https://www.autumnthatcher.com/work daily 1.0 2026-02-12 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5977a56b15d5db11d7d98473/1503422798139-H0TQD00387H693YU1PEW/DIRTY_DANCING_9_15_16_1354_v002.jpg Work https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5977a56b15d5db11d7d98473/1503423932651-QVC4M5BXKV14562Y7SZG/metric-interview-autumn-thatcher.jpg Work https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5977a56b15d5db11d7d98473/1504291377568-MMDW1K7Q6ESDOMUT2QNF/Slamdance-Fursonas.jpg Work https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5977a56b15d5db11d7d98473/1504296688382-AS8TFLQFC4TZ0F4QAVJF/Alter+Ego+Salon.png Work https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5977a56b15d5db11d7d98473/1504296871014-UJI720UFBHC55X962U0S/EventTechBrief.png Work https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5977a56b15d5db11d7d98473/1504296997761-CWDJM56VMJOEEU4PZOPK/Mommi.png Work https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5977a56b15d5db11d7d98473/1504289785437-0NVM8W9CAV1BXRJG0GGT/music_talibkweli_012717%7E0.jpg Work - Talib Kweli hopes audiences have been shaken out of sleep Read the article online or as it appeared in print. Minutes before a phone interview with The Salt Lake Tribune, Talib Kweli was engaging in Twitter crossfire with a user who took to the social-media platform to call him a racist. The Twitter timeline revealed that the back-and-forth had been going on for hours, but Kweli was unfazed. "He was some kid who jumped up to defend Donald Trump," Kweli said. "When I'm tweeting that guy, I'm not talking to him. I'm showing other people, 'Hey look, this is the mentality of where people are at.' " The hip-hop artist revered for his lyrical skills — and celebrated for his advocacy for social justice — has 1.12 million Twitter followers. He oversees his own website, responds to emails sent in by fans and takes to social media to fight the good fight. By all rights, Kweli should be tired, but on the phone, he was alert and ready as ever to take on the world. "I think Trump shook a lot of us out of our sleep," Kweli said. "As awoke as I thought I was, I was still asleep to what other people feel in their hearts." "Talib" means "seeker or student" in Arabic, "Kweli" means "of truth or knowledge" in Ghanaian, and the rapper lives up to his name. For more than 20 years, he has used his music and fame as a vessel to spread messages that aim to awaken his listeners and drive them to think. The Brooklyn native made his debut in the late '90s as a guest artist on the Mood album "Doom." From there, he did a series of collaborations with Mos Def and, in 2000, co-organized Hip Hop for Respect to speak out against police brutality. In 2011, he formed his own music label, Javotti Media. In 2015, he released his eighth solo album as a surprise free download. The rapper is currently on tour with Styles P (The LOX) in support of their joint album "The Seven," slated for release in February. They perform in Salt Lake at the Metro Music Hall on Saturday. K'Valentine, a Javotti Media artist, opens. "The tour is a way to get the word out about the album. The shows have been packed and the people have been showing a lot of love," Kweli said. In the wake of a new president, Kweli seems more interested in talking about activism than his music. He responds with passion to recent advocacy events such as the Jan. 21 Women's March; Kweli participated in the Los Angeles-based march, one of several protests that he has been a part of. "The Women's March was one of the most beautiful things I have ever seen in my life," Kweli said. "It's a shame that it took us electing somebody like Trump to mobilize this many people. At the same time, if that's what it takes, fine. Let's go." Kweli is not shy about sharing his political views — a characteristic that has led cyberbullies stemming from the alt-right and white supremacist groups to his Twitter page looking to fight. He responds because he believes that he is speaking through his naysayers. "The first thing we have to do in this era is really pay attention to where you are getting your information from," Kweli said. "Everyone is biased to a degree. Everyone makes mistakes. Some people lie on purpose; some lie more than others. You have to filter all of that." At his concerts, he brings with him the electricity needed to shake listeners awake. "I've learned that it's important to not apologize for seeing things from your perspective, but to also show solidarity for other people who might also be struggling," Kweli said. "All that boils down to is justice and compassion and truth. It doesn't matter what agenda you have, or what lens you are looking through — you are able to see someone else's truth." https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5977a56b15d5db11d7d98473/1503424978624-8G4DV0YDN967QVJRI61N/Jessica+Hernandes+and+the+Deltas.jpg Work - Jessica Hernandez draws on her heritage to spark creativity Read the article online or as it appeared in print. In 2015, singer-songwriter Jessica Hernandez traveled through Salt Lake on a small, self-funded tour that saw her and her band of Deltas performing at the Urban Lounge. Before that show, Hernandez talked to The Tribune about dropping out of college to chase a musical dream and overcoming her shyness to perform onstage. She was promoting her debut album and mentioned her goal of making a splash in the Latin music scene. A punk-infused Mexican-American singer from Michigan, Hernandez said that in America, a Latin presence was lacking across different genres, and she hoped to change that. Two years later, Jessica Hernandez &The Deltas are again preparing to perform in Salt Lake. The soulful punk rockers play The State Room this coming Wednesday. This time around, Hernandez sports blond locks, a wedding ring and a new album — recorded in English and Spanish. "Ever since I started playing music, it's something that I really wanted to do," Hernandez said in a phone interview with The Tribune. "I wanted to tap into this other side of who I am and bring that out through something creatively." Her sophomore album, "Telephone/Teléfono," represents not only her Mexican-American heritage, but also alludes to her personal life in songs like the title track, which examines the tolls of keeping a relationship alive from the road. "I always write from a really personal point of view and try to add in bits and pieces of what's going on in the world," Hernandez said. "A lot of [the album] was written right before I got married, so a lot of it was a transitional period for me of going through being a young 20-something-year-old to getting married." The album was completed one week before her wedding. Post-wedding, she and her husband — Kyle Straka of the California-based psychedelic rock band The Growlers — spent a little time together before getting back to work. "We didn't really get a break from work, but we did get a honeymoon," Hernandez said. "After the wedding, we had a week together and then we both went back on tour." Hernandez is no stranger to long hours. She and her band have spent years on the road, relentlessly touring in an effort to get her music out to the masses. Somewhere in between, she found the time to write "Telephone" and then translate every song into Spanish. The process was a grueling one that Hernandez said, in some ways, felt like starting from the beginning. "It was super-challenging because I had never sung in Spanish before," she said. "It was almost learning how to sing again from scratch, because the Spanish language is a totally different beast. My Spanish is good when I am speaking to my grandmother, but as far as trying to sing these soulful rock songs in Spanish, it was pretty hard." To create an authentic listening experience, Hernandez spent a month in Mexico City practicing her Spanish. She spoke the language every day, and when she sang, she would record her vocals and play them back to herself and some friends she was staying with. "We were just sitting there reading over lyrics from a sheet of paper. I would record myself after I would sing it," she said. "I would listen back and try and figure out what word sounded incorrect to me, what word I was giving an improper accent to or the timing was off. I spent two weeks doing that and that was the most frustrating part. It felt like, 'S—-, am I going to get this?' I didn't want to do it and have it not sound legit." Hernandez said the hard work paid off. After two weeks of obsessively practicing on her friend's couch in Mexico City, she took her music to the studio. "Somewhere along the way of being in the studio, it just clicked," she said. "I ended up recutting all the vocals at the end. We redid all of them in one day after I had already been trying to sing them for weeks." "Telephone/Teléfono" is slated for release June 23. Hernandez hopes the album will not only lead to an international tour in Mexico and South America, but also provide a place where others within the Latin community can find familiarity. "In the spaces we play, a lot of our fans are Mexican-American. That is another reason I wanted to record something in Spanish," Hernandez said. "I remember being younger and not really having an appreciation for the Spanish language and teetering on the edge of, 'Am I Mexican? Am I American?' and figuring out where do I fit in. I thought it was a cool thing to do this rock-inspired album that is in Spanish. It's making a statement that you can be all of these things and be proud of all of it." https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5977a56b15d5db11d7d98473/1503435231373-98D1OE4XPUFRKFQN4832/Conor-Oberst-Autumn-Thatcher.png Work - Indie folk rock’s poster boy leads Red Butte finale Read the article as it appeared in print. Red Butte Garden closes its 2014 outdoor concert season and says goodbye to summer on Sunday through the talents of singer/songwriter Conor Oberst. A staple in the indie music scene for nearly two decades, Oberst began recording music when he was 13 years old and has been labeled everything from Indie’s Boy Wonder to the Bob Dylan of his generation. The alt-folk rocker helped put Omaha on the musical map through co-founding the independent label Saddle Creek Records. Oberst switched gears in May and released his first major- label album, “Upside Down Mountain,” on Nonesuch, a Warner Bros. subsidiary that boasts bands such as Wilco and The Black Keys. The album was three years in the making, and certainly pulls him out of that “emo” genre that critics have loved to throw him into over the years. “That was a funny term,” Oberst said recently in an interview. Oberst is kind and gracious, if not a bit awkward and seemingly unable to come across as confident in his music, even though mass amounts of critical acclaim for his latest album give him every reason to boast. He said he doesn’t want to be “pigeonholed,” but he also doesn’t mind the emotional part of “emo.” “In my opinion, emotion is a very necessary component to music — unless you are purposefully stripping emotion away, which is a cool experiment. But to me, it just feels like that’s something that should be in a lot of music.” At 34, Oberst has written a serious amount of music — as a solo artist, as frontman for Bright Eyes, with rotating band members, and with groups including Mystic Valley Band, Desaparecidos and Monsters of Folk. “Upside Down Mountain” is a reflectionof his evolution as an artist and as a human; it is the sound of life experienced and perhaps even some contentment. “It just reflects where I am at in my life as a person,” he said. “The songs sort of come from more of a subconscious space in my mind. Every experience I have, and the things I absorb — like little observations Imake in daily life — get filed back in my head and end up blending together in a way that I don’t fully understand. That’s the mystery of creativity,” he said. At the time of the interview, Oberst was working on lining up his band members for the Red Butte Garden performance. He is excited to have “Upside Down Mountain” producer Jonathan Wilson join him on the amphitheater stage playing guitar. Oberst found it “pretty awesome” when he learned that he would be closing out the popular outdoor summer concert season. “I suppose there’s always a bit of sadness at the end of summer — no more fun in the sun. We’ll try to send it off right and do our best,” he said. “It will be a pretty energetic performance. I’m not very good at selling myself to the uninitiated, but hopefully they will walk away somewhat satisfied.” While Oberst may not feel comfortable touting his talent, Red Butte concert series organizer Chris Mautz ismore than happy to speak to the musician’s skills. “He puts on some really high energy, passionate performances. He really wants people coming to his live shows to walk away feeling like, ‘Wow, that was a really unique moment,’ and something pleased to be a part of,” Mautz said. After working with Oberst on a couple of occasions, Mautz identifies him as not only an authentic man who sincerely cares about his work, but as someone who deserves attention. “Anyone who has been able to put out consistently strong material,” he said, “I think that speaks to their true dedication, to their craft and who they are.” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5977a56b15d5db11d7d98473/1504296174096-0CPDP0HIV70PLM35BGSM/2ZNVJSLIPZDC7DDGY5FT34KAQ4.jpg Work - Bollywood comes to Daybreak showcasing Indian culture Read the article online or as it appeared in print. South Jordan resident Kristen Peterson Ford has dedicated years to hosting events that celebrate Indian culture. Her appreciation for the culture was sparked through friendships developed growing up in Utah and deepened during stints in Africa, where her husband was working in foreign services. "In Africa, there is a very large Indian population of very successful business people who have been there for multiple generations, as well as some first-generation Indians," Ford said in a phone interview. "I got to know them and found that they were a group of people that liked to go out, liked to get together and liked to socialize — all the things that I liked to do." Tonight, in collaboration with several others involved in Utah's Indian community, including Mia Prazen, Swathy Mahasenan, Alice Davé and Paki Misra, Ford will help host her biggest event to date: Bollywood Comes to Daybreak takes place from 4 to 10 p.m. in the South Jordan residential community. "Bollywood started out in reference to the movie industry in Mumbai," Peterson said. "The Bollywood films spawn many industries —music, dancing, fashion — in India and the surrounding region. Bollywood is actually bigger than Hollywood as far as viewership and how many movies are put out. That appeal is starting to come over here and more people are getting to learn about the wonderful films, the music, the fashion and everything associated with it." Bollywood Comes to Daybreak is a family-friendly event that features — among other activities — three free yoga sessions, an array of Indian food, musical performances, art, an opportunity to engage in a color throw, Bollywood makeovers, henna tattooing and a film screening under the stars. "We want to celebrate all things India to let people know about this culture," Ford said. "We wanted to have that street-festival feel that is open for everybody and for whomever wants to attend. It's a really good slice and celebration of all things Indian." While in Africa, Ford collaborated with friends in the local Indian community to host events that featured music, food, dance and film at her home. The events became a tradition that grew in size with each one. "I saw that genuine community amongst [my friends] where they loved to get together. They loved to visit, to dress; they were so open with their culture and their festival," Ford said. "I loved that they would invite us to everything from their religious [events] to more celebrating fun festivals. There was that feeling of community that was created behind it." After returning to Utah, Ford brought with her the passion she developed for what she describes as an eclectic and vibrant culture. Once settled in South Jordan's Daybreak residential community, she picked up where she left off. Her first series of events took place in her home, hosting company comprising diplomats, expats and foreign nationals. The parties grew, and eventually, Ford used them as a way to get to know her neighbors. Rangoli artist Shaily Pandya sees the Daybreak festival as an opportunity to showcase her art while educating festivalgoers on the history of the Rangoli tradition. "Rangoli is an art form native to India and Nepal in which patterns are created on the floor in living rooms or courtyards using materials such as colored rice, dry flour, colored sand or flower petals," Pandya said. "It is usually made during Diwali [festival of lights] and other festivals. The designs are passed from one generation to the next, keeping both the art form and the tradition alive." Ford is encouraged by the interest Utahns have in the Indian culture, noting the widely attended Festival of Colors at the Holy Krishna Temple in Spanish Fork. "I think there are a lot of similarities in the Indian culture and in Utah where there is a big interest in family and community and celebrating things," she said. Pandya agrees. "I see so many similarities between the Utah culture and Indian culture," she said. "The desire to learn great things about other cultures to blend it within our day to day life for the betterment, pulls Utahns towards Indian culture. As per my understanding, I feel in India the culture is not just religion but it is the way of life," which you practice every single day from morning to night. As she gears up for the event, Ford said the most important aspect of Bollywood Comes to Daybreak is the element of engaging with individuals from other cultures and learning more about one another. "When you get to know other people, it provides a different awareness and understanding," she said. "I think if people could understand other people and really see where others come from, then there would be a lot more acceptance." https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5977a56b15d5db11d7d98473/1503425317227-ORGVFOMJ4R46O2BWCNQO/Utah-Bar-Journal.jpg Work - Utah's Drug Court Read the article as it appeared in print. The year 2015 marks a milestone in Utah: It’s the twentieth anniversary of the implementation of drug court. As a criminal defense attorney and former prosecutor, I have seen what drug addiction has done to defendants who are facing years in jail because of crimes committed due to the need to feed their addiction. Their lives fall apart at the seams and crumble around them because they are unable to break a vicious cycle. We may have lost the war on drugs, but we can help break the cycle of addiction. Drug courts brought a new approach to how we treat addicts in the criminal justice system. Drug courts provide hope, treatment, and resources for change and support. As we approach the twentieth anniversary of drug courts in Utah, I want to acknowledge and applaud the judges and lawyers who have helped make the drug court system successful. How It All Began “One of the biggest misconceptions that [is] out there is that people never really truly recover from having a substance abuse problem and being in the criminal justice system.” –Ali Shelley, 2009 drug court graduate The concept of drug court was developed by a group of judicial professionals in Miami-Dade County, Florida, who grew tired of seeing the same faces appear in their court. This group observed that a large percentage of repeat offenders were landing back in the courtroom – and inevitably behind bars – because of drugs. Their criminal activity was fueled by the urgency to feed their drug addiction. Time spent in jail served as a temporary solution to keeping these offenders away from criminal activity and drug usage. Unfortunately, for both the offenders and the Miami-Dade County taxpayers, once the offenders were back on the streets, they would return to their old habits. The group of judicial professionals sought to change the revolving door of drug-related crime and arrests through drug court: a specialty court that would use the legal system to inspire positive transformation. Treatment would be offered in lieu of jail time. Their concept would provide drug treatment through the structure of a court and the authority of a judge. Instead of walking into the courtroom as adversaries, the attorneys on both sides would endeavor to work with the judge toward a common goal: the individual’s successful sobriety. The first drug court was launched in 1989. Ten years after the first drug court was founded, 439 more drug courts were opened, and by June 30, 2012, 2,734 drug courts operated throughout the country. See National Association of Drug Court Professionals, www.nadcp.org. In the spring of 1995, Scott Reed, Craig Bunker, and I were asked to attend a drug court conference in Las Vegas. It was there that we were introduced to the concept of the drug court system. Once we understood how effectively it reduced the level of recidivism and improved the lives of those facing addiction, we knew something had to be done in Utah. My colleagues and I returned from the conference inspired to initiate a change in our state’s system. Though we faced a great deal of initial skepticism and reluctance, we were granted permission to launch a pilot project. We were pleasantly surprised – and certainly relieved – when Judge Dennis Fuchs came out of the blue and offered to be the judge. “I grew up in the ’60s, a time when the drug culture was pretty prevalent. I saw the damage it did to other people. I decided to implement [drug court] to find an alternative to locking up individuals who used drugs and to look for a long-range treatment for those who were involved in drugs,” recalls Judge Fuchs. He reflects on growing up during a time when he would encounter men who would go off to fight in Vietnam and return with a severe drug addiction. Additionally, Judge Fuchs watched the deterioration of a family member who suffered from a severe addiction to alcohol and cocaine. His experiences led to a perception that disagreed with what had been the norm for dealing with drug-related crimes – and ultimately made him the perfect person to serve as judge in the pilot project. “Even back then I thought that drugs and alcoholism were more of a disease than they were a crime. I thought that treating those individuals as criminals was the wrong approach,” says Fuchs. Within a year, Salt Lake opened its first drug court. Two years after the pilot project, more drug courts had been established in Utah. In 1998, the University of Utah’s School of Social Work revealed that recidivism rates for local drug court graduates one year after graduation remained at a steady 7%. In contrast, the United States Department of Justice estimates that approximately 45% of offenders convicted of similar charges but who have not participated in drug court, will relapse and commit another crime. See www.utcourts.gov. Three to five years after their first year out from drug court, 75%–85% of drug court graduates are not rearrested. Today, twenty years later, Utah is home to more than 2,000 drug court graduates. That means more than 2,000 Utah citizens were given the choice to either face serious criminal charges or face their addiction head on and win. These graduates are our sons, daughters, mothers, and fathers. They are our neighbors, friends, and colleagues. They made unlawful choices not, because they were inherently criminals but because they saw no other way to live their life in happiness. Drug court presented them with an alternative, and it continues to help people every single day. How It Works “It’s court-ordered and sponsored treatment. The court is the one praising them for doing the correct thing, and the court is the one punishing them if they don’t do the correct thing.” – Judge Dennis Fuchs https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5977a56b15d5db11d7d98473/1508445814387-OC3JZNYCMAHDO9KIN9C9/Screen+Shot+2017-10-19+at+2.20.59+PM.png Work https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5977a56b15d5db11d7d98473/1505518025614-XWHOCESFFW2ETC9D91WR/-images-uploads-gallery-BB_pressphoto_Neil_Krug.jpg Work - Benjamin Booker ready to expand his horizons in Salt Lake City Read the article as it appeared in print or online. Benjamin Booker is 28 years old, but a conversation with the punk rock-infused blues singer-songwriter reveals an old-soul wisdom that is at the root of his powerful music. Booker is a Florida native who grew up in the punk rock music scene. After graduating from the University of Florida in Gainesville, he moved to New Orleans and pursued a musical career. He released his sophomore album, “Witness,” in June. The album, which features the unmistakable vocals of gospel singer Mavis Staples, has enjoyed rave reviews. But Booker isn’t quite ready to admit that he has made it. “We are just trying,” he said in a phone interview from his home in Los Angeles. “I’m happy just being able to play for people when we show up in town.” Booker has toured extensively around the globe and has rocked out on stages at big-name festivals like SXSW, but Wednesday’s show at The State Room in Salt Lake City marks his first-ever performance in Utah. “The only thing I have heard from everybody [about Utah] is people are nice,” Booker said. “It’s one of those places where it’s very different. I listen to a podcast called ‘99% Invisible,’ it’s an architecture and design podcast, and they were talking about how the streets there were set up with the church and how they’re super-wide and how it’s become a problem. People have to use orange flags to cross the street is what I’m hearing. I’m interested in the design of the city and how the street numbers are coordinated.” Geeking out on the street designs of Salt Lake gives a glimpse into the many layers of Benjamin Booker as a person and a musician. He is introspective, well-read and seems to be perpetually in the throes of an existential crisis — in a good way. On first listen, his music sets off an explosive sonic experience that makes it impossible to sit still. A deeper examination reveals lyrics ranging from anger over blatant racism and discrimination in America to the emotions one goes through simply trying to exist. His music sends some serious messages, but Booker said “Witness” was inspired more by the pursuit of happiness than telling others what to derive from it. “A big part of the album was about pushing forward and trying to be a better person,” he said. “I think that continual growth is important for people. People get stuck where they are and they think that they can’t get out of it. But digging deeper and trying to tackle the things that are problems in your life and actively trying to find solutions is important. The songs come down to those kinds of things — just trying to get through the day and be a good person.” In previous interviews, Booker has described suffering from writer’s block after releasing his self-titled debut album. He made his way to Mexico, where he spent a month living outside his comfort zone — and found inspiration in the simple things in life. “I am trying my best to change my priorities from worrying so much about work and those kinds of things to just trying to enjoy friends and family; just enjoy the sunshine,” he said. “I am trying to live a more wholesome, complete life than I was before. I got a little burnt out of what you think of when you think of playing in a rock band. Those kinds of things got old pretty fast.” Booker’s experience in Mexico changed his perspective, but despite his musical successes, he is still expanding his mind — he’s currently reading “One Hundred Years of Solitude” by Gabriel García Marquez — and trying to be positive in a time when it’s easy to be anything but. As he gears up to hit the road for a headlining tour, Booker, who volunteers his time teaching creative writing in Los Angeles, said that what’s on his mind right now is the need to get involved for the greater good. “I usually say that when people get overwhelmed, it’s good for people to think about the smaller scale: their community and the people around them,” he said. “I encourage people to get out and volunteer and be active in their community and donate to organizations that they support. Stay educated. Read up on the world around you and try to keep going. Those are the things that I tell people. They help me feel more at peace when everything gets stressed.” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5977a56b15d5db11d7d98473/1508447659244-Q0THOZH8EUWLMYQJBYLK/Visigoth_photo-credit--Peter-Beste.jpg Work - Visigoth trying to turn their fantasy-themed metal into reality on the road   Read article as it appears in print or online. Swords, sorcery, battles and epic journeys are at the helm of Salt Lake-based heavy metal band Visigoth’s music. The five-piece got its start seven years ago when lead singer/songwriter Jake Rogers and lead guitarist Leeland Campana decided during an especially snowy December that they were ready to turn their hobby into the real deal. “It was a cold and windy night, and the storms of prophecy blew into the Salt Lake valley,” Rogers joked. “I asked Lee if he wanted to do this sort of thing in late December, and then in January we wrote three songs and recorded a cover. We recorded these garbage-awful demos on his computer in his dorm room and threw them up online for people to hear. We built the band around that.” Visigoth bring their “heavy metal rock ’n’ roll” sounds to The Loading Dock on Friday night. Audience members can expect an energy fueled by powerful guitar riffs, heavy-hitting ballads and a camaraderie that welcomes headbanging to music created by fans of the fantasy and gaming world. Rogers describes Visigoth’s music as taking “a little rock and a little epic and throw it in the blender.” Drawing their name from the Germanic tribe that conquered Rome in A.D. 410, Visigoth evolved through the addition of Jamison Palmer (guitar), Matt Brotherton (bass guitar) and Mikey T. (drums) as permanent fixtures. With lyrics rooted in Rogers’ love for fantasy fiction and a deep passion for the history of heavy metal music, it was not long before Visigoth became a reputable group within the genre. The group signed on with Metal Blade Records and has released one full-length album on the label, with their sophomore effort due out in spring. Visigoth have enjoyed extensive touring abroad in Europe and Spain, and their rabid fan base propelled them into the nerd scene through comedian Brian Posehn’s use of their song “Dungeon Master” on his Dungeons & Dragons-themed podcast, “Nerd Poker.” “We literally only have one song that’s partially inspired [by D&D],” Rogers said. “There’s a specific reason for that: [The song] was written about one of my very best friends. He and I grew up playing Dungeons & Dragons together. He’s been the dungeon master of our gaming group for years now. … It’s such a strong, safe, imaginative thing to do when you’re growing up. … I felt like he needed that tribute.” Visigoth have just one song dedicated to the theme of D&D, but Rogers’ lyrics lend themselves to the realm of sorcery and swords found in fantasy literature. He sees this as a perfect fit for metal music. “There are a lot of ways to use fantasy themes to communicate emotional or philosophical ideas,” he said. “This kind of heavy metal is served better by an appeal to the epic dissociation with the mundane because it’s heroic-sounding music. You have big power chord riffs, the pounding drums. I like to use fantasy even if the subtext is something I am feeling emotionally, or an idea I want to communicate philosophically, the aesthetic needs to have that for it to work.” Playing the hero is the central theme in Visigoth’s forthcoming album. Rogers, whose least favorite aspect of making music is writing the lyrics, described the album as an empowering compilation of tracks. —photo courtesy of Peter Beste “A lot of the songs are about finding the strength within yourself to overcome obstacles in your life,” he said. “Uniting with your friends who really do care and will be there for you to find that strength to overcome. I think it’s a great topic for the kind of metal we play — traditional heavy metal.” As Visigoth look to the future, Rogers said they plan to continue writing heroic music that offers an escape from the mundane, and work hard to live the dream of touring and making music full time. “Road life is the best life,” he said. “It’s where we really feel happy and at home. We are fighting against our day-job identities to go do this thing. That’s always the goal: Release a record and tour on it. As long as we can keep doing that, we are happy.”     https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5977a56b15d5db11d7d98473/1661741723683-EVCETX11Q749G0MV82OA/disney.jpeg Work https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5977a56b15d5db11d7d98473/1770233458713-KXSQSRD31UXBO63YOUUQ/FashionphilePreview-1.jpg Work https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5977a56b15d5db11d7d98473/8d42ea3d-fe73-4b1c-955c-012e36abd8b0/Newport_cropped.jpg Work https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5977a56b15d5db11d7d98473/ef6f9467-e52d-47fd-90e6-eae7a56040df/Matt+Warren.jpg Work https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5977a56b15d5db11d7d98473/1770233458713-KXSQSRD31UXBO63YOUUQ/FashionphilePreview-1.jpg Work Real Housewife of Salt Lake City Bronwyn Newport with Fashionphile founder Sarah Davis at the grand opening of Fashionphile in Lehi on January 9, 2026. 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