Benson Boone•Nicky Youre•June 17, 2023• The Union Events Center
Reviewed and Photographed by Tomo Crestani
As he continues his exciting headline tour, Benson Boone absolutely killed the stage in Salt Lake City. Bringing along Nicky Youre, the show was one of the best to visit the Union Event Center. It was a night full of energy and amazing music. Benson recently has gained a lot of traction in the music world with help from TikTok. He has become one of the best upcoming stars to enter the scene. Although his hometown is in Washington, you would have thought he was from Utah by the way the crowd showed up for him.
The Union
The Union is always an incredible place to visit, especially when the show is just as good as the location. I always have a smooth experience when visiting the Union. This one was no different. The staff was super helpful and kind to everyone in attendance. I always appreciate it when a venue is able to make sure the room doesn’t get too hot. A comfortable temperature helps a show become much more enjoyable. The sound and lighting were really perfect especially for us trying to take pictures in the pit. The lines were some of the longest I have seen at this venue, and they handled it incredibly well. I was impressed with how quickly they got everyone through security. Overall a 10/10 once again from The Union.
Nicky Youre
Nicky Youre is an artist I hadn’t heard of before but quickly came to realize I knew his biggest song. His song “Sunroof” has taken TikTok by storm. It has become one of the most played songs in the country these past few months. I was pleasantly surprised to realize I actually did know Nicky.
Nicky was an amazing performer with lots of crowd engagement. He took a few BeReals for fans in the front, which has become something many artists shy away from doing. He also grabbed a sign from a girl in the front row with her phone number written on it and showed it to the crowd. I thought this was a really fun thing to do because the entire venue seemed to be taking pictures to call the number. I guess you need to be careful with what you put on your signs! Overall Nicky Youre was a great show. He ended his set with lights up in the crowd and everyone singing his hit song. He prepared the crowd for Benson the best anyone could.
Benson Boone
As Benson Boone got closer to taking the stage I could feel the anticipation growing in the crowd. Although I did see a few boys in the crowd, it was probably 95% teenage girls. Benson was clearly a heartthrob here in Salt Lake City. The girls were very excited to have him here in Utah. That didn’t change as he did a layout backflip into the center of the stage. It was one of the coolest entrances I have seen at a concert.
As Benson performed you could begin to see his musical talent is off the charts. He has a real talent when it comes to the way he sings his songs and performs with instruments. It is refreshing to see a young artist be so independent in the way he creates his music. The vocal range in his music is also very impressive. He was able to hit every note in every song throughout the entire night. I feel most artists adjust their music to be easier to perform. Benson left no room for mistakes as he flawlessly performed for the energetic crowd.
One moment I thought was really cool, was when Benson reached his hands out into the crowd right over my camera and I could see him make eye contact with the girl whose hand he was holding. It was such an intimate and cool moment that I could tell affected both the fan and Benson. He seems to really look for that crowd engagement that makes them feel so close to him. I always appreciate it when artists make a real effort to show they care about their fans.
Overall I would highly recommend finding Benson Boone on tour. He was one of my favorites I have seen this year. Especially with Nicky Youre following him on this specific tour. Nicky was just as fun to watch as Benson was. It also is a very safe fan base if you are ever worried about the crazy atmosphere in concerts. Benson and Nicky both looked out for all the fans in attendance during each song. The Union is also a venue I always recommend. As it is one of the nicest and well-kept venues in the area.
