[CAVE](http://www.myspace.com/realreelpro), a Chicago-based band made up of Columbia natives, is set to return to its hometown this month for a round of shows before an overseas tour. Band member Cooper Crain sat down to answer a few questions about the exciting events ahead. CAVE will be at the Boone Dawdle in Rocheport, Mo., Aug. 18 and at Mojo’s in Columbia Aug. 19.

**[MOVE]** How did CAVE get its start?

**[Cooper Crain]** We made a record with our friend Zach down in Pierpont, Mo. when we were living on some land. … One by one we all eventually moved up to Chicago.

**[M]** How would you describe your music?

**[CC]** Well, the sound has varied over the years, but one thing that has always stayed the same is our repetition. We like to find a nice groove and repeat it over and over and over and make diff variations of it. … Most of our songs are a little longer than the average song. … We’ve done all types of things. We’ve done some psychedelic-esque rock, and we’ve done some upbeat electronic stuff.

**[M]** Where did the name of the band derive from?

**[CC]** We all either lived in Columbia or are from there. Missouri, one of the names that they gave it was the Cave State, so we felt it was obvious to call it CAVE.

**[M]** How would you describe your fan base in Columbia and now after your move to Chicago?

**[CC]** I think it’s larger now because our friends have always kept showing up at shows, but now I think our music is more mature these days. I tend to find a little more than just the college crowd at our shows now. It’s a mix of older folks and college and high school kids.

**[M]** Why the move to Chicago?

**[CC]** It was better for the band and better for our personal lives. There’s not a super extensive amount of things to do [in Columbia], especially when you’re born and raised there. … There’s more connections here [in Chicago].

**[M]** What do you miss about Columbia?

**[CC]** It’s gonna be a trip to play at the Les Bourgeois Winery on the bluff, just because growing up you always hear that name because ya know it brought culture into mid-Missouri. … I think this event will be cool, and it will be a totally different crowd. That’s why we arranged the show the next day for our friends.

**[M]** Explain the Boone Dawdle.

**[CC]** It’s more or less a fundraiser for True/False [Film Fest]. … it’s a fun event for lots of people who want to support T/F, but they also throw together an event that’s worthwhile.

**[M]** What made you guys decide to do an international tour?

**[CC]** It’s really fun to do it, and we didn’t do it last year, so we wanted to do it again.

**[M]** How has going overseas helped you guys influence different audiences?

**[CC]** It’s a different thing over there. As far as shows, people seem to pay more attention. It’s not just so much an event that them and their friends are meeting up to hang out that night. They’re going because they want to go. From doing it in the past we’ve found countries that work better for what we’re doing. We have a lot of good friends over there now.

**[M]** What destination are you personally most excited about?

**[CC]** Any show in Spain. Spain’s been well to us, and we have about nine shows there out of 24, so I’m excited about that. … It’s fun almost everywhere ’cause you get to experience more culture. You’re not just a tourist over there — everyone respects you as an artist.

**[M]** What’s your future direction?

**[CC]** We’ll be making more records, and hopefully it’ll take us more abroad.

**[M]** Anything you want people to know about in Columbia?

**[CC]** We’re real excited to always get going back home, so it’ll be exciting to be playing another show and seeing all of our friends, and hopefully everybody isn’t doing anything.