In the Black Forest of Germany, one can walk the Schnapsbrunnenweg, the “schnapps fountain trail,” on which hikers can find ten magical wells filled with bottles of homemade spirits, made for them to imbibe for strength on the journey. While this fairytale tradition has not made its way to Utah, we have our own version: BYOB (or W or C). Here are the outdoor-friendly (read: canned) beverages that pair best with your intended outdoor activity, from home-grown Utah beer to canned cocktails from local distillers.
Mountain biking—pair with wine
Just like the varied terrain beloved by mountain bikers, pack along something rugged and versatile that also fits in a bicycle’s bottle holder. Revelshine Wine comes in recyclable and durable aluminum bottles and three varieties—red, white and rosé. revelshinewines.com
Day hiking—pair with sparkling rosé
Stop and enjoy the mountain views with something lightly sweet, refreshing and effervescent. Grid City’s Rosé Hard Seltzer is a drinkable white wine/seltzer hybrid that sings like a crisp French rosé wine and comes in a handy, portable can. gridcitybeerworks.com
Camping—pair with high-point Utah beer
While sitting around the campfire, swapping stories or staring at the flames in silence, you want a full, complex beer you can sip all night. Bewilder Brewing’s Imperial Mole Porter is an English-style porter aged in tequila and mezcal barrels. It’s rich and it’s a whopping 10.2% ABV. bewilderbrewing.com
On the water—pair with classic American beer
It’s a little on the nose, but Fisher Brewing started near the water on the Jordan River and still sips well on the water. Whether casting lines or floating rapids, pack along an oil can (or two) of Fisher Beer—it’s a classic, crisp and clean American Lager. Bonus points if you also bring along a Fisher ball cap. fisherbeers.com
Outdoor Concerts—pair with cocktails
Some of us prefer to enjoy the summer outdoors from a low-riding lawn chair, on the grass, listening to our dad’s favorite band. Fill the backpack-cooler with canned cocktails like Sugar House Distillery’s Raspberry Whiskey Sour. sugarhousedistillery.net
Backpacking—pair with spirits
If on the trail for multiple days, carrying a case of beer isn’t practical, so bring something that packs a punch because you can’t bring much. Simplicity Cocktails’ Bourbon Whiskey (in a can) helps take the edge off. drinksimplicity.com
ATV-ing—pair with water
Do not drink alcohol and operate a motor vehicle. And, have we got the portable, canned water for you: Beaver Water. The newer company cans Tushar Mountains spring water—long credited as not just Utah’s best water, but the best-tasting water in the nation—with a sense of humor. drinkbeaver.com
Heading out on a road trip? Check out our top picks for snacks as picked by the Salt Lake magazine team.
On Tuesday, President Joe Biden designated a new national monument near the Grand Canyon, on the border of Arizona and Utah. The new monument is made to permanently protect the land, which is considered sacred to multiple tribes of indigenous people, from new uranium mining claims. The Baaj Nwaavjo I’tah Kukveni – Ancestral Footprints of the Grand Canyon National Monument includes in its boundaries 1 million acres of federal lands.
According to the White House statement, the name reflects the significance of the Grand Canyon area, not just to one but to many Tribal Nations. Baaj nwaavjo (BAAHJ – NUH-WAAHV-JOH) means “where Indigenous peoples roam” in the Havasupai language, and i’tah kukveni (EE-TAH – KOOK-VENNY) means “our ancestral footprints” in the Hopi language.
The Baaj Nwaavjo I’tah Kukveni Grand Canyon National Monument spans tribes’ homelands, ceremonial land and other important cultural and archaeological sites, according to the Grand Canyon Tribal Coalition, who has long pushed for protection of these lands. (The Coalition consists of representatives of the Havasupai Tribe, Hopi Tribe, Hualapai Tribe, Kaibab Paiute Tribe, Las Vegas Band of Paiute Tribe, Moapa Band of Paiutes, Paiute Indian Tribe of Utah, Navajo Nation, San Juan Southern Paiute Tribe, Yavapai-Apache Nation, Pueblo of Zuni and the Colorado River Indian Tribes.) These sites include Gray Mountain, called Dziłbeeh by the Navajo, which is a part of Navajo ceremonial songs, stories and rituals and a sacred site called Wii’i Gdwiisa by the Havasupai, which towers above the southern portion of the monument.
Utah Gov. Spencer Cox made a statement opposing the Grand Canyon National Monument designation: “This monument designation is frustrating news, especially for residents of Utah along the Arizona strip. As I’ve said many times before, massive, landscape-scale monuments like this are a mistake. These designations increase visitation without providing any additional resources for law enforcement and infrastructure to protect sensitive areas. They also needlessly restrict access to the critical minerals that are key to cell phones, satellites, U.S. defense systems and so many other American industries. I still believe the only right way to create large new land designations is through Congress in coordination with local leaders and residents, a process that brings all voices to the table and offers the necessary funding.”
Maps of the Baaj Nwaavjo I’tah Kukveni Grand Canyon National Monument boundaries from the Grand Canyon Trust. (Credit Stephanie Smith, Grand Canyon Trust.) The monument itself will conserve nearly 1 million acres of public lands made up of three distinct areas to the south, northeast and northwest of Grand Canyon National Park. It is bordered by the Kanab watershed boundary and Kanab Creek drainage in the northwestern area and the Havasupai Indian Reservation and Navajo Nation in the southern area, and stretches from Marble Canyon to the edge of the Kaibab Plateau in the northeastern area.
Timeline: Grand Canyon Area Mining And Protections
So, how did we get here? The disagreement over use and protections of the area around the Grand Canyon is not new. Salt Lake magazine put together a timeline, which provides an overview of the issues and major events:
1906: Early Protections For Grand Canyon Area
President Theodore Roosevelt withdraws the North Kaibab Ranger District of the Kaibab National Forest from mineral location and entry when he first creates the Grand Canyon Preserve.
1940s-1950s: Uranium Discovery
Uranium ore deposits are discovered and mines were opened in northern Arizona in the 1940s and 1950s.
Late 1970s: Uranium Mining Interest
A price spike in uranium triggers increased demand for exploration by mining companies.
1980s-1990s: Uranium Mining Boom
the U.S. Geological Survey began studying the uranium deposits of the area and produces maps. Exploration activities result in six new uranium mines that together produced 1,471,942 tons of uranium during the late 1980s into the early 1990s. (Three of seven mines have been reclaimed. The remaining four were put into “maintenance” or standby status in the early 1990s due to declining prices for uranium and economic considerations.)
2000: New Monuments
Tribal lands bordering Grand Canon National Park become off limits to uranium development when the Grand Canyon Parashant and Vermilion Cliffs National Monuments are created and the lands are withdrawn from mineral entry.
2007-2008: “Uranium Bubble”
The price of Uranium spikes, causing an increase in uranium mining claims in attempts to capitalize on the spike, including more than 10,000 uranium mining claims on the land around Grand Canyon National Park.
2008-2009: Efforts To Protect The Grand Canyon
A number of events occur to bring attention to these lands and the potential for long term or permanent impacts to the Grand Canyon watershed from potential environmental effects of uranium exploration and mining. Among them, Rep. Raúl M. Grijalva (D-Az.), a member of the House Natural Resources Committee, introduces the Grand Canyon Watersheds Protection Act to protect 1 million acres of land around Grand Canyon National Park from mineral extraction.
2012: 20-Year Ban On New Uranium Mining Around The Grand Canyon
After the Interior Department launches an environmental analysis of uranium mining in the area, the Obama administration places a 20-year moratorium on new claims on 1 million acres of federal land surrounding Grand Canyon National Park.
“A withdrawal is the right approach for this priceless American landscape,” says then Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar. “People from all over the country and around the world come to visit the Grand Canyon. Numerous American Indian tribes regard this magnificent icon as a sacred place and millions of people in the Colorado River Basin depend on the river for drinking water, irrigation, industrial and environmental use. We have been entrusted to care for and protect our precious environmental and cultural resources, and we have chosen a responsible path that makes sense for this and future generations.”
The Department’s study shows new uranium mining could harm natural water sources and possibly increase levels of uranium beyond federal drinking-water standards. Without the withdrawal, there could be 30 uranium mines in the area over the next 20 years, the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) estimates. Stating, “Millions of people living in seven states depend on the Colorado River for drinking, irrigation, industrial use. Second, it is likely that the potential impacts to tribal resources could not be mitigated. Any mining within the sacred and traditional places of tribal peoples may degrade the values of those lands to the tribes that use them.”
2017: Pushback On 20-Year Uranium Mining Ban
Former Rep. Rob Bishop (R-Utah) spearheads a movement to repeal the moratorium on uranium mining on federal lands around Grand Canyon National Park, accusing the EIS of overreach. The Trump administration also recommends rolling back the ban on uranium mining in the area. However, the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals upholds the 20-year ban on new uranium mining on federal land near the Grand Canyon.
2020: Uranium Mining Proposal
Then President Trump proposes $1.5 billion for the nuclear fuel industry to create a U.S. uranium stockpile. Energy Fuels Inc. takes steps to ramp up operations at a uranium mine 15 miles outside Grand Canyon National Park.
2021: USGS Water Study Findings
A U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) study finds that nearly 95% of samples collected from 206 locations in the Grand Canyon region over 40 years show uranium concentrations less than the EPA’s Maximum Contaminant Level for drinking water. The highest uranium concentrations are observed at springs downslope from the abandoned Orphan Mine within Grand Canyon National Park.
April 2023: Tribal Coalition Pushes For Permanent Protections
The Grand Canyon Tribal Coalition calls on President Biden to designate the Baaj Nwaavjo I’tah Kukveni Grand Canyon National Monument.
August 2023: President Biden Designates New Monument
President Biden designates Baaj Nwaavjo I’tah Kukveni – Ancestral Footprints of the Grand Canyon National Monument. The national monument spans 917, 618 acres on the north and south rims of the Grand Canyon, to protect indigenous cultural and religious sites and water sources from mineral extraction.
The Baaj Nwaavjo I’tah Kukveni – Ancestral Footprints of the Grand Canyon National Monument is President Biden’s fifth new monument designation, following the creation of the Emmett Till and Mamie Till-Mobley National Monument in Illinois and Mississippi, the Castner Range National Monument in Texas, Avi Kwa Ame National Monument in Nevada and the Camp Hale-Continental Divide National Monument in Colorado.
From our vantage point at Dinosaur National Monument, lying on the ground and staring up at a sky crowded with stars—seriously, an overwhelming number of stars—streaks of green, white, gold and blue flashed across the sky, courtesy of the Perseid meteor shower. We let out audible gasps and cries of “that was a good one!” and “look over there!” like kids at a fireworks show, simultaneously filled with wonder and confronted with the insignificance of our existence. So, if you’re wondering if it’s worth the trip to a certified Dark Sky Park to view the Perseids, the short answer is “yes.” The long answer is “heck yes.”
While stargazing is a rewarding endeavor in and of itself, the Perseids are something special, returning every year and lighting up the sky from mid- to late-August. The Perseids occur with such regularity because every year Earth passes through the path of Comet Swift-Tuttle, on its 133-year orbit around the sun, from mid-July to late-August. The Perseid meteor shower peaks when Earth passes through the densest area of the comet trail, usually around Aug. 11-13, but the meteor shower remains visible until Aug. 24 or so.
The Gates of Lodore in Dinosaur National Monument near Vernal, Utah (photo courtesy Utah Office of Tourism)
The streaks of light during the Perseids sometimes appear green or other colors, which, according to experts at NASA, is due to the way the meteoroids “excite” oxygen molecules during impact with the atmosphere. That’s the bright light we’re seeing, the meteroid (debris from the comet’s trail) vaporizing upon contact with Earth’s upper atmosphere.
At its peak, and if conditions are right, NASA estimates you’ll be able to see about 40 Perseids each hour. That’s not accounting for the dozens and dozens we can’t see. But the number of meteoroids you see is greatly dependent on the brightness of your sky. According to the NASA blog, the brighter skies of the suburbs greatly cut down the rates of visible meteoroids, going from a Perseid every couple of minutes to one every 6-7 minutes. And if you’re trying to see the Perseids in a city? You might as well stay inside. City dwellers might see a single Perseid or two during the whole hour.
That’s why you haven’t seen a meteor shower, let alone the Perseid meteor shower, until you’ve seen it in a Dark Sky Park, and Utah is perhaps the best place in the world to do it. For reference, viewing the Perseids in Dinosaur National Monument (a Dark Sky Park), it was so dark at night that I could barely see the people lying shoulder-to-shoulder on the ground next to me. We stayed the night at Split Mountain Campground, but any of Dinosaur’s campgrounds, or camping areas at other Dark Sky Parks, will do because your best views are going to be in the early morning hours.
Not far from Dinosaur National Monument, a star viewing party at Steinaker State Park in Uintah County, Utah (photo courtesy Utah Office of Tourism)
Regardless from where you view the Perseids, allow some time—as long as 45 minutes— for your eyes to adjust to the dark. On our meteor-viewing trip to Dinosaur National Monument, we brought along binoculars, but they were seldom used. The best viewing experience is with the naked eye, allowing yourself to take in as much as the sky as you can with your field of vision.
In our recent “Best of the Beehive” feature, we pointed out how the state of Utah is consistently ranked “The Nerdiest State.” One of the biggest components of nerd culture these days is manga/anime. For the uninitiated, manga are Japanese comics (primarily released in black and white volumes) and anime are Japanese cartoons. Like American graphic novels, manga has genres and content for all ages and tastes. According to Polaris Market Research, the Global manga market was valued at 11.68 billion dollars in 2022, with close to half of those sales coming from North America.
With fall and Halloween fast-approaching, we thought now is the perfect time to highlight one of the most acclaimed mangakas (manga artist/writer) in the horror manga space. Junji Ito made his manga debut in 1987 and has gone onto international praise, had multiple adaptations of his work into film and anime, and has won four Eisner Awards (the comic book equivalent of an Oscar). His most popular stories include Tomie, Gyo and Uzumaki, which is currently being produced as an animated series set to hit Adult Swim’s Toonami later this year. Earlier this year, Netflix started streaming Junji Ito Maniac: Japanese Tales of the Macabre. But, while the majority of his works are short stories that are collected regularly in volumes (check out Shiver or Smashed for some of his scariest tales), you’re going to want to grab and read Uzumaki if you’re a horror fan.
Mangaka Junji Ito at a gallery exhibition of his work at San Diego Comic Con 2023. (Courtesy Viz Media)
Uzumaki is a story about a coastal Japanese town that slowly becomes obsessed with spirals. From eddies in water, to dust devils, to the shape of a snail’s shell, everyone begins to lose touch with reality and they devote their lives (and bodies) to this magic shape. Things begin to escalate quickly and the body horror kicks into full gear. It is not for the faint of heart, but it is one of the creepiest stories ever created. With the anime coming soon, you’re going to want to grab a copy of the hardcover collection before it sells out.
Pages from Junji Ito’s “UZUMAKI” at the Ito-Verse exhibition at San Diego Comic Con 2023. (Courtesy Viz Media)
VIZ Media has the English-language rights to Junji Ito’s work and has published many volumes. This year at San Diego Comic Con, they set up the Junji Ito Experience—an art exhibition of more than 100 original pages from his long career. Junji Ito himself was a guest of honor at the convention and attended the reception of his exhibition. He’s a kind and unassuming man, very friendly and bashful with his legions of adoring fans. The line of people waiting to talk to him during the reception stretched across the entire gallery space.
Cosplayer dressed as Junji Ito character from “SOICHI” at the Ito-Verse exhibition. “SOICHI” was released July 2023. (Courtesy Viz Media)
The gallery itself was unreal. Original art from manga is not often seen outside of exhibitions (as the artists often keep every page of published work because of different copyright ownership laws in Japan), so to see pages of sheer horror up-close and personal was jaw-dropping. Ito’s work is meticulous, detailed and horrific. The original art highlighted his individual pen strokes, showcased his changes and corrections made with whiteout and allowed viewers to appreciate the apparent limitless display of imagination he conjures with his images.
And while the Junji Ito Experience isn’t traveling from city to city, you can still grab his books from a local book or comic store (try magazine-favorites Black Cat Comics, Legendarium, Dr. Volts or The Nerd Store—if they don’t have them in stock, they can order for you), and get your spooky vibes going before the Uzumaki anime hits Adult Swim and everyone becomes a servant to the spiral.
On August 4th, The Medicine Company hosted a record release party to celebrate Risk It For The Biscuit, their second full-length album. Cherry Thomas, Triggers and Slips, and a few surprise guests joined them onstage in a musical tribute.
Thomas opened the festivities with a solo set. Armed with only her electric guitar and soulful voice, she delivered half-a-dozen original R&B songs including “Blue Hour,” “Barbed Wire,” and “Black Panther,” all previously recorded and available to stream. I enjoyed hearing her in a listening room instead of an outdoor festival or crowded eatery where you can’t really groove on the depth of her voice or the heartfelt lyrics in her songs.
Triggers and Slips opened their nine-song set with “Family vs. Business,” a new song off their latest release What Do You Feed Your Darkness? Fans, especially those partial to country music, should know this under-the-radar record. Had it been produced by a major Nashville record label it would be on the charts. It’s that good. They performed “It Won’t Hurt” from the record, a Dwight Yoakam cover that rivals the original.
From the band’s 2019 release The Stranger, they played the title track before welcoming local artist J-Rad Cooley to the stage to play harmonica on “Old Friends.” Soulful rocker Sarah DeGraw joined the band for the duet “You Did It To Me Again,” a fabulous new tune that features Lilly Winwood (daughter of Steve Winwood) on the record. DeGraw lent her wonderful vocals for Friday night’s version. The band ended a fabulous set with “Sideways.”
The party’s hosts,The Medicine Company, opened with “Biscuit,” a two-minute musical interlude that served as the perfect intro to hear Risk It for the Biscuit in its entirety. Most of us at the show hadn’t had a chance to fully digest the new material since it dropped for the world to hear earlier that day. The recorded version of the 10-songs plays with indica-like quality–trippy, cerebral, and mellow. The band’s live performance of the material however, took us on a more sativa-like energized journey. “Feed Yourself Lies” brought me back to 1972 with its Stones-like guitar riff and Lou Reed-styled psychedelic-poet lyricism. Lead singer Bryant Adair’s vocals remind me of Reed and Frank Zappa. Of course, the song probably took other listeners in an entirely different direction. Good songs take you wherever you want to go (or take you somewhere you’ve never been).
The first single to drop (a few days ahead of the album’s full release) is “Mr. Chuckles.” Guitarist Chandler Seipert, lead vocals on this track, conjures up something out of the Minneapolis music scene in the mid-1980s. Of course, it’s an original piece of music by 21st century artists. When passing through my musical filter it feels fresh, but relatable. A live version of “Mojo” has been floating around the interweb for a little while now as a YouTube video. It finally found a permanent home on the new album.
On fire all night, the band brought the songs to life in a fun and energetic way. You could see the joy on their faces as they performed the music they created. When you listen to a new record, some songs stick right away while others take a few passes to resonate. For me, “Casino,”with its hypnotic Link Wray-Rumble guitar strumming and slow-rising tempo, stayed with me. Their live performance really made the song pop. They ended the homage to the new record with the final track “Just Fine.” We certainly were feeling just that.
Photography by Lily Rutherford; Colleen O’Neill
The band tackled a few of their older songs before gathering the whole ensemble on stage, including featured performers and guest artists, for a collective version of their tailor made show closer “Rusted in Misfortune.” What a fabulous night of music by a talented cadre of local artists. Fully energized from delivering a masterful performance of their labor of love, the band came back out for a couple of bonus numbers with “She Wore Blue” and Cannon’s Jug Stompers 1928 “Big Railroad Blues” (most know the Grateful Dead’s 1971 version.)
An album release offers a moment to reflect on the cumulative effort that artists put into their work. Consider the time it takes to learn a musical instrument and the thousands of hours of practice to master it. Even then it’s not a simple leap from player to composer. To construct original music and put lyrics to the notes takes a rare skill set. Once a song’s foundation is built, a community of musicians gather to further shape and mold it both on stage and in the studio. The finished product needs to captivate listeners and elicit a visceral response if you hope for any success. Packaging a collection of individual songs into an album’s worth of material is a remarkable achievement and worthy of great celebration.
The Medicine Company has a bright future and we’ll have ample opportunity to see them again. In fact, they’ll be playing Day Two of the 3-Day Psych Lake City music festival at The Urban Lounge on Friday, August 11th. They’ll be undergoing some personnel changes on bass and drums, but they’ve already created more material for another new record. Keep an eye out for this talented crew of psychedelic alt-rockers as they continue to create new music and perform at some of our favorite local music venues.
Who: The Medicine Company w/ Co-Headliners Triggers and Slips and Cherry Thomas opening
What: The Medicine Company’s Risk It For The Biscuit album release party
In the heart of Salt Lake’s ever-growing Granary District, Evo Hotel contains a skatepark. Yes, a skatepark. (Oh also, a climbing gym, hotel, cafe, retail store, bar and rooftop deck.) Evo is eclectic and that’s the point, says manager Garret Clements, “Evo is a chaotic, high-energy place, and we want it that way.”
‘All Together’ Skateparkat Evo Hotel
Utah’s skating community is riding the revival of the sport into the future. After its debut in the 2020 Olympics, the number of people who got into skateboarding rose from 6.4 million to 8.8 million and they are trading make-shift backyard half pipes for professional parks. Enter Evo, a non-traditional space that embraces the new skate scene with its 5,000 square-foot indoor/outdoor skatepark.
As you enter Evo, you are greeted by ramps and rails and usually you’ll see some skaters on them. SJ Johnson, head of the All Together skatepark, says all are welcome. “Unlike a regular hotel, we want to be non-traditional and show that everyone is welcome to do whatever they want,” they say. “It’s such a tight-knit community that it feels more at home than any other regular skatepark would.”
All Together skatepark hosts events, fundraisers and runs drop boxes for Coconut Hut, Utah Pride Center and the homeless shelters. The park offers camps for youth and adults every week in the summer, and seasonal parties and rollerblading nights during the winter. There’s also a weekly after-hours gathering for members of the LGBTQ+ community. The skate scene + hotel has attracted skating legends like Amelia Bordka and Tony Hawk, who have both stayed (and skated there). On sunny days, All Together opens its garage doors to offer skaters a chance to shred some natural terrain. With a tight-knit group of skaters of all ages and skill levels, and a commitment to giving back to marginalized communities, the All Together skatepark offers more than just a place to skate.
Evo Hotel has become a magnet for all ages of skateboarding enthusiasts who are drawn to a first in Utah, a skatepark within a boutique hotel. Photo courtesy of Evo Hotel
In the heart of Salt Lake’s ever-growing Granary District, the Evo Hotel contains a skatepark. Yes, a skatepark. (Oh, also, a climbing gym, hotel, cafe, retail store, bar and rooftop deck.) Evo is eclectic, and that’s the point says manager Garret Clements, “Evo is a chaotic, high-energy place, and we want it that way.”
Photo courtesy of Evo Hotel
‘All Together’ Skateparkat Evo Hotel
Utah’s skating community is riding the revival of the sport into the future. After its debut in the 2020 Olympics, the number of people who got into skateboarding rose from 6.4 million to 8.8 million and are trading make-shift backyard half pipes for professional parks. Enter Evo, a non-traditional space that embraces the new skate scene with its 5,000 square-foot indoor/outdoor skatepark.
As you enter Evo, you are greeted by ramps and rails and usually you’ll see some skaters on them. SJ Johnson, head of the All Together skatepark, says all are welcome. “Unlike a regular hotel, we want to be non-traditional and show that everyone is welcome to do whatever they want,” they say. “It’s such a tight-knit community that it feels more at home than any other regular skatepark would.”
All Together skatepark hosts events, fundraisers and runs drop boxes for Coconut Hut, Utah Pride Center and the homeless shelters. The park offers camps for youth and adults every week in the summer, and seasonal parties and rollerblading nights during the winter. There’s also a weekly after-hours gathering for members of the LGBTQ+ community. The skate scene + hotel has attracted skating legends like Amelia Bordka and Tony Hawk, who have both stayed (and skated there). On sunny days, All Together opens its garage doors to offer skaters a chance to shred some natural terrain. With a tight-knit group of skaters of all ages and skill levels, and a commitment to giving back to marginalized communities, the All Together skatepark offers more than just a place to skate.
Evo Hotel has become a magnet for all ages of skateboarding enthusiasts who are drawn to a first in Utah, a skatepark within a boutique hotel. Photo courtesy of Evo Hotel
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The indie-pop band Train laid down some groovy tracks at the Red Butte Garden Amphitheatre on Monday, July 31, 2023. The multi-Grammy Award winning septet opened their 20-song set with “AM Gold,” a new song with a vintage disco vibe. From the first few notes, the packed-in crowd rose to their feet and abandoned their charcuterie for some singing and dancing.
Next they played “Meet Virginia,” the band’s first commercial hit, and added a very cool medley of Steve Miller’s “The Joker.” Frontman Pat Monahan sported a Meet Virginia t-shirt, then peeled it off, band members added their signatures, and tossed it into the crowd with a bunch of other tees (Monahan might have missed his calling in the NFL. He achieved quite a 30-yard spiral from rolled up shirts.) By the third offering, “If It’s Love,” members of the crowd were waving their phone torches. It wasn’t even dark yet!
Monahan clearly knows how to work a crowd. Train came to the Garden with a well-constructed, interactive show full of surprises (and a little concert chum.)
They offered a few verses of Led Zeppelin’s “Whole Lot of Love” to get our attention, before launching into a sparkling rendition of Tom Petty’s “American Girl.” Monahan brought out his 11-year old son Rock to help him with “Save The Day.” The kid can sing! He stayed on stage with his dad for a few verses of Journey’s “Faithfully” which morphed into “Calling All Angels” before reverting back for one more stanza with Rock sounding like an adolescent Steve Perry. Later, the family affair continued when Monahan’s 14 year-old daughter, Autumn joined him on stage for a sweet duet of “Bruises.”
Photo credit Kevin Rolfe
During “Save Me, San Francisco” the band blanketed the crowd with beach balls of various sizes, turning the Garden into a pool party. The band moved into the homestretch with their familiar hits, “Play That Song” and “50 Ways to Say Goodbye,” before spicing up “Hey, Soul Sister” with a few verses of Redbone’s “Come and Get Your Love.” For their pre-encore finale they ended with “Drive By” followed by a closing chorus of “Hey Jude.” I really liked how they paid homage to vintage songs by blending them into their now classic hits.
They didn’t depart the stage before the encore, they just asked if they could stay and do a few more songs, as if the crowd really needed to think about it. For our bonus, we got a stunning version of “Hotel California” with guitarist Taylor Locke donning an oversized red double necked guitar (a throwback to Jimmy Page). A hillside of phone torches lit up the Garden for the grand finale, “Drops of Jupiter.”
Monahan is an energetic frontman backed by an exceptional cast: Locke on guitar, Sakai Smith and Nikita Houston provided amazing backing vocals, Hector Maldonado on bass, Jerry Becker on keyboards and Matt Musty on drums. The Train crew never missed a beat. I hope we can get them back at Red Butte Garden next season. They’re definitely worth a repeat performance.
Photo credit Kevin Rolfe
Thunderstorm Artis opened the evening with a stellar 11-song solo set. A 2020 runner-up on NBC’s The Voice, heshowed us his booming, vocal prowess with a nice blend of originals and reworked covers. He paired down each song to a shortened radio-edit version beginning with “Summertime” and his original “Oh, Little River.” He performed a lovely rendition of Bill Withers “Ain’t No Sunshine,” delivered a soulful interpretation of the Beatles, “Blackbird,” luring the crowd away from their picnics and chit-chat. His original composition “Stronger” showed off his growing skills as a songwriter. I really enjoyed his version of Jason Isbell’s “Cover Me Up.” His rendition showcased his vocal range as did “Stand Up Eight,” a fine new single, and Leonard Cohen’s epic “Hallelujah.” Artis has a golden voice and a bright future. I’d love to see him with a backing band at an intimate venue like The State Room.
Was it bad karma for a guy named Thunderstorm to sing “Ain’t No Sunshine” on an overcast evening? I swear I felt a drop of rain. Artis has a magical voice, but he doesn’t control the weather. Thank goodness. The clouds passed us by and we enjoyed another perfect summer salt Lake concert at the Red Butte Garden Amphitheatre.
