Sandy Utah Archives - Utah Concert Review

June 4, 2023

Melanie Martinez

Melanie Martinez• Portals Tour• w/ Tanukichan• June 1, 2023• Sandy Amphitheater

Reviewed and Photographed by Kevin Rolfe

My niece knows that I review and photograph concerts. For at least two years, probably more, she has been telling me that I need to cover Melanie Martinez when she comes to town. Other times I’d visit her she would ask me if I knew when Melanie was going to play here. I have had my eye out for this tour for some time. I’m sure you could imagine how exciting it was to finally tell my niece that Melanie Martinez would finally be returning to Utah on her Portals Tour. Martinez has not been here since 2019. I would imagine the pandemic had something to do with that. Judging by the size and enthusiasm of the crowd at the Sandy Amphitheater, my niece wasn’t the only one excited about seeing this concert.

June 26, 2022

Tenacious D

Tenacious D w/ Puddles Pitty Party• June 17, 2022• Sandy Amphitheater

Reviewed by Kevin Rolfe

Photographed by Alisha Gregson

It was one of the more wild nights I’ve seen at Sandy Amphitheater. The mighty Tenacious D made a tour stop in the typically mild-mannered Salt Lake suburb. The powerhouse fusion of Jack Black and Kyle Gass was almost more than Sandy Amp could handle. I don’t know how often the “D” goes on tour. I don’t know that they come to Utah too often. The vibe inside Sandy Amp was that of great anticipation. It was a different kind of excitement. There was this feeling like “this Is going to be awesome.” But also, “I wonder just how amazingly weird it’s going to get tonight.” And it got pretty weird. But the perfect amount. Tenacious D mixed a cocktail of weird, hilarious, blue, and rock on that stage. This show may have been funny. But Tenacious D came to rock. And so did theIr fans.

June 21, 2022

Tash Sultana

Tash Sultana• July 11, 2022• Sandy Amphitheater

Reviewed and Photographed by Kevin Rolfe

Seeing Tash Sultana live is more than just a concert. It’s an all-encompassing experience. Sultana is the only one on stage. But you would never know it by the layers upon layers of music that are coming out of the speakers and into the stands. There was a vibrant energy throughout the audience and it was clear that the people there were expecting a fun night. The line for merch was lengthy but shortened just in time for Tash Sultana to take the stage. I like the way Sandy Amphitheater set up the merch booth. The line forms on the hill so people can actually watch the show from a distance as they wait to buy a shirt.

May 22, 2022

Ben Rector w/ Jake Scott

Ben Rector w/ Jake Scott, Stephen Day & Jordy Searcy• May 19, 2022• Sandy Amphitheater

Reviewed and Photographed by Josilyn Wakkuri Lybbert

Ben Rector fans braved a windy, chilly night at the Sandy Amphitheater on May 19, 2022. But I think that any one of them would say it was worth it! The show was the second date that Ben Rector, along with Jake Scott, Stephen Day, and Jordy Searcy, played in Utah this week. This date was the first show to sell out on The Joy of Music Tour, and it sold out quickly. So that should give a hint at the excitement and anticipation around this concert!

October 4, 2021

Modest Mouse September 27, 2021 Sandy Amphitheater

Modest Mouse September 27, 2021, Sandy Amphitheater

By Tiffany Mull

Modest Mouse created the perfect soundtrack for the slow-motion apocalypse we’ve been living for decades. They’ve always been unafraid to explore the darker aspects of life with uncanny lyrics from a deep, artistically informed well. Their catalog is stuffed with lines littered with treats for literary nerds: allusions to Bukowski, Woolf, Fitzgerald, Sandlin, McCarthy, and more I’m sure I haven’t picked up on yet. It’s lit rock at its finest.

August 31, 2021

Atmosphere w/ Cypress Hill August 27, 2021 U of U Health Plaza at Rio Tinto Stadium

I’ve never been to a concert at the U of U Health Plaza at Rio Tinto Stadium before, located in Sandy Utah. But on Friday August 27th, they had the perfect lineup for an absolutely amazing outdoor concert experience. With it being 18 months since the last Atmosphere concert in Utah, fans lined the corner of the stadium with anticipation to start the night far before doors opened. I had a mishap with my ticket but the staff was incredibly kind and resolved the issue quickly just in time for me to enjoy the first set performed by the amazing Z-Trip.

August 15, 2021

Melissa Etheridge August 7, 2021 Sandy Amphitheater

The recent cold front brought in so much smoke and bad air from the Oregon and California fires over the weekend. Despite that, things were fairly clear at the Sandy Amphitheater for the great Melissa Etheridge. There was a slight haze covering the mountains, but the air was significantly better than it had been the few days prior. The temperature was perfect. It was totally warm without being too hot.

August 9, 2021

Shakey Graves August 4, 2021 Sandy Amphitheater

Shakey Graves, Sandy Amphitheater, August 4, 2021

Depending on which song you’re listening to, you could call it country with a bluesy, folksy twist. You could call it alt-rock with a country cadence. Gothic bluegrass? Americana? It doesn’t matter. Shakey Graves isn’t bound by, or dependent on, genre. Like a true artist, he pulls technique from anywhere that suits him. The result is unique, catchy, and refreshing.

August 2, 2021

for King & Country July 30, 2021 Sandy Amphitheater

It was a perfect night for a concert and for King & Country did not disappoint. It was another sold-out show at the Sandy Amphitheater. This summer they have had a great run of shows and they’re packing the place.

July 26, 2021

Orville Peck July 23, 2021 Sandy Amphitheater

Orville Peck, Sandy Amphitheater, July 23, 2021

Photos and Review by Tiffany Mull

“How many of you been to a drag show?” There were lots of cheers and clapping. “If you haven’t been to a drag show, I recommend you go. But be sure you tip them. If you don’t tip them, they get really pissed off. You don’t want a drag queen pissed at you, trust me. Thanks Gem is a drag queen from Canada, and she used to be pissed at me. We’re friends now, but she makes me tell everyone that she has a Venmo. See? I’m still scared of her.”