Summer Salt August 7, 2019, In The Venue

By: Evelyn Salazar

I wouldn’t have wanted to be anywhere else last Wednesday night, in Salt Lake City other than at the Summer Salt concert. The combination of good vibes, great music, and a night filled with excellent performances, I mean, what else could you want from a summer concert? Not only was Summer Salt amazing live, but their two opening bands, Dante Elephante, and Motel Radio pumped up the crowd and the energy never died down. 

Dante Elephante opened up with some awesome tunes that started to get everyone in the mood, heads bobbing, feet tapping, and warmed the crowd up for what would be a killer night. Their lead singer brought everything he had to the stage, singing his heart out as he stood barefoot on stage, playing his guitar. There was so much passion in their performance and it was so much fun! Towards the end of the set, he even hopped off stage and went into the crowd, singing into the mic, as fans new and old surrounded him. The first opening band wasn’t even done with their set and everyone was already smiling and vibing. 

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Next, the boys from Motel Radio came on stage, and with the audience warmed up, they got straight to the music. I had never heard of them or any of their music before, but wow! Everything from Motel Radio’s performance, to their stage presence, and connection with the crowd was amazing! I knew I had found a new band to check out! The boys were filled with so much energy & charisma, it echoed off the stage into the audience. They also did something I’ve personally never seen happen at a show before. For their last few songs, they all switched positions on stage and swapped instruments. It was super cool! And showed off how talented they are! It seriously got the crowd pumped. 

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The night at In the Venue was going great, and once Summer Salt came on, it only got better. The relaxing, beachy, summer vibes put the whole venue in a great mood. Summer Salt live is a dream. I was getting lost in the music as I heard them perform some of my favorite songs. People around were swaying and dancing and singing along. The whole thing was serene. 

I think In The Venue was the perfect spot for this show because it wasn’t small by any means, but also wasn’t overwhelmingly large. It was just the right choice. It allowed the show to feel even more personal and was a good way of helping the band connect to their SLC fans. It felt as if we were all friends, jamming out to some indie tunes. During their encore, they had brought back both opening bands and their friends on stage and had a giant dance party. Everyone at In the Venue was jumping and dancing, the whole place was bouncing. 

A summer night with Summer Salt couldn’t have been better. It was dreamy and the energy being put out was comforting. Hearing fan favorites like “Seventeen” and “Driving to Hawaii” had people in a trance. In the back, fans danced and swayed back and forth to the rhythm. And towards the front, all eyes were locked on the boys and their summer, stage set up. It was such a laid back night that I and other fans really enjoyed. I’ve gotten so used to attending concerts at large venues that hold thousands of people, that I had almost forgotten how incredible smaller venues can be. It’s a whole different atmosphere that connects the band to the fans differently. You don’t feel like just another face in the crowd, you feel like you’re a part of something bigger. And that’s why I love concerts, and Summer Salt was no exception.

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