Winter is a good time of year for the members of String Board Theory.

“We love to ride all day. It gives us energy to get up there. And in the wintertime, that’s what we’re all about,” said Tyler Kimball, the band’s guitar player.

There can’t be much wrong with this life: snowboard all day, then set up for a show at a local bar, where the crowd will be dancing and the music will be loud.

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After a string of fall shows across the Front Range, String Board Theory brings its grooving jam rock to Steamboat Springs, starting with a New Year’s Eve set Wednesday at the newly renovated Boathouse Pub.

The three members of String Board Theory – bassist Jeff Barlow, drummer Jeff Hayes and guitarist Tyler Kimball – sat down with 4 Points to talk about how their sound has developed, what they’ll bring to New Year’s Eve and how they set up their sweet new light show.

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4 POINTS: What have you guys been up to the past couple of months?

JEFF BARLOW: We’ve been playing a lot lately down in Denver. And from here on out, we have a show or two pretty much every weekend through the middle of March.

4 POINTS: Do you have anything new or different planned for your New Year’s show?

JB: We got a new light show.

4 POINTS: What does tha involve?

TYLER KIMBALL: A smoke machine, and a couple of lights.

JB: The lights are sound-sensitive. It just adds to the whole mood of the show; it adds energy and creates a better mood. It gets the crowd more into the show, and our whole goal is to get people dancing and keep it feeling (fun).

4 POINTS: Has your sound changed at all since you started playing shows in Steamboat Springs earlier this year?

JEFF HAYES: It’s a little funkier and a little edgier, but it’s not too heavy.

JB: We’re getting more groovy as a band.

TK: It’s a little heavier, a little less experimental and more put-together.

JB: It’s more like funky, psychedelic rock.

TK: Well, yeah, it’s a lot of things. You could put any words together (to describe it). : We’re hoping not to have the same show twice, but we couldn’t (do the same show twice) if we wanted to. : To compare it to our earlier music, we’re having a little more fun with it now that the band is progressing.

JB: It’s hard to say, because we incorporate funk, rock, blues, slightly jazzy parts. : We’re actually going to have a great emcee at this show. : That’s going to be something we’ve never done before.

4 POINTS: Have you played with him yet?

JB: Tomorrow (Dec. 20). It’ll work out – he’s good. He can pretty much rap over anything, from what I hear.

4 POINTS: How did you guys decide to play with an emcee?

JH: I just know him, and we wanted to add something new to the show.

JB: So we’ll be incorporating a little hip-hop, as well, as we try to expand to another genre of people and get them into String Board Theory.

4 POINTS: Anything else you guys want to talk about?

JB: We’re pretty excited that some local bands have been getting a bunch of shows in and out of town.

TK: There’s always been a couple (local bands), but there are definitely more now. And I feel like everyone in this town is really appreciative of live music.

JB: And all the bands help each other out (and hand off bookings to each other, help each other promote, etc.).

TK: We’re all crying for the same thing, which is a real music venue. : So support your local band on New Year’s.

4 POINTS: What would you say to get someone to come to your New Year’s Eve show?

TK: Come live the dream with us.