Utah Concert Review Archives - Page 30 of 67

August 23, 2022

The Shins

The Shins w/ JOSEPH• August 6, 2022• Ogden Amphitheater

Reviewed and Photographed by Kevin Rolfe

Have you ever made plans to go to a concert knowing you were in for a good night? The lineup is great, the venue is cool, and the company you’re rolling with is just who you want to be with. And while you know there is no way this particular concert can wrong, unless there’s some natural disaster or unforeseen incident, this concert far exceeds any expectation you might have had. Well, that was the case at Ogden Twilight with The Shins and their special guests JOSEPH. I knew I would like this concert. How could I not? Two amazing bands in one night. But somehow, someway they exceeded my already high expectations. This concert was incredible.

August 21, 2022

Collective Soul & Switchfoot

Collective Soul and Switchfoot w/ Jade Jackson• August 15, 2022• Sandy Amphitheater

Reviewed and Photographed by Justin Lagman

There is something special about concerts on a warm beautiful summer night. It was even more special for rock music fans. They got not 1, but 2 well known alt-rock bands that have been at the forefront of rock music for a very long time now. Collective Soul is celebrating their 30th anniversary with an extended tour featuring San Diego-based Grammy winners, Switchfoot. It seems like summer has flown by. We’ re trying to squeeze in all the summer activities before the weather cools down. This is my first time photographing a concert at Sandy Amphitheater. There is always something special about checking off another box on my list of Utah concert venues.

July 30, 2022

Josh Groban

Josh Groban Preservation Hall Jazz Band & Eleri Ward• July 27, 2022• Vivint Arena

Reviewed and Photographed by Kevin Rolfe

Utah loves Josh Groban. He could easily do a concert in Utah every year and it would be well attended. In some ways, it feels like a homecoming concert when Groban stops here on his tours. I’m sure that is in part, due to him recording his Awake concert film right here in Salt Lake City at the very same venue where we saw him on July 27, 2022. To my knowledge, he has no ties to this state. It just feels like there is a real connection between Utah and Josh. Groban’s stop on his Harmony Tour was no exception. The lineup was stacked with talent from newcomer Eleri Ward to the really fun Preservation Hall Jazz Band to Josh Groban. The night never lacked for beautiful moments of music.

July 28, 2022

Rise Against + The Used

Rise Against & The Used w/ Senses Fail July 26, 2022 The Lot at The Complex

Reviewed and Photographed by Jacob Moniz

Despite the heat, fans lined the street outside The Complex just in time for Senses Fail to open for The Used and Rise Against this past Tuesday. Going into this concert I was pretty excited because I haven’t seen a concert set up on the outside stage at The Complex yet. So I was intrigued to see the stage setup. To my surprise, fans filled the outside lot all the way to the entry gate.

July 26, 2022

ARRIVAL from Sweden

ARRIVAL from Sweden The Music of ABBA

Reviewed By Kevin Rolfe

Photos By Bree Robles

I have many fond summer memories in Utah heading to the Sandy Amphitheater to watch ARRIVAL From Sweden THE MUSIC OF ABBA. ARRIVAL played Sandy for the better part of a decade before the pandemic hit. The band is actually from ABBA’s native country of Sweden so even when things started to open up, I’d imagine it took some time to work out touring visas to come back to the states. Sandy Amphitheater has a pretty full schedule this summer so ARRIVAL needed to look for another home here in Utah. I can’t think of a better place than the Snow Park Outdoor Theater at Deer Valley Resort in Park City. If you’ve never been to a concert at Deer Valley you are missing out. It’s the perfect place to escape the summer heat and listen to some great music.

July 24, 2022

The Lumineers

The Lumineers w/ Gregory Alan Isakov & Daniel Rodrigez• July 20, 2022• Maverik Center

Reviewed and Photographed by Alisha Gregson

Two and a half years ago, thousands of local Lumineers fans purchased their concert tickets and were looking forward to seeing the impressive indie folk band perform live. After being postponed for 2 years due to the Covid 19 pandemic, The Lumineers finally had the opportunity to bring their Brightside Tour to Salt Lake City. On July 20th, the band played a fantastic show to a sold-out audience at the Maverick Center. As a fan myself, I felt overwhelmed with excitement as I arrived at the Venue. I had the opportunity to talk with a few other concertgoers, who were eager for the night to start. One couple told me how they had become Lumineers fans after seeing them open for U2 at a concert in 2017. While a couple of young girls mentioned they had been fans since middle school, and couldn’t believe they were finally at the concert.

July 18, 2022

Frank Turner and the Sleeping Souls

Frank Turner w/ AJJ, The Bronx, & Pet Needs• July 16, 2022• The Depot

Reviewed and Photographed by Josilyn Wakkuri Lybbert

Concert goers flowed into The Depot on Saturday, July 16th, to see Frank Turner and the Sleeping Souls, along with Pet Needs, The Bronx, and AJJ. People of all ages, from small children and up, came to enjoy the show!

July 14, 2022

Chase Atlantic

Chase Atlantic w/ Leah Kate & Xavier Mayne• July 12, 2022• The Union

Reviewed and Photographed by Tomo Crestani

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.

July 12, 2022

Regina Spektor

Regina Spektor• July 6, 2022• Sandy Amphitheater

Reviewed and Photographed by Kevin Rolfe

Indie singer-songwriter, Regina Spektor played a two-night residency at the Sandy Amphitheater. I was privileged to attend night two, the Wednesday night sold-out show. Sandy Amphitheater is facing north to south with trees lining up the west side of the venue. This is a perfect setup because, despite the warm summer’s eve (I wrote that for the Kenny Rogers fans), the sun was blocked by the trees, and most of the amphitheater was shaded. I really enjoy walking into a concert venue and seeing the look on people’s faces. It’s the first indicator of whether this will be a good crowd and a good show. Sometimes crowds want to be social, be seen, and strangely enough, can make the music secondary. That was not the case with this crowd.

July 8, 2022

UCR INTERVIEW: Lawrence Gowan of Styx

Legendary and multi-Platinum rockers Styx have hit the road with their friends REO Speedwagon on their Live and UnZoomed Tour. They’ll be joined by special guests, Loverboy. The tour stops off at USANA Amphitheatre on Saturday, July 9. We had the opportunity to catch up with Vocalist and Keyboardist, Lawrence Gowan a few weeks back. To purchase tickets to the Live and UnZoomed show click here. Hope you enjoy our conversation!

Interviewed by Kevin Rolfe

STYX L/R: Chuck Panozzo, Ricky Phillips, Todd Sucherman, Tommy Shaw, James “J.Y.” Young and Lawrence Gowan. Portrait shoot at Macon City Auditorium on October 4, 2014 in Macon, Georgia. (Photo by Rick Diamond/Getty Images for STYX)

UCR: As you know, Utah loves having you guys out here. You’re back out on the road with REO Speedwagon. Do you determine by tour who closes the show? Or is it a show by show decision?