Midwestern roots and an unfortunate situation while driving through Wisconsin inspired the band name Charlie Siren.

Band member Tane Graves said the name is nice because the band members have not come across a band with the same one, which, he said, "can be a problem sometimes."

"Shelby Fisher, our original bass player, had been driving through Wisconsin terribly hung over, and she drove through two towns," Graves said. "The first one was called Charlie and the next one was Siren, so we said let’s put the two together."

Charlie Siren will play at 4:30 p.m. Friday at Gabe’s, 330 E. Washington St. Admission is $7.

Unfortunately Fisher, one of the band’s founding members, quit the band this past year. However, Graves said, it was in her best interest and the band is happy to see her follow her dream of entering the medical field.

"[Fisher] quit because she is going to school for urology, and she went to school to be a doctor," Graves said. "Her last show was the tour kickoff, so we’re sad to see her go but applaud the fact that she wanted to become a urologist."

Since that bump in the road, the band rebounded and now includes five members. All come from a different state, which is why Aaron Reed considers the group "unique."

Band member Paeton Gillette started playing with Charlie Siren after he met the original band while performing with it.

"I played in a different pop funk band; we met up with Charlie Siren, and we all hit it off pretty well," he said. "Then Charlie Siren came to us and asked us to tour on the East Coast, which is when I got pretty close with some of the band members. I felt it was a good fit for me to start jamming with them full-time. That’s how I met up with those guys."

Charlie Siren formed in 2011, but the current group of individuals have only been together since June of last year. Dustin Reed, the roadie for the group who also provides merchandise, said the band looks forward to releasing new music.

"We’ve been a band for three years, but so far, this is the lineup I feel the best about," Reed said. "This lineup has been the most dedicated and most excited about being in a touring band, so for once we’re actually going to keep going with no member changes, just new music and touring."

This will be the group’s third show in Iowa City, and the members said they have enjoyed the experience for the most part. Their only regret is that they have not had a chance to "see the city that much."

Charlie Siren plans to continue to tour around the Midwest, and Graves said the players are grateful for the love they’ve felt in Iowa.

"Every time we stop through the city, the kids come out and enjoy the pop-funk music," Graves said. "We love the city."

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