BECCA MARTIN-BROWN
bmartin@nwadg.com
Arkansauce musicians just marked their five-year “bandiversary” in October, says banjo player Adams Collins.
“We use Hillberry Music Fest as our marker,” he explains, “as the last Harvest Fest they had at Mulberry Mountain was also our first gig.”
Current band members — Tom Andersen on bass, Zac Archuleta on guitar, Collins, and Ethan Bush on mandolin — are are also celebrating the release of their fourth — “and probably our best” — album, titled “Maybe Someday.” They’ll have a release party Dec. 6 at George’s Majestic Lounge in Fayetteville, but in the meantime, Collins answered five questions for The Free Weekly.
Q. How would you describe your sound?
A. We are a string band that draws from the bluegrass, newgrass, folk, Americana, country, blues and funk traditions. We write music that has complex melodies, intriguing rhythms and hard-hitting hooks that leave the songs whirling around your head long after the listening experience.
Q. What’s the most fun gig you’ve ever played and why?
A. The thing is, your goals change as a musician. We have the most fun when our fans are losing themselves in the show, when we make a connection that resonates. The past two years we’ve had the pleasure of hosting New Year’s Eve at George’s. Those nights were unforgettable for us because we were able to hand-pick the other artists on the bill and curate an immersive experience for our fans on a night that means something to all of us.
Q. How much time are you on the road?
A. We’ve had a busy year touring, including two weeks in Europe and a monthlong run through the East Coast including three weeks opening for the Yonder Mountain String Band. We are out most weeks for two to four days working our regional area of Arkansas, Missouri and Oklahoma and have started touring through the Midwest as well as a few pilgrimages to Colorado.
Q. How long has this album been in the works?
A. Parts of the new album were written before our last album was released. Our songs are truly a distillation of our own growth and life experiences. It’s not uncommon for a song to take a year to flesh itself out. On the other hand, some come together over night, and the songwriter brings a finished product to the band. We’ve got 12 new tracks on the album, adding up to just over an hour of 100% new, original music. In addition to having the new CD, we will have a new run of merch (featuring the album artwork) for sale. We’ll also be pressing the new album on vinyl, to be released late December.
Q. What’s next for Arkansauce?
A. After the CD release, we are headed up to Minneapolis for the first time to play a series of shows with the band Kind Country. We will have a New Year’s Celebration in Fort Smith at Harry’s Downtown, and in January we will tour through Colorado and Michigan with a spot in the most fun winter fest, Ozark Mountain Music Festival in Eureka Springs. Then in February, we head back to Europe for a three-week tour of the Netherlands, Germany and Switzerland.
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FAQ
Arkansauce
CD Release
WHEN — 9 p.m. Dec. 6
WHERE — George’s Majestic Lounge in Fayetteville
COST — $15; 18 and older
INFO — arkansaucemusic.com, georgesmajesticlounge.com
BONUS — Also playing are Pert Near Sandstone from Minneapolis and Grassfed from St. Louis.
