📰BIDDEFORD | Sparrow brings musical alchemy to Biddeford and beyond

📰BIDDEFORD | Sparrow brings musical alchemy to Biddeford and beyond

January 13, 2026, What do you get when you combine a cello, banjo, harp, piano, guitar, and some passionate voices? The members of Sparrow call it “chamber folk” and they're eager to share their original take on modern and traditional folk music.

Saco resident Bob Wiegers is a singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and the founder of Sparrow. Ever since moving back to Maine in 2024, Wiegers has been trying to form a band. An old friend from Portland played the cello. and after finding a pianist from Saco and guitarist from Biddeford on a local Facebook musicians group, things started to click. Another friend from Scarborough plays the harp, and was soon added.

“I've played with lots of different bands, and always had a good time, but it never felt quite like it was from the heart, until now,” Wiegers said. “I'm allergic to normal, yet I love all sorts of folk music, so finding friends who are both incredibly talented and willing to try something fun and unusual was the key to unlock what sparrow is becoming.”

They had their initial forays on the local music scene last year, and are eager for their official debut at Banded Brewing in Biddeford on January 17 at 6pm. “We enjoyed a few of the local open mics, and that helped us forge our sound, and we quickly realized we were on to something special.” Future shows include January 31 at Hi-Fidelity in Portland and February 28 at Lucky Pigeon in Biddeford.

Mixing original folk tunes and ballads with traditional and modern songs, Sparrow’s influences range from Avett Brothers to Gillian Welch to Ben Folds and beyond. From heart-warming songs about their pet dog, to songs about doubt and faith, to songs “ripped from the headlines” to songs about love and longing, to songs about life in Maine--it's all fair game, along with toe-tapping traditional crowd-pleasers, some unusual covers.

Wiegers is the primary songwriter for the band, and he recently won a round of the Wildwood Studios Songwriting Contest. His recent songs have thousands of views on social media, but he’s not the only voice of the band. “What I’m most proud of is that nearly all of us contribute songwriting, and we all take turns singing and harmonizing. It truly is a group effort. I’ve been writing a lot of songs on my own, and now we’re writing songs together too, which has been a blast.”

And the end result? Wiegers says, “You’ve never heard anything quite like it. Harp played with quirky folk-pop sensibilities. Piano rocking everything from ragtime to classical. Incredibly intricate guitar solos. Banjo and mandolin adding textures, and cello beautifully holding it all together, topped off with passionate melodies and rich harmonies. It just might change your life, or at least you’ll probably have a nice time.”

Sparrow is playing at various locations in Biddeford, Portland, Sanford, and Saco in the weeks ahead. You can find out more on their website at sparrowmusic.me