Richy Mitch & the Coal Miners | March 26th 2025 | The Marquis Park City
Reviewed and Photographed by Austin Dayton
This last Wednesday, on a cold and crisp March night, a line began forming outside the recently opened Marquis venue in Park City, Utah. The headliner, Richy Mitch & The Coal Miners, had drawn a devoted crowd eager for a night of folk-rock bliss. With the opening of the doors, the audience shuffled in, all vying for the closest spot to the stage. There seemed to be one problem, in between the crowd and Richy Mitch & The Coal Miners set was the opener. This turned out to be no problem at all as the audience was treated to a talent-filled opening set from Briscoe, a duo hailing from Austin, Texas.
Briscoe
Briscoe, made up of Truett Heintzelman and Philip Lupton, wasted no time setting the tone with their warm, organic sound. Though just thirty minutes, their set felt like a road trip through Americana—equal parts nostalgic and new. Songs like “The Well” and “Sparrows” had the crowd hooked, their harmonies floating effortlessly through the venue. With them, Philip and Truett brought a banjo, gutter, and the crowd favorites of harmonica and an alto saxophone. By the time they wrapped up, the audience was primed and ready for the show!
Richy Mitch & the Coal Miners
As the lights dimmed again, the room grew quiet with excitement. The group, comprised of of Mitch Cutts, Dylan Schneider, Jakob Ervin, and Nic Haughn took their places, bathed in a soft golden glow. Without much fanfare, they launched into “Signal Sender,” a track that immediately wrapped the room in its melancholic embrace. Cutts’ voice, equal parts raw and intimate, carried across the hushed crowd, setting the perfect mood for the night.
As one looked around the venue, it seemed to be covered with carbon copies of the band members. With the looks seemed to come the voices as well as the crowd began singing “Berry Herman.” The chemistry between the four musicians was undeniable—each note and song felt instinctual. “Wet Socks” and “Sierra Vista,” seemed to bring a feeling of nostalgia to the young audience. “Sierra Vista” especially felt like the perfect soundtrack for late-night drives, and the crowd swayed along, caught in the hypnotic rhythm. “October Moon” continued to slow things down, casting a spell over the room with its hushed, haunting beauty.
In addition to the music was a curation of art and lighting that accompanied the band on stage. The venue itself, the Marquis, seemed to be a perfect cocoon around the band as the sky deck wrapped around 180 degrees of the venue, providing a perfect close-up birds eye view of the show. With that close-up view the set took an even more intimate turn with “Ivy,” one of those rare songs that feels like it was written specifically for each and everyone in attendance. The soft picking, the aching lyrics—it was a quiet, breathtaking moment in an otherwise dynamic set.
Then came “Evergreen.” The moment everyone had been waiting for. Knowing this, Cutts took some time to tease the crowd, with a lengthy explanation of who each band member was, along with an embellished story of how they met. When Cutts finally strummed those first familiar chords, a hush fell over the room. “Evergreen” has a way of stopping time. The song, originally released in 2017, found a second life online from TikTok in 2024, introducing the band to a whole new generation of fans. But viral fame aside, its true power is in its raw honesty—its exploration of longing, change, and the passage of time. As the chorus swelled, voices from the crowd joined in, turning the performance into something almost sacred. It was the kind of moment that stays with you, long after the night ends.
Coming off the emotional high of “Evergreen,” the band began to blend in their song “Sage.” It was a gentle nudge back to the present, reminding everyone to soak it all in while it lasted. Taking some more time to connect with the crowd, Cutts took some time to talk about their new album “Colorado’s on Fire Again.” Though they currently are based in Seattle, the group originally formed in Colorado where they grew up. Cutts went on to explain that the band had gotten started by performing relief fundraising shows for fire rescue and disaster recovery. A part of the band that has remained central to who the band is, while unfortunately, the fires seem to stick around, the band continues to raise money.
And then, just when it felt like it was all wrapping up all too soon, they played “Lake Missoula.” The song’s sweeping, cinematic feel made for a perfect climax of the night. There was a sense of catharsis in the air. A collective release, a final chance to lose yourself in the music.
For longtime fans, the night reaffirmed everything they loved about Richy Mitch & The Coal Miners. Their sincerity, their storytelling, and their ability to make even the largest crowd feel like an intimate gathering. For newcomers, it was an introduction to something special, a band that doesn’t just play songs but creates experiences that linger long after the final chord fades.
Something seemed special about this show. Looking up at the band you could see them grinning and dancing together. As it turned out, this was the largest show that Richy Mitch & the coal miners had ever headlined. It was the last show of their “Après-Ski Tour,” it seemed to be the perfect sign of love from their strong Utah fan base to be their largest show yet.
As the crowd spilled out into the cool Park City night, the echoes of “Evergreen” and “Lake Missoula” still hung in the air. A reminder of a night that felt, in the best way possible, like a memory already worth keeping. If you have the chance to see Richy Mitch & the Coal Miners, don’t miss it!