Last Wednesday, Salt Lake welcomed the lovely John Vincent III to The Commonwealth Room for ‘The Roadtrip’ tour! It has been at least five years since John played in Utah, so it was a treat to have him back. I have loved his music since I discovered him in 2019, and I was stoked to finally see him live. It was also the first attending a show at Commonwealth, and it did not disappoint! It’s a cozy intimate venue with a few bars and an outdoor patio. I arrived just as the show started and was able to get up to the front for an amazing view!
BILLY JOEL AND STING ARE COMING TO SALT LAKE CITY!
FRIDAY, MAY 23, 2025 AT RICE-ECCLES STADIUM
TICKETS ON SALE FRIDAY, OCTOBER 4 AT 10 A.M. MT
SALT LAKE CITY, UT (September 26, 2024) – Billy Joel and Sting – two of the most respected recording artists in history – have announced a one-night-only performance at Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City, UT on Friday, May 23, 2025. The iconic musicians will each perform their most beloved songs from throughout their illustrious careers.
This weekend, British DJ and Producer Fred Again brought his “Places we’ve never been” tour to Utah, a place he has never played, as he DJ’d and sang for a huge and excited crowd at the Utah First Credit Union Amphitheater. With him, he brought his “brother” fellow DJ Tony and had Keenan Mathias as the supporting opening set.
Twelve years. TWELVE YEARS! It’s been twelve years since Alternative Rock band, Keane made a tour stop in Salt Lake City. It’s been about that long since they’ve played most cities. A lengthy hiatus, solo projects, and conquering a myriad of issues in their personal lives have kept the boys from Winslow, England away from the road. But on September 8, 2024, Keane triumphantly returned to Utah. Red Butte Garden Amphitheater was jam-packed. In speaking with some of the venue’s employees, I was informed that this was one of the shows that sold out the fastest. That didn’t surprise me at all. Keane is a band very high on my list of favorite bands. I had heard rumblings that they’d be touring The States over the summer and I had my fingers crossed that they’d be playing SLC.
A sold-out crowd packed their way into Red Butte Garden this last Monday, August 19th, to spend their evening singing and dancing with folk-rock, singer-songwriter, Shakey Graves. The Salt Lake City crowd was treated to a high-energy yet personal show by the Austin city-based performer. One could not have asked for a better evening as all the stars seemed to align, the days of storming had just cleared up and set the stage for one of the best shows of the summer.
The 25-year-old global superstar from Guadalajara, Mexico would make his ÉXODO tour stop in Salt Lake City, Utah on August 11, 2024. Peso Pluma had his breakthrough year in 2023 with his GÉNESIS album which went on to win a Grammy for Best Música Mexicana Album. In 2023 he also collaborated with Eslabon Armado on a song titled “Ella Baila Sola” which became one of the most streamed songs around the world. Peso Pluma has played a big part in the corridos tumbados movement which translates to trap corridos. Peso Pluma is known for his raspy voice style and was the first Música Mexicana artist to perform at the MTV Video Music Awards this last year.
The rash guard-clad Aquabats returned to Salt Lake City on their newest tour celebrating the band’s 30th anniversary of fighting crime. Over the decades, The Aquabats have become some of Ska Rock’s biggest icons, known for their distinctive skin-tight rash guards, board shorts, and penchant for slaying inflatable monsters. The heroes in blue have not only made their mark on the music scene during their tenure, but have also featured in shows like Yo Gabba Gabba, and at one point even hosted their own family-friendly program for a short stint.
After a lengthy touring hiatus, The Aquabats are back on the road promoting their latest album Finally! joined by Left Alone and The Agrolites. Last Tuesday, fans of all ages flocked to The Complex in their signature Aquabat attire for a chance to hear the bands perform. The night was a testament to The Aquabats’ enduring appeal across generations and their never-faltering superhero-turned-ska-punk charm.
The first act I was able to catch was The Aggrolites. Emerging in the early 2000s, The Aggrolites are known for their unique “Dirty Reggae” sound, a fusion of classical reggae with ska-punk and soul sensibilities. From the moment the band of five stepped onto stage, they exuded a contagious energy that matched the upbeat feel of their songs. Opening tracks like “Pop the Trunk” and “Funky Fire” featured the laid-back reggae you’d expect of Bob Marley with a raw edge of traditional punk. Some songs like “Time To Get Tough” seemed to veer more towards rock, while others like “Mr. Misery” were light-hearted sing-alongs that called for audience participation.
Early in their career, The Aggrolites appeared on Yo Gabba Gabba where they first performed the classic favorite “Banana.” The crowd (including myself) was enthused to see that the beloved song made its way into the set. Costumed stage crew and members of The Aquabats pranced out of the wings wearing banana suits to accompany The Aggrolites for the song. Appropriately, members then threw inflatable bananas into the crowd which bounced across the venue for the remainder of the set.
Shortly after the stage crew cleared out frontman Jesse Wagner took a moment to thank the crowd for their support throughout the years. He talked about how Salt Lake City was always one of their favorite destinations on tour. Wagner recalled how Utah had consistently brought the loudest and most enthusiastic crowds, and the audience that night was no exception.
To wrap up their set, The Aggrolites finished with one of their biggest tracks, “Dirty Reggae.” Fittingly, the song is a tribute to the band’s unique ska punk and reggae identity. At the end of their performance, some of their front-row fans got a chance to score some tour merch as band members handed copies of the setlist and drumsticks to the audience. The Aggrolites seemed to care a lot about their fans and maintaining a lightheartedness on stage. It’s no surprise that their performance was well-received by both the families and rock enthusiasts in attendance.
Following a short wait, The Aquabats trotted onto the stage, proudly forming the band’s iconic bat symbol over each of their heads. Their set kicked off with fan favorites like “Cat with Two Heads!” and “My Skateboard!” from their 1997 album. The performance was about as chaotic as you might expect from a band dressed head to toe in spandex apparel.
Each member of the ska rock ensemble was decked out in superhero regalia, sporting hefty belts across their waist emblazoned with the Aquabats logo. Frontman and lead singer Christian Jacobs, better known by his hero alias The MC Bat Commander, led the performance. Accompanied by solos from other band members like Ricky Fitness and Eaglebones Falconhawk. On each side of the stage, LED screens played a bizarre array of visuals, featuring everything from clips of Shrek to graphics of Cabbage Patch dolls. These eclectic elements combined with the band’s over-the-top showmanship made the live listening experience all the more surreal.
The crowd seemed to be swept away by the performance too as The Aquabats threw inflatable sharks and floaties into the audience. The show felt like an immersive comic book turned dance-party adventure, complete with impromptu skirmishes and goofy antics that had families cheering along.
The Aquabats moved through some of their bigger hits like “Pizza Day!” and “Red Sweater!” while young fans got their first taste of the concert experience crowd surfing on blowup inflatables. Midway through the set, the band instructed audience members to make a circle by raising their arms overhead in a ritual they perform each show called “The Circle of Love.” Fans young and old all formed the circle in a wholesome tribute to The Aquabats’ song “Lovers Loving Love.”
After all these years, The Aquabats haven’t lost their undeniable charisma. Even though their performance may be as hokey as it is semi-coherent at times, The Aquabats have found a way to make their show a welcoming one for everybody, including the most hardcore of rock fans. I look forward to seeing how The Aquabats continue to grow their ever-loyal fanbase.
This weekend, on July 19th, Americana/Folk Duo Watchhouse made their way into Salt Lake City, Utah to headline the third weekend of the 37th Annual Twilight concert series. The Chapel Hill, North Carolina-based couple, comprised of Andrew Marlin and Emily Frantz, found themselves surrounded by high-rise apartments and office buildings as they took the stage at the downtown-based Gallivan Center. They would go on to deliver a soul-filled set of American and folk-based music that was interwoven with the influence of bluegrass, indie, and hints of alt-rock. We’ve had the opportunity to cover Watchhouse multiple times over the years. This performance was right up there with all the rest.
Cavetown • Mother Mother • June 18, 2024 • Granary Live
Reviewed and Photographed by Mike Ferguson
The atmosphere at Granary Live in Salt Lake City was buzzing with excitement on the evening of Tuesday, June 18th as music enthusiasts gathered for a double feature showcasing performances by Mother Mother and Cavetown. The venue, known for its vibe, provided the ideal setting for an event that promised a mix of high-energy alternative rock and soulful indie folk tunes.
This might have been the biggest concert event of the 2024 summer. If anything it got the Utah concert summer concert season off to a rousing start! I like to think of this like the Daytona 500. It’s NASCAR’s biggest event. But unlike the Super Bowl, it’s the first race in the season. Country Music megastar, Luke Combs brought his Growin’ Up and Gettin’ Old Tour to Utah for a two-night residency at Rice-Eccles Stadium on the campus of the University of Utah. The stadium was jam-packed with Country Music fans on both nights. I was fortunate to attend night two on Saturday, June 8.
