Muse Music Online

N E W S

Business gives residents chance to share music

March 8, 2002

By ERIC D. SNIDER

PROVO -- There are still a few live music venues in Utah County, and a few stores that sell local bands' CDs. Now there's a place for both.

Muse Music opened Feb. 16 at 145 N. University Ave. -- a few doors up from where the Wrapsody, one of several live music venues to close in the past three years, used to be.

The owner is Chuck Hamm, 26, a BYU graduate who saw a need in Provo.

"There's a lot of talent, lots of demand, lots of supply," he said of the local music scene. "But no place to perform."

Hamm grew up in Southern California, where he said "you could see anyone perform you could think of, unless they were dead." His appreciation for live music came with him to Utah County, but the recent dearth of venues here frustrated him.

Since opening Muse Music, he's seen plenty of performances: Local bands are playing there nearly every night of the week, and selling their CDs, too. When he opened, he had one band's CD on the shelf; now there are about 18 groups represented.

He sells used major release CDs, too, and will give store credit to people wanting to trade in their old stuff. But the emphasis is on supporting the local acts.

Though the store's performance stage has piqued bands' interest, it is first and foremost a CD shop, Hamm said. "Our goal is to do more business in CDs than in cover charges," he said.

Future plans include setting up a recording studio in the back of the building and eventually even starting a radio station -- Hamm radio, perhaps?

"We would like people to think that this is the place for your local music needs," Hamm said. "We'll never replace Best Buy and places like that. But for local music, we can do it."

Some Provo musicians have wondered whether the city's dance hall ordinance -- which prohibits public dances without having metal detectors and surveillance cameras -- would put a damper on live music, too. But Hamm said he's had no trouble with it.

"If people get up and dance, the city said it's OK," he said. "If I advertise for dancing, then I'd be in trouble. But there's not much room to dance anyway."

Source: The Daily Herald

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