Ray LaMontagne • August 23, 2026 • Red Butte Garden Amphitheatre
Reviewed and Photographed by Kevin Rolfe
Red Butte Garden was packed. This is a show that has been anticipated for over a year. Ray LaMontagne unfortunately had to reschedule his Red Butte Garden show in 2025. Everyone was so happy it was rescheduled, but having to wait another year to see one of their favorite singer-songwriters is not a small thing. Fans were dying to see him, so this show had a buzz of anticipation around it. It had been sold out for months. It was exciting inside the amphitheatre.
A concert celebrating the 20th anniversary of Ray LaMontagne’s Trouble was always going to be a special night at Red Butte Garden. But just because we apparently needed an additional thrill, the evening was that much more eventful.
LaMontagne walked onto the stage and immediately settled into the relaxed, intimate style that has become such a big part of his live performances. He opened with “Make It Through” followed by “Takes Me Back,” “Yearning,” and “Roll Me Mama, Roll Me.” The songs created an easygoing atmosphere as the crowd settled in and enjoyed the beautiful surroundings. Looking throughout Red Butte, I watched people taking in these songs in their own way. Some people stayed in their chairs with their heads bobbing along. Some were up and dancing, and feeling the groove of the music. Others were quite emotional that they were finally seeing this concert come to pass.
As I watched all this, I could see clouds rolling in. Being an outdoor venue, you run the risk of wind, rain, and other elements. But being a “rain or shine “show, the real hope is that there isn’t lightning tagging along. Before the night could really get rolling, however, the weather had other plans. Lightning was in the area, and the audience was encouraged to return to their cars and follow social media for updates.
If memory serves, I believe it was following the fifth song, “Such a Simple Thing,” lightning was in the area and forced the concert into an unexpected delay. The audience was encouraged to return to their cars and follow social media for updates. Rain fell furiously around the area, and the lightning was ever present. The audience was left waiting and wondering if the show would continue. After all, when Mother Nature makes an appearance at an outdoor concert, there isn’t much anyone can do about it. Slowly, as the delay dragged on, some people gave in and decided to leave. Many others stayed strong and waited in hopes that Ray would return.
Every once in a while, someone in the crew would walk on stage for one reason or another and give the audience hope. But there really wasn’t much to go on just yet. I noticed a security guard listening to his earpiece. I looked at him as if to say, “Well?” He read the message and very quietly told me, “Ten minutes.” As a few people around me started to give in to the delay, I told them the secret message I had heard, and they decided to wait the ten minutes.
Thankfully, the night wasn’t over. LaMontagne returned to the stage, and the wait made his return feel even more rewarding. I mean, we waited a year. What was another wet hour or so? Fans who did go to their cars rushed back. The venue was not quite as packed as it once was. But there was still a large crowd there when Ray came back out.
LaMontagne acknowledged that they were now pushed up against a curfew, so he planned on getting as many songs as possible played before they had to stop. He picked up right where he left off with “Trouble,” the title track from the album being celebrated. There was also a little humor surrounding the anniversary. LaMontagne joked that although the tour was being billed around the album’s 20th anniversary, it has actually been 22 years. It was a fun reminder of just how much time has passed since Trouble first became part of his story. He asked the crowd to be honest, stating in a tongue-in-cheek tone that he didn’t look any older. “I mean seriously, what do you think? I’m doing alright.” He told the crowd that it was because of them keeping him young.
From there, the set became a journey through some of the songs that have defined LaMontagne’s career. “Shelter,” “Hold You in My Arms”, and “Forever My Friend” brought plenty of emotional weight, while “How Come” and “Jolene” kept the performance moving without ever losing its intimate feel. “All the Wild Horses” was another standout, followed by “Strong Enough.”
We were going to get a shorter setlist, but Ray seemed to do his best to give us the best songs. He could be seen discussing with band members about what to do next or perhaps what to cut. As curfew fast approached, Ray LaMontagne told us, “Let’s do what we thought we had time to do. And then after that we’ll do something else.” Which drew a huge cheer from the crowd. Then he said, “And maybe we’ll do something after that.” This, of course, drew an even larger cheer from the devoted crowd. It was clear that Ray was planning on blowing through the curfew and playing as long as possible.
He was sure to include “You Are The Best Thing.” I’m sure there were many who wondered if he’d be able to play it, but Ray seemed like nothing would stop him from doing so. The audience was extremely grateful for his insistence on giving them an unforgettable show.
That extra time said a lot about the evening. The weather could have easily turned the concert into a shortened or disappointing experience, but LaMontagne chose to give the audience as much music as possible.
In the end, the lightning delay became part of the story rather than the reason to remember the night negatively. Fans came to Red Butte Garden to celebrate Trouble, and they left with something more: an unexpected concert experience filled with great songs, a little humor, patience, and a performer who showed his fans how much they mean to him. All in all, it was an incredible evening at the garden.