Melissa Etheridge August 7, 2021 Sandy Amphitheater

Photo By: Breanna Downs

The recent cold front brought in so much smoke and bad air from the Oregon and California fires over the weekend.  Despite that, things were fairly clear at the Sandy Amphitheater for the great Melissa Etheridge.  There was a slight haze covering the mountains, but the air was significantly better than it had been the few days prior.  The temperature was perfect.  It was totally warm without being too hot.  

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Travis Tritt August 6, 2021 Red Butte Garden Amphitheater

Photo Credit: Kevin Rolfe

When this year’s Red Butte Garden Concert Series lineup was announced, one of the names that surprised me was Travis Tritt.  Not that I didn’t think he was big enough for Red Butte, because he’s plenty big. He’s a Country music icon.  But generally, this isn’t the typical artist that plays Red Butte.  I thought maybe he’d show up at Country Fan Fest, or at the State Fair, but sure enough, Travis Tritt brought his tour to Red Butte Garden and it was a night to remember. 

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Mat Kearney August 4, 2021 Red Butte Garden Amphitheater

Photo Credit: Kevin Rolfe

The year was 2009.  Alternative Brit Band, Keane was at the height of their powers and had just sold out the Palladium in Hollywood. I was there.  The memories of how excited I was for that concert still feel fresh.  Turned out, unbeknownst to me, a buddy of mine would be attending the concert as well. 

I went on and on about Keane and asked him several times how excited he was to see them live.  He mentioned to me that he wasn’t going to the show to see Keane at all, that he was only familiar with a few of their hits.  As I pulled my jaw from the ground to put it back in place I asked, “Is your date a Keane fan?  Why are you going then?”.  He said, “Mat Kearney’s opening.  I’m going to see him.” Stupidly I asked, “Who’s Mat Kearney?”. My friend replied, “You’ll see.”. 

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Shakey Graves August 4, 2021 Sandy Amphitheater

Shakey Graves, Sandy Amphitheater, August 4, 2021

Photo Credit: Tiffany Mull

Depending on which song you’re listening to, you could call it country with a bluesy, folksy twist. You could call it alt-rock with a country cadence. Gothic bluegrass? Americana? It doesn’t matter. Shakey Graves isn’t bound by, or dependent on, genre. Like a true artist, he pulls technique from anywhere that suits him. The result is unique, catchy, and refreshing.

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Native Leaves July 30, 2021 The Depot

Photo Credit: Evelyn Salazar

On Friday, July 30, 2021, The Depot was packed with people. The venue was filled with love and good vibes because of Utah’s own local band, Native Leaves. Native Leaves are a reggae band from the 801 who know how to throw a show! The night consisted of some fantastic openers,  along with the beautiful Analea Brown who truly knows how to own the stage. Her beautiful voice paired with some lovely cultural dancing by her and her crew were so fun to watch! She had the crowd dancing and vibing along with her. She did an amazing job at setting the tone and preparing the crowd for the headliners of the night.  

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Jason Isbell & the 400 Unit July 30, 2021 Red Butte Garden Amphitheater

Photo Credit: Kevin Rolfe

I don’t think I’ve been as excited about a concert as I was for this one in a long time.  July 30, 2021, marked the opening of the Summer Concert Series at Red Butte Garden.  Jason Isbell & the 400 Unit headlined with the great Lucinda Williams supporting.  It was a night I had anticipated since the Red Butte Garden announced their summer lineup this spring.  

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The Music of John Denver w/ Jim Curry & Utah Symphony July 24, 2021 Deer Valley

Have you ever had this conversation with your music buddies? “What musician that has passed away do you wish you could have seen in concert?”. I’ve had that conversation many times and the names vary. The popular ones are usually, Freddie Mercury, Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Michael Jackson, and sometimes Tupac and Biggie. While a couple of them are still living, The Beatles get mentioned a lot too. I can’t say that I wouldn’t love to see those artists as well because I would. But the name that is very high on my list and the name I usually bring up is, John Denver.

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UCR INTERVIEW: Grace Pettis of Nobody’s Girl

Nobody’s Girl: BettySoo, Rebecca Loebe, Grace Pettis

Americana/folk-pop supergroup, Nobody’s Girl features acclaimed singer-songwriters
BettySoo, Rebecca Loebe, and Grace Pettis. Each member of the band has a budding solo career of their own. They joined together and released an EP in 2018. They returned to the studio in September 2019 and recorded their first full length album. After waiting patiently through a worldwide pandemic their self-titled LP is due to be released on July 30.

I had the opportunity to visit with Grace Pettis about the upcoming album, her solo career, and a whole lot more. Enjoy!

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