As much as we love comedy here at Utah Concert Review, we don’t always get to cover comedians. I think they’re afraid that we’ll spoil their jokes. But we would never do such a thing. We’ve always felt like the comedians tell the jokes better than we ever could, so we’ll leave it to them. If there ever was a comedian’s tour that suited what we do best, it’s Fred Armisen’s “Comedy For Musicians But Everyone is Welcome” tour.
On Monday, May 13th, the atmosphere at The Depot crackled with anticipation as fans eagerly awaited the arrival of X Ambassadors. As the lights dimmed and the stage ignited with energy, it became evident that this was no ordinary concert—it was a musical journey that would linger in our memories for years to come.
It didn’t take long for Australian pop musician Dean Lewis to sell out every ticket for his Salt Lake City stop on his Sad Boi Tour. When I arrived at The Depot on May 30th, I was not at all surprised to see a line trailing down the street and around the corner. His fan base consisted of mostly young girls in their teens and twenties. They were excited for the chance to watch him perform.
I walked into the venue and made my way to the photo pit. Once I got in the pit I had the opportunity to talk to a few of the fans in the front row. I noticed most of the fans in the front were all holding identical Dean Lewis totes bags. They told me they had purchased VIP tickets. Those totes were just one of the many perks that came with them. Inside the bags, the fans received a poster, a guitar pick, and a couple of other items.
I was thrilled for the opportunity to attend and photograph The Bay Strikes Back tour featuring thrash metal bands Testament, Exodus, and Death Angel. The tour had originally been planned for 2020 but had to be rescheduled due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The three Bay Area bands were finally able to return and play a sold-out show at The Depot in Salt Lake City on Friday, May 20th.
When I arrived at the Depot I found an excited line of metalheads that stretched down the street. I saw that most everyone was wearing a shirt or patch supporting one of the bands on tour. There were also quite a few shirts representing The Heavy Metal Shop. A local store that sells all things heavy metal. Just as I had arrived I heard some loud cheering from further back in the line. I quickly realized the source of the excitement was Testament’s lead singer Chuck Billy. He was returning to his tour bus after taking a minute to greet his fans and give out high fives.
Although Ryan Hurd has had a successful career writing for Country Music’s biggest stars, he also enjoys writing for himself. With his visit to The Depot in Salt Lake City, Ryan became one show closer to closing out his “Pelago Tour”. Bringing along rising country star Morgan Wade, there was plenty of exciting music to be heard.
