Headed back out to Kilby Court this past week in what has been a pretty awesome month of shows. Adding to the already strange weather over the past week, a completely sunny day with a chilly wind. But that didn't stop the people from coming out and enjoying a show by the... heater? Yeah, I guess its too windy for a fire.

--- Today we head into a folk rock showcase mixed with some blues. First up the six-piece alt-folk band Small Town Sinners, followed by the solo work of The Awful Truth, gritty blues from Gypsy Cab, and the singalong stylings of Drew Danburry trying some new works. All with photos for you to check out here.

Small Town Sinners (Tyler, Patrick, Eric, KC, Carson and Jon)

http://www.myspace.com/smalltownsinners

Gavin: Hey guys, first off, tell us a little about yourselves.

Patrick: We are basically a group of friends who love each other a whole lot and drink way too much. We pour our heart and soul into our music and at the same time rarely take ourselves as seriously as we ought to.

Gavin: What got you interested in music, and who were some of your favorite acts and musical influences growing up?

Patrick: Growing up, the Dave Mathews Band was pretty big for most of us, Tyler would definitely say the Smashing Pumpkins. Carson, was really into saddle creek bands, Bright Eyes, Cursive Neva Dinova. I think we all have a big thank you to our friend Zach (Pat's brother) because all growing up this kid was SO prolific and pushed us all to be better. And a local hero Craig Hussey who taught us all about the O.G.'s Like Hendrix, Cream, Soft Machine, etc.

Gavin: How did you all get together to form Small Town Sinners?

Patrick: Carson and I were playing coffee shops and the D.U., which is like the only bar in Bountiful and eventually our friend Jon started playing drums with us. He introduced us to his pal Tyler who soon joined in on the keys. Our good friend Eric put down his guitar to pick up the bass. And when an old friend KC moved home from Hawaii we gained a fiddle player. That all sounds quick but I think it took close to two years to become what it is now.

Gavin: A couple of you had been a part of the local hip-hop scene prior to forming the group. How is it for you changing genres and producing more folk-driven music?

Patrick: Well, we were often compared to Mos Def and Talib Kweli. We made some good friends and learned a lot, but those days are hard to talk about now.

Gavin: What was it like for all of you honing your sound and making it work as a five piece?

Patrick: Really we're still honing that sound. It is so much fun for us to watch each other grow. Considering we all grew up playing in shitty, one-off punk bands (except Pastor Pat who only played in church bands) this band kind of challenges us, and we get to pay attention to aspects of the song that really hadn't mattered before. Everyday we make improvements and get closer to the sound we really want.

Gavin: How was it like recording Cutthroat, and the challenges you met along the way?

Patrick: Cutthroat was a blast, Tyler was just finishing some school for recording and mixing right as we met up with him, and it just happened. It was very relaxed, no dead line, just fun. It's weird listening back, at the time it was me, Carson, Jon and Tyler. There is not one bass line on the whole record. But I think it worked. I think the biggest challenge was cleaning up ashes and empty bottles so that Carson's parents wouldn't know we tracked drums in there living room.

Gavin: What was the public reaction to it when it came out?

Patrick: I don't think the public had a reaction. Bradley Hathaway came through town and somehow we were able to get on his Kilby Court bill. That was our CD release. The CD came in a sleeve, each cover was hand printed. I think there are probably less than 200 floating around out there. A lot of our friends have multiple copies. I really don't think anyone knows it exists.

Gavin: You just barely released your second album, The Dirty Thirty. What was this recording like compared to the first, and what's the response been like so far?

Patrick: The Dirty Thirty was much more thought out. We all really wanted a legitimate full length. We worked hard on giving it a more polished presentation but didn't want to take away from our inherent natural sound. We were now a six a piece so the whole CD just sounds more lush and full. The recording process was different all around. We were in a real studio. We had a full band to deal with now. Instead of trying to take up all this sonic space, each player had to learn to now make room for each other. As for response, It's really to early to say. Though our release at The Woodshed was very successful thanks to all our amazing friends and fans.

Gavin: Are there any plans in the works for a tour or just playing around town for now?

Patrick: We'll just be playing around town for now. We are all anxious to see where things go. None of us are against the idea of touring, we are just happy to play anywhere really.

Gavin: Going state-wide, what are your thoughts on the local music scene, both good and bad?

Patrick: Salt Lake is so full of talented bands. We are really lucky to be here. There are so many locals that we look up to. And the out of state bands know it too. They want to stop here because they know that the locals are going to be amazing and the scene is going to be super hospitable.

Gavin: Is there anything you believe could be done to make it bigger or better?

Patrick: We could really use more all ages venues. Where the kids can be more a part of it. Bars want one band all night. Venues are so key for networking and creating a sense of community. More venues dedicated to the music would help bands realize that we're all on the same team.

Gavin: Aside yourselves, who are your favorite acts in the scene right now?

Patrick: Paul Jacobsen & The Madison Arm has recently gained the one spot on my list. Micheal Gross & The Statuettes are incredible. Cody Rigby, !ANDELE!, Max Payne & The Groovies, The Lionelle... This town is full of rockin' bands, we could go on all night.

Gavin: What's your opinion on the current airplay on community radio these days and how its affecting local artists?

Patrick: The radio is still such a good vehicle for local bands. And we've got some great stations and shows dedicated to exposing and helping these bands here in Salt Lake. Mad love for KRCL who plays such a huge part in local scene.

Gavin: What's your take on file sharing these days and how it affects you as a musician?

Patrick: Man, if you have a CD of ours, rip it, burn it, copy it, mail it, give it to everyone you know! If our music was being "pirated" we would all be so honored.

Gavin: What can we expect from you guys over the rest of the year?

Patrick: We should have an EP out this summer/fall and we're going at with a totally different approach. You can expect us to keep writing more songs and playing more shows. We want to keep recording, keep meeting new people, we plan on constantly improving our sound so we'll just have to see.

Gavin: Is there anything you'd like to plug or promote?

Patrick: We have a show Friday the 2^nd at The Collective Loft in Farmington. If you want your music to sound hella legit, contact Venus Sound Studios. Listen to Margot & The Nuclear So-And-So's. And give our new record a spin.


The Awful Truth

http://www.myspace.com/theawfultruthmusic

Gavin: Hey Brent, first off, tell us a little about yourself.

Brent: My name is Brent Colbert. I grew up in Illinois. I live here now, I have written songs for a few years. I hide behind the name The Awful Truth, it's my thing, but a lot of other people have been involved.

Gavin: What got you interested in music, and who were some of your favorite acts and musical influences growing up?

Brent: When I was probably 12 or 13 I really got into getting CDs at the library. I literally educated myself, I didn't come from a musical family at all. I found Bob Dylan around then too, I wouldn't say he is my biggest influence by far, but I had never been exposed to anything like that, growing up hearing Top 40 pop songs, I was blown away at music that seemed to be lyrically driven, and more free verse, if that makes any sense. When I first got into writing songs I was pretty influenced by bands like The Weakerthans. I don't know what influences my sound but my favorites are Townes Van Zandt, A. W. Feldt, Damien Jurado, J. Tillman, Elliott Smith, Paleo, Bonnie Prince Billy, Low, Red House Painters, Nick Drake, Viking Moses, Rufus Wainright, The Magnetic Fields. They probably influence me subconsciously, but so do the books I read, and the events of my life. Influences are a strange thing to pinpoint.

Gavin: How did you go about forming The Awful Truth?

Brent: It just started with me writing songs alone. I was probably 17 when I started doing that (I'm 21 now). When I first started playing shows I did not want to go by my name, so “The Awful Truth” stuck. It wasn't until a couple years later that I even began to start playing a lot of shows or playing with other members.

Gavin: The band is primarily yourself with rotating members whenever they can perform. What made you decide to do that as opposed to forming a solid band?

Brent: Convenience. I spent two years living in Idaho, then moved back to Illinois where I grew up for a bit, and moved to SLC last April. It's that I have not been in a place consistently enough to have a solid band.

Gavin: How is it for you creating your own work and knowing what you want it to sound like, and then bringing others in to contribute?

Brent: It is tricky, that's something I am still learning, its really easy to completely lose the vision of the song with others contribution, I guess you just have to know what you want it to be, but being open to others ideas is a good thing.

Gavin: Last year you released the full-length album Orchid Collective. What was it like for you recording that album?

Brent: It was a mess, I recorded that album over a period of a year and a half, tracked with 13 different people other than me, Its very scattered. It was recorded in Idaho, Kansas, and Illinois. It really is a collection of songs I wrote in a three year period. I wrote a lot more than those, but those were the ones I wanted to put out before I moved on from them entirely.

Gavin: What did you think of the public reaction to it when it came out?

Brent: I'm not sure, I wouldn't say there is a public reaction, I think a lot of people may dislike the band arrangements if they have mostly seen me play alone, I guess I don't know.

Gavin: How did the idea come about for the “Son Of Disaster” video?

Brent: My friend Tyler Williams from Boise did it all. He never even asked about a concept, but I like what he did with it.

Gavin: Are there any plans to possibly go on tour, or just playing around town for now?

Brent: I should be going on tour this May, I am booking for it, just going to Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, Nevada, California. Just for a couple weeks.

Gavin: Going state-wide, what are your thoughts on the local music scene, both good and bad?

Brent: I don't know, The shows I have played here have mostly been pretty good.

Gavin: Is there anything you believe could be done to make it bigger or better?

Brent: I'm not sure, I am very new here. There are a lot of nice people that play music here.

Gavin: Aside yourself, who are your favorite acts in the scene right now?

Brent: Will Sartain, I really love his For Love record. I love Forest World too, its such fun pop music. JP Haynie is fantastic, I love his songs. JP is probably the most interesting local artist I have seen for a while, really intricate songs with minimal but powerful instrumentation and vocals, Jordan (JP) has a rare singing voice, It's really amazing. I also really love The Continentals, this band is full of young talent, the kids in this band are all younger than me and more talented musically that I am, they are really ambitious and just released an amazing record called Rhino. They have been playing with me for some shows that I do a full band as opposed to a solo set.

Gavin: What's your opinion on the current airplay on community radio these days and how its affecting local artists?

Brent: I'm not sure it does anything, I feel like my generation is really into the internet, they have iPods and CD Players, So I don't think most people even listen to the radio anymore, which is too bad. People are underexposed to art when they limit themselves to what their friends and blogs tell them, as opposed to so many genres you can hear when listening to the radio.

Gavin: What's your take on file sharing these days and how it affects you as a musician?

Brent: Me myself, its helpful. I can see how its hurtful for many larger artists, because they are not making record sales though they have plenty of recognition, but for me, I just need people to have my music, because no one knows it.

Gavin: What can we expect from you over the rest of the year?

Brent: Another record, Touring. More shows.


Gypsy Cab (David Nelson, Jesse Turley and Pat Boyer)

http://www.myspace.com/gypsycabiscool

Gavin: Hey guys, first off, tell us a little about yourselves.

Pat: We we're all in high school, 18, me and Jesse have been playing since fifth grade.

Gavin: What got you interested in music, and who were some of your favorite acts and musical influences growing up?

Jesse: I think the first band that I ever fell in love with was the Monkees. At that point, I didn't know that they were a made-for-TV version of the Beatles. After the Monkees did get really into the Beatles. The first drummer I really got into was Led Zeppelin's John Bonham. He became my musical idol, and still is. I also remember that Pat got me into Hendrix at a pretty early age: I spent a lot of time in seventh grade trying to figure out Mitch Mitchell's drumming on "Fire". In high school I started listening to more modern music, like the Red Hot Chili Peppers, some heavier stuff, like Tool and Rage Against The Machine, and some weirder stuff, like The Mars Volta. After that I moved on to jazz, and as of right now that is mostly what I am into. My favorite jazz drummers are probably Brian Blade, Jeff Ballard, and Ari Hoenig, but I have a soft spot for Tony Williams as well. My all-time favorite album is Sketches of Spain, by Miles Davis; Miles is really important to me.

Pat: I didn't like music when I was a kid. I used to say I hated it. My parents put me in orchestra fifth grade, I procrastinated the sign up, the only instrument left was a bass. So I learned that, then from that I got an electric bass, and from that I got an electric guitar, and it was history. Procrastination definitely helped me out on that one. First band I really loved was The Coasters. Then I got into Earth, Wind & Fire. From there I found journey, which led to Zeppelin, and that stuff blew my mind.

Gavin: How did you all get together to form Gypsy Cab?

Pat: We were all sophomores and there was a battle of the band at our school, so we signed up and prepared the week before the show, and we won.

Jesse: Mine and Pat's families were friends long before either one of us was born. And in fifth grade I switched schools and ended up in Pat's class at Rock Canyon Elementary school. We started jamming in fifth grade, and have been doing so on-and-off ever since.

Gavin: What made you decide to create more of a dirty blues-rock kind of sound to your music?

Jesse: That's more of a question for Pat, as he writes most of the songs. The way I approach Gypsy Cab is to take Pat's bluesy song ideas and to add an element of contemporary rock, while staying true to the genre the vibe that Pat is going for. My primary concern in constructing drum parts is to create something that is heavy without being overwhelming, interesting without being self-interested, and complex without being complicated. But then again, I try not to think too much about it-- to me drumming is a physical, almost sensual pursuit, and I play my best when I follow my intuition.

Pat: I grew up on blues. BB King, Buddy Guy, Stevie Ray, Albert Collins, real guitar blues. Then I picked up on Son House, Lightnin Hopkins, Junior Kimbrough and those guys. I love that hill stomp blues stuff.

Gavin: You currently have an EP floating around. How was it for you recording it and doing it in a DIY style?

Pat: We recorded the EP live in the venue room at muse. We knocked it out one Saturday. It was definately a blast, But we dont really play a lot of those tunes anymore.

Jesse: We like the grittyness of a low-fi recording. There's something really honest about sloppiness.

Gavin: What's been the reaction from people to it since its release?

Jesse: Well, we didn't press very many copies, so it's hard to tell. People seem to like it, but generally, people react more to our live show than they do to the EP.

Pat: Haha, no big response. We just had to get something out there.

Gavin: Do you have any plans in the works to record a full-length or just playing gigs for now?

Pat: Yeah we've got a few offers to record at a few places, currently we're just raising the money for it and getting the material together.

Jesse: We're flirting with the idea of getting a full length out before we graduate from high school.

Gavin: Going state-wide, what are your thoughts on the local music scene, both good and bad?

Jesse: There a lot of Utah bands that I really enjoy, and it's fun for me to get out of the Provo-bubble, and to see what's going on musically in Utah. There are a lot more rocking bands around here than I initially thought. I love the Provo scene, but it can definitely get too cute for me. There is a time and a place for acoustic guitar strumming, but in Provo, sometimes it seems like that's mostly what people dig.

Pat: I love all the ska bands and rockin bands, I used to not be much for folk music but im warming up to it, the people are real swell. The punk scene is full of a lot of assholes, but I like the music.

Gavin: Is there anything you believe could be done to make it bigger or better?

Pat: I used to feel a lack of diversity in the music around here, but I think its broadening up quite a bit. We're on a good track.

Gavin: Aside yourselves, who are your favorite acts in the scene right now?

Jesse: I really dig Fictionist. They have some really thoughtful rock. And who doesn't love Drew Danburry. I also have a soft spot for God's Revolver.

Pat: Fictionist, Return To Sender, Mary May I, Ferocious Oaks, Paul Jacobsen & The Madison Arm, Empirates, In Dreaming. Just lots of the harder stuff I guess.

Gavin: What's your opinion on the current airplay on community radio these days and how its affecting local artists?

Pat: I don't listen to the radio.

Jesse: As far as 90.9 goes, I think those guys do a pretty good job. I usually don't listen to them during the day, it's pretty boring. But I really dig the crazy stuff they have on if you listen to them late enough. As far as their impact on local artists goes, they seem to do a fairly good job of playing local musicians, but it would be cool if they did it a lot more.

Gavin: What's your take on file sharing these days and how it affects you as a musician?

Jesse: I think that information is infinitely sharable-- that we can share it without it losing any value. I think that it's the modern musicians job to take advantage of the fact that a song can spread like wildfire. I think that file sharing has created a lot of opportunities that the music industry has yet to pick up on.

Pat: If you can find a way to steal our music, do it. I dare you.

Gavin: What can we expect from you guys over the rest of the year?

Pat: Probably a recorded album, maybe some lineup change.

Jesse: Some more shows in the Salt Lake area, and maybe a full length album.

Gavin: Is there anything you'd like to plug or promote?

Jesse: Our MySpace page is myspace.com/gypsycabiscool, or if you'd like to be added to our mailing list, just send an email to gypsycabiscool@gmail.com.

Pat: Check out Vinyl Club, and one man short. they're rad. As well as The Conversationalists and Storming Stages & Stereos!


Drew Danburry

http://www.drewdanburry.com/

Gavin: Hey Drew, first off, tell us a little about yourself.

Drew: Hi my name is Drew. Nice to meet you, I play music sometimes. I'm married and work two jobs and try to be kind to others and enjoy life as I know how, it's not always that easy or simple, but I do my best.

Gavin: What got you interested in music, and who were some of your favorite acts and musical influences growing up?

Drew: Weezer, Gorilla Biscuits, Will Oldham, Wu-Tang Clan and Fugazi were my high school favorites easily. As silly as that sounds. But before that, I was really into oldies radio and doo-wop. I liked singing along with friends and bands and music CDs and at some point in time I found a guitar and decided I liked writing songs and singing myself, too. Also, Jason Anderson changed my life in my mid-twenties.

Gavin: What persuaded you to do solo work as opposed to starting up a band?

Drew: When I decided to tour and hit the road the band backed out last minute so I went alone. After trying a few more times to put together a band for the road I came to the quick realization that it's easier to just go by myself. Plus I know I'll come through if I book a tour and it costs less so I don't go into so much debt. It's just the simplest way to do things even if it's not as good of a show sometimes.

Gavin: Being a solo act, do you prefer more intimate shows or larger crowds, and why?

Drew: Depends. If the crowd is big and still intimate it's the best. But the larger the crowd is, the more tendency people have to get excited and noisy, which can be more easily distracting. I think I like both for different reasons though.

Gavin: How was it for you performing around and recording that first album, An Introduction To Sex Rock?

Drew: Really? That album? It was my first album, I recorded it all by myself on a digital 8-track in my room one summer and I recorded it because I wanted to document the songs the band I was in didn't like, I never had an intention of really releasing it and I was just making burnt copies of it with sewn covers and selling it to friends. Not that any of my earnest efforts to make an album have been much better though. Ha ha.

Gavin: What was it like for you at that point with one album out touring the country?

Drew: I was filled with excitement and adventure. It was fun. Money was tight and eating pastries from a plastic bag found in a dumpster behind a coffee shop for a month straight was a funny way to survive. I slept on floors, met new friends everyday and saw almost every state in the country. I'm not up to that kind of adventure anymore though. After hundreds of thousands of miles, and over 750 shows in the last five years, I kind of avoid driving cars and going places. I love my wife and prefer to just relax with her and stay indoors, because that's my kind of vacation.

Gavin: Over the years, what's it been like for you developing your music and perfecting it in front of audiences?

Drew: Natural, although I don't know how much perfection has been accomplished. Ha-ha. I guess one show at a time you learn something new, figure something else out. After a lot of shows you tend to just get comfortable and get an idea of what you're doing. Or what you want to do.

Gavin: The last album you released was Goodnight Gary. What was it like recording that album, and what's the reaction been like to its release.

Drew: I recorded the last few albums in a lot of overlapping stretches with friends in Fargo, North Dakota, California and Utah. Some songs were at home, some in studios, some in friend's houses. It's all been kind of a cut and paste process finding the right songs to go together and kind of just grabbing what pours out of me and putting the different songs into different pools.

Gavin: You've got another one on the way as we speak. How's the recording coming along on that?

Drew: Like, Goodnight Gary, it's been done since August. I've just been waiting for the new year to release the two albums. They were recorded over a long period of time, but I sat down with Blake Henderson (TaughtMe) in San Francisco last summer and we just kind of fixed everything 'til we liked it and felt like the record was finished.

Gavin: Once you release the new one, you'll have nine albums out in six years. What drives you to record so much material in such short spans?

Drew: I think it's just my way of documenting life. Over time, I've just written all these songs and I just want to put them out there to kind of be able to put the past behind or something. It's this weird fixation I have with keeping myself busy. Having something to work on, some purpose or thing to work towards. Otherwise I think I'd just get depressed and feel aimless. If people like what I do, great, but I can understand why they wouldn't.

Gavin: You're also one of the few local musicians to push a lot of video content to accompany your music. What made you want to do that, and how have fans taken to the works?

Drew: That's a really good question. To be honest, I have NO IDEA how people feel about my music or how they've taken to what I do. I've thought about that often. How does one really know how he is perceived? There are so many people who have their own ideas about what I do and I have no idea what they feel or if I can really trust they are telling me the truth. So I just do what I do and not worry. To answer the other part of the question, I studied film at BYU, so film and video has always been part of what I like to do. Doing videos is just kind of second nature.

Gavin: Are there any plans in the works for a tour or just playing around town for now?

Drew: No plans for tour. My wife has been patient and dealt with some really difficult circumstances on the road. The debt I've accrued through my touring efforts are heavy on us both and we've never been able to afford hotels either. If I could afford a comfortable place for my wife to sleep in and we could actually pay our monthly bills by touring then we'd tour. But, if not, there won't be any long tours for me. Just shows here and there. If tour was fiscally successful then there wouldn't be a question about it though. I like playing music.

Gavin: A bit state-wide, what are your thoughts on the local music scene, both good and bad?

Drew: I don't know, to be honest, I try to be friendly and helpful and not really analyze it. I'm sure I could find evidence for good and bad anywhere.

Gavin: Is there anything you believe could be done to make it bigger or better?

Drew: Unity. Though to be honest, I don't think that Utah will ever be taken seriously on a national level. But maybe that's cynical of me?

Gavin: Aside yourself, who are your favorite acts in the scene right now?

Drew: I like Gypsy Cab, Desert Noises, Matt Weidauer and Katie Brandeburg a lot. There are a lot of bands I could talk about but to be totally honest I just don't keep good track of what's going on musically. I'm starting a new band with some friends that has been keeping me very busy and really sidetracked from noticing anything else. I'm really excited about it.

Gavin: What's your opinion on the current airplay on community radio these days and how its affecting local artists?

Drew: I don't think I have enough information to ground an opinion on the subject. Portia is an angel though.

Gavin: What's your take on file sharing these days and how it affects you as a musician?

Drew: People will do what they do. I can't change others, just me. In some regards though, I can't deny that I try to utilize file sharing so that more people can hear my music, that's why it's all for free download on my website. Maybe I've just given up hope that there's a way to make a living with music though.

Gavin: What can we expect from you over the rest of the year?

Drew: More reliving the 90's sessions each month, an upcoming album that is going to be a limited edition release as a book, a new band with a new album, and I dunno... I'm sure I'm forgetting something. I usually have to make lists and write things down so I can remember what I'm doing.

Gavin: Is there anything you'd like to plug or promote?

Drew: My wife owns a tailoring shop right in downtown Provo, Lady Danburry Tailoring and Design (55 N. University/Center St.), that is absolutely amazing. She designs her own clothes and fixes people's clothes so they fit right and she does a really amazing job. If it wasn't for her I don't know what I'd do. She's amazing and I love her very much. Thankfully, I'm not biased about her talent at all, you can tell by all her good reviews on Google!