Aaron Blyth doesn’t stay rooted in one spot for too long.

In fact, the native Hawaiian has lived in four states and a variety of vehicles - including an eight-month stint in a 1962 Bluebird school bus and a few months in an old truck he drove from one end of California to the other and half way across the country.

He attributes some of his laid-back, care-free attitude to growing up on the islands – Kauai, to be exact – where “everything moves a little slower,” and also gives credit to his “new-age, hippy parents,” he said. Wherever learned, it’s that same attitude which has inspired him to try his hand at just about everything, from working as a white water rafting guide in Montana during college to helping remodel actor Ben Stiller’s multi-million dollar Hawaii home. With the backdrop constantly changing for Blyth, his guitar has been the one item that has remained with him through thick and thin. And his passion for music certainly shows when he steps on stage.

“Live performance is addictive, especially when you have an audience,” Blyth said from an outdoor table at Café 976 on Cass Street in Pacific Beach – one of his former places of employment. “You kind of feed off that energy. It’s an addictive kind of thing – I knew that early on. It’s the reaction of the people responding to something you do on stage.”

The 27-year-old singer/songwriter remembers the first time he felt that way, back when he was only 7 years old and his father and older brother took him to a Tom Petty concert at Shoreline in San Francisco.

“The bigness of it all – it was loud and there were bright lights and everyone was cheering,” Blyth recalls, classifying the experience as his initial inspiration to become a musician. It would be another six years before Blyth even picked up a guitar at his new home in Idaho, where his next door neighbors and school mates would hold barbecues and jam sessions and he would eventually learn to play alongside them.

The aspiring musician would spend the next ten years honing skills learned during those teenage gatherings by playing at a myriad of events, from small parties to campfire get-togethers. Finally forming a band during his years at the University of Montana, Blyth had several professional shows lined up in Denver and Minneapolis, before the band dissolved due to several member injuries.

Anchoring down in San Diego, a city he has called home since Fall 2005, Blyth began playing a collection of covers and original songs at local venues, including 710 Beach Club, Hennessey’s Pub, Humphrey’s and Longboard’s Grill. Although he was successful with his acoustic numbers and had help at most performances from friends Andy Mauser on mandolin and Jesse Schmittendorf on the rhythm guitar, Blyth was in search of a full band for several reasons.
“Having a rhythm section allows us to play larger venues and draw more people and keep them dancing,” Blyth said. “But the overall musical feel is still the same.”

Now, with a full five-piece ensemble in tact, Aaron Blyth and the Men of Leisure play shows regularly in Pacific Beach. In the meantime, to make ends meet and to stay busy, Blyth works a number of odd jobs, including waiting tables at Isabel’s Cantina on Felspar Street. In the midst of writing songs, playing gigs, surfing and serving food, Blyth has also managed to churn out two albums – one solo demo produced in an Ohio recording studio and a live album with the Men of Leisure at Hennessey’s Tavern.

As the band gains more momentum and receives increased exposure, it’s also no surprise that Blyth has stepped up to become not only the lead singer, but also the band’s booking agent and PR director. Certainly a jack of all trades, Blyth would have it no other way, but does recognize the need for the band to take some major steps this year in order to grow, he said.

As for long-term goals, the musician has a few in mind, such as trying to play at more and more venues outside of San Diego. The last weekend in January, Blyth and band played a show at Mammoth Mountain and were asked to return in the near future, so the group is already well on it’s way, he said.
“My goal is never to make millions in the music industry,” Blyth said, “but if that allows me to tour and generate a larger fan base then it obviously doesn’t hurt. My utmost goal is to be able to work only by playing music. I want to become a touring artist - want to get out there and play music for everybody, the whole world.”

At the rate he’s going, that just might happen.

Until then, enjoy the music of Aaron Blyth and the Men of Leisure as they play for audiences starting at 10 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 2, at Longboard’s Grill, 1466 Garnet Street, 92109, and again at 10 p.m. Friday, Feb. 22 at Hennesey’s Tavern, 4650 Mission Blvd. For more information, visit the official Men of Leisure site or check out Blyth’s Myspace.