Feeling the G. Love at the State Room

G. Love & The Special Sauce played to a sold-out crowd at The State Room in Salt Lake City on Wednesday (3/12/25), and every person there was better off for it.

The Philadelphia band still sounded as delightfully joyous as it did when those gathered still listened to “Cold Beverage” on compact disc; everyone responded in kind by tapping into 20 years younger versions of ourselves. As far as easy truths go, the band is so consistent in all they do for their fans that there really ought to be a way to bottle their hip-hop blues vibe as a topical salve. Feeling a little blue? Not enough pep in your step? News headlines got you down? Slather some Special Sauce on it, and watch your day magically improve. Repeat often.

It’s hard to go wrong with three musicians who aren’t only onstage but just on as bound-and-determined performers, too. With nary a playlist in sight, singer/rapper/guitarist/harmonicist Garrett Dutton did the classy thing, mostly performing songs old and new (“My Baby Got Sauce,” “This Ain’t Living,” “I-76”) and hung back on the the far right, allowing the Special Sauce (longtime standup bassist Jim Prescott and newish drummer Chuck Treece) take all the long moments in the spotlight they wanted. They call that being generous in the land of music, and it happily translates to a good time for all. While they worked hard, we responded by playing hard. Give and take. Take and give.

Until next time, fella (and may it not be a very long time).  

Enjoy our photo gallery!

G. Love and The Special Sauce at The State Room in Salt Lake City on March 12, 2025. Photos by Natalie Simpson, Beehive Photography. Instagram @beehivephotovideo

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