Concert Time O Year

It is that time again, where some how I end up going to a lot of concerts.  I love concerts and I usually hit one a month, but with school I haven't been to as many. 
This time I hit 2 bands I was only slightly familiar with and one of my all time favs.  Two weeks ago I went with some friends to The Weepies concert at the State Room.  I love the State Room.  Never disappointed in the shows they have.  The Weepies were no exception.  I knew their stuff and liked it, but couldn't say I was big fan.  The show was great and may have changed the lives of some of my fellow concert goers (ahem you know who you are).  Instead of doing my week before music saturation where I listen to everything I can get my hands on, I have been doing more of a post concert saturation.  Since the concert I have been listening to The Weepies intensely.  The more I listen the more I like.  I think The Weepies is a band that grows on you.  It grew on me.  And the concert sparked my interest more (this is why I go to shows for bands I don't know).

Can't get enough of this song

Ingrid Michaelson.  That is all that needs to be said, but for the sake of this post I will expound.  I wish I were as cool as Ingrid.  She is always amazing.  We went to her show last year and I am still talking about it. Maybe it is just her SLC shows, but she is so funny and so easy to talk with.  Not that I talked to her.  It is just the way she talks to the audience from the stage, makes you feel like you could hang out and talk for hours (not in that way...friends).  She played some of my favorites and a few of new stuff.  Check out her parachute song (acoustic is awesome).

Simply wonderful

Lastly, I went to the Sufjan Stevens show on Monday at Kingsbury Hall.  What an interesting venue for a concert like this.  It was a little awkward when you wanted to get up and dance, but people are seating behind you.  The show was complete with awesome choreography and Halloween costumes. 
I like Sufjan's music.  His older stuff is more my speed than his new stuff, but I still like it.  But I am not hipster enough for a Sufjan concert.  It was a sea of skinny jeans, old sweaters and ballet flats (not that these are exclusively bad or hipster, but you know the hipster look I am talking about).

If you are a huge Sufjan fan stop reading here if you want to be friends. You may not like me for what I am about to say.

This was one show I could have missed.   My take on the show.  Introduce Sufjan Stevens, great musical artist who thinks very highly of himself and hipster religious leader.  Sufjan talked about the cosmos, shared a long story of some crazy dude who inspired his new music and generally talked like he was on some higher spiritual level.  Whoa buddy.  We just meet.  This is awkward.  But the hipsters seemed to eat it up, maybe it is in the skinny jeans (which I can't joke about too  much, I have skinny jeans). 

I will continue to listen to his music.  The concert actually helped me like his new stuff more than I would have if I had only listened to it.  But as far as drinking his kool-aid, I'll stick to my sticker covered Nalgene water bottle (my type of crunchy).

Give me my classic Sufjan Stevens

Golf, Dew & Baseball



Watch out woman driver

This weekend was filled with summer first.  It was my first time driving a golf cart.  It was my first time seeing Neon Trees.  It was also my first time almost breaking a toe hitting at the batting cages.  I know the last one seems really interesting, but we have to start in order. 

GOLF CART
Friday we got out of work a couple hours early to play 9 holes of golf.  We divided up into teams and played what is called "best ball" golf.  This means everyone on the team hits and whoever has the best ball (best hit, usually the furthest) we all get to hit from their spot for our next hit.  I am very proud to say that even though I am a girl who has only played golf once (when I was 14) I actually had the best ball several times.  Because there were only 3 players on our team, I got to drive my very own golf cart.  I have never been in one before and it was AWESOME.  I had a blast weaving in and out of trees and even practicing doing figure eights in reverse.

First swing of the day (and it actually was a good hit)

DEW TOUR & NEON TREES
After golf a few friends and I headed over to the Dew Tour to watch some wicked cool BMX and FMX.  The tricks were scary which makes it exciting to watch.

FMX (Freestyle Motorcross)

Look mom! No hands!

After the tricks we head out to watch the Paper Tongues and Neon Trees perform.  Paper Tongues...not a fan.  Really cheesy.  They were trying too hard to be cool.  Neon Trees was much more natural and great performers.  The downside to the show were all the preteens whose parents let them run around the streets of SLC unsupervised to annoy the rest of the population with immaturity.  But I guess it did make it easier to watch the show over top of them (most weren't talker then my shoulders).

BASEBALL & TOES
Alright now to the broken toe (almost).  As part of the work golf activity on Friday we had our annual work BBQ Saturday evening at Mulligan's in Sandy.  We ate food and got free reign of the facility's activities.  Which means I hit 4 tokens worth of balls in the batting cages and a large bucket of golf balls.  It was on my third token I got my first battle scare. A blister had form and proceeded to detach itself from the rest of my thumb in a not so pleasant stinging sensation, but that wouldn't keep my from using my last token.  That pride in how tough I am lead to my second battle scare for the evening.  I had been hitting very well (some might say that I was better than my big tough guy friend who can hit home runs), but a suggestion from that friend had me changing up my hitting style.  One time was all it took to hit the ball awkwardly and have the ball slam right into my toes, breaking off 2 toes nails and bruising my middle toe.  Luckily, no permanent damage done.  I finished out the token because truthfully I think the blister hurt a lot worse.

Gaslight Concert

I saw Gaslight Anthem last night at The Depot.  It was a great show.  Despite having beer spilled on me and the band stopping to break up a fight down front (both are part of my Depot concert tradition it seems) I am pretty sure I'll see them every time they come to town.  They know how to put on a show.  And I have a theory they were concert junkies back in the day too because they were so chill when stupid drunk fans would jump up on stage and dance and sing with them.

Great tunes, great show

Lead singer, Brian Fallon was the best part of the show.  I could have watched him sing all night.  His facial expression and his dimples were so great.  Fallon was a great singer and very funny.  He had personal interactions with the crowd which makes for an entertaining show.



I love his face

Side note - the lead singer of Neon Trees, Tyler Glenn was at the show, standing right in front of me.  We are new BFFs.  I'll see them tonight at the Dew Tour.

Neon Trees (Tyler has the blue bow tie)

Tuesday Concerts in the Park

 Tuesday

• Concerts in the Park

Reminder!  FREE music on both Tuesday and Friday.  Since Tuesday are usually a slower night for activities I'd say hit up the concerts on Tuesday and save Friday for other fun with your peeps.

Listening to music with the backdrop of the Salt Lake mountains what could be better. The LDS church hosts concerts are every Tuesday and Friday during June - Aug at the Brigham Young Historic Park.  June and July concerts begin at 8:00 PM August concerts begin at 7:30 PM.  There are some chairs set up, but bring a blanket and seat on the lawn.  Very family friendly activity.  The park is located at the southeast corner of State Street and North Temple (Second Avenue).

Brigham Young Park Concert Schedule

Friday & Saturday Salt Lake Happenings

Friday

• Concerts in the Park

Photo courtesy www.lds.org

FREE music. Listening to music on a backdrop of the majestic Salt Lake mountains, what could be better. The LDS church hosts concerts are every Tuesday and Friday during June - Aug at the Brigham Young Historic Park. June and July concerts begin at 8:00 PM August concerts begin at 7:30 PM. There are some chairs set up, but bring a blanket and seat on the lawn. Very family friendly activity. The park is located at the southeast corner of State Street and North Temple (Second Avenue).

Brigham Young Park Concert Schedule

• Sugar House Farmer's Market

New this year, the Sugar House Farmers Market is sure to be a fantastic Friday night activity.  The word has already spread and all 24 booth spaces have been filled.  The market will be held on the side street on the south side of 2100 S at 1100 E.  Starting July 9 and running until Oct 15, every Friday from 3 PM to dusk. 

Sugar House Farmers Market Website

• Broadway Summer Stroll

Also new this year SLC presents the Broadway Summer Stroll (summer's version of the Gallery Stroll). This is only every 3rd Friday of the month from June to Aug.

Broadway Summer Stroll Info

Gallery Stroll Info

 Saturday

• Downtown Farmers Market

Have a full weekend of markets.  Hit up the Sugar House market Friday then jump over to the Downtown Farmers Market on Saturday.  The Salt Lake Farmers Market is held every Saturday June 12 to Oct 16 at Pioneer Park (same location as this year's Twilight Concert Series).  Full of arts, crafts, food and produce the farmers market is a favorite Saturday activity.  Bring cash and your reusable bag (every good farmer's marketer should have one) and load up on fresh fruits and veggies locally grown.  I usually go for the jewelry. FYI - The vendors on the sidewalk of 400S are technically not part of the farmers market.  They have permits from the city to set up booths in that area, but really who cares if they are "officially" part of the farmers market, it is still great stuff.

Downtown Salt Lake Farmers Market

Get Your Art On - Utah Arts Festival

 Event Notice
Utah Arts Festival - Starts Tonight
Dates: Thursday, June 24 - Sunday, June 27
Time: Noon to 11PM daily


Oh Joy!  I love the Utah Arts Festival.  The first year I really remember hearing about the arts festival (I mean really remember it) was 7 years ago.  My brother-in-law was part of the "Brew Crew" (Yes, that is the beer guys) and my sister was talking about getting tickets for free.  Sadly, it took me a few more years to attend.

My first festival experience:
A few years back a friend of mine had worked on a film that was participating in the short film contest held at the arts festival.  We ate great ethnic food, we watched creative short films and we strolled the booths.  It was such a great evening it was hard to not come back every night.  A year later I attended to see a free concert. 

The Utah Arts Festival has something for everyone (unless you are one of those people who is never happy with anything).  There is great music, films, food, art and crafts.  You can really make the UAF whatever you would like.  Usually, I attend for the food, it is my favorite part.  I love eating ethnic food.  There are rows of food vendors there with every variety of food you could imagine.  I recommend going with a group and each sampling something different.

Located at Library Square, the festival covers the area from 300 East to the City & County Bldg and from 400 South to 500 South.
Not Free!  Check out link below to see ticket prices.  But don't forget to look around discounts.  You can get $2 off for riding your bike.  This year the UAF held a concert the week before (CAKE! was incredible) and gave out 2 for 1 vouchers.

Art courtesy UAF website (Leia Bell)

Every year the UAF picks an artist to design the art for the festival.  This years artwork was provided by Leia Bell.  Along with her art for the UAF she does most of the concert posters for Kilby Court.  I love what she did for the arts festival, each image is a different landscape of Utah.  Check out Leia Bell's work.

More details of the Utah Arts Festival complete with booth and concert info -  http://www.uaf.org/

Thursday Nights in SLC

Thursday nights are hopping around SLC.  Below is a list of a few FREE things to do on Thursday night in Salt Lake City. 

 Thursday

• Twilight Concert Series

Photo courtesy www.visitsaltlake.com

Usually held at the Gallivan Center, concerts this summer will be held at Pioneer Park.  The park has been cleaned up a lot in the last few years and is actually very nice although still not used much due to its proximity to the homeless shelter.   I will be interested to see where they build the stage and how everyone fits in the park.

The Twilight concert series has grown in popularity get there early and be prepared to be smash up against your friends and random strangers.  Concerts are free and happen every Thursday starting July 8, running thru Aug 26.

2010 Twilight Concert Schedule

• Jazz on the Plaza

Photo courtesy www.directoryofsaltlakecity.com

No, this is not the Utah Jazz.  We are talking Jazz music.  Head over to the Plaza (Plaza is on the North end, by the fountain & Barnes & Noble) at the Gateway Mall in downtown SLC for some good tunes.  Free!  Thursdays in June & July from 6:30-8:30 PM.

Gateway Jazz Schedule

• Movies Under The Stars

Photos courtesy of Movies Under the Stars Facebook Group

Movies under the stars at the Utah State Capitol is a great family friendly activity.  Films are shown at dusk on the southwest corner lawn.  Admission is FREE. Although I have never experienced the same romance as displayed in the movie "The Wedding Planner," it could bring luck to you.  Bring picnics, blankets, and friends.  Go early for some live local music. 

FYI the trees around the capitol are great for slacklining.

Movies Under The Stars Movie Schedule