There are patty melts and tuna melts but, this week, St. Louis got a taste of U-Melt, a jam band that has garnered Internet buzz in recent years for its sprawling sets and wide-ranging influences. The band performed at the Broadway Oyster Bar on Thursday.

Rob Salzer, U-Melts’ indefatigable lead guitarist and vocalist, talked to The University News about his affinity for the road, U-Melt’s stylistic leanings and the perilous state of the global environmental crisis.

How would you describe U-Melt’s musical style?
Well, basically we knew we wanted to get all these different styles we were influenced by into our own sound, and that’s pretty much where we’re at now. We’re working on a new album and, compared to our first two CDs, you’re definitely going to be able to tell that there’s a distinct U-Melt sound.

If you could be any instrument, what would you be and why?
I think I’d be a violin. I express myself much better with guitar, since I learned it on my own, but when I hear an awesome concerto, I just connect with that.

What is your hidden talent?
My only real talents are violin and guitar. And I’m kind of getting good at snowboarding. Otherwise, nope, can’t stand on one hand, or jump through hoops of fire or anything like that.

What is the best part about going on tour?
There’s a million different things you can take out of it, but, for me, personally, the best part is obviously getting to go out there and play your music every night and get better at what you do.

What is the craziest thing that has happened while touring?
Oh man, a lot of crazy shit has happened. On this tour, the craziest thing so far was we were just coming back from Steamboat Springs. [We were] on a mountain, and it [was] snowing so hard we couldn’t tell the difference between the sky, the road and the mountain. We all thought we were literally going to die. That’s something you never want to experience.

How do you keep yourself entertained while on the road?
Well, this week, when we were in Colorado, we snowboarded a bit. Usually, though, we just do whatever we can when we can, see other shows, hook up with friends in the cities we’re at [and] practice when we can.

What is your favorite part about being in a band?
Being in a band absolutely changed my life, and for some of the same reasons that led up to me being socially aware. I get to do what I love every night, which is awesome. But it’s also cool that you become socially detached. You get to know all these different people, but you stop having preconceived notions and get to see what people are really like.

If you weren’t a musician, what would you want to do with your life instead?
Oh I know exactly what I’d do. I think I’d probably move somewhere with my girlfriend right now and do something environmental, be outside and help people. The older I get, the more I feel I should do something to help, and I haven’t told my band yet, but I’ve started writing some songs about social conscience.

If you could collaborate with anyone, dead or alive, who would it be?
Probably Pat Metheny. Everyone in my band loves him. He’s a jazz guy, but another level of jazz. Nothing I’ve ever heard is quite like him.

What is your biggest hope for the future of the band?
I have a lot of hopes for the band, but I guess my biggest hope would be that we can start doing this full-time and that we get paid fairly decently. Once you’re getting paid well, you have so many more options to do things, like set up your own festival or get involved with charities. It’d be nice to be able to pay our health insurance, too.