Man in Space: Oakland band plays diverse pop-rock

This Oakland sextet met in the early 2000s while in high school. The members of Man in Space are involved in many musical endeavors - among the six members "at least 25 other bands and projects in the past 10 years," says Raphael Peterson. On top of that, all of the members are studying music in college or in a master's program.

The band's pop-rock sound is the result of the members' diverse musical interests, an unusual amalgam of Talking Heads, Radiohead and Pink Floyd. The music emphasizes instrumentation and utilizes samples in delightful ways: "Exposition" uses spoons clicking and other synth sounds. The band showcases dance beats and tight harmonies, predominately topped with Jonny Flannes and Peterson's shared vocal duties, singing ironic and light lyrics.

Lineup: Jonny Flannes, vocals, guitar; Raphael Peterson, bass, vocals, keyboards, guitar; Jules Leyhe, lead guitar, vocals; Louie Diller, keyboards, drums, vocals; Martin Diller, drums, vocals; Peter Labberton, bass, keyboards, drums.

How did you name your band? What does it mean?

RP: We were sitting around trying to come up with band names, and I came up with some amazing name in the format "noun, preposition, noun," but I spaced out and forgot it, so I threw out some placeholder until I could remember what it was. The placeholder was Man in Space, which ended up being kind of appropriate.

How did you start creating music together?

LD: We all lived within five minutes of each other growing up. We were brought together by some combination of fate and laziness.

Who are your musical influences?

MD: Things that make us think, dance, or both. That would be in no particular order: George Clinton, LCD Soundsystem, the Talking Heads, Dirty Projectors, RJD2, Rage Against the Machine, Duke Ellington, Wayne Shorter, Artie Shaw, Thelonious Monk, Monteverdi, Shostakovich, Jeff Beck, Muddy Waters and Deerhoof.

How would you describe your music to someone who'd never heard it before?

JL: An anthemic collection of booty-shakin' romps and rockin' tunes for the iPad generation.

What are the main themes for your songs?

RP: Good times, bad times, polyrhythms, guitars and girls.

Check it out: maninspace.bandcamp.com, www.myspace.com/maninspacemusic.

Next gig: 9 p.m. Sat. $13. With Maniac, the 21st Century. Great American Music Hall, 859 O'Farrell St., S.F. (415) 885-0750. www.gamh.com.

SFGate.com: Check out Bandwidth's Web page. Share local show or band photos and videos, start writing a blog and more: sfgate.com/bayareabandwidth

- Michelle Broder Van Dyke, bandwidth@sfchronicle.com

This article appeared on page G - 4 of the San Francisco Chronicle