Imagine your dream set list. A little Beatles, a little Garth Brooks, a little Guns n’ Roses, throw in a little Beastie Boys for good measure. Imagine all of that in one evening, in one setting — and put away your quarters, because I’m not talking about a jukebox, I’m talking about Green Eggs and Spam, one of the most talented and certainly one of the best live-acts around.

A local product, the band is comprised of four members, drummer Doug Black, guitarist Steve Nelson, and brothers Brad and Brian Nicarry on lead vocals and guitar. And while their titles may indicate which instrument they’re supposed to play, Black is the only one who remains a constant throughout the show — idle, surely, only because he is trapped by his drum set. Nelson and the Nicarrys, on the other hand, spend their evenings trading guitars and swapping the microphone — one after another they trade positions, a well-organized system that has clearly developed over practice, and time. Each taking their turn being the lead singer, the lead guitarist, the ringleader in what has become a must-see act.

Together for more than two years, the band credits basic good timing for their creation. All members of previous bands, Brian and Brad called upon Nelson, who called upon Black, and Spam was born — almost. According to Brian, naming the band was harder than forming it. “We put the band together and we had a show booked within three weeks of doing it, so we argued and argued and argued about what we were going to call this thing and we came up with a million different names and it was always like three people in the band would be dead-set against it …,” he continues, adding, “so, I got thinking along the lines of Green Eggs and Ham, and ‘Spam’ just popped in there, so I called Brad and he called the rest of the guys, and at this point they’re like ‘whatever.’” And so it began.

Over the past 24 or so months, Green Eggs and Spam has grown from a local act to one that plays all over the state — first packing the area clubs, and then the Maryland and Delaware beaches with fans of their unique style. While there is no mistaking that Green Eggs and Spam is a cover band, the talent of its members shines through with every performance — working with what some would see as twice the effort as they spin a familiar song into something original. And they do just that, “It’s not something we spend a lot of time thinking about,” Brian states, discussing their creativity, “it just kind of happens.” Exuding a ton of energy, the band successfully manages to transform Kenny Roger’s “The Gambler” into a raucous exercise of vocal power and guitar licks and, seemingly without a breath, do a boisterous rendition of the Beastie Boy’s “Intergalactic” — props and all.

A crowd favorite, the guys take pride in knowing what their crowd wants — and making it a habit to deliver. “You have to have crowd interaction,” says Nelson, “It sets you apart from everyone else.” And setting themselves apart is something that the band does well. “When we first came out, we were just trying to do something different,” explains Brad. Whether that means their eclectic range of musical style and format, the way they use their instruments and their voices as chameleons by which to create their finished product or their dynamic on-stage personalities, the fans of the group definitely like what they see. “There are a lot of people that come back here every single week,” Brian notes, talking about the band’s weekly Sunday shows at Wanda’s Deck and Beach Club in Mechanicsburg, “and I think the really exciting thing about this summer is that we’re starting to see more familiar faces on the road.”

Long-time musicians, the members of Green Eggs and Spam have always wanted to find that one successful project that turns some heads and creates some noise. “There’s just something in you that puts you into this situation, I think,” says Black, discussing the good timing that brought the band together and the success that has followed. Not surprisingly, the foursome has agreed to hang on for this ride and take it wherever it goes. “We’re going to enjoy it while we have it,” Brian says, seemingly speaking the sentiments of the group, adding, “We all still want to be doing it.” In fact, the band members have been wanting to do it for a long time, “If it stops being fun, people can tell,” he notes, as Brad echoes, “You’ve got to love what you do.”

When talking with the band, it is easy to see that their combined love of music and having fun has become the inspiration for Green Eggs and Spam — a fact which is illustrated in every aspect of the group, both on-stage and off. “Now, playing music is more about having fun and having fun with people you meet and everyone you get involved with,” says Nelson, explaining the group’s mindset, “it’s a different way of looking at music, I think.”

If you ask Green Eggs and Spam to describe the perks — and the downfalls — of the business, you’d be sure to get an interesting view of life from under the spotlight. It’s fun and games, but it’s hard work, as well. They’ve seen their fair share of big shows with big crowds, and they’ve seen their share of smaller clubs and smaller crowds, too … but they’re taking it all in stride. “We get to play music for a living,” Nelson says, when asked to describe his favorite aspect of his job. And who can beat that?