SLC Singer / Songwriter Showcase @ the State Room

Last Saturday we hit The State Room for The Salt Lake City Singer Songwriter Showcase featuring local favorites Morgan Snow and John Davis of Triggers & Slips, Paul Jacobsen of The Madison Arm, Daniel Young, Kiki Jane Sieger (swoon), and Dylan Schorer of The Hollering Pines, Ryan Tanner, and Mark Horton Smith performing in the round.

John Davis was one that we hadn’t had the pleasure of seeing before and it was a treat to see him alternate between the lap steel and acoustic guitar. He’s an outstanding guitar player and his song “Benny Bought a Big Beer” reminded Bryan of the bands he listed to in Midwest honky tonks growing up.

Chairs filled the normally open floor of The State Room, which made for a nice, intimate setting for what was to be a lovely night of beautiful music and candid storytelling from the gang.[1] Hearing these musicians perform their songs individually was great, but I especially enjoyed hearing them all together on a couple of numbers. My only wish is that Kiki’s mic had been a little louder. She has an incredible voice.

Toward the end of the night — after a “who can perform the most depressing song” contest (entries ranged from breakups to cancer) — Paul Jacobsen closed out the show with the rowdiest number of the night, a sing-a-long of Johnny Cash’s “Ring of Fire”.

Inside joke of the night: When it’s Ryan Tanner’s turn at the mic you can expect a 10-minute story behind every song. Good stuff.

Finally, Gerry Swanson was on the floor, stage left, making sketch art during the entire performance. Check out his work on instagram: silentswanart

[1] Moving to Nashville and then moving back was a tale retold a couple of times. Better to have moved to Nashville and move back than not at all seems to be the lesson learned.