Long-time performers in the local music scene, the Brandon Steadman Band dropped their debut album on April 22 following a release party at J. Gilligan' s new South Street Patio last Friday.

Brandon Steadman played his first gig in DFW at the very same location with an acoustic performance at a Sigma Chi fraternity party in the fall of 2006.

"It means a lot to us to kind of come full circle, from the very beginning of our career to this big next step with this record," he said. "We couldn' t really think of doing it anywhere other than J. Gilligan' s."

Steadman grew up in Austin and moved here to attend UT Arlington, where he and three fraternity brothers formed the band. He said the band received a lot of support and opportunities to perform from local venues.

After six years of performing together, Steadman said he' s excited to finally call themselves regional artists.

"It may not sound that cool, but it takes a long time to get to that point," he said. "We made the jump this year, just getting around and playing anywhere and everywhere."

The new 11-track album is titled "Recovery," which Steadman said has a few different meanings. He said the record is about overcoming heartbreak, recovering from partying, and moving on to the next chapter.

The band will be an opening act during a three-day festival May 23-25 that will kick off the Levitt Pavilion' s summer concert series. The festival will be free to the public and features eight artists, including Charla Corn and three-time Grammy winner Jimmie Vaughan.

"We' re excited to see the Brandon Steadman Band be a part of the Downtown Arlington Center Stage Music Festival," said Alex Pietroforte, who handles marketing and communications for Downtown Arlington Management Corp.