Ten local bands and one of Provo’s most well known DJs will dominate downtown Provo on Sept. 20. With bands ranging from the indie-specialized Westward the Tide to the pop/R&B artist Mimi Knowles, this event will feed the needs of every music guru.
This will be the sixth annual Rock the Block event started by Seventy3 Creative, a marketing and business consulting company owned by Jacob Jones and Sam Schultz. Schultz also owns Sammy’s, a diner known for its unique pie shakes. Sammy’s, along with many other local companies, band together to sponsor the event, making it free for those attending.
In past years more than 1,000 people have attended Rock the Block, drawn in by the various artists.
“It started with just doing events and offering up-and-coming bands money to get in front of a crowd,” Schultz said, “But now I have hundreds of bands coming to me wanting to be part of Rock the Block.”
Seventy3 Creative directors choose bands based on who they are currently working with. Additionally, trending artists, like Westward the Tide, are thrown into the mix.
However, Schultz considers Tha Connection to be the biggest draw for this year. Tha Connection consists of one rapper and one singer from Brooklyn. According to lead singer Justin Cooper, they chose this combination because the best songs usually incorporate different genres.
“We have a pretty 90s-based focus and try to create something catchy with a message to it,” said lead rapper Ryan Isles.
Between unique talent and standard rock, this event has something for everybody. According to Schultz, past American Idol contestant Kenz Hall is expected to attract an older crowd that would not normally attend this type of event.
“It’s a social experience,” Schultz said. “And it’s not just going to draw one type of crowd.”
This is not the first music event Sammy’s has sponsored. Supporting local bands has become Schultz’s passion, and he uses his involvement with both Seventy3 Creative and Sammy’s to aid artists.
“Those are the times I love working the most,” said 21-year-old Travis Rylander, an employee at Sammy’s.
Additional bands include Better Taste Bureau, Modern Mirage, Jade Demure, Leo Cody, Paper Guns and Jack Pines. They will take the stage at 5 p.m. and play until DJ Ricky Miami takes over at 10:30 p.m.
