The Ogden Twilight Concert Series has been a huge hit for the Northern Utah music scene this summer. Surprisingly this was my first time attending a show in Ogden and I was excited. I had seen quite a few photos and videos of the previous shows at this venue. The energy of the place was beautiful and it sat right in the heart of Ogden’s downtown area.
It was a sold out show and the crowds gathered early to cap off their Saturday night with a bang! Luckily for me, I had my girlfriend and a couple of my friends who were also at this concert. It was the perfect night for the last few summer nights with friends. The venue had a cozy lounge area for sponsors of the event. It was also awesome to see the food trucks placed right inside the venue. It made grabbing a bite really convenient for the fans.
ANT CLEMONS
I arrived just right on time to catch RnB artist/singer/songwriter Ant Clemons. This man might be unknown to the casual concertgoers at this venue, but I was extremely excited to see Ant perform live. I grew up in the early 2000s RnB era and Ant Clemons brings that energy and soulful music into today’s current music. Ant is famously known for becoming a guest artist in Kanye West’s 2018 single “All Me.” From that point on, Clemons has been all over the music industry and has worked with Beyonce, Justin Timberlake, Snoh Aalegra, Sunday Service Choir and the list goes on. He has solidified his name in the music industry and forever will be a part of many top charting albums.
Ant Clemons opened up his set with dance moves that reminded you of the early days of Usher. The younger crowd couldn’t help but get as close as they could to the barricade. Ant performed with so much charisma and energy. His band was small with a drummer and a guitarist and he mainly sang with his instrumentals. He performed his hit single “Appreciation,” with rapper 2 Chainz and Ty Dolla $ign, which made the crowd groove along with him.
Clemons checked in with the crowd to get a gauge of how they’re feeling and he mentioned how he wanted to do something different. He wanted to make a song in the moment. I was very shocked and curious about how he was gonna execute this. As an artist with his caliber, I knew he had a good plan that still seemed very interactive. He split the crowd in half. One half sang a faster tempo melody and the other half the slower part. When both halves mixed it created this rhythmic melody that lit up Ogden. He sang along with the crowd reaching high falsetto notes.
Clemons proceeded to play all of the top hits he was featured in and dancing to today’s top songs. With songs ranging from SZA, Justin Timberlake, and Kanye West, it was almost shocking to know he was a part of a bunch of songs that we listen to on a daily basis. I personally believe Kanye wouldn’t be the same artist he is now without his features and help from artists like Ant Clemons. Ant finished up his set and you can tell the crowd appreciated and enjoyed his performance. Seeing him definitely made me realize how much work goes behind the scenes in the music industry.
NOAH CYRUS
Before the show, I had very little information about Noah Cyrus. The only reason I knew about her is because of my girlfriend that listens to her music. I’m a huge fan of her single with Leon Bridges titled “July”. She resembles the same twang and sound of her sister Miley Cyrus. Her style of music comes with a huge background of Nashville, Tennessee. Lastly, the day before the show, I did my best to listen to her top songs. It was beautiful yet intricate and very descriptive and open about mental health issues. I have shown a lot of appreciation to songwriting in these past couple reviews and I will always show the utmost respect to someone that writes about their life and turns it into art.
The night has crept upon us and it is definitely getting darker earlier during the day. Glasses have been refilled and food truck lines have slowed down again. The crowd is ready for Noah Cyrus. I got to chat with a couple fans that were patiently waiting for her and it was amazing to know how many fans she had in Utah.
The fog didn’t stop as the band stepped on stage. The lighting was dramatic and Noah stepped on stage rocking her signature cowboy hat and a full denim outfit. Her stage presence took the crowd by storm. She danced while she sang along and it was just the right amount of grooves. Her voice stood out to me and her signature sound was astounding.
Noah was able to perform most of her songs from her recent album “THE END OF EVERYTHING.” She was given an hour and a half set and I always get amazed when a solo artist can perform that long. She played “Dear August,” and it immediately took me to a place. I felt like I was in a hole in the wall bar in Nashville and it was intimate and drinking a Moscow Mule while dancing.
A really great moment for me was when Noah Cyrus played her song with the late rapper XXXTENTACION. She showed her love for him during his verse by putting up an “X” symbol with her arms to the sky. Noah was very passionate throughout her set and took time to explain her situation before she wrote each and every song.
I haven’t heard a crowd like this in a long time. The devoted Noah Cyrus fans chanted her songs word by word. You can tell during “Make Me Cry,” that she was getting emotional. Seeing her art be received so well by the Ogden Twilight crowd, I’m sure it has to get to her feelings.
Noah continued to play and entertain with her vocals and small groove. During the songs that had a more upbeat rhythm, she brought out her tambourine to add a little twist to the song.
The crowd went absolutely insane when she played arguably her most famous song to this day, “July.” I truly enjoyed this moment when everyone had their flashlights on and embracing each other while the whole venue sang along. It was a beautiful Saturday night and I was truly impressed with her performance.
I ended up listening to her full album on our way home, realizing after an hour and a half of listening to her live, we couldn’t get enough. I have really enjoyed my time at this venue and can’t wait to attend more. Noah Cyrus and Ant Clemons were definitely a must see, and I am grateful to add their songs to my playlist!