The Barking Owls are a band that defies both labels and genres. Singer, guitarist, and harmonica player Erik Wenniger describes the band as “indie folky poppy rocky alt-country bluegrass newgrass grunge grass.” That’s certainly a mouthful as well as an earful. But for this Twin Falls-based band that blends their diverse styles using acoustic guitar, banjo, mandolin, upright and electric bass, harmonica, various percussive instruments and the occasional kazoo, this moniker seems about right. And while only half the band is from Idaho (the other half are transplants from New York and Ohio), the country and folk elements of their music derive from living in this beautiful and musically diverse state.
After meeting at an open mic during 2011, band mates Andy Cluff (banjo, mandolin, backing voice) and Erik put together the basis of what would become the Barking Owls; a name that came about in the manner that it does for most bands. After tossing names around, Erik came across the term “Barking Owl” (defined as an unidentified owl) in the Dictionary of American Regional English. In 2013, the duo added bass player Michael Frew and in 2014 drummer James Abate, both of whom brought formal musical training to the band while Erik claims he “just plinks around on guitar and tries to string chords and words together.”
With a sound difficult to describe and the influence of bands like Rhett Miller of the Old 97’s, the Decemberists, Whiskeytown/Ryan Adams, Bright Eyes, and Guster, the Barking Owls started playing shows across Idaho, winning people over to their unique sound. Says Erik, “Having a hard-to-define sound is sort of a blessing and a curse. Sometimes venues and festival organizers don’t know where we fit in but lots of people tell us, ‘I don’t know what kind of music you call that, but I like it.” This summer the Barking Owls are playing seven shows from Mahoney’s in Bellevue to the Throwdown in Dogtown in Stanley. Also on the horizon are music videos so the world can experience the Barking Owls, as well as work on their next studio album towards the end of the year. The band currently has two full-length albums, their 2013 self-titled The Barking Owls as well as 2014’s 13 Steps.
