Utah Concert Review

August 10, 2021

Mat Kearney August 4, 2021 Red Butte Garden Amphitheater

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.”.

August 9, 2021

Shakey Graves August 4, 2021 Sandy Amphitheater

Shakey Graves, Sandy Amphitheater, August 4, 2021

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.

August 9, 2021

Native Leaves July 30, 2021 The Depot

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.

August 4, 2021

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

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.

August 3, 2021

Travis Tritt Gets Back To ‘No-Frills Classic Outlaw-Country Sound’ With New Album, Set In Stone. Brings tour to Red Butte Garden on August 6!

Travis Tritt Photo Credit: Jeremy Cowart

Travis Tritt’s First Original Full-Length Studio Album in Over A Decade.

August 2, 2021

for King & Country July 30, 2021 Sandy Amphitheater

It was a perfect night for a concert and for King & Country did not disappoint. It was another sold-out show at the Sandy Amphitheater. This summer they have had a great run of shows and they’re packing the place.

July 30, 2021

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.

July 28, 2021

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!

July 26, 2021

Orville Peck July 23, 2021 Sandy Amphitheater

Orville Peck, Sandy Amphitheater, July 23, 2021

Photos and Review by Tiffany Mull

“How many of you been to a drag show?” There were lots of cheers and clapping. “If you haven’t been to a drag show, I recommend you go. But be sure you tip them. If you don’t tip them, they get really pissed off. You don’t want a drag queen pissed at you, trust me. Thanks Gem is a drag queen from Canada, and she used to be pissed at me. We’re friends now, but she makes me tell everyone that she has a Venmo. See? I’m still scared of her.”

July 21, 2021

Kristin Chenoweth w/ Utah Symphony July 10, 2021 Deer Valley

Kristin Chenoweth

If someone had told me one of my first concerts of 2021 would be Kristin Chenoweth and the Utah Symphony, I probably would’ve told them they were crazy—but at Deer Valley’s Snow Park Outdoor Amphitheater on a toasty July night, I was proven wrong. There was a palpable buzz in the air as concertgoers lined up outside the venue on the ski slope. There they discussed where they were going to sit, swapped stories of their last-attended shows. They also shared in the excitement of seeing an Emmy AND Tony award-winner live on the stage.