The biggest challenge facing the band Underminded is booking future shows.
"We're in the process of looking for a booking agent," drummer Tanner Wayne said by phone from Indiana. "The tour we're on now with Chiodos is because we know the band well. We booked the shows by ourselves, but after this tour we need to find ways to still be able to tour. And Chiodos' booking agent is (too) busy to pick us up."
Still, that doesn't stop Underminded's band members — Wayne, guitarist Matt Johnson, vocalist Nick Martin and bassist Brandon Cardwell — from doing what they love: playing music.
"I have always played music," said Wayne. "My father has played music all his life, and we always had a drum set in the house. When I first started playing, my father told me it all 'clicked,' and he helped me pursue my lessons. When I was in high school, I spent more time playing music than doing what I was supposed to do in school. I did start to take music seriously, though, and that was a good thing."
Wayne started off playing a 10-piece drum set but has since cut it down to four pieces to fit his band's punk sound. "I just need the basics. That's all I need. And it works well."
After graduation, Wayne had his bands, and then earlier this year he joined Underminded. The band was in the middle of writing songs for the new album "Eleven Eleven." "They had three songs done, and then we went into the studio and did the rest of the album. It was nice being able to spend a lot of time in the studio. We made demos of the songs and listened to them repeatedly and changed them when we felt we should. We slept in the studio and woke up ready to work.
"While I've made demos with other bands, this was the first album I actually recorded. And it was great."
Paul Miner, who has produced such bands as Thrice, Atreyu and Throwdown, produced "Eleven Eleven." "He happened to pop by when we were demoing the songs, and he liked what he heard," said Wayne. "So when we decided to record the songs, he had some ideas and helped us with the process."
If you go
What: Chiodos, Scary Kids Scaring Kids, The Devil Wears Prada, Emery, Underminded
Where: The Great Saltair, 1 Salt Air Drive, Magna
When: Thursday, 7 p.m.
How much: $16
Phone: 467-8499, 800-888-8499
Web: www.smithstix.com
E-mail: scott@desnews.com