Category: Concert Reviews

What do you think is the first thing people think of when they think of Utah?  Do they think of the mountains? Mormonism? Skiing? The Sundance Film Festival?  I’m sure all of those things come to mind.  But would you believe that for many, the first thing they think of when Utah is mentioned is Donny and Marie Osmond?  I have been in New York City, London, San Francisco and even in the deepest parts of Appalachia and when I mention Utah, the first thing people have said to me is, “Oh! That’s where Donny and Marie are from!  Have you met them?”.  Well, last night I was able to see Utah’s favorite brother and sister at the beautiful Sandy Amphitheater on a sold out opening night of the Donny and Marie summer tour.  

As I walked into the amphitheater I felt an unexpected buzz in the air.  People seemed to be so excited for this show.  I get it, usually, people are excited to see a show of someone they like, but this felt different.  I overheard one woman saying to her friend “This is going to be a special night.”.  Another middle-aged couple was rushing to their seats even though the concert wasn’t beginning for another twenty minutes.  The man said, “Slow down honey!”.  “I can’t!  I’m just so excited!” she responded.  The man looks at me and says, “I can’t blame her.  She’s been wanting to see these two since she was 18.”  There was a mixture of both young and not so young.  However the not so young seemed to be transformed into their younger selves at the thought of seeing their teen idols.  

Before the show began, a man inconspicuously walked to center stage. As he began speaking into the microphone, I could see the audience one by one begin to notice that is was Utah Governor Gary Herbert.  He seemed to get a warm applause once he introduced himself.  He was given an even louder ovation when he stated that July 11, 2017, would be known as “Donny and Marie Osmond Day” in the state of Utah.    

The show began with the Osmond siblings appearing at the top of stairs with a large video screen in the background showing clips of them throughout their career.  They sang a medley of pop songs while four dancers entered the stage.  From what I understand this is a stripped down version of their award winning Vegas show.  The band was great, and the dancers were fabulous. If this was the stripped down version, I can’t imagine the visual overload of the full production.  

After the opening series of songs, Donny left the stage and Marie remained on stage singing songs both old and new while sharing memories about her career and personal life.   She emotionally spoke of her friend Olivia Newton John’s current bout with cancer and asked the audience to pray for her.  Marie joked about aging, and how hot it was outside.  She chugged a bottle of water then looked at the audience saying “And they said Mormons can’t drink.”.

Marie left, and Donny returned singing his childhood hit “Puppy Love”.  The women of the audience screamed as if they were teenagers again.  Like Marie, Donny sang songs from his back catalog as well as some newer songs.  He shared some of his memories of playing Joseph from “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat” here in Salt Lake City.  He joked about the loin cloth he had to wear for most of the show.  As he went to sit on the stairs to sing one of the signature numbers from that show “Close Every Door”, a woman from the audience yelled, “Take off your shirt!”  He broke into laughter, and so did the audience. He then told the lady, “You know you’ve totally ruined the whole set up I did for this song, don’t you?”  Everyone laughed again.  He was quickly able to reset the tone and sing the powerful number flawlessly, earning him a standing ovation.  

The brother and sister duo exchanged stage time once again before returning together to sing, and dance to some of the songs they had recorded.  They finished the show with the song they always sang at the end of their variety show in the 70’s.  

There were a couple of things that stood out to me from this show.  One, just how good their crowd work is.  There were times in the show where I couldn’t tell if they were ad-libbing or if it was scripted.  I’d imagine it was a little of both.  But there were definitely parts of the show where I found myself laughing hard at the banter between the two of them or being taken back to a time and place where they had some of their greatest successes.  

The other thing that really stood out from the Donny and Marie show is just how impressive their careers have been.  Look, I get it, these guys aren’t for everyone.  I’m not going to suggest that someone who loves Iron Maiden, is going to love sitting through a Donny and Marie concert.  But think about it. Their careers have spanned over 50 years.  They’ve sold millions of albums,  had TV shows, been in musicals, doll collections, and so on and so on.  The fact that they have been able to have continued success decade in and decade out is something to be admired.  And they’re great performers.  Their voices are still intact, they’re good dancers, and they put on a really fun show.  

I’m not going to tell everyone and anyone to go see Donny and Marie.  But if you want to see a show that’s well put together, sentimental, polished, funny, and simply a good night out, then I recommend seeing Donny and Marie.  

When someone from a well-established band heads out on a solo tour, two things can happen.  Seeing them solo is not the same and you wish the whole band was there, or you get to see a new side of this artist and it’s an entirely different experience altogether.  I found the latter to be the case with Ann Wilson of Heart.

I was able to catch Ann at her second Utah show in as many nights (Night one was in Layton), at the beautiful Sandy Amphitheater.  I must say, in recent years the Sandy Amphitheater has really become one of the better venues in the Salt Lake Valley.  There isn’t a bad seat in the venue, and they have continued to improve their summer lineup year after year while keeping a light and easy atmosphere.  The staff I engaged with were extremely friendly and kind as well.    

I will admit that it was a little weird at first to see Ann walk onstage without her sister and Heart counterpart Nancy Wilson beside her.  But that was really the only time I thought about it.  Ann sent the message loud and clear that this wasn’t a Heart concert.  Of course, Ann mixed some of our favorite Heart songs into the set. Songs like,  “Barracuda”, “Crazy on You”, and my personal favorite “Alone” to name a few.  I imagine the best part about touring solo is having the freedom to be creative with the set, and these songs.  Ann didn’t allow herself to be tied to the expectations that might come with a Heart show.  When fans see Heart in concert, they want to hear the song performed in a certain way.  But with this show, Ann was able to do some creative and interesting versions of the Heart songs she performed.  I thought it was refreshing to hear these songs in a new way.  

If there was any question on if Ann still has pipes, I am here to answer this question with a definitive YES!  People, Ann still sounds incredible.  It’s unbelievable that she can still sing that way after doing this for so long.  The power in her vocals is absolutely still there. There were a couple times I’d get nervous and think, “I don’t know if she can still hit this note.” and then BAM! She totally nails it.  Every time that happened the audience showed their approval.  I love her voice so much.  And hearing it live is something everyone should experience.  

Ann did impressive covers of Elvis, The Who, and Aretha. She surprised me though with a captivating cover of The Black Crowes hit “She Talks to Angels”.  I didn’t see that song coming and I was so glad to hear it.  It was as if that song was written for Ann and her voice.

Ann gave us two encores.  In the second encore and final song of the night, Ann treated us to a cover of Danger Zone by Ray Charles.  She talked about her father being in the Marine Corp and being gone a lot.  She shared that her mother would listen to this song often when he was away.  It was a beautiful button on a beautiful show, on a beautiful summer night.  

I wasn’t quite sure to expect from an Ann Wilson solo show.  But I left the Sandy Amphitheater more than satisfied.  Her band is great, and she puts so much variety into the show that it’s impossible to not be entertained.  Plus there was a marriage proposal from the stage during the intermission.  And she said Yes!  So, fun night all around.  

 

Setlist

The Real Me- The Who Cover
Barracuda
Crazy on You
What About Love
Fool No More
One Night- Elvis Cover
Anguish
Manic Depression- Jimmy Hendrix Cover

Intermission

A Million Times
I’ve Seen All Good People- Yes Cover
She Talks To Angels- The Black Crowes cover
Don’t Give Up- Peter Gabriel cover
We Gotta Get Out of This Place- The Animals Cover
Won’t Get Fooled Again- The Who Cover
Alone
Love, Reign O’er Me- The Who Cover

Encore
For What It’s Worth- Buffalo Springfield cover
Ain’t No Way- Aretha Franklin cover

Encore 2
I Put a Spell on You- Screamin’ Jay Hawkins cover
Danger Zone- Ray Charles cover

“There are two types of people in this world, those who like Neil Diamond and those who don’t.”  This statement is as true today as it was back when Bill Murray said it as he was playing Bob Wiley in the early nineties classic What About Bob?  When I told people I was going to see Neil Diamond I was given one of two responses, “Why?”, or “Why aren’t you taking me?!”.  I don’t think there is another artist I’ve seen where people have such a strong opinion.  

To be clear, I’m one of those who likes Neil.  I was raised on Neil.  My mom is a big Neil Diamond fan so I’ve been listening to the guy for as long as I remember.  

Neil brought his 50th Anniversary tour to a packed Vivint Smart Home Arena.  I received word that Neil doesn’t have an opener, and he usually goes on right at eight so I made sure to get there early.  I took my seats that were to the side of the stage.  These are interesting seats because they’re right by the stage, so they’re close to the action, but they put me in a position to where I could see the entire arena.  

As I took my seats I saw a couple who I would guess was in their late 60’s.  I asked them if they had seen a Neil Diamond concert before.  By the look on their face, I could tell that they were lifelong fans even before they spoke.  I immediately noticed their New York accents.  They began recounting their experience with the Jewish Elvis having seen him multiple times beginning in the seventies and the last time being twenty years ago in 1997.  They were excited to see him again after such a long break.  

Just as they were finished sharing their experiences, as if on cue, the volume on the background music began to rise, and the band walked to the stage.  The band began playing “In My Lifetime” while pictures began to move across the diamond-shaped video screen.  The pictures showed Neil as a child, with his family, then to adolescence, and on to each stage of his career then finally the footage cut to the exact moment when the mighty Neil Diamond rose from below the stage with his black guitar as his first hit “Cherry Cherry” started to play.  He greeted the audience with a “Hello Salt Lake City!”.  The crowd went wild.  Many sprung to their feet, many eventually made it to their feet, and some stayed put in their chairs.  This seemed to be a battle with many audience members.  Some wanted to get up and dance, and others wanted to enjoy the show from their chairs.  But what those sitting didn’t realize was that eventually,  everybody rises at a Neil Diamond concert.  But we’ll get to that later.  

There are a couple of benefits in seeing someone who has been doing this for fifty years.  One is the endless amount of hit songs that are performed, and another is they know what works to put on a great concert.  Neil has so many hit songs that he can’t fit them all in one night. I don’t think it was until long after I was home that I thought, ‘Oh, he didn’t do this song or that song.’.  He did so many familiar songs that I can’t imagine anyone left feeling disappointed on the setlist.  

Neil knows just how to entertain a crowd.  I saw people of all ages at this concert.  I saw entire families singing along, college-aged friends, and of course couples like the one sitting next to me.  Each one of them, child to adult, had a smile on their face, singing every single word of every song right along with Neil.  He knows how to tell a joke, share a story, and deliver a song.  It’s impressive.  Those who enjoy being entertained,  die-hard Neil Diamond fan or not, I recommend seeing this show.  It really is impressive.  

I took great interest in this New York City born and raised couple seated next to me.  I wondered what they thought about the show as compared to the Diamond concerts of the past.  As the beginning notes of a fan favorite love song “Play Me” began, I looked at the lady and saw tears streaming down her cheeks.  She just looked at me and said “Beautiful”.  She then put her head on her husband’s shoulder for the rest of the song.  I quickly realized that I was imposing on a special moment between them.  Before I could turn away to let the moment be their own, the man looked at me and said, “He’s as good as he’s ever been.”  It truly is amazing the impact a song, a show, a singer can have on people.  

Neil blazed through his set singing sing-alongs like “Song Sung Blue”, “Forever in Blue Jeans”, and my personal favorite, “Holly Holy”.  He ended his main set with the poignant “I Am… I Said”.   The audience, all of them, were on their feet as Neil departed the stage.  And as he returned anyone who thought they might sit back down was sorely mistaken.  Right then organ played those all too familiar initial notes of “Sweet Caroline”.  The place went nuts and sang louder than they had all night.  The “Bum, Bum Bums” and “So Good, So Good, So Goods” could have been heard out in the street they were so loud.  And from my seat, I could see the lower and upper bowl swaying, and singing, and as silly as it sounds, the smiling.  Smiles that lit up Vivint Arena in a way I hadn’t ever seen before! And Neil really lets the crowd get their “Sweet Caroline” fix.  He finishes the song, the crowd goes nuts, and then he starts the chorus up again.  And again, and again, and again!  It really was special.  

The show really could have ended right there.  But what’s a Neil Diamond concert without hearing “America”?  In my opinion, it would be incomplete. So we shouted “Today!” a bunch of times and reached, of course, his traditional closer “Brother Love’s Traveling Salvation Show”.  The arena turned into a revival tent!  People were dancing that had been sitting the whole night.  People with oxygen tanks were on their feet singing and dancing.  I wouldn’t have believed it if I hadn’t seen it.  Perhaps they were saving their legs and oxygen for this very moment.  

As Neil walked off the stage waving to the crowd I wondered if I’d get to see him again.  After all, this was his 50th Anniversary Tour.  And Neil while spry as ever, is 76 years old.  Even the greats can’t do it for forever.  Unfortunately.  But is this was my last time seeing Neil, (I had seen him 4 times previous to this show starting in 2002) this was a perfect show for me to say goodbye.  I was with my brother who, like me loves Neil, and I got to sit with lifelong fans who after a twenty-year break go to see their favorite singer sing their favorite songs.  It was a beautiful evening.  Come to think of it, I guess I could have saved everybody the time reading this by simply saying “Good times never seemed so good.”  Thanks, Neil!

Setlist

In My Lifetime
Cherry, Cherry
You Got to Me
September Morn
Longfellow Serenade
Love on the Rocks
Play Me
Beautiful Noise
Jungletime
If You Know What I Mean
Song Sung Blue
Forever in Blue Jeans
Solitary Man
I’m a Believer
Brooklyn Roads
Pretty Amazing Grace
Jazz Time (Band Intro)
Soolaimon
Crunchy Granola Suite
Done Too Soon
Holly Holly
I Am… I Said

Encore
Sweet Caroline
Cracklin’ Rosie
America
Brother Love’s Traveling Salvation Show

It’s not every week that one of the biggest icons in Rock n Roll visits Utah.  So I was excited when I saw that Stevie Nicks was coming to Vivint Smart Home Arena.  And to no surprise, she did not disappoint.  

First, Rock n Roll Hall of Famers, The Pretenders were Stevie’s support act.  Headliners in their own right, they flew through their almost hour long set, blending hit songs with some newer numbers.  Chrissie Hynde’s voice was in peak form as she belted out songs like, “I’ll Stand By You”, and “Brass in Pocket”.  They had the entire floor of the arena as well as many areas of the lower bowl on their feet, singing and clapping along.  There was actually a moment that I forgot that this was the opening band.  I totally felt like I was at a Pretenders concert.  But of course, this was just the beginning.  There was of course, Stevie.  

Now, this show was not like a typical concert.  The best way I can describe it is it was like that old VH-1 show “Storytellers”.  You know when VH-1 and MTV actually played music.  Stevie told us early on in the concert that she would be playing what she called “New, old songs” from her “Gothic trunk of lost songs”.  She mentioned that she’d be explaining how the songs came to be, why she released them when she did, and why she chose them for tonight’s show.  I thought it was a good idea to tell the audience up front that we were going to be hearing songs we probably didn’t know, but it should be fun anyway.  I think it put the crowd in the right frame of mind, and they reacted accordingly. The two-hour fifteen-minute show seemed to fly by for me.  

Stevie mentioned that she had actually lived in Salt Lake City while she was in 7-9th grade.  This was something I didn’t know, and something that of course delighted the local audience.  She mentioned that her friend from that time was in attendance and that she has always had fond memories of living here.  

Besides the two drunk dudes who were dragged to the concert by their girlfriends, the rest of the audience seemed to really enjoy the stories Stevie told. Later in the show, she jokingly recognized during one point in the show that she was telling a lot of stories.  She mentioned that by the end of the tour she might not even have a band, she’d just be up there telling stories.  A highlight for me was when she was starting her solo career she was offered a song by Tom Petty.  They ended up recording “Stop Draggin’ My Heart Around”, and it became one of her biggest solo hits.  The crowd went crazy when she started this song and went even crazier when Chrissie Hynde walked back on stage to perform the duet with her.  

Of course, even with the crowd enjoying the stories, and the lost songs, Stevie Nicks understands that we were there to hear her hits.  Even when touring solo, she knew she’d have to play some of her biggest Fleetwood Mac hits.  After she finished singing “Rhiannon”, Stevie told us that she suggested maybe leaving that one of the setlist this tour.  She proceeded to tell us that her band gasped and said no way.  And of course, the crowd roared in approval of the band’s protest.  Along with giving us a string of hits, she brought back some of her classic shawls.  Then she iconically spun around in them, getting a cheer from the audience every time.  

She closed the show with her beautiful song “Landslide”. She mentioned that she was in Aspen Colorado when she wrote it, but she wished she had written it here in Salt Lake City because she actually lived her, and she was only visiting Aspen.  No matter where it was written, it’s a fantastic song, and a perfect way to end the evening.  

Stevie Nicks is an artist that has truly perfected her craft.  I was amazed how one minute she could make us feel like we were sitting in a small coffee house listening to a songwriter tell us how and why she wrote a song, and the next we’re back in a packed arena dancing to a proper rock song.  An artist like this transcends generations.  I saw mothers and daughters there together.  I saw groups of women who were most likely the same age as Stevie Nicks reliving some of their youth with these songs.  I saw groups of women who were much younger than me, enjoying their current youth with these songs.  It says a lot to me about Stevie and her repertoire.  I hope she brings that “Gothic Trunk” back around soon.  

Stevie Nicks Setlist
Gold and Braid
If Anyone Falls
Stop Draggin’ My Heart Around
Belle Fleur
Gypsy
Wild Heart
Bella Donna
Enchanted
New Orleans
Starshine
Moonlight (A Vampire’s Dream)
Stand Back
Crying in the Night
If You Were My Love
Gold Dust Woman
Edge of Seventeen

Encore:
Rhiannon
Landslide

I have been wanting to see Midge Ure for most of my life.  Seriously for twenty-something years.  Whether with his band Ultravox, or solo, I have enjoyed his music, yet never really had an opportunity to see him.  Well last night at The Grand in The Complex, I finally had my chance.  

My anticipation for this show was magnified due to the opportunity I had to interview Midge about a month prior to the concert.  So, talking with him about the tour got me really excited for what was to come.  And he did not disappoint.  

Ure joked with the audience asking if anyone could understand him due to his Scottish accent.  He suggested maybe they thought he sounded like Shrek.  Throughout the night he was engaging, comical, and even a little self-deprecating.  When he introduced his song “If I Was”, he talked about how it was a number one hit in various countries, but not in America.  Following by saying, “But I’m not bitter.”  

Midge mentioned that he had been in Utah a couple of years ago as part of the Retro Futura tour.  A number of audience members cheered to let him know they were at that show.  He mentioned how surprised he was that people there were singing his songs.  He didn’t think anyone here would know him.  He jokingly stated that he made a special point of returning to Salt Lake City on this tour just to make sure.  

Midge joked that the type of tour he was on was called a “Scottish Tour.  Because it’s cheap.” He was joined on stage by only a drummer and a bass player who also played keyboard on various songs.  Both of them are very talented musicians and made it feel as if there was an entire band on stage.  I thought Ure did a solid job blending songs from his entire catalog  That can’t be an easy thing to do when you’ve had not only a successful solo career but been a part of hit-making bands such as Visage and of course Ultravox.  I was also really impressed with how well his voice has held up.  The man is in his 60’s and he sounds as good as he ever did.  If anything, there is an added richness to his voice that I really like.  

Admittedly I was most looking forward to hearing the Ultravox songs.  As much as the audience remembered and enjoyed the other songs, it was obvious that the Ultravox songs were the highlight.  Midge mentioned that he wasn’t sure about doing some Ultravox songs because he was in just a three piece band and Ultravox is so layered with synthesizers and other instruments he didn’t know if they could pull it off.  But he knew he wanted to do these songs, so they went for it, and pull it off they did.  I really liked the arrangements of these Ultravox songs. They had a stripped down feel without losing any of their fullness.  For example, one of my favorites was “Dancing With Tears in My Eyes”.  It felt like a proper rock song, heavy with guitar, bass, and drums.  I loved it!   

Ure closed the show with the great David Bowie classic “Starman”.  He mentioned how 2016 was such a hard year due to the loss of so many great people in the music world.  

The best way I can sum up seeing Midge Ure in concert is that it was like meeting up with an old friend. You’re so excited to reconnect.  You talk about the good ole days, share a new story or two, and upon departure you regret not going over a couple more old memories.  And of course, the time together is never long enough.  But ultimately you’re so happy to have seen each other, and a new memory has been made.  And the hope is always that you’ll see each other again sooner than later.  So it is with Midge.   

Setlist

Dear God
New Europeans (Ultravox song)
If I Was
Call of the Wild
Fade to Grey (Visage)
Beneath a Spielberg Sky
Become
Hymn (Ultravox)
The Voice (Ultravox)
Vienna (Ultravox)
All Stood Still (Ultravox)
Passing Strangers (Ultravox)
Dancing With Tears in My Eyes (Ultravox)
Reap the Wild Wind (Ultravox)
Starman (David Bowie cover)

Tickets for Maroon 5 went on sale a year ago.  So as I’m sure you can imagine, the anticipation in Vivint Smart Home Arena was high on Saturday night.  I had no idea I was going to this show until the morning of the show, so it was fun for me to look around the arena and see the true Maroon 5 fans bubbling over with excitement. The crowd dynamic was much different than I expected.  To be honest, I expected a mostly female crowd.  While that may have been the case, the percentage of women to men was much more even that I had anticipated. There were also a lot of older couples at the show.  Didn’t see that coming.  Young and old, male or female, we were all in for a really fun night.  

The indie supergroup Phases opened the night with a really impressive thirty-minute set.  To be honest I had never heard them before.  But from song one I was hooked.  I highly recommend checking them out.  They were followed by Swedish singer Tove Lo.  She’s a successful songwriter now coming into her own as a performer and solo artist.  I thought these were great choices to open for Maroon 5.  And the audience seemed to really enjoy them as well.  It was noticeable to me that these support acts appreciated the involvement of the already jam-packed crowd.

Maroon 5 opened the show with mega-hit, “Moves Like Jagger”.  A song that could easily be used as an encore song made for a perfect opener.  The band had this crowd in the palm of their hands from the get-go.  I was really amazed at how little time it took for the show to get to an energy level this high.

There were a couple things I noticed from this show.  First off, Maroon 5 has a ton of hits! I know they have been around for awhile now, but I guess I didn’t realize just how many hit songs they have in their catalogue.  Before this show, I didn’t own one song from the band.  (Since the show I have definitely downloaded a couple albums.)  But besides one previously unheard new song, I knew every single song.  These guys are hit machines.  But not only are these hits, they are really good songs.

The other thing that really stood out was just how remarkable Adam Levine’s voice is.  If you have heard a Maroon 5 song, (and if you haven’t, you must have been living in a cave) you’ll notice that Adam sings really high.  I mean, really high!  I was actually nervous for him before the show.  Singing high night in and night out is not an easy thing to do.  But I had nothing to worry about.  As you can see in the video below, his vocals were perfect.

The Utah crowd was elated when they were introduced to lead Guitarist James Valentine, a current resident of this great state.  When Adam mentioned that James currently lives in Utah, the crowd went wild.  

The band left for an encore, and when they returned they came out to the far end of their catwalk to perform for the other end of the arena.  I love it when bands do that.  Adam did his best to give the crowd a special moment.  He asked the capacity crowd to put away their cell phones for just two minutes while he sang “She Will Be Loved”.  He mentioned that he wanted to have an experience where we were living in the moment and couldn’t take home with us.  Most of the audience did just that.  Their cell phones went into their pockets and they were able to be in the present.  However, there were some that couldn’t help themselves as they still took pictures and filmed the song.  He would call them out and make jokes which I thought was cool of him.  He could have easily flipped out and made things awkward.  But he kept things light and the people he called out laughed at being put on the spot while looking like idiots to everyone else in attendance.

The show finished strong with the band singing “Sugar” and paying tribute to Prince by closing with “Let’s Go Crazy”.  Now, many might not know this, but Adam Levine is an amazing guitarist.  When you are done reading this gem of a review, go to youtube and type in “Adam Levine Guitar”.  You’ll see plenty of examples of his skills.

I had a great time at this concert.  Maroon 5 gets those unfortunate labels of being “pretty boys” “too soft”, “too pop”, or my favorite “a band for girls”.  I don’t remember being liked by women ever being a negative thing.  Yes, they’re not a hard rock band, but they’re not trying to be.  None of these labels matter when you’re good.  And they’re really good. Their songs are well crafted, and their live show was great.  Much better than I expected it to be.  And I knew I was in for a good show.

 

Setlist:
Moves Like Jagger
This Love
Harder to Breathe
Locked Away (Rock City Cover)
One More Night
Misery
Love Somebody
Lucky Strike
Sunday Morning
Makes Me Wonder
Payphone
Daylight

Encore:
Don’t Want to Know
She Will Be Loved
Sugar
Let’s Go Crazy (Prince Cover)

With summer coming to an end, and concerts beginning to make their way to indoor venues, I made my way out to USANA Amphitheater for what was probably my last concert there this season.  But what a way to bring this summer of great amphitheater shows to an end!  Mumford and Sons rolled into Utah for the first time in four years with their The Austin 5000 tour.  

When Mumford & Sons came here back in 2012, they were white hot off of the success of their second album Babel.  They played Saltair, which when they scheduled the venue was probably the right size.  But by the time they came to Salt Lake, Saltair was much too small for them. It was impossible to get a ticket, and I missed out on what all reports indicated was an incredible show.  So I’ve been waiting to see them since then.  And it was finally happening!

With this show being on a Monday evening, and the temperatures having cooled here in Utah, the audience seemed to get off to a slow start.  Mumford & Sons opened up with Snake Eyes, from the album “Wilder Mind”.  They then followed with Little Lion Man.  I could tell the crowd was really excited to hear this hit song from the guys, but they were certainly not giving their full energy.  But as the temperature dropped, Mumford & Sons heated up.  It was almost as if they knew they needed to give us a little extra to get us going.  Please don’t misunderstand me, the crowd was most certainly into the show.  It just took them a while to physically show what they were feeling inside.

One of the very first things I noticed was how great Mumford & Sons sounded live.  Of course, I didn’t expect them to sound bad in concert, but the quality of the sound and the talent of the band was just exceptional.  Marcus Mumford’s vocals were on point.  I don’t know how he can sing that powerfully and emotionally night in and night out.  I was really impressed.

As I looked around the amphitheater, I noticed that little by little there were varying pockets of people who were already totally fired up. Others were still coming along, but I recall thinking to myself, ‘This place will be going nuts by the end of the show.’.

This show went by as if it was only twenty minutes.  They perfectly blended songs from all of their albums.  Marcus Mumford moved from acoustic guitar to playing drums, to working with crowd, expressing how much they enjoyed Utah.

My favorite segment of the night was when they played my favorite song of theirs The Cave.  At this point, Mumford & Sons had the entire audience right along with them. The energy was high and the crowd was singing every word of this song.  I thought this would be the high point of the evening.  Wow, was I wrong.  On their very next song, Ditmas, Marcus Mumford jumped down off of the stage and appeared to be engaged with those in the front row.  But he didn’t stop there.  He made his way through the audience and all the way towards my section in the back of the seated part of the amphitheater.  Just then, he took a hard left and ran into the lawn section!  I’ve seen this happen a couple times with opening acts, but never with a headliner.  There were only a couple noticeable security guards around Marcus and running into the lawn which is of course general admission, they weren’t going to be able to do much if things got crazy.  This took a lot of trust on Mumford’s part.  But having that trust in his fans gave us the highlight of the evening.  He made his way down the other side of the amphitheater, then joining the general admission in the front of the amphitheater for the remainder of the song.  When the song was over, there was an extra level of applause in appreciation for this surprise visit into the venue.  Looking around, there were huge smiles and faces expressing awe of what just happened.  When you sit in the back of a venue, no one expects that the lead singer of the headlining band is going to come dance and sing with you.  Great move Marcus.

After a couple more songs, Mumford & Sons left the stage and the crowd, of course, roared for their encore.  One thing I hate with encores is when a band comes back out and only does one song.  So you would understand my elation at Mumford & Son’s four song encore.  I heard someone ask after their first encore song, “Do you think that’s the last song?”.  It wasn’t.  Then after their second encore song I heard someone say “Just play every song you have!”.  People who started out so slow on this cool Monday night now did not want this night to end.  They finished with a bang performing I Will Wait and The Wolf.

I waited for four years to see these guys, and they did not disappoint in any way.  I really hope they come back soon because I’ll see them anytime they make a stop here in Utah.  

Setlist

Snake Eyes
Little Lion Man
Holland Road
Wilder Mind
White Blank
Lover of the Light
Tompkins Square Park
Believe
Broken Crown
Ghosts That We Knew
Below My Feet
Awake My Soul
The Cave
Ditmas
Dust Bowl Dance
Cold Arms

Encore:

Hot Gates
Forever
I Will Wait
Wolf

Josh Groban brought his much-anticipated Stages tour to the jam-packed USANA Amphitheater this past Saturday featuring Sarah McLachlan, a headliner in her own right, and support act Foy Vance. If vocal mastery is what you are looking for, this was the show to see.

I would have never pictured Sarah McLachlan and Josh Groban touring together. Their singing style and genre of music are quite different. Well, I guess this is why I’m not in charge of booking tours because this combination of talented vocalists created the perfect musical evening.

Sarah McLachlan was on point during her set in pretty much every way. With her soft and extremely pleasant speaking voice, she shared stories of heartbreak, loss, and hope for the future. There is nothing I like more in a concert than when I say, ‘Oh yeah!’, after hearing a song that I had forgotten. Sarah’s vast catalog was on display as she sang hit song after hit song. And I found myself saying, ‘Oh yeah!’ many times as I recalled how many of her songs I like. She shared a new song that will be on her forthcoming album. It blended right in with the others. She left the stage just as subtly as she walked on. She mentioned on her way out that we might be seeing her again later. More on that later.

Groban began the show in front of a huge curtain with only a piano to his right. He sang “Pure Imagination” from the film Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. Midway through the song the curtain parted and his band and huge string section were revealed, much to the delight of the capacity crowd. This came as a surprise to many of the fans around me. I think they believed they were in for a Josh Groban concert with just a piano and his voice. Which would be a fantastic show to see in a theater or small club. But in a venue like USANA Amphitheater, that holds 20,000 people, you need a large orchestra.

I knew the music was live, and that of course, Josh was singing live, but I looked back at the soundboard a few times to see if maybe there was some sort of backing track. His voice is just that good. You must be saying “Of course it is. That’s why this venue is packed to see him.” I guess, I just wasn’t expecting him to sound that perfect live. It truly sounded as good as the recording. If not better!

I was really looking forward to this show because I knew he’d be promoting his Stages album. An album dedicated to some of his favorite songs
from Broadway musicals. I’m a fan of musical theater so I knew I’d be hearing songs that I really enjoy. Groban did not disappoint. He sang Broadway favorites such as, “What I did for love”, and a tribute to Stephen Sondheim singing “Children will listen/ Not while I’m around”, as well as the off broadway classic “Try to Remember” from The Fantasticks.

One of the best moments of the night was when he sang the Simon and Garfunkel hit “Bridge over troubled waters”. Now this would have been a great moment if Josh sang it alone. But he brought out his opener Foy Vance to sing it with him. Foy has a rich soulful voice. His voice paired with Josh Groban’s polished voice created a contrasting, yet beautiful blend. There were very few dry eyes when this song was over.

The highlight of the evening for me was when Josh sang one of my favorite songs, “Run” by Snow Patrol. When he got to the chorus, Sarah McLachlan joined him on stage. She had returned as promised, and they sounded so good together. They followed that song by singing her heartfelt ballad, “Angel”. Their voices were perfect together. As I mentioned, I would have never thought of these two together, but I’m so glad someone thought of it. We were very fortunate to see these two extremely talented vocalists perform together.

Groban’s main set finished with his biggest hit, “You Raise Me Up”. The crowd turned into The Milky Way, as the entire audience lit up their cell phones and were invited to sing along. Josh left, only momentarily, and gave us “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” for his encore.

Josh seems to be a very genuine guy. He’s one of those artists where you are really happy for his success, and he really seems to truly appreciate the career he has. He didn’t hesitate to recognize Utah as a location that has helped to advance his success in music. He mentioned his opportunity to sing at the Closing Ceremonies of the 2002 Winter Olympics. Mentioning how bitter cold it was that night, and how he didn’t realize how sad he would be making everyone singing as the Olympic flame was extinguished. He mentioned that he also filmed a DVD here and that the fans in Utah have always been great to him.

Josh Groban has really honed his craft not only as an incredible singer but as an entertainer. He’s really funny! He sings so many serious songs, whether they be classical arias, love songs, or art songs, that it would be really easy to keep his shows in that tone. But he does a terrific job of mixing these songs with humor, and interesting stories without diminishing the message of this songs. This is a true art form. And one that he has most certainly perfected.

I was really impressed with this concert. To have the opportunity to see one of the premier vocalists of our day, was a memorable experience. Josh Groban might not be for everyone, and he comically mentioned this possibility in the show, but it is impossible to deny his talent and success.  Look for him to make his much awaited Broadway debut this fall in The Great Comet.  

 

Kamas might not be the first Utah town you think of when you think of places you might be headed for a concert.  But I promise you, you’ll be heading there more and more with the new Dejoria Center fully functional.  I was able to check out this new facility while checking out one the best bands of the ‘90s, Gin Blossoms.

There wasn’t much to dislike about the Dejoria Center.  The staff was extremely friendly, the concert hall was spacious and I thought the acoustics were really good.  At least to my amateur ears.  They had two large video screens at the side of the stage.  They’re almost too big for the venue, but it’s awesome to have screens this nice.  Some of the venues in Salt Lake City might want to look into getting screens like this.  This is a really accommodating venue, and I have a feeling this venue will attract a lot of bands.

The show opened with an acoustic set from two of the four members of the band Fyre & Reign.  The local band based out of Orem did a solid job opening the show.  I think it can be really difficult as a supporting act to gain interest from a crowd who came to see another band.  But Fyre & Reign didn’t hesitate to interact with the audience, even inviting them to sing along in the final chorus of their song “Get Out of the City”.

After the opening set, I broke with man code and struck up a conversation with Fyre & Ice singer, Mikael Lewis at the urinal.  I enjoyed hearing about his band, their recent UK tour, and how excited he was to be offered the opportunity to open for Gin Blossoms.  Be sure to look out for some of his solo acoustic shows around Utah.

Because Fyre & Reign played an acoustic set, we didn’t have to wait long for Gin Blossoms to come out.  Everything appeared to already be set up.  A quick sound check, and then they were on.  They opened with their top ten hit “Follow You Down”.  The crowd was definitely excited but for some reason remained in their seats.  There was singing along, clapping along, and a lot of excited people, but for some reason not too many stood.  Lead singer Robin Wilson clearly noticed this, and when the opening song was over, he mentioned that everyone who wanted to, come right up to the stage and fill the gap between the stage and the seats.  I know a lot of bands don’t suggest standing up, or people moving up, but I really liked this move by Wilson. It was obvious by the people rushing to the front of the stage, myself included, that people wanted to be on their feet.  And I don’t think there was anyone who needed to be invited twice to be that close to the band.

The first thing that stood out to me was how good the band sounded.  They pretty much sounded exactly the same as they did when they first showed up on the scene in 1992.  It was really impressive to me that Robin Wilson has been able to preserve his voice. The harmonies of Jesse Valenzuela are as important to Gin Blossom’s sound as any other part of their make up.  And they were perfect.

Gin Blossoms have a very relaxed demeanor on stage that can be mistaken for them not being into the show, and maybe just going through the motions.  Not so.  Being right at the front of the stage gave me the necessary vantage point to realize that they were having a good time.  They seemed to really like playing live, and they were appreciative of the enthusiastic crowd.

Robin had a couple tambourines that he would rotate throughout the crowd between fans both young and not as young.  He got the crowd clapping along to just about every song. He even promised to do a song suggested by an audience member that wasn’t on the setlist.  And sure enough, they did it in their encore.  They also scrapped what they called a “Power Ballad” to cover Johnny Cash favorite “Folsom Prison Blues”.  This is a band that truly cares about putting on a great show, and pleasing their audience.

As I looked throughout the crowd something that stood out to me was how many people were smiling, and how many people were singing every word of pretty much every song.  It hit me that while like Gin Blossoms, and have always enjoyed their music, to others, this is their favorite band of all time.  There were people with personalized license plates, and signs, and as I said, an impressive knowledge of lyrics.  That had to be an awesome site to see for the band.

I mean look at this guy!  How happy is he that he is seeing Gin Blossoms?!

If you see a band you like performing at the Dejoria Center, do yourself a favor and take a beautiful drive out to Kamas.  You’ll really enjoy this venue.  And if you ever have the opportunity, do yourself another favor and see the Gin Blossoms show. They will not disappoint.