“Bought a secondhand van/and headed west on the interstate” begins the song “Time Waits For No Man” about an encounter in the middle-of-nowhere by nationally touring musician Marc Berger.
“I’m an easterner who kind of fell in love with the West in my early 20s,” Berger told the Moab Sun News on April 23, “but of all the places I’ve been, my absolute favorite is around Moab and southeastern Utah.”
Berger is returning to Moab in May to share his latest album, “Ride,” which includes the songs “Time Waits For No Man,” “Twister” and “Take It On The Chin.”
On Thursday, May 2, Berger is performing at the Moab Backyard Theater, 56 W. 100 South, starting at 7:30 p.m. The cover charge is $10.
Berger will also play several concerts in Western Colorado — in Ridgway, Gunnison and Mancos.
He describes “Ride” as an American western collection of songs. The album’s cover photo is of Monument Valley. Copies of “Ride” will be available to purchase after the concert.
“I’ve felt kind of a lifelong attachment to the (southeastern Utah) area,” he said, adding that his connection to the Moab area is reflected in his music.
Berger has performed at Austin’s SXSW Music Festival and The Kerrville and Falcon Ridge Folk Festivals, and has opened shows for Bob Dylan and other national acts.
His song “The Last One” was a staple of Richie Havens’ concerts for over 20 years.
Berger has performed solo and with his band and has extensively explored the region, including the Maze District of Canyonlands National Park. Venturing into remote regions of the deserts and mountains, he discovered “The Big It” by A.B. Guthrie, on a revolving book rack at a Navajo Nation trading post. Berger said the impressive collection of Western short stories ignited the idea of using his travels to create a set of songs in the cultural tradition of like-minded American artists like John Ford, Guthrie and Frederick Remington, celebrating the West’s exotic landscape and timeless appeal.
New York-based artist brings new album to Moab
