In addition to the minimal stripped-down feel, Kilby Court is known for bringing in all kinds of eclectic bands and artists. From big names in the underground scene to aspiring local musicians to major headliners, the long-running venue never fails to give the people of Salt Lake a show they won’t forget. This past Thursday was no different.
Before any head-banging and stage diving, Saved by Sex’s very own Mari Ericksen gave a killer acoustic performance prior to the main set. The local artist began with her own rendition of ‘Down in a Willow Garden’, which could have been one of the best versions I’ve heard of the hauntingly beautiful folk tune. Accompanied by the winter winds howling outside, she performed several original songs with only her vintage-sounding voice and guitar in hand. With themes of depression, breakups, and an existential crisis, her songwriting was deeply personal and resonated with everyone around her. While her individual set was a complete 180 from the rest of the lineup, the crowd was nonetheless captivated by her authenticity and grace.
Switching gears from the soft heartbreak lullabies, the four-man garage punk band known as Sleep Cult gave their second performance at the famous bare-bones venue, which followed their recent tour. After having the Salt Lake locals in our very own K-UTE studio for an interview earlier this year, I was excited to see how the laid-back musicians bring their in-your-face presence onstage.
Lead singer Bryson Michael did not hold back, his energy was full throttle the entire way through, surpassing their studio recordings. Giving him a break from the screaming, guitarist Isaac McCune took over lead vocals for a song which was a nice change of pace. It was hard to keep your eyes off of Jerik VanPatten with his fiery spirit on drums. There wasn’t a dull moment from him or from Dominic Taylor who killed it on bass. Their set consisted of tracks off their latest album Who Am I?, singles from earlier this year, some covers, and a couple of unreleased songs from their new album expected to arrive in the next coming weeks.
Following them came another Salt Lake City punk band: Saved by Sex. The girl group walked out on stage already hyped up, and they only got more electric as the night went on. Their lead singer blew it out of the water with her rambunctious voice and angsty demeanor. Jumping up on elevated surfaces and into the arms of those in front of her, she embodied musicians well before her time. Giggly and smiling the entire duration of the show, the group had a stage presence leading me to believe they had performed hundreds of times before. I was obsessed with their sound, especially on a track they said was written by their drummer Lily. Their songs were fast-paced and infectious, you could feel them flowing through your veins. The only part that bummed me out was after the show I wanted to blast their music in my eleven-minute drive home, but it looks like they don’t have any music on Spotify quite yet (if Saved by Sex is reading this right now, please know I’m begging you). They performed original tracks that–in my professional opinion–need to be heard by everyone. They closed out the night with an incredible performance of ‘I Wanna Be Your Dog’ by The Stooges, hair-whipping and stage-diving included.
The entire night was something out of the 1990s Seattle grunge era. Each band had its own style, complimenting each other with elements of hardcore metal and punk. It was refreshing to see such a vibrant passion for punk, both from the crowd and the audience. Our punk-depraved generation needs fresh sounds like these and it’s encouraging to see Salt Lake City supporting it with such enthusiasm. Each musician was in the front row of each other’s sets, close friends were taking videos, and the energy of the crowd was wild despite it not being a packed venue. It all goes to show how connected the music scene in our Salt Lake community truly is.
Overall it was a phenomenal show, if you have the chance to see either band, make sure to check them out–and keep an eye out for the Loco for Locals episode featuring Sleep Cult co-hosted by yours truly.