The Used. Neon Trees. Fictionist. Joshua James. Imagine Dragons.
These are the most buzzed-about Utah bands to reach the national scene in the past decade. And while they have different styles of music, these acts share one commonality: Their ascending careers were born in Utah County.
The Salt Lake City music scene has always been a bustling one, with local bands Royal Bliss, Kid Theodore, King Niko and The Brobecks receiving significant regional attention in the past decade.
But when it comes to moving beyond regional success and selling out venues from Southern California to northern Maine, a Provo pedigree has proved more useful.
The Provo scene shows no sign of dormancy, with musicians such as Lindsey Stirling, Parlor Hawk, The Mimi Knowles Band, Chance Lewis, The Moth & The Flame, Faith Johnson, Book On Tape Worm, Eyes Lips Eyes, The New Electric Sound, Ryan Innes, Isaac Russell, Desert Noises and others making (pleasant-sounding) noise.
When University of Utah grad Kaskade makes records, he turns to Utah County for singers such as Mindy Gledhill and writing and production help from Finn Bjarnson, forsaking his onetime hometown for the fruits that have blossomed in Utah County.
Not bad for one of the most conservative areas in America.
To read the rest of the story, to see pics and listen to a playlist of Utah County music, go to http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/entertainment2/55853165-223/band-bands-com-http.html.csp
