The Smashing Pumpkins started off August by putting on an epic performance at USANA Amphitheatre. They were supported by Stone Temple Pilots and Rival Sons. Those in attendance were treated to an unforgettable show, with iconic hits ringing out through the night. Fans of the band had the chance to relive their favorite moments and create some truly smashing memories.
Ringo Starr and His All-Starr band brought their one-of-a-kind show to Utah on Tuesday, June 13th. As a Beatles fan, this is a show I didn’t want to miss. I was excited for the opportunity to attend the sold-out concert at Salt Lake City’s Eccles Theater.
I always feel a little cliché when people ask me who my favorite band is, and my answer is The Beatles. Who doesn’t love the Beatles? They have been my favorite band for as long as I can remember. There’s rarely a day that goes by that I don’t listen to at least one of their songs. If you walked into my home, you would see tributes to them in the decorations on my walls. To really prove how much I love them, I also have a custom license plate that is the title of one of my favorite Beatles songs. Cliché or not, they have always been, and will always be my favorite band. Having the opportunity to not only attend, but photograph Ringo Starrs’s concert was an incredible experience.
What a night! Not only was it the opening show for The National Parks tour. And not only was it a hometown show for the Utah-based band. But it was also the album release show for their new album 8th Wonder. I think the excitement of having one of Utah’s favorite bands performing their tour opener and debuting many of the 8th Wonder songs mixed in with other favorites had this crowd buzzing from the opening of The Union doors. Support acts, Andrea von Kampen (Who will be joining TNP for the Spring leg of the 8th Wonder Tour), and Lantern By Sea only fueled the crowd’s fire with impressive performances. Following the openers, everyone was more than ready for The National Parks.
One of my favorite things about covering concerts is getting the opportunity to see an artist before they skyrocket into stardom. Some I’ve had the chance to see as early as Kilby Court. Others I’ve seen somewhere in the midst of their assent. One of my least favorite things is to just miss an artist before they hit that launch pad and I’m just like everyone else, seeing them in the stratosphere trying to claim I knew about them earlier but without proof. Such is my experience with Lizzo.
On their “Cold Nights Tour”, Chase Atlantic brought the energy to The Union Events Center this past Tuesday. Drawing a very respectable crowd for not only their set but also the two opening sets as well. Bringing along Xavier Mayne and Leah Kate, Chase Atlantic definitely built up a lot of anticipation for this tour.
Having never been to The Union Event Center, I went into this show with low expectations. However, I was pleasantly surprised from the get-go. The venue was very nice inside and had a really cool layout. It felt very open compared to other venues I have visited. It also seemed more organized. This venue perfectly fit the three artists that would be playing that night. It fit the large crowd comfortably and gave the concert a really unique feel.
Alice in Chains lead guitarist, co-lead singer, and principal songwriter, Jerry Cantrell brought his “Brighten Tour” to The Depot in Salt Lake City. Cantrell is one of the best guitarists around, and I had never seen him live, solo or with Alice in Chains. So I was definitely looking forward to this concert. Utah is fortunate to be getting a double dose of Jerry Cantrell this year as Alice in Chains will be stopping by USANA Amphitheatre in late August.
When I first had been offered the opportunity to attend and photograph Teddy Swims at his Utah stop on his Tough Love tour I was excited for multiple reasons. One was the fact that this entire tour run was close to being completely sold out at every date. Salt Lake didn’t disappoint and had completely sold out the show. Another reason is that I was excited to see Teddy Swims perform for the first time ever. I’ve known of Teddy Swims for quite some time and the one thing I’ve always kept in mind was the energy that Teddy Swims has carried with him as a person would only mean that he’d put on an amazing performance.
On Tuesday, April 26th, Psychedelic Rock band The Flaming Lips brought their colorful show to The Union Event Center in Salt Lake City. I was familiar with a couple of their songs. In preparation for the night I checked out a few videos from their past concerts. With the research I did, I knew that this concert would be one of a kind.
I arrived at 7:00 just as the doors were about to open. Outside stood a line of excited fans ready to be entertained. I was however surprised to see that the crowd for the night was much smaller than I expected. The band often plays to a sold-out audience, including their previous sold-out shows at the Ogden Twilight Concert Series. My guess is that many local fans may have actually traveled to Denver to catch their show the night before. Denver is known for having a bigger psychedelic scene. Or possibly fans are expecting them to return to Ogden Twilight, which is unfortunately not the case this year.
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.
After months of touring, Tate McRae finished off her North America Tour in Salt Lake City. She visited The Complex in the Grand room. I arrived about 30 minutes before doors were supposed to open. The line was already very long. Although it was mostly females waiting for the show, I did spot a surprising amount of male attendees waiting in the rain. It was very impressive to see so many devoted fans waiting in the poor weather for so long.
