Great Peacock: Old art for a new generation

What's in a name? In Great Peacock's case, quite a bit.

"We initially thought it was just a funny name for a band," admits Andrew Nelson, who co-founded the band with Blount Floyd.

"But through the evolution of everything we've done, we've always been big and colorful. That's why Blount jumps around onstage. That's why I wear a suit jacket embroidered with feathers. We've embraced the image of the big peacock feathers, and we want to entertain you. We look that way, we think that way, and we sound that way, too."

Fans can decide if they are as colorful as their namesake when Great Peacock shares a stage with The High Divers tonight at Revelry Room. Show time is 9 p.m.

Nelson and Floyd first crossed paths in their early 20s, saying in a news release that they bonded instantly over a shared love of cheap beer and good Southern music. After logging several years together in a loud, Tennessee-based rock band, they split off to form their own project, swapping the amplified swagger of their previous group for a straightforward sound anchored in acoustic guitars and two intertwined voices.

They started off with a handful of classic influences - George Jones, Bruce Springsteen and Tom Petty - and expanded their sound from there. Great Peacock is rooted in Southern tradition, they say, influenced by pop melodies as well as folk, It's old art for a new generation.