I first ran into the local two-man show, The Evil Do-Gooders, at an Open Mic event at Fox and Goose. To be a little more accurate, my first encounter with band members Ryan and Ruben happened on my way out the door. Let me explain.

If you haven't been yet, Monday nights attract a lively round-up of diverse local musicians playing everything from blues and folk to acoustic rock. On this particular Monday, my crew and I were about ready to call it a night at the wee hour of 10 p.m., until two guys with guitars called out for our attention. After watching reporters from The Sacramento Press talk to virtually everyone who played that night, they didn't want to be forgotten about simply because they were scheduled to play last.

Yes, the audience was thinning out considerably. We were pretty much the only members of the once-plentiful crowd. So, we stuck around to give these boys some support, and were surprisingly pleased by what we heard.

What the Evil Do-Gooders may lack in experience, they make up for with enthusiasm. Like a trip back into the early days of what any good musician must have started out as, Ruben and Ryan's stage presence was something to be appreciated. A little nervous maybe, but completely honest and really giving it their all.

The songs were more jazzy than your typical young guys singing about bad relationships. How often do you get to see a white guy crooning out lyrics like "my bestest boo," to a background with a bit of Mexican flair that sounds similar to a Spanish folk song played on a nylon string guitar?

Any band that can smile while playing to an almost-empty room gets an "A" for effort, at least in my book.

Interested in seeing what this local talent is all about? Check them out at the Capitol Garage on November 15th, at 9 p.m. They'll be playing with Purple Girl and the Musical Chairs. The show is only 3 bucks, so anyone 21 and over should mark their calendars. Or, check out their MySpace page to get a sneak-preview of the tunes by clicking here. If you're interested in finding out more about open mic nights at Fox and Goose, see their Web page here.

In the follow-up to this piece, I meet up with The Evil Do-Gooders for a little more about how they got their start in the area, so stay tuned!