Localized

As the threat of the Utah summer heat looms and the spring rainclouds give way to hot winds blowing tumbleweeds across arid landscapes, the denizens of the Salt Lake valley will soon find solace in a night of music inspired by the very place they all endure together. On the evening of July 10, SLUG invites you to relax at Urban Lounge while Band of Annuals treats everyone with their alt-country twang alongside David Williams, who will be celebrating the release of his second full-length, tentatively titled Western Interior Seaway. Will Sartain will open the show with new music from his solo project.

Band of Annuals

Jay Henderson: Vocals, guitar, harmonica

Jeremi Hanson: Vocals, wurlitzer, organ

Brent Dreiling: Pedal steel

Trever Hadley: Bass guitar

Jamie Timm: Electric guitar

Charlie Lewis: Drums

For five years, Band of Annuals has provided the nation with their unique mix of alt-country, indie and folk music. Hailing from Salt Lake City, they have spread their music across the country on three tours, becoming somewhat of an underground folk sensation, stretching from the blue waters of the Pacific to the Atlantic shores of New York. On a sunny summer day in early June, the beer was flowing and the spirits were high as I sat down with BOA to enjoy a pint, a pitcher and some good laughs at The Desert Edge Brewery at the Pub. Charlie Lewis and Jamie Timm were unable to join us, but the rest of the band still made the afternoon an excellent one.

This past May, the band performed at Moab’s Desert Rocks Music Festival. As anyone who was down there at the time remembers quite fondly, it rained. Hard. BOA was one of the last artists to play before the stage was shut down for over twelve hours, not to reopen until close to two in the morning. Only three members were present for the set, and almost all of the show attendants were trying to stay dry in their tents, resulting in a very short set to a disappointedly small crowd. In short, as Hadley put it, “it was a bust.” The trip down south was certainly not for nothing though, the band said. “We had a really good show in Torrey the night before.” said Hadley, “We played with [Magnolia Electric Co.] at The Patio and had been camping for three nights already.”

This was not an isolated occurrence. Recently, BOA has gone down quite often to Torrey to play at The Patio. “It’s basically a pizza shop with a patio, which is why it’s called ‘The Patio’” said Dreiling, “We get free pizza, free beer and everyone just plays songs and gets rowdy. A lot of the shows get turnouts of 40 people or more.” Their first show there was nearly two and a half years ago, even though shows officially started being held there just last summer. “It’s an escape from the city, and the locals are awesome,” Henderson said. 

Beyond shows in Salt Lake and Torrey, BOA has gone on two full US tours and many week-long tours, too. Last year, they were gone for six months, playing a total of nearly fifty shows all across the country. Their infamous tour van, dubbed “Galactigon,” has been with them since their last record, Let Me Live, was released. If there’s anything that these guys need money for, it’s repairs for this van. So far, they’ve had to replace the engine, transmission, fuel tank and “42 new tires.” Hopefully, Hadley was exaggerating.

For now, we can definitely expect BOA to release a new full-length record, hopefully within the year. “[We] hope to have it done ... well, at least recorded by the end of the summer,” said the band. “At this point, there’s no set release date.” Additionally, the band is planning on a tour sometime in the near future. As to exactly when that will be, “eventually” is their only answer. “The main focus right now is the record,” they said.

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Comments on this article

Posted on August 12, 2009 by Conrad Ford

Band Of Annuals, excellent! Been a fan for a while now. I'll check out the other guy in the article too.

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