Kilby Block Party Day 1

Kilby Block Party Day 1 Recap • May 15, 2025 • Utah State Fairpark

Reviewed and Photographed by Kevin Rolfe

I remember back in 2019 while attending the first Kilby Block Party, which took place on the street just outside the famed Kilby Court, that this festival had the potential to be a festival that could be comparable to some of the biggest festivals in the country.  The inaugural Kilby Block Party was a one-day event in which Death Cab For Cutie, a band that had played Kilby Court early in their career, as the headliner. The rest of the lineup included bands who as it turned out were on their way to international success.  Bands like The Backseat Lovers, Ritt Momney, and The National Parks, have all become well-established bands. 

I remember being impressed with the attendance, especially for a first-time festival, and I especially recall how well-organized it was.  I’ve been to a number of major festivals and some of them were not as organized as the first KBP.  My hope was that this festival would grow and become emblematic of what the music scene in Utah is actually like.

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The Killers

The Killers w/ Johnny Marr• August 30, 2022• Vivint Arena

Reviewed by Kevin Rolfe

Photographed by the great Rob Loud

Photo Credit: Rob Loud

Rocker, Joan Jett once said, “No one knows what anticipation is anymore.  Everything is so immediate.”  I’m one who tends to generally agree with the Rock N Roll Hall of Famer. However, I might argue that for a concert going fanatic such as myself that these last few years have been filled with nothing but anticipation.  Shows announced in 2019 and 2020 were postponed and rescheduled only to be postponed and rescheduled again.  There was no concert I’ve been anticipating more than The Killers Imploding the Mirage Tour.  Fans of The Killers have been anticipating this concert for almost three years. 

Not only that but The Killers hadn’t played Utah since 2018.  That was the night Brandon Flowers had the second greatest flu performance inside Vivint Arena (Delta Center).  Michael Jordan being the first in the 1998 NBA Finals vs The Jazz.  It’s a toss up really because Brandon Flowers was pretty special that night in 2018. 

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The Alarm August 8, 2019, The Complex

By: Kevin Rolfe

Photo By: Kevin Rolfe

As we get older and we grow up, we many times attend concerts of our favorite bands to remember the “Good Ol’ Days”.  And many times nostalgia fills us and we go back to that time when we were younger when we saw a particular band for the first time.  There are times when we’ll go to a show for that nostalgia trip and unfortunately a band has passed their peak and we’re sadly reminded that we’re all older and that the band we’re seeing probably needs to call it a day.  Then there’s The Alarm. Sometimes I wonder what it was like seeing The Alarm back in the 80s or 90s. (My first time seeing them was last year.) Could it have possibly been better than what I saw on August 8, 2019, at The Complex? There’s just no way. I think through the circumstances of Mike Peter’s life he has breathed new life in The Alarm, especially in their live shows. 

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UCR Interview- Mike Peters of The Alarm

By: Kevin Rolfe

Photo Credit: Kevin Rolfe

 The Alarm is back on tour promoting their new album Sigma.  Sigma is a sequel to last year’s critically acclaimed Equals.  The Alarm return to Utah on August 8 at The Complex with Jay Aston’s Gene Loves Jezebel.  I had the opportunity to speak with The Alarm’s frontman, Mike Peters a couple of weeks ago.  I enjoyed our conversation so much! Mike has had a challenging life and a very interesting career. Enjoy!

Utah Concert Review: So before we begin, I was watching some videos on YouTube the other day and I went down this rabbit hole as you do.  I’m a huge fan of The Killers, and I’m sure you know where I’m going with this, but I saw them performing at Cardiff Castle in Wales (Peters home country) and they began singing “Rain in the Summertime”.  I was so excited! But then I heard that you might have been there. Is that true? Were you there?!

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