The local band Oyo will perform at 7 p.m. Thursday in the Artsbridge summer concert series at City Park in Parkersburg. The show at the band shell is sponsored by Community Bank. (Photo Provided)

PARKERSBURG — Oyo, a local band, has joined the Artsbridge summer concert series at City Park and will perform at 7 p.m. Thursday.

The concert is sponsored by Community Bank.

Oyo is a six-piece Appalachian-roots band that formed from jam sessions in the back of JustAJar Design Press in Marietta.

Gathered around a single mic, Oyo’s performances are parts honky tonk and barn dance with an indie rock undercurrent. The band features traditional acoustic instrumentation, driving rhythm and poignant lyricism.

On lead vocals are Aaron Martin (fiddle and mandolin), Cole Adair (guitar) and Michael Bond (guitar, keys, harmonica and spoons), with Bobby Rosenstock (banjo), Drew Tanner (bass) and Joe Ryckebosch (drums and washboard).

Oyo takes it name from the Iroquois word for the Ohio, meaning “beautiful river.” Like tributaries of the river, Oyo is fed by many influences including folk, bluegrass, country and rock and roll.

Its self-titled album was released on Feb. 8 and features 12 original songs by Martin and Bond that take the listener on a 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 live performances and distinctive sound.

The album was recorded in the sanctuary of an abandoned church in Elkins, W.Va., by Ben Townsend of Questionable Records and mixed and mastered by 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 is by Rosenstock and Ryckebosch, with photography by Shannon Brown. Oyo is on Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, Bandcamp, SoundCloud and on its website, oyotheband.com.

The Artsbridge concerts are in their 20th year. Concerts are free, but donations will be taken to help support Artsbridge and its school arts programs in the region.

Drawings, giveaways and food trucks are part of the celebration.

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Remaining Concert Schedule

* July 28 — Laurel Creek (gospel/bluegrass)

* Aug. 4 — Michael Tobar Jazz Quartet (jazz)

* Aug. 11 — Patsy & Loretta (Patsy Cline and Loretta Lynn tribute band)

* Aug. 18 — Band of Brothers (’60s through current)

* Aug. 25 — Parkersburg South, Parkersburg and Williamstown High School bands

Source: artsbridgeonline.org