meet the band
Daren Barker (Lead Vocals, Guitar, Keyboard)
Daren Barker is a vocalist and multi-instrumentalist from Cedar Rapids, IA. He grew up singing harmonies with his mother and grandmother while sitting around the piano. As a child, he dabbled in playing acoustic guitar via a Gibson J-160 E handed down from his father's family. His mother taught him how to play 'You Are My Sunshine'. But it wasn't until age 14 that Daren started building his foundation as a lead player on electric guitar. He then spent years playing and singing in a praise band with his family.
By 2009, at age 18, Daren was performing live music across Iowa on the weekends. He spent three years in the music program at Kirkwood College, singing in an a cappella jazz ensemble with 8 voices, including a vocal bassist and percussionist. Daren has continued to perform music in Iowa and surrounding states in both acoustic acts and full bands.
He is currently touring with New Trick: Iowa's Classic Rock Band as the lead vocalist, keyboardist, and guitarist.
Frank Mason (Drums)
Born west of Chicago and having grown up in Dubuque Iowa, Frank is the founder and manager of NEW TRICK. He started general noise-making behind a drum at the age of 8, moving to full drum set by age 10, driving his parents marginally insane.
Early on he began playing in local bands in Dubuque and Iowa City. His formal music education over the years was a blend of many genres. While at the University of Iowa, he was a member of the Hawkeye Marching Band but never ventured far from his rock band roots. He played for The Touch, a premier Iowa City new wave rock band before "retiring" from professional music in 1985.
In the years following, he took time to engage in other lifelong interests that included motorsports photography and coaching high school and college baseball.
In 2009 the desire to perform professionally again prompted him to seek out other musicians and form what would become NEW TRICK.
Hard working, animated and always in motion, his enthusiasm and experience is evident in every performance. Today while New Trick has enjoyed much success you may also find him behind the wheel of the #10 Dirt Late Model racecar at tracks all over Iowa.
Bruce Bingman (Bass, Vocals)
Bruce’s musical experience began on trombone and transitioned to electric bass, a custom fretless four-string in 1987. He studied Jazz in Flint, Michigan and played in a variety of small and big-bands performing in a number of genre’s including Classic Rock, Jazz/Blues and Roots. He even sang in the Flint Male Chorus for a year or two.
In Philadelphia, Bruce was privileged to play a show backing Clifton Davis, Jr. and was the sole upright player in a bass quintet formed to play at the New Covenant Church of Philadelphia
After moving to Iowa, Bruce managed to get a few gigs with a few bands but his weekend schedule made playing out very difficult. A job change allowed Bruce to answer the call from New Trick in 2018.
The fit was extraordinary, the timing perfect and the opportunity to play great music with New Trick could not be missed.
Les Ohlhauser Lead Guitar and Vocals
For over 30 years, Les has been a mainstay in the Eastern Iowa/Corridor music scene. During that time, he has played thousands of gigs, written tons of songs, recorded several albums, taught countless students, and has loved every minute of it. His resume is... not short.
In addition to local cover bands such as Black The Sun, Future Legends, Rhubarb Red, BPM, The Mixtape, performances with Theater Cedar Rapids, and more,.
Les has also been in several original bands, including Detachment, Backdoor Betty, Genital Hercules, The Bends, Nuclear Biologist Rocket Surgeons, Extreme Leisure, and, most recently, A.L.O.H.A. (check out their debut album Milk of Amnesia on all the streaming things!)
When not strumming away at the guitar, Les can be found spending time with his family, hiking in the woods, watching Twin Peaks, traveling out of state for a concert, drinking coffee, rooting for the NY Mets, baking, or assembling jigsaw puzzles.