Dana Kletter has never been to Ames, let alone played the “First Day Back Bash” at People’s Bar and Grill, but the lead singer and pianist of Dish remembers Iowa, not because of the great scenery or those liberal towns along Highway 30, but for the growing metropolis we all refer to as Cedar Rapids.

Kletter and her old band, the Blackgirls, went through Cedar Rapids on their way to Rock Island, Ill., to play for some CBS Records executives, with stars like Eddie Money and Joan Jett in attendance.

“It was the most surreal night of my life,” Kletter said. “It was like a ‘Saturday Night Live’ skit. I wish I could explain how weird it was.”

Despite the fact that Dish will be on “the inclement weather tour,” Kletter is looking forward to coming back to Iowa in support of Boneyard Beach, Dish’s debut on Interscope Records.

“It’s more fun and fulfilling being on the road. There’s a surreal aspect; you’re moving and the world is standing still,” Kletter said. “I love the Midwest in this odd way; I’ve definitely had some of my strangest experiences there.”

Joining Kletter on stage are Bo Taylor, on guitar and vocals, Sara Bell, playing bass and mandolin, and Jerry Kee in the background on drums. They’ve known each other almost all their lives; in fact, Bell and Taylor were in the sixth grade together. “I knew I’d always wanted to be in a band with Sara,” Kletter said. “I like her ecstatically.”

With that history, you would think that they would collectively come up with their name. No such thing for Dish. Kletter, Bell and a group of friends came up with what seems to be an ordinary name at a “girls drinking wine and getting nasty” get-together.

“The name Dish has so many meanings,” Kletter said. “It was so ambiguous, yet sort of feminine. We were like, yeah, let’s do this.”

One particular meaning has to do with penis envy. Think of a two-word euphemism, and there you have Dish (just think about it).

Dish, as we know it, has been in the making for years, but it took Kletter awhile to realize that this was something that was meant to be. “It kind of happened, I didn’t mean for it to,” Kletter said. “There came a point when I said, ‘What do I want to do?’ I realized I wanted to play music.”

Which doesn’t come as a surprise, since Kletter has been studying piano since the age of four. “If you knew me, it’s not my nature to get up and yell my lungs out,” Kletter said. “But, I’ve performed all of my life because I’m a pianist. The singing is the hardest part because it’s very revealing.”

With the line-up complete, the name intact and Kletter belting out the lyrical tapestry on stage, Dish is all set to take over the People’s stage with their melodic poetry and surreal sounds.

Dish opens for Johnny Clueless for the “First Day Back Bash” tonight at 9:30 p.m. Admission is $3 at the door and an ID is required.