Your Favorite Band is a Bike Ride Away at All Saints

After the unfortunate hiatus of Buzzards & Bees, a well-loved music festival in downtown Provo, All Saints swooped in quickly to fill the void. However, this isn’t just Buzzards & Bees with a new name; this is a whole new beast.

Co-founders of The Toaster Oven, Bly Wallentine and Colin Foy, came together with Bex Graham of Happy Valley Rockers and audio engineer at Velour Live Music Gallery, fern McKenzie, among other organizers, to create what would become the next South by Southwest-style, Halloween-themed music festival in Utah County. Now, they’re getting ready for round two.

“Colin and Bly came to me with the vision,” Graham explains. “We grew the vision as a group, but they really pushed the DIY aspects because they’re such core members of the community, so they’re bringing the community together.” The other organizers were quick to jump in and give Graham her credit, though, calling her the “backbone” of the project.

“Let’s bring the money here locally, let’s keep the money here locally and let’s pay every artist what they’re worth, which is the same.”

What makes All Saints a bit different than other festivals is that there are no headliners, as they believe all bands are created equal. “I remember that last year, Little Moon went on first,” McKenzie gives an example. “If you wanted to see Little Moon, you had to be there at the beginning. And if you’re there at the beginning, why not stay all night?”

Foy takes pride in the fact that they were able to pay all of the performers equally, explaining that it’s “all about flattening the economy. Let’s bring the money here locally, let’s keep the money here locally and let’s pay every artist what they’re worth, which is the same.”

Leaning into the DIY aspect, something else that sets this festival apart is the unconventional venues like St. Mary’s Episcopal Church in Provo – and they’re using the spaces just as they are, no sound system included. “It’s so nice to have a few venues where there’s no sound system, and everyone is just hushed and listening,” Wallentine says excitedly. Every venue will have a curated lineup to fit its vibe and capabilities.

As for what bands you can expect to see, the committee is hard at work rifling through over 100 impressive submissions from all over Utah and even out of state. Since they view the festival as “people coming to see their neighbors play,” Utah County bands are the priority, but they also love interacting with bands from both up north and down south.

“I have a stubborn attitude about Provo. We can make this cool if we stay here and do cool things here.”

I know some Salt Lakers might be reluctant to spend a day in my neighborhood, but I agree with McKenzie when they say, “I have a stubborn attitude about Provo. We can make this cool if we stay here and do cool things here.” They further that sentiment by explaining that BYU and UVU bring tens of thousands of college students to Provo every year, and beautiful art can come from the transitional period of one’s early 20s. Wallentine and Foy can confirm.

“It makes an inevitably insane music scene. These people are wondering how they can make themselves seen in a sea of young musicians, so we want to shine a light on them. It’s just such a vibrancy,” Foy says. “Your favorite band is a bike ride away,” Wallentine agrees. “Go downtown, and you’re gonna find music you love.”

While these organizers are learning a lot from their predecessors and their debut, the most resounding lesson they’ve learned is that “you can just get a group of friends together and make an event, and people will show up. It’s surprisingly doable.” Graham laughs, saying the most important lesson she’s learned is that “punk bands don’t love to fill out Google forms.”

To keep tabs on the performers and venues, follow @allsaints_musicfest. Don your costumes. You won’t regret making the trek.

Read more musical coverage from SLUG Magazine:
Review: Soft Cell — Danceteria
Soap Charge w/ DIY Suicide, PoGoStiX and Power Beer 09.10.2026

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