Peter Harper sat at the bar and chatted with me before his show at The Wine Cellar June 28. The man looked tired in the eyes, but still managed to have a smile on his face as we talked about tattoos, his music and his busy weekend in Utah.

Harper and his band Midwest Kind played a full schedule of The Groove Fest in Cedar City on June 27, and two dates at the Utah Arts Festival in Salt Lake City earlier on Saturday and again on June 29. 

He said he had to play in the sun at the arts fest earlier, and on en empty stomach at that. But during his performance at the basement bar in Ogden, no one would have taken notice of his fatigue. 

It wasn’t the lyrics or the infamous didgeridoo that impressed me the most about Harper, it was his harmonica. That man can jam, and kept his trusty mouthpiece in his hand nearly the entire time. Harper was on-point, and put the instrument to his lips whenever the inkling came to him, and it was near perfect timing. This occasion also marked the first time I witnessed a live harmonica solo, and that experience will stay with me.

He promised a fusion of blues and world music, and he delivered. 

Contact reporter Raychel Johnson at 801-625-4279 or rajohnson@standard.net. Follow her on Twitter @raychelNEWS.