Grand Junction, despite being a
town with a population under 65,000, is rich in local music and performing
arts. There are several events every week, often packed with talented local
performers and musicians. The popular venues to attend these shows are the
Avalon Theatre, Mesa Theater, Las Colonias Park and Warehouse 25 sixty-five.
Music in the Grand Valley is also
vast, where shows can vary from blues to punk to country to metal and
everything in between. The best way to get a taste of the local talent and to
know what bands to follow is to attend Local Jam. Local Jam began five years
ago as a very underground event, with attendance under 300, according to Grand
Valley Live Publisher Jeff Steele, organizer for Local Jam. “Our whole goal is
to expose as many people as possible to the phenomenal music scene and the
talent that we have right here in the valley,” Steele said.
Enthusiasm for the festival spread
and recent attendance has breached a thousand. Now in its 5th year, takes on Las
Colonias Park. While typically this event happens earlier in August, this year
Local Jam will take place just after school begins, giving students opportunity
to get a feel for the local music scene.
The festival looks to welcome forty
local bands including popular favorites Wave 11, El Camino Burnout, Jack +
Jill, Suckafish, and more. Several bands playing, such as Awaiting Eternity, represent
Colorado Mesa University’s talented alumni and students. The celebration of
music, local pride, and philanthropy begins with a kickoff party at Baron’s
Grill on Colorado Avenue Aug. 23 at 9 p.m. There is a $5 cover for the kickoff
party. The festival begins at noon both Saturday Aug. 24 and Sunday Aug. 25.
Tickets are $15 each day or $25 for both, and can be purchased at the Avalon
Box Office on Seventh and Main to avoid ticket fees.
Local Jam is a completely nonprofit
festival. All of the proceeds of the event go to local charities supporting members
of the community. “No one is gets paid,” Steele said. “Out of the forty bands
playing, no one is getting paid. No band gets paid, no volunteer gets paid, us
organizers, we don’t get paid, this is an entirely volunteer event,” Steele
said. This year, with several sponsors such as The Happy Camper and Zolopht, Local
Jam hopes to make a considerable donation to Hope of the Grand Valley, an
organization that seeks to give hard-working low-income individuals a helping
hand. Local Jam is a perfect opportunity to not only experience some of Grand
Junction’s rich local talent but to also help people in need within the community.