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Kilby Block Party Day 1

Kilby Block Party Day 1 Recap • May 15, 2025 • Utah State Fairpark

Reviewed and Photographed by Kevin Rolfe

Kilby Block Party Photo Credit: Kevin Rolfe

I remember back in 2019 while attending the first Kilby Block Party, which took place on the street just outside the famed Kilby Court, that this festival had the potential to be a festival that could be comparable to some of the biggest festivals in the country.  The inaugural Kilby Block Party was a one-day event in which Death Cab For Cutie, a band that had played Kilby Court early in their career, as the headliner. The rest of the lineup included bands who as it turned out were on their way to international success.  Bands like The Backseat Lovers, Ritt Momney, and The National Parks, have all become well-established bands. 

I remember being impressed with the attendance, especially for a first-time festival, and I especially recall how well-organized it was.  I’ve been to a number of major festivals and some of them were not as organized as the first KBP.  My hope was that this festival would grow and become emblematic of what the music scene in Utah is actually like.

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Mayday Parade

Mayday Parade • Microwave • Grayscale • Like Roses • May 12, 2025 • The Union

Reviewed and Photographed by Sam Howard

Photo Credit: Sam Howard

Emo music is a genre that has been widely popular for decades. When you think of emo music, Mayday Parade is one of those bands that will always be in that conversation. Celebrating 20 years of being a band, Mayday Parade is keeping emo music alive and well. While keeping it refreshing and new all at the same time. The proof is in the fans, and how they showed up to the Union to see a band that’s been around for 2 decades play all their hits while still screaming the lyrics to the newer stuff as well. 

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AWOLNATION

AWOLNATION

AWOLNATION • Bryce Fox • Makua Rothman

Reviewed and Photographed by Alisha Gregson

Photo Credit: Alisha Gregson

On May 3, 2025, AWOLNATION lit up The Depot in Salt Lake City with a sold-out show on their Phantom Five Tour, promoting their latest album of the same name. Known for their intense energy and genre-bending alt-rock sound, the band, fronted by Aaron Bruno, delivered a performance that felt larger than life despite the more intimate venue. Utah Concert Review never misses an AWOLNATION show,  but this was my first time seeing them live. After years of hoping for the chance, the night didn’t disappoint.

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Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit

An Evening with Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit • May 5, 2025 • Sandy Amphitheater

Reviewed and Photographed by Kevin Rolfe

Photo Credit: Kevin Rolfe

Summer is close.  Do you know how I can tell?  The snow is melting, the grass is greener, the temperature is consistently rising, and Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit have made a tour stop in Utah.  Sure, sure, I know that they have made the occasional stop in the fall or winter.  But Jason Isbell and his crew in concert has become a summer tradition for their Utah fans.  Sandy Amphitheater opened its season two nights of the An Evening With Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit Tour. If Sandy Amp was hoping to make a splash by opening their summer concerts with such a popular artist, they were successful.  But maybe not in the way they expected.

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The Used

The Used

The Used • Blindlove • May 3, 2025 • The Union • Night 1

Reviewed and Photographed by Max Taylor

Photo Credit: Max Taylor

Salt Lake City showed up big for The Used on May 3, 2025, at The Union. Night one of their three-night residency in Salt Lake City was completely sold out—walls sweating, balcony packed, every inch of standing space filled with fans shoulder to shoulder. This wasn’t just any concert. This was a celebration that felt like coming home. It was a full-circle moment for a band that cut its teeth in this very city, returning home to celebrate 25 chaotic, beautiful years. 

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Sam Fender

Sam Fender

Sam Fender • Young Jesus • April 23, 2025 • The Union

Reviewed and Photographed by Morgan Newbold

Photo Credit: Morgan Newbold

Last week, Salt Lake City welcomed Sam Fender for the very first time, to a long-awaited show at The Union! After touring since 2017 and playing the biggest festivals in the world, fans were ecstatic to finally see him make a stop in Utah on his ‘People Watching Tour’. I certainly was excited.

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Post Malone

Post Malone. Big Ass Stadium Tour

Post Malone • Jelly Roll • April 29, 2025 • Rice-Eccles Stadium

Reviewed and Photographed by Kevin Rolfe

Post Malone’s BIG ASS STADIUM TOUR Opens in Salt Lake City!

Photo Credit: Kevin Rolfe

It should come as no surprise that Post Malone opened his BIG ASS Stadium Tour right here in Utah.  He loves this place.  And just to continue stating the obvious, the place loves him.  Salt Lake City is Post Malone’s adopted hometown and he has been well embraced since he’s made this area his home base.  When this tour was announced, I wondered if Utah would make the cut.  So often artists that become beloved by Utah start to neglect us on their bigger tour stops.

Sometimes when a stadium tour is announced, Utah will get passed by because we don’t have an NFL-sized stadium so the show would be much smaller than any of their other shows. But if you look at artists like Luke Combs, Garth Brooks, or U2, they still make it a point to come to a state that has loved them from the beginning.  I was very happy to see that Utah would be the first show on the BIG ASS Stadium Tour. 

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BENSON BOONE ANNOUNCES TOUR

BENSON BOONE ANNOUNCES FALL 2025 AMERICAN HEART NORTH AMERICAN ARENA TOUR

FOLLOWS DEBUT PERFORMANCE ON SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE

NEW ALBUM AMERICAN HEART ARRIVING JUNE 20

May 5, 2025 (Los Angeles, CA) – Today, Grammy-nominated global pop sensation Benson Boone announces his Fall 2025 American Heartarena tour. The run of North American dates will follow the release of his highly-anticipated upcoming album American Heart, arriving June 20 via Night Street Records/Warner Records. Pre-order/pre-save it HERE.

Kicking off on August 22 at Xcel Energy Center in Saint Paul, the tour includes stops at Madison Square Garden in New York, Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, and many more before wrapping up at Delta Center in Salt Lake City on October 8.

American Express is providing Card Members access to Amex Presale Tickets™ for shows in North America, available for purchase HERE starting Wednesday, May 7 at 10am local time before the general public on-sale, while supplies last. Terms apply. This is one of the many entertainment benefits American Express Card Members can access across the arts, theater, sports and music through Amex Experiences™.

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The Avett Brothers

UCR On Tour • The Avett Brothers • April 3, 2025 • Idaho Central Arena

Reviewed and Photographed by Kevin Rolfe

Photo Credit: Kevin Rolfe

The Avett Brothers are one of my favorite bands to see live.  They were last in Salt Lake City in July of 2023.  It was an amazing show.  I’ve been anxiously awaiting their return to Utah ever since. Well as you might expect, this band is in high demand.  They’re touring all over the country seemingly all the time.  I recently looked over their tour dates and still didn’t find a Utah tour stop.  But what I did find was a stop in Boise, Idaho. 

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