They are stuffed into a tiny basement for their rehearsals – but they are still managing to turn out some great rock music.

Joy T. Barnum and The Channel rehearse every Tuesday in their Devonshire basement. She is the vocalist and The Channel has guitarist Mike McPhee, keyboardist Milton Raposo, bass guitarist Hanny Consolacion and percussionist Eddie Wicks.

Three years ago Mr. McPhee, known within the group as the Bandmeister, heard Miss Barnum singing as she worked in Rock Island Café and asked if she would like to be in a rock band.

Mr. McPhee then asked long-time friends Mr. Wicks and Mr. Consolacion if they would like to be in the band and then when Mr. Raposo returned from living abroad, Miss Barnum approached him.

And thus the band was born. Miss Barnum and Mr. McPhee meet to brainstorm with lyrics and tunes and when they get back to the band, the other band members put their spin on it.

Tonight they are playing at the Chewstick Foundation during the new Griot Sessions, while on Friday night they can be found at The Robin Hood. Their first gig was a Greenrock event in 2007. "Greenrock approached me about doing something with Heather Nova with the Chewstick band backing, as they hadn't heard the rock yet," said Miss Barnum.

"I told them that I had my own band and then I went to the guys and asked if we could do these original pieces and that was our first gig."

This year the group played in the grounds of Government House. "Conchita Ming said the Governor (Sir Richard Gozney) wanted me to play, and I asked if the Governor knew I had a rock band. "She was like 'yeah, he knows'."

She said she and Mr. McPhee work together on new songs. "Michael will either have a riff and I would usually have some words. Michael is the bandmeister!"

The group members are unapologetically Rock enthusiasts. "We are straight up Rock," said Mr. McPhee. "It is not diluted. I listen to classic rock, I don't listen to mainstream rock."

Since their early beginnings, they have found that their sound has changed.

"There was a whole pile of feedback; it was like 'whoa, those drums are loud'," said Miss Barnum. "Or I'd be completely drowned out and I didn't have a clue what I sounded like. It was either I couldn't hear myself, or worse the lead couldn't hear the base."

But she said over time, it had been proved that they are as good as other people.

When asked if they'd consider going on the road, Miss Barnum said: "I think about it all the time!" And Mr. McPhee added: "You only live once."

Tickets for the Chewstick Foundation event cost $30 and are available at Rock Island Coffee during regular hours or at ChewHQ today from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m. Limited seating is available.

Tickets will not be sold at the door. For more information call 292-2439 or email infochewstick.com. The event will also be streamed live at www.chewstick.com. Robin Hood event is on Friday from 8.30 p.m. until 1 a.m.