Instead of passing out this weekend, let yourself slip into a coma … Love Coma, a folk-alternative-modern-progressive rock band that is bringing its sounds of acoustic guitar to Ames this Friday night to Wesley Hall (north of Friley on Lincoln Way) at 8 p.m.

Two local bands will be opening the show for the Veishea crowd: Benn and Stewards of April, both acoustic guitar groups. Tickets will be sold for $5 at the door.

Trying to squeeze Love Coma into the constraints of a typical band description is mission impossible. Even Chris Taylor, lead vocalist of the band, had difficulties putting into words what kind of band Love Coma actually is. “Good question,” he said. “As far as sound goes, we’re straightforward rock and roll. We’re somewhat progressive.”

Apparently trying to nail down what kind of band they are is useless, as change is at the core of the group. “We’re always changing into who we want to be,” Taylor added.

The four-piece band was formerly named Chris Taylor & Windows and produced one album under that name. In 1992 the group changed their name to Love Coma, which was originally the name of a song title.

“The song never stuck, but the name did,” Taylor explained. “We were moving in a new direction musically, and we tried to have a name that made people look twice and say, ‘What the heck is Love Coma?'”

The group has produced two albums, Soul Rush, and more recently, Language of Fools. “We were very open in our second album,” Taylor said. “We really opened ourselves up musically.”

The band originates out of San Antonio and is made up of Taylor on vocals, guitar and harmonica, Chris Dodds on the drums and backing vocals, Chris Mattingly on lead guitar and Matt Odom on bass.

The group has recently purchased its own 15-passenger van and is ready to do some traveling, Taylor said. After only two or three short tours last year, the band enjoys getting out on the road and is looking forward to many more trips this year, mostly focusing on the Midwest and Western regions.

“I can’t wait to see Iowa. I love to travel,” Taylor said. Despite his enthusiasm for the trip, Taylor still wonders about how his audience will react to the group’s music. “Some may have never heard us before, and to see how it affects them is one of the best rewards,” he said.

“We play with all of our heart and soul. I hope people see that we are genuine about our music, and it flows over the stage and into their lives.

“I’m going to play just as passionately at a show if it’s to 10 people or if it’s 200 people,” Taylor said.

Milktruk, the campus organization responsible for bringing Love Coma to Iowa State, is expecting a large as well as a receptive audience.

“I think they’ll be received really well. We’re expecting a pretty good crowd,” said Jeremy Eccles, co-leader of Milktruk and organizer for booking the band. Milktruk is a group of Christian artists on campus.

Love Coma is a band with very strong religious ties, but does not label itself as a Christian band, said Greg Carnes, Love Coma’s road manager. “Their faith is very important to them, but it’s just a rock and roll band that happens to be Christian,” he said.

“When I play in this band, it’s a very spiritual experience. … It’s my worship, it’s my church time,” Taylor explained. “The music itself is what’s special about it.”

One of Taylor’s favorite songs, “Jigsaw Man,” has religious overtones. It tells a story of frustration clues to life, Taylor said.

“It’s about picking up broken pieces of life and carrying them back to your maker. It’s about God and the whole package. Sometimes people feel frustrated and never admit it, but this song admits it,” he said.

The show is open to people of all ages.