The National Parks merges music and the outdoors

By Ben Olson
Reader Staff

Some bands sound perfect in a dark, sweaty dive bar. Others are complemented by solitude and a pair of headphones. When it comes to The National Parks, they always sound best out in the great, wide open.

The four-piece band from Utah will play the Festival at Sandpoint Sunday, July 28 in a dual headline show with Drew Holcomb and the Neighbors.

According to frontman Brady Parks, the “outdoors” sound of his music was inspired by his own penchant for getting outside.

The National Parks. Courtesy photo.

“I’ve always loved using nature metaphors in my songwriting,” Parks told the Reader. “I grew up outside of Denver and have lived the last 13 years in Utah, so I grew up in the outdoors. It’s always played a huge part in my life. … We want to be a band that inspires people to get outside with our music, use it for road trips or camping.”

Parks’ songs are wide and expansive, with a warm sound that is the sonic equivalent of your favorite flannel shirt. They touch on various themes, but always embody a love for everything natural and beautiful.

Parks plays guitar and sings, along with writing the songs, while his wife Megan plays violin and bandmates Sydney Macfarlane and Cam Brannelly join with keyboards and vocals, and drums, respectively. The harmonies of Parks and Macfarlane give the band solid footing in the Americana scene with their special brand of indie folk and a touch of pop added for good measure.

Parks said he started playing music after his mom bought him an old guitar for $10 at a garage sale when he was 13 years old.

“I became obsessed,” he said. “I didn’t learn any other songs, I just learned chords and started writing my own songs immediately.”

After meeting friends while attending Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah, Parks kicked off the band’s career in 2012, quickly earning accolades for their clean, accessible sound. After a name change to The National Parks, the band released albums every couple of years, starting with Young in 2013, followed by Until I Live, Places, Wildflower and 8th Wonder. In 2014, their single “As We Ran” — written for the documentary film Love in the Tetons — launched them on a tour around the country.

Parks said he’s thankful for so many opportunities.

“Last year we played Austin City Limits and that was a dream come true,” he said. “We were up on stage and said, ‘Man, this is what we’ve always dreamed about.’ Then we stepped off the stage and saw Maggie Rogers backstage, and The Lumineers played that night. It was really cool to be surrounded by your inspirations.”

Parks said he’s always been a fan of playing outdoor venues like the Festival at Sandpoint.

“For us, as a band, outdoor shows are what we’ve meant to do,” he said. “There’s something to be said about inside shows when it’s a small room filled to capacity — there’s an incredible energy that comes from that, but our music is meant for wide, open spaces.”

The National Parks recently released the title track from a forthcoming album titled Wild Spirit, and Parks said the band is currently in the midst of its first world tour to support the album, set to release later this year.

The Festival at Sandpoint show will see The National Parks paired with Drew Holcomb and the Neighbors, who are no strangers to Parks.

“We released a song together before we went on tour with them and we got to play it every night,” he said. “Drew Holcomb is one of our heroes and we’re excited to hop up and play on stage with him again.”

While The National Parks can be classified in the Americana genre, Parks said the band incorporates various elements to its sound, merging indie folk with pop and singer-songwriter storytelling.

“Our new record does dip its toes in country a little bit, too,” he said. “We’re across the board.”

Parks said he’s excited to play his first show in North Idaho.

“It’ll be our first time in Sandpoint and we’re so excited,” he told the Reader. “It’s one of those places when we found out we were going to play there, we were stoked.”

The National Parks will play the Festival at Sandpoint Sunday, July 28 with the general admission gates opening at 6 p.m. and the concert beginning at 7:15 p.m. Visit festivalatsandpoint.com to buy tickets and for more information.