THE MARCH EDITOR’S PICKS
What to read, watch, listen to and eat/drink in Ogden this month.
EDITOR’S PICKS
TO READTake a journey through segregated midwestern white suburbs, the summer of ‘69, Vietnam War protests, bygone passenger trains across Missouri from Kansas City to Moberly, and a move west to Ogden, Utah in this new collection of poems and personal essays by author Jan Hamer, an Instructor of English at Weber State University. Her first publication, “A Storytelling of Ravens,” is an extraordinary life story told through beautifully straightforward prose, poetic wit, and shining wisdom.
From “Vietnam Elegy”
You came to your activism through sacrifice and study.
Mine cost me nothing.
We were nothing alike, and perhaps still aren’t, except:
You wrote poems to the man who shot you.
I am writing this poem to you.
Both of us, banking our regrets, studying our pasts, and
trying to save lives
one poem at a time
Buy “A Storytelling of Ravens” online through Ogden’s local book shop Happy Magpie Book & Quill @happymagpiebook here.
Pompe ‘n Honey on Van Sessions. Photo by Ruth Silver
TO WATCHThis month, here’s some Ogden awesomeness you can watch right from your couch. Van Sessions is a monthly live audience music podcast that features amazing local musicians, live-streamed from The Monarch during First Friday Art Stroll. More than a live performance, the show’s hosts, The Banyan Collective, conduct interviews between the songs giving you a deeper experience and knowledge of the artists. You can watch Van Sessions live in person or from home, and later on YouTube (or listen on Spotify).
We’ve selected the Van Sessions episode with Pompe ‘n Honey as a much-watch for March/Women’s History Month. They are a trio from Salt Lake City with a prominent female lead vocalist/ “banjo shredder” that came together through their love of “archaic sounds from the turn-of-the-century to the 20s and 30s.” Their mix of country swing, gypsy jazz, and roots music is a foot-stomping good old-timey time.
Watch the episode of Van Sessions with Pompe ‘n Honey here.
Pompe ‘n Honey will appear at Ogden Music Festival, June 2-4.
Follow Van Sessions (@vansessions) and Pompe ‘n Honey (@pompenhoney) on Instagram for more upcoming shows.
Images courtesy of Jackie Rae Daniels
TO LISTEN“Dreams Don’t Decay” is the latest release (2022) from Logan-based folk singer/songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Jackie Rae Daniels. After three previous records of original songs, this is a cover album of Bob Dylan songs, that Daniels admits was scary and risky. It’s a beautifully executed accomplishment.
“To cover or recreate a master's work is not always wise. However, my intention is to pay homage to his songwriting and how it affected my art,” says Daniels. It also helped to “keep the flame lit that inspired me so many years ago when I first sat down and listened to his words. They changed my life, perspective, and purpose all in one fell swoop.”
Daniels recorded the album in a week, alone in a make-shift studio in her kitchen. “I had an almost spiritual or simply deeply involved experience with these tunes. I have never done something so raw while completely relying on my own skill and capability. hence... scary.”
“Dreams Don’t Decay” will deepen your love for Bob Dylan’s music, and Jackie Rae Daniels brings a vibrant, new voice to the old tunes that are heartwarming, and for some, an introduction to the legend that he is. It’s a lovely tribute.
Jackie Rae Daniels performs live on Van Sessions at The Monarch on Friday, March 3, at 7 p.m. She is currently recording another album.
Follow her on Instagram @jackieraejive for upcoming shows, and Spotify to listen to “Dreams Don’t Decay” and her other albums.
TO DINEIf St. Patrick’s Day has you in the mood for potatoes and stout, get to Roosters B Street.
The Naughty Fries, a town staple at this point, come with three dipping sauces—Pepper Jack, Gorgonzola, and Louisiana hot sauce. I don’t even know how you’ve made it living in Ogden this long without them if you haven’t tried them, but now you’re saved.
As for the beer, stouts can be hard to find in a rather IPA-flowing Utah. At 9%, the Iron Rooster is rich and chocolatey without drinking like a high point. Bonus, you can grab cold cans of it to go and drink it from home with your corned beef and cabbage.
Roosters B Street Brewery and Taproom is located at 2325 B Avenue, Ogden, Utah.