Popular bands ready for homecoming shows at the Haunt

Since playing New Year’s Eve shows in town, two of Ithaca’s most popular bands have been busy touring for most of the past three months. But this weekend, Big Mean Sound Machine and Jimkata will come off the road to return to the Haunt — on Friday and Saturday, respectively — for their first Ithaca shows of 2015.

“I can’t think of time where we took this long between Ithaca gigs,” said Big Mean bassist Angelo Peters. “We’ve usually been doing them every three months. But this time we’ve been traveling so much and have played the most shows we’ve ever done. And we plan to finish out the year with more.”

Big Mean Sound Machine has played more than 40 shows since February, from Trumansburg all the way down to the Virginia Key GrassRoots in Miami, with dozens of stops in between. “We’re at that point in the game where we’re now a nationally touring band,” Peters said.

The band plans to release a new seven-inch vinyl single in May, and will head into the studio during Ithaca Festival weekend to start recording its next album of Afro-funk originals.

“We’ve got a bunch of new blood in the band, so we’re pretty pumped,” Peters said. “There’s a lot of excitement with the new crew, new tunes, and all the new places we played.” Visit www.bigmeansoundmachine.com for all the details.

At Friday’s show, Big Mean Sound Machine will be joined by Barika, an African-influenced band from Burlington, Vt., that’s led by Craig Myers, who spent years with Rubblebucket and also plays with Phish bassist Mike Gordon’s solo band.

Local favorites Second Dam will open the show in what could be one of their last appearances before going their separate ways.

Doors open at 8 p.m. for the 9 p.m. show. Advance tickets are $10 and available at www.dansmallspresents.com.

Jimkata has played more than 30 shows during the tour, which took them down to Florida and as far west as Colorado. But the four-piece band is also in the midst of recording its next album, writing new songs and integrating a new member, bassist Steve Learson, who joined earlier this year.

“It’s been the busiest time of my life,” said Jimkata singer-guitarist Evan Friedell. “We got the new bass player up to speed in a month; at the same, we went into the studio in Syracuse to start a new album. And then we went from the studio to tour, and we were gone for five weeks.”

To replace former bassist Dave Rossi, the band recruited Learson from The Indobox, a Boston-based band with which they had traded shows in the past. “We were looking for somebody and he was available and interested,” Friedell said. “He’s a Berklee grad and really smart musician -- he teaches piano for a living -- so he brings a lot to the table. He can play bass with his left hand and keys with right hand to fill out sound. And he’s got a confidence and energy that is really helpful to the group.”

Friedell and bandmates Packy Lunn and Aaron Gorsch already laid down most of the tracks for the new album, which is still being recorded with producer Jocko Randall at More Sound Studio in Syracuse. But Learson also will add some parts to the final tracks. The band is aiming for an October release date after hitting its goal on a recent PledgeMusic funding campaign.

The band has tried to move beyond its formed “electrorock” label and is now calling its sound “synth-washed rock anthems.”

“We went through a period of experiment and finding those sounds and getting excited about them,” Friedell said of the band’s electronic-based previous releases. “But now that we know how to use them, we’re in a process now where it’s more about the songs and what fits them the best.”

Rochester’s Mikaela Davis Trio, led by its eponymous singer-songwriter-harpist, will open Saturday’s show, along with Imperials, the avant-folk-rockers form Ithaca College.

Doors open at 8 p.m. for the 9 p.m. show. Advance tickets are $12 and available at www.dansmallspresents.com. At the door, cover is $15. Find out more at www.jimkata.com.