Ice cream is a popular summer treat in Houston. But there’s another kind of Ice Cream that’s popular year-round!

On Friday, Aug. 15, people will pack into the Houston Museum of Natural Science seeking a different kind of ice cream altogether: Fried Ice Cream.

"'Give it to me funki-fried!'" they'll say, laughed Sky, one of two lead vocalists for Houston band Fried Ice Cream. The popular band, fresh off of debuting their new single at the United Nations building in New York, will bring their unique energy back to the HMNS' "Mixers, Elixirs & IMAX" event for the third time.

Fine. But with a name like that, you have to wonder what they're about.

"The premise behind Fried Ice Cream is that all the players come from a different background. It's a fusion that blends together to create a unique musical style - that's the Fried Ice Cream flavor," said Sky.

"When trying to determine the band's name, I searched for something harmless but memorable," said fellow lead vocalist Shang. "Ice cream is cold until you cook it. Then it gets hot and melts together like a band should," he explained. “I just wanted something that made people smile.” And so Fried Ice Cream was born.

By Sky and Shang's definition, there are nine different "ingredients" in this ice cream -- two vocalists, a four-piece rhythm section consisting of keyboards, drums, guitar and bass, and a dynamic three-piece horn section.

Shang and Sky, the two lead vocalists and main writers for FIC, describe themselves as a "high-energy concert-style band with lots of audience interaction." They have a mainstream pop sound laid in a firm bed of tasty funk. Once the music starts, you won’t be able to sit still.

Warning: FIC is funkaliciously habit-forming! 

The band looks forward to playing the museum's popular event, now in its fifth year.

"All these cool people come out to jam, and we play among real fossils," said Shang... "Where else can you get Fried Ice Cream and a T-Rex?"

"People don't think of the museum as a place that people can have a drink, catch a film and dance...but it's so much fun," said Latha Thomas, vice president of marketing and communication for HMNS.

Thomas said that Fried Ice Cream has an enormous following, which is why they continue to be asked back.

Shang and Sky said that they feel blessed to have such a devoted fan base, regardless of the fact that they are a well-traveled band.

"We have an excellent support system in Houston. It means so much to us, especially because Houston is our hometown" said Sky.

Houstonians are more than used to driving long distances to get anywhere in the city, so don’t be hesitant to make it out to the museum. Thomas encourages everyone to make a point of attending this event, and to join the rapidly growing Ice Cream Nation for a night great night of funky energy with FIC.