Utah Music Scene Archives - Utah Concert Review

July 22, 2024July 22, 2024

SLC Twilight: Watchhouse

Watchhouse • Branson Anderson • July 19, 2024 • Gallivan Center

Reviewed and Photographed by Austin Dayton

This weekend, on July 19th, Americana/Folk Duo Watchhouse made their way into Salt Lake City, Utah to headline the third weekend of the 37th Annual Twilight concert series. The Chapel Hill, North Carolina-based couple, comprised of Andrew Marlin and Emily Frantz, found themselves surrounded by high-rise apartments and office buildings as they took the stage at the downtown-based Gallivan Center. They would go on to deliver a soul-filled set of American and folk-based music that was interwoven with the influence of bluegrass, indie, and hints of alt-rock. We’ve had the opportunity to cover Watchhouse multiple times over the years. This performance was right up there with all the rest.

June 26, 2024June 26, 2024

Cavetown and Mother Mother

Cavetown • Mother Mother • June 18, 2024 • Granary Live

Reviewed and Photographed by Mike Ferguson

The atmosphere at Granary Live in Salt Lake City was buzzing with excitement on the evening of Tuesday, June 18th as music enthusiasts gathered for a double feature showcasing performances by Mother Mother and Cavetown. The venue, known for its vibe, provided the ideal setting for an event that promised a mix of high-energy alternative rock and soulful indie folk tunes.

June 19, 2024June 20, 2024

Luke Combs

Luke Combs • May 8, 2024 • Rice – Eccles Stadium

Reviewed and Photographed by Kevin Rolfe

This might have been the biggest concert event of the 2024 summer. If anything it got the Utah concert summer concert season off to a rousing start! I like to think of this like the Daytona 500. It’s NASCAR’s biggest event. But unlike the Super Bowl, it’s the first race in the season. Country Music megastar, Luke Combs brought his Growin’ Up and Gettin’ Old Tour to Utah for a two-night residency at Rice-Eccles Stadium on the campus of the University of Utah. The stadium was jam-packed with Country Music fans on both nights. I was fortunate to attend night two on Saturday, June 8.

May 31, 2024June 7, 2024

Melanie Martinez

Melanie Martinez • Men I Trust • May 18, 2024 • Delta Center

Reviewed and Photographed by Kevin Rolfe

Melanie Martinez is a musical force that cannot be stopped. It seems with each tour she gets bigger and bigger. From being a contestant on season 3 of the acclaimed singing show, The Voice to selling out major arenas on her recent Trilogy Tour, Martinez is a force to be reconned with. I had the opportunity to see Melanie on her last stop in Utah on her Portals Tour at the Sandy Amphitheater. I was impressed with her fanbase then, but that was nothing compared to what I saw inside the Delta Center on May 18. The arena was filled with devoted fans dressed up as nymphs, fairies, and baby dolls. Glitter and sparkles were everywhere. Outside of a Taylor Swift Concert, I haven’t seen so many fans dressed up.

May 30, 2024June 7, 2024

Kilby Block Party 5

Kilby Block Party • May 10-12, 2024 • Utah State Fairgrounds

Reviewed and Photographed by Logan Fang

Kilby Court Block Party: Now A Salt Lake City Tradition

This May, local concertgoers and music lovers from afar returned to the Salt Lake fairgrounds for the fifth iteration of the Kilby Block Party. This year’s music festival celebrates the 25th year of its namesake, Kilby Court. For the past five years, Kilby has brought a countless number of esteemed music icons to the festival stage, including the likes of indie titans Phoebe Bridgers, Steve Lacy, and The Strokes. As the festival continues to curate a dazzling array of artists, this year’s lineup featured performances spanning several eras of indie-rock.

May 29, 2024May 29, 2024

Al Jardine & His Endless Summer Band

Al Jardine & His Endless Summer Band • May 25, 2024 • Scera Shell Outdoor Theater

Reviewed and Photographed by Josilyn Wakkuri Lybbert

On May 25, 2024, The Music of The Beach Boys brought by Al Jardine, Carnie and Wendy Wilson, and Matt Jardine was the kickoff show for the season for Scera Shell Outdoor Theater in Orem!

It was my first time at this venue. I was so impressed with the kindness of the staff there. My husband was equally as impressed with their reasonable concession prices! Venue workers all adorned leis. There was a vintage Volkswagen Beetle with surfboards, and beach balls were scattered throughout the area. This made for a perfect setting to welcome one of the founding members of The Beach Boys and many of his friends and family who all played their own role in The Beach Boys in different seasons of the iconic, legendary band!

May 9, 2024June 9, 2024

Taylor Acorn

Taylor Acorn • World’s First Cinema • April 27, 2024 • Soundewell

Reviewed and Photographed by Logan Fang

On April 27th, Salt Lake City had the pleasure of welcoming Pennsylvannia-native Taylor Acorn to the Soundwell stage where she played for a sold-out audience. The venue brimmed with excitement as people overflowed into nearly every corner of the building. Among the concertgoers were several dedicated young fans watching their first live concert with posters in hand. With catchy hooks and intoxicating melodies, it’s easy to see why Acorn’s music has such an appeal to music enthusiasts of all ages. Well before the concert even began a staggering line was already congregating to purchase some of her hottest tour merch, including what seemed to be a favorite—some signed polaroids taken prior to the show. Taylor’s Good Enough tour was joined by LA-based band World’s First Cinema who opened the night with a pop-rock performance of their own.

April 23, 2024April 23, 2024

Peter Frampton

Peter Frampton • April 9, 2024 • Eccles Theater

Reviewed and Photographed by Kevin Rolfe

Last summer Peter Frampton was scheduled to play a show at the Sandy Amphitheater. I strolled up to the venue about 20 minutes before showtime to find a long line outside. That was pretty unusual for shows that I’ve been to in the past at Sandy Amp so I wondered what the situation was. I was fortunate enough to surpass the line with my media credentials and go inside the venue to try and get the inside scoop. What I discovered was that there would be no Frampton concert due to some unforeseen technical issues. My hope was that the show would be rescheduled, but that doesn’t always happen. I wondered if I missed my chance to see Peter Frampton live.

March 7, 2024March 7, 2024

Waterparks

Waterparks • February 29, 2024 • The Union

Reviewed and Photographed by Morgan Newbold

Last Thursday night, Waterparks, the dynamic pop-punk trio hailing from Houston, Texas, took the stage at The Union. Transforming the night into an electrifying spectacle of visuals and neon splendor! Fans arrived early and ready dressed in colorful Parx merch. It was a pretty packed crowd and an even more stacked set from the band. Salt Lake was the third stop on their ‘Sneaking Out Of Heaven’ tour. I walked up to the stage to see my friends in the photo pit with me, some really really talented ladies. Everyone seemed overwhelmingly excited to see a new stage design. And I was equally excited to shoot it.

February 27, 2024February 27, 2024

SLC LIVE Winter Edition

SLC Live Winter Edition • February 16- 17, 2024 • The Gateway

Reviewed and Photographed by Mark Daluz

Let me first start off by apologizing to all the EDM fans out there. I’d never heard of SLC Live until a couple days and boy do I wish I had. Although Indie Rock is my top jam, a big chunk of my early music listening had been EDM, listening to legends like “The Chainsmokers” and “Illenium”. It never crossed my mind that an EDM concert of this stature was possible in Utah but I was so wrong. SLC Live gave Utah EDM fans the chance to listen to legendary and iconic DJs “deadmau5” and “Gryffin”. All uniting all kinds of people from different backgrounds, communities, and groups. Under the lasers and lights of the Gateway Plaza, I was in for a night to remember.