When heading out to a show by the Agitators, keep the band's name in mind, because their mix of up-tempo rock 'n' roll is guaranteed to get you all shook up. "We play what's called roots rock," says Pete Baker, guitarist for the band. "It's rockabilly, blues. We keep it upbeat. We don't play many slow songs. We're a bar band and we like being a bar band...Good bar bands are harder and harder to find."

He continues, "We do a lot of originals during the show and any covers that we do, we pick songs that we like, that fit our style. You're not going to see us playing Pearl Jam because the crowd wants to hear Pearl Jam. If we do covers, we do stuff that we like and we make them our own. We're not trying to sound like the record." He says the band has many influences, including the Stray Cats, Stevie Ray Vaughan, and a certain area entertainer. "Our biggest influence is Tommy Conwell," Baker says. "We love Tommy Conwell. We think he's the man."

Based in Baltimore, the Agitators also include drummer Dave Walsh and bassist Chris Moser. All three musicians cover vocals for the group. They are currently working on a CD, which they hope to release in the near future, and which they will use to shop to record labels. They may get even more exposure soon if a deal with ESPN comes through. One of their songs, a surf guitar tune, is being considered by the cable channel for use on a snowboarding show, Baker says.

Recording music is fine for the band, he notes, but live shows are their real raison d'etre. "For all of us, the real thrill is playing live for an audience," he says. "We like to take short breaks and play long sets. We try to start off full-throttle and go all night full-throttle. When we're done playing, we're spent. We put everything we've got into it. I guess you could say we have a strong work ethic as a band."