The past year has brought new opportunities to local band the Vinyl Vagabonds, and the group will kick off the new year by performing its first show of 2017 at 9 p.m. Saturday at Mother’s Pub. 

In 2016, the band headlined Summerfest in Campustown and had well-attended shows at places like DG’s Tap House in Ames and the Adobe Lounge in Boone. Harmonica player and co-lead singer Jeff Hart described the performances as major highlights from the last year.

Hart said the crowds at the shows were very receptive to their music, describing them as loud and happy. Hart hopes the band will be able to take the excitement from its final show of 2016 and transfer it to its performance at Mother’s Pub.

“It’s our first show of the new year and it’s our first show for a couple months, so we are just excited to get back out there, and I know we’ll hit the ground running on that one,” Hart said.

The Vinyl Vagabonds schedule includes two or three shows a month, but the group will play more frequently during the summer and practice a couple times a week throughout the year.

The Vinyl Vagabonds covers several songs from a variety of artists, including The Beatles, Old Crow Medicine Show and Bill Withers. Hart said the band has been known to learn a cover in just a couple of practices and is always adding new music to its set list.

The band has even collaborated to make some original music. Hart said the members work together to create the music while making a new song. Some of their originals include “Walkin’ Shoes” and “The Healing.” 

“[‘The Healing’] is probably our favorite of our original songs because we all had a hand in doing something with that,” Hart said.

When it comes to bringing those songs to live crowds, Hart hopes the audience will love everything about a Vinyl Vagabonds show. He also wants the audience to see the fun happening on stage and join in on it.

Hart believes the music his band plays is unique and not available to audiences everywhere. He also mentioned that there is something special about lead singer Mook Bascomb’s voice that attracts crowds.

“When Mook sings and opens her mouth, it’s just like gold,” Hart said. “It’s a really authentic, true rhythm and blues-soul voice.”

As for the new year, the band has new goals, including playing more gigs and hiring a booking agent to get the group more shows. Hart said booking acts themselves is a big job, but hiring an agent will help the band play more shows in new places.

“We are all working people, we all have to go to jobs, so chasing down stuff like that has been a challenge for us,” Hart said. 

To find out more about the Vinyl Vagabonds and their upcoming shows, visit their website.