Formed in Salt Lake City in the summer of 2010, The Anchorage immediately stood out with their unique take on ska and alternative rock. The band has honed their sound through multiple releases and packed venues over the years, cementing their place in Utah's music scene.

​After over a decade together, The Anchorage has begun the next chapter in their sound with the release of their 3rd full length album ‘Wild Stories’, furthering their trademark highly dynamic and explosive songwriting and still embodying the same DIY spirit shown in all of their previous work.

Fresh off the heels of the summer release of their new album, 'Wild Stories,' Utah alterna-ska band The Anchorange put out this cover of a classic Oingo Boingo track, just in time for Halloween. With their version of 'Dead Man’s Party,' The Anchorage make it their own. Replacing the ’80s New Wave with a more modern sensibility is just one of several reinterpretations of the source material. The spirit of the song still remains, but The Anchorage made it theirs, which is always my favorite thing with cover songs. For 'Dead Man’s Party,' The Anchorage focuses on blending harder alternative rock with ska. Musically, it’s a very horn and guitar-forward track, masterfully transforming 'Dead Man’s Party' into a modern classic."
    -Dane Jackson - Ska, Punk, and Other Junk, Bearded Gentlemen Music

The Anchorage’s new album Wild Stories is the latest chapter in the story of a band who has carved a path for themselves in the Utah alternative scene with a decade of graft, persistence, and creativity . . . [their] addictive and intricate soundscape marries alternative rock with ska, a cohesion fine-tuned by hundreds of shows . . . On record, the Salt Lake City crew have three albums to their name, with latest effort Wild Stories delivering a showcase of energy and allure. The noted maturity and introspection to the band’s songwriting is a crescendo of hurt, frustration, and optimism built up over the past three years."
    -El Herbert - New Noise Magazine

Prepare yourself for some supreme summer vibes with The Anchorage’s new single. “Force of Habit” greets listeners with a catchy horn section that’s guaranteed to get stuck in your head, followed quickly by the sound of Derek Harman’s pop-punk–esque vocals. The song is fueled by wedging solos from various string and brass instruments between a swirl of love-stricken lyrics: “I can’t imagine / Living life without it / Must be a force of habit.” This dynamic combination creates a lively, energetic atmosphere. Mastering their rocksteady reggae sound over the last 10 years has given The Anchorage the ability to show off their upper hand through a balanced mix of alternative rock and ska."
    -Sage Holt - SLUG Magazine

Wild Stories [is] a dynamic, hook-laden and thoroughly engaging brand of alternative/indie rock laced with an infectious intertwining of ska. Super expressive and very moreish - intricate and melodic in equal measure. 'Love Drunk' and 'Live With Death' are both particular personal highlights."
    -Katie Lewan - Carry The 4 PR

The Anchorage has a unique sound that incorporates several genres in their music. For example, on “Weird Night Sleepy Day,” listeners are greeted with crunchy, high-energy guitar that sounds like it’s from an emo or punk album before an exciting horn section enters. The two are blended together seamlessly and create an alluring and lively sound you can headbang to . . . Without hearing The Anchorage’s music, it can be hard to describe; it’s something you have to experience for yourself."
    -Emilee Atkinson - SLUG Magazine

Utah ska music didn't die after the '90s, it just took a little nap. Bands like The Anchorage from Salt Lake are not only keeping ska alive but continually pushing the genre's boundaries. Their new single, "What We Go Through," is a mini masterpiece and hearkens to the best work of RX Bandits. Utah ska is in good hands.
    -Spencer Sutherland - KSL News

The Anchorage can stand toe to toe with any band out there and if anyone could put ska on the map it would be them. Regrow is a fantastic album that is unlike the majority of the stuff that is out right now.
    -Ska-Boom

According to their Facebook page, The Anchorage was formed “from the dormant remains of various SLC-based ska bands.” The Anchorage have a surprisingly intricate sound for a ska band, making them almost an alt-rock band with a horn section. Vocalist/guitarist Derek Harman has a voice you wouldn’t automatically associate with a band with so many ska/reggae influences—he is capable of getting very soft and melodic while still giving a snarl in the song “Stereotype.” There is an excessive amount of nameless, transitory tracks that could have been made into full songs, but the album is rare and unique. Anyone who is a fan of the local ska/punk/indie scene should definitely pick up a copy 
​    -Ali Shimkus - SLUG Magazine

These guys are always a fun show to watch, kinda like watching The Strike, but more compact and higher in energy. Over the past four years, the band have had a couple full albums and an EP, but this full-length album Regrow is their first release in over three years. The spirit is still there in this album, but you can hear sharper techniques and, in some strange way, a sense of confidence that previous ventures seemed to be lacking.
​    -Gavin Sheehan - Salt Lake City Weekly

The Anchorage is a six-piece ska band from Salt Lake City that knows how to make the show as enjoyable for themselves as it is for the audience. Their energy onstage is astounding, especially considering the instruments they’re playing. One wouldn’t necessarily think a trombone player could rock, but the entire band has a vibe that can’t be beat.
    -Amanda Taylor - KSL News

Welcome to emo-ska! This is a fun/hate romp through two genres, which actually works for locals The Anchorage. Lyrics about pointing fingers at the lazy, the runaways, the suicide-attempters and those who aren’t facing reality in general, meet a wall of happy horns. It sounds very strange, I know, but Derek Harman’s Chris Carrabba-like vocals harmonize with the bouncy quintet. Ben Lambert’s trombone, and Erik Vorkink’s trumpet have a sound that’s just as strong as a five-piece horn section without being overwhelming. Reggae beats come through on Harman’s and Scott Inkley’s guitars. It is a tight and professional-sounding CD, and you get a whopping 12 unique tracks to boot. It’s a depressingly fun ride, and that’s a compliment. 
    -Portia Early - SLUG Magazine