Faced with sounds that defy definition, Pomeroy makes it way to Ames for Veishea weekend and defines its place in the broad spectrum of music.

“Nowadays you see a lot of fusion. Everyone sounds like somebody crossed with someone else,” says Chris Davis, drummer in Kansas City band Pomeroy. “There’s no defining music anymore. It’s one big unifying thing. People are enjoying all types of music.”

“There are a lot of different ways of describing our sound,” says Matt Marron, guitar and vocals. “When we started, we wanted to mix A Tribe Called Quest with good ’70s funk, like Stevie Wonder and Earth, Wind and Fire. We said, `Why can’t you have both?’ “

The group cites artists such as Tribe, Frank Zappa, Phish, Beastie Boys, the Roots and Incubus as inspirations and influences.

Davis says the band’s focus is on the craft of being a musician, rather than appealing to the lowest common denominator.

Not that they don’t like to rock the mic.

“We look for a good hook and good melodies but keep it musical,” he says.

The members of Pomeroy believe their diversity can be both a blessing and a curse.

“It makes you a well-rounded, very diverse musician,” says Davis.

“But a lot harder to package,” Marron interjects.

Pomeroy formed in 1998 while its members were students at Kansas State University. In April of 1999, after playing university parties and club shows, the band went into the studio and released its debut album, “Inside the Shine.” Later that year, shortly after graduation, the group moved to Lawrence, Kan., to make a name for themselves. It promptly began touring the surrounding area, eventually making its way to the Ranch Bowl in Omaha.

It was there that the members gained the attention of club owner Matt Markel, who also happened to own GetGo! Records. Markel signed the band to his label and had them move to Omaha in October 2000 to begin work on the next album, titled “Cocoon Club.”

Difficulties during the recording process delayed the album’s release until October 2001.

“It seemed like everything was against it,” says Davis.

The band laid down three tracks for “Cocoon Club” before deciding the studio needed some work.

“It was something the label had been wanting to do, but just never had,” says Marron.

The remodeling of the studio alone set the entire recording process back a few months. In the meantime, the band lived in Omaha and strengthened its touring schedule with various regional appearances.

Playing as many as 150 shows a year, Pomeroy has seen its share of memorable shows – whether good or otherwise.

“The only time we have problems is when there’s not ample sound,” Marron says.

“We’re always friendly initially,” he adds. “But, you’d be amazed how many clubs out there treat bands like shit.”

Marron says it’s not necessarily the venue that makes or breaks a show.

“What makes it more interesting are the bands we get to play with,” he says.

Pomeroy has shared a stage with some of the bigger names in modern music, including G-Love and Special Sauce, 311, Stone Temple Pilots, Incubus, 2 Skinnee J’s, Reel Big Fish and Goldfinger.

A surprising highlight for the band came when it opened the main stage in front of 10,000 screaming 10-year olds at Sweetstock, a radio festival concert in Omaha.

“It was actually really cool,” Marron says. “It was nice getting to play on a stage that big. You got to see all the acts on MTV and “TRL” and size them up a bit.”

When not on the road, the musicians like to keep busy with some things that concern the average 20-something male: disc golf and television. Whenever they have time to kill in an unfamiliar town, they like to track down the nearest disc golf course.

“It’s a great sport,” Marron. “It’s cheap because all you buy is the discs. We have this book with a list of all the Frisbee golf courses in the country and directions on how to get to the course. So, every new town we go into, we always find out where the Frisbee golf course is.”

And of course, along with nearly every kid growing up in the ’90s, the band is very familiar with “The Simpsons,” a favorite to watch in the RV while on tour.

Apparently members of Pomeroy share similarities with certain “Simpsons” characters, whether they like it or not.

“Dean [Hopkins, bass] is the most cartoon character-like person in the band,” says David Fairbanks, vocals and percussion.

“But Chris Davis is Ralph Wiggum,” Marron jests, comparing his friend to the dim-witted son of Springfield’s dim-witted policeman.

To be fair, the other members of the band have their respective characters too. Hopkins is the Nelson of the band, as the resident antagonist and bully. No one can make up their mind as to whether Fairbanks is Flanders or Barney. But everyone agrees that, for some reason, keyboardist John Etzel is Sideshow Bob.

Beyond being Pomeroy’s resident Ralph, he is the butt of other jokes.

“We make fun of Chris because he has a girlfriend. We always make up Chris-liners like, `Aubrey took away my remote control privileges this week’ or `Aubrey says I can use the microwave again,’ ” Marron says.

“If you’re a guy in a band and you have a girlfriend you catch a lot of shit,” says Fairbanks, a mere five minutes after ending a phone conversation with his own significant other.

The future is looking bright for Pomeroy as of late. Hello! Booking has been placing them in venues all over the country.

The group plans to mount a full-scale tour in June, eventually hitting both coasts and its usual haunts throughout the Midwest.

Pomeroy recently hired Minneapolis promotion firm Tinderbox to handle the college radio push.

The move seems to have paid off, since they just found out “Cocoon Club” broke the top 20 on College Music Journal’s Top Adds chart.

As for the label situation, Pomeroy isn’t exactly sure what tomorrow holds. The band says it’d be happy staying with GetGo! for the time being, but it has also been in talks with representatives from majors at one time or another.

“To be honest, we are 100 percent content with our position right now. [But] we’re open to all possibilities,” Marron says.

“If you sell X-amount of records under a major and sell the same amount when you’re on an indie label, in the end you’ll make more money with the indie,” he says.

“But with an indie, it’s a lot harder to sell so many records. The majors are just so good at the promotion.”

Marron says the band hasn’t really known what to think when the A&R scouts come sniffing their way.

“It’s kind of hard to really tell their intentions,” he says. “A lot of times it seems like they’re not listening when you talk. They’re nice up front, but then you hear about something they said behind your back about your band.”

But Marron says, regardless of outside interest, the only opinions Pomeroy places value on are their own.

“In the end, the only people that matter truly are the five of us.”

But in the Ames area, apparently certain people think highly of Pomeroy. They’ve played three shows this semester at People’s Bar and Grill and will play the Taste of VEISHEA stage Saturday.

Marron says the band appreciates the area welcome given.

“Ames has just been great. It’s not one of our bigger markets yet. But it’s growing.”