Recalling a garage jam session at a friend’s house, Alex Vassiliades explained the coincidental beginnings of Blissfield.

“I was doing solo acoustic shows at the time in downtown Chicago,” said Vassiliades, the composer, vocalist and guitarist for the band. “I met our drummer Josh at a mutual friend’s birthday party. We started talking about music and decided maybe we should get together and jam.”

Modestly, Vassiliades confessed that the band was not an instant talent.

“We just played the meanest rendition of ‘Freebird’ you have ever heard,” Vassiliades said. “Well, actually, it was god-awful, but really fun.”

Within a week of their first meeting, bassist JP Meyer and drummer Josh Rosenthal joined lead musician Alex Vassiliades, officially forming the band now known as Blissfield. Days later, the trio landed and performed their first gig.

“It was an epic moment in the history of music, the beginning of something truly special,” Vassiliades said.

“Our second gig ever was at Loyola University Chicago Battle of the Bands. Did any of us attend Loyola? No, but that didn’t stop us from bringing home the $100 second prize. That is when our troubles really started … money will do that to a band.”

Since their first practice in a Chicago garage, Blissfield has evolved into a power-pop rock group, appealing to nearly everybody’s musical tastes. The band’s wide repertoire and musical diversity create a unique sound; a hybrid of reggae, rock and pop influences.

“We constantly pump out different things and try to make them fit. It’s the reason our music is all over the map,” Vassiliades said.

Over the past four years, this Iowa University-bred band has been marking tracks at colleges throughout the Midwest.

Blissfield has attracted much attention from college students everywhere. According to Vassiliades, the band’s lyrics stem from his personal life challenges, successes and failures.

“Our acoustic songs are simple and to the point, while our electric sound has more of an edge that comes at you from ten different directions at once. It all manifests itself into one big roller coaster of emotions that mimics the ups and downs of life — at least my life, anyway.”

In addition to traditional shows at The House of Blues and the Hard Rock Café in Chicago and at dozens of colleges, the band admits to playing at countless backyard barbecues and at venues that Vassiliades describe as “tops” and “toilets.”

“We have played anywhere we can,” he said.

Vassiliades has taken a levelheaded approach about becoming a professional rock star. “As far as going professional, that is really a crap shoot. The state of business makes it really tough for anyone who writes their own material and doesn’t perform sexual favors to make it. Although, if the right person came along … I’d sing their tunes.”

Though Blissfield has yet to earn a large profit from touring and CD sales, Vassiliades expressed how lucky he feels to be able to share his musical compositions with such a supportive fan base.

“We’ve had amazing opportunities so far, meeting great people and traveling to different places in the name of a cause we feel is worthwhile: music.”

Vassiliades shared his passion for the sights, sounds, smells, faces and energy at live performances.

“It’s the reward, I suppose, for all the work to make it happen,” Vassiliades said.

“Anytime I feel a rush come over me, I look over and there are my guys experiencing the same thing. We work to sustain life, but playing live is what we live for,” he said, explaining the onstage unity among the members of Blissfield.

In 2001, when the band released their first album, Do What Comes, Meyer and Rosenthal were still immersed in college life at the University of Iowa. Since then, both have graduated and have been dedicating most of their time to a second album. And Vassiliades confirmed the band is in the process of “working their butts off” to produce a new energetic rock-based CD.

“We have evolved so much from playing live and traveling, it will be interesting to see people’s reaction [to the new release].”

Try to catch this talented trio Wednesday, October 8 at the Orpheum Theater. For more information, check out the band’s website, www.BlissF.com.