There is no shortage of great rock ’n’ roll bands in Southern California, but few have the over-the-top showmanship of Circa Now, which performs at Humphreys Backstage Lounge on July 15. Two-time San Diego Music Award nominees, the trio — all Point Loma residents — recently released its sophomore album, “Hotter Than A Pistol,” and will be heading out on tour this fall. The band already has dates with ’70s classic rocker Pat Travers and ’90s hit-makers Sprung Monkey under their belt. But the band is looking to cast its net as wide as possible. “These guys have the right idea,” said the album’s producer, Alan Sanderson, who is best known for his work with The Rolling Stones and Fleetwood Mac. “It takes a bit of luck to make it in this business, but the key ingredients are still great songs and determination. “This is a band that has that and then some, especially live,” he said. “They truly have a ‘take no prisoners’ live approach that is rarely seen these days.” It’s a testament to their live power that the band is legendary for once having played a show as a drum and guitar duo when their bassist was unable to make the gig. Even with their power cut by a third, they still managed wow the crowd. Consisting of frontman Josh Pann (vocals, guitar, songwriter), Scotty Stover (bass, vocals) and Justin Botello (drums), the group has honed its sound on vintage rock ’n’ roll, with echoes of T-Rex, the MC5 and Stones within their songs. “We love the classics,” Pann said. “It’s one of the reasons we love playing with artists like Pat Travers. As musicians, those older tunes and older musicians offer a learning experience that’s invaluable.” A prolific songwriter, Pann notes Circa Now only performs one cover tune: a storming take on the Rolling Stones “Paint it Black.” “We did have that in the set before we started working with Sanderson,” Pann said. “We liked it because it’s a pop song, but still has a dark edge.” For his own material, Pann prefers to keep things amped up and lyrically direct. “I like songs to have a relation to everyday things,” Pann said, “rather than coming up with things that only deep people understand.” While the title “Hotter Than A Pistol” seems custom-made for a rock band, Pann said it comes from an unlikely source. “I don’t remember the name anymore, but it comes from an old Western movie I watched with my grandfather,” Pann said. “When that phrase was said, it just hit me. I knew I’d use it eventually.” He said the album itself took months of preparation to get its nine tracks down. “We worked everything out well in advance to maximize our time in the studio,” Pann said. “You don’t want to waste time going over a part when you’ve got someone like Sanderson behind the control board.” Though Pann has an arsenal of guitars, he tends to stick to one: a 1981 Sunburst Telecaster. “It was made the same year I was born,” he said. “It’s been modified for me. At this point, it’s a major part of my playing. Other guitars are nice, but this one is a part of me.” Though Circa Now’s album has only recently been released, band members are already working on a followup offering. “Really, we started as soon as we left the studio with ‘Hotter Than A Pistol,’” Pann said. “I don’t want to stand still and I’d like to have more new music out by this fall, if possible. The music business is an uncertain thing and we want to keep up the momentum.”