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Utahpalooza to rock The Canyons Sept. 5

Alisha Self, Of the Record staff

Looking at Park City’s vibrant music scene, producer/entertainer Tony Oros thought there was one thing missing: an all-day, all-out rock n’ roll festival. So he decided to create one.

The concept for Utahpalooza came about last year, when Oros was slated to attend his 20-year high school reunion in Illinois. "I decided I’d rather get together with all the guys I’ve played with over the years," he explains. "I’ve got these circles that go to half a dozen states and a couple countries, and I said, you know, let’s have a reunion onstage."

On Saturday, Sept. 5, Oros’ fellow musicians from his shows in Utah, Los Angeles, Las Vegas and around the world will come together for a full afternoon of free, live music at The Canyons Resort Village. From 3 to 9 p.m., seven bands will take the stage, filling the mountain air with the sounds of classic rock, 80’s favorites and hair metal hits. Food, drinks and libations will be available.

The festival, which is presented by Oros’ company, Park City Productions, and Mountain Town Music, is focused on rock. Six of the seven bands specialize in covers and fans can expect to hear everything from Lynard Skynard to Journey. "With the exception of a couple songs through the day, you’ll know just about every song we play," says Oros.

The show will start with the Paul Green School of Rock All-Stars, featuring some of the best young instrumentalists in the program playing the likes of Steely Dan and Led Zeppelin. Then 19-year-old Lionel Williams, a Midway native, will take the stage with his band, Vinyl Williams. "That’s the only original band of the day, just because I love his stuff so much and I want him to get heard," says Oros.

The festival will also feature acts from the Skinny Tiez, a local 80s costume band, and Fab Rodig of Trinidadio, who will mix up the set with Caribbean steel drum music and a bit of reggae flair.

Between sets, local comedians, DJs and even an opera singer will provide entertainment.

The headliners for the event include Oros’ own creations, Mullet Hatchet, the Metal Gods and the Coverdogs. Mullet Hatchet features Oros in his redneck glory as lead singer Taylor Parks, crooning to Southern rock classics such as "Sweet Home Alabama" and "The Devil Went Down to Georgia."

As British rocker Nigel Thames, Oros has led Metal Gods in 355 weeks of shows at Liquid Joe’s in Salt Lake City. "We don’t do that show outside very often and we rarely do it outside of Liquid Joe’s," he says.

Utahpalooza will conclude with a mashup performance with musicians from different groups coming together under the umbrella of the Coverdogs All-Star Jam. "Everybody from every band swaps in," explains Oros. The musicians will cap the outdoor portion of the night with the sounds of Queen, Paul McCartney and Wings, Bad Company, Pink Floyd and Journey.

Around 10 p.m., the festival will shift gears and head to Ciseros for the afterparty, where Skinny Tiez and the Coverdogs will again grace the stage.

Oros says he plans to make Utahpalooza a yearly event and sees potential for it to grow into a larger festival. "We’ve got so much talent between the guys that I work with in Utah and the guys from L.A. and Vegas, we could easily have done two days of bands. There are a hundred reasons to do it every year."

He adds that the Coverdogs will remain the centerpiece of the event, giving musicians from all different areas and genres a chance to jam together.

Oros encourages everyone to come out and celebrate one of the final outdoor concerts of the season. "There’s gonna be lots of great tunes all night and it’s free, so we just want everyone who’s in town to pile out there and enjoy the show," he says. For more information, visit http://www.utahpalooza.com or call 657-0078.

Utahpalooza lineup

3:00 3:30 – School of Rock All-Stars

3:45 4:15 – Vinyl Williams

4:15 4:30 – Opera singer Lynnette Owens

4:30 5:00 – Trinidadio

5:15 5:45 – Skinny Tiez

6:00 6:45 – Mullet Hatchet

7:00 8:00 – Metal Gods

8:15 Close – Coverdogs All-Star Jam

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