The Beat: “Ace of Cakes” star coming to town with his band

The list of celebrities who moonlight in bands is endless: Keanu Reeves, Russell Crowe, Juliette Lewis, Bruce Willis and Minnie Driver are the first names that pop to mind.

But, aside from a very few, the fame came first and then the music as an afterthought bedroom guitarists who suddenly had a plat form. Another form of brand extension and another reason to hog a spotlight.

Duff Goldman never starred in a blockbuster movie, but in today's cable-centric universe, it isn't unreasonable to call him a celebrity.

Goldman, 35, is the central figure in the Food Network show "Ace of Cakes," which focuses on the adventures at his Charm City Cakes in Baltimore.

The show has been on the air since 2006.

But, beginning in 2001, Duff has played bass in the all-instrumental rock band soihadto, which will perform at The Playing Field on Wednesday.

"I started the bakery so I could be in a band, work my own hours. It's funny how life turns out," the gregarious Goldman said Mondayafternoon, as he and the band traveled to a performance in Scranton, Pa. "It's nice not to be a cake decorator once in awhile."

Goldman, who cites The Who's John Entwistle and Led Zeppelin's John Paul Jones as influences, joined the quartet after seeing an ad in the local alternative newspaper for "a bass player ready to kick some [butt]."

Goldman responded, and now, "I'm sitting in the back of a van with a bunch of guys."

Lest anyone wonder, there is no ego or prima-donna behavior from the group's most recognizable face.

The band is traveling in a van borrowed from the bakery, with a trailer hitched to the back. At shows, everyone schleps his own gear, which Goldman acknowledges sometimes causes some open-mouthed reactions.

His bandmates even razz Goldman a bit about the fans who clamor after the show, asking for pictures or autographs.

But, although soihadto attracts an understandable number of curiosity-seekers, Goldman's hope is that the band can stand on its own merits.

"There are a lot of people who watch ['Ace of Cakes'] who would never come to some of the places where we play. But the ones who are in the age range, who are going to clubs to see bands, they will come out," he said. "A lot of people are very curious because they know me as 'the cake guy.' But what I really find gratifying is people who come out not knowing what to expect, and after the show, I'll go to the [merchandise] table to sell CDs and hear people say, 'I can't believe how good you are.'"

The band is on the road for a couple of weeks this month and for a few dates in March (including March 13 at McGrady's in Charlottesville). It's sporadic, yes, but also a necessity.

"We really try not to interrupt the taping [of the TV show] too much. As awesome as being in a band is, we know where our bread is buttered. I chose to do the show, and by doing that, I have to be committed to it," Goldman said, adding that his "awesome" staff "runs the place solid" in his absence at the bakery.

Seasons nine and 10 of the show begin taping March 1, but on Tuesday, soihadto released its first full-length studio album, "Adventure Stories (Not Based on Fact?)," which is available at all traditional and online retailers.

The band's music, which melds rock and funk in a roller coaster of tempos and dynamics, has, Goldman feels, always thrived in a live setting. But finally, soihadto enlisted producer-engineer J. Robbins, who worked with Maryland band Clutch, one of Goldman's favorites, to capture the band's free-form spirit in a traditional recording.

So why go the all-instrumental route?

"There's something about the absence of a singer . . . writing a song and telling a story with no words is not easy, and that's the kind of challenge we wanted. I love bands with singers, but honestly, I find instrumental music really interesting," Goldman said.

Though he adopts an "if it happens, it happens" mentality about the possibility of soihadto breaking big, Goldman is content being able to share his passion for music.

"I don't want this band to succeed just because I have a big show on the Food Network," he said. "I want it to succeed because we're awesome. I wouldn't be in this for nine years if it was just a vanity thing."

Contact Melissa Ruggieri at (804) 649-6120 or . Follow her at http://twitter.com/MRuggieri