Southern Utah is not synonymous with live music. However, near the blood red cliffs of Zion, in the little town of Toquerville, Dave Durrant is cranking away at the Bat Kave studio. Like many musicians, Durrant was interested in capturing his own material and started recording his music on a Tascam cassette recorder. Looking back on those days he says, "it was kind of cool … [Read more...]
Tony Holiday and The Velvetones: Living and Breathing Blues
The blues began on the plantations of the South, but it didn't stay there long. It is said that the blues is an amalgamation of Mexican guitars, Native American singing and African singing. It is often performed in a call and response manner, as it was first used to keep rhythm and bring a little joy to the lives of those picking cotton on the sprawling plantations of the Old … [Read more...]
Mojave Nomads
A love for rock ‘n’ roll spurred the formation of Mojave Nomads. After attending a concert, lead singer Tyler Harris and guitarist Colter Hill thought, “Why can’t we do that? We love rock ‘n’ roll too!” Drummer Cole Eisenhour had jammed with Colter back in high school and a call out on Twitter for a bassist brought in Bryton Bell. The summer of 2014 saw them writing songs tog … [Read more...]
Queenadilla
Barely Controlled Chaos is Their Secret to Success Queenadilla’s front man Chase McKnight picked up guitar only three years ago. A lot of practice and natural talent, combined with dumb luck, have led to unexpected success. He got his first electric guitar only a month before jamming with his second cousin, guitarist Nick Mayberry. They then brought on drummer Stacey F … [Read more...]
Foreign Figures: A Utah Band Reaching the World with Its Music
Foreign Figures isn’t your everyday band. They came together with a mutual desire to share their message of hope to the whole world. Lead singer Eric Michels explains, "We talk about bringing positivity, and that is important to us, but it's not like all of our songs are 100 percent upbeat and positive. A lot of the lyrics I write and some of the feelings you get from our songs … [Read more...]
Moab Muse(iscian): Sounds from Southern Utah Local Spotlight
There are times in life when words fail. For Scott Ibex, that’s when music speaks the loudest. As an artist with five albums to his credit, and performances at the McPherson Opera House, the Casper Events Center, and the House of Blues in Hollywood, Ibex chose to make Moab, Utah his home after touring nationally for years. Through a desert soundscape, he sought transition to … [Read more...]
The Souvenirs: Vintage Country Trio
“Good things come in threes” has never sounded better than the absolutely captivating three-part harmony sung by The Souvenirs. Their new album, debuting in late August, is a must have for anyone who sincerely loves classic country. Marie (guitar/vocalist), Kiki, (bass/vocalist) and Corinne (fiddle/vocalist), former members of the Folka Dots, are now The Souvenirs, an all … [Read more...]
Utah’s Best New Bluegrass Band are in Middle School
“We all met in a bar,” jokes 14-year-old Flint and Steel musician Garrison Asper. Bars with alcohol? No. Musical bars? Yes. The quintet may kid about how they formed their band, but they’re spot-on serious when it comes to creating music. This group of friends are always joking around and having fun together, and this energy resonates in their sound. Finding both gigs and tim … [Read more...]
Folksinger Tom Bennett Sings for Utah and Clean Air
Six years ago, Tom Bennett was an apostate return missionary drug dealer playing in punk bands in Salt Lake dive bars. Living out his own version of SLC Punk, Tom’s non-stop party days came to an end when he was busted on Trax by undercover narcs. His first offense, Tom was let off easy and when I met him in 2006, and he had just landed a job in a Boys and Girls Center. He was a … [Read more...]