Final Project for Introduction to Journalism Class
As a final project for my journalism class, we were required to write an article about local events that was compelling and interesting to read. I chose the subject of the concert scene in Salt Lake City, as going to concerts is an interest of mine. This article was titled: Salt Lake City’s Growing Concert Scene
Live music in Salt Lake City can be found on street corners, in cafés and bars, radio stations and local concert venues. It doesn’t matter where or what day of the week, there will be music to be heard. For this reason, Salt Lake has grown to be a popular concert scene for up-and-coming and big-name artists.
In the past year, Salt Lake has hosted Taylor Swift and Imagine Dragons at Vivint Smart Home Arena (formerly Energy Solutions Arena) and in the coming year, will host Justin Bieber, Twenty One Pilots, Demi Lovato and Maroon 5, to name a few. For a city that’s managed to pull in so many big name artists and bands, it’s clear Salt Lake is becoming quite the place for music. But it’s not quite there yet.
Salt Lake City is considered a secondary market for tour stops. First market cities are among the ranks of Los Angeles, Chicago and New York City. But Salt Lake’s status as a second-tier city won’t stay that way for much longer. Trent Falcone, Director of Marketing at The Depot, expressed “Salt Lake City is a more important place to stop now.”
The Cure performed at The Depot this past June. When they were routing for their tour, they reached out to Falcone and told him Salt Lake City absolutely had to be on the list.
The fact that Salt Lake was such a desired place for The Cure to play is something the city is increasingly seeing. Falcone described how when bands schedule a tour, their management will route cities based on where they will be at certain times during the tour. An artist will start at one end of the country and travel from city to city to the other end. Local venues are seeing more artists choose Salt Lake as a first-tier city to stop and play, and many more keep coming back.
Bastille, an English band who became widely popular in the last year with their hit song, “Pompeii,” performed Dec. 7 at The Complex. It was the third time they played in Salt Lake City in the last three years and the second time they performed at The Complex.
Located around the corner from the Gateway Mall, The Complex is comprised of a 42,000 square foot building. Inside are four individual venues that can host four different events at the same time. One of the biggest venues downtown, this type of venue is unique to Salt Lake City and is popular for bigger artists.
The Complex will host in the coming year Safety Suit and Vance Joy, who recently finished touring with Taylor Swift. The venue has seen the likes of Passion Pit, He is We and even Imagine Dragons before they became international superstars. In fact, Imagine Dragons lays claim to Utah as the beginnings of their band before they got their start in Las Vegas. Frontrunner Dan Reynolds attended BYU before forming the band with his friend and lead guitarist Wayne Sermon, who grew up in American Fork.
During the band’s encore at Vivint Smart Home Arena this past summer, Dan Reynolds said, “Utah is where we played our first shows. Utah is the first place that would play our songs on the radio. Coming to Utah always feels like coming home.”
That sentiment for playing in Utah is echoed by Morrissey, a prominent musician from England. He made his return to Salt Lake this summer when he played The Depot. After the tour was over, he made a list of his favorite venues and The Depot was listed at number one.
“He played Madison Square Garden and the Red Rocks,” said Falcone. “We were not only the smallest venue on the tour, but ended up being his favorite.”
Smaller venues certainly have their fair share of charm. Playing smaller venues is a feeling shared by many artists all over the world. Falcone said, “It’s fun to go back and do a smaller club. It’s an intimate, small room and cool for the artist.”
Robert Plant, the lead singer of Led Zeppelin went on tour in early 2015 and made a stop in Salt Lake City. Only, he wasn’t playing arenas. “People couldn’t believe he was in a small club,” said Falcone. “They were thrilled to see someone that big in such a small room after they’ve played arenas.”
The Depot is a smaller venue located in the heart of Salt Lake City, kiddie corner from Vivint Smart Home Arena and the Gateway Mall. With a capacity of just 1200 people, it’s a prime location to hear live music and have a great time. In 2016 the venue will celebrate their 11th year in business and host Kip Moore, Carly Rae Jepsen and Ben Rector.
The Depot typically hosts “jam bands” who are of The Grateful Dead type or simply mid-level artists who can sell tickets for a 1200 seat venue. Still, they have hosted many award-winning artists. The Black Keys, Three Days Grace, Dustin Lynch, Macklemore and Utah’s own Neon Trees have all performed at The Depot.
To be able to host so many well-known artists at one of the smaller venues in Salt Lake is unique, and it’s all thanks to fan bases throughout the state. “Connecting with the audience is how you sell tickets,” said Falcone.
As long as there is an audience, the band will come to perform.
Tyler Ward is a musician who got his start on YouTube. Using YouTube as a platform, he has developed a strong following of fans all over the world. In September of this year, Ward came to Salt Lake and played Kilby Court for the third time in the last three years. Fans were lined up hours in advance and had the opportunity to personally interact with him before, during and after the show.
Kilby Court is the smallest venue in Salt Lake City. But it’s the perfect venue for those artists who aren’t as well known but still have a good showing of support.
Situated in a corner off of 700 S, Kilby Court is made up of a quaint courtyard and an old garage fashioned into a concert venue. With Christmas lights strung up on trees, a pair of boots dangling off a power line and a stage just a few feet wide, the audience can get right up close with the artist and have a concert experience unlike anywhere else in Salt Lake.
This intimacy allows bands and fans to interact on a friendly level. This is especially unique for up-and-coming bands who want to increase their fan base. Many fans who come to Kilby Court don’t always know who the band is, but it’s a great way to discover new, local artists and bands in the area.
Before Walk the Moon, Foster the People and Young the Giant were superstars, they too performed at Kilby Court. For such a small venue in Salt Lake to be able to say they’ve hosted big-name bands such as these, it’s sure to draw in more crowds who want to see those artists before they make it big in the industry.
More bands are sure to come and play in Salt Lake City in the coming years. The concert scene downtown is growing immensely and artists are taking notice. Soon, Salt Lake may become a first-market city for artists to stop and play their shows.
To the bands and artists routing their tours:
Don’t write off Salt Lake City just yet.