Standard-Examiner (Ogden, UT)

August 13, 2005
Section: Daily

LAYTON -- No colored hair. No painted faces. No skin-tight leather pants. Just good old-fashioned, straight forward classic rock 'n' roll from the '60s and '70s.

"We don't dress up. We don't try to look like anybody else. We're just old fat guys -- some of us," said 52-year-old Dave Thomas, self-described lead singer and driver of the Winnebago for Mid-Life Crisis.

The band, featuring six Layton residents, two of whom work for the city of Layton, will perform at 8 p.m. Monday in the Ed Kenley Amphitheater at 403 N. Wasatch Drive.

The concert is part of the Davis Arts Council summer concert series. Tickets range from $8 to $15.

"This is as big as it gets for us," said Thomas, who works full time as Layton's recreation supervisor.

The band made its debut in August 2001 in the Layton amphitheater. It since has performed in a variety of venues, including the E Center in West Valley City, entertaining between hockey periods, and a Southern California beach, where the band played for Intermountain Health Care employees.

But Thomas said Monday's gig may be the band's biggest because it's part of a summer concert series that includes nationally recognized entertainers.

"This is the first time we have actually been part of a season," he said. "We're on a season with Charlie Daniels, the Lovin' Spoonful and the Smothers Brothers. That makes you humble."

Mid-Life Crisis performs 30 to 35 times a year, Thomas said. The other band members are Brenda Burton, keyboard and vocals; Tyler Blackner, bass; Sherm Macfarland, rhythm guitar; Barry Sanderson, drums; and Doug Pierce, lead guitar.

Pierce also is employed with Layton as a full-time cartographer.

"This is just for fun. We all have jobs, family to take care of," said Pierce, 38, who has been playing guitar for 24 years.

Pierce, a former member of a high school rock band, said he wondered whether he would ever get to play in a band again after serving a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and getting married.

"So it's been kind of fun," he said.

In addition to booking national acts such as the Smothers Brothers, the Davis Arts Council tries to promote local talent, said Charlene Nelson, DAC executive director.

"We usually see the crowd go down a little bit (for concerts featuring local performers)," Nelson said, "which I get disappointed in because I feel the community should support its own."

People are just more inclined to spend money to see national acts, she said.

"Sometimes we believe that because someone is from our community that they are not worth spending money to see," Nelson said.

But Nelson said she believes Mid-Life Crisis belongs on the schedule.

For tickets, call 546-8575 or visit www.davisarts.org. Tickets also will be available at the Ed Kenley Amphitheater prior to the concert.

Copyright 2005 Standard-Examiner