Musicians from across Cache Valley kicked off the warm weather season over the weekend with three days of live music at the newly opened Logan Gallery.
Curator Tanner Stephenson said using the new space for a music festival felt like a natural fit.
“There's a lot of talented musicians in Cache Valley," he said, "and we were just looking for a platform to let them come and do their thing.”
The gallery’s “Summer Send-off” festival spanned three nights, each showcasing a different genre of local musicians.
Musician Roque Deschamps, who performed at the festival, said the Logan Gallery is a truly unique space because of the way it blends so many different art mediums and styles.
“There aren't many places that welcome artists of many kinds of arts," he said, "it's not only a visual arts space.”
And that has been Stephenson’s vision from the start. At the opening of the gallery in April, he explained how he wanted the space to serve as a hub for the art community — and it’s been well on its way. Since then, the gallery has hosted regular art workshops, live music, and a rotating collection of visual art in a broad range of styles.
Stephenson also noted that, while he didn’t plan it this way, the festival helped begin to fill a space left by WhySound — the local music venue which closed in April, resulting in the cancellation of the annual music festival, WhyFest.
Award-winning musician Sky Olson, who had been scheduled to perform at WhyFest, said he was glad to see the Logan Gallery stepping in and offering a stage to many of the same artists.
“We're kind of trying to rebuild and group up again after the WhySound situation," he said. "So I think anywhere that we can play — that we can bring people out, and just have fun, and dance, and sing, and share music — is a win in my book.”
And Olson is already looking ahead to a summer of live shows, as Logan’s music community continues to grow and energize the local arts scene.
“This live music stuff is important for our community," he emphasized. "If you've never been to a live show before, go out, go and see one. There's so much great talent here in the valley, and so many great bands."
