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Muse Music hosts Acoustic Night for local artists

January 29, 2009

Apart from maybe a roadside panhandler humming a lonely tune into his harmonica, an acoustic night at a local venue is about as raw and honest as the modern music scene gets, and Acoustic Night at Provo's own Muse Music is just the ticket. The songwriter showcase comes around every Thursday, with different performers plucking, singing, strumming and whistling to their hearts' content every week.
"It's fun and cozy. It's anyone acoustic-based," Jake Jacobson, one of tonight's featured guests, said. "I've seen people up there with cellos. It's all singers and songwriters, kind of bluegrass and folk, which kind of creates intimacy."

Jacobson, a semiprofessional musician from Fountain Green, will take his soulful tunes to the stage tonight alongside Neil Jarman, Owen Monroy and Spencer LaPray.

"We try to pick four or five of the stronger songwriters in the area and have them each play a 30- to 40-minute set," Muse Music owner and manager Jake Haws said. "It gives them a chance to perform in a more low-key setting than you might find at other venues."

Haws had nothing but encouraging words to say about Provo's swelling music scene, recognizing "very positive vibes" in both music and art. He thinks their growth is complementary and can be attributed to positive attitudes and appreciation for local creativity. The burgeoning popularity of Muse Music's downtown Provo neighbors, the Sego Art Center and Sego Music Festival, are prime examples of that coupled growth.

"I've always loved the scene in Provo," said Jarman, who has been performing as a solo act or a band member for the better part of the past 15 years. "It's untapped. The music industry needs to get into Utah because there's some great talent here. It's [Muse Music] one of the first venues that I went to when I moved here. I saw an open mic night, and when I walked in, I thought, 'Wow, this is such a cool little place.' So chill and intimate."

Jacobson is appreciative of the support he's found in Utah Valley, which he said is often more receptive than bigger cities because of the scarcity of concert venues.

"They [Provo fans] listen really well and are respectful when you're up there," he said.

Most of Jacobson's revenue, which he supplements by selling items on eBay by day, comes from concerts, which also is where he generates the majority of his album sales. Consequently, whether he sinks or swims is up to his own publicity legwork, so he uses his Web site, jakejacobsonmusic.com, as a vehicle to get his name out there.

"Promoting is hard," he said. "I think music is actually the easiest part. The business side takes a lot more time than the creative side."

Fortunately for these up-and-coming artists, platforms for independent music have never been more accessible. Jacobson, along with Monroy and Jarman, relies on MySpace.com's music section to attract and inform fans. Complete music tracks, music videos and tour dates are all available on their sites, and the social networking tools for which MySpace is known only enhance the chatter surrounding their music.

The indie scene has certainly come a long way. You can even join other fans in requesting a concert in your town with the "Eventful Demand" application on MySpace Music. One can also purchase songs on Jarman and Jacobson's MySpace sites, and Jacobson's first album, "Finding Home," is available on the iTunes online store as well.

Source: Provo Daily Herald

http://www.heraldextra.com/content/view/298008/147/