Natives Are Restless (NAR) was formed in early 1996 by Dan Smith, Alan Burd and Robert Witherspoon. Soon after, Rick Crouse was brought in as manager/sound engineer and Mary Ellis was added to the line-up. Brian Kotal was added as the bands full-time drummer in mid 1997. Dylan Standard was added on bass and guitar in May 1999 to replace Brad Caudle.

NAR was selected as one of 10 final bands nationwide in the 1998 Sam Goody UnVailed Unsigned band competition and performed at the Fabulous Satellite Lounge as the opening act for Arista recording artist, Sister7.

NAR's first paying performance was at Instant Karma on Richmond Ave in Houston, TX on May 22, 1996. Since that date NAR has regularly played venues and festivals in Houston and the surrounding area including The Sidecar Pub, The Fabulous Satellite Lounge, Last Concert Café, Mustards Pub (Conroe, TX), Molly's (Conroe & Spring, TX), 3rd Floor Cantina (Bryan, TX), Dixie Theater (Bryan, TX), TUT'S (Conroe, TX) Instant Karma (Houston, TX) Rudz (Houston, TX) Mary Jane's (Houston, TX) Rowdy's (Spring, TX) The Civic Center (Spring, TX) The 19th Hole (The Woodlands, TX) Westfield by the Railroad (Spring, TX) Café Aquarius (Willis, TX)

NAR has also appeared on the Texas Music Festival Circuit by playing the following: In addition to the above venues and events,

1999 Conroe Catfish Festival
1998 Conroe Catfish Festival
1997 Conroe Catfish Festival
1998 Bob Marley Festival (Houston, TX)
1998 Bob Marley Festival (Bryan, TX)
1997 Bob Marley Festival (Houston, TX)
1998 Spring Crawfish Festival

NAR has also appeared as the headlining act at The 3rd Floor Cantina and has opened for such acts as, Austin based Killer Bees at The Dixie Theater, both in Bryan, TX.