Joshua James’ Soft Siege

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Velour Live Music Gallery was filled to capacity on Feb. 4 with a throng of music lovers heavily anticipating the night’s main entertainment: Joshua James and The Southern Boys.

“I saw their last ten shows,” said Henry Camarillo, a student at BYU. “I come for their unique sound and environment.”

As James took stage, the room fell silent in anticipation. Starting with his soft, intimate voice and guitar in hand, he was shortly accompanied by his guitarist, Evan. By the chorus of the first song, keyboardist Joe and special guest bassist Kyle Henderson were producing a sound that would be comparable to a mix of Bob Dylan, Elliott Smith and Tom Petty. This three-man band held everything except a drummer, as a drum set is broken apart for each of the three to play in addition to their own set instrument.

“Evan and I came up with this type of set up because it was harder to play and travel with more people. We couldn’t afford five players. So we broke the dynamics of the band into three. I dig the simplicity,” James said. “Kyle played with us a year ago and [we] thought it would be a good experience to have him play with us tonight.”

Kyle Henderson said he learned to play the bass with Joshua during that last year. “It’s not about how you play. It’s about passion, music and playing with friends. I don’t care about anything but playing with friends. It’s all about the shared experience. Human experience is where it’s at.”

Joshua James’ music captivated the audience with its elements of rock country with folk rock harmony.

“I love it. He’s really good; relaxing instead of like a lot of other bands,” says Carlos Gomar, a fan from the University of Utah. “The way he incorporates his religious views and stories are interesting to listen to. I could die after listening to this music.”

“Josh writes really good songs – always a heartfelt experience,” said Kyle Henderson. “Tonight, there was a good crowd and a good atmosphere. There’s a lot of times people aren’t into grooving. Tonight, I could feel everyone feeling it, which always makes the show better.”