Two BYU students with a unique love for electronic dance music sat at Cafe Rio tackling stuffed burritos when it hit. They came up with an idea they thought could revolutionize the Provo music scene.
Drew Tekulve and Andy Mockler had been writing music together since their freshman year of college, but something other than spicy pork sparked inside of them that day at the restaurant when they decided to turn their love for music into a blog.
“It’s called the Provo Yacht Club,” Tekulve said. “I love folk music, but I feel like Provo is in a folk rut. We want to introduce more of a modern and electronic theme to the music scene of Provo.”
The blog was originally going to be named “Tiger’s Blood,” stemming from an experience Tekulve and Mockler had at a snowcone stand with an old Vietnam veteran. When they found out another music blog in Texas had already claimed the name, they settled on “The Provo Yacht Club.”
“We are so land-bound here in Provo, but it’s nice to bring a nautical theme into things and make it more of a celebration on the beach,” Tekulve said.
The blog reviews and introduces new types of music through a collaboration of writers chosen by Tekulve and Mockler. It includes songs uploaded through SoundCloud to entertain the ears as well as the minds of the readers.
The real star of the blog, though, is “Grandpa Mose.” He’s the grandfather of one of the blog members and is featured in the blog’s promotional video as well as displayed all over the site. Most importantly, he upholds the core purpose of the blog: to bring back electronic dance music in a way that is clean and BYU-friendly.
“Chris Livingston and I were resident DJs and involved with the Electronic Dance Party for many years,” said blog member Coulsen Phillips. “EDP has dispersed and been defunct for the past two years, but two former members have been working to bring an event to Provo that will fill the void left by EDP’s departure.”
The blog makers teamed up with these previous Electronic Dance Party DJs to create a launch party held this Friday at a new venue called the Clubhouse. Their purpose is to eradicate the negative connotations that are often associated with electronic dance music.
“When people think of it they think of raves, and when they think of raves they think of substances,” Tekulve said, “We want to change that perception of electronic music so that it can be enjoyed by anybody and everybody.”
Grandpa Mose proves this point as he endorses electronic dance music in the blog’s promotional video, showing people that even old men can enjoy electronic music.
“We like to tell people that he is like the Gatsby of Provo — throwing crazy parties but never showing up,” Mockler said. “He’s an old man with a passion for electronic music, hoping to help others enjoy it.”
The launch event will run from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. Friday, Dec. 5, on 1644 S. State Street in Provo. Access to the blog can be found here, and the promotional video can be accessed here.
