Music
▼ Concerts & Festivals
Miss May I, Killswitch Engage, Darkest Hour, The Word Alive,...
I love shows at Saltair. Even the drive, which would normally be an inconvenience, can be a wonderful relaxation if you take the right route. So it was Friday evening as my friends and I piled into a few cars and chased the sun out to the Great Salt Lake, ready to have our earholes sweetly penetrated by Killswitch Engage and their tour brethren Miss May I, Darkest Hour, The Word Alive and Affiance. My last show out here was the Coheed and Cambria tour, and memories of that show and its massive swarm of humanity were still fresh. The night was warm, the lake wasn’t stinking too much, and in between sets, you could enjoy a beer on the back porch and watch the sun set. Only a heartless fool wouldn’t have enjoyed himself here. … read more
Camera Obscura @ Urban Lounge 06.26 with Marissa Nadler
Camera Obscura began with “Do It Again” and “Break It To You Gently,” two new pop tunes that prove that they’ve still got a vitality to their songbook, a feeling that evolved with confidence as they delivered half of their newest album. … read more
Ballyhoo! with Authority Zero, Versus The World, Racist Kramer @...
On this particular Saturday, Bar Deluxe was the stopping point for the Summer Sickness 2013 CD release tour for Ballyhoo! and Authority Zero. Not overly familiar with either band’s catalog, although a fan of what I’ve heard, I was excited to get a chance to see both of these bands up close and personal and get a real idea of what they’re all about. … read more
Rooftop Concert Series @ Central Bank parking terrace 06.07
There is beauty all around. That insipid tune is ringing in my brain as I walk toward the downtown Provo parking structure that doubles as the venue for their Rooftop Concert Series. Why? Because everything about the early Summer night in Provo is so damn beautiful. The weather is a perfect 75 degrees, with a light breeze and clear skies. The sunset, with all of its oranges and purples, falling behind the downtown Marriott and into Utah Lake. The massive mountains are the stage’s backdrop. The sweet smells waft from the WaffleLuv truck. And the people … Oh God, the people of Provo. Every single one is more beautiful than the last. … read more
Rogue Wave @ Urban Lounge 06.12 with Koala Temple
As Rogue explained to the audience, Salt Lake City was their first stop on the tour. Their time off left their sound a bit tarnished, but they soon shook the dust off and started shining as bright as the many colorful lights around them—the overall sound improved immensely as they shuffled and grooved through the first few songs. … read more
The Flobots @ Kilby 05.15
Salt Lake City was ground zero for a flobots invasion on Wednesday, May 15. Best known for “Handlebars,” the unconventional Flobots brought their brand of hip hop with a conscience to Kilby Court and a packed house. … read more
Cotton Jones @ George’s Living Room 06.11
Giving the Urban Lounge a little competition, venue tenant George Coleman for one night only led strangers into his humble abode. … read more
Something Wicked This Way Came: The Dark Arts Festival @...
Celebrating its 12th anniversary, Utah’s Dark Arts Festival once again brought all manner of spooky, introspective and dark fun to club Area 51 last weekend. … read more
They Might Be Giants @ The Depot 06.08
Leading up to this concert, I heard a lot about how people either dislike or “don’t get” They Might Be Giants, which is a shame because in an era where indie rock is starting to reign supreme again, you’d think there’s be a lot more music-critic love for a band of this caliber coming through town. When it comes right down to it, TMBG know how to put on a show for the fans, not just diehards or people who barely discovered them—everyone, to the point where the audience themselves become part of the performance. So it was no surprise (and a genuine relief to a longtime SLC concert attendee) to see a room full of people excited to be at a show. … read more
Andre Williams and The Goldstars, The Rubes @ The Garage...
Almost exactly a year ago, Andre Williams was in Salt Lake City to play two nights at the Garage on Beck Street. He set the place ablaze—literally. The patio and back section of the bar caught on fire at some point between the first and second nights, but it wasn’t really Williams’ fault. It did result in a frazzled fanbase and a mad scramble to find a proper venue for the second performance. So now, on the anniversary of the fire that almost ended the Garage, and in one of the most brazen acts of tempting fate that I’ve ever witnessed, Andre Williams took the rebuilt patio stage behind the bar and poured out his soul. And the crowd at the Garage was ready to receive him. … read more