San Diego punk rock stalwarts Unwritten Law will be playing their first headlining show in Detroit in nearly three years tomorrow when they take the stage at St. Andrews Hall. Having spent the past two years playing shows in California, or in guest roles on the Warped Tour and a national tour with Sum41, the band recently hit the road for its own tour in support of its latest release, Elva. The record is the fourth full length in an impressive 10-year career, and the band"s second on Interscope Records. Long-time fans might be surprised by this latest effort, as Unwritten Law has considerably evolved since their self-titled full length, released in 1999.

"We"ve become better song writers over the years," says guitarist Rob Brewer, "The longer you do something, the better you get at it. We"ve become better at making the songs sound the way we want and at going about recording them that way."

Those who are unfamiliar with Unwritten Law might be eager to write them off as a typical punk band based upon their history and previous touring partners. But with a closer examination, the intricacy of the band"s songs and their diversity with regards to style invite the open-minded listener into an experience defined by catchy, but complicated hooks and clever, insightful lyrical messages. Utilizing elements not only from punk music but also from metal, reggae, pop and blues, the band shatters superficial expectations.

In spite of the variety and talent that Unwritten Law brings to the record-buying public, their commercial success has been modest when compared to many of their long-time friends and members of their local scene. For example, high school friends and classmates Tom Delonge and Mark Hoppus have seen tremendous success with their band Blink-182. Likewise, fellow San Diego rockers Offspring and Incubus have watched their record sales soar up the charts. Meanwhile, the guys in Unwritten Law have sat in disappointment while two previous major label records failed to reach the general public in a comparable fashion.

"Our label president told us once that we"re so diverse that it hurts us," recalls Brewer "When you listen to a Blink song, you know it"s a Blink song. The same goes for Offspring and Incubus. When people can identify your songs like that, it makes it easier for a band to become popular."

In spite of these commercial difficulties, Unwritten Law remain hopeful. Instead of complaining, they choose to embrace their own unique qualities and look to the future for their greatest chances of success. Rob Brewer justifies this sense of optimism.

"We appeal to a lot of different people who enjoy a lot of different styles. That keeps things fresh for us, and our fans appreciate that we"re not just a big band ... We"re still here and we"re still trying. We think that this latest album puts us in our best position for success. If that happens, then that"s cool. But if not, oh well."

In either case, the future promises to be both interesting and challenging for Brewer and his bandmates. Their position as a band on the brink of success poses many interesting questions about the years to come.

"Its tough to say what will happen," Brewer says, "We"re going to do our part and keep working ... keep touring. Hopefully that will give us the chance to make another album. You can be sure it won"t take another three years."