Authors: Benjamin J Tilton
Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr. @ The State Room 03.07 with...
Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr. snuck onstage, and the audience barely had a chance to clap. It seemed almost intentional as they quickly went into songs, almost like they wanted to catch the audience off guard. The audience battled back though, and 30 of Salt Lake’s finest rhythm specialists took to the floor. Jr. Jr. bopped and jumped and Salt Lake City shook and waved. … read more
Sleeper Agent @ Kilby Court 04.19 with Holychild, Pagiins
All the passion that fuels everything onstage comes from everything offstage. Here I was amongst fast food workers, grocery store clerks and every other kind of nametag-wearing professional, feeling like a warm blanket of humanity was wrapped around my shoulders. Rock is insanity but it comes from the emotions of people. Sleeper Agent, Holychild and Pagiins didn’t need any flashing lights to bring people to Kilby Court that Saturday; just the steady thump of a driving beat and the type of howl that brings all the dark’s delightful creatures. … read more
War Horse @ Capitol Theater 04.22
The performances in the play were solid, but considering the emotional content of the film, it would be hard to be anything less. The story is so strong that it carries the actors through it. A half hour into the performance I was completely zoned in. … read more
Temples @ Urban Lounge 04.21 with Drowners
Very few times in my career have I had my expectations blown out of the water. Usually I’m happy if they are met because they are quite lofty in the first place. Temples owned Urban Lounge that evening in a way those walls could barely hold them. … read more
We Are Scientists @ Kilby Court 04.29 with Paws
A band from New York and a band from Scotland got together and played for an audience in Utah recently. This event took place at Kilby Court on Tuesday, April 29 and was the most fun I’ve had in cul-de-sac since grade school. The evening held the last bit of the spring chill, which in turn made the fire pit that much appealing. Yes, in the days before social networks, heat brought people together. … read more
Sea Wolf (solo) @ Urban Lounge 04.30 with Sayde Price
Church was funny and honest. By the end of the show, good vibes were shared by all. … read more
Old 97’s, Nikki Lane @ Urban Lounge 05.15
Something was in the water on Thursday night at the Urban Lounge, and by water, I mean beer, and by beer, I mean whisky. Promises of fierce hangovers were made throughout that night and I’m sure those promises were made good on when it came to the dawn of many clouded Urban Lounge patrons. Despite the hardcore implications of the rock scene, it is in fact the country scene that dominates the guzzling of booze with its seasoned accomplices. Now the pairing of the Nikki Lane and the Old 97’s isn’t exactly modern country, but they allude to a former country back when Waylon Jennings was getting drug raided onstage and Loretta Lynn was passing out on Johnny Cash’s lap. … read more
Cage The Elephant @ The Depot 05.18 with Foals, J....
Rock took an unfortunate turn in the ‘90s. Then, to everyone’s relief, downloading took off and forced bands to go on the road and be entertaining to earn a living. No longer could album sales make up for being hammered during your set. Rock stars had to suddenly earn it like the rest of us. So, if you could not be wasted at your show anymore, what better way to emulate the tradition than faking the best parts of playing inebriated? Allow me to introduce Cage The Elephant. … read more
Buffalo Killers @ Kilby Court 05.28 with The North Valley
The Gabbard brothers were in town the other night, with the percussion accompaniments of Joseph Sebaali, presenting Buffalo Killers to the wonderful world of Utah. The SXSW darlings rocked the night away with local openers The North Valley and properly kicked the summer off with the warm fuzzy glow of rock tunes. … read more
The Moth & the Flame @ Velour Live Art Gallery...
“Ten years ago I was sitting exactly where you are,” said Brandon Robbins, in front of the loyal and enthusiastic crowd at the Velour Live Art Gallery. “Ten years ago I came to visit my brother here in Provo and I was so impressed with this place that I went back to Washington, packed up, and moved here to start a band.” The band he was speaking of was The Moth & the Flame, a dark brooding collaboration of rock soul that finds its way into your chest and haunts it like a song you can’t get out of your head. … read more