Chase Atlantic w/ Leah Kate & Xavier Mayne• July 12, 2022• The Union
Reviewed and Photographed by Tomo Crestani
On their “Cold Nights Tour”, Chase Atlantic brought the energy to The Union Events Center this past Tuesday. Drawing a very respectable crowd for not only their set but also the two opening sets as well. Bringing along Xavier Mayne and Leah Kate, Chase Atlantic definitely built up a lot of anticipation for this tour.
Having never been to The Union Event Center, I went into this show with low expectations. However, I was pleasantly surprised from the get-go. The venue was very nice inside and had a really cool layout. It felt very open compared to other venues I have visited. It also seemed more organized. This venue perfectly fit the three artists that would be playing that night. It fit the large crowd comfortably and gave the concert a really unique feel.
Xavier Mayne
The only downside to the night was a malfunction at the beginning of Xavier Mayne’s set. Although it could have been the artist’s crew making the mistake instead of the venue, it was a sad moment for Xavier. The lights and speakers were all completely shut off from the second he stepped on stage. For about 45 seconds, he danced and sang without any audio or lighting. I was very impressed with how he handled it once he had found out what had happened. He restarted and just kept the energy from the first try. Luckily this would be the only malfunction of the night.
I was a little worried when I heard there were two opening sets. But I am happy to say that I thoroughly enjoyed having more music to listen to. All three sets kept it entertaining and easy to have a good time. Chase Atlantic is smart for bringing out two upcoming artists that clearly have a strong fanbase here in Salt Lake City.
Other than the lights and speakers going out, Xavier Mayne killed his set. Keeping the crowd engaged when it seemed they didn’t know a lot of his lyrics. He stated multiple times that it was his first show in America, which is a cool experience to witness. Although alone on stage, he filled the space well and had visuals behind him the whole time. His music had a nice contrast of high and slow energy. He set the stage perfectly for the following acts. He showed a lot of love to Salt Lake City, and will most likely be back if I had to guess.
Leah Kate
Almost immediately after Xavier left, Leah Kate took the stage. Having only heard her one song that blew up on Tik Tok this last year, I was looking forward to hearing her perform. She opened with the song that boosted her to fame titled “10 things I hate about you”. She had the entire venue singing along with her throughout the verses and the chorus. I was impressed people knew the verses given that Tik Tok doesn’t play the entire song. Leah had incredible crowd engagement including making eye contact and hand gestures back and forth with several fans. She played through numerous break up songs that clearly were striking a chord with the crowd, before leaving the stage open for Chase Atlantic.
The energy began to immediately rise as the stage was being prepared for Chase Atlantic. The already full venue filled up even more as the showtime became closer. After the pre-show music helped maintain the energy from the last set, the lights went out and Chase Atlantic’s incredible intro began to play.
Chase Atlantic
The lights all went dark and the screens on the stage began to play a cinematic intro with a short monologue. It was one of the coolest intros I have seen for sure. The band walked onto the stage and brought an energy I don’t know if I have ever seen before. I have been to some really fun concerts, but the energy Chase Atlantic brought to their performance was one of the best I have ever seen. They used the stage space really well and made sure to keep their performance full of emotion throughout each song. Even the slower songs felt like they were keeping up with the fast pace of the set.
The obvious crowd favorite was their hit song, “Swim”. Although it helped that everyone knew every single word to the song, it was an unreal experience with the lighting and sound quality of the venue. There are very few songs that can entertain an entire venue that way. I didn’t see a single person not enjoying that specific song.
Although all the members of the band were amazing, one stood out. Lead singer, Mitchel Cave, was an incredible performer. He came onto the stage wearing a ski mask with small ears on top. It seemed like a bold fashion choice, but I appreciate the effort to create a unique image. He did end up removing the mask and performing freely after the 4th or 5th song.
They closed out their set with three very high-energy songs, creating a crazy environment to end the night. It was the type of concert that moved so fast that it shocks you when you realize it had already been over an hour. The band left the crowd stating that Utah was one of the funnest shows they had ever played and will be back as soon as they can.
Overall I highly recommend seeing any of these three sets. Xavier Mayne will hopefully play more American shows now as he tours the country. I also hope to see Leah Kate headline her own show soon. She could easily carry the weight of her own show very soon. Chase Atlantic is a must see. It is one of the highest energy shows you can go to. Their music is also incredible. The Union is a very fun and well kept venue to visit. Overall this concert was a 10/10 and I hope to be back at one of their shows soon.