Equaleyes yourself: Idaho jam-band coming to Utah

Equaleyes, a jam-rock band from Idaho, will be gracing Salt Lake City soon with their diversified sound. Their music, as lead singer and guitarist Jeff Crosby says, is centered on creating positive experiences.

“With our music, we try to convey a sense of togetherness, having a good time and freedom,” Crosby says.

And certainly freedom is expressed in their music, which utilizes a wide array of styles and themes to deliver a distinct sound. The music they play is themed on genres from dance to reggae to jam-rock and more.

“We all have a bunch of crazy influences, which may be why we have a diverse sound,” says Crosby. “But Phish is definitely a big influence. Bands like The Allman Brothers and other good 70s rock are also highly influential to our sound.”

Though playing based on numerous influences may lead some bands astray, Equaleyes appear to be doing quite well for themselves. So far, they’ve opened for such notable acts as The Wailers, The Jerry Garcia Band and others. They’ve also toured extensively across the west, and have played multiple music festivals, including The Squaw Valley Earth Day Festival in California and Hempstock in Oregon.

Equaleyes started as a trio a couple years ago, but soon took on another band member to achieve a fuller sound. Like a lot of bands, they do not have a label, but rather manufacture and release their cds DIY style. They plan to release a new album soon as a follow-up to their last, “Homegrown.”

Those interested in checking out the band should attend one of Equaleyes’ upcoming shows at The Downstairs in Park City on March 12 or The Hogwallow Pub in Salt Lake on March 13. They will also be performing in the upcoming Desert Rocks music festival in Moab. Their music can also be easily found on their myspace page or at EqualeyesLive.com/music.

Those who see the band live can be assured that they will hear music which unites rather than divides.

“We try to create a vibe that brings people together,” Crosby says.