Stray Cats • August 4, 2026 • Sandy Amphitheater
Reviewed and Photographed by Kevin Rolfe
The Stray Cats brought their U.S. Tour to Sandy Amphitheater recently. And it was one of those shows where you couldn’t help but simply feel grateful to be there. That it was happening at all. In recent years, there had been some canceled Stray Cats tours, and Brian Setzer Orchestra concerts were put on hold due to an autoimmune condition with Setzer. He was unable to play the guitar, let alone hold a pencil. Understandably, there was some fear that we might never see these Rockabilly legends together in concert again. Well, the Stray Cats are back on tour, and from my point of view, there was no issue with Brian’s playing. He worked hard to get it back, and it’s to the benefit of those who get to see him play those beautiful Gretsch guitars every night.
Stray Cats launched into “Please Don’t Touch.” The crowd roared, and an evening packed with rockabilly attitude and classic rock ’n’ roll energy was underway. There was no need for elaborate production or distractions. There were a couple of trash cans on stage, and a huge Stray Cats sign with their iconic cat logo hanging in the back. The rest was about these three legends and their music.
“Too Hip, Gotta Go” and “Runaway Boys” kept things moving early, with “Double Talkin’ Baby” and “My One Desire” following close behind. The setlist was filled with songs that showcased just how well the Stray Cats have blended the sounds of early rock ’n’ roll with their own punk-inspired edge. “This is a good time for a little Rockabilly, right about now, huh? The sun is going down. Feels pretty good, how does it feel?” With the sun setting, the temperature cooled, and people were up and dancing.
Then came “Stray Cat Strut,” and the atmosphere changed immediately. As you might expect, there was a buzz in the crowd for this one. Some people stayed in their rows and swayed and hummed the intro. Others moved to the aisles to dance with their partners. One thing I love about Rockabilly and its fans is the style that goes with it. It’s work looking up. I wish I could pull it off. It’s an awesome look. People felt the groove of “Stray Cat Strut.” It was a moment. It’s weird because with Stray Cats you flash back to the 80s when they were on MTV and representing this amazing music in a diverse era. Then you flash back to the 50s when this music was first on the charts. I imagined myself in both of those times and loved thinking about that while I was strutting to the song.
The band continued with “Gene and Eddie,” “Rumble in Brighton” and “Twenty Flight Rock,” keeping the set focused on the roots of the music while still delivering it with plenty of personality. Can you imagine what it would have been like if Eddie Cochran got to play with the Stray Cats? I’d like to be in on that jam session.
“Sleepwalk” was a particularly nice change of pace. The instrumental allowed the evening to breathe for a moment and put the musicianship front and center. It’s one of the most memorable melodies. I don’t know if I ever knew this was the name of this song. But I loved hearing it. And the Stray Cats putting their spin on it made it all the more enjoyable. It served as a reminder that underneath all the cool poses and rockabilly swagger, the Stray Cats are simply a great rock ’n’ roll band.
The energy picked right back up with “Cry Baby,” “Three Time’s a Charm” and “My Baby Left Me.” From there, “When Nothing’s Going Right,” “Bring It Back Again” and “Blast Off” continued the party.
We were fortunate to be seeing the Stray Cats on bassist Lee Rocker’s birthday. Someone from the crowd shouted “Happy Birthday!” and Brian Setzer took the time to let the audience cheer for Rocker before saying, “You Look Good For 29.” Then they jumped back into the music.
Brian Setzer also took a moment in the show to talk about Rockabilly and where he thought it originated. He showed us by playing his guitar, and eventually Slim Jim Phantom joined in on drums, followed by Lee Rocker on Bass. It was a very cool moment in the show.
“I Won’t Stand in Your Way” provided another memorable change in tone before the band headed into “Fishnet Stockings.” By this point, the crowd was fully invested, and the anticipation was building toward the inevitable and much-anticipated finale.
“Rock This Town” was the perfect choice to close the main set. The song has always been one of the Stray Cats’ biggest crowd-pleasers, and it had exactly the kind of infectious energy needed to send everyone into the night wanting more. Sandy Amphitheater was buzzing as the band finished the song and left the stage. The Stray Cats have played this song countless times, and yet their energy on stage was so great. Setzer altered the lyrics to say, “Well, Salt Lake City, you really don’t look half bad.” Which of course drew a large cheer. It was another great time for Brian to show what he can still do on the guitar. I loved every minute of that performance.
The Stray Cats returned to pay homage to The King. They played “Jailhouse Rock” and “Hound Dog.” I thought people would start to leave after “Rock This Town.” But people stayed and really got into these two songs.
I couldn’t believe the show was over. It flew by! As I said, when I heard the news some years back of Brian Setzer’s health issues, I didn’t know that we’d get this night. This happened to be a night where there were quite a lot of shows to choose from. But I could not be swayed. I was seeing the Stray Cats at Sandy Amphitheater. This show was not to be missed. I was beyond happy to be there.