Some students may remember seeing the band Defined Perception for Halloween 2008 at Mac’s Uptowner.

The band is returning for a show at 9 p.m. today.

Defined Perception has been together for four years, but its experience adds up to much more than that.

Kaufman said that he and Jesse Payne began playing together 10 years ago. Six years in, the duo added two more members, becoming Defined Perception.

Four years may be a minuscule amount when compared to bigger bands, but collectively their amount of skill could equal in skill with bands that have been together for decades.

“We have over 50 years combined experience between the four of us,” Payne said.

The members include Kaufman, 28, on keyboards; Payne, 30, on guitar; Nate Blew, 28, on bass; and Dave Koprek, 31, on drums.

The band has had some bumps in the road to get to its stance today, but as Kaufman said, the band is a democracy, and anyone who has something to say is encouraged to share it.

The band’s sound is not something the members could exactly explain.

“We cram as many different styles of music into our shows . It’s interesting because we can never get locked into one genre,” Payne said.

Kaufman said intrigue is added for those who have not listened to them perform.

“You could come to the show and define your own perception,” Kaufman said.

The popularity of the band is continuing to grow since beginning headlining festivals and other venues.

The band has stuck to Illinois and bordering states for tours, but just like any band, it wishes to play more places.

Kaufman said Defined Perception is big in Carbondale.

The band has been hired by the city to play community-funded events like the two-day party in downtown Carbondale called “The Pigout.”

The band is unable to complete a tour that lasts longer than three or four days because two of the members have full-time jobs.

This does not deter Payne, though.

“I have always wanted to play 200 shows a year for a couple of years and make it so our other two members could quit their jobs,” he said.

Even though the members of Defined Perception are in their late 20s and early 30s, the band has not discouraged on the childhood dream of being in a band for a career.

The band has had a line of success with having a steady number of shows to play and headlining 11 “Cave Events,” which are musical festivals in southern Illinois hosted by the Shawnee Natural Amphitheater.

Like most bands, Defined Perception has its usual following, but have started seeing larger audience turnouts at venues the band has played before.

“The more people shaking down, the more fiercely we play,” Payne said.

Defined Perception released its first album “Open Your Eyes” in 2007, and the band plans to come out with a sophomore album soon.

The band Future Party will open for Defined Perception.