By Anna Newman
Two Provo students and a British pop star are on a mission to bring a party scene to Utah County that upholds honor code standards.
Chris Seamons, a sophomore from Provo majoring in psychology at BYU, founder of Bluewire Productions and professional disc jockey, says he hopes to change Provo?s partying with a little help from his friends ? Douglas Souza of Brazuca Ltd. and R&B recording artist Alex Boy?. Welcoming both BYU and UVSC students, ?Groove? will include music, dancing and a live performance from Boy? around midnight.
Boy? has sold over 500,000 copies of his singles in more than 15 European countries, performed songs for multiple LDS film soundtracks and has released three solo albums. He said volunteering to perform is much more than a career move or even a favor for a friend. It is part of a change in the perception of how college students can have fun.
?We [Souza and Boy?] have been really big into the dancing and the music scene, but so much of it is questionable and without any standards,? Boy? said. ?We always said we would do something really cool and credible that wasn?t questionable.?
Boy? will be performing unreleased songs from his upcoming ?Urban Zion? album, which is scheduled to come out this spring under the Deseret Book label. Boy? said the album is not typical Deseret Book material.
?My petition was that we wanted to do some music that was credible for kids and young adults. The music is for them.? Boy? said.
The result is a new chapter in both LDS music and Boy??s career. After spending six years with Universal Records as the only LDS member of his group, he just wasn?t happy with the lifestyle or the music, he said. As a solo artist, Boy? has left his home in England to pursue a new direction.
?I want to focus on uplifting lyrics but to music that?s popular, like hip-hop and R&B,? Boy? said. ?It?s what I grew up with, but most of the content is so bad. My little mission was to find the good out of that music.?
Teaming up with Seamons and Souza, the three now present that mission to the student audience. Creating an honor code friendly dance party is an undertaking of unique proportions, but one that Seamons and Souza say they hope will both get attention and set some precedence in the area. An alcohol, drug and smoke-free environment is a luxury traditional dance clubs simply don?t offer.
?House parties always end up too crowded and nobody can dance, and at clubs people are drinking and smoking and just grinding,? Souza said. ?I love to dance and want a place to go where I don?t have to deal with that. If this is something that goes over well, it?s something we want to keep doing.?
Having a place to socialize and listen to good music, without the added discomforts and distance that come with going to Salt Lake is the magic formula Seamons hopes will attract the college crowd of which he is a part.
?It?s just going to be fun,? he said. ?I think the combination of these will be something that can really put us on the map. Obviously this is a business opportunity, but at the same time, I know what it?s like to have nothing to do on the weekends.?
?Groove? will be Friday from 9 p.m. to 2 a.m. at the old city library at 425 W. Center St.
