SLC Twilight•The Head and The Heart•Father John Misty•Miya Folick•August 4, 2023•Gallivan Center
Reviewed and Photographed by Alisha Gregson
Friday, August 4th was another excellent night for the SLC Twilight Concert Series. Thousands of local music lovers gathered downtown at the Gallivan Center for the sold-out show featuring co-headliners The Head And The Heart, and Father John Misty. This was a show I had been excitedly anticipating for quite some time. I have been listening to The Head And The Heart since they began. They have become one of my favorite bands. So in February, when they announced their 2023 tour dates and locations, I quickly scanned the list, hoping to see Salt Lake City.
I was happy to see we made the cut. But unlike all the other cities, no venue was listed. The tickets would not be going on sale with the rest of the tour dates. This meant their show would be part of either the Red Buttes Summer Concert Series or the SLC Twilight Concert Series. I was lucky enough to see The Head And The Heart last year at Red Butte Garden. I was thinking they were most likely returning there. Either way, I knew wherever they ended up, I would be in the crowd.
This is the second year for The Head and The Hearts Every Shade of Blue tour since releasing their new album. Having seen them just last summer, I was curious how different this concert would be compared to the first.
When I arrived at the Gallivan Center, the place was already packed. Like many other Twilight concerts this year, it was a sold-out show. I walked around the venue, chatted with friends, and bought myself a shirt from the merch table. I was feeling just as excited about the concert as everyone else at the venue. Eventually, I had to remind myself that I wasn’t there just as a fan, and I made way my way over to the photo pit to start covering the show.
Miya Folick
Miya Folick was the first to take the stage. I was rushing to the venue, hoping to catch her performance. I was excited when I got there and saw she was still singing. That excitement was brief when she finished her song 30 seconds later and told the crowd that was the end of her set. The few seconds I got to hear were beautiful, and I wished I could hear more. I talked to people in the crowd later who raved about her, which only made me more disappointed that I had missed out. I will be keeping her on my radar, and will hopefully catch her next time she comes around.
Father John Misty
This was my first time seeing Father John Misty. I was not familiar with his music when the concert was first announced. I heard from a few friends that he was a talented artist and a lot of fun live. So I was looking forward to seeing him. As he began his performance, I immediately noticed his captivating stage presence. He enjoyed interacting with the crowd and danced around the stage with his laid-back swagger.
I was impressed by his vocal talent and thought his songs were a lot of fun. As he played through his set, I noticed many of his songs included elements from multiple different genres. The crowd especially loved his songs with jazz vibes. Father John Misty’s energy was contagious and kept the fans invigorated as they danced and sang along. He sang an impressive 15-song set that included “Mr. Tillman,” “Hollywood Forever Cemetery Sings,” and “Please Don’t Die.” He ended his performance with “Pure Comedy,” and “I Love You Honeybear.” From the crowd’s reaction, I would say he exceeded all expectations.
The Head and The Heart
It was finally time for The Head And The Heart to take the stage, and the crowd couldn’t hold back their excitement. They began their set with the song that both their album and tour were named after, “Every Shade Of Blue.” I found it impossible to resist singing along, not just with this one, but pretty much every song that followed. I wasn’t the only one and noticed many others in the crowd joining in as well.
The Head And The Heart did an excellent job keeping everyone on their feet and dancing for the rest of the night. Just like last summer, their set was a good mix of their new songs and old hits. However, now that the album has been out for over a year, many of their new songs are already starting to feel like old hits. This year, I could tell fans were far more familiar with the songs they played from their every shade of blue album. “Tiebreaker”, “Hurts But It Goes Away” and “Virginia Wind in the Night)” are a few of my favorites from the album that I had been looking forward to hearing.
I also noticed they swapped out a few of their new songs for some older ones. One friend of mine was particularly excited when they began playing “Living Mirage”, a song that was left off of last years set.
The Head and the Heart have so many amazing songs to choose from, and I knew I wouldn’t get to hear everything I wanted. I can’t think of a single song of theirs that I don’t love. They of course played many of their fan favorites like “Let’s be still,” “Lost in my mind” “Down in the Valley,” and “Honeybee.” Their lyrics are so poetic and show how talented they are as songwriters. They are equally as talented in their musical performance. Seeing them live is an incredible experience. They ended the night with their most popular song, “Rivers And Roads.” I heard a few people say they came just to hear that song. It was an amazing night and it looked like everyone left the venue happy. Well, almost everyone.
I did notice one fan searching all over for a band shirt he purchased earlier and then unfortunately lost. As I walked back to my car, while holding on tight to the shirt I bought, I couldn’t stop thinking about how awesome the concert was. I loved every minute of it, and look forward to seeing them again.
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