Non-Profit News

Folk rock band Driftwood will be the next performers to grace the National Stage at the Oswego Music Hall. The Binghamton-based group's show will begin at 7:30 pm on Saturday, February 10th.

Tickets are on sale now at www.oswegomusichall.org.

iHeart Oswego's Mark McManus caught up with Driftwood bassist Joey Arcuri this week, and learned that the band has been together for about seventeen years. "In 2005 Joe Kollar and Dan Forsyth, who were classmates in high school, got together and started exploring some original folk music," he said. "Claire Byrne joined them on the fiddle in 2009, and I came on board a year later."

According to Arcuri, "Driftwood primarily had an acoustic folk and bluegrass vibe in its  earlier days, but since deciding to add a drummer in 2017, we've been exploring our rock side as well." Current drummer Sam Fishman has been a member since 2021.

The band's sixth studio album is due out in the spring of 2024, Arcuri said. "We've been working on December Last Call for about two years," he said. "We recorded it in Joe Kollar's basement studio, a place we were very comfortable and familiar with." 

"We did everything in house," he continued. "Joe handled the recording, mixing, editing and production but it was a very democratic process. We were able to record tracks, then go back to revisit them afterwards. Using Joe's studio gave us that freedom without the expense of renting an outside studio and producer."

The band has released two tracks from December Last Call so far; the title track and 'Every Which Way But Loose.' Arcuri said they'll be playing several new songs on Saturday evening. "We have original songs from three of our members on the new record. I don't have one of my songs on this album but we'll perform one I've written during the live show."

The band has been a longtime favorite in Oswego according to Music Hall artistic director Tom Lambert. "Driftwood has performed on the Music Hall's stage several times; each time leaves us hungry to have them back," he said. 

Mark Wahl, director emeritus of the Ontario Center for the Performing Arts, said "(Driftwood's) musicianship is incredible, vocals and harmonies uniquely attractive, and their songwriting masterful."

Arcuri said the band will be touring this spring with shows in West Virginia later in February and in the New York City area and Syracuse in early March before heading to New England. "We've toured all around the country over the years," he said. "We've been out west, down south and all over the northeast. We try to keep the trips a bit shorter these days though, as we all try to work within our schedules at home."

For more information on Driftwood's music and future tour dates, check their website, www.driftwoodtheband.com.

Arcuri concluded, "We travel in a big RV on the way to the shows. It looks like we're on a family outing, and I guess we are. We're really looking forward to being back in Oswego!"

Driftwood is performing at the all-volunteer Oswego Music Hall on Saturday evening, February 10. Showtime is 7:30 pm, with doors opening at 7:00. The Music Hall is located inside the McCrobie Civic Center at 41 Lake Street in Oswego, NY. The venue is handicapped accessible, and there will be refreshments available for purchase. Tickets are available online at www.oswegomusichall.org, or can be purchased at The River's End Bookstore at 19 West Bridge Street in downtown Oswego.