Sioux City musicians share how they live their artistic lives (*SPOILER: Having a side gig won't hurt)

Blomberg and Lambrecht, both founders of the Sioux City-based group Ultra Violet Fever, also plan on bringing Zephyr, the group's pet dog and designated "p.r. manager."

In addition, they plan on taking boxes of their self-designed clothing, art pieces and one-of-a-kind jewelry to sell.

And if there's room, Blomberg, who is also a licensed massage therapist, might bring his massage table for their southeast tour.

"When you're trying to make a living as a musician, you end up wearing many hats," Lambrecht, who is engaged to Blomberg, explained. "In addition to being a performer, you become a driver, a roadie and a marketer of merchandise as well."

Actually, Blomberg can add one more skill set to his CV. The Sioux City native was also the engineer for Ultra Violet Fever's recently-released EP, "Epimedium Sagittatum."

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"You are always trying to expand your fan base and exposing your music for new audiences," he said. "You do that by networking with other musicians and hitting the road as much as you can."

ON THE ROAD AGAIN

This is something that is possible for Lambrecht, who teaches private music as a side gig, and Blomberg, who set his own schedule as a massage therapist for Sioux City's Massage and Body.

"If we have to, Angie and I can go on the road for a few months at a time," Blomberg said.

However, this isn't possible for their Ultra Violet Fever bandmates Adrian Kolbo, a business development manager, or Randall Wood, a UnityPoint Health St. Luke's Hospital emergency room doctor. 

"Adrian and Randall have schedules that aren't quite so flexible," Lambrecht admitted. "When they want to play they have to take vacation time."

According to Blomberg, music was their sole passion when growing up.

SCHOOL OF ROCK

"The first musical instrument I played was the tenor saxophone in the fifth grade," Blomberg said, smiling at the memory. "It wasn't until I was 14 years old that I learned to play guitar and it was Adrian who taught me."

So, why did Blomberg make the switch to guitar?

"Girls like guitar players more than they do sax players," he answered nonchalantly.

Eventually, Blomberg became proficient in playing bass, piano and ukelele in addition to guitar and sax. He eventually teamed with Kolbo, who plays bass and guitar for gigs in both Sioux City and Seattle, Washington.

"Yeah, I guess my music was somewhat inspired by grunge," Blomberg said of his west coast experience. "But I was also influenced by musicians (as diverse as) John Prine, Carole King and, even Lynyrd Skynyrd."

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Blomberg may have gotten a better appreciation of the world of jazz, via his friend Wood.

MEDICINE MAN

Unlike Blomberg or Kolbo, Wood didn't really play music until he was in mid-20s. Although a master at the keyboard, he can't read music.

"I generally play what I feel," Wood, who cites jazz legends like Thelonious Monk and John Lee Hooker as influences, explained. 

"(Randall) had that kind of mind," Wood's wife Christi said. "I think his musical ability is based on science."

Wood agrees, saying his music is similar to the work he does in an emergency room.

"When you're pulling an overnight shift in an emergency room, there is no set rules and everything's improvisation," he said. "When I'm on stage, it is the exact same thing."

PIECE OF MY HEART

This is very difference than Lambrecht, who came from a musical family.

"I remember singing and dressing up like Dolly Parton at age 6," she said, chuckling a the memory. "I've never had a problem being in the spotlight."

Plus Lambrecht had a knack of getting noticed.

Already a well-liked Sioux City musician, she was playing a Vangarde Arts show with her friend Velvet Adams in 2015.

"Angie and Velvet were playing on the same night that I was doing a set with Adrian," Blomberg said. "They did a cover of a Sublime song and we decided to do another Sublime song."

Blomberg and Lambrecht formed Ultra Violet Fever the very next year.

"Our relationship is built upon our mutual love of Sublime music," Lambrecht noted with a grin.

Well, we suspect what brings Ultra Violet Fever together is a love of all music.

YOU SEE YOUR GYPSY

"When I was in college, I studied music and, now, I teach music," Lambrecht said. "It's what I'm supposed to be doing. When I'm not doing music, I'm not in my happy place."

"To me, music is therapy," Wood said. "When I'm connecting with an audience or with other musician, all of the problems seem so far away."

Indeed, Blomberg sees his music as being as healing as his day job as a massage therapist.

"Music is a relief and a release," he explained. "It can make your pain go away."

MONEY CHANGES EVERYTHING

But is a musical life truly sustainable?

For Wood, playing in Ultra Violet Fever is something he does for fun. In the case of Blomberg and Lambrecht, music is meaningful in more ways than one.

"Angie and I are both indie musicians and there has never been a better time to be an indie musician," Blomberg said. "We can record our own music without the aid of a record label. Plus we can stay in contact with our fans via social networking."

JUKEBOX HERO

Plus it helps that he and Lambrecht can take off at a moment's notice.

"We love the gypsy lifestyle," Blomberg said. "We're blessed because we've been given the freedom and inspiration to create our art."

"Our ultimate goal is make a live through our music," Lambrecht said. "When you grow up, people tell you that an artistic life isn't possible and that gets beaten in your head."

"Right now, I feel like I'm heading for success and that's a very good feeling," she continued. "The world is a better place with music and I want to make the world a better place with my music."