Based in Barrio Logan, funky soul rockers the Routine formed in the spring of 2013 when local stage actor Bryan Barbarin decided he wanted to move away from theater and start playing music. Joining childhood friend and local guitar teacher Russell Ramo, they leaped from playing acoustic covers in dive bars and restaurants to forming an original five-piece band with bassist Nick Hein, drummer Dave Butterfield, and percussion player Eduardo Canelon.

Within two months of forming, they spent one day at Iacon Sound Studios and recorded their five-song Rhinoceros EP with no overdubs or edits. In 2016, the band helped launch the recurring Funk Soul Social at the Holding Company in Ocean Beach.

In 2017, Bryan Barbarin began performing with locals Steam Powered Giraffe, joining the costumed band as a new character named Zero.