Ray Lamontagne performed at the Red Butte Garden & Arboretum Outdoor Concert Series on August 23, 2026, part of his Trouble 20th Anniversary Tour. The Weather Station opened.
Those gathered to cheer at Lamontagne’s feet were doubly happy to see him arrive in Salt Lake this time around: last year’s concert was postponed until this past August. The wait was extra long, but worth it, too. The evening celebrated over two decades of what still counts as the singer’s greatest album, front to back (Trouble).
And, sure, there was rain. Lots of rain. There were incredible swaths of white lightning across the sky and long delays spent hunkering nearby, and safety pauses most of us didn’t care to take. But for those willing to weather the elements, the band still managed to offer 14 songs, over half of them hailing from that tasty platinum-selling debut, including “Hold You In My Arms,” “Shelter,” and “Forever My Friend.”
Remember how much his songs were covered once upon a time? There’s a reason for that. Lamontagne has enjoyed a long, successful career, releasing nine albums since his official debut. Still, none of them have outsold that cozy blanket of a collection. To hear him sing songs that have aged so well over time, to get to see him still sounding like swirled honey and whiskey — both are reasons we gathered like fireflies to the stage campfire.
Lamontagne never quite got around to my favorite song from the album, but you can remedy that. For a good time, pull up “Burn” and play it in one of your uninterrupted moments. (Even better if it’s the 2005 Live at Bonnaroo version) Anyway, the song ought to exist next to the word “yearn” in the dictionary for obvious reasons. Give in to those goose bumps.
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