UCR, Author at Utah Concert Review

November 25, 2024November 25, 2024

Mark Ambor + Kenzie

Mark Ambor • Kenzie • November 19, 2024 • The Complex

Reviewed and Photographed by Josilyn Wakkuri Lybbert

Fans of indie artist Mark Ambor happily waited in line and braced cold temperatures to get the perfect spot for his highly anticipated, sold-out Rockwood Tour stop at The Complex in Salt Lake City! It didn’t surprise me when a security guard said that over 900 tickets were sold for the show because even before the show started, the crowd flowed out into the lobby and couldn’t fit into the entire room in the venue that the show was to take place in!

I quickly noticed that the crowd was more diverse in age than I was expecting! While a large portion of the fans were teens to twenty-something year olds, there were quite a few people beyond that age range, and I even noticed a handful of little kids. One stood right at the barricade but couldn’t even see over it!

November 21, 2024November 21, 2024

State Champs

State Champs • Knuckle Puck • Meet Me @ The Altar • Daisy Grenade • November 18, 2024 • The Depot

Reviewed and Photographed by Sam Howard

The Depot is a venue that makes a show’s production feel huge while still maintaining a very intimate experience between the audience and the performer. State Champs playing there was no different. With big sounds from the stage, an audience of roughly 650 people, and a pop-punk fan’s dream of an opening lineup, the State Champs’ show was definitely one that got the crowd’s hearts beating hard. The crowd grew more hyped with each opening act, all the while having a good mix of people attending to see each band and not just the headliner.

November 21, 2024November 21, 2024

Hockey Dad

Hockey Dad • Remo Drive • Tatiana Hazel • November 14, 2024 • The Complex

Reviewed and Photographed by Morgan Newbold

Last Thursday, surf rock band Hockey Dad came out to Salt Lake City to play a lowkey, intimate gig at The Complex! They just got started on their US/Australia tour this winter with Tatiana Hazel and Remo Drive! I am always grateful to photograph shows of artists that I’m hearing for the first time! It’s a great experience and challenge to shoot, not knowing what to expect. However, I did listen to Tatiana beforehand and now I am definitely a new fan of hers! This was honestly the most intimate show I’ve attended at The Complex, but the energy was UP in the Grand room! With a majority of young fans in the crowd, everyone came to get absolutely wild. This show brought a triple threat of indie-rock splendor! I certainly enjoyed sitting back and losing myself in the music when I wasn’t shooting.

November 19, 2024November 19, 2024

Chase Atlantic

Chase Atlantic • 24kGoldn • November 13, 2024 • The Complex

Reviewed and Photographed by Amelia Weyerstall

“This may be the best night of your life so far, fingers crossed, and I say so far because life is very long and it’s also fleeting, if you want me to get deep with it, but for real it means the honest world to us that you guys came here and put us on this stage right now. So thank you Salt Lake City, make some MTF noise!” shouted Mitchel Cave, the lead singer for Chase Atlantic. The energy inside of the Rockwell at the Complex was electric when both Chase Atlantic and 24kGoldn took the stage. The entire west side of Salt Lake was shaking from the audience jumping along to the songs during the sold-out show on November 13^th.

November 11, 2024November 11, 2024

King Diamond to Play The Complex

King Diamond Brings Tour to SLC on November 16!

KING DIAMOND will embark on a long-awaited North American headlining tour this Fall! The Saint Lucifer’s Hospital 1920 trek will commence on October 15th in San Antonio, Texas and run through December 6th in Dallas, Texas. Support will be provided by Overkill and Night Demon. Additional backing vocals for the KING DIAMOND set will be provided by the special guest, Myrkur.

November 8, 2024November 8, 2024

Peter Pan

Peter Pan • November 5, 2024 • Eccles Theater

Reviewed by Alisha Gregson

Photo Credit: Matthew Murphy (Courtesy of Broadway at the Eccles)

The newly reimagined production of Peter Pan brought magic to the stage at Eccles Theater. The thrilling musical has been captivating audiences of all ages for nearly 70 years. Now with new changes, the production continues to keep its audience hooked. Opening night brought in a crowd full of kids, many attending the theater for the first time. With its beautiful starry sky, Eccles Theater was the perfect setting for Peter Pan.

November 7, 2024November 7, 2024

Equality Utah 2024 Allies Gala featuring Andy Bell

Allies Gala • Andy Bell • October 5, 2024 • Eccles Theater

Reviewed by Kevin Rolfe

Photographed by Alisha Gregson

So, I’m sitting down, drinking a protein shake, and watching the morning news. I’m trying to convince myself that I need to start working, so I negotiate with myself that I’ll watch TV for 15 more minutes and then I HAVE to get to it. Within that 15 minutes, I watched the local morning news, and I saw, Equality Utah Executive Director, Troy Williams talking about the upcoming Allies Gala. He then mentions that the featured artist at the gala will be Andy Bell, the lead singer of the synth-pop duo, Erasure. My jaw dropped. Erasure is my favorite band. Learning that one half of my favorite band would be performing right here in Salt Lake City? I knew I had to be there.

November 6, 2024November 7, 2024

The The

The The • October 30, 2024 • Eccles Theater

Reviewed and Photographed by Austin Dayton

This last week, alternative indie band The The, led by the ever-enigmatic Matt Johnson, made their way to Salt Lake City Utah, playing their “Ensouled” world tour at the Eccles Theater. The much-anticipated return of The The to the music scene was prefaced with “Ensoulment”, a new album released by the band earlier this year. The Utah-based audience that had crowded into the theater was treated to a near-perfect night of music across a vast musical landscape that included everything from new wave, alt-rock, post-punk and so much more. For many it had been 20-plus years since they had seen the band live, truly marking the performance as one to bring back old memories whilst cementing new ones!

October 28, 2024November 7, 2024

Dashboard Confessional

Dashboard Confessional • Boys Like Girls • Taylor Acorn • October 15, 2024 • The Complex

Reviewed and Photographed by Morgan Newbold

Last week, Salt Lake welcomed alternative American rock band Dashboard Confessional to The Complex! They made their rounds to Utah on their fall U.S. tour, after 2 years since their last show here! I was stoked to see and photograph these guys! Their music has been something I keep coming back to over the past couple of years. I really enjoy their sound and their spirit. I got to shoot alongside some of my best friends and enjoy a phenomenal performance from Dashboard. The Complex is probably the venue I’ve photographed at the most, and it’s always a great time. This was a nearly sold out show, and it was PACKED. Even as the first of two openers came on at 6:30 on a Tuesday night, a majority of the fans were already there!

October 23, 2024October 28, 2024

Weezer

UCR On Tour • Weezer • Voyage to the Blue Planet Tour • The Flaming Lips • Dinasaur Jr. • October 1, 2024 • Blue Arena • Loveland, Colorado

Reviewed and Photographed by Alisha Gregson

I have been a Weezer fan for as long as I can remember. When it comes to ranking my favorite bands, they come second only to The Beatles. It was actually at a Weezer concert a few years ago that I first felt the desire to become a concert photographer. Just a few months later, I covered my first show. I had no idea just how much one Weezer concert would change my life.