The Pour, J-Rad Cooley, The Plastic Cherries

August 23rd - 25th, 2024 Grid City Music Fest is back for its third year and there is a lot more going on. 62 world class murals, 54 local bands, 7 different stages, 3 days of music and 1 really cool local music fest. 

Once again our friends at the South Salt Lake Arts Council have sponsored a FREE FUN BUS where you can travel in style all day long, from stage to stage, throughout the Creative Industries Zone. Just take the train down to central point station and hop on! Be sure to grab a festival pass port on Saturday. If you get a stamp at 5 of the 7 venues you can earn yourself a free festival glass. Be sure to check out the map to see all of our stages.

Thanks to our other amazing sponsor’s, and their generosity, Free music will be dispersed throughout “The Zone” on multiple stages for all three days. Super Bubble will no on the roof at Grid City Beer Works and Terence Hansen will be at Pat’s Bbq kicking us off on Friday Night, 30 bands all day Saturday with all 7 stages hosting them and a newly added Sunday Brunch where all 5 of our stages will be offering $3.00 pint specials. 85% of these sets are free to the public, just be sure to check which venues are 21+ 

The only ticked events are our ultimate after-partys. Please be sure to join us at The Commonwealth Room Friday and Saturday night for a carnival like atmosphere with Food, Games, Vendors, some of salt lakes best bands and lots of Dancing. 

If you’re into punk rock, we’ve also added another night to our free late night punk party at salt fire brewing, where they will showcase amazing punk bands from The state of Utah. 

This year our goal is to activate the community of south salt lake. If you aren’t familiar with the creative businesses that make up “The Zone,” there will be no better way than this year’s Fest to get to know them!

More info: https://gridcitymusicfest.com

The Pour

Salt Lake City based band The Pour offers up their unique recipe of rock, funk, and soul with influences ranging from Jimi Hendrix to Pink Floyd and Miles Davis to Radiohead.

With nearly a decade of songwriting under their belts, lead guitarist Jeremy Whitesides and vocalist/bassist Matt Calder lead the creative charge. Colorfully accompanied on keys is Jesse Howerton, and driven by Nate Barkdull on the drums. Carefully crafted, tightly executed original songs provide the foundation for a live show full of deep grooves, tasteful solos, and open-ended improvisation. With their recent EP release “1984,” The Pour are undoubtedly on the move.

Members of The Pour have had the privilege of opening for and sharing the stage with John Popper and Blues Traveler, Karl Denson, John Medeski, Stockholm Syndrome, Steve Miller, Eric McFadden, Orgone, Big Head Todd, MonoNeon, Steve Molitz, and DJ Logic.

The Plastic Cherries began as a home recording project between couple Shelby & Joe Maddock, making songs on old tape machines inspired by glam, soft rock, shoegaze, Elliott Smith, and their dog. These songs became their first album, Sunshine, available on LP & cassette.

With pianist Natalie Hamilton, drummer Wayne Burdick, and bassist Stephen Cox, they have grown into a charismatic act that channels the theatrics and pop sensibility of their heroes while still feeling experimental and homemade.

“The Plastic Cherries are mesmerizing. They will take you back to the future, and to a time beyond – where rock has had a meaningful pop resurgence and everything feels new again.” - Provo Music Magazine

Emerging from Salt Lake’s growing scene, they have shared festival stages with Pixies, The Strokes, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Dinosaur Jr., Blonde Redhead, among others.

Their new album The Plastic Cherries On The Moon tells a psychedelic story of escape and return, beginning with the anthemic single Lovers On The Run. The album features collaborations with SLC producer Denney Fuller of The Mellons and guest mixing from Chris Cohen. Both playful and earnest, “…On The Moon” is an expansive sequel to their lo-fi debut inspired by Ziggy Stardust, Rocky Horror, Exile On Main Street & The B-52’s.

Young Salt Lake City-based musician J-Rad Cooley is a singer/songwriter, piano player and harmonica player, a unique storyteller with a distinct sense of blues, melody and groove. His soulful songs show his diverse influences from Lightnin’ Hopkins to Ray Charles to The Band, some with a New Orleans twist or a distinct ragtime flavor.

For his impressive debut album, YARD SALE, J-Rad got together with Memphis based musician/producer Tony Holiday in Wild Feather Recordings, the Hendersonville, Tennessee studio of Zach Kasik (bassist for Too Slim & the Taildraggers). YARD SALE comprises all original compositions plus one classic cover, with four tracks featuring Grammy nominated piano player Victor Wainwright.