We Can't Stop Listening to Oliver Hazard

Mar 9, 2022

From their Midwest roots to their music festival "Oliver Hazard Day," the Ohio-native band opens up about life on tour, new music, and their creative process.

The Ohio indie-folk band Oliver Hazard has been making music together since about 2017. They talk about opening for the 502s, the Living Room Tour, and the idea behind Oliver Hazard Day. — Photo: Stephen Norregaard

You have been making music together since about 2017. How has your style and sound developed over the years to what it is now?

Our style is constantly evolving but when it comes down to it, the backbone of our sound is in the vocals. Our three voices were the glue from the start. The band was very minimalistic in the beginning— a broken guitar, an old suitcase kick drum, a kazoo and a tambourine— so naturally our sound has expanded over the years as we introduce more instruments. In the end, we just want to continue to grow as musicians.

What was the inspiration behind Oliver Hazard Day? What do you guys hope for the future of this festival?

Oliver Hazard Day was an event that was originally suggested by the mayor of our small town of Waterville, Ohio. We wanted to find a way to involve the city as a part of our project, so we decided to host a city wide festival to celebrate our roots and to bring great musicians to a place that they otherwise wouldn’t take the time to stop by. We hope to continue bringing our fellow musician friends to Waterville. We expect the festival to grow as we grow.

The Living Room Tour was a really intimate setting, how does that compare to going on tour with Caamp and the 502s?

We love the intimacy of the living room tour, and even though these venues have had a much larger audience these past few weeks, we still find ways to make it feel intimate. We enjoy asking the crowd to participate and feel a part of the music, no matter the size of the venue. That is definitely one big takeaway from playing so many living room shows.

When was the moment you felt like all the pieces were coming together in your journey, both in creating your sound and growing as a band?

There was never one BIG moment for us. Our journey seems to be a series of serendipitous steps towards a common goal. When the three of us start singing together, there is no doubt in our minds that we are onto something. And the audience reaction at these shows affirms that. Each baby step we take (whether it be a new tour, a community event in Waterville, a new song or video) feels like another puzzle piece coming together in our journey.

Making a festival in your hometown is something unique to your band. How has your hometown inspired your music and career?

Our hometown of Waterville is definitely the glue of this whole project. It serves not only as our identity but also as the foundation for our music. We have a wonderful community and their support is relentless. The fact that the city allows us to host our festival, and the whole town shows up, is a testament to that. We couldn’t be more grateful.

You can listen to Oliver Hazard's latest single, "Use Me Up" on Spotify and all streaming platforms. Make sure to follow the band on Instagram for the latest updates on new music, live shows, and more.