By: Evelyn Salazar
It’s always super exciting when a show at Kilby Court sells out! Last Saturday night that’s exactly what happened because Palace was bringing the Life After Tour to Salt Lake. When I got there right before doors opened, the line was so long, running down the alley that Kilby Court is in. You can tell a band is really loved if their fans are willing to wait outside in Utah’s freezing weather, in order to get a good spot inside the venue. As soon as doors opened, everyone rushed in and started warming up and getting excited for the show to start. I forget just how packed and how many people can actually fit inside the beloved, garage-like venue. It’s a lot!
Before Palace went on, Janet May took the stage, wearing her fluffy white coat and long black boots. She is the opener for the Life After Tour and let me just tell you now, that Janet May has the voice of an angel. Her performance was filled with so much warmth and she was super calm on stage, engaging with the crowd with her smooth voice and speaking about positivity, love, and togetherness. She performed her song, “Lessons to Learn,” that just entranced the crowd, with her beautiful vocals and violin sounds. I actually had a chance to speak to Janet May after her performance while waiting for Palace to come on stage. Not only does she sing beautifully, but she has such a beautiful soul. She was so kind and genuine and overall a pleasure to meet. She stated that it was her first time in Utah and explained how beautiful the mountains were. She also said she loved shows like this, in smaller venues and said that Kilby felt cozy inside. I think that’s fitting. I highly suggest checking her out.
Back inside, people anxiously waited for Palace to come on. I had a chance to also speak to their band manager who noted that this was also the Palace boys’ first time in Utah and in most of the states on this tour, as they are from the UK. I think it’s always fun to know when it’s an artists first time in Salt Lake City because they don’t know what to expect. As soon as the boys take the stage, everyone that was packed into Kilby Court screamed with excitement and pushed a little closer to the stage. They started out with an Intro that lead into their song, “So Long”. Palace had Kilby jumping up and down, singing along and really into it the second they started playing. It was cool watching the boys switch out their guitars for other guitars smoothly and hearing them rock out on each one. Personally, I had never heard of Palace before but it looks like I’ve been missing out! Their alternative/indie sound is right up my alley and I enjoyed listening to the show! I was also surprised I had never heard of them before when everyone in Kilby from SLC was literally jamming out to all the words. It was a sold-out show after all. Big fan, Mitch Sep, 26, said, “I’ve been waiting for this day for over 4 years. These guys put on a hell of a show and it’s very clear that Utah loves them!”
Overall the night was a success and one thing about Palace is that they do an amazing job of interacting with each other on stage, vibing out with one another as they play their songs. It was great!
