ICYMI, Amos Lee and his band performed with the Utah Symphony last Saturday (May 10, 2025) at Abravanel Hall in Salt Lake City. In short, it was lovely. It’d be easier to say “no notes,” but that would defeat the purpose of this review. Instead, I’ll say it was like hearing some of your favorite songs with a lush movie score along for the ride as added emphasis.
While it isn’t uncommon for some of the more easy-to-love voices and singers in our midst to have their songs rearranged for classically-trained musicians — and it’s practically a rite of passage for some — it wasn’t just the ticket buyers who benefited; it was a home run for all involved. It was a way of giving the audience above and beyond what it could have ever expected. Lee’s band was constantly thrilled by what the orchestra behind them did with their pieces, and it regularly showed in their expressions.
Lee paused frequently to share how thrilled he was to be the glue holding all the swirling pieces together. In the generous 20-song set that included songs like “Street Corner Preacher,” “Keep It Loose, Keep It Tight,” “Sweet Pea,” and “Arms of a Woman,” Lee showed his impressive range throughout. He was a singular talent surrounded by rich talent (his band), which was backed by even more talent (Andrew Lipke was conducting the orchestra and, by the looks of it, having a lot of fun doing so). Maybe it’ll never be repeated, and that would be a shame. But if there is another night like this one, even if it’s a few years down the road, let’s hope the sequel has as much magic as they created this time around.
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