Culture
Bob Stewart Band marks release of first album of originals with free Arts West performance
By: Taylor Burnette
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ATHENS, Ohio (WOUB) — The Bob Stewart Band is marking the release of its first album, “Mended Bones,” with its first concert back after the beginning of the pandemic.
The band will perform at Arts West (132 W. State Street) on Sunday at 6:30 p.m. The concert is free.
COVID-19 pushed guitarist and vocalist Bob Stewart, guitarist Elliot Abrams and bassist Greg Bikowski to record the band’s first original album in the Bob Stewart band’s 20th year of existence. They crafted their newest songs while they couldn’t perform their regular gigs together.
The band says the goal of its music is trying to say something meaningful but with a little snark and some fun in it as well.
“Mended Bones” has 13 songs, including the title track with the same name. The song pulls inspiration from challenging times during the pandemic.
“I don’t know if you’ve ever heard the expression, but ‘nothing is stronger than a mended bone,”” Stewart said. “Probably an old wives tale, but the idea is, it’s a metaphor for when you’ve had trouble in your life and then you come through it. You’re stronger.”
The title comes at the delight of drummer Ned Ashbaugh, Stewart said, who is a chiropractor who goes by “Dr. Bones.”
Abrams and Stewart have played together since the band’s beginnings, but even 20 years in, they said making music never gets old.
“It’s very bright,” Abrams said. “Bob has been very good about things in that he keeps adjusting to new people, new circumstances and new instruments. Bob has always been welcoming to new thoughts, new ideas, new direction for this, and so we haven’t stagnated in any possible way musically.”
Together, Stewart, Abrams, Bikowski and Ashbaugh are joined by John Ortman with his harmonica to bring what Stewart describes as “a cross between a James Taylor sound and a John Prine sound.”
“Mended Bones” is also available on Spotify and Youtube.