Remember This Name

Out of Provo, Utah comes the next big folk indie artist. Paste Magazine even named him one of their "Next 25 Artists You Need To Know" in their September 2008 issue. Joshua James is the name. He is American rock and folk musician, known for his intimate vocal style and bittersweet lyrics, often dealing with tragedy, religion, and substance abuse.

Joshua James' sounds are light, and easy-with a variety of upbeat more fun/rock and roll songs, and slow emotional songs as well. Many songs are solely his voice and guitar, but often times there will be a piano, and even full band sounds behind him. Joshua James is often compared to Bob Dylan, Neil Young, Bright Eyes or Ray LaMontagne.

I first heard Joshua James in America Fork, Utah at 2010 Garbett Homes Fork Fest. Performing alongside other indie bands such as Fictionist, The Vibrant Sound and Location Location, James was the featured final act-where the amphitheatre was packed with hundreds of indie fans. What stuck out most about James was his passion in what he was doing, he gave a completely in the moment and intimate performance. There was hardly a moment James wasn’t moving his entire body in a jellyfish like motion. It was especially entertaining during the guitar solos when he would dance around himself across the stage, once practically lying center stage.

His original digital release of The Sun is Always Brighter on iTunes reached #1 on the service's Folk Album list in 2007. The album caught the attention of the indie folk scene, with, and prompting artists such as John Mayer, David Gray, Ani DiFranco, and Brett Dennen to have him support their North American tours.

You can find Joshua James music and more information at http://www.joshuajames.tv/

Fork Fest

American Fork, Utah held it's first, and hopefully not last, Garbett Homes Fork Fest: Music and Arts Festival, October 16, 2010 (http://forkfest.net/) It is a festival filled with more than 30 top indie musicians around Utah and was filled with independant art and businesses as well. It is a free outdoor come and go concert that runs from 12pm to 12 am.

I had the oppotunity to travel down with some friends to witness this event. There is not much I love more than new music, and that is exactly what this concert was. Only three out of the 30+ artists were recognizable to me.

Our day started with the sun shining and a cool breeze in American Fork at about 1:30pm-we were late. First thing we see is a small stage with a ram on it. In front of the ram was an acoustic artists with many people sitting on the grass around her. Down the hill was their outside stage with even more of an audience, and then past the art, food, and band merchandise booths was their amphitheater. The schedule was set so an acoustic artists was constantly playing while the other two stages took turns with the "bigger bands".

I think I enjoyed(a lot) every performance I saw. Indie artists from the sad acoustic, to the electric guitar indie rock, to the folk rock. I knew of Allred, Fictionist, and Joshua James-perfect examples for each of the named categories. Along with those were many more that I hadn't heard. A huge variety of indie artists-every one unique-every one powerful. A few that stuck out in my mind are Location Location, The Archers Apple, and Shark Speed.

It was a beautiful day, and a beautiful concert. So worth the four hour drive there and back. I now have a long list of artists I will look up and listen to, and also that I will write about on my blog so all of you readers around the world can be enlightened by these fantastic artists.