WESTERN MICHIGAN UNIVERSITY
The members of ekoostik hookah, an Ohio-based jam band, have worked hard to get where they are today in the music community. According to a slew of reviews from several prominent music publications, ekoostik hookah ranks high among its fellow acts in both talent and impromptu musicianship.
"It's nice to be doing something, really putting your efforts into it, and when someone says something nice about what you've done it makes you feel really good about what you're putting your efforts and energy into," said Johnny Polansky, drummer for the band.
ekoostik hookah visited the Kalamazoo State Theatre last October along with special guest act the Electric Magi, who opened the performance.
"It was great; we love playing the State Theatre," Polansky said. "It's a beautiful venue. The show does, specifically ring out in my mind as one of the more fun shows, in that stretch that we did around then."
The band is scheduled to perform at the State Theatre again on Saturday. Polansky said the band really enjoys the atmosphere the State Theatre has to offer.
"It's gorgeous, it's a wonderful venue," he said. "Everything is set up good. It has nice facilities for us to relax in before the show and after the show. They treat us well there. It's a very professional theater and it's fun to work in."
Other venues, according to Polansky, do not always allow for smoothly run performances.
"They aren't professional, they're not organized and it's kind of frustrating," he said. "When you get to a venue like the State Theatre, it's very enjoyable. It makes the whole experience, from our end, which then translates to a better show with high energy."
According to Polansky, a place to rest and recuperate in a performance venue is both a major concern and an indispensable luxury.
"If you've got a place to relax for a couple minutes where it's not so smoky, all of a sudden you go out onstage and you feel a little fresher," he said. "It translates into a better working environment."
Polansky said, one of the biggest strengths ekoostik hookah has is being able to carry its musical variety into its live performances. This variety has found appeal in audiences around the country as proven by the band's growing popularity.
"You'll hear stuff from the earliest inception of the band up to something that we just debuted on [Jan. 26]," Polansky said. "When you come to an ekoostik hookah show, there is something for the fan that's seen 100 shows to the fan that's never seen a show and has no idea about the history of the band or anything like that."
 The band recently released a studio album, Seahorse, but their live performances will delve into a wide library of music, as opposed to simply replaying the new LP.
"We try to encompass the full body of work and music that we have to pick from," Polansky said.
The band's stance on live performance material has actually remained unchanged for quite sometime.
"It&Mac226;s funny because I'll look at set lists from two months ago and one from five years ago and I'll think, Oh my God, we still play all those songs," Polansky said. "The thing is, when I look at that set list from two months ago, we may play all those songs we did five or six years ago but we don't play all those songs every night. We have new songs to pick from as well as the old stuff."
ekoostik hookah already has plans for its upcoming projects and releases.
"We're putting some new live stuff out and we have some ideas for a new studio album that we're going to be working on soon," Polansky said. "Recording is really at the forefront of our business plan in the near future."
According to Polansky, the band is concentrating on making their releases more frequent. He said he wasn't pleased by the fact it took two years for Seahorse to finally be released.
"You will be seeing quicker and more releases from ekoostik hookah in the future," he said. "Sharp in the Flats came out four or five years ago and [Seahorse] came out this past December. That was probably one of the most frustrating things for me: How long it took for the CD to come out."
ekoostik hookah, according to Polansky, puts 100 percent of its energy and talent into every performance and takes criticism to heart. The same goes for the band's bi-annual music festival, Hookahville.
Hookahville XV took place in May of 2001 and featured Willie Nelson, Dr. John, the Radiators, Dirty Dozen Brass Band and Donna the Buffalo.
What is in store for the next Hookahville? According to Polansky, some acts are already lined up. He also guarantees an enjoyable experience.
"We have Bruce Hornsby confirmed, we have Blood, Sweat and Tears confirmed, we have Umphrey's McGee confirmed and a couple more we're working on," Polansky said.
"Hookahville is the coolest place on earth. Join us for the fun sometime. If you don't have a good time, you can come to me personally and I'll give you your money back."
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