Music can wrap you in a warm embrace and comfort you, just as easily as it can leave you stranded alone on an island wondering where everything went wrong.
There are very few things in life that produce clarity, allowing you to look inward and see something you didn’t know existed inside of you. Music is one of these things.
Music unlocks the window to your soul. There’s something about song that takes us into an unimaginable place, where every fear is realized and every love embraced — the scraping of a pick on guitar strings, the warm and fuzzy tones of a keyboard, the steady thump of a bass and crash of a cymbal, the woozy lead vocals poured over everything like hot, sticky syrup. Music takes you simultaneously into the past and future, while blurring the lines between what you’ve done and what you hope to do. Music can be hateful, music can be fun, music can be energetic or loving or spiritual. Music can wrap you in a warm embrace and comfort you, just as easily as it can leave you stranded alone on an island wondering where everything went wrong. There are very few universal truths in the world, but this is one: when the music starts, everyone listens.
By now I’m sure you’ve heard of StartFEST, Utah’s largest grassroots startup festival taking place from August 31-September 5 in Provo. If you’re wondering what the connection is between startups and music, you’ve already missed the point — music is so universal it transcends any one area. That’s why we’re excited to have three of the biggest names in Utah’s music scene performing over the course of three consecutive nights.
Ryan Innes has an amazing beard and a more amazing voice. His unique brand of soul has carried him to the top of the Utah music scene and earned him a spot on NBC’s “The Voice”, where he impressed with vocals torn from a different time and place. Will you cry when he performs at StartFEST? Probably, but nobody will judge you for that so let the tears flow.
Joshua James is kind of a folk artist and kind of an artist who just sings awesome songs that don’t necessarily fit neatly into one genre. Does he have an incredible music video where he smears himself with lipstick? Absolutely, because that’s what any self-respecting musician would do. Are we all hoping he will do the same when performing at StartFEST? Absolutely, because that’s what any self-respecting fan of music would wish for.
The Str!ke brings energy to the stage. Energy is a good thing — when it crackles and pops, you have no choice but to enter gracefully into a wave of guitar, rhythm, brass, and voice. Attending their concert on September 1 will be the equivalent of descending into a bomb shelter with hundreds of people, turning up the sound, and throwing away the key. Consider yourself warned.
To purchase tickets for StartFEST, click here. If you’re interested in only attending the concert sessions, tickets can also be purchased separately.
Published 8/13/2015
