Ricks Culture Shock is a Salt Lake City-based alternative band. Musicians featured are Patrick Oberg on keys and lead vocals, Jackson Lund on guitar and backup vocals and Austin Nielson on the drums.
All of the band members are from Davis County in Utah, but Oberg and Lund first met while working as part-time custodians at a junior high school in Salt Lake City. As they worked together, they found that they were both musicians and decided to band together in 2018. Nielson and Lund have been close friends for 25 years, but Nielson only recently joined the group.
“I don’t think you’ll come across a band like us, and I think every artist wants to feel that way. I know that about this band,” Oberg said.
The group’s unique style has left them unsure of how to categorize their music. However, with new music releases coming up, they’re finding their sound.
“I’m black, and whenever I performed, I used to be pretty energetic, and combining those two things would catch a lot of people off guard a little, and I’m just kind of a weird dude,” Oberg said. “Generally speaking, a lot of people don’t come across people like me.”
He further explained that “Rick” is an alter ego for him to play into. His stage presence and the music he makes differ from the person he is when not performing.
Oberg began writing songs in late 2024 for the group’s new EP titled “Bloom,” which they’ll be releasing on April 17. The theme of the new EP lies within the realm of self-acceptance, touching on growth and self-love.
He described it as a way to take the time and energy to show himself respect for all he’s been able to accomplish.
“Growing up out here wasn’t always easy,” Oberg said. “Bloom for me is putting myself out there and accepting whatever discomforts I had as a man with myself.”
One song featured is “The Trees pt. 2.” This song speaks to resilience in relationships and how Oberg found a place for himself in Utah. The other tracks featured follow similar motifs of resilience and overcoming.
“For me, music is about connecting with other people and sharing ideas and being creative,” Lund said. “The ability to take what we’ve worked on and show it to other people and bond over it is what I’m most excited for.”
“Bloom” will be released on streaming platforms on April 17, and an EP release concert will be held at The Neon Duck in Cedar City, UT that evening at 7 p.m. Ricks Culture Shock will perform alongside Slug Fuzz and Quiet Oaks. Tickets are $5 at the door.
