Ogden Twilight: Ben Böhmer

Ben Böhmer • Tinlicker • Alex Cruz • July 5, 2024 • Ogden Amphitheater

Reviewed and Photographed by Mark Daluz

As I tried to figure out the maze of closed roads to get to the Ogden Amphitheater I finally found a parking lot. I was getting giddy to arrive at my first Ogden Twilight show. Being a regular at SLC’s Twilight series, I really never had the chance to check out the partner series farther north. But on July 5th, the opportunity came to me. Ignoring the blistering 88+ degree day, the Ogden Amphitheater was quite fascinating to me. The surrounding area was covered in leaves and food trucks providing shade and food for the concertgoers. It really was scorching whenever you left the confines of the shaded area so I was under the leaves enjoying a snow cone while I waited for more people to come and the first artist to take the stage. 

ALEX CRUZ

The first person to take the stage was Alex Cruz. He didn’t make a grand entrance. In fact, none of the artists did. But that didn’t take away from the attention he got. Though there weren’t as many people at the set, he made it clear what the early birds were getting into. While he didn’t build into anything crazy that would make you want to jump out with your best dance moves. He eased you into the house genre with head nodding in sync with his compositions. To be honest, it was really hard to stay out near the stage for most of the set as it was still blistering hot and most of the VIP attendees thought so too. Opting to stay in the shade until later in the night. 

TINLICKER

As time grew close for Tinlicker to take the stage. I was surprised to see how many people showed up during the half-hour intermission. The amphitheater went from being 10% to 60% full which made me take my freedom of movement for granted.  When Tinlicker took the stage, the audience erupted which took me by surprise. Apparently their following was much more than I realized as they have been a global powerhouse duo since 2012 in the electronic music scene.

What really caught my attention was instead of connecting with the audience through energy (not saying they were lacking) you can really tell that the connection was through their melodies, driving bass lines, and vocal composition. You can tell that up on the stage they are pouring their hearts into the music and I know that the people in the back could feel it too. They have one of the best flows I have ever heard and their intensity matched what the Ogden Amphitheater concertgoers could expel. Not much was said by the duo on the mics but they didn’t need words to keep our attention. 

BEN BöHMER

Lasty, we have Ben Böhmer. At the time he took the stage. Ogden Amphitheater was packed which wasn’t surprising. Known for blending deep house and melodic techno, Böhmer was ready to deliver a night that concertgoers were going to relish. His visual production complemented his sound perfectly. Stunning visuals radiated across the screens, creating a kaleidoscope of his face with colors that enhanced the experience.

Each track seamlessly flowed into the next, showcasing Böhmer’s skillful transitions and deep understanding of building energy. The crowd responded with waves of euphoria, hands in the air, as the music transported them through an emotional nirvana. Bohmer engaged with the crowd, smiling and nodding in sync with the music, clearly enjoying Ogden’s energy. Through the night his energy got more infectious, turning the venue into a dance haven where time seemed to stand still. As the night drew to a close, Böhmer played an extended version of “Beyond Beliefs,” leaving the audience craving more.

Ogden’s energy lingered long after the last note faded, with fans buzzing about the night’s magic as we made our way back home.