He ain’t heavy

The Eastside Brothers play 4 Way Blues & BBQ, 1850 Easton Blvd., on Saturday, April 9 at 5 p.m.

For years, Aaron Earl Short has been known as half of the husband and wife duo The High Crest, where his sharply honest lyrics and bluesy sound have drawn fans from around the country. However, when The High Crest has some down time, Short indulges in an act he formed with his brother, Rob, appropriately called the Eastside Brothers.

“I started in about ‘95 playing with my brother,” Short said. “I’ve got two brothers, and they had a band they were kind enough to let me join. So we’ve kind of always played together.

“We started Eastside Brothers about a year ago. We wanted to do the Iowa Blues Challenge for the heck of it, so that’s what we did.”

That whim worked out well, as Eastside Brothers won the Des Moines round of the competition, and advanced all the way to the finals.

“We did pretty well,” Short said in his typically laconic style. “So we thought maybe we should keep doing it.”

Rob plays in local four-piece called Dust Radio as well, so Eastside Brothers time can be hard to come by. For now, the songs are a mix of covers and songs that Short and his brother have both written independently. However, this summer the brothers have plans to sit down and write some songs together.

“When he and I have worked together in the past, I would do the writing and bring it in to him,” Short explained. “So the idea of writing songs together is something I haven’t done with anyone, really.”

The act is a side project for both brothers, so time to write is hard to come by. It’s also for that reason that the act tends to play sporadically. But for lovers of homegrown blues and Americana, Eastside Brothers is a unique chance to hear music by two accomplished local musicians who also share an added familial bond. But enjoy it when you find it, because the brothers have no plans to record anything anytime soon.

“Yeah, we haven’t got that far,” Short said. “My brother and I are both kind of slackers. Between the High Crest and Rob’s work with Dust Radio, it’s hard to find time. We never have really practiced; it just kinds of come together. But we have had serious talks about practicing. We might try it.” CV