Take a trip to the Bone Yard

I was fretting over what I was going to write about for this week's column when I received a phone call from a good friend. He asked if I was going to go to the show at the Bone Yard.

Greatly excited with the luck of finding a new venue to cover, I hopped on my trusty steed (my car) and dashed to the location of the event.

The Bone Yard is located inside the Tom Lemmon Drywall warehouse, 3088 E. 33rd Place, in the industrial area near the entrance to Marine Corps Air Station Yuma.

I had never been there before, so I cruised around slowly with my windows down, so I could hear music in attempt to find the place. Eventually my ears pricked up to the buzzing of lively rock ’n’ roll, which led me like a divining rod directly to the Bone Yard.

I hopped out and approached the ominous commercial building, quickly tucking my press ID beneath my jacket. I have found it is best to blend in and look unassuming at first when trying to take an accurate temperature reading of an event.

I passed through the jaws of two enormous steel doors that were left open and entered the vast echo chamber of the Bone Yard.

There was a small crowd drawn around the stage, watching in awe a band I had never before heard of. Their name is Loaner, and I was totally blown away by their sound.

As I stood in the cavernous metal building, Loaner took me on a journey of sound and light, the likes of which I have never experienced from a local band.

Their production quality was top-notch, and the energy the musicians put forth was astounding. As I stood taking pictures and video to share with the populace of Yuma, I was approached by a man. He introduced himself as Jeff Cook, and he was an organizer of the event.

He was surprised when I told him I was a reporter. I guess when I'm wearing jeans and a T-shirt, and hide my press badge, I look like any ordinary Joe.

As I was asking him about this band that came totally out of left field, I came to learn they had been signed to a professional record label (Redwall Live) and have a full-fledged, self-titled album. The kicker was they live in Yuma.

What a shock to me. Here is this awesome band from my hometown with a signed deal and a completed record and I had never even heard of them before. It must have been serendipity that led me to their show, and now that I know about them, my argument for nightlife in Yuma has a new case in point.

After the performance, I convinced the band to give me an interview. I came to find out they are pretty humble guys who like to play fast-paced rock ’n’ roll.

They will be playing this weekend at the Salvation Army's Rock the Kettle event. They are going to get up on stage at 1:15 p.m. Saturday at the Yuma Palms shopping center's Village.

They are definitely worth your time if you like modernized, fast-paced rock ’n’ roll.

Check out the video of the band's performance at the Bone Yard and their interview at Yumasun.com.

See you next week under the midnight sun...

BANDS PERFORMING
 • Ronny & Clyde - 5 p.m. today and Tuesday, Nov. 24 - Parrish's Bar and Grill
 • Leavin Ruston - 8 p.m. today - Cocopah Casino's River Room
 • Kevin Melcher - 6 p.m. Friday, Nov. 20, and Saturday, Nov. 21 - Daybreakers Cafe
 • Yuma Jazz Company - 7 p.m. Friday, Nov. 20 - Julieanna's Patio Cafe
 • Highway 61 - 8 p.m. Friday, Nov. 20 - LZ Bar and Grill
 • Slick Nickel - 9 p.m. Friday, Nov. 20, and Saturday, Nov. 21 - Yuma Landing
 • Willie Redbone - 9 p.m. today - The Zone (formerly Native New Yorker)
 • 3-Forty - 9 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 21 - The Zone (formerly Native New Yorker)
 • Wayne & Ernie - 5 p.m. every Sunday - Parrish's Bar and Grill
KARAOKE
 • 5 p.m. today - Daybreakers Cafe
 • 8 p.m. today - LZ Bar and Grill
 • 9 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 22 - The Zone (formerly Native New Yorker)
 • 9 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 25 - Friendly Tavern
 • 8:30 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 25 - Hooligan's Sports Bar/Grill & Comedy Club
MUSIC JAM
 • Yuma Blues Band Jam - 7:30 p.m. every Wednesday - LZ Bar and Grill
OPEN MIC
 • 9 p.m. every Sunday - Pop A Top Saloon
COMEDIANS
 • Ron White - 8 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 22 - Quechan Casino's Pipa Event Center
CONCERTS
 • AWC Community Band - 7 p.m. Monday, Nov. 23 - Gila Ridge High School auditorium
 • Dierks Bentley - 8 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 12 - Quechan Casino's Pipa Event Center
 • Tony Orlando - 8 p.m. Friday, Dec. 18 - Quechan Casino's Pipa Event Center

Chris McDaniel can be reached at cmcdaniel@yumasun.com or 539-6849.