Original Music | Classic Rock Covers | Irish Folk Songs

Musical Revelry!

The Bards are a progressive folk rock band based in Annapolis, MD. Since 2021, The Bards have performed all over the state, including the Maryland Day Festival at Power Plant Live! in Baltimore, Pirate Invasion at Ram’s Head On Stage, various Annapolis St. Patrick’s Day festivities, and multiple weekends each year at the Maryland Renaissance Festival in Crownsville.

The Bards’ original material features classic rock elements and orchestral compositions, strong harmonies, and creative storytelling lyrics alongside their signature prog/folk style. Their original albums, The Bards (2021) and Tales from the Swindling Serpent (2024), can be found on all streaming services.

Along with their growing repertoire of original songs, The Bards enjoy playing a wide range of rock covers and Irish folk tunes. Some of their favorites are Hold the Line by Toto, Fooling Yourself by Styx, and the traditional tunes Drunken Sailor and The Irish Rover. These songs and more can be found on their EPs: The Bards Crawl (2023) and We've Got This Covered (2025).

The Bards consist of original members John Bachkosky and Kevin Strasser, who grew up in Severna Park, Maryland, and newcomer Alyssa McKinney, who will be joining The Bards on keyboards this year. Prior to The Bards, John and Kevin worked together on multiple musical projects throughout high school and college, including their first band, DeD Walrus, and Severna Park High School's Rock N Roll Revival. Alyssa is a classically trained flutist whose love for alternative music (and growing up plunking on her mom’s baby grand) led her to the keyboard.

Greg Mazur, a founding member of The Bards (2021-24), was integral in creating the signature sound of The Bards through his strong vocal performances, inspiring keyboard abilities, and poetic lyrics.

The Bards are an independent band. All of The Bards’ albums are self-produced, with Kevin Strasser as sound engineer and producer in his home studio, Shady Side Studios.

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