Alternative/electro rockers Pretty Empire have a farcical view on today’s society.

“The name Pretty Empire is a satire on pop culture and MTV,” said Brandon Bond, band member. “Pretty Empire is a combination of two words that should never go together. MTV is not about music anymore; they are about pop culture and being pretty. They’ve become an empire. I personally never want to be on MTV.”

As a seven-piece band, members Bond, vocals and keyboards; Robert Combs, guitarist; David Blanton, guitarist; Matt Richardson, bassist; Zach Casey, keyboards; Jarod Newman, keyboards; and Mathew Long, percussionist, they have been rejected by several venues because they were too large.

“A lot of Joplin venues’ stages are just too small,” Combs said. “We’re willing to compromise, but a couple bars have just said ‘you can’t play here.’ It kind of threw me off because I didn’t think they would do that.”

The size of the band has had a positive effect, as well, because it has allowed the band to have a layered sound and artistic collective. This gives Pretty Empire a chance to achieve its goal and create more complicated music.

“We want to make thought-provoking, self-reflecting, dynamic music that draws people to their own soul searching,” Casey said. “In other words, we want to make intelligent music for intelligent people.”

Pretty Empire’s sound has changed drastically from the beginning. According to Combs, the band was “darker” when they began, but the sound has become brighter and more positive over the past 18 months. He said it all comes down to one thing.

“I just want people to know who we are and I want people to know about the band,” Combs said.

The band’s first album, Modern History, can be found at Hastings for $5 and contains five tracks. The bands second album, tentatively titled A Blank Page, is being recorded, but no release date has been set.

The next show is at 7 p.m. Saturday at The Foundry. Price of entry is $15.