The hardcore soul Tuscaloosa-based band Knympho Knife will play at Green Bar Thursday. The band, composed of guitarist and singer Brandon Varner, bassist Walter Nolen-Schmidt and drummer Aaron Sudasna, said its influences range from heavy rock bands to classic R&B acts.

“I think we have a pretty even mixture of influences,” Varner said. “We take things from super aggressive sludgy guitar bands as well as people like James Brown and Luther Vandross. We fill in the blanks with with funk bands like Parliament Funkadelic.”

Knympho Knife has played in many venues in and around Tuscaloosa, but the band has a true passion for playing at house shows.

“We love the people at Green Bar,” Varner said. “We really like the way they treat bands. Egan’s is really fun too, but I truly enjoy house shows the most. I really wish they would start coming back.”

Will MacGavin, a sophomore majoring in civil engineering, saw Knympho Knife at a house show.

“The audience was really tired,” MacGavin said. “But Knympho Knife brought the energy up with Brandon’s very high-pitched vocals and Walter’s eclectic musicality. The contrast in the vocals 
definitely adds to the band’s sound.”

Knympho Knife has made a habit of playing shirtless at every show. Varner said he has been playing shirtless ever since he started playing in a band. His bandmates followed suit.