This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2016, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

The song "Closer" by The Chainsmokers featuring Halsey seems to be on every time a radio is flipped on.

But after Postmodern Jukebox got its hands on it, the song has a whole new — well, old — feel.

The musical collective gave the song, which hit No. 1 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart, a 1950s prom treatment. The smooth vocals of Kenton Chen and his backup singers sound as if they could be performing at the Under the Sea dance in "Back to the Future."

"In general, I like to pick songs that are familiar to people … and then I like to put in a different historical perspective," said Scott Bradlee, founder of the group. He's bringing his unique song set to Salt Lake City's Eccles Theater on Sunday.

Bradlee has always loved the sounds of music from the '30s, '40s and '50s, and when he was growing up, he'd take a current hit and put an old-time twist on it as a party trick. He trained as a jazz pianist and eventually moved to New York City.

When he struggled to find work, he decided to do his party trick and post it on YouTube. It was an instant sensation, and he now has 2.2 million followers.

Bradlee posts a video a week, all shot in his lush, wood-paneled living room, that puts a different spin on current hit songs. He'll add horn sections to provide a Big Band or swing experience, or add some gospel soul to "Don't Let Me Down" or doo-wop to "MMMBop!"

James Clifford, a fan who has purchased tickets for the concert, stumbled upon Postmodern Jukebox as he browsed the Spotify library.

"I instantly fell in love with their style and fun attitude toward music. It gives modern sounds a new feel and incredible insight to how music can still be transcendent," Clifford said. "I love the Big Band jazz sound, so listening to them is like finding an old friend you haven't seen in a while."

Bradlee creates a small backlog of videos so he can keep pushing them out, but he says he can turn a video often within a day.

"I am my own record label. If a song is trending, I can call a bunch of fantastic performers, and they're in my living room the next day," Bradlee said. "It's a very 21st-century delivery model."

Those videos have resonated with Joyce Valdez, who says she never goes to concerts, but she has already bought tickets to Postmodern Jukebox.

"[They are] so cool, so innovative, so refreshing. I feel a chill run through my body when I watch and hear their YouTube videos," Valdez said.

Bradlee is proud of his YouTube following, and he likens himself to a chef making a meal, bringing together the right ingredients to make a perfect song. He starts with his own arrangement, then collaborates with other players on the song.

"It's a pretty organic process in that sense," he said.

When he tours, he brings along about 15 players, including a horn section, multiple singers, a tap dancer and emcees. It creates a lively and vibrant show that appeals to lovers of modern and old-timey music.

"When jazz first came into being, it was party music. Throughout history, there's not that much difference between EDM and the dancing jazz music. What we create is a celebration of all of that, with the bonus that if you don't know the original styles, you'll know the songs we're covering," Bradlee said.

The tap dancing is what excites Debby Robertson, a former New Yorker who has taught tap dance in Utah for 20 years.

"Tap dance is closely connected to swing-era jazz music, and the two forms developed in America side-by-side. This group values that era of music and expands on it," Robertson said. "I'm excited to see this performance and also to attend a performance at the Eccles Theater for the first time."

In addition to attracting dance fans, Bradlee has garnered a fan group of video gamers. He likes to mix the new with the old, as shown on his work on the soundtrack to the video game BioShock Infinite. He had several songs on the album, including a version of Tears for Fears' "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" with a heavy 1912 vibe, including a Scott Joplinesque piano melody line.

"It was a great project to be part of," Bradlee said of the soundtrack. "I think a lot of fans came through that work. It was fun to see people connect the dots as they listened to Bioshock Infinite and realize it sounded like Postmodern Jukebox."

He's excited to visit Salt Lake City for the first time and to be one of the first performers for the Live at the Eccles series at the new Eccles Theater.

"I hear it's a great city for music," Bradlee said. "I hope people leave feeling inspired, and it's hard not to with this many amazing performers onstage." PMJ in SLC

When • Sunday, Nov. 13, 7:30 p.m.

Where • Delta Performance Hall at Eccles Theater, 131 S. Main St., Salt Lake City

Tickets • $35-$50; artsaltlake.org, Eccles Theater Box Office and official ArtTix outlets