The development of the band Ellsworth is a complicated journey that has seen a group of musicians in a variety of different incarnations.

Founders, fraternity brothers and SMU alumnae Daniel Whittle and Andrew Yenne discovered their passion for music in 2002, playing covers and starting a “house band” for their fraternity.

The band sported a variety of different names, from Social Probation to Whit’s End, with a slew of musicians coming and going over the years.

The latest version of the band closed out the Dallas Music Festival Saturday night at the Gypsy Tea Room. The three-day event, in the bars and clubs in Deep Ellum, gave smaller bands trying to make a name for themselves an opportunity to shine.

Ellsworth sports a unique sound with wide audience appeal. They mix a solid drummer with an electric guitar and bass topped off with an acoustic guitar.

Yenne and Whittle wrote most of the songs performed Saturday night. The lyrics were performed well but bordered on the edge of teenybopper love ballads.

More stirring was the instrumentation of these young musicians. The combination of acoustic and electric guitar mixed better than rum and Coke.

While the ability of the musicians was impressive, their stage presence was not. At many times throughout their set, Whittle and the bassist, SMU junior John Wampler, would turn their backs to the audience in what looked like trying to get back in sync with their drummer, Phil Wright, another SMU alum.

Yenne was by far the best stage performer in the group. While Whittle had nothing to worry about and played very well, he did not seem very confident when he wasn’t playing the songs he wrote.

However, when Whittle took the lead on his own songs, he lit up the stage with an exuberance and confidence rivaling a true rock star. If he could become as poised playing his other bandmates’ music as he is when he plays his original works, Ellsworth’s live performance should see amazing improvements.