BareFuzz kicks off tour with April Fuzz Day, talks newest album

Honour Lackey
Fri, 31 Mar 2023 00:23:34 +0000
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After sharing two singles from its upcoming album, BareFuzz is ready to show audiences what else they are capable of. | Credit: Adam Berta, courtesy of Derek Petrucci

BareFuzz, a Columbus-based rock band, is taking its sophomore album, “Renegade,” on tour — but not before playing it for its hometown first.

Drummer Derek Petrucci and bassist Adam Tackett, who met as undergraduate students at Otterbein University in 2016, didn’t intend to start a band, Petrucci said. One self-titled album and two singles later, Petrucci, Tackett, percussionist Jason Weihl and guitarists and vocalists Ryan Jones and Andy Maughan are celebrating the release of their second album at April Fuzz Day, in regards it taking place on April Fool’s Day, April 1.

The premiere of “Renegade” will take place at the Summit Music Hall, located at 2210 Summit St. The event is 18-plus with tickets ranging from $10-15, depending on tier level. A guest performance from Levi Brown will open the show. Doors for April Fuzz Day at The Summit Music Hall open at 8 p.m.

“We’re kicking off the tour with this show, and we’re really excited to do that here in Columbus,” Petrucci said. “I think we’re ready to put on the best show we’ve ever put on here.”

Each band member grew up in central Ohio, falling together through mutual friends, Petrucci said.

While based in classic rock and blues influences, each member brings something different to the table stylistically, Maughan said. While Tackett is inspired by heavier progressive rock, Petrucci’s taste ranges from electronic to grindcore, Maughan said.

“We have a lot of different things we’re bringing to the table, but we meet somewhere in the middle, and a lot of the stuff that we really agree on is classic rock,” Petrucci said. “That’s where all of our tastes crossover.”

In the weeks leading up to the concert, BareFuzz put out two singles, “Great Divide” and the titular “Renegade.” Maughan said the reception to these releases has been encouraging, reaffirming their transition into more structured songs after a past of more improvisational music.

Jones said the positive responses validated the band’s new approach.

“People have responded really well to it — the songwriting, they felt like it’s grown more, and the songs tell a story a bit more than they have in the past, and that’s important,” Jones said. “It’s important to me that people relate to what your craft is, you want people to feel something from it.”

While some songs on the album are up to 4 years old, recording with Joe Viers at The Sonic Lounge only began in late 2022, Petrucci said. He said Viers was integral to the recording process.

“We worked with him on our last record, our self-titled one, and he really kind of showed us how the process is supposed to work,” Petrucci said. “He’s such a pro, he has so much experience and just made us feel really comfortable.”

Recording “Renegade,” Petrucci said, was a step forward in maturing and perfecting the band’s sound.

“When we went in last time and recorded the first record, there were points where we got a little bit exposed to ourselves. It’s like, ‘Oh, some of these aren’t really done, some of the songs we’ve been playing a certain way, but like they don’t have a strong part here,’” Petrucci said. “This time around, we really were able to see what our blind spots were the first time and make sure that we were prepared for that stuff.”

BareFuzz will perform their sophomore album in its entirety Saturday, an experience Jones said lets the band pay tribute to where it came from. Maughan agreed.

“Playing in our hometown and being able to give a show for the people that have been there for us for the past five years, and to be able to be around those people that really have been there for the long haul is going to be really special for us,” Maughan said. “We’re just really excited to put on a good show and share this new album.”