Chelsea Cutler • Yoke Lore • March 9, 2024 • The Union

Reviewed and Photographed by Mike Ferguson

Chelsea Cutler brought her tour The Beauty is Everywhere through Salt Lake City to The Union Event Center on Saturday, March 9th. If I had to sum up the night in one word, that word would be Incredible. My wife and I had the opportunity to attend this show and both of us were blown away by the energy and spunk the artists brought as well as the energy the crowd had all night. It was an amazing experience that I will not soon forget!

The Union

My experience with The Union is limited. But with the few times I have been there for a concert, it is always an enjoyable experience. I arrived a little early (around 6:30 for a door time of 7:00) and got to mingle with the crowd a little bit first. Some of them had gotten there as early as 10 am! But all of them were there to have fun nonetheless. Once the doors opened, we were welcomed and ushered in quickly by a very helpful and friendly staff.

The only issue we experienced upon entry was with a single grumpy guard (who perhaps was just having a bad day) who yelled at my wife and me to open my camera bag and leave the line we were already in to have my bag checked after I had already had it checked. I had my photo pass with my wallet, phone, and keys in hand. As is the standard at most concert venues. Aside from the minor incident there, the entire experience with the rest of the staff was great!

Yoke Lore

The night opened with Yoke Lore. I will admit, I had never actually heard any of his music before this night. But WOW, was I impressed by his music and his energy! Shortly before the show, I decided to look him up and found out that before he started his solo career, he was actually the drummer from the band Walk The Moon. After learning this, I was looking forward to hearing some of his solo work!

From the first song, I could quickly see that he loved to dance and easily got the crowd dancing along with him. He was full of energy and spunk throughout the entirety of his 35-minute set. His incredible vocals were definitely something I noticed as well. About halfway through the set, he played a cover of Savage Garden’s “Truly Madly Deeply” and the crowd went wild! He brought the crowd to life through his set! My wife even mentioned to me that he made a new fan that night.

Chelsea Cutler

After a brief set change, Chelsea Cutler took the stage around 8:45. Once the house lights went out, the cheers from the crowd erupted! I knew I was in for a good show. I loved watching the way she interacted with the crowd. You could tell that the stage is really her element and that she really enjoys being a performer. Her ability to capture an audience was on another level! And the near-sold-out show on Saturday proved that she has created and fostered a community for her fans. By being both powerful and vulnerable, she makes them feel special and appreciated throughout the set.

Her setlist was nearly two hours long and contained a good mix of newer songs and some of her older hits. Her opening song was “Something More” off her latest album Stellaria. From there, she moved into “I Don’t Feel Alive” from the same album. She also incorporated a lot of the songs that she is featured on or has featured on like “you were good to me” and “this is how you fall in love”. Both with Jeremy Zucker.

Though, the highlight of the night, for me at least, was when she jumped off the stage to chat with a fan. She asked this fan specifically what song she wanted to hear and if she wanted to come on stage with her and the band to sing it! The song she chose was “Crazier Things” and this fan did not disappoint! It was so much fun watching them on stage together singing and joking back and forth. I’m sure it made this particular fan’s entire night!

I have to say that Chelsea Cutler is one of the most genuine and authentic artists that I have seen perform. You can tell that she truly cares for her fanbase and wants them to enjoy the show. She is very comfortable talking with fans and has shown that she feeds off their energy as much as they feed off hers. Not only are her vocals powerful and emotive, but I was happy to see that she is also a talented musician, as there were a couple of songs where she played on a baby grand piano and even gave the band a short break playing her song “Hotel June” solo on the piano.

Overall, the concert was an unforgettable experience. Her stage presence was captivating. The setlist was well-curated, featuring a mix of upbeat and introspective songs that resonated with the audience. I would highly recommend seeing Chelsea live if you have the chance. I personally cannot wait to see her the next time she is in Salt Lake and wish her the best of luck on the rest of her tour!