As I pulled into The Commonwealth Room parking lot on March 11, 2020, to cover JOSEPH, I could already tell things were different. So different that I parked within the first three spots next to the venue.
Just a little under a week earlier I was at The Commonwealth Room. I was watching The Lone Bellow perform in front of a sold-out room. There were a couple of masks being worn, but the place was packed and people were standing shoulder to shoulder. I walked up to the box office to get my ticket and photo pass and asked, “How’s it looking in there?”. “Well, it’s definitely not a full house. This show was almost sold out.” It was clear to me that people were already beginning to practice what we would hear so much in the following year, “social distancing”.
THE LICKERISH QUARTET—ex-Jellyfish members Roger Joseph Manning Jr. (Beck, Air, Cheap Trick, Imperial Drag), Tim Smith (Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds, The Finn Brothers, Sheryl Crow, Umajets) and Eric Dover (Imperial Drag, Slash’s Snakepit, Alice Cooper, Sextus)—is standing by their promise to their fans to release more new music before the end of 2020. They’re excited to announce their highly anticipated THREESOME VOL. 2 EP, which was released on January 8, 2021, via Stranger Danger Records and Tapes. The first single and video, “Snollygoster Goon,” can be seen now on the band’s official YouTube page and streamed on Spotify, Apple Music, and Amazon.
Back in 2012, I was at the concert of a band (who shall remain nameless) who was huge that year. Their songs were on the charts, they were all over TV and everybody seemed to really like them. Obviously I liked them, I was at their concert. But I remember leaving the venue and running into a former coworker. I asked him if he liked the concert and he stated that he wasn’t at that concert but at the venue nearby seeing ZZ Ward. I knew the name but wasn’t familiar with her music. He stated that he could hear the concert I was at through the wall dividing the venues. He then mentioned, “Sounds like it was a good time.” But he said it in a tone that let me know, it wasn’t as good as his show. ZZ Ward was playing in a smaller, more intimate venue so I thought, “There’s no way that show was better than mine!” Well in the following days, I heard people at other shows I was attending and posts online mentioning how amazing that ZZ Ward show was. All this time later, I wished I could have seen her in that tiny no longer used venue. Finally, on March 2 I was able to see what all the fuss was about.
I love springtime, the new beginnings, the fresh smell in the air and let’s not forget the wonderful memories to which we must cling; the future and creating memories may be postponed longer than we may like. However, I refuse to let this period of unrest damper our ability to reminisce and enjoy recent events and anticipate greater things to come. Maybe, my taking, much, much too long in finishing this review for once, is a good thing. Giving us this opportunity to remember a better moment. Today’s review comes from way too long ago, when I had the opportunity to enjoy four groups of performers and songwriters from our very own city and surrounding communities. I was invited to cover this show at the Beehive by some of our local performers. I was excited about this show. More than most. If anything, platforms like this one are ideal for local musicians to be recognized. At the risk of sensationalizing my reviews any more than I do, I have to come out and say this concert was hands down my favorite of the year, so far.
Four groups were playing inside this most intimate venue on 666 South in Salt Lake City. I had never been to The Beehive before and I must say I was intrigued as to how the show was going to take shape. The front of the venue is a bar/ restaurant and the stage was a covered, possibly out of commission rigged and lit platform in the back. The concrete floor and lack of a place to sit did nothing but increase my excitement and anticipation for the night ahead, a night, for which I was completely unprepared. I was not familiar with any of these bands before that night. I had listened to a bit to Savage Daughters after talking with them a bit, yet today, I still find myself scouring the internet for more of their deeper cut tracks, new releases, and live performance videos.
Live music is being consumed very differently today than it was just a few weeks ago. Before the live-music world temporarily shifted to quarantined stream only on social media, earlier this month I had a blast attending a wonderful show by Amanda Shires and L.A. Edwards. These are two artists that I was not previously familiar with, and with everything currently on pause, I’m so happy I took advantage of this opportunity to introduce myself to their music.
We’ve had a few canceled or postponed shows in Utah in the last few months. Some due to weather, and some due to illness. The latter is the case for Country Music superstar, Miranda Lambert. From what I read on social media, Ms. Lambert became under the weather and wasn’t comfortable performing with her voice in the state it was in. It’s disappointing when a show needs to be postponed, but I admire Miranda for wanting to give her fans the best show possible. This performance was well worth the wait.
Marking their tenth stop on the Direction Of Dreams Tour, Hippie Sabotage took Salt Lake City by storm. Hippie Sabotage is an indie duo from Sacramento California, composed of brothers Kevin and Jeff Saurer. Stopping by Utah for the first time since last summer’s SLC Twilight, Hippie Sabotage put on one of the best concerts that I have ever been to. Fans were allowed into The Union at 7 PM, however, they started lining up long before then trying to secure their spot at the front of the barricade.
The line went down the street at The Depot for the sold out PMD tour featuring Marc E Bassy. There was an excited energy as everyone filed into their spots. Background music began to play and normally people tune it out but people must have been really excited about the show because every single song was sung along to by everyone in attendance! When “Halo” by Beyoncé played, it was so loud that I couldn’t hear the other photographer next to me!
Nineteen-year-old Jackie Evancho stunned an audience of all ages as she performed at the Eccles Theater in Salt Lake City this past Thursday. At an early age of 10, she made her first appearance to the world on America’s Got Talent season 5 where she finished with a 2nd place medal. No longer a child, Jackie sang songs from her newest broadway album, “The Debut.” Jackie exclaimed on her website, “I’m very proud to be recording and interpreting songs by these contemporary theater songwriters. Not only do I love the songs, but I am able to tell a story and interpret them from my perspective. It was an incredible experience getting to know these characters and songs and I can’t wait to perform them live!”
