The Shins

The Shins w/ JOSEPH• August 6, 2022• Ogden Amphitheater

Reviewed and Photographed by Kevin Rolfe

Have you ever made plans to go to a concert knowing you were in for a good night?  The lineup is great, the venue is cool, and the company you’re rolling with is just who you want to be with.  And while you know there is no way this particular concert can wrong, unless there’s some natural disaster or unforeseen incident, this concert far exceeds any expectation you might have had.  Well, that was the case at Ogden Twilight with The Shins and their special guests JOSEPH.  I knew I would like this concert.  How could I not?  Two amazing bands in one night.  But somehow, someway they exceeded my already high expectations.  This concert was incredible.  

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Josh Groban

Josh Groban Preservation Hall Jazz Band & Eleri Ward• July 27, 2022• Vivint Arena

Reviewed and Photographed by Kevin Rolfe

Utah loves Josh Groban.  He could easily do a concert in Utah every year and it would be well attended. In some ways, it feels like a homecoming concert when Groban stops here on his tours.  I’m sure that is in part, due to him recording his Awake concert film right here in Salt Lake City at the very same venue where we saw him on July 27, 2022.  To my knowledge, he has no ties to this state.  It just feels like there is a real connection between Utah and Josh.  Groban’s stop on his Harmony Tour was no exception.  The lineup was stacked with talent from newcomer Eleri Ward to the really fun Preservation Hall Jazz Band to Josh Groban.  The night never lacked for beautiful moments of music.

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Barenaked Ladies

Barenaked Ladies w/ Gin Blossoms & Toad the Wet Sprocket• June 20, 2022• Red Butte Garden Amphitheater

Reviewed and Photographed by Kevin Rolfe

I don’t know if Red Butte Garden will ever get more 90s than it did on June 20th.  Barenaked Ladies brought their Last Summer on Earth Tour to the Amphitheater but they didn’t come alone.  BNL was joined by 90s contemporaries, Gin Blossoms and Toad the Wet Sprocket.  It was a lineup of hitmakers from top to bottom.  I arrived as Toad the Wet Sprocket took the stage.  The venue was already full.  It was obvious that Red Butte patrons were excited about this whole show.  

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Tash Sultana

Tash Sultana• July 11, 2022• Sandy Amphitheater

Reviewed and Photographed by Kevin Rolfe

Seeing Tash Sultana live is more than just a concert. It’s an all-encompassing experience. Sultana is the only one on stage. But you would never know it by the layers upon layers of music that are coming out of the speakers and into the stands. There was a vibrant energy throughout the audience and it was clear that the people there were expecting a fun night. The line for merch was lengthy but shortened just in time for Tash Sultana to take the stage. I like the way Sandy Amphitheater set up the merch booth. The line forms on the hill so people can actually watch the show from a distance as they wait to buy a shirt.

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Rex Orange County

Rex Orange Country• June 11, 2022• The Great Saltair

Midway through his Who Cares? Tour, British star Rex Orange County stopped in Utah, this time in Magna at The Great Saltair. Although he has visited Salt Lake in previous years, the turnout for this concert was more than he could have imagined. This was also my first time being to a show with no opening artist. Rex decided to come on the tour solo. Capitalizing on his popularity was not a bad idea in my opinion. 

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Freddie Gibbs

Freddie Gibbs w/ Redveil & MIKE• April 27, 2022• The Complex

Reviewed and Photographed by Tomo Crestani

With an exciting new album in the works, legendary rapper Freddie Gibbs visited The Complex in Salt Lake City. Having sold out weeks before the show, there were many people outside the box office who had been scammed with fake tickets. The venue handled it very well in helping those fans find a way to attend the show or get their money back. That was basically the only negative thing I saw happen at the show. (Which is obviously not the artist’s or venue’s fault.)  Although not featured in the previous 2 shows, Freddie brought along a second opener for this show. The two openers featured in Salt Lake were Redveil and MIKE. Having had the opportunity to listen to all three artists before the show, I was excited to see how they performed each song. 

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The Warning

The Warning w/ Devora• April 24, 2022• The Complex

Reviewed and Photographed by Vanessa Holt

There is no doubt in my mind that the best way to start a week is with a concert. To top it all off is with a rock concert. That is exactly what I signed myself up for this last Sunday with The Warning headlining at The Complex. I hadn’t heard of either Devora or The Warning previously but I’m never opposed to hearing new artists. Especially if my first time hearing them would be live. 

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Isaiah Rashad September 26, 2021 The Depot

Isaiah Rashad The Depot September 26, 2021

Reviewed by Justin Lagman

Isaiah Rashad’s Lil’ Sunny’s Awesome Vacation Tour has finally made its stop in Salt Lake City and I couldn’t be more excited to document this tour. I have been following Isaiah’s musical journey since the first time I saw him on stage with Compton legend and one of the best rappers ever, Kendrick Lamar. This was my first time seeing Isaiah Rashad in over 8 years and I’m genuinely excited for him to showcase his new album The House Is Burning

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Hippie Sabotage March 7, 2020 The Union

By: Kinsi Cook

Photo Credit: Kinsi Cook @kinsis.photos

Marking their tenth stop on the Direction Of Dreams Tour, Hippie Sabotage took Salt Lake City by storm. Hippie Sabotage is an indie duo from Sacramento California, composed of brothers Kevin and Jeff Saurer. Stopping by Utah for the first time since last summer’s SLC Twilight, Hippie Sabotage put on one of the best concerts that I have ever been to. Fans were allowed into The Union at 7 PM, however, they started lining up long before then trying to secure their spot at the front of the barricade. 

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