"Did you know I'm in a band? Well, we haven't played for a while, but I play a bunch of different instruments and we have a really cool sound. Like, I can't even describe our sound, you just have to hear it. We're going to start recording soon. I'll let you know."
"Uh huh."
Conversations like these happen all too often in Provo, Utah. It's just a really musical place. Most everyone sings at least once a week at church, every apartment has a guitar and countless people can play the piano, again, because of church.
There are music venues, bookstores, pizza parlors and other places that are always looking for some good musicians to fill their seats, and it's fairly easy for a few guys to throw some music together. But every once in a while some pretty decent acts get together and make a pretty good run at it. Here's a quick history of the Provo Music Scene. (Warning: I'm gonna start name-dropping here)
I had heard of Provo staple bands Chili Davis, the Matt Lewis Band and Stretch Armstrong that had been around for years, but were pretty much gone when I moved here. Abby Normal (headed by Chance Lewis), Forgotten Charity (now Polar Sleep) and Another Statistic were all Provo favorites with decent followings and very different sounds. Abby Normal was kind of a punk/ska outfit, Forgotten Charity had a cool, acoustic, ambient sound while Another Statistic was a face-melting progressive rock trio that was able to rotate instruments without missing a beat. (heh)
About that time is when two friends and I started the three-piece band Sonic Boom. We probably needed to add another guitar or keys, but it was easier that way and we had too much fun, which is kinda why you make a college band, right? We played just about every weekend with fellow butt-rockers Picketing Emily, My My Machete, Metzener and Saint Sebastian's School For Wicked Girls who were a personal favorite of mine.
At the time, the biggest name around Provo was Neon Trees, and if you've listened to the radio in the past year or so, you've heard them...a lot. They were the "it" band of Provo with their dark, moody techno music, lead singer with a legit mohawk and their drummer who they found via Another Statistic. Their sound has since evolved into the upbeat pop sound that they promote through seemingly nonstop touring. Here's a Buick commercial they were featured in:
What a nice little isolated Provo music success story, right? That was just the beginning. Heard of Imagine Dragons? Again, if you've listened to the radio in the past few months you've heard their hit single "It's Time" which was also featured on the September 13 episode of Glee. More of their music is finding its way to the airwaves, movie trailers and commercials. Here is their...interesting music video for "It's Time":
The latest success story out of Provo is the band Fictionist who used to go by Good Morning Maxfield named after their lead singer Stuart Maxfield. Last year they announced that they were signed by Atlantic Records and have since been in the studio recording their album. Fictionist seems to be everybody's favorite word in Provo. I think people just like saying it. Fictionist recently played at the Provo Rooftop Concert series and, well, it was a bit underwhelming given the buzz surrounding them. I couldn't figure out what their sound was, but more importantly I don't think they know what their sound is. Here's to hoping their album proves me wrong.
Lastly, I want to talk about the latest and greatest Provo band, The New Electric Sound. The band formed in Fall 2011 with former members of Can't Stop Won't Stop and Bearcats. NES is a kind of retro surf pop band that served as the soundtrack to many listener's summers after finding their debut album on iTunes. They have a truly unique, fully-realized sound that shines through during their live shows. Matching cardigans, retro microphones and a ten-foot wide beach ball (yes, that's right) accompany a lead singer who performs like a man possessed and a bass player who may just be the wittiest stage personality you'll ever come across. Keep your eye on these guys, and in the meantime, here is their music video for their single Heart Beat:
"Uh huh."
Conversations like these happen all too often in Provo, Utah. It's just a really musical place. Most everyone sings at least once a week at church, every apartment has a guitar and countless people can play the piano, again, because of church.
There are music venues, bookstores, pizza parlors and other places that are always looking for some good musicians to fill their seats, and it's fairly easy for a few guys to throw some music together. But every once in a while some pretty decent acts get together and make a pretty good run at it. Here's a quick history of the Provo Music Scene. (Warning: I'm gonna start name-dropping here)
I had heard of Provo staple bands Chili Davis, the Matt Lewis Band and Stretch Armstrong that had been around for years, but were pretty much gone when I moved here. Abby Normal (headed by Chance Lewis), Forgotten Charity (now Polar Sleep) and Another Statistic were all Provo favorites with decent followings and very different sounds. Abby Normal was kind of a punk/ska outfit, Forgotten Charity had a cool, acoustic, ambient sound while Another Statistic was a face-melting progressive rock trio that was able to rotate instruments without missing a beat. (heh)
About that time is when two friends and I started the three-piece band Sonic Boom. We probably needed to add another guitar or keys, but it was easier that way and we had too much fun, which is kinda why you make a college band, right? We played just about every weekend with fellow butt-rockers Picketing Emily, My My Machete, Metzener and Saint Sebastian's School For Wicked Girls who were a personal favorite of mine.
At the time, the biggest name around Provo was Neon Trees, and if you've listened to the radio in the past year or so, you've heard them...a lot. They were the "it" band of Provo with their dark, moody techno music, lead singer with a legit mohawk and their drummer who they found via Another Statistic. Their sound has since evolved into the upbeat pop sound that they promote through seemingly nonstop touring. Here's a Buick commercial they were featured in:
What a nice little isolated Provo music success story, right? That was just the beginning. Heard of Imagine Dragons? Again, if you've listened to the radio in the past few months you've heard their hit single "It's Time" which was also featured on the September 13 episode of Glee. More of their music is finding its way to the airwaves, movie trailers and commercials. Here is their...interesting music video for "It's Time":
The latest success story out of Provo is the band Fictionist who used to go by Good Morning Maxfield named after their lead singer Stuart Maxfield. Last year they announced that they were signed by Atlantic Records and have since been in the studio recording their album. Fictionist seems to be everybody's favorite word in Provo. I think people just like saying it. Fictionist recently played at the Provo Rooftop Concert series and, well, it was a bit underwhelming given the buzz surrounding them. I couldn't figure out what their sound was, but more importantly I don't think they know what their sound is. Here's to hoping their album proves me wrong.
Lastly, I want to talk about the latest and greatest Provo band, The New Electric Sound. The band formed in Fall 2011 with former members of Can't Stop Won't Stop and Bearcats. NES is a kind of retro surf pop band that served as the soundtrack to many listener's summers after finding their debut album on iTunes. They have a truly unique, fully-realized sound that shines through during their live shows. Matching cardigans, retro microphones and a ten-foot wide beach ball (yes, that's right) accompany a lead singer who performs like a man possessed and a bass player who may just be the wittiest stage personality you'll ever come across. Keep your eye on these guys, and in the meantime, here is their music video for their single Heart Beat:
Thanks Dave for keeping me up to speed with the latest in the Provo music scene. I think I went to a Sonic Boom show one time. It was, wait for it, LEGENDARY!
ReplyDeleteToo kind, too kind. So when do we get to hear the world premiere of Zak's Back to The Future song?
ReplyDelete