Classic rock band playing at a local restaurant in Turks and Caicos.
The Bar Band performing their weekly set at Bob's Bar & Eats, a popular local hangout on Providenciales.
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The Bar Band

Upcoming Performances
The Bar Band playing at a local bar on Providenciales at night.
The Bar Band's members, from left: Bob Hawkins, Jeff Hodges, Donovan Swann, Brian Swann, and David Hartshorn.

Rocking out to the sounds of the 60s, 70s, and 80s several nights per week—with a few new pop tunes in the mix—The Bar Band is a crew of local musicians that performs classic rock and blues songs at several restaurants on Providenciales.

If you’re hoping to hear music that will have you tapping your foot and singing along, The Bar Band is the act to see.

Expect to hear soulful covers of Eric Clapton, Bob Dylan, Tina Turner, and The Beatles songs.

About The Bar Band

The Bar Band has a loyal following of resident fans who, each Wednesday, flock to popular local hangout Bob's Bar to catch the band’s weekly performance there.

It’s in this very place, recall founding members David Hartshorn and Bob Hawkins, that the band got its start around 2010. Hartshorn and Hawkins began jamming at various homes around the island with former members Doug Carlson and Jeff Lee. They decided to start a band, convincing Bob Pratt (the Bob behind Bob's Bar) to allow them to perform a few songs regularly to a test audience at his bar.

Back then, the band consisted of an electric guitar, three acoustics, and in later years, an inanimate electronic drum set they named ‘Ed’. Today, cousin duo Brian Swann and Donovan Swann provide the rhythm, playing bass and drums respectively.

In addition to their Wednesday act at Bob's Bar, The Bar Band also has a regular gig at Castaways Conch Bar & Island Grill, a restaurant in a picturesque coconut grove in Grace Bay.

The Bar Band playing at night on Providenciales.
Little girl dancing to The Bar Band's music at a restaurant in Providenciales.
Left: Rock and roll music, provided by The Bar Band, at Bob's Bar on Providenciales.   Right:  The Bar Band's covers at their Providenciales gigs are popular with all ages.

Members

The Bar Band is a five-man show that comprises talented musicians from the Turks and Caicos Islands and beyond. With the exception of Hartshorn and Hawkins, members have changed throughout the years. Alumni include Greg Doolittle, acoustic and vocals, and Jack Sims, blues vocals.

Bob Hawkins
Lead Guitar
Not to be confused with Bob Pratt of Bob’s Bar, Bob Hawkins has been playing lead guitar since the 1960s. He worked as a professional musician for three decades touring with dozens of bands in the United Kingdom. Hawkins has performed at the legendary, 12,500-capacity Wembley Arena in London and at the Cambridge Festival. His smooth guitar solos are a highlight of a Bar Band show.
David Hartshorn
Vocals, Acoustic Guitar
Lending his rich voice and acoustic talents to the band, David Hartshorn has a knack for singing classic rock songs, from Proud Mary to Come Together. The U.K.-born quantity surveyor and builder, now semi-retired, has lived in the Turks and Caicos for more than 40 years and founded the band with Hawkins.
Jeff Hodges
Vocals, Keyboard
Energetic keyboardist and singer Jeff Hodges has been in bands since he was 14, and majored in piano and vocals while attending Winthrop University in South Carolina. Prior to arriving in the Turks and Caicos Islands, he ran a recording studio in Charleston for many years. His studio recorded the original vocals for Darius Rucker’s hit country song, Wagon Wheel.
Brian Swann
Bass
Turks and Caicos Islanders and residents will remember Brian Swann as the keyboardist from the popular local band Solie and the Gang, which used to play sets at the old Third Turtle Inn, Erebus Inn, and bygone carnival event, Provo Days. He’s been playing bass, his favorite instrument, with The Bar Band for several years.
Donovan Swann
Drums
The band’s youngest member, North Caicos musician Donovan Swann, lends The Bar Band his powerful drum beats. He’s been playing with the band for several years.

Where The Bar Band Performs

You can catch The Bar Band at Bob's Bar every Wednesday (unless it’s raining). If you’re staying in the central Grace Bay area, don’t miss their weekly Friday performance at Castaways Conch Bar & Island Grill, a restaurant surrounded by coconut palms off Grace Bay Road.

The Bar Band is available for private events. Tips at their shows, they say, are always welcome.

Upcoming Performances

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Every Friday
6:00 PM
Castaways Bar & Grill, Grace Bay
Local rock band playing at an outdoor Caribbean and seafood restaurant
Every Wednesday
7:30 PM
Bob's Bar, Venetian Road
Local classic rock band playing at a bar and restaurant with an outdoor setting