At the Heart of Salt Lake's Music Scene

Locals familiar with the Salt Lake City music scene know at the heart of it is the intimate venue Kilby Court, one of the longest continuously running all-ages venues in the United States. It was first established in 1999 as a DIY art and music gallery. “It served as a space for artistic expression that could be accessible to everyone, whether you were a touring artist or a local trying to get your foot in the door,” says S&S, the local music promotion company founded by Lance Saunders and Will Sartain, that owns Kilby and several other music venues in Salt Lake—including Urban Lounge and Metro Music Hall. With a capacity of 200, the DIY, garage-style atmosphere of the venue invites close artist-crowd interaction, providing an unadulterated live music experience and a safe haven for community bonding. “It’s the type of place where you can simply exist in the moment, seemingly surrounded by 200 of your closest friends, while the artist sings directly to you,” S&S says.

An Amazing Mix of Local and Up-and-coming National Artists 

Kilby Court is renowned for hosting a mix of Utah-based artists and up-and-coming touring artists. It’s not uncommon for someone to see their best friend’s first live show one night and the very next evening watch a Grammy-nominated artist (which happened to me a couple years back—I saw the indie pop and R&B artist Arlo Parks, a 2021 Best New Artist nominee). “I think to a lot of people, Kilby Court is more than just a live music venue,” S&S says. “It’s a community and a place to call home.” One of the greatest feelings is seeing amazing artists at Kilby “before they were big.” And why wouldn’t you brag to your friends about that when that group of artists includes Phoebe Bridgers, J.I.D., Vampire Weekend, Sylvan Esso, The War on Drugs, Doja Cat, Omar Apollo, and Mac Miller.

Kilby Court Block Party 2019: the First Year

In 2019, S&S decided to hold the first ever Kilby Block Party as a 20th Anniversary party for the venue, which featured mostly local artists—such as Ritt Momney and the National Parks—alongside larger, national acts, including Kilby-alum Death Cab for Cutie. “We had so much fun putting it together and received such a great response from the community that we decided it should be an annual celebration of the venue's legacy,” S&S says.

2022-2023: The Party Got Bigger, and BIGGER

Every year since then, except for 2020 at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Block Party has grown bigger and better. In 2022, the festival moved location from 700 South (Kilby Court's location) to Library Square in Downtown, which provided enough space for 36 artists to play on four different stages across two days. It’s an understatement to say it was a huge success—drawing in thousands of music lovers with big-name musicians from indie heart-throbs Phoebe Bridgers and Mac DeMarco to teenager-loved acts Steve Lacey and Clairo.

The 2023 Kilby Court Block Party added another day of performances and moved to an even bigger location at the Utah State Fairpark. 2023's list of amazing artists drew in thousands of music fans: The Strokes, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Run the Jewels, Pavement, Japanese Breakfast, Pixies, Dominic Fike, Caroline Polachek, and local favorites The Backseat Lovers and Backhand, among 49 other performers.

2024 Will Be the Biggest Block Party Yet

The 2024 Kilby Block Party returns to the Utah State Fairpark at 155 North 1000 West, with three jam-packed days of amazing bands and performances on four stages, and is the celebration of 25 years of Kilby Court. It's scheduled this year for the weekend of May 10-12 with 70 bands performing, and includes amazing names like LCD Soundsystem, The Postal Service, Vampire Weekend, Death Cab for Cutie, Interpol, and so many more. Check out the full line up and find ticket links on Kilby's web site.

S&S explains the main goal of the Block Party has always been to bring people together. “The Kilby Block Party is a way of celebrating the vibrancy of our community and the love we share for our beautiful city,” S&S says. They added it’s integral to the festival to give Utah-based artists a platform of this caliber. “KBP is about celebrating everything that Kilby Court represents and Kilby Court would not be the same without our incredible local music scene,” S&S says.

BEYOND KILBY: Utah Music Festivals & Concert Series

Salt Lake Twilight Series

The excitement of Utah music festivals doesn’t stop at the Block Party. The Salt Lake Twilight Concert series, a summer run of concerts from touring artists paired with local openers, has been around in some form for 36 years. The list of notable acts from the past could go on forever, but they range from alternative rock band Modest Mouse in 2010 to hip-hop group The Roots in 2017 to dream-pop artist Beach House to the R&B Thundercat in 2021. The lineup for 2024 features the singer-songwriter Laufey from Iceland, American folk duo Watchhouse, and alternative/indie musician Alex G, among others. There will be six shows, held from June to August.

Red Butte Concert Series

A favorite way to experience live music in Salt Lake has long been the Red Butte Concert Series, an eclectic mix of current touring acts and past favorites. The setting could not be more beautiful - the stage is set in the beautiful Red Butte Garden at the base of the mountains. This summer's bands include the likes of Blues Traveler, Trombone Shorty, Portugal. The Man, Pat Benatar & Neil Giraldo, The Beach Boys, Vance Joy, and more, running 30 shows all summer long between June 4 and September 2. Watching a show with the sun setting over the city below on one side and the glow on the towering mountains on the other side is an experience not to be missed. 

Craft Lake City

Lastly, Craft Lake City is holding the 16th Annual DIY Festival, “Utah’s largest local-centric art, music, science and technology festival,” according to their website. In a three-day event held annually during the second weekend of August  (this year, August 9–11), the festival will feature over 350 local artisans, vintage vendors, foodies, youth entrepreneurs, performers, and STEM exhibitors at the Utah State Fairpark. The music performers have yet to be announced, but keep an eye out for exciting acts on both the Utah-local and national front.