Chiiild October 9, 2019, Metro Music Hall

By: Evelyn Salazar

Photo Credit: Evelyn Salazar @takenbyevelyn

I had no idea what to expect when I was headed to Metro Music Hall to cover the band Chiiild. For one, I had never been to the venue and for two, I had never heard Chiiild’s music before, so it was bound to be a night of surprises! Once I got in I was astounded by how cool and hip the venue was. It was a bar, so 21 and over only, and it had some really cool vibes going on! In the back was a merch booth set up for the bands, along one side was a huge bar area with bottles and bottles along the wall and along the other side was a good amount of nice, private booths that were elevated off the ground. Towards the front of the room was a large stage. I was very taken aback by the venue. I thought it was really cool. 

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Bastille October 5, 2019, The Complex

By: Kevin Rolfe

Photo By: Kevin Rolfe @utahconcertreview

Have you ever seen Bastille live before? I’ve seen them one other time when they played at the UCCU Center on the campus of Utah Valley University. After that Utah County concert, I knew Bastille was a band I would always enjoy seeing live when they came to Utah. The combination of hearing their melodic indie pop style live and the energy of the band make the Bastille live show one to never miss.

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Wilder Woods October 2, 2019, Metro Music Hall

By: Justin Hicken

Photo Credit: Justin Hicken

“You guys are witnessing the toddler-stages of this band.” Bear Rinehart said to a crowd of curious attendees on October 2nd, at the Metro Music Hall in Salt Lake City.
“This is honestly like our 16th show ever,” Rinehart explained. This was done in such a calculated way, that he both built up the excitement for the few privileged fans getting to witness the infant stages of the band, while also allowing for a few hiccups here and there along with some growing pains. 

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Sleater- Kinney October 12, 2019, The Depot

By: Tiffany Mull

Photo Credit: Tiffany Mull

Sleater-Kinney hasn’t lost their fire. The show opened with the dramatic, almost industrial “The Center Won’t Hold” with fast-flashing, panicky lights. The band insisted that the show be open to all ages which meant special restrictions on alcohol (they’re cognizant of the influence their music had on a generation of adolescents and mean for that to continue).

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Tyler, The Creator w/ Blood Orange October 8, 2019, The Great Saltair

By: Kaden Severn

Tuesday night a massive line formed all the way to the parking lot at the Great Saltair full of thousands of fans (mainly people 15-25 years of age) eager to see one of the most entertaining, diverse, controversial, and talented artists in not only the rap world but also in the pop scene as well, Tyler the Creator. 

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Morrissey September 28, 2019, The Great Saltair

By: Kevin Rolfe

Does one name stir up more emotion or thoughts than Morrissey?  When you think of Cher, Bono, Sting or Adel and I feel like when those names come up you either think good, bad or indifferent thoughts.  That’s impossible with Morrissey. You love him, you roll your eyes at some of the things he says, you passionately follow everything he stands for, you feel bad for his maudlin ways, you identify with those maudlin ways, you wonder if he’s ok, you envy his seemingly impenetrable sense of self confidence.  You can’t really feel just one thing or the other with that guy. His persona, like his songs, produces a cornucopia of emotions. And such was the case on September 28, 2019, when Morrissey brought his Fall 2019 US Tour to The Great Saltair. 

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Surf Curse September 21, 2019, Kilby Court

By: Katie Barber

Photo Credit: Katie Barber

“We have a security question…we’re asking if everyone can take one step back.” Such was the plight of Surf Curse, whose gravitational pull was just too strong for their own good during the Salt Lake City stop of their Heaven Surrounds You tour. The room was packed enough that only when the audience detached themselves from the front of the stage did one suddenly notice the air start to recirculate, which probably only fed the unceasing cycle of near-moshing, crowd-surfing, and lyric-shouting that accompanied their set. 

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Jay Som September 21, 2019, Urban Lounge

Photo Credit: Kaden Severn

By: Kaden Severn

It was an exciting night at Urban Lounge.  Jay Som, alternative songwriter sold out the venue and anticipation was definitely in the air as the support bands played their sets.  Jay Som, the pseudonym of Melina Duterte. She actually used the same Wu-Tang Name Generator site that gave Donald Glover his pseudonym, Childish Gambino.  After posting songs on a variety of social media outlets, Jay Som was signed to a label and began touring supporting other bands and getting her name out there.  And now here she was, selling out her own headlining show in Utah. The evening was electric. It’s exciting to see an artist on the cusp of taking their career to the next level.  

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Angels & Airwaves September 25, 2019, The Union

By: Evelyn Salazar

Photo Credit: Evelyn Salazar @takenbyevelyn

I don’t think there are words that could truly describe how incredible yesterday was, not only for myself but for thousands of Angels & Airwaves/Blink-182/Boxcar Racer/Tom DeLonge fans that attended the AVA show in Salt Lake City. However, SLC fans were treated with a special, intimate acoustic AVA set, earlier that day at Club 50 West, hosted by Utah’s favorite alternative radio station, X96. Space was limited so fans, including myself, lined up hours early to make sure we snagged a spot. I stood in line for about 3 hours. The first 50 people in line also got wristbands that allowed us to get a photo with Mr. Tom DeLonge and the rest of AVA after the acoustic set. I was bursting with excitement I almost couldn’t contain it. Angels and Airwaves and Tom himself have been a major part of my life since my pre-teens. And even to this day, at 23 years old, AVA’s music inspires me, fills me with hope and has gotten me through some of the hardest times in my life. I listen to AVA when I’m happy, when I’m sad, when I’m hurting, and when I’m rocking out with friends in the car. They hold a special place in my heart. 

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