The Avett Brothers will perform in Athens for the first time at Templeton-Blackburn Memorial Auditorium on Feb. 24. The trio, only two of whom are actually brothers, is on the road supporting their major-label debut, I and Love and You.

In recent years, the Brothers have played alongside similar-sounding acts, including Dave Mathews Band, Wilco and My Morning Jacket. Their music combines traditional folk and Americana with pop harmonies and just enough country twang. In other words, the Avett Brothers are a “classic brother act,” according to their official website.

“Something indelible in the weave of voices and play of sensibilities is stamped into the fraternal DNA and also stems from a lifetime of shared experiences,” the website states.

Only in their late 20s/early 30s, Scott and Seth Avett, along with bassist Bob Crawford, have released more than 10 studio and live albums. Each album explores their rustic North Carolina roots, played mostly through banjo, piano, upright bass and acoustic guitar. Jim Avett, Scott and Seth’s father, raised his younger sons on a hearty diet of Bob Dylan and Crosby, Stills & Nash, influences that undoubtedly laid the foundation for their albums thus far.

In 2008, superstar music tycoon Rick Rubin signed the Avett Brothers to his American Recordings record label. The next year, he produced I and Love and You, making him the first outside producer for the band. Rubin has made his name producing nearly every other album ever made over the past 30 years, including albums from Run-D.M.C., Red Hot Chili Peppers, Johnny Cash and even Shakira.

“The Avetts’ songs have such a sincere emotional resonance. The purity of the messages stops you in your tracks. It’s unusual to hear such open-hearted personal sentiment from young artists today,” Rubin said in a recent interview with a South Carolina newspaper.

Rubin helped raise their bar for the Avetts, fine-tuning their country whimsy and softening their production. Through their combined experiences, the collaboration helped send I and Love and You to No. 16 on the Billboard Albums Chart, and have earned the band some of the best reviews of their career. The brothers also seem pleased with the final product, noting how the changes in their lives reflect a more refined tone of album.

“It’s hard to tell where some of these are coming from and they can have many meanings, but I think on the whole, the album makes some comment on the fact that we are young men but that youth is fleeting,” Seth said.

When the band arrives later this month, the audience can expect as rousing of an alternative-folk experience as any other brothers-band in the rock world can deliver.  Scott and Seth’s previous bands, which include a “neo-punk” group called Nemo, focused on heavier, more electric sounds, so they are able to add that energy to their acoustic shows.

“The experience of [playing live] is growing and changing and progressing,” Seth said. “That keeps it interesting and keeps it exciting.”

Touring cellist Joe Kwon, as well as openers Low Anthem, will join the band. Students and Southeastern Ohioans seem eager to welcome the band, especially after hearing of their growing reputation.

“I’ve heard they put on a great live show,” said Katie Lathrop, a 19-year-old sophomore. “Their music is very pure and honest, which makes it very enjoyable to listen to. It feels like they really mean the lyrics they’re singing. I’m most looking forward to hearing ‘If It’s the Beaches’ and ‘I and Love and You.’”

Whether the band returns to Athens, the Avett Brothers will likely leave an impression on their OU audience. Their tour continues through May, and many dates are already sold out.

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