A Twilight Zone, the chronicling of Salt Lake City denizens looking for music, adventure, & life at the Twilight Concert Series…

Martyn

And so we’ve finally come to the beginning, ending a drought of park concerts since around this time last year. The Twilight 2017 Concert Series has commenced and the musical acts ushering in these ultimate days of summer played one exemplary opening concert. To my and other’s disbelief (or relatively minimal confusion as to ‘why?’), this was my first Salt Lake Twilight concert as I only started listening to music in the most recent past. 

Having satiated my hunger and finding a water bottle for the evening from a friend, I received my lanyarded pass and walked towards the entrance with strides on lanyarded confidence. Inside, the sun cast an oppressive glow on the field as the opening band Angel Magic began to set up.  A local dream/synth/pop band given this Twilight spotlight is a quantifiably gargantuan opportunity and their sound carried wonderfully through the park. This was obvious because several fans were encouragingly shouting ‘your sound carries wonderfully through this park!’. Technical errors aside (a keyboard ran out of D batteries (PSA please carry D batteries)),  Angel Magic’s dreamy vocals and musical arrangements were able to make the crowd dance and behold! the keyboard still worked on the batteries running dry.

Around the time the next artist,  Xenia Rubinos, took the stage, there was the aforementioned and highly looked forward to twilight setting in and around Pioneer Park casting a steady glow amongst vendors and patrons. I hadn’t listened to her music so my expectations were set in absentia, and although the music lacked a certain solidarity of form, Xenia and her band put on an impressive set. Her movements were, as a friend put it, ‘a whole body doing a jazz hand’. I then tried my own turn at this dancing and fell over. Xenia’s lyrics repeated strong themes of identity and her powerful clear voice made the music second to what she was saying. It worked in synchrony.

Headliners Little Dragon were finally taking the stage in a grand entrance of ethereal proportions. With her large headdress (matching her fingernail color mind you), lead singer Yukimi Nagano looked majestic and overwhelming. Ushering in their set with a newer song, “Celebrate”, the rest of Little Dragon was pure dance magic. Lights, motion, and song blended into pure ecstasy emotion. The band played wonderfully from start to finish with a neon glow of orange surrounding Yukimi’s headdress. I wandered ethereally between the crowd and food trucks on the fringes of the crowd and felt at peace.

Little Dragon finished their set with much longer remixes of their music which ignited the atmosphere around the stage. Once it was over, I walked out in the Salt Lake City night, wondering if anyone still had water. Settling for an answer of no, I descended into the city, awaiting the next show.

Nick

The stage is set, I can tell the crowd is charged up and the show hasn’t even started yet. Twilight is really incredible to have local artists at the top of their shows, it gives us something to connect with as a community. Tonight’s local spot light was Angel Magic. Their music has gumption, very fun synths, reverberating vocals, and emotionally charged expression. The duo are solid performers, focused on their craft. Angel Magic could be music for ethereal exposes. It was a very beautiful day, a nice billowing sky provided ample shade on a hot afternoon.

Then Xenia Rubinos came on. What a nasty groove that lady has got in her. Everyone in the front row lost their entire heads of hair. I don’t know if it was radiation from the UFO or excessive head banging. It may have very well been the way Michael Bouchelli kept on slapping the bass like he was mad at it. Xenia gave us a rap in Spanish. The drummer rewired his drums and changed up his sound. I’m not sure what this technique is called. It sounds cool though. Xenia is very multi talented. Playing the keyboard and singing. So much soul in this band. She was unstoppable sporting an all purple jumpsuit cinched at the waist with a fabulous belt. Xenia Rubinos finished off with vibing and some funky rapping.

After a minute the clouds got thick and a warm mist filled the crowd, It was time for the Swedish-based band Little Dragon, adorned in a thin red silk sheet Yukimi Nagano entered, with cool drummer Erick Bodin, slick bass player Källgren Wallin and Håkan Wirenstrand killing it on the keyboards. Excellent progression, incredible drops, and beautiful distortion of lovely bells. It makes one feel like they are at home and comfortable. The ground opened up beneath us and swallowed the whole concert. As we fell into the eternal abyss of night Little Dragon did not skip a beat. They proceeded to play their whole set as we fell together. Twas’ very good! Folks dancing, falling. We landed in a different location than when we started and we all had to go with it.

What a fantastic evening of fun and music. We’re all looking forward to what the next concert of Kurt Vile & the Violaters will bring, and what chaotic beauty Twilight has in store.