It’s no surprise that this small town band from the college town of Auburn, Alabama is beginning to make it big in the southeast. On March 19th, The Stews rocked the stage at the 40th Annual St. Pats in Five Points.
Taking the stage on a dreary day during the not-so-sunny high noon, The Stews opened their set with a bang as the crowd was instantly entranced by the rocking melody that these talented guys had to offer.
After their set, I was given the opportunity to catch up with the band at the local Starbucks in Five Points (shout out to those amazing baristas who let me borrow a pen.) Here, I got to meet the four talented musicians who make up The Stews: Preston Hall, Blake Dobbs, Wyatt Griffith, and Bennett Baugus.
Who Are The Stews?
The simplest answer is that these are just four guys who want to reach as many people as possible through their music. The complicated answer? The Stews is made up of four guys who met at Auburn University and have created a band that defies the typical understanding of what rock music is. When asked to describe what genre their music is, I was met with a few answers from each member but the one description they all had in common was “rock.” In their words, they’re a blend of rock & roll, beach rock, and indie alternative.
While sitting at a table in the corner of Starbucks, anyone observing our conversation from the outside would’ve seen the simplicity. During the interview, the band members connected through their memories of rehearsals, living together, and even chaotic shows that included a flying can of beer. From being collaborative during their writing process to hanging out in their free time, it’s no surprise this band has such electric energy together on stage. If you’re new to The Stews, check out each member's favorite song so far:
Blake: "9-5"
Preston: "Make it Out"
Bennet: "Notions"
Wyatt: "Waste of Time"
How It Started
The band started their music career by playing basement shows in their college town of Auburn, Alabama. Three of the four met in high school where they started a band called the ‘Atlanta Boys.’ After starting college, a hiatus was called for. The band then later reconciled in 2020 and added Hall to their group under their new name The Stews. “Preston joining us as a musical group is like adding jet fuel to the engine and we are flying through the atmosphere,” said Dobbs when prompted with the question of how the group has changed since Hall joined their ranks.
How It’s Going
Playing the Greene and Harden stage at St. Pats Day in Five points is only the beginning for this Auburn-based rock band. 2022 is an exciting year for these guys as fans can look forward to another single release titled “Fireline,” set to be released on April 22, 2022. Following the single release, a little under a month later is the release date of their new LP that will consist of a ten-song tracklist, set to be released on May 20, 2022. And in the words of Dobbs, “keep your eyes peeled for a metric-boat-ton load of our dates for the Summer.”
Be on the lookout for anything and everything that The Stews has to offer in 2022! WUSC can’t wait to see how far they’ll go.
Be sure to keep up with The Stews on their social media! And tune into Emily's show Cheap Eyeliner Wednesdays 10 pm-12 am.
Cheap Eyeliner is an indie alternative show that typically focuses on rock/metal music with themes every week! I typically focus on females in the music industry and we discuss mental health initiatives on the show frequently. Tune in to hear me ramble and mispronounce various words that I really shouldn't be mispronouncing!