The musical diversity that has been arriving in Ames over the past few years has turned Ames into a 31-flavor kind of town. One of the more noticeable genres catching on is jam bands. Another local group, Didgidaki, has drawn an increasing turnout at Boheme as well.
Some people come back and bring their friends.
But what's intriguing is the reason for the boom. The success of the Dave Matthews Band, Phish and Blues Traveler in the music business exemplify this theory. Touring is an identifying feature of most jam bands, and is a main staple in the schedule of Ekoostik Hookah. The band's newest member, Ed McGee, revealed that most of Hookah's album sales are due to the band's extensive road schedule. McGee said the band spent about three months of a single year literally in the van.