Localized: Lane And The Chain

The days may be getting shorter, but local bands Fonteyn and Lane and the Chain will add some sunny energy to your month at SLUG’s November Localized. Catch them both with support from Psychedelic Purple for just $5 at Kilby Court on Nov. 17 (doors at 7 p.m., music at 8 p.m.). SLUG Localized is sponsored by Riso-Geist.

“Every time they look at me / They all got something else to say,” Courtney Lane sings emphatically on “Garbage Day,” the third track on Lane And The Chain’s self-titled EP. The song doesn’t mention that everyone has even more to say after hearing the three piece rip through soulful keys, punk bass lines and progressive rock drumbeats. The gossip is good—and Lane knows it. “I do get satisfaction out of being on a bill with, you know, all straight white dudes, and them not expecting us to sound the way that we do,” they say. “Then they hear us and they’re like, ‘Whoa, you fucking shred.’”

The two founding members of Lane And The Chain—vocalist/keyboardist Lane and bassist Julie Boswell—met while teaching female, transgender and gender-expansive youth how to “take up space, be loud, be badass and play rock and roll” at Rock Camp SLC, Lane says. The two of them, along with drummer B Zitting, each bring a unique piece to Lane And The Chain’s sonic puzzle.

“Salt Lake is in a musical renaissance right now. The scene here is thriving and there’s so much incredible music being made.”

All three band members have a lot on their plate, as well, each performing with other local projects: Lane in Sunfish, Boswell in Body Horror and Zitting in Beta Centauri, among others (not to mention the fact that Lane is currently pursuing a doctorate in audiology). “It’s a ton of fun with my other band to get into the weird little niches I have, but it’s also really fulfilling to try and fit my weird edges into Courtney and B’s weird edges,” Boswell says. “Lane And The Chain is such a synthesized product. I can bring my weird punk and goth stuff to it, which makes us very unique. I don’t think any of us can predict how it’s going to end up, which is an exciting part of the creative process.”

Lane’s creative process is lifelong—they simply have music in their genes. Some of their earliest memories are of banging on their grandfather’s piano when they were growing up on the East Coast. When Lane was just six years old, they were the special prodigy student of Dr. Genevieve Brings, a professor of music at Long Island University. In one way or another, they’ve been performing ever since.

The discovery of Lane And The Chain’s signature sound, however, has been ever-evolving. “My whole adolescence, I was super into prog metal, hard rock and heavier experimental stuff. I never heard any keys [in those genres],” Lane says. “I was bummed out that I’d chosen the one instrument that wasn’t applicable to the type of music I wanted to play, so I stopped playing.” Years later, when they watched a video of Mike Patton playing double keys along to experimental rock during a Mr. Bungle set at the Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival, a fire was lit. “I realized, holy shit, I can add so much to the rock that I want to play with keys and synths.”

“I do get satisfaction out of being on a bill with, you know, all straight white dudes, and them not expecting us to sound the way that we do. Then they hear us and they’re like, ‘Whoa, you fucking shred.’”

From the instrumental first track “Petrichor” to the haunted house punk rock of “Frank,” Lane And The Chain is solidifying their place in the local music scene with the band’s first release. And it’s only upwards from here—despite any barriers to the contrary. “Salt Lake is in a musical renaissance right now. The scene here is thriving and there’s so much incredible music being made,” Lane says. “At the same time, it can be cliquey and strange to navigate as a trans person, queer person or woman … Something very special to me is that all of us are queer and we’re doing quite well for ourselves in an industry that is not always super welcoming to queer and trans people. We don’t take shit, and we rip.”

Don’t miss Lane and the Chain at SLUG’s November Localized showcase with Fonteyn and Psychedelic Purple. You can find Lane and the Chain’s music on all streaming platforms, and follow @laneandthechain on Instagram for updates on new music, future shows and more.

Read more Localized features:
Localized: Detzany
Localized: Nicole McMahan