Renegade Rebellion Country Music Festival premiered at the West Virginia Motor Speedway in Mineral Wells on Saturday, July 9th. The festival was originally scheduled for last September but was postponed due to the pandemic. The festival provided a full day jam-packed with stellar artists.

The West Virginia Motor Speedway is located at 2 Matheny Dr in Mineral Wells, WV, and was recently reopened after closing in 2013. New manager and promoter, Cody Watson, along with support from speedway owners, PM Company in Vienna, have breathed new life into the track after a several hundred thousand dollar renovation. WVMS is a ⅝ mile dirt racing facility located along the Ohio River and Interstate 77 in Mineral Wells, WV, and is known as “The World’s Fastest Dirt Track.” The track first opened in 1985 and the first race was held in May of that year. Since then the track has operated off and on. WVMS is currently sponsored by many local companies and organizations and offers additional sponsorship opportunities.

Local solo artist Jake Binegar kicked the festival off with a mixture of originals and covers. Binegar has been playing music locally for about 10 years now and has been featured on a number of fairs’ and festivals’ lineups.

Arlo McKinley from Cincinnati was up next, playing his emotional and earnest blend of music featuring some of his older hits like “Bag of Pills” and some soon-to-be hits like “Stealing The Dark from The Night Sky” from his newly released album “This Mess We’re In”.

Following Arlo were The Davisson Brothers, a frequently touring fixture in the local WV country scene who brought their A-game to keep the day rolling.

Next Seaforth, from Australia, lit up the crowd with their dancey, upbeat jams, including their single “Good Beer” and recently released song “Queen of Daytona Beach”.

Then Trey Lewis, hailing from Birmingham, Alabama, and fresh off a tour with Kid Rock, took the stage and brought the party. He played some of his hits and his new song “My Ex Came Over” which will be released on July 22nd. In between getting the crowd dancing, he took time to recount his personal struggles with sobriety with his heartfelt song written for his mother “Whatever She Sees in Me.”

Afterward, Lainey Wilson, ACM Awards New Female Artist and Song of the Year winner in 2022, took the stage. Wilson’s set was full of infectious energy, fun, and big-belting vocals. She played her hit “Things a Man Oughta Know” as the crowd joined in to sing and dance along with her. Aside from her music career, Wilson will be joining the cast of Paramount’s show “Yellowstone” in the upcoming season.

Closing out the night was country music legend Tracey Lawrence. Lawrence has been active in the country music scene for over three decades and has charted more than forty singles on the Billboard Hot Country Songs charts, including eight songs that reached the number one position: “Sticks and Stones,” “Alibis,” “Can’t Break It to My Heart,” “My Second Home,” “If the Good Die Young,” “Texas Tornado,” “Time Marches On,” and “Find Out Who Your Friends Are.”

Music from all the artists can be found on the festival’s Spotify playlist.

Several artists and event organizers wandered through the crowd greeting fans and guests when they weren’t busy on stage or on duty. Watson was seen upgrading a few lucky guests’ tickets to VIP or providing meet and greet opportunities between the performers and guests. The overall atmosphere of the festival was upbeat and joyful. Everyone in attendance just seemed genuinely happy to be there, from the entertainers to the guests to the staff themselves.

Guests could choose between General Admission for $85 or VIP for $199. They could also choose to camp for the night or the full weekend on the WVMS grounds.

The festival featured several food vendors and merchandise booths. Freshly cooked meals including fried chicken, ham, pulled pork, and a deliciously sweet peanut butter sheet cake were prepared by volunteers and available to VIP guests.

Watson is hoping to garner some more support from the Parkersburg/Mid Ohio Valley Community for future events at the speedway. The WVMS offers racing events about once a month. They offer concessions and provide a family-friendly and exciting environment with kids 10 and under receiving free admission to the race events. The WVMS is a cash-only facility. Next on their schedule is the Mark Balzano Memorial on August 6th which features hotrods, street stocks, sport mods, and $10k late models. General Admission tickets are $25 and pit tickets are $35. They are also offering on-site camping for this event for $20 per night. Their full schedule of upcoming events can be found on their website.

All photography by Michelle Waters Photo

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Clutch MOV recently spoke with local band Cutler Station over Mexican food and margaritas to discuss influences, origins, and what music means to them and to snag some details on their highly anticipated upcoming album.

Cutler Station is best described as dynamic, fun, and absolutely chock full of talent! The band consists of brothers John and Kirby Evans, Steve Lipscomb, Jason Swiger, John Borchard, and Jake Dunn. All the members are local; with Lipscomb, and the Evans brothers living in Vincent, Swiger in Cutler, Borchard in Athens, and Dunn in Belpre.

The guys in Cutler Station have all been playing music for most of their lives, with Lipscomb, Swiger, and the Evans brothers beginning to play together as teenagers. Cutler Station as we know it today really began to take form about 10 or 11 years ago when Lipscomb, Kirby and John Evans were all living in Columbus and decided to form a band where they could do whatever they wanted and have it be more democratic than bands they’d been in previously. Swiger joined in on drums shortly afterward.

They approached Borchard to play on their previous album Meat, No Sides and he’s been with them ever since. He began playing music in 1969/1970 and has the skill to show for it. “The places it (live music) has taken me are mind-boggling,” said Borchard. “I’ve played Presidential Inaugurations and I’ve played honkytonks with people who were shot to death and everything in between.”

The most recent addition is Jake Dunn, formerly of Jake Dunn and The Blackbirds, Elephant Head, and Sadsquatch. When asked what it was like joining the already well-established band, Dunn said “They are all so enthusiastic about what it is. On a scale of just daily enthusiasm, they’re just always ready to go. They’re always excited about what’s coming. They were all so welcoming, I feel like I’ve been in this band for a long time.”

It’s kind of a call back to our hometown. It’s nostalgia. Everybody has their little convenience store in their little town.

The name Cutler Station came from the local general store in Cutler where a few of the members grew up. The store itself has been around since the 60s but was previously a gas station in the 50s. In the 1800s there was a railroad that ran through Cutler (which possibly inspired the store name) and that’s when Cutler became a town. It was also a stop along the Underground Railroad. “It’s kind of a call back to our hometown,” said Lipscomb. “It’s nostalgia. Everybody has their little convenience store in their little town.”

Trying to pin down a genre for Cutler Station seems like almost an impossible task. They don’t seem to fit in any particular box. When asked what genre they consider themselves, the bandmates responded with a variety ranging from Appalachian power pop to dad rock to “just keep an open mind.” They described their influences as anyone from 90’s country, Tyler Childers, Ben Folds Five, and early Weezer to Jewel, Monsters of Folk, My Morning Jacket, and the Beatles.

It’s a really different thing and to me, that’s what music is. They’re not afraid to walk right to the edge and then jump off!

“These guys absorb a lot of influences other than what would be indigenous to this part of the country,” said Borchard, summing it up. “They’ve absorbed all these other influences, as have half a million other people, but they’ve put it together in a way that’s cohesive. It’s a really different thing and to me, that’s what music is. They’re not afraid to walk right to the edge and then jump off!”

“What’s really interesting to me is I don’t know anyone else that is really chronicling Appalachian life,” continued Borchard. “There’s plenty of bluegrass guys around, but that’s great grandpa’s music at this point in time. I mean, from a lyrical standpoint, nothing else really sounds like Cutler Station.”

Another important quality of the band is that its members are encouraged to have the freedom to experiment with different instruments and styles until they find where they each fit best as a band. They noted that a lot of that freedom in their songwriting process comes from how open they are with each other as a band. They take their music and commitment really seriously without taking themselves too seriously. They stated the energy everybody in the band has is “I’ll do whatever, completely opposite of what I’d normally do, just because it’s what’s necessary.”

When preparing for a gig, the band prioritizes practicing regularly. They all have families and busy schedules, so sometimes things can get a little hectic, but they always set aside time every Wednesday for band practice.

Their upcoming album is titled ‘I Wanna Build A New Machine.’ They’re currently tracking vocals, then the album will be mixed and mastered with a planned release in the coming months. They described the musical theme of this record as a more guitar-heavy, rock-n-roll record. “We’re going to thrash the drums out a little bit,” said Lipscomb. Lyrically and thematically, there’s some anger. “We’re kind of pissed off with the way the world is right now,” he said. “Not politically, just how we feel like things could be better. Everyone could be better.”

They’re recording the album at Steve’s studio in his home. “Typically, we make it a process as a group. Steve will mix it up, put it on a G Drive, and we’ll all take a listen and put our input on it. That kinda goes on until we’re all happy with it,” said John Evans. The album art is going to be done by Chris DeMaria, who did the artwork for their previous album ‘Meat, No Sides.’ When asked what the expectations were for the art John said, “We feel like he really killed it on Meat, No Sides. We’ve given him free rein on the new one.”

They have at least two more albums planned after this one: a traditional country album, Cutler Station style, and a more experimental album. They have over 50 songs in the queue that they haven’t done anything with yet. They all just want to keep making music. “We have yet to write our best song,” said Evans.

Dunn said live music is an important part of what they do. “It’s integrated into everything you do, he said. “I don’t think anyone should play music unless they absolutely have to,” said Borchard, repeating something a friend recently shared. “What he meant by that was people who have to play music find a way to do it, whether that’s sleeping on couches for 50 years or being able to find a group of like-minded people. There are plenty of people who play, but it’s hard to find people who really want to work.”

“We do this for us,” said Steve Evans. “We’ve never felt, any one of us, that we were as good alone as we could be when we all play together.” John Evans added, “I would go insane if I wasn’t in a band.”

While you’re waiting on the new album, you can find their music on Spotify, Apple Music, and Bandcamp. Check out their wide variety of merch, shirts, hats, patches, records, stickers, CDs, mugs, posters, bathing suits, and even more, available on their Facebook and Instagram shops, Bandcamp, or by coming out to a show and visiting the merch table. Keep an eye out for more show announcements coming soon as well!

The post Cutler Station is Way More Than Just OK appeared first on Clutch MOV.

Oyo Releases Debut Album on February 8

Throughout the Mid-Ohio Valley, local band Oyo has been making a name for itself playing local festivals and performing lively shows in the back of JustAJar Design Press in Marietta and in the front of the Parkersburg Brewing Co. in Parkersburg. Now, the band is excited to release their self-titled debut album on February 8, followed by a celebratory release party at the Adelphia Music Hall on February 11.

Featuring traditional acoustic instrumentation, driving rhythm, and poignant lyricism, Oyo trades off lead vocals between Aaron Martin (fiddle, mandolin), Cole Adair (guitar) and Michael Bond (guitar, keys, harmonica, spoons), with Bobby Rosenstock (banjo), Drew Tanner (bass), and Joe Ryckebosch (drums, washboard) joining in.

The long-awaited album was recorded in the sanctuary of an abandoned church in Elkins, West Virginia, by Ben Townsend of Questionable Records, and mixed and mastered by Michael Bond at Datawaslost Studios in Marietta. Special guests include Heather Hannah on background vocals, Andrew Gilmer on dobro, Ben Townsend on fiddle, and Read Connolly on pedal steel. Album artwork was created by band members Bobby Rosenstock and Joe Ryckebosch, with photography by Shannon Brown.

Born on the banks of the Ohio

Born on the banks of the Ohio River, Oyo (pronounced OH-yo) is a dynamic six-piece Appalachian roots band that formed from jam sessions in the back of Rosenstock’s shop, JustAJar. Gathered around a single mic, the band’s high-energy performances are equal parts honky-tonk and barn dance, with an indie rock undercurrent that guarantees to bring listeners to their feet.

Oyo take their name from the Iroquois word for the Ohio, meaning “beautiful river.” Like that big muddy river, Oyo is fed by many influences and tributaries upstream: folk, bluegrass, old-school country, and rock & roll.

“On the way to practice, Aaron and I both drive past the West Virginia historic marker by the bridge in Williamstown that references how Ohio’s name is rooted in the Iroquois name for the river, Oyo, or ‘beautiful river,’” said Tanner. “In addition to the local roots and sense of place we try to embody, it’s also emblematic of the various influences and ‘tributaries’ that feed our sound.”

Even throughout the pandemic, the band continued to meet almost weekly for practice, which was only possible because they were an acoustic group and could rehearse outdoors. Tanner attributes their success as a group to their persistence.

It’s been gratifying to see the week-in-week-out work on developing our sound and original songs that people enjoy hearing growing into invitations to play at some of our favorite places and events.

Drew Tanner

“Somehow, six working family guys have made near-weekly practices work for over four years,” he said. “It’s been gratifying to see the week-in-week-out work on developing our sound and original songs that people enjoy hearing growing into invitations to play at some of our favorite places and events. But it’s also fun to keep bringing it back to where it all started, at JustAJar, on a First Friday.”

As jam sessions transitioned to paid gigs, the band began booking larger events and growing their local reach. “I think everybody in the band wanted to be part of the bigger, regionally connected music scene,” said Adair. “At some point, we just thought, well, why are we doing this? What’s the goal here? Next thing you know, free lobsters,” he said, referencing the Marietta Morning Rotary’s popular Tails & Ales event.

With so many talented local musicians in the area, the Mid-Ohio Valley’s music scene has blossomed in recent years. “We really enjoy not only performing with other local bands but seeing them trying to put different things together,” said Adair. “We are pretty regionally based, so we’ve played with nearly everybody touching our genre.”

We’d be fools not to do our best to fill these beautiful rooms with fun times.

Michael Bond

The range of local venues supporting local musicians has contributed to the thriving MOV music community. “I was talking to a friend this morning, and he told me how jealous he was of the quality of venues here,” said Bond. “From the Adelphia at 200 capacity to the Peoples Bank Theatre at 900 capacity. He’s in a city 30x our size and wishing they had similar options that support local music. We’d be fools not to do our best to fill these beautiful rooms with fun times.”

As an acoustic group, Oyo (or, occasionally “The Free Lobster Boys”) has been able to be a bit more flexible, especially during COVID. “Being an acoustic band gives us a few more options of places to play other than your typical venues,” said Martin. During the pandemic, Oyo hosted free concerts in the gazebo of East Muskingum Park and played outdoor venues, including the Valley Gem Sternwheeler. The band is excited to see their calendar begin to fill up with live performances once again.

An original sound

While most would describe Oyo’s sound as Americana or Folk, each member of their band brings their own influences and unique perspective into the mix. Martin, whose primary influences include Neil Young, The Band, Paul Simon, and Tony Rice, describes their sound as “folk music with drums.”

Ryckebosch, whose influences include REM, Stone Roses, and the Ramones, said he likes to try to sneak as much punk and indie into the band as he can. “I think the band’s sound is reminiscent of traditional bluegrass and Americana, but with unexpected twist,” he said. “The use of keys and drums gives it an unexpected feel; I think has a more complex and propulsive feel to it. From a drummer’s standpoint, it sort of reminds of a ‘Ramones gone bluegrass.’ I’m not playing punk blast-beats, but it feels pretty damn close to it with the fast-paced country shuffle, which is often employed.”

“We probably fit in the Americana genre but I think we have a pretty unique sound. We all come from different musical backgrounds and we have three songwriters/singers in the band giving us a nice mix of original songs,” said Rosenstock, whose influences include The Boss (Bruce Springsteen), Grateful Dead, John Hardford, Doc Watson, and Louie Armstrong.

Bond says he listens to a lot of different stuff, from noisy garage rock to R&B and reggae. “In the past, I’ve played in bands that leaned more towards indie rock and electronic, beat-heavy sounds – there are even CDs with me rapping out there, if I haven’t successfully destroyed them all,” he said.

Growing up, my older brothers were cranking new wave, 80s rock, and early alternative, while my dad was listening to blues and classic rock, and mom listened to gospel.

Drew Tanner

With Oyo, Bond said he tried to focus on the sound of the “gone country” records that his favorite rockers put out in the 60s and 70s. “Stuff like Sweetheart of the Rodeo, Beggars Banquet, Muswell Hillbillies, and Tumbleweed Connection.”

Tanner said it’s fun to hear the wide variety of influences that they bring into their songs. “Growing up, my older brothers were cranking new wave, 80s rock, and early alternative, while my dad was listening to blues and classic rock, and mom listened to gospel,” he said. “Before moving to the MOV, I was managing the Pocahontas County Opera House, in a part of West Virginia where Appalachian traditional music and bluegrass runs deep. As a result, my own tastes and what I seek out are kind of all over the place.”

Lately, Tanner’s playlists have included The Wood Brothers, Lake Street Dive, Pokey LaFarge, Odesza, and Rainbow Kitten Surprise – to name a few. “This is why they keep me in the back corner of the stage,” he joked.

Deep in the West Virginian Mountains

As their list of original songs grew, it was time for Oyo to record its first album. “Michael and Aaron are always cranking out new stuff so if we don’t get it down, we may forget it,” said Adair.

The band decided to work with Ben Townsend of Questionable Records in Elkins, West Virginia. “Ben is a super talented, multi-instrumentalist originally from Hampshire County,” said Martin. “He was also in the well-known West Virginia band, The Fox Hunt.” A few years back, Townsend bought an abandoned church and converted it into a recording studio. “We all thought highly of Ben and knew that the space would be perfect to capture our live sound.”

The entire album was recorded in just three days. “We set up Friday night, got the instruments setup and ready and started early(ish) Saturday,” said Adair. “We recorded all the instruments that day and came back Sunday and did all the vocals as Michael finished writing songs for the album. It didn’t take long for Ben to have a well-mixed cut. Then Michael took over the mixing and mastering (and also decided to release a life enriching app which we aren’t allowed to mention here.) The experience could not have been more fun. The church was perfect for what we were trying to do.”

Bond said it was important to capture the live feel of the band and for the listener to feel like they’re there in the room with them playing. “With the exception of vocals, nearly everything on the album was recorded live as a group. Most everything you hear is a first or second take, and I think that energy comes through in the recordings,” he said.

It was a nice mix of songs we’d refined for months with fresher songs that we were still figuring out.

Michael Bond

Oyo’s self-titled debut album features twelve original songs by Aaron Martin and Michael Bond that take the listener on a sonic road trip through the West Virginia mountains to the Deep South, the American West, and points beyond. Along the way, they encounter the heartache of complicated relationships and the ecstasy of connection, all while capturing the raucous energy of their live performances and distinctive sound.

“It was a nice mix of songs we’d refined for months with fresher songs that we were still figuring out,” said Bond. “That was probably the third time we’d played ‘Back Here Again’ together, and it sounds great. There’s also tracks like ‘Old Friend,’ where Ben’s fiddle brought a whole new dimension to a song that we’ve been playing for years.”

Music that feels like home

For long-time fans and first time listeners alike, the album feels familiar and sounds like home. Maybe it’s because the music feels close – as though you are in the room watching the group squeeze in around the mic, or because you remember the last time you heard ‘My Kind’ you were dancing on a riverboat with friends.

“This was my first time recording an album, so the whole experience was pretty exciting,” said Rosenstock. “I enjoyed watching Michael write the lyrics to Waste Your Time an hour before we recorded it. We wanted to capture some of the energy and spontaneity of our live shows and I think we did that on this record.”

The group’s energy certainly comes through, especially in tracks like ‘Roads,’ ‘Jones Avenue’, and ‘Don’t Be Gone.’ It’s so infectious you’ll find your feet tapping along, itching to get up and dance. “Jones Avenue was one that was fun because it was still relatively new to the group,” said Martin. “On ‘Old Friend,’ it was cool to watch Ben Townsend improvise on this jam, he is an excellent West Virginia fiddle player.”

Tanner agreed. “Jones Avenue and Waste Your Time were fun. They were new and fresh while we were in the studio, and there was a lot of energy going into figuring them out as a band in the moment. While the lyrics pack a lot of longing, Jones Avenue feels like a party when we’re playing it. And Waste Your Time has a great break in the middle where we kind of stretch out the time for a moment in a way that doesn’t usually happen in our other songs.”

Oyo’s debut album earns top marks in storytelling, but it’s the loose, ‘gather-round-now-y’all’ energy that sets it apart.

Heading into the third year of a global pandemic, tracks like ‘Light in You’ and ‘Old Friend’ take the edge off the loneliness of winter with lyrical optimism, while ‘Santa Fe’ hooks you in gut and takes you back in time, much in the spirit of Josh Ritter’s haunting song stories. Oyo’s debut album earns top marks in storytelling, but it’s the loose, ‘gather-round-now-y’all’ energy that sets it apart.

Ryckebosch said his favorite song to record was ‘Rambler’ due to the changes they made to is just weeks prior to recording. “I feel it dramatically improved the song, and it was fun to come up with an entirely different rhythmic structure,” he said. “Stuff like that is cool, because it is still fresh in your head and you are excited to see how it translates into a recording situation.”

In the age of information and endless streaming access, it’s all the more important to support our local musicians and live music venues. “It’s important to support all art, not just live music. But live music has a way of bringing people together,” said Martin. “I feel like that is so needed right now. People are feeling this anxiety and depression from the past couple of years. Live music is beautiful and everyone  could use a bit of that right now.”

If you show up to one of our shows looking for a good time, you’re going to find it, whether it’s here where we live or in front of strangers hundreds of miles away.

Michael Bond

The diversity of music available here in the Mid-Ohio Valley is wide and bands like Oyo contribute to an ever-evolving community of local music dotting the shores of the Ohio River. “There’s so much music and so many sounds that are being made, you’d be surprised how good local music feels,” said Adair.

Local music doesn’t need to stay local, though. “It’s kind of nice to be in a band that’s never had to explain itself much,” said Bond. “If you show up to one of our shows looking for a good time, you’re going to find it, whether it’s here where we live or in front of strangers hundreds of miles away.”

“There’s a connection and energy that happens at a live show that you just don’t get when streaming music on your phone or in your car,” said Tanner. “And there are so many talented musicians in the MOV creating new, original music that’s worth seeking out and discovering.”

Listen to singles ‘Rambler,’ ‘My Kind,’ and ‘Don’t Be Gone Too Long’ now on Spotify and Soundcloud!

Oyo’s debut self-titled album will be available to stream in full on February 8^th on Spotify and Bandcamp and available for purchase on CD in JustAJar and Clutch Collective in downtown Marietta. Join Oyo for their album release party at The Adelphia Music Hall on February 11 with special guest Drift Mouth!

The post Hometown Band Oyo Releases Debut Album appeared first on Clutch MOV.

While Marietta gears up for its annual party on the Ohio River Levee this weekend, local band OYO hosted a river party of their own over Labor Day weekend aboard the Valley Gem Sternwheeler. The sold-out show featuring Karl’s Bedtime Hammer, Old Seed, and OYO entertained a live audience throughout their three-hour tour up river. The lively tunes of fiddle and banjo kept folks on their toes until the very last minute, not ceasing until the boat was once again docked on the Muskingum.

“The energy was incredible, everyone seemed very positive!” said Aaron Martin, who plays mandolin, fiddle, and guitar in OYO. “I think folks were just excited and appreciative to be out after missing live music for much of 2020.”

The evening’s set began with Karl’s Bedtime Hammer, an Americana/folk/bluegrass cover band comprised of Tyson Knapp on guitar, Cody Maclver on mandolin, Jim Flanagin on banjo, and “The Great Scotts” – Scott Smith on Cajon and percussion and Scott Ellison on bass and “The Putting Out of Vibes,” officially. The group set the tone for the night with familiar foot-thumping tunes.

Next up was Old Seed, featuring Joe Burdock on fiddle, Zeke Hutchinson on mandolin, and Jeanie Creamer on guitar, sitting in for Matthew McElroy. The trio played tunes likely to have been played on the Ohio River a century ago and shared their love for the songs’ history between sets. A few tunes played were favorites of Hutchinson’s grandfather, Ohio fiddler John W. Hutchinson (the Seed) and his father, banjo player Robert (Zeke) Hutchinson.

OYO then took the stage, kicking up the energy another notch – which, after the quick-paced fiddling of Old Seed, seemed impossible. Born on the banks of the Ohio River, OYO began as a weekly jam session in the Just A Jar print shop in Marietta, Ohio. The band’s name is derived from the Iroquois name for the Ohio: OYO (OH-yo), meaning beautiful river. Influenced by American folk music, bluegrass, old school country and rock & roll, the band’s members include Cole Adair on guitar, Aaron Martin on mandolin, fiddle, and guitar, Michael Bond on keys, accordion and guitar, Bobby Rosenstock on banjo, Drew Tanner on bass, and Joe Ryckebosch on drums.

We’ve found that people who follow us and enjoy what we do are typically a bit more adventurous and looking for an experience.

“Cole and Cody came up with the idea of hosting an event on the Valley Gem over beers at the Harmar,” said Bobby Rosenstock. This was the second year the band hosted a concert on the riverboat and Rosenstock said they hope to make it an annual event.

“The idea of floating down the Ohio River on a sternwheeler listening to fiddles and banjos is a unique opportunity,” said Martin. “We tend to play a lot of original material and more obscure traditional tunes. We’ve found that people who follow us and enjoy what we do are typically a bit more adventurous and looking for an experience. We’re not a cover band and no two shows are going to be the same. You’re not going out to Applebee’s when you come to an OYO show.”

Floating along the Ohio feeling the ‘thump-thump’ of feet stomping and dancing across the top deck was certainly an experience. Fans who frequent OYO’s shows were more than ready to sing, stomp, and clap along with their favorite tunes, which almost always includes “Glory Days” towards the end of the set list. Smiles aplenty, voices growing hoarse, and beers in hand, there were shouts for “one more song!” and then “two more songs!” as the boat pulled up to the dock.

“Cruising down the river on a sternwheeler with our friends singing and dancing along is the ideal setting for our music,” said Rosenstock, whose face sported a wide grin the entire night. “It just doesn’t get much better than that. And we invite other bands so we can hang out and listen to great music, too.”

When we connect as a band hopefully that energy is felt by our audience.

Martin agreed. “With music that connection is everything and it’s what makes live shows so fun and exciting. And really the only way to do that is to be fully present and in the moment. When we connect as a band hopefully that energy is felt by our audience.”

OYO fans are patiently awaiting the release of the band’s debut album. “We’re finishing up mixing and mastering our first album, recorded with Ben Townsend at the controls in an old, abandoned church in Elkins, West Virginia,” said Michael Bond. “I’m thrilled with how it’s turned out and I think folks will love the art that Bobby and Joe have cooked up for it. You’ll see tracks up on Spotify soon, with vinyl and CD appearing in the next few months.”

In the meantime, you can catch OYO at the Marietta Morning Rotary’s Tails and Ales fundraiser on October 2^nd at Masonic Park. For $40 a ticket, you can enjoy a whole Maine lobster (or non-seafood options), local brews, and live music from Hopewell and OYO. OYO is also known to pop up at Just A Jar’s shop on Front Street during most First Fridays.

The post Live from the Valley Gem appeared first on Clutch MOV.

One of the big reasons people give for either not wanting to move to the Mid-Ohio Valley or for yearning to move away as soon as they get out of school is there’s nothing to do here. Set aside that fact that, when pressed for specifics, the things those people say can’t be done are available a couple hours’ drive away in any one of several directions. Actually, don’t set that aside. A strong argument people and organizations who are trumpeting the virtues of life in the MOV have going for them is we really are in a Goldilocks zone—near enough to metropolitan areas to get to big-time venues and activities, sometimes without even having to spend the night, but also rural enough to enjoy the somewhat slower pace of life in a small town. And that slower pace does not mean we live in an entertainment and cultural vacuum. All one need do is attend a choir concert by one of the local high schools or an entity such as the Smoot Theater Youth Vocal Ensemble to be reminded of the deep and rich tradition of quality choral music we have here. But, some argue, there’s no comparable program for those musicians once they leave school.

The problem with that argument, though, is it’s just not true. The Parkersburg Choral Society, currently under the direction of long-time educator and brilliant musician Luke Zyla, is one of multiple groups available in the area. It has for decades been providing an opportunity for those with at least some rudimentary knowledge and a passion for choral music to practice their craft with likeminded musicians. Beyond that, lovers of choral music have the opportunity to hear this excellent music multiple times throughout the year.

Spend just a little time with the members of the Choral Society, and the three words that will undoubtedly come to mind will be passion, professionalism, and family. Recently, after a hiatus of several months forced by the pandemic, several of the members got together for an informal kickoff event. It, of course, centered around singing. Even after months of not singing together—of not singing at all for some—they seemed to pick up right where they left off. In between songs, punctuated by Mr. Zyla stopping to give direction, the group caught up, sharing family stories and discussing missing members who are struggling with health issues. It wasn’t a formal rehearsal. Those don’t start until September. Yet, the majority of the members were there.

The group is made up of a diverse demographic, though it does skew a bit older. More on that later. The longest serving member is Don Hainkel, who joined in 1974.

“I worked for Public Debt. And they told me I’m going to Parkersburg. I got here in December. And then the first thing I did was I auditioned for Choral Society. And I joined the Actors Guild.” When asked his favorite memory, he smiled and said, “Well, it’s where I met my wife.” Many others have more than twenty years singing with the society and all have warm memories of past concerts and recruitment trips to small towns all over the valley.

Not only is it an outlet to make music with other people, but it’s a big social event too. I’ve got friends here that will last a lifetime.

Robert and Melissa Herceg have also been in the group for decades. And for both of them, it’s about the music, but even more about something else.

“For me,” Robert said, “not only is it an outlet to make music with other people, but it’s a big social event too. I’ve got friends here that will last a lifetime.” Melissa echoed this. “The non-musical factors are always more significant. It becomes almost a family as everyone’s announcing their adventures.”

There are some younger members. By far the youngest is Cassie Cline, who had been in marching band under, of all people, Luke Zyla. After graduating from West Virginia Wesleyan, where she minored in voice, she came back to town and looked up her old band director. She immediately felt at home in this group and enjoyed, “getting to get with people who are passionate about singing, and the art of reading music and keeping that alive.”

That sentiment, keeping the art of choral singing and reading music alive, was echoed by nearly every member of the ensemble. Person after person mentioned the importance and joy of putting in the work together to make the music sound just right. And that work, according to Director Luke Zyla, will be worth it when they finally perform. “And it’s so much work, but the real reward is when you do a concert, and nothing can duplicate that. You hear the applause and then afterwards, people are saying how wonderful it was and stuff and then it makes all the hard work worth it.”

The numbers have fallen off over the years and the group has started to show its age, with much of that first get-together dedicated to explaining the physical ailments that are keeping some members away. The lack of age diversity is a bit of a frustration for Cline, by far the youngest member. “We need new members, and we need young members and enthusiastic members to bring in new ideas. And, you know, that zest.”

There are two ways you can support this admirable group. One is to join in. There are really only two requirements, other than a desire to make great music. “But when people interview to join,” Zyla said, “those are my first two questions: do you have experience singing with a choir, and can you read music? And if they have those two things, we’d love to have them.”

The second way to lift up the Parkersburg Choral Society is open to all, even those who can’t read music or even carry a tune. The group performs four times a year. They are planning a fall concert, a Winterfest, a Valentine’s show featuring lots of fun pop tunes, and a recital in the spring, which will be held in their new home, the ballroom of the Parkersburg Arts Center. For more information on how to join or when you can see the group perform, find them on Facebook or go to their website. You’ll be amazed by the talent and passion of this remarkable ensemble, so make a point of attending at least one of the performances this year.

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“Rock n Roll is back, baby!” Fletcher’s Grove, the opening act of Mountain Music Festival, proclaimed.

The excitement was palpable as festival goers began to head up the mountain to Ace Adventure resort in Oak Hill, W.Va.. As folks arrived, everyone smiled and greeted each other. It was clear how desperately live music and the feeling of community was missed during the past year of pandemic and quarantine shutdown. One of the most surprising things was how much love everyone had to give. It was almost like everyone had been storing it up for this past year and MMF was the perfect place to let it all flow out.

Thursday was the perfect lineup to let everyone dance away what stresses and inhibitions they had left over from the outside world and really just lean into the love, acceptance, and non-stop dance party that was the rest of the weekend.

MOV gems, Jake Dunn and the Blackbirds helped kick things off Friday morning in one of their first performances since quarantine began. They stayed busy during the shutdown though, managing to put out a fantastic new album. Jake summed up how it felt to be back playing live after taking so much time off as a warm ray of sunshine.

“I haven’t had so much to look forward to and be hopeful about in a long while,” he said, “so it is really just great. I could not be more excited about it.”

Moon Hooch, from New York, set the crowd on fire Friday evening with their mix of saxophone and percussion dance music and their unbelievably charismatic stage performance. They are definitely a must see if you have the opportunity to see them perform.

Saturday was absolutely jam-packed (pun fully intended) with amazing artists running from 10:00 a.m. to 5:30 a.m. Sunday. Arlo McKinley was a personal favorite. As his merch so perfectly states, “Arlo made me cry.” His particular brand of devastating honesty is something so many fans find relatable.

Local favorites, The Kind Thieves closed out the festival with a dynamite set. The crowd, though sleep deprived, fed off their energy and kept the dance party going until the very end. Clutch MOV spoke to Colby from The Kind Thieves before the festival and he was most excited about being back around friends and family.

“We’ve worked up a ton of new material and can’t wait to play it for everyone!” he said.

One of the most interesting things about Mountain Music Festival is the diversity. With the genre-spanning musical lineup, water park, multitude of workshops offered (Witchin Kitchen with Tara Caldwell was particularly enjoyable), nature hikes, fantastic food trucks, drinks from local breweries like Greenbrier Brewing Company, whitewater rafting, zip lining, rock climbing, and more, this festival truly has something for everyone.

With so many wonderful qualities, it can be difficult to summarize the festival with just a few words – so, we asked for help. Throughout the weekend, Clutch MOV spoke with several festival goers, staff, and musicians, including Arlo McKinley and Casey from Buffalo Wabs & The Price Hill Hustle (another favorite from Saturday), to describe the vibe of the festival in three words. Favorite answers include “Stress free, easy, love, vibrant, laid back, silly, release, nostalgia, and home.”

Event organizer Chris Colin said that preparations differed this year from last year. “We were very cautious as we moved forward. We knew we had to start planning the event last summer so we were very optimistic. We held back on printing, marketing and contracting vendors until just recently,” he said.

“In most years we have this all lined out months in advance but no one knew for sure if the event could actually take place. It wasn’t actually until about a month ago that we knew 100% we were moving forward.”

New River Gorge is America’s newest national park, located in the heart of the mountain state. “Having the National Park designation is the gold star in the park world and this part of West Virginia is truly beautiful,” said Colin. “It is pretty unique to visit a place like ACE Adventure Resort which is over 1,500 acres in size and situated in the National Park.”

After the festival, our team, with some fantastic directions from the helpful staff at ACE, visited a gorgeous scenic spot on the river. The river, while called the New River, is one of the oldest rivers in the world. It is beautiful with plenty of spots to white water raft, fish, or just dip your toes in a bit. The mountain itself was tranquil and at night, it feels like you can see a million stars in this part of the state.

Music is alive and well in the hills of West Virginia and you’d be hard pressed to find a community more loving, accepting, wild, and diverse than these local music fans. Clutch MOV is excited to come back next year – we miss it already.

All photography by Michelle Waters

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Downtown Marietta was alive with music on Friday night as many local musicians dusted off their instruments and warmed up their vocal cords to perform for the first time since the onset of the Coronavirus pandemic. These live performances were all part of Marietta Main Street’s March First Friday event where the theme was Shamrock & Roll—a theme that many people embraced as they hit the shops and restaurants to listen to some of the MOV’s best musicians play some rockin’ tunes.

“It feels really nice to be able to get back out and play music for people. It’s great to see people come out and to have an organization like Marietta Main Street that brings business to not only downtown but to Harmar Village,” Nate Shahan said as he sat writing his song set outside the Busy Bee Restaurant.

Shahan, who is also a tattoo artist and on the board of Marietta Main Street, played along with his friend Jimmy Woodward at the Busy Bee, which was one of the many businesses that hosted live music for the First Friday event. The duo were one of the three sets of performers to play at the restaurant, which was the title sponsor for this month’s First Friday. The other performers included Randy Sloter and Vinnie Mele, and Sadie Johnson.

“Playing music does a lot for me personally,” Shahan said. “It helps me express things I otherwise couldn’t express. I think music is something that people are really missing right now. It was one of the first things to get shut down and it’s still one of the last things to be coming back,” Shahan said.

I think that the arts help people get through hard times—especially this pandemic that we are still experiencing.

Nate Shahan

“When the pandemic first started and people were in lock down I bet everyone was either listening to music or watching movies so I think that the arts help people get through hard times—especially this pandemic that we are still experiencing.”

Continuing to play music despite not being able to perform in front of people helped Mark Doebrich’s guitar students get through this past year as well.

“Playing music on the internet with what we had to work with is not that cool. The nice thing is that parents don’t have to drive their kids or worry about COVID-19 because we are just on our computer screens,” Doebrich, Founder and Manager of High Schools That Rock, said as his students started to set up for their performance at Jeremiah’s Coffee House.

“They light up when they get to play with other kids. It’s play, it’s fun, it’s productive and it’s good. They were able to meet each other once in December after not performing since [last] March so they get to meet each other and they are pretty fired up.”

The students, a mix of 1st graders all the way to seniors in high school, “fired up” their guitars and played an assortment of folk, blues, gospel, and classic rock songs. Once the group finished playing “Folsom Prison Blues”, by Johnny Cash, the small audience inside the coffee house rang out with applause. As for those who didn’t feel comfortable coming out in public, the group streamed the performance via Facebook Live so people could watch them in the comfort of their homes.

Doebrich, now in his 20th year as manager of High Schools That Rock, said he hopes by streaming the performance on Facebook and having people share photos of the kids performing it will help him gain more students. “I haven’t been able to do a guitar camp and recruitment has been almost impossible,” Doebrich said.”

“The kids have weathered the storm and they continue to weather the storm. They have been so resilient. Thank goodness they have been so resilient. I love working with kids and I love playing guitar,” Doebrich said as he looked with admiration at his team of young musicians beginning to warm up for their performance.

We are still asking people to be responsible but they don’t have to be hidden away anymore—let’s enjoy each other responsibly.

Jocelyn Adelsperger

Jocelyn Adelsperger, Marketing and Events Manager at Jeremiah’s Coffee House, knows how much Doebrich loves working with kids and said the coffee house was excited to provide the group the ability to showcase their talent. “Mark has done such a great job with this program and he really stepped up and filled a hole that music programs and schools might be missing these days. He’s just one guy who is loving music and loving kids,” Adelsperger said.

The goal for Jeremiah’s is to continue to have safe, socially distanced events in their side room which, according to Adelsperger, is large enough to keep 6 feet between each table.

“We are still asking people to be responsible but they don’t have to be hidden away anymore—let’s enjoy each other responsibly. The gist of this place is to take care of your neighbors and take care of your community so that’s what we just continue to preach while allowing people to have a little more freedom to celebrate events with great joy,” Adelsperger said.

“We are hoping we can build it back, and responsibly build it back to what it was. Our community in general has been promoting the small businesses and keeping the downtown alive through all of this and we are forever grateful for that. It feels like now it’s time to slowly and responsibly rebuild to what it was back in 2019 before all this hit.”

Cristie Thomas, Executive Director of Marietta Main Street, said she too is all on board with safely rebuilding Marietta to what it was pre-COVID-19. “We are planning to host our full calendar of events this year, so long as our state keeps trending in the direction we are with a decrease in COVID cases and an increase in vaccinations,” Thomas said.

“First Friday events are planned for every single month, a Cabin Fever Shop Hop is planned for March 20th, this summer we’ll host our Wine & Chocolate Walk, and we are planning to fully host our Hometown Holiday calendar which includes Loft Tours, Santa Houses, and our Merry-etta Christmas Parade. We may add another event or two or three to the calendar this year, based on if and when Governor DeWine lightens the restrictions for fairs, festivals, and parades.”

While Thomas said the coming year excites her and the Board of Directors for Marietta Main Street, she said 2020 was, “exhausting.”

“2020 was high-pressure, worrisome, and a constant balancing act for our organization. We have a staff of one (me) and a passionate, committed Board of Directors each with full-time jobs, families, and worries of their own. That being said, I could not be more proud of what we accomplished in 2020, despite the challenges we faced,” Thomas said.

The support Marietta Main Street has received from the community as a whole has, in Thomas’ eyes, made the hardships of the past year a little easier to bear. “We receive messages daily from residents and tourists sharing their appreciation for our work—even from other main street organizations across the U.S. who follow us on social media,” Thomas said.

“I think when the going gets tough, folks recognize more and more what their strongholds are and Marietta Main Street is a rock in our community.”

Next on Marietta Main Street’s calendar of events is ‘Cabin Fever Shop Hop’ which will be on Saturday, March 20th from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Small businesses in downtown Marietta will host sidewalk sales, fun promotions, special events and more to help people escape from their winter hibernation and safely welcome in the Spring season. Learn more about this event and what else is on Marietta Main Street’s calendar of events.

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Clutch MOV Announces COVID-19 Relief Fund for Musicians in the Mid-Ohio Valley

Clutch MOV, the Mid-Ohio Valley’s community magazine, in partnership with the Deacons of First Presbyterian Church of Marietta, Ohio, today announced the creation of a relief fund aimed to assist local musicians who have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic: The Mid-Ohio Valley Musician Relief Fund.

While financial relief has been made available to businesses, organizations, and nonprofits to aid in recovery during the COVID-19 pandemic, little has been made available to those who rely on live performances and creative pursuits. Resources that are available are often reserved for those who are employed full-time in the creative industry and not designed to help those with additional sources of income.

“For many of our local musicians here in the Mid-Ohio Valley – who contribute to the cultural identity and richness of our community – the inability to perform live for most of last year has had a significant impact on their livelihood,” said Sarah Arnold, Owner and Publisher of Clutch MOV. “As a community publication whose mission is to uplift and celebrate the good in our community, we’ve partnered with the Deacons of First Presbyterian Church in Marietta, Ohio to provide relief to local musicians who have suffered from the COVID-19 pandemic.”

The First Presbyterian Church of Marietta’s Deacons have funded $6,000 to create the MOV Musician Relief Fund. This fund is not intended to make up for all lost revenue in 2020, but to help lessen the loss by providing some financial relief. Local musicians can apply for relief and receive up to $300 each.

“The Deacons of First Presbyterian Church of Marietta are excited to partner with Clutch MOV in the formation of the Mid-Ohio Valley Musician Relief Fund. Music holds a dear place in our church and is an important part of our worship,” said Deacon Emilia Van Reeth on behalf of the Deacons. “As a congregation, we understand the power and peace that music brings to people, as well as how it can be a creative outlet for many. With so many musicians in our own church, we have seen the impact that this pandemic has had on the local music community and are glad that we can help relieve some of the burden of those seriously affected by this situation.”

Applications will be accepted through March 3rd, 2021, at which time all applications will be reviewed by a panel. All applicants will be notified of their application status by Saturday, March 13th. Musicians in Washington County, Ohio and Wood County, West Virginia can apply by completing this application form.

Interested in joining the First Presbyterian Church of Marietta’s Deacons to fund this effort to support our local creative community? Email sarah@clutchmov.com to learn how you can help!

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The Sound Exchange Celebrates 30 Years in Business

The late 1980s were an incredible time for music, in performance, production, and distribution. Throw in a little inspiration from bigger city buying options and a small-town desire to succeed and The Sound Exchange was born. First opening in 1990 at a location on Blizzard Drive, South Parkersburg, WV, The Sound Exchange specialized in both new and preowned music in a time when vinyl was on its way out, cassettes were a comfortable standard and compact discs were all the new rage for music lovers. 30 years later and Parkersburg’s small independent record/cd/cassette and more store is still going strong.

It all began in a dorm room at Ohio State University when childhood friends Joe Davis and Todd Stubbe hatched a plan to open a music store back home in the Mid-Ohio Valley. Within five years that dream had grown to two locations in Parkersburg with a third store in Lancaster. Eventually, the partners decided to focus on their own outside ventures leaving the Lancaster shop in Todd’s hands, while Joe maintained the local stores. In 2001, the original Blizzard Drive location closed in favor of remaining in the larger, more centralized Murdoch Avenue location. In 1999, The Sound Exchange expanded upriver to Marietta with a prime location on front street. That location remained open until 2004 when the town flooded and took out a number of businesses. When rebuilding was determined to be not feasible, Davis opted to focus on making the store on Murdoch the primary destination for music enthusiasts in the area.

Part of the reward for being an independent store is the ability to participate in a national event designed to help bring awareness and business to local music stores. Record Store Day began in 2008 as a way to celebrate independent record stores and The Sound Exchange has been participating for about the last 7 years. Record Store Day is usually held in April of each year and followed up with a smaller “Black Friday” type release in November. Participating shops, like this one, often have a set-up for live music events, sometimes food and of course the special items for sale. Consider it almost a downtown block party for music enthusiasts. Each year artists and companies curate and release special “Record Store Day” editions of albums. Some of those are re-released from prior collections and some are brand new, but all of them are specific to this event and are only released at that time.

Like with most events this year, Record Store Day was directly impacted by the COVID-19 restrictions countrywide. Fortunately, the event was not canceled altogether, only adjusted to provide the stores with the ability to adhere to distancing restrictions. Instead of the one Saturday in April, Record Store Day has been held over three weekends plus the previously scheduled Black Friday releases. The final Saturday to shop these exclusive deals is this week, October 24^th.

In the past there was always a special rack of items that were specific to the day; However, in order to promote safety for the customers, employee Elmer Gourley devised an alternate shopping method. All of the Record Store Day releases have been scattered throughout the store, in the racks with the cds. Referring to it as an “Easter Egg Hunt” of sorts, Elmer hopes to give all customers a fair chance to find the albums they are hoping to take home. Though not all albums are available at The Sound Exchange, they do their best to get as many of the sought after titles as the distributor will send. Keeping that in mind, customers are limited to two copies maximum of any title that they want to purchase to keep it fair for all participants.

In the past 30 years, the music industry has come full circle. When Davis first opened The Sound Exchange, vinyl records were on their way out and compact discs were beginning to take over the mainstream. Now many of the customers coming in are back to building vinyl and cassette collections, as is the store. The front of the store used to feature new and used CDs but today’s customers are greeted by racks of brand new vinyl records, including those released by local artists.

Over the years, the store has hosted artists, both local and from national tours, even before Record Store Day gained popularity, contributing to the atmosphere of The Sound Exchange. Joe loves the culture that they’ve cultivated inside the shop. “My favorite part of owning a record store is by far the people who come in and want to talk about music,” he said.

Surrounded by music all day, every day, Joe said it’s difficult to pick one specific album or genre to call his favorite, but he did admit to being a big fan of Tom Petty. Incidentally, an expanded catalog of the late singer’s music was released just this month and The Sound Exchange has multiple copies of the album and an expanded box set just waiting to be taken home and enjoyed.

Throughout all of these changes, Joe and The Sound Exchange have thrived. With the help of dedicated regulars, some who have been shopping there since the first store opened in 1990, the need for a local independent record store like this remains steadfast in a world where things change by the minute. Davis said customer service continues to play a key role in the brick and mortar music store’s success in the digital age.

“There are a lot of people, younger people, who are discovering vinyl records for the first time,” he said. “Maybe they were given a record player as a gift. There’s nothing that sounds the way a record sounds playing on a turntable.”

Joe has a dedication to his customers that is hard to find in bigger, national stores. Always willing to try to get special requests in stock from their supplier, he also takes on the task of trying to track down out-of-print and more rare requests when possible. His dedication to his customers is certainly what has helped The Sound Exchange stay around for so long, but when you ask Joe, he will tell you that it is all about the customers.

“As 20-year-old kids starting this, you just never think you will hit such a milestone, especially with all the changes that have happened in this time. But it is a huge milestone, 30 years in business, and I couldn’t have done it without the dedicated customers and their support.”

The post The Sound Exchange: A Record Year for the MOV’s Record Store appeared first on Clutch MOV.

While the 4^th of July didn’t feel quite as festive this year and most of the Mid-Ohio Valley’s summer festivals have been canceled or postponed, downtown Marietta came alive with the sound of music for July’s First Friday, the first non-virtual First Friday held since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition to extended shopping hours, special in-store events, and United Way’s Kid Central at the Armory – all First Friday staples – the evening invited local residents to get down.

From 5:00 to 9:00 pm on Friday, July 3^rd, Marietta Main Street hosted local musicians at the fountain on Front Street, at Gateway Park, and on McKenna’s Market’s back patio on Butler. Downtown businesses like Jeremiah’s Coffee House, Over the Moon Pub & Pizza, and The Buckley House also welcomed shoppers to listen to local live music inside. Physical distancing was required at each venue and tipping was highly encouraged.

“I thought it went great,” said Bobby Rosenstock, owner of Just A Jar Design Press and banjo player in local band, OYO. “We had a great turnout at the OYO show and folks were social distancing.” Before his band took the stage on the Butler Street patio, Rosenstock said he had an opportunity to listen to the Ohio Valley Opry at the Armory, Chip and Austin of SOMP at Jeremiah’s Coffee House, and Levi Westfall and Hannah Miller at Gateway Park. “Everybody sounded great, and folks visiting town seemed to enjoy all of the live music.”

Live performances included Austin Alexander, Logan Reynolds, The Last Minute Honky Tonk Band, Matt Petty, Jake Binegar, Justin Arthur, Jesse Forrest, Levi Westfall and Hannah Miller, OYO, John Walsh and more.

Nate Shahan, a member of the Marietta Main Street Board of Directors as well as a member of The Last Minute Honky Tonk Band, coordinated the line-up and was excited for the opportunity to uplift local music.

Musicians really appreciate seeing people enjoying their music in the flesh.

“Musicians got hit really hard with all of the forced closures due to COVID-19, as music venues and bars were some of the first to get shut down and some of the last to reopen,” said Shahan. “I was impressed with the number of artists that were streaming performances, but nothing compares to seeing music in person, even if you are doing it from a safe distance. Not to mention, musicians really appreciate seeing people enjoying their music in the flesh.”

Michelle Waters was one of those people enjoying their music. While the heat may have kept a few folks away, Waters said the vibe downtown was upbeat and supportive and fellow onlookers were friendly and courteous.

“It was so nice to be able to see and hear so many of our awesome local musicians and be able to support them in-person again!”

With few opportunities to engage with a crowd, Drew Tanner, who plays the upright bass in OYO, said it’s been strange to not be playing more these past few months and stare at an empty calendar.

“Spring and summer are usually our busy seasons with outdoor festivals – and of course, we’d normally have our typical First Friday’s at Just A Jar and monthly gigs at the Parkersburg Brewing Company,” said Tanner. “But we’ve all been taking the health concerns seriously.”

For the first few months of the pandemic, Tanner said the band took a break from practicing and only resumed jamming together when the weather allowed them to do so outside with some space. “Even now, we’re staying pretty cautious and have only played out these last couple of times when we’ve been confident there’d be plenty of outdoor space and the audience would be respectful.”

For a band that usually sings their closing song crowded around the mic, this was a change.

“Admittedly, this is a shift for us, where we’re more used to a raucous time and an energetic exchange with the audience,” said Tanner. “But it has still felt great to play and the folks in the audience have been appreciative. It’s also worth noting that this isn’t our livelihood as it is for some musicians we know, so it hasn’t been nearly as painful at that level.”

The band’s next gig is a virtual one – a livestream performance on Friday, July 17^th as part of the Peoples Bank Theatre’s “100 Days for 100 Years” fundraiser. “It’s such a tenuous time right now for venues,” Tanner said. “We’re grateful to have been invited to help our local stage and hope everyone who has come out to see us in the past will contribute to the cause.”

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