Pelican Rodeo was formed in 2009 as a two-man group with Eric Wendt and Kyle Embke, playing small acoustic shows at local venues. The pair would spend hours practicing and writing new songs deep into the night. In 2013, Pelican Rodeo expanded into a full band, adding three new members: Kalli Johnson (vocals/violin/bass), Jeremy Holt (keyboard), and Trevor Franz (percussion). After a busy first few months adapting the new instruments to the existing songs (oftentimes entirely changing the sound and melody), the band spent the summer playing shows at venues such as the The Hideout, The Waiting Room, and The 402 Arts Collective.