Lloyd Dobler Effect takes hold in Savannah
May 7th, 2008


Lloyd Dobler? Don't tell me. I know it. Wasn't he the guy in ... whatchamacallit?

Bzzzt. Your time's up.

Lloyd Dobler is the name of the under-achieving character John Cusack played in "Say Anything," Cameron Crowe's directorial debut in 1989.

Now the fictional Mr. Dobler has given his name to a rock band. A pretty good band, too, if their growing number of fans can be believed.

Friday night, Lloyd Dobler Effect will be playing at the Wild Wing Cafe in Hilton Head Island. Saturday night, they'll come across the river, playing at Savannah's Wild Wing Cafe.

The shows, open to all ages, are free.

Based in Washington, D.C., LDE plays high-energy rock shaped by Latin rhythms. The band consists of five musicians, all in their early 20s: Phil Kominski (vocals/guitars), Donnie Williams (drums/bass programming), Chris Bruno (guitars/vocals/mandolin), Rusty Williams (congas, percussion/vocals) and Patrick Hughes (bass/vocals).

They've achieved remarkable success in a few short years. Not that they haven't earned it - they've performed more than 1,400 gigs in 39 states and 14 countries.

Among the highlights of their brief career have been two overseas trips entertaining members of the armed forces. On those tours, they've performed in Japan, Singapore, China, Guam, the Marshall Islands, Okinawa, Hawaii and Diego Garcia.

In November 2004, the band released a CD, "Live 2004," which has sold more than 10,000 copies at their live performances.

In 2005, a poll of The Washington Post's readers voted LDE one of the top 10 best live bands in the nation's capital.

Another, more lucrative form of recognition arrived recently when the band claimed the title of Boru Vodka's Official Bar Band, winning an album release (it's coming soon) and more than $10,000 in musical equipment.