Tribute artist can’t get enough of Tuacahn’s vibe

By Lisa Larson

When Brody Dolyniuk steps on stage, this musical director/performer might be bringing any number of tribute musical acts to life. From a nod to Led Zeppelin to the music of Queen, The Rolling Stones, Elton John and more, Dolyniuk has a way of paying homage to the musical greats, while creating a brand that is all his own.

“I just like a lot of music,” Dolyniuk said. “It started with Elton John and then I got into Rush, Van Halen, Pink Floyd. There’s a lot of me going back and rediscovering things that give me a new appreciation for a specific decade.”

Dolyniuk’s love for a variety of music, and his propensity to get bored easily, has led him to create several different tribute shows, allowing him to do what he loves — perform — while keeping things fresh and exciting.

“It’s a unique situation. I love that the music is familiar, but I also love winning over a new audience every time,” he said. “It’s a wonderful challenge.”

And it’s a challenge he’s been enjoying at Tuacahn for several years now, bringing his Zeppelin USA to the red rocks of Southern Utah, along with The Magic of Queen, British Rock Royalty and others. Coming soon, he’ll be rocking the Totally ‘80s Symphonic fusing Dolyniuk’s stellar band with a 22-piece orchestra for a night of sound that is unlike anything else.

“This will be similar to the Symphonic Rock Show we brought to Tuacahn in November, but a whole different set of music,” Dolyniuk said. “We have a five-piece band, a 22-piece orchestra, and I have a female vocalist joining me on this one.”

More than anything, he’s excited to be center stage in the Tuacahn Outdoor Amphitheatre, a place he has loved since his first glimpse more than a dozen years ago.

“I was living in Las Vegas and my daughter’s mother’s family said they were going to Utah to see a musical,” Dolyniuk said. “I was like, ‘why are we driving two hours to see a show?’”

It turned out, the show was Disney’s The Little Mermaid and within seconds, Dolyniuk was “blown away” by what he saw.

“The music, the water curtain, the lights… I was completely enamored with the show and I swore that one day, I was going to play on that stage,” he recalled.

It took a few years, but eventually, Dolyniuk had his first shot, bringing his Zeppelin USA production to Tuacahn. It was such a hit, that he’s been a regular part of the concert lineup ever since.

“It’s one of my all-time favorite places to play,” he said. “The natural beauty sets it apart from every other place, but also there is a connection with the Utah people who always seems to resonate with my shows. The staff and faculty are very gracious… it just feels like a homecoming whenever I go back there.”

Part of the appeal of Dolyniuk’s shows is the familiarity audiences already have with the music — since no matter the production he’s putting on, it is a tribute to one of the greats. However, Dolyniuk said that doesn’t mean there’s not a lot of creativity and originality within the production side of things.

“I create video content, lighting, medleys etc., that we work into the show,” Dolyniuk said. “There’s a lot of ways to be creative even if you’re not writing your own music.”

That’s not to say he doesn’t have an inner songwriter trying to get out. In fact, he’s been working on some of his own tunes for years, but the demands of travel and production for his tribute shows keeps those projects on the shelf, at least for now.

“I’m a terrible procrastinator, so I write music but most of it is waiting to be finished,” he said.

For the fans of his epic rock shows, however, they’re completely satisfied with the chance to cut loose to hits from Duran Duran, The Cure, Cyndi Lauper and others in his upcoming Totally ‘80s Symphonic show.

“It’s time tested,” Dolyniuk said of what is now a decades-long career. “I’m not reinventing the wheel. I’m just taking what is there and appreciating the vehicle… and steering the wheel.”

It’s a metaphor that is apropos to his other life as one who builds and restores performance cars. With one foot in each of those worlds, he’s enjoying his time with cars in the daytime, and crooning out hits at night.

Catch Dolyniuk’s latest musical production, Totally ‘80s Symphonic at 8 p.m. March 19 in the Tuacahn Outdoor Amphitheatre. Tickets start at just $34. Check out www.tuacahn.org or call the box office at 435-652-3300.