Category: Interviews

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UCR Interview: Jessica Vosk

Two years ago, I witnessed Broadway star, Jessica Vosk captivate a capacity crowd at The Noorda Center For The Performing Arts on the campus of Utah Valley University. Vosk starred as Elphaba in Wicked, the Narrator in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat at Lincoln Center, and re-created the role of Fruma Sarah in the most recent Broadway revival of Fiddler on the Roof.

She has also starred in productions of Waitress and a personal favorite, Chess (Jessica permitted me to share that she will be singing a song from this show! A reason in itself to attend!!!). at the amazing 12,000-capacity Muny in St. Louis. Jessica Vosk is returning to The Noorda on Saturday, September 21 at 7 PM. For tickets to the show, go to the link at the end of this interview. We had a chance to chat with her this week leading up to the show. Enjoy!

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UCR Interview: almost monday

almost monday • July 17, 2024 • Delta Center

Interviewed by Kevin Rolfe

Photo Credit: Kevin Rolfe

San Diego-based band, almost monday is currently on tour supporting AJR. They recently played two action-packed nights at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City. I was fortunate enough to watch both of their sets and let me tell you these guys are a fun band to watch live. Opening the night in a big arena can be a large undertaking. But almost monday was up to the talk on both nights. By the end of both sets they had the crowd excited. Not only about what was to come with AJR, but about what they had just seen in almost monday.

I had the opportunity to interview the guys at the Delta Center before their night 2 performance. We talked about some of their experiences playing in Utah and what it’s like. to open an arena show. I really enjoyed chatting with the band and I’m excited for their future. Enjoy!

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UCR Interview: Alex Levine of The Gaslight Anthem

Alex Levine of The Gaslight Anthem

The Gaslight Anthem will be playing at The Union Event Center on July 27, 2024. We had the opportunity to speak with bassist, Alex Levine leading up to the show. We discussed the band’s extensive career and reminisced about the last time The Gaslight Anthem played Utah. Where lead vocalist, Brian Fallon lost his voice due to illness. Enjoy!

Interviewed by Kevin Rolfe

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Jessica Vosk

Broadway Star Jessica Vosk• January 25, 2022• Noorda Center

Reviewed by Kevin Rolfe

Photographed by Emily Muñoz

Jessica Vosk is a singer and actress best known for starring in the role of Elphaba, the lead in Wicked both on Broadway and on the show’s national tour.  She has also performed on Broadway in The Bridges of Madison County, Finding Neverland, and the 2015 revival of Fiddler on the Roof.  Vosk has also performed concerts in some of the most famous venues across the country including New York City’s famous Lincoln Center and sold out the iconic Carnegie Hall.  So having Jessica Vosk here in Utah at the Noorda Center for the Performing Arts on the campus of Utah Valley University was a real honor.

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UCR INTERVIEW: Nick Wold of DREAMERS

Los Angeles-via-Brooklyn band DREAMERS (Nick Wold and Nelson) have shared stages with the likes of X Ambassadors, The 1975, Bleachers, Atlas Genius, Catfish and The Bottlemen, and Weezer while garnering coverage from Fader, Entertainment Weekly and Paste, among others, and performing on Jimmy Kimmel Live. In 2016, the band released their debut full-length album This Album Does Not Exist, featuring the top 10 Alternative radio hit, the electro-sprinkled pop gem “Sweet Disaster.” They just released their new single, “Robbery” and will be performing at The Complex with The Score on August 31!

We had the opportunity to chat with vocalist, Nick Wold yesterday. We talked about touring after the pandemic, songwriting, his first concert, and more! Enjoy!

Interviewed by Kevin Rolfe

Photo Credit: Gina Gizella Manning

UCR: Nick, how are you doing? It’s good to talk to you. So catch me up a little. How far into this tour are you? 

Nick Wold: We’re kind of in the first leg I think.  We’ve done like five shows out of 20. And yeah, we’re trucking because it’s our first tour back since the pandemic since the world ended. 

UCR: Yeah. So how does that feel? It’s gotta be the craziest feeling to have that huge break and then be in front of people. In a way, does it feel like a new experience again or like an “old hat” kind of thing? 

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UCR INTERVIEW: Jordana

Photo Credit: Pooneh Ghana

Twenty-one-year-old artist, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and producer Jordana recently released her new record Face The Wall. Jordana is a sonic chameleon, with every new release exploring a different and unexpected side of her musical palette, while remaining just as impressive and captivating as the previous one. This new record sees Jordana put her handmade, DIY indie pop charm to the side, in lieu of more polished pop bangers as she stepped into the studio for the first time. 

Following the impossibly catchy “Catch My Drift,” the spare pop gem “Pressure Point,” and the 90s alt-rock pop homage “To The Ground” is “Go Slow.” The ascendant, titular track brings us to the heart of this album. Jordana explains, “‘Go Slow’ is about facing your self brought battles and acknowledging your imperfections. It’s about taking the time to work on yourself, no matter how much you want to rush it, to be the best version of yourself you can possibly be.” Listen to the song and watch the video directed by Luke Orlando (Charli XCX, Magdalena Bay, Tove Lo) HERE.

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UCR INTERVIEW: Lawrence Gowan of Styx

Legendary and multi-Platinum rockers Styx have hit the road with their friends REO Speedwagon on their Live and UnZoomed Tour. They’ll be joined by special guests, Loverboy. The tour stops off at USANA Amphitheatre on Saturday, July 9. We had the opportunity to catch up with Vocalist and Keyboardist, Lawrence Gowan a few weeks back. To purchase tickets to the Live and UnZoomed show click here. Hope you enjoy our conversation!

Interviewed by Kevin Rolfe

STYX L/R: Chuck Panozzo, Ricky Phillips, Todd Sucherman, Tommy Shaw, James “J.Y.” Young and Lawrence Gowan. Portrait shoot at Macon City Auditorium on October 4, 2014 in Macon, Georgia. (Photo by Rick Diamond/Getty Images for STYX)

UCR: As you know, Utah loves having you guys out here. You’re back out on the road with REO Speedwagon. Do you determine by tour who closes the show?  Or is it a show by show decision?

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UCR INTERVIEW: M. Ward of She & Him

Photo Credit: Chantal Anderson

She & Him’s seventh studio album is a loving, LP-length tribute to one of the greatest living American songwriters and singers, Brian Wilson. Melt Away: A Tribute to Brian Wilson finds Zooey Deschanel and M. Ward diving deep into the legendary artist’s extensive songbook, offering fascinating and delectable new spins on time-honored classics and overlooked gems alike. These fourteen covers are infused with the familiar magic that She & Him fans know and love, opening a new window into Wilson’s iconic catalog. Wilson even features on a song with Zooey and M. Ward for the album, “Do It Again.” The band have enjoyed a friendship, and mutual appreciation, with Wilson over the years and She & Him was previously a guest vocalist on his 2015 album, No Pier Pressure. Recently, the band released “Darlin’”, the lead track and video from Melt Away.

She & Him will be stopping by Red Butte Garden Amphitheater on Tuesday, June 14. Utah Concert Review had the opportunity to visit with M. Ward ahead of their Salt Lake City tour stop. Kevin and Ward discussed Melt Away, what goes into creating a good cover song, and much much more. Enjoy!

M. Ward was interviewed by Kevin Rolfe

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