Relive the Utah Concert Experience!
Gregory Alan Isakov • Josiah and the Bonnevilles • August 29, 2024 • Snow Park Amphitheater • Deer Valley
Reviewed and Photographed by Austin Dayton
This weekend indie-folk artist Gregory Alan Isakov brought his Appaloosa Bones Tour to Park City, Utah with special guest Josiah and the Bonnevilles. Gregory and his band delivered a phenomenal summer night concert at the open-air Snow Park Amphitheater and all in attendance seemed to be in agreeance.
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Michael Franti & Spearhead • Citizen Cope • July 31, 2024 • Snow Park Outdoor Amphitheater • Deer Valley
Reviewed and Photographed by Mark Daluz
On the evening of July 31st, the traffic at Park City was worse than normal but that didn’t come without reason. Michael Franti & Spearhead were playing at the Snow Park Outdoor Amphitheater at Deer Valley and the town was eager to see him. As a Park City local, DV concerts are always so special as the setting is stunning and the once-ski slope turns into a great gathering place for shows. Jason Isbell & The 400 Unit just a couple of weeks ago with The Dead South and Gregory Alan Isakov appearing in the following weeks. I love how Park City (renowned for world-class skiing) is a part of Utah’s music scene.
Once I could find parking, I made my way into the venue. Not shockingly, I was able to point out a couple of people I knew within the lines and catch up with many of them during the wait. Unfortunately, The line was so long that the opener was already nearing its end when I got through.
Feeling a little disappointed in myself for not anticipating traffic I knew was there, I brushed it off to make the most of the opener. When I made my way to the VIP area, everyone had their eyes locked in, it seemed that making my way past people wouldn’t be an issue in breaking that focus. Citizen Cope is mainly focused on the Reggae & Alternative Indie scenes. The music was funky and they had so much joy on stage. Their sets were a great way to ease into the night.
As the time drew closer for Michael to take the stage, The venue was pretty much filled to the brim with people. During this time, a countdown was starting at 10. As the number closed in on zero, you could hear the excitement and screams from everyone at Deer Valley. A video played after the countdown of Michael reminds us to remember and focus on the good things in life. Right as the video ended, his band started to make their way to the stage with Michael coming out last.
They immediately played “Meet Me When the Sun Goes Down, ” setting the tone for the rest of the night. The high-energy song was enough to get people still sitting on their blankets to get up and start waving their hands in the air. It was also too much for Michael as halfway through the song, he sprinted into the crowd and started singing alongside the members of the audience.
Michael was consistently interacting with the crowd, and the people loved it. It was rare to listen to a song that didn’t have Michael saying “Go say Hi to someone new” or “Dosey-doe with the person next to you”. Every song had sparks of positivity through words and the pure happiness that he was showing. Michael was very animated and moved all over the stage. He interacted with his fellow bandmates often as well. Michael brought many people up on the stage with him. Including one girl who got to bring her whole family up to join in the singing and got everyone over the age of 80 to join the stage with him as well. I admired that he made sure everyone introduced themselves and took a major interest in the people who joined him.
Don’t get me wrong, I love how positive Michael was the entire show but I personally think that got in the way of the music. When talking to other members of the crowd, some also shared this sentiment. He tried to push out the message of positivity every chance he got which made the show feel repetitive. One guy even said “We didn’t really come for the music but more so Michael’s charisma and being amazing at giving others energy. He does a great job at making everyone feel like they were part of a community celebration”. I will give him that, his charisma was truly palpable throughout the performance. He has a unique ability to connect to his audience on a personal level effortlessly.
As I left the Snow Park Amphitheater, I started to think about Michael’s impact on the people he sang to today. In a world with so many sad and horrible things happening. He served as a reminder to all be present, to care and love others close to you. Michael delivered a performance that was both entertaining and meaningful. For those who needed it the most, I know it was an unforgettable experience.
Old Crow Medicine Show•July 13, 2023•Snow Park Outdoor Amphitheater
Reviewed and Photographed by Kevin Rolfe
Old Crow Medicine Show opened the 2023 Deer Valley Concert Series at the Snow Park Outdoor Concert Series a the Deer Valley Resort in Park City on July 13, 2023. It was a perfect evening to have the Americana band in Park City. It was a very hot day in the Salt Lake and Utah valleys. Park City is always a great place to escape to when it gets too hot. It’s always cooler. The night air was crisp, but the music on stage was as hot as the day was. Last year the concert series had a limited run so I was unable to make it to a show last year. The moment I parked my car and began walking to the venue, I knew as I took in the beautiful scenery that it was so good to be back.
Continue reading “Old Crow Medicine Show”ARRIVAL from Sweden The Music of ABBA
Reviewed By Kevin Rolfe
Photos By Bree Robles
I have many fond summer memories in Utah heading to the Sandy Amphitheater to watch ARRIVAL From Sweden THE MUSIC OF ABBA. ARRIVAL played Sandy for the better part of a decade before the pandemic hit. The band is actually from ABBA’s native country of Sweden so even when things started to open up, I’d imagine it took some time to work out touring visas to come back to the states. Sandy Amphitheater has a pretty full schedule this summer so ARRIVAL needed to look for another home here in Utah. I can’t think of a better place than the Snow Park Outdoor Theater at Deer Valley Resort in Park City. If you’ve never been to a concert at Deer Valley you are missing out. It’s the perfect place to escape the summer heat and listen to some great music.
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2021Deer Valley Concert Series: Sheryl Crow
Reviewed by Kevin Rolfe
The Deer Valley Concert Series is something I look forward to every year. It’s nice to get up to Park City where it’s a little cooler. Set upon a grassy hill that turns into a ski slope in the winter, lined with trees and a gorgeous view of the valley. It’s a perfect place for a concert. Of course, there were no concerts at the Snow Park Outdoor Amphitheater. This year the series was condensed. Things concert-wise didn’t really open up until the end of July so there were only five shows this summer.
While the 2021 Deer Valley Concert Series may have lacked in the number of shows they were able to put on, they definitely compensated with extremely talented artists. Nathaniel Rateliff & the Nightsweats, Indigo Girls, and two nights of Dark Star Orchestra filled up the summer sky with beautiful music. The series closed with the immensely talented icon, Sheryl Crow.
Continue reading “Sheryl Crow September 5, 2021 Snow Park Outdoor Amphitheater”
Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats were able to successfully bring the energy to Deer Valley on August 20, despite multiple recent obstacles. We’ve seen Cancel or Postpone many shows it was great to see this show take place. In Utah lately, and other parts of western states, live musicians have not only had to navigate through a resurgent COVID-19 variant, but also nasty smokey skies. Lately, the extra safety blanket an outdoor show normally provides from the COVID-19 virus has been countered with risky, poor air quality from summer fires.
Continue reading “Nathaniel Rateliff & the Night Sweats August 20, 2021 Deer Valley”Have you ever had this conversation with your music buddies? “What musician that has passed away do you wish you could have seen in concert?”. I’ve had that conversation many times and the names vary. The popular ones are usually, Freddie Mercury, Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Michael Jackson, and sometimes Tupac and Biggie. While a couple of them are still living, The Beatles get mentioned a lot too. I can’t say that I wouldn’t love to see those artists as well because I would. But the name that is very high on my list and the name I usually bring up is, John Denver.
Continue reading “The Music of John Denver w/ Jim Curry & Utah Symphony July 24, 2021 Deer Valley”
If someone had told me one of my first concerts of 2021 would be Kristin Chenoweth and the Utah Symphony, I probably would’ve told them they were crazy—but at Deer Valley’s Snow Park Outdoor Amphitheater on a toasty July night, I was proven wrong. There was a palpable buzz in the air as concertgoers lined up outside the venue on the ski slope. There they discussed where they were going to sit, swapped stories of their last-attended shows. They also shared in the excitement of seeing an Emmy AND Tony award-winner live on the stage.
Continue reading “Kristin Chenoweth w/ Utah Symphony July 10, 2021 Deer Valley”
After a full year of no concerts, and no summer activities, it was clear that everyone was itching to get out. What better way than to escape the insane heat of the valley this July. As I drove up to the Snow Park Outdoor Amphitheater, I was immediately aware of the energy the crowd had. Walking up the hill from the parking lot people were carrying coolers, chairs, food, and drinks. They were gearing up for a fun night of music outside and away from their homes.
Continue reading “Kool & the Gang w/ Utah Symphony 7/9/2021 Deer Valley”By: Kevin Rolfe
I forget sometimes how iconic a band Squeeze is. Of course, they have hits in the US like “Tempted” and “Pulling Mussels (From the Shell). But they are much more than their hits. At one point Glenn Tilbrook and Chris Difford were considered “Heirs to Lennon and McCartney’s throne”. And while that correlation may or may not have taken place, the British rock band have definitely left their mark over the last 45 years. Squeeze was the perfect band to close out this summer’s Deer Valley Concert Series.
