People’s Bar and Grill, 2424 Lincoln Way

When: 10:30 p.m. March 27

Cost: $3