A LILY GRAY
Utah prog metal outfit love their local scene, but concerns about the future mean they want to get out.
The members of prog metallers A Lily Gray are proud to be based in a US city that celebrates crossgenre values.
“There’s a place in Salt Lake City called Downtown Music, an old school that’s been converted into rehearsal spaces,” says vocalist David Lynn Olsen. “There’s a very wide variety of styles of music there and everybody is really tight knit. It’s where a lot of us met.”
The band are heavily inspired by “the godfathers of prog metal, Tool and Dream Theater”, and Olsen admits “there aren’t many other progressive bands around” Utah’s capital – but their blend of heavy riffs and popedged vocals help broaden their appeal.
“In northern Salt Lake we’ve always been able to go and play a show with the metalheads, the hardcore kids and the scene there,” the vocalist says. “Then 20 miles south, the Forum is usually full of poppy rock bands and we’ve gone down well there too. All our songs are designed to be played live. I think that really helps to engage people.”
Salt Lake’s geographical location seems to be a factor. “I think the fact that it’s so isolated forces it to be strong in that way,” the singer says. “There are metal musicians and rappers that go to each other’s shows to support them – they’re helping you set up on stage.”
Bassist Justin Clark says he thinks there won’t be a problem with audiences when normality resumes. “People are dying to see live music again and there are plenty of bands ready to play,” he explains. “I’m worried about venues. Nowhere had a strategy for being shut down for 15 months, so I’m more worried about if there are places to play.
“The underground scene is really strong, but the mainstream want to hear the top 40 country music [acts] and things they’re familiar with, so cover bands do much better here and venues might start to rely on them.”
For that reason, A Lily Gray are aiming further afield. “We’re desperate to play the UK,” Clark says. “We really identify with the Milton Keynes scene especially, and want to play with more prog bands in future.” POW
Debut album Sirens, mixed by TesseracT’s Acle Kahney, is available now via Bandcamp. For more, see www.alilygray.com.
“We really identify with the Milton Keynes scene especially.”