For the first time, The Antivillains, a Toledo-based band, will be performing at the Black Swamp Arts Festival.

The Antivillains are a four-piece group that writes and performs their own music. Since 2005, Sarah Cohen has been writing and preforming original music for the group. While the lineup of the group has changed throughout the years, she continues to write the lyrics for each of their songs.

While Cohen is the songwriter for the group, she said their songs are always finalized together which helps them find the song’s identity.

“Crafting an original song together as an ensemble is quite special. Stories and a melody usually come to me after spending some time alone outdoors. I’ll hear a certain refrain or catchy line in a chorus materialize from a quiet space,” she said. “After spending some time working on the song on guitar, I’ll bring the rough acoustic version to the group and together we start adding layers and finding the song’s identity.”

For the festival, the group will be a five-piece as they will be joined by guest guitarist, Mike Savina. The rest of the group will consist of Sam Woldenberg on drums, Lucas Madrazo on bass, Ben Cohen on guitar and Sarah Cohen also on guitar.

This may be the first time the group has performed at the festival, but it’s not the first time Cohen has been at the festival.

She said she has some special memories from her time at the festival and remembers some specific performances quite well.

“BSAF has always brought together some really unique and powerful performers over the years,” she said. “I have a special memory of watching the Sierra Leone’s Refugee All Stars in 2012. My brother and I, Ben, who plays guitar in the band, had been working all day at our family’s restaurant, The Happy Badger in BG, serving what felt like 1 thousand people food. It was a real relief to get out that evening to the Main Stage. That particular performance really stuck with me.”

Being from Toledo, many of the group’s performances are in Northwest Ohio and Michigan. Their next performance in Ohio will be on Sept. 23 at the Toledo Botanical Garden. More information about the group and their music can be found online at theantivillains.com.

The Antivillains performance at the festival will be on Sept. 9 at 1:30 p.m. at the Main Stage. Cohen and Mike Savina will also be performing a duo set later that day on the Community Stage where they will be playing some of their favorite 1950s and 1960s country songs.

The group is looking forward to their performance at the festival, and Cohen said she hopes people enjoy it and will check out their next performance in Toledo.

Their music is also available to listen to online at theantivillains.bandcamp.com or on Spotify and YouTube.