Sodacon

Space jam: Starry Night welcomes Sodacon

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JASON PYLES - Herald CORRESPONDENT

Soda and pop may be synonyms in a discussion about beverages, but the words are worlds apart when assigning a musical genre to Salt Lake City band Sodacon.

Sodacon's sound is an amalgam of Foo Fighters, Jack Johnson, perhaps some David Bowie and a vague hint of The Cars. Punk and pop are also easily detectable. The musical trio can perhaps best be classified in the alternative-indie genre, with heavy leanings toward space rock.

Verbal gymnastics aside, band members describe their sound much more simply.

"It's a unique sound that we call 'soda rock,' " said Jesse David, the band's singer, guitarist and founder.

Fans looking to get a clearer understanding of just what that label means can check the band out Friday evening at Starry Night in Provo.

The band -- which also includes Mike Barney (drums) and John Chatelain (bass, vocals) -- has been playing in its present form since 2006.

"Originally, we wanted to add a lot of extra parts to our music," David said, "but after playing together, we decided that the three-piece worked well."

The unusual name Sodacon was the whimsical brainchild of David and was taken from a song he recorded on a four-track in the late 1990s.

"It ended up catching on," David said. "People told me they liked it and the rest is history."

The band plays two different styles of sets in its live performances -- one acoustic and the other, a heavier, more electric show.

The acoustic set enables the group to have material that's appropriate for venues such as coffee shops and cafes. When Sodacon plays bars, its louder, plugged-in sound better serves such venues.

"We've mostly played venues like Urban Lounge and Liquid Joe's," Barney said, referring to two Salt Lake City clubs, "along with a lot of acoustic sets at various coffee joints around the valley."

Sodacon is branching out on the road with upcoming shows in Las Vegas, Idaho, Oregon and Washington.

The band takes a serendipitous approach to songwriting.

"It all starts during rehearsal," David said. "We get together, jam and then come up with a good hook."

Barney said that David is the brains behind most of the band's lyric writing, which is generally added later. David's lyrical topics range far beyond the typical relationship song.

"There is quite an array of subjects, including vampires and alien abductions," Barney said.

Sodacon's penchant for playing amplified and acoustic music has influenced the songwriting for its two latest releases, "Trifecta" and "Acoustica," both of which will be available at Friday's show.

Jairus Roberts, an employee at Starry Night, said his venue was glad to welcome Sodacon.

- The Daily Herald