By Michael Diggin

By Michael Diggin

It’s kind of hard to be a Domestic Import, but this threesome pulls it off with style. Domestic Imports is a local Riverside band that rocks the Inland Empire with a sound all their own.The band consists of three full-time members, Steve Layton on bass and vocals, Gary Hornyak on guitar and vocals and Dan Krashan on drums. Guest musician Matt Montoya helps out with some flute playing.The Imports are anything but imported, all of the members being Riverside natives and they all even attended the same high school, Ramona.The band has an original sound that is a blend of fast-paced punk and rock, with many eclectic influences ranging from Goldfinger, to old Metallica, to Led Zeppelin. The songs are anything but your typical three-chord punk progression. For that matter, how many punk bands incorporate a flute?Domestic Imports played a show at Angels Sports Bar in Corona on March 19, with other local bands including To Each His Own and Twisted Fate, both of which are tight outfits representing for Riverside. Musical mayhem ensued, with the band members throwing down like champs and making themselves heard. The music itself is great, but the live show is a treat not to be missed. Hornyak and Layton really get into it, with timed hops and guitar swings choreographed to the music. The enthusiasm helps get the crowd going, and it is rare to see such showmanship in a relatively young band.With a name like Domestic Imports, you’ve got to have a beer drinking song. “I Need a Beer” wasn’t only about drinking beer, it involved drinking beer. There was even audience participation, with random fans bringing up beers for the band members during certain points in the song.Domestic Imports not only has a unique sound, but the members have a rollicking good time up on stage and the audience is more than welcome to join them for a night of drinking, debauchery and damn good music.The Imports are playing some upcoming shows on March 30 at Babylon in Riverside, April 6 at The Vibe in Riverside and April 29 at the Showcase Theatre in Corona. If you’re ready to down a few, you can join their drinking army at www.myspace.com/domesticimports, or at www.geocities.com/d_i_music.I’ve seen many different bands and drunk many different beers, and I must say that Domestic Imports are quite a tasty brew.