If you feel jaded with modern music, I strongly suggest you take in some Khruangbin. This utterly refreshing trio has their own sound, artfully fusing styles as disparate as psychedelic rock and vintage funk. Mark Speer explores Middle Eastern music scales and experiments with reverb, much like Dick Dale (who pioneered surf rock). Multi-instrumentalist Donald “DJ” Johnson plays drums and Laura Lee is on bass.
KISS “End of the Road” World Tour. USANA Amphitheatre September 22, 2021
Reviewed by Brittany DeMott
Three years after Kiss announced their “End of the Road Tour”, fans finally got to experience the spectacle known as KISS! USANA Amphitheatre packed in over 20,000 die-hard KISS fans, ready to rock and roll all night, but maybe not party every day. For me, this was my third time seeing the band. I’m a 30-year-old woman, who has grown up her entire life listening to KISS. My Dad is one of their biggest fans and I thank him for enlightening me with some quality music.
The moment Sarah Barrios walked out she commanded the stage at the Complex in Salt Lake City. Not only with her pink megaphone but also her amazing voice. Sarah was able to sing softer ballads in a soft and forgiving tone. But also rocking out with the audience singing pop/punk songs. The energy was at a level that I think a lot of people have not seen for a long time. Utah was one of the first shows on tour and Sarah said that Utah had an energy that she had never seen before in all of her years of doing music.
After watching Sarah perform live, her songs have now joined the ranks of my most listened to playlists! Sarah electrified the audience, and it was visible from the collective jumping up and down of the audience! It’s been a long 18 months without live performances and I was ALL FOR IT! Sarah rocked her own songs like her newest single, ‘IH8EVERY1’ as well as ‘Year 3000’ by the Jonas Brothers. Then she pulled on everyone’s heartstrings with her song ‘Pretty in Pink’. Sarah put the fun back into live performances and I will personally be watching for any upcoming shows of hers in the future!
If you have not heard of Christian French then stop what you are doing, drop everything and GO LISTEN TO HIM! Christian has been one of my favorite artists for years now. Ever since his song ‘Dying Alone’ came out in 2017 I knew that his career in music was only going to keep getting bigger. The way he is able to connect with his fans not only in the highest of highs but also the lowest of lows.
Alec Benjamin w/ Anson Seabra at The Complex September 21, 2021
Reviewed by Evelyn Salazar
This past Tuesday, the line outside of The Complex wrapped around the entire building and even further down the street as SLC fans patiently awaited for doors to open and for the night to start. In town was Alec Benjamin with his special guest, Anson Seabra as the opening act! Two extremely talented musicians who have stolen the hearts of many people, including my own. I was very excited about this show. Originally, the show had sold out weeks before, but at the last minute Alec and his team opened up some tickets! Those got swept up pretty quickly as well. As the doors opened, everyone packed into the Rockwell room at The Complex, securing their spot for the show.
This is a tour that fans have waited well over a year for.,New Found Glory’s headlining, “Pop Punk’s Still Not Dead” tour, and within that year it’s been one crazy ride! From rescheduling the entire tour due to COVID to Simple Plan dropping from the lineup and finding the replacement of Less Than Jake, it’s safe to say things have not gone quite as planned. However, the struggles don’t stop there. It was one eventful night in Salt Lake City.
The Twilight Concert Series in Salt Lake City is coming to an end, and one of the last bands on the lineup for this year was Utah’s very own Neon Trees. I was super excited to cover the show because it would be my first Twilight show of the year, especially after not having a Twilight concert series last year because of Covid. And if I’m being honest I think Twilight concert series shows are some of my favorite shows to cover. The summer vibe, the beautiful Gallivan Center, with the city around you as the sun is setting and you’re vibing to your favorite music. It’s an overall great time!
Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real Red Butte Amphitheater
Reviewed by Jacob Moniz
Red Butte Garden had an amazing lineup in place for a perfect night on September 14th. Prior to the show, I hadn’t listened to Lukas/Promise of the Real before so I was excited to experience the concert with no previous listening history. Going to a concert without actually listening to the band is a unique experience!
I don’t think I’ll ever have the perfect words to describe how the band Half • Alive makes me feel. I don’t think anyone can truly understand how extraordinary and unpredictable a Half • Alive show really is unless they experience it for themselves. Thankfully for Utah fans, a lot of us got to experience that on Monday night, September 13.
The “Stay Next To Me” Tour is off to a hot start. Coming off their biggest show ever at Red Rocks Amphitheater in Colorado, Quinn XCII and Chelsea Cutler rejoin forces to go hit the road and get back on the touring life. I have been an avid listener of both Quinn and Chelsea for the past couple of years and this show feels like a full-circle moment for me. This was my first show back at The Complex and I was supposed to shoot for Chelsea’s “How To Be Human” tour before the live music industry was shut down due to the pandemic. I was looking forward to photographing this night since I was also at their show at Red Rocks. I have to point out that it was a magical experience.
It’s starting to feel a little different up at Red Butte Garden lately. The temperature is getting a little cooler, and the wind is whipping a little more. Fall is near. What isn’t different is the continued excellence in the quality of the bands and their performances. The 2021 Red Butte Garden Outdoor Concert Series has been fantastic so far and with the shows, they have lined up to finish out the series, it’s only going to get better. The home stretch started on Thursday, September 2 with 80s and New Wave icons, Squeeze. With Colin Hay of Men at Work fame supporting. While these two bands may have made their mark in the great era of 80s music, neither has slowed down by any means.
