If boring weekends in the valley are getting you down and you are searching for new music to fill your soul, look no further than Provo’s own Velour. Local music talent is so alive and accessible in the area that there is no excuse for not getting out and seeing what Provo has to offer.
On Friday, you can fulfill your need for melodic rock with local favorite The New Nervous. This four piece group has helped shape the Provo music scene into what it is today through their skillful approach to making music. These guys live and breathe music. With a unique combination of vivid lyrics and stirring instrumentals to back it, this band will leave an impression with its powerful experimental sound.
The range of talent is shown in the spectrum of songs like the socially conscious Pharmacadia, and the more mellow and chillingly beautiful The Struggle. A loyal following proves they make music for the fans, and for the sheer love of doing it. These friendly lads always invite people to talk to them after shows and are genuinely interested in meeting anyone who enjoyed their music. Having been compared to bands such as The Mars Volta and Portugal the Man, The New Nervous will quench the thirst for a moving musical experience.
Saturday night brings about a different feel when Sayde Price opens for Provo favorite The Devil Whale. The young Sayde’s musical depth and emotion rival artists double her age. As she plucks and strums away on her acoustic guitar, her stage presence is so captivating that the crowd is unable to look away from her, not that you would want to miss a moment of this tiny songbird with her strikingly distinctive voice.
The Devil Whale, popular with the vintage cowboy boot crowd, weave nostalgic folk rhythms in perfect harmony with the breathy, wispy, vocal styling of Brinton Jones, whose voice will melt you where you stand. The stage may be crowded for this five piece band, which often have guest performers, but the energy that radiates from the stage is unmatched by bands near or far.
The storytelling style of many of the songs is like a road trip with old friends, leaving you warm and at ease as the music drives you. Although the song “Conscience a Friend Who Lies” suggests that “prayers aren’t always heard,” your prayer for soulful folk rock here in Provo has been answered in The Devil Whale.
So put off your homework for an evening or two — it will still be there after you have indulged yourself in a night of terrific local music. You won’t regret it.
If You Go:
Velour Live Music Gallery
135 North University Avenue Provo, Utah
Friday March 13th:
The New Nervous with Neon Trees, Shark Speed, and Love like Fire
Time: 8:00 p.m.
Cost $7.00
Saturday March 14th:
Sayde Price, RuRu, and The Devil Whale
Time: 8:00 p.m.
Cost $6.00
