With a pluck and a twang, The Speedbumps is planning an acoustic return to Columbus.
The Speedbumps is scheduled to play Friday at Rumba Café at 7:30 p.m.
“Everything we do is acoustically driven, and I think that’s something we’ve purposefully done,” said Kevin Martinez, upright bass player.
The members of the band from Kent, Ohio, has spent a few years away from the state’s capital but will be making its return on Friday.
“It’s exciting to go to Columbus. We haven’t been there in a few years,” said Erik Urycki, vocalist, guitarist and ukulele player.
For Urycki, who said he grew up around string instruments, an acoustic-based band was in the cards.
Martinez agreed on the importance of being a stringed band.
“We really try and focus on acoustic instruments. The cello and the ukulele are definitely unique and less common,” Martinez said.
In October, The Speedbumps joined forces with Canton Symphony Orchestra for a collaborative performance, bringing the band’s acoustic approach to a new high.
“We were a good match with the symphony,” Urycki said.
Martinez even wrote the entire score for the band’s performance with the orchestra, Urycki said.
“We were influenced by the symphony long before we did that show,” he said.
With that influence comes a more classical sound to The Speedbumps’ songs.
“I really think right now we are really inspired by combining classical music with pop music,” Martinez said.
While the band is coming to Columbus for a show on Friday, Urycki said The Speedbumps’ third album is scheduled to drop when Ohio State students return to campus in the fall.
“Every album we do is different than the others,” Urycki said. “(But) the main instruments are the same.”
Drummer Pat Hawkins said the upcoming album is maturing along with the band.
“We are kind of past beginning stages with it,” he said.
The band is really beginning to let its creative juices flow, Hawkins said.
As the newest album is written, the band will likely bring in influences across genre lines.
“We all bring in our own individual influences to the table,” Martinez said.
Urycki brings in honest songwriting through real life experiences.
“Songwriting for me is a therapeutic thing,” he said. “Sometimes I’m less of a storyteller and more of dealing with stuff.”
Although the band hails from the Buckeye state, it has taken some time away from its home. Leading up to the album release though, the group has been making mores stops in Ohio.
“We’ve been all over the country, but we are actually just reintroducing ourselves to Ohio,” Urycki said.
Rumba Café is located at 2507 Summit St. Tickets are available for $5 through TicketWeb.