HERRIMAN, Utah, June 11, 2025 (Gephardt Daily) -- The veteran musicians of The Coal Men will bring a country sound and multiple decades of professional experience to their concert Friday night at Redemption Bar & Grill.
... which will be the first concert the band has ever played for an actual audience.
"We've been together six or eight months," said Brady Coleman, lead vocalist and guitar player. "This will be the first show we have played for the public."
It's a story with some twists and turns, Coleman said. Years back, he performed as part of the Salt Lake City band HafShaft, but decided that rock stardom might not be his future, so he moved to Roosevelt to work in the oil fields for a reliable paycheck.
But Coleman grew up in a musical family, and always sang and played instruments, and still loved music even if he wasn't playing. So he made sure to attend the last July 4 concert in his Duchesne County town of 7,200 or so residents.
The hard rock band that played before the fireworks was good, Coleman said, "but they were a little too harsh, I guess, for the crowd out there in Roosevelt."
Coleman told the event organizer he could find a more suitable band for this year, but his attempts failed to book one.
So he decided he and his former Salt Lake City friends could be the band.
"I was heavily involved in the music scene 20 years ago here in Salt Lake, and have a lot of friends and musicians. I played music my entire life."
Coleman pitched the idea to his old friends and a few family members. The genre would be country favorites and patriotic songs, suitable for July 4.
"The bass player was a little bit hard to talk into country," Coleman said, with a laugh. "But even he's getting excited about it, and he's just such a pro that, I mean, it's amazing to see this old rocker guy just be able to pick up these songs and just play some really solid bass lines on this country music."
Besides Brady Coleman, the members of the new band The Coal Men (a play on his family name) are:
- Landon Coleman (Brady's brother) -- formerly of HafShaft, Vox Carnage, Funk & Gonzo -- sharing lead vocals and lead guitar duties
- Cory Barber (the Colemans' uncle) -- formerly of Paint By Numbers -- on vocals and keyboard
- David Briggs -- currently playing with American Hitmen, Hard Rockin' Johnsons, and ASA (All Souls Ave.) -- on bass
- Derek Briggs -- formerly of HafShaft, currently playing in Hard Rockin' Johnsons, and ASA -- on drums
- Chris Wilkerson -- formerly of Trip Wire, on vocals and guitar
- Jason Ibarra -- formerly of Trip Wire -- on guitar
- Russell Grant -- a classically trained violinist -- on fiddle
Brady Coleman said all of the seven will play Redemption, with two extra performers joining July 4 in Roosevelt. And not only that, the band assembled originally for the one-time gig has ended up booking other concerts around the region, as members' schedules permit.
Several of those concerts are even for other small towns events that were looking for country covers everyone could enjoy, along with holiday themed patriotic songs.
"We're sounding really good, really tight," Coleman said. "I know I could be a little biased, but I'm excited because everything's coming together. And we've got some real crowd pleasers and a mix of really good songs. And we have musicians that are currently professional musicians."
And, of course, former professional musician Uncle Cory.
"We've come full circle with my uncle, who is a phenomenal musician, and who actually gave us our first guitar when we were little kids, 6 or 7, and now we're playing in a band with him.
"And it's really cool to have this group of amazing guys together and we're going to be able to do this."
To be there for The Coal Men's first public concert, get to Redemption Bar & Grill before the 9 p.m. Friday show. The 21 and older venue is at 3517 W. Maradona Drive, Herriman. Coleman said ticket sales are strong, so get yours in advance, if you can, at this link.
Redemption Bar & Grill, a three-story venue convenient to Salt Lake and Utah counties, also offers drinks, entrees, appetizers and desserts. It has a full entertainment schedule, including tonight's Thursday night introduction of Singo, a musical Bingo game that offers winners fun prizes.
Check out Redemption's full menu and entertainment options on its website.
And be there Friday for The Coal Men.
Redemption Bar & Grill is a proud sponsor of Gephardt Daily and supporter of independent local journalism in Utah.
