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Discover Salt Lake magazine’s music section. Here you’ll find previews and reviews of upcoming local concerts and performances in Salt Lake City, along the Wasatch Front and Back, and around Utah to help you discover great live music and events.

Salt Lake magazine

The Black Crowes at the Eccles

Preview: The Black Crowes at the Eccles

By Music

Chris and Rich Robinson have plenty of reasons to celebrate. They’ve stopped all their fighting and got the band back together. They put out a new album this year—their 10th!—something they’d not done in 15 years. And when their plans to open for Aerosmith got quashed when Steven Tyler hurt his vocal cords and the band abruptly hung it up, The Black Crowes simply extended their own tour and added more dates, moving forward as the Happiness Bastards they are.

There are lessons in resilience and growth mixed in with all that, and fans reap the rewards of the Brothers Robinson getting along and moving on.

If recent setlists indicate what’s in store, Salt Lake City’s in for a real treat next Tuesday, November 19, when their tour lands at Eccles Theatre. The Crowes seem all too eager to please their adoring fans, blending old and new favorites into recent shows, one eye looking back as the other looks forward. In an era where pop appears poised to dominate all other forms of music combined, Chris and Rich and the rest of the band will have a long chance to remind us that, when done right, rock ’n’ roll isn’t going anywhere.

I’ve never seen the full band perform, but I’ve always wanted to. I have seen the Chris Robinson Brotherhood, and it was incredible for many reasons, but more of a resounding echo of earlier greatness. A lot of years ago, when the Crowes’ debut came out — Shake Your Money Maker (1990) — it quickly became one of the most well-loved cassettes in my collection. My best friend and I drove around in his old brown 1978 Pontiac Parisienne and turned his stereo volume up as loud as it’d go, screaming our way through songs like “Hard to Handle,” “Twice as Hard” and “Jealous Again.” It was the soundtrack of unabashed joy.

Years ago, the Crowes felt poised to be as big and important to music history as The Rolling Stones. Or perhaps those high hopes were entirely my own, I don’t know. It never quite worked out that way, and that’s entirely OK. The band found its voice, made its mark, and survived the hiccups that nearly ended them for good.

That’s certainly something worth crowing about.

Lucero - photo by Jamie Harmon[Amurica] - Salt Lake magazine

Interview: Lucero plays Commonwealth

By Music

As a band with a quarter-century of gigs to their credit, Lucero has downshifted their touring ambitions in recent years. These days they’re out on the road for a crisp 100 dates or so, a considerable amount by most bands’ count. But for an act that used to eclipse the 200- or even 250-gig mark, this is a real change. One of those 100 dates is coming up on Friday, Nov. 8, 2024, at The Commonwealth Room, a venue the band says falls into its sweet spot of smaller music halls. 

Ben Nichols, the band’s primary songwriter and founding member, said that Lucero’s career has moved into something of a sweet spot. Though the band’s last album, 2023’s “Should’ve Learned By Now,” is nominally the reason the band’s going out on tour now, the group has always been active on the road, whether there was new material or not. And Nichols believes that the sound he and his bandmates have achieved this time out will be crowd-pleasing. 

 “Right now, we’re a five-piece, a stripped-down rock ’n’ roll band, doing the simpler version of what we were doing 10 years ago,” Nichols said in a recent phone interview. “With our last album, ‘When You Found Me,’ we had a darker, moodier record. Synths are all over that album. A lot of fans came along with us for that. I like that record, it was a fun experiment. But with ‘Should’ve Learned by Now,’ all that is out the window again. We’re back to the classic form of bass, guitar, drums and some keys.”

As has been true for years, Nichols (vocals, guitar) is joined by drummer Roy Berry, bassist John C. Stubblefield, guitarist Brian Venable and multi-instrumentalist Rick Steff. For this round, Nichols notes that some of the extras of recent albums – horn sections, pedal steel players and the aforementioned synths – have taken a backseat to the simpler, straightforward lineup, with a lyrical bent that neatly accompanies the instrumentation. (And there’s more cowbell!)

“I had a couple of songs left over from previous albums,” Nichols said of the assemblage of material for “Should’ve Learned.” “They weren’t quite serious enough for those albums; those had a darker tone, sonically were a little more intense. I had these upbeat, lighthearted songs floating in limbo and needing a place to live. So I wrote the rest of this record with that intention. It’s a fun, rock ’n’ roll record with catchier songs and our old-school, rock ’n’ roll feel. The first song, ‘One Last F.U.’ has got that kind of attitude to it and it wouldn’t have fit on every album. There is some humor in it that’s not appropriate everywhere, but it sets the tenor of the rest of the album. Lyrically, it’s all pretty straightforward, it’s about rock ’n’ roll-type things, relationships and bars and whiskey and regret and guilt and love. It was written to not be too deep and still offer quality rock ’n’ roll.”

Fans are noticing and the press is catching up. “Pitchfork” concurs with Nichols, writing that “After a handful of albums that prioritized southern gothic atmosphere over southern rock riffs, Lucero is back where they started. They’ve been playing barstool blues and ballads for 25 years now, cutting their teeth in the very joints they sing about and surviving even when most bars have replaced rock bands with jukeboxes or, worse, DJs… Like the Hold Steady and the Drive-By Truckers—two other unkillable bands associated with the bar-rock trend of the 2000s—Lucero is still making solid albums that expand their catalogs in unexpected ways.” 

While the current tour finds Lucero adhering to the classic idea of an “album release and tour cycle,” the band’s not exactly shy to hit the road at any time, knowing a base of fans will be at each stop, many of them traveling from place to place to catch the group. It’s not uncommon for the band to see fans that have seen them 10, 20, or even 50 times or more, be those shows in their home markets, or at some of the annual events Lucero plays, like their trademark hometown show, the annual Lucero Family Block Party. That one grew from an annual event held in the countryside to one that finds an entire city block in Memphis shut down for Lucero and a cast of exceptional, complementary bands. 

They’ve also been regulars at other smaller festivals, events that allowed them to get to know their deepest supporters in a more personal way. Add in the fact Lucero will play rooms in smaller towns and it’s easy to see why they have a following that’s been with them for literally decades. 

“The Lucero fan base,” Nichols began, “isn’t the biggest audience. We don’t draw the biggest numbers. But we’ve been going for 25 years now and the folks who’ve been coming to shows have been very loyal. Some of them have been with us since the very beginning. They’re bringing their kids to the show now, which is just wild. There’s no way we should be that old! It’s also encouraging that some of those kids actually like it. The fact that two, even three generations of a family enjoy us, I take as a compliment. It says something about the songwriting, that they keep coming back. It’s pretty simple rock ’n’ roll when it comes down to it, done on an accessible level. It’s pretty easy to come see us. We play at manageable venues and it’s always a very laid-back kind of show. So, yeah, if you like rock ’n’ roll and don’t wanna go to a venue that’s monster-sized, we’re a decent bet.” 

Over the years that the group’s been touring, venues have changed, whether it’s the rise of mini-chains (like a City Winery) or larger ticketing agencies taking on the ownership role in some rooms. Nichols notes, “Today things are so complicated that you don’t know who owns what. But we’ve been mostly playing the same venues for 20 years. We might play a 500-seat venue in one city, or something smaller, like 300. In some places, we’re lucky enough to play a 1,000-seat theater. We’re very comfortable with that range and size of venue.” 

These days, Nichols is also comfortable in saying Lucero is a well-tuned unit, onstage and off, with a manager, a booking agent and a publicist. Beyond that, they release music on their own label, Liberty & Lament. They keep a tightly-knit road crew. And they’re even working on music videos, as Nichols has become pretty adept at various editing platforms via his trusty iPad, of which he said “I’ve gotten my money’s worth.” 

If it sounds as if Lucero has things figured out, a chat with Nichols doesn’t indicate anything different. The band’s goals are clearer than ever, the fans have grown alongside them, and the quirks of the industry are either shaken off or handled in-house. 

Jeff Tweedy - Photo by Nathan Christianson

Review: Jeff Tweedy at the Rose

By Music

Touring without your band in tow must be like performing without a safety net. There’s no mind-bending 15-minute-long Nels Cline solos to stand aside and marvel at. No soft backing vocals from John Stirratt to combine with.

But if Wilco frontman Jeff Tweedy was nervous about standing alone on a large stage with only a mic and several acoustic guitars to keep him company, he hid it well for 20 songs and 90 minutes straight on Wednesday night at the Rose Wagner Performing Arts Center. This was a rare chance for him to hold a magnifying glass up to the songs he has written, pass it over to the audience and let them examine what they probably sounded like in their earliest stages.

You could hear the careful poetry comprising well-loved Wilco hits as well as Tweedy’s growing solo catalog. For the real diehards, he even threw in a couple of favorites from his lesser-known outfits, including one each from Uncle Tupelo (“New Madrid”) and Golden Smog (“Please Tell My Brother”). For a genuinely good time, go find “Lou Reed Was My Babysitter,” a song he wrote about how badly he missed live music mid-pandemic. It’s worth your three minutes, promise.

If there’d been a campfire nearby, it’d have felt apropos. There were invitations to sing along. There were well-timed anecdotes. But, best of all, Jeff was the ultimate gift, along with the ambiance he brings. He was relaxed, comfortable, and—for my money—the best he’s ever sounded live. If he’s not perfected his craft yet, he is dangerously close.

And it’s completely OK if you don’t get Jeff Tweedy. Some just don’t (and they love to share that for some reason). No matter. It’s comforting that many in Utah get it and have for a while now. They did him the kindness of buying every available ticket. Hat tip to the rabid fans.


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Jeff Tweedy in Salt Lake

Preview: Jeff Tweedy at the Rose Wagner

By Music

One of many reasons Jeff Tweedy’s Salt Lake City show is nearly sold out: his reputation precedes him.

The Wilco frontman has a lot of songs he can play. The books he’s written prove he has stories to tell. And he’s hilarious. You get the feeling that, no matter what he attaches himself to lately, he’s enjoying himself. He’ll be flying solo on Wednesday, Oct 23, 2024, at the Rose Wagner Performing Arts Center. And while we can expect that this performance will be a far quieter affair than we’re used to when Wilco visits, that is perfectly OK. 

There will be strumming in place of meandering solos. Musical poetry subbing for rock anthems. Idle musing stage banter. Listening. Appreciating. Vibing.   

Because, hell yes, Jeff Tweedy has earned the right to do whatever he wants. Who else has a band that has earned its audience without ever landing a radio hit? Who else was dropped by his label after recording a record, then brought back by a smaller label within that label, before leaving to start his own? Who else has his own on-again, off-again music festival, handpicking his favorite acts?

If it’s not obvious by now, I don’t just like Wilco. I love Wilco. I love each member of the band like a weird estranged family member I’ll never get rid of. The only lyrics I’ve ever wanted to tattoo on my body come from one of their songs. As further bona fides, I once flew to the Catskills and slept in a forest, just so I could see them play a couple of gigs in the mud and rain. Will I ever tire of all Jeff and/or his band does? Clearly. No.

Once a serendipitous string of events led me backstage after a Wilco show at Red Rocks in Denver. As we walked around with wide eyes and pretended like we belonged (when we so didn’t) we noticed the whole band was milling around. The whole band, that is, except for Jeff.

Wednesday night’s show will be the exact opposite experience … and it’ll be glorious.

  • Who: Jeff Tweedy (sans-Wilco)
  • Where: Rose Wagner Performing Arts Center
  • When: Wednesday, October 23, 2024
  • Tickets and info: thestateroompresents.com

Salt lake city concert

Review: Hayes Carll and The Band of Heathens Join Forces 

By Music

Some things just go together: Lennon and McCartney, Cheech and Chong, Willie and weed and now Hayes and The Heathens. On Sunday September 15th, fans of both musical heavyweights experienced sonic kismet when the two acts joined forces for one amazing night of Salt Lake City concert at The Commonwealth Room.

Hayes Carll and The Band of Heathens (BoH), who trace their musical roots to Austin, draw legions of loyal fans who love their poetic style of Texas country rock. So why not headline together, draw from both fan pools, share the spotlight, and enjoy economy of scale? That’s the fine formula they followed when they formed Hayes and The Heathens. 

Salt Lake City fans delighted in two-great acts for the price of one as the supergroup started off with a BoH classic “LA County Blues” before delivering a Carll favorite “Times Like These,” setting the back-and-forth pace for the night. They followed with their recently released collaborative tune “Any Other Way,” Carll’s “I Got a Gig,” and offered us a taste of their soon to be released album with “Nobody Dies From Weed,” a light-hearted tune that captures the playful nature of both their songwriting styles. 

The 23-song set included some of my favorites from both camps. Adding in Carll’s vocals on “Jackson Station” complimented Ed Jurdi and Gordy Quist’s harmonic sound. BoH’s backup on Carll’s captivating hits like “KMAG YOYO,” “Beaumont,” and “Drunken Poet’s Dream” started the venue jumping. A BoH show wouldn’t be complete without an extended jam on their stellar version of “Miss Ohio.” They also thrilled us with a rockabilly hoedown, “Stomp and Holler.” For the set’s finale, we all joined in as members of The Commonwealth Choir for the BoH singalong “Hurricane.”

The Band of Heathens are no strangers to collaborating with other artists. During the pandemic they managed to record an album of cover tunes with friends who were also in lock down. The end result is Remote Transmission Vol. 1, a must-have album for fans of Americana (their rendition of Lucinda Williams “Joy” with Margo Price is epic.)

Sunday evening’s magical performance ended with a rambunctious three-song encore starting with a cover of Dylan’s “The Man in Me” that the BoH recorded with Carll on the 2020/2021 Remote Transmission project. They played homage to the men who put Austin on the musical map with a spirited rendition of Waylon & Willie’s “I Can Get Off On You.” Hayes and The Heathens sent us off into the night with a roots rockin’ gem “Bad Liver and a Broken Heart.”

These two powerhouse performers have amassed a voluminous catalog of great songs and enjoy a reputation for playing majestic live shows. On Sunday, September 15, 2024 at The Commonwealth Room Salt Lake City music fans got to witness both. 

Who: Hayes & The Heathens
What: Hayes Carll and The Band of Heathens together
Where: The Commonwealth Room
When: Sunday, September 15, 2024
Info: https://thestateroompresents.com/the-commonwealth-room


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Review: Jesus “Aguaje” Ramos and his Buena Vista Orchestra

By Music

On Monday night The Buena Vista Orchestra, under the direction of famed Cuban trombonist, composer and arranger Jesus “Aguaje” Ramos, transformed the Red Butte Garden hillside into a 1950s Havana nightclub (at least in my imagination) with an eclectic mix of Cuban, Afro-Cuban, and Caribbean sounds. They played the canon of 20th-century Cuban music with a contemporary twist. “Babalu,”  and “Quizas, Quizas,” both oldies-but goodies, resonated with a 2024 audience. 

The nine-piece orchestra, including a few members of the legendary Buena Vista Social Club (BVSC), took us on a musical celebration of Cuba. The ensemble played “El Cuarto de Tula”  and “Candela” from the BVSC’s Grammy-winning album. One highlight of the evening included Jesus Ramos and his daughter Lorena performing a duet of “El Trombone Majadero.” In the middle of the number, singer Geidy Chapman joined in with an ethereal rendition of  “Somewhere Over The Rainbow.” Chapman’s vocals magically filled the thin mountain air. She tapped into the stylings of the Queen of Salsa Celia Cruz with “Azucar” and performed an unforgettable version of “Besame Mucho.” 

You didn’t need to speak Spanish to enjoy the music. Great music played by skilled musicians and singers communicate a kinetic language we all understand. Though I appreciate my friends Anne and John Stark for educating me on the finer points of Cuban music and to Rick Hughes for his Spanish translation.

As an unexpected bonus to the scheduled lineup, Cody Jasper, who is serving as the orchestra’s driver also happens to be an accomplished singer and songwriter. Jasper opened the show with a little Texas acoustic-blues. He played a spirited rendition of Dylan’s “Tangled Up in Blues” and an original “American Dream.” He ended with a folky-blues version of “House of the Rising Sun.” His four-song set was over in the blink of an eye, but he left a lasting impression and got us in the mood to groove.

The weather remained perfect as did the sound quality in the amphitheatre. I will ease into winter eagerly awaiting next summer’s lineup of spectacular music in our beautiful garden.

Who: Jesus “Aguaje” Ramos and his Buena Vista Orchestra featuring original members of the Buena Vista Social Club
Where: Red Butte Garden Amphitheatre
When: Monday, September 9, 2024
Info: https://redbuttegarden.org/concerts/


Concerts in Salt Lake City

Preview: Hayes Carll and The Band of Heathens Join Forces 

By Music

Hayes and The Heathens isn’t simply Hayes Carll and The Band of Heathens (BoH) sharing the marquee at a concert in Salt Lake City. Hayes & The Heathens is project, a union born out of years of mutual respect. Their respective award-winning careers have run parallel and criss-crossed many times. Now we can see them together at The Commonwealth Room on Sunday, September 15, 2024 as one “must-see” supergroup playing a mix of music from both their massive catalogs.

If past setlists from this tour are any indication, fans will get to hear BoH songs like  “LA County Blues” alongside Carll’s “KMAG YOYO” (that a military slang acronym for ‘kiss my ass goodbye youre on your own). They may even play their latest collaborative single “Nobody Dies From Weed.”  Fans of rock ‘n’ roll, country, folk, and soulful blues will get a whole lot of roots-rocking funky coolness when these two powerhouses join forces for one magical evening. 

Hayes Carll–The Grammy-nominated Texas storyteller sings whimsical, well-crafted songs with the swagger of rock ‘n’ roll, the saccharine sentiment of country, and introspection of folk. Carll occupies that middle lane between James McMurtry and Ray Wylie Hubbard. His fun, often irreverent songs will put a smile on your face and a dance in your step. 

The Band of Heathens– The Austin-based roots rockers may be the greatest rock ‘n’ roll band you’ve yet to discover. As a purely independent touring group who refused to sign-on to corporate record labels, The Band of Heathens self-manage, promote, and record their music. The end result is an organic, mid-tempo, roots rock ‘n’ roll sound accented with a little Austin honky-tonk attitude.

Those of us who were fortunate enough to catch Carll’s two sets at the Ogden Music Festival this spring have been eagerly awaiting his return to the Wasatch Front. Loyal BoH fans, like me, never miss a chance to see them when they come to town. This is a budget-friendly show with two headliners for the price of one.

Who: Hayes & The Heathens
What: Hayes Carll and The Band of Heathens together
Where: The Commonwealth Room
When: Sunday, September 15, 2024
Info and tickets: https://thestateroompresents.com/the-commonwealth-room


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Preview: Jesus “Aguaje” Ramos and his Buena Vista Orchestra

By Music

Pack your picnic baskets and Yeti tumblers of Cuba Libre cocktails for an enchanting evening of  Cuban and Afro-Cuban sounds of the Buena Vista Orchestra. I don’t know about you, but I’m going to brush up on my Salsa moves (my aging hippie hips are going to need a little refreshing!)

The Buena Vista Orchestra, under the direction of famed Cuban-trombonist, composer and arranger Jesus “Aguaje” Ramos, features key players from throughout the history of the famed musical ensemble. The legend continues with an exciting new stage production coming to The Red Butte Garden Amphitheatre on Monday, September 9, 2024. 

This fantastic tour blends all the various Cuban musical styles that gave birth to Latin Jazz, Salsa and many other popular forms of music. The lineup for the inaugural Buena Vista Orchestra tour includes Ramos alongside other original members from the famed Buena Vista Social Club including Luis “Betun” Mariano Valiente Marin (congas, bongo), Emilio Senon Morales Ruiz (piano), and Fabian Garcia (bass). Rounding out the cast are Lorena Lazara Ramos Diaz (trombone, vocals), Aldo Isidoro Miranda Alvarez (vocals), Geidi Chapman (vocals, guitar), Antonio Remigio Rubio Borayo (timbal, percussion), Andy Abad Acosta (keys), Rogelio Ricardo Oliva Orelly (emcee, vocals).

Jesus Aguaje Ramos & his Buena Vista Orchestra aims to keep the arts, music, and culture of Cuba alive with a colorful show featuring a repertoire pulled from their greatest hits, many of which were composed by Ramos, and deep-dive cuts, including music from the Grammy-winning, self-titled Buena Vista Social Club album, released in 1997 and enshrined into the Grammy Hall of Fame this year. You may remember the band from Wim Wenders’ 1999 academy award-nominated documentary of the same name. To date, The Buena Vista Social Club and related projects have global sales of over fifty million, making it the biggest selling Cuban music project in history. Some compare it to world music’s equivalent of The Dark Side of the Moon

I can’t think of a better way to spend a late summer night than dancing to the sounds of Havana. I don’t want to waste a moment of the warmth and sunshine we have left. Snow will cover the mountainside soon enough. Till then, ¡A Bailar! 

Who: Jesus “Aguaje” Ramos and his Buena Vista Orchestra featuring original members of the Buena Vista Social Club
Where: Red Butte Garden Amphitheatre
When: Monday, September 9, 2024
Info and tickets: https://redbuttegarden.org/concerts/


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Trash Moon Collective Presents Fundraising Concert Hootenanny II

By Music

The Hootenanny II is a wildly fun, theatrical variety show featuring over 24 local musicians decked out in cosmic cowboy gear. We’re talking Darth Vader burlesque, an otherworldly banjo orchestra, new takes on ‘80s classics, and a whole new perspective on acoustic music. The Commonwealth Room is putting the “fun” back in fundraising by hosting this special night on Friday, September 6, 2024.

Building on the success of last February’s Cosmic Hootenanny at The Commonwealth Room, The Hot House West Septet and Pompe ‘n Honey are back with a new set of musical friends. This spirited jamboree includes Josie-O and The Big Six, a local supergroup that closed out this year’s Ogden Music Festival with a magical set. Other staple bands from the Salt Lake City music scene include The Elderblossoms and Theoretical Blonde. All of the members of these bands are core constituents of Hot House West 501(c)(3), a local nonprofit that is dedicated to creating experiences of connectedness, learning, and joy through the language of acoustic music.

All ticket sales and any proceeds from swanky and special merch sales, and items sold at the evening’s silent auction will go directly towards supporting Hot House West programs and events. This is our opportunity to hear some great music by local performers and help to build Salt Lake City’s musical community. 

This gala is for people who love acoustic music. It’s our chance to feel good while supporting a great cause.

Here’s a link to our preview of the Cosmic Hootenanny back in February.

Who: Trash Moon Collective Presents: Cosmic Hootenanny II

What: A fundraising musical gala featuring Hot House West Septet, Josie O and The Big Six, Pompe ‘n Honey, The Elderblossoms, and Theoretical Blonde.

Where: The Commonwealth Room

When: Friday, September 6, 2024

Info and tickets: https://thestateroompresents.com/state-room-presents/trash-moon-collective-hootenanny


Get the latest on arts and entertainment in and around Utah. And while you’re here, subscribe and get six issues of Salt Lake magazine, your guide to the best of life in Utah.

Talia and Lukas-1079

Review: Lukas Nelson Live in Concert with Special Guest Talia Keys

By Music

The musical legacy of Willie Nelson is in good hands. Lukas, his son, has ushered his family’s music into the 21st century. On Wednesday night at Red Butte Garden, he and his band, The Promise of The Real (POTR), shined in all their Austin-sound glory. The show was a country-rock delight!

Nelson’s vocals sounded eerily like a younger version of his famous father, particularly on two opening songs, great honky-tonk numbers “Sticks and Stones,” “Every Time I Drink, ” and a fine rendition of Willie Nelson’s “Bloody Mary Morning.” He clearly showed us that he inherited his father’s remarkable songwriting gene (if one exists) with, “Fool Me Once,” “Just Outside of Austin,” “Forget About Georgia,” and “Carolina” from their self-titled 2017 record. Nelson then gave the band a break and performed a three-song string of solo acoustic tunes including a stunning rendition of Pearl Jam’s “Just Breathe.” 

Salt Lake City concert
Talia Keys at Red Butte Garden. Photo by Sam Crump.

Earlier this year the POTR announced their hiatus (a kinder term for break-up) leaving Nelson to fly solo after the string of already scheduled summer shows. The Red Butte Garden show was a late add-on and billed as “Lukas Nelson Live in Concert.” I assumed that Nelson would form a new crew. So, I was elated to see the POTR take the stage alongside him on Wednesday night,  allowing me and other Utah fans to catch one of the band’s last performances together.

The band ended their remarkable 16-song set with “Find Yourself,” a terrific duet they recorded with Lady Gaga. But, this version featured the Red Butte Garden choir (us) singing her part. After a short pause the band came back out for a stirring three-song encore starting with “Set Me Down on a Cloud” followed by “The Awakening.” They sent us home humming “Something Real,” a tune that started off with a drum and bongo solo and finished in a spirited classic rock crescendo, Nelson’s guitar accenting a driving fiddle.

Salt Lake City concert
Lukas Nelson at Red Butte Garden. Photo by Sam Crump.

Talia Keys opened the show with half-a dozen numbers. She started us off with her rendition of Screamin’ Jay Hawkins “I Put a Spell on You.” Her version has all the macabre of the original, and adds a modern flair. Keys is no stranger to opening for Lukas Nelson and POTR. She toured the country with the band in the past. A special moment came when Keys sang “Let Your Matchstick Burn,” a song she wrote in tribute to a beloved local disability activist Psarah Johnson who passed away in 2022. Keys ended her set with her latest single, a whimsical cover of The White Stripes “Seven Nation Army.” Keys announced a new album is planned for next year. Stay tuned!

I’m going to miss these perfect outdoor summer evenings at The Red Butte Garden Amphitheatre once the cold, canyon winds move us indoors for a long winter hibernation. ‘Till then I’ll relish in the few shows left.

Who: Lukas Nelson and The Promise of The Real w/ Talia Keys
What: Live in Concert
Where: Red Butte Garden Amphitheatre
When: Wednesday, August 28, 2024
Info: https://redbuttegarden.org/concerts/