Years of writing, recording and touring can lead to stressful situations and hard times. Yet Gainesville, Fla. quintet Less Than Jake has thrived for 13 years. Perhaps it's their genre-bending style, including influences from ska, pop, punk, jazz and heavy metal. They've shared the stage with the likes of Bon Jovi, Bad Religion and even Snoop Dogg. The band seems to have a little something for everyone, which is perhaps why they've consistently been able to pack venues, headline tours and get crowds dancing for more than a decade.

"We've had a lot of fun on these huge package tours, but it's great headlining because you get to call the shots," said vocalist/guitarist Chris Demakes about their current tour, which made a stop at St. Andrew's Hall on Tuesday. "We get to vary our set more, and play the songs that everyone wants to hear, and you just get a better vibe for what the crowd wants."

Originally from Livonia, Demakes lived in metro Detroit until he was seven.

"It's great to see my relatives," Demakes said. "They come out to see all of our shows here in Detroit."

Demakes made sure to thank his family for coming out to the show, and invited the crowd to show his uncle what a "circle pit" is. The crowd then burst into an outright frenzy, bouncing around the floor of the club and revolving around a young girl in the middle of them who was the designated center of the pit.

"You learn to make a mockery of yourself," Demakes said. "You've got to have fun with it."

The humor of Demakes and the rest of the band added to the unique atmosphere of the group's performances. Laughing with the crowd between songs and telling amusing anecdotes alongside corny jokes broke the awkward silences between songs. At their stop at St. Andrew's Hall, Demakes pulled a mother onto the stage because she was singing along with her daughter and thanked her for being the "cool mom." He followed that by asking her if she knew what a MILF was.

Surprisingly, their live shows translate well onto their albums: Songs ranged from emotional ballads to tracks about a friend stealing a beer tap off of a burnout's keg. With an EP entitled Absolution for Addicts and Idiots and their full-length release In With the Out Crowd coming this spring, the band has a busy future ahead of them. They'll also head out for a full stint on this year's Vans Warped Tour, so grab your friends, get ready to jump around and remember that hot moms are always welcome.

Less Than Jake
Tuesday
St. Andrew's Hall