Regina Spektor @ The Saltair 03.31

Singer-songwriter Regina Spektor returned to Salt Lake City on March 31 to play a headliner-only show. Originally scheduled for a performance at the downtown venue The Complex, the demand for Spektor’s live show resulted in a venue switch to The Saltair. In droves, fans made their way out of town and temporarily stalled traffic on I-80 to secure a parking spot for the show.

Lines formed quick and early at the Great Salt Lake–adjacent attraction, and people soon found themselves shoulder to shoulder with other adoring fans of all ages. Once doors finally opened, the race to the front of house was over in seconds, as the first 100 to 200 people speedily claimed their spots at the security barriers or at the very front of the top level (for the 21-plus crowd). As people continued to enter the venue, excitement levels rose, and grumbles of anticipation and murmurs of song titles spread throughout the crowd. A long piano sat centerstage, and a single, yellow spotlight hit an empty bench. Slowly, the crowd chanted, “Re … gi … na …”

Regina Spektor finally took the stage to a roaring and cheering wave of adulation. She blew kisses and dipped into small curtsies after expressing her amazement of Salt Lake’s mountains. “I’m sorry I am late,” she said. “Sometimes we run late because we’re trying to get people in, but I just couldn’t come inside … It’s just so beautiful—I love Salt Lake City!”

Kicking off with immediately identifiable fan favorites on the piano, Spektor lulled fans from screaming “I LOVE YOU” into a combination of sing-alongs and silent awe. With only a small accompaniment of guitar, cello and the occasional drums, Spektor displayed that not only does she have a continuing talent for making her own music come across effortlessly, but also that her strong and intergenerational fan base will continue to grow.