Nathan Pacheco Christmas Concert 2024

I tagged along with my sister Marilyn and her friend Kelli to Nathan Pachecho's Christmas concert at Abravanel Hall last year and I loved it so much I got a ticket for this year's concert and tagged along again (although this year I was one of the cool kids and was invited to dinner at Little America before the show). The concert was last night and, once again, Pacheco put on an amazing show. He began with "God Bless Us Everyone" from the movie Scrooge and "Hark! The Herald Angel Sings" and then told the crowd that it would be an eclectic evening with both Christmas songs and other songs he likes to perform. Then he proceeded to sing "Nessun Dorma" from Puccini's opera Turandot, "Questa O Quello" from Verdi's opera Rigoletto, and "Time to Say Goodbye" just because he can (he is a classically trained tenor with an incredible voice). He called the next section the musical theatre portion of the concert and sang "Bring Him Home" from Les Miserables (this gave me goosebumps) and "Who We Become" from his own musical Beloved. Next came emotional renditions of "Come As You Are" and "Forever" from his album Higher. He returned to Christmas songs with a beautiful performance of "Mary, Did You Know?' and then continued with "Angels We Have Heard on High," "O Come, O Come Emmanuel" (this was a dramatic arrangement featuring the cello and I loved it), "White Christmas," and "Silent Night." He sang a powerful version of "I Believe in Christ" which brought everyone at Abravanel Hall to their feet. I first learned about Nathan Pacheco when he was a guest vocalist at one of Kurt Bestor's Christmas concerts and he sang one of the best versions of "O Holy Night" that I have ever heard. I was really hoping that he would sing it last night and I was thrilled when he ended the concert with it. I have been so lucky to hear this performed live four times this season (this was my final Christmas concert this year) and I think I saved the best for last because I had goosebumps through the whole thing. For the encore, he performed "The Prayer" which is one of his best known songs. I thoroughly enjoyed this concert because every song he sang was beautiful and he was so charming with the crowd! I hope that I will be able to see him again next year.

Note:  During dinner we talked about the song we each hoped that he would sing.  I, of course, wanted to hear "O Holy Night," Marilyn wanted to hear "Nessun Dorma," Kelli wanted to hear "I Believe in Christ," and Teri (Kelli's daughter-in-law) wanted to hear "The Prayer."  All four of us got to hear our favorites so the night was a complete success!

Christmas with the Tabernacle Choir 2024

Whenever I am not selected in the lottery for tickets to the Christmas with the Tabernacle Choir concerts (which is often), I do the next best thing and attend the Music and the Spoken Word broadcast on the following Sunday because the guest artists usually perform a shortened version of the same program.  This year the guests artists were Ruthie Ann Miles (known for her Tony Award-winning performance as Lady Thiang from The King and I on Broadway) and Dennis Haysbert (known for playing David Palmer on the TV show 24) and they joined the choir, the Orchestra at Temple Square, the Bells at Temple Square, and the Gabriel Trumpet Ensemble yesterday morning at the Conference Center.  The choir began with a beautiful arrangement of "O Come, O Come Emmanuel" while standing in the aisles holding lights and then they marched to the stage (it was perfectly coordinated and I was quite impressed) singing "'Twas Midnight in the Stable."  Miles joined the choir for a stirring rendition of "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing" which was followed by performances of "Welcome Christmas Morning!" by the orchestra and "Good King Wenceslas" by Brian Mathias on the organ.  The choir continued with "What Shall We Give?" which I had never heard before but found very moving.  Next, Haysbert read the Christmas story from Luke 2 (he has such a distinctive voice so this was very dramatic).  The broadcast concluded with "Angels From the Realms of Glory" with Miles and this was spectacular (I had goosebumps).  The Christmas concert usually features an uplifting true story and this year's was called "A Season for Shepherds."  After the broadcast ended the audience was able to hear this story, recounting the experiences of Dr. Charles Mulli and his family in helping generations of disadvantaged children in Kenya, narrated by Haysbert who was quite emotional.  I found Mulli's story incredibly inspiring, especially when he came to the stage and challenged the audience to care for the poor.  This was another wonderful Christmas concert and I particularly loved the overall message about service this year.  I'm glad I made the effort to attend.

Mannheim Steamroller Christmas at the Eccles 2024

I have seen the Mannheim Steamroller Christmas concert many times but I just can't resist getting a ticket whenever they come to town.  Even though I originally decided not to go this year I ended up getting a ticket to the matinee yesterday and I really loved the show!  Musicians Mark Agnor on violin, Tali Rubenstein on percussion and recorder, Tom Sharpe on drums, Christopher Forte on guitar and bass, Anna Lackaff on keyboard, and Zachary Adamson on harpsichord and keyboard, along with the Mannheim Steamroller Orchestra, performed music originally arranged by Chip Davis featuring a unique fusion of classical, medieval, and contemporary sounds.  This concert mostly featured music from the group's many Christmas albums but there were also a few selections from the Fresh Aire albums including "Pass The Keg (Lia)," "Toccata," and "Come Home to the Sea" (which is a favorite of mine).  Since I really love Christmas music, I enjoyed hearing "Hallelujah," Renaissance and rock versions of "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen," "Traditions of Christmas," "O Little Town of Bethlehem," "Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer," "Christmas Lullaby," "Catching Snowflakes On Your Tongue" (snow fell in the Eccles Theatre during this number), "Fairies" (which is a fun arrangement of "Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairies" from the Nutcracker Suite by Tchaikovsky), "Little Drummer Boy," and "Winter Wonderland."  They ended the first set with "Cantique de Noel (O Holy Night)" which made me so happy because it is my favorite Christmas song (I bet you didn't know that!) and this particular arrangement is especially beautiful.  After the intermission they continued with "Feliz Navidad" (which I had never heard before), "Do You Hear What I Hear," "Joy to the World," "Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow," and "Good King Wenceslas" which is one of their most popular songs.  The concert concluded with a festive rendition of "Carol of the Bells."  It was so much fun to watch the musicians play because they are very theatrical.  I loved it when Tom Sharpe would twirl and toss his drumsticks in the air and I don't think I've ever seen anyone play the triangle more dramatically than Anna Lackaff!  I also liked the different lighting effects and the laser shows (which replaced many of the usual videos shown year after year).  My only complaint is that they didn't play "Pat-A-Pan" which is my very favorite Mannheim Steamroller song but I thoroughly enjoyed this concert and, as always, I am glad that I changed my mind and got a ticket!

Leslie Odom, Jr. at the Eccles

Last night I was able to combine my love of Christmas music with my love of the original cast of Hamilton.  I went with my friend Wendy to see Leslie Odom, Jr. in a Christmas concert at the Eccles Theatre and it was absolutely amazing!  I am still on a high from it!  He took the stage dressed all in black with his insanely talented band, including Chris Cadenhead on piano, Steven Walker on guitar, Eric England on bass, and David Chiverton on drums (all of whom had extended solos all night which thrilled the audience), and played selections from his two Christmas albums, Simply Christmas and The Christmas Album.  I really love his jazz interpretations of Christmas classics and I enjoyed hearing "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas," "My Favorite Things," "The Christmas Waltz," "The Christmas Song," "First Noel," "Please Come Home for Christmas," "Last Christmas," "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen," and "O Tannenbaum" (sung in German).  He also sang a beautiful rendition of "Christmas" by Pete Townshend as well as his own original songs "Snow," "Winter Song" and "Cold" (which was one of my favorites).  He was joined by his band members all around him for some stirring a capella versions of the Sam Cooke songs "Jesus Gave Me Water" and "He's So Wonderful" and these got the audience cheering as if we were at an old-fashioned gospel revival!  He then recited "Twas The Night Before Christmas" which was absolutely mesmerizing and I was reminded that he is not only a beautiful singer with a velvety smooth voice but he is also a talented actor!  He continued with an exquisite performance of "Ave Maria" and then ended his set with "Heaven & Earth" (which was another of my favorites).  For the encore he sang acoustic versions of "Merry Christmas Darling" and the Sam Cooke song "I Wish You Love" which was a lovely way to end the concert.  In between those songs he performed an acoustic version of "Wait For It" from Hamilton (he apologized that it wasn't a Christmas song but I can assure you that no one in the audience minded) and it was incredible!  It was so thrilling to be able to see Leslie Odom, Jr. again and I loved every minute of this concert!

A Kurt Bestor Christmas at the Eccles 2024

 A Kurt Bestor Christmas has become one of my favorite holiday traditions (I absolutely love his arrangements of Christmas music) and I thoroughly enjoyed this year's concert at the Eccles Theatre last night.  He began with his versions of "Deck the Halls," "Joy to the World," and "I Wonder as I Wander" (a favorite of mine).  Then he brought his first guest, thirteen-year-old soprano Lillian Breeze Manning, to the stage and she sang an incredible arrangement of "Pie Jesu" which brought the audience to their feet!  She continued with "Mary Did You Know?" which was also very beautiful.  Next came a fun arrangement of "Christmas Time Is Here" with snippets of other Christmas songs (and a Charlie Brown Christmas tree).  Bestor continued with "Prayer for the Children" which is probably his most well-known song and then "O Holy Night" which is what I was most hoping to hear (it is my favorite Christmas song and I really love his arrangement of it).  He finished his first set with "Suite de Noel" which highlighted every section in his band and orchestra.  After the intermission, he performed "Ode to Joy" from his forthcoming album Etches which features classical pieces reimagined for the solo piano.  Next came "I Saw Three Ships" and then he performed a medley of three pieces, "Bring a Torch, Jeanette, Isabella," "We Three Kings," and "Feliz Navidad," which featured a Caribbean-inspired beat and extended solos from Michael Dowdle on guitar, Carlitos del Puerto on bass, and Eric Valentine on drums (it was very cool).  He brought his next guest, violinist Caroline Campbell, to the stage for a mashup of "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" and "Carol of the Bells" which was amazing!  She continued with "In the Bleak Midwinter" and then a rousing rendition of a Celtic-inspired arrangement of "Ding Dong Merrily on High" which I really loved!  He continued the tradition of having someone from the audience narrate "Twas the Night Before Christmas" while performing amusing songs to go with it.  This year he picked a man named Steve who looked like Santa Claus and, when he accidentally skipped a page in the story, he said it was because Bestor didn't give him a chance to rehearse!  The concert concluded, as it often does, with a beautiful performance of "Silent Night" with Manning and Campbell.  As always, this was a beautiful concert and I loved every minute of it.  There are three more performances and I definitely recommend getting a ticket (go here).

Gentri Christmas at the Eccles 2024

I love hearing Christmas music performed live so I was really excited to go to my first Christmas concert of the season with Gentri at the Eccles Theatre.  The Gentlemen Trio, or Gentri as they are more commonly known, was established when Casey Elliott, Bradley Quinn Lever, and Brad Robins were cast in a production of Les Miserables at HCT and then continued singing together when the run was over because their voices blend so well.  This was the third time I've seen their Christmas show and I think this one was my favorite because it was just them without any other guests.  They began the concert with an arrangement of "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" with snippets from "The Carol of the Bells" and then performed a rousing rendition of "He Is Born The Heavenly Child" which I had never heard before but really loved.  They continued with "I Saw Three Ships" and then a beautiful version of "Still, Still, Still" which is one of my favorite Christmas songs because I sang it in choir when I was in college.  Next came their arrangement of "Noel" (which also contained snippets of "The Carol of the Bells") followed by a very moving version of "I Heard The Bells on Christmas Day."  I always hope that I will hear "O Holy Night" (it has been my favorite Christmas song ever since I was a little girl) and their version did not disappoint because, while most singers build to a powerful crescendo at the end, they sing it very softly and it is so beautiful.  They ended their first set with "The Little Drummer Boy" which is one of their most popular songs.  After the intermission they performed a mashup of "Coventry Carol" and "Poor Wayfaring Stranger" with dramatic themes by the cello (this was my favorite song at last year's concert) and then "Bring a Torch, Jeanette, Isabella" which is another favorite from my college choir days.  Next they had their music director Stephen Nelson arrange a piece on the spot from an iconic movie score and a Christmas song suggested by the audience (they do this every year).  Our audience picked the theme form Raiders of the Lost Ark and "I Heard The Bells on Christmas Day" and it was actually amazing!  My favorite moment came next when they performed "Defying Gravity" from Wicked (I have now seen the movie three times) to the absolute delight of the crowd!  Their version was so good!  To conclude the concert they performed "Mary Did You Know," "Away in a Manger," "Love Is Alive" (with audience participation), and "O Come, All Ye Faithful" while narrating the Christmas story in between them.  I loved this concert and it was the perfect way to start the holiday season!

The Eagles at the Sphere

Seeing U2 at the Sphere was an incredible experience so when I heard that the Eagles would be doing a residency there I knew I had to get a ticket.  I took a road trip to Las Vegas for the first show Friday night and it was absolutely amazing!  I ended up sitting by some people from Virginia who were big fans but had never seen the Eagles before and they were so excited.  While we waited for the show to start we tried to guess what the first song would be and they suggested "Take It Easy" because it was their first big hit and I thought it would be "Seven Bridges Road" because they often start with it but it was actually "Hotel California" which they usually perform during the encore!  I tried to prepare them for how immersive the three-dimensional images would look on the state-of-the-art screens but they just about lost their minds when a car on a dark desert highway appeared to drive right into the audience!  The images also take the audience through a dark corridor with burning sconces to check in and then to a courtyard for a feast.  It was seriously so cool!  I also really loved the visuals for "Witchy Woman" (the band performs in a haunted forest), "Tequila Sunrise" (the sun slowly appears through the clouds), "In the City" (apartment buildings get bigger and bigger until they surround Joe Walsh during an epic guitar solo), "New Kid in Town" (filmstrips featuring archival photos and videos of the band are configured and reconfigured into 3-D cubes), "Life's Been Good" (archival photos and videos spin around the band as they play), "The Boys of Summer" (a couple runs on a beach then they swim underwater), and "Life in the Fast Lane" (a car races along the Las Vegas strip).  They also performed "Lyin' Eyes," "Take It to the Limit," "Peaceful Easy Feeling," "I Can't Tell You Why," "Seven Bridges Road," "Those Shoes," "Already Gone," "Take It Easy," and "Rocky Mountain Way" with a live feed of the band performing on the screens (there is not a bad seat in the venue because all of the images appear at eye level).  The encore included an incredibly emotional version of "Desperado," with silhouettes of an orchestra performing behind a curtain, and "Heartache Tonight" (dedicated to JD Souther), with animated images of gambling.  Vince Gill is such a great addition to the band because, even though he doesn't necessarily sound exactly like Glenn Frey or Randy Meisner, it just somehow sounds right when he sings their songs.  I was also glad to see Deacon Frey back with the band (he looks so much like his dad and sounds a lot like him in the songs "Peaceful Easy Feeling" and "Already Gone").  Neither of them spoke to the crowd but they were heavily featured on the screens.  Don Henley provided most of the commentary (although Joe Walsh was predictably hilarious) and he joked that they were just the house band for all of the high-tech wizardry!  Just like with U2, this was another mind-blowing concert and I recommend getting a ticket (go here) during the residency (they keep adding more shows due to the overwhelming demand).

Note:  Hearing the audience singing along with "Hotel California" gave me goosebumps because it was so loud!

Ben Platt at the Eccles

I love Ben Platt's latest album Honeymind but I especially love the song "Andrew," which was released as the first single several months before the album dropped.  I listened to this song over and over and, every time I did, I would imagine how amazing it would be to hear it live!  So I was absolutely thrilled when the tour was announced and, even though the ticket was more than I wanted to spend, I bought one during the presale (my plan to be more frugal this summer is not going well).  Last night's concert at the Eccles was my first time hearing him live and it was incredible!  He performed quite a few songs from Honeymind including "Right Kind of Reckless" (which opened the show), "All American Queen," "Shoe to Drop," "Monsters," "Cherry on Top," "Before I Knew You" (which ended his main set), and "Andrew" (which definitely did not disappoint and was the highlight of the show for me).  He also performed some of his favorite songs from his previous releases Sing to Me Instead and Reverie (both of which I also love), prefaced with some highly amusing anecdotes, including "Ease My Mind," "Rain," "Share Your Address," a brilliant rendition of "Grow as We Go," and "I Wanna Love You But I Don't."  His covers of James Taylor's "Your Smiling Face" and Joni Mitchell's "River" were fantastic but he blew the roof off of the Eccles Theatre with "Maybe This Time" from Cabaret (his homage to Liza Minnelli was complete with an *ahem* appropriate costume).  For the encore he sang a beautiful medley of "When You Wish Upon a Star" and "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" which was unique to SLC audiences!  Platt is quite the performer and he, and his talented band, put on an amazing show that I won't soon forget.  He was so funny and he sounded even better than his recordings!  I had so much fun because all of the theatre girlies sitting around me were pretty much losing their minds screaming, crying, and singing every single word of every single song at the top of their lungs! Just kidding. It was me. I am theatre girlies!

Note:  I love the song "Andrew" so much because, to me, it is the perfect description of what unrequited love feels like when you are young (even though it is from a queer perspective, many of the feelings evoked are universal).

Hootie & The Blowfish at Utah First Credit Union Amphitheatre

I have been a huge fan of Hootie & The Blowfish ever since their debut album Cracked Rear View was released because I love Darius Rucker's voice.  The first time I saw them in concert I was with both of my sisters and what I remember most is that Rucker kept breaking his guitar strings and a tech would bring him a new guitar every time it happened (even in the middle of songs).  I got to see them again last night at Utah First Credit Union Amphitheatre with one of my sisters and I am happy to report that Rucker didn't break any guitar strings!  They began the show with my very favorite song by the band, "I Go Blind," and then proceeded to play all of their hits.  I especially loved "Time," "Let Her Cry," "Hold My Hand," and "Old Man & Me" (which was a cool mashup with "Mo Money Mo Problems" and "Big Poppa").  They did a really cool acoustic set featuring "Will the Circle Be Unbroken?/ Desert Mountain Showdown" and a cover of "I Hope I Don't Fall in Love With You" by Tom Waits.  These songs had a bluegrass sound that I really liked and I especially enjoyed the mandolin.  They performed quite a few covers and my favorite was "Hey, Hey What Can I Do" by Led Zeppelin (I've heard this live before and it is so good).  Other covers included "For What It's Worth" by Buffalo Springfield, "Interstate Love Song" by Stone Temple Pilots (I loved this), "Losing My Religion" by R.E.M., and a rousing rendition of "Wagon Wheel" by Old Crow Medicine Show.  They brought Edwin McCain, who opened for them, back to the stage to perform McCain's song "Solitude" with them (I didn't recognize McCain's name when the tour was announced but I knew all of the songs in his set, especially "I Could Not Ask for More" and "I'll Be").  I also really enjoyed their performance of "Alright" which is one of Rucker's songs from his country solo career.  The night ended with an epic performance of "Only Wanna Be With You" and I was honestly sad for this concert to end because I enjoyed it so much.  I was so happy to be with my sister because she loves the band as much as I do and we sang all of our favorites!  We kept talking about how good Rucker's voice sounded (we think he might be getting better with age) and how tight all of the musicians were.  It was incredibly hot but it cooled down once Hootie took the stage so it was a perfect summer night listening to music that I love!

Note:  The other opening act was Collective Soul.  Other than a stirring rendition of "The World I Know," I was a bit underwhelmed with their set (especially when they played "Shine" twice in a row).  I really wanted to hear "Tremble for My Beloved."

The Magic of Queen at Sandy Amphitheater

I think Sandy Amphitheater is a great venue (it has a similar vibe to the Utah First Credit Union Amphitheatre but without all of the hassle of getting in and out) for summer concerts and the one there last night was so much fun!  The Magic of Queen is an amazing show featuring Brody Dolyniuk and his band performing the music of Queen (they also have shows featuring the music of Led Zeppelin and Elton John).  I have seen this show before and I enjoyed it so much I immediately got a ticket to see it again as soon as they went on sale!  They began with "One Vision" and the older gentleman sitting next to me was really impressed that I knew the words to this because he didn't recognize it!  He obviously had no idea who he was dealing with because I love Queen and I sang along to every single song!  They continued with "Tie Your Mother Down" (my neighbor told me that he definitely recognized this one), "Play the Game," "Keep Yourself Alive," "You're My Best Friend" (a highlight for me), "Killer Queen" (one of my favorite Queen songs), "Now I'm Here," "Somebody to Love," "Under Pressure," and "Love of My Life."  Then the crowd got to their feet for rousing renditions of "Another One Bites the Dust" and "Fat Bottomed Girls."  Next came "Crazy Little Thing Called Love," "Radio Ga Ga" (complete with clapping), and an epic version of "Bohemian Rhapsody" (which was another highlight of the night for me).  They ended their set with "We Will Rock You" and "We Are the Champions" with lots of audience participation!  Dolyniuk sounds so much like Freddie Mercury that you might be fooled into thinking that you are really listening to Queen but he doesn't try to imitate him.  He has his own charismatic stage presence and I really enjoyed all of his banter with the audience.  It was a perfect summer night for a concert because, while it was hot when I got there, it cooled off a bit and it was wonderful listening to music as the sun went down!  Go here for a schedule of concerts at Sandy Amphitheater this summer.

Note:  I ran into a couple of people who said they knew I would be at this concert!  Have I mentioned that I really love Queen?

Sarah McLachlan at Utah First Credit Union Amphitheatre

During my mid-twenties I had a very dark period in which I had a serious bout with depression.  I used to lay on the floor of my living room in my tiny apartment in the dark and listen to music for hours instead of doing anything productive.  One of my favorite albums during this time was Fumbling Towards Ecstasy by Sarah McLachlan.  I bought it because I was obsessed with the song "Possession" but there were many other songs that resonated with me, especially "Fear," "Good Enough," and "Hold On."  I listened to it over and over and I really think it helped me find my way out of that hole I was in.  I can't believe that it was released 30 years ago (now you can work out how old I am)!  Sarah McLalchlan is touring in honor of this milestone so I definitely had to get a ticket to hear her perform it in its entirety at the Utah First Credit Union Ampthitheatre last night!  It was an incredible show and it made me feel quite emotional to hear these songs again track by track in order.  She began with a Greatest Hits set, including "Sweet Surrender," "Building a Mystery," "I Will Remember You," "Drifting," "Song For My Father," a sultry version of "World on Fire," "Adia," and "Beautiful Girl."  She performed "Answer" on piano with all of the members of her band singing backup around her and it was quite dramatic!  She finished this set with "Witness" and, while the band played an extended outro, she left the stage to change outfits for the Fumbling Towards Ecstasy set (her daughter insisted that she change outfits and she did even though she told her that she wasn't Taylor Swift).  I have seen U2 and Alanis Morissette perform albums in their entirety to commemorate their anniversaries (The Joshua Tree and Jagged Little Pill, respectively) and I really like this concept because you get to hear songs that are rarely, or even never, performed live!  I especially loved hearing "Wait," "Mary," "Elsewhere," "Circle," and "Ice" because, even though I have seen her in concert several times, I had never heard them live before.  Of course "Possession," my favorite Sarah McLachlan song, was a highlight but her performance of "Fear" gave me goosebumps because she sounded amazing hitting all of those high notes!  For the encore, she performed a new song from a forthcoming album called "Gravity," which she wrote for her daughter, and then a beautiful interpretation of "Angel."  She sounded better than I have ever heard her and she was full of stories about her songs (I loved her explanation of how "Adia" came to be written).  I really loved this show because, even though it reminded me of a difficult time in my life, I am glad that I am still around to hear these songs!

James Taylor at Utah First Credit Union Amphitheatre

I really love James Taylor so I usually try to see him whenever he comes to town.  However, I decided that I would try to spend less money on concerts this year (that is going about as well as you might expect) but I just couldn't resist getting a ticket to his show at Utah First Credit Union Amphitheatre last night and I'm so glad that I did!  Taylor's voice is not quite what it once was but it was good enough and he had an amazing band with him including Steve Gadd on drums, Luis Conte on percussion, Jimmy Johnson on bass, Michael Landau on guitar, Walt Fowler on keyboards and horns, Lou Marini on horns, Larry Goldings on piano, Andrea Zorn on fiddle, Dorian Holley on backing vocals, and Kate Markowitz on backing vocals.  He played, without an opening act, for over two hours and divided his sets into "Deep Listening," which featured lesser known songs, and "Greatest Hits" with an intermission in between.  During the first set he played "Something in the Way She Moves," "Everyday," "Never Die Young," "October Road," "Secret O' Life," "Anywhere Like Heaven," "Country Road," "Sweet Baby James" (with a cool fiddle intro), "Don't Let Me Be Lonely Tonight" (a highlight of the first set), and "Sun on the Moon."  I really enjoyed the first set but I have to admit that I absolutely loved the second set and sang every word to every song!  This set included "Carolina in My Mind," "Mexico," an epic rendition of "Steamroller" with extended solos," "Fire and Rain," "Up on the Roof," "You've Got a Friend," and "Shower the People" (my favorite James Taylor song).  He ended this set with a rousing rendition of "How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You) which got the crowd up and dancing!  For the encore he performed "Shed a Little Light," Your Smiling Face" (another highlight of the show for me), and "That Lonesome Road."  Taylor is incredibly droll and interacted with the audience by telling jokes (which he says he is recycling from tour to tour) in between each song and signing lots of items before the second set.  My favorite moment happened when someone yelled that they loved him and he answered that he loved them back but they should both see other people!  I had so much fun last night and I think this was a great way to start the summer concert season (even though I was a little bit cold by the end of the night).

Note:  The first time I saw James Taylor live was at this venue (when it was USANA Amphitheatre) years ago and I've been a fan ever since!

Stevie Nicks at the Delta Center

Last night I was able to see the legendary Stevie Nicks in concert at the Delta Center!  I was so excited I could hardly contain myself and, even at 76 years old, she put on quite the show!  She took the stage in a flowing black dress (many people in the audience were similarly attired) and she had her microphone stand adorned with her signature sparkly beads and scarves.  There was a curved screen behind her that took up the whole length of the stage and featured lots of nostalgic photos and videos spanning her lengthy career, both with Fleetwood Mac and as a solo artist.  She sang for over two hours and her instantly recognizable voice sounded great!  I was so happy because she sang "Dreams," my favorite Fleetwood Mac song, very early in the evening and also included the Fleetwood Mac songs "Gypsy," during which she twirled and whipped the crowd into a frenzy, and "Gold Dust Woman," while wearing a gold shawl and casting spells on the audience.  Another highlight for me was when she sang "Stop Draggin' My Heart Around" after telling the crowd what it was like to record it with Tom Petty (with lots of photos of Petty on the giant screen).  During "Bella Donna" she wore the original blue cape from the album photo for Bella Donna (she mentioned that her mother was angry because it cost $3000 but she thinks it was worth it) and then for "Stand Back" she changed into the original black and gold cape from the music video.  She sang powerful versions of Buffalo Springfield's "For What It's Worth" and her own "Soldier's Angel" while reminding the crowd to vote and work towards peace around the world.  She originally recorded the song "Leather and Lace" with Don Henley but last night she brought her vocal coach Steve Real to the stage to sing it with her and it was amazing.  She ended her main set with "Edge of Seventeen" which is the song I most wanted to hear (the rest of the audience obviously did too because they went crazy as soon as they heard the opening notes) and I loved her performance so much (she brought out her signature beribboned tambourine for this song).  For the encore, she sang "Rhiannon" and an emotional version of "Landslide" which she dedicated to Christine McVie (featuring lots of photos of the two of them together on the screen).  Nicks was so funny and charismatic with lots of stories and anecdotes between every song.  I especially enjoyed it when she talked about how she and Lindsey Buckingham joined Fleetwood Mac.  This was my first concert of the year and it was an amazing one!

Note:  It was her birthday on Sunday so the crowd sang a rousing rendition of "Happy Birthday" to her!

Encore: A Musical Review at the Eccles

Even though I just saw him in concert last summer at the SCERA Shell, I was so excited to be able to see Jeremy Jordan again, this time with fellow Broadway stars Kara Lindsay and Jessica Vosk, yesterday at the Eccles Theater.  I went to the matinee with my friend Wendy (we have had Broadway at the Eccles season tickets next to each other since the theater opened) and we had so much fun (we were practically screaming like thirteen year old girls during Jordan's entire set).  Voss took the stage first and began with a stirring rendition of "Don't Rain on My Parade" from Funny Girl which got the crowd cheering (not for the first time).  She continued with "Almost Like Being in Love" and "Both Sides Now" and then Lindsay joined her for the beautiful duet  "I Will Never Leave You" from Side Show.  She followed this with a fun version of "Gimme, Gimme" from Thoroughly Modern Millie and then told a funny story about having to go on as Golde in Fiddler on the Roof unexpectedly in Act 2 (she told lots of stories) before singing an amazing mash-up of "Do You Love Me?" from Fiddler, "I Don't Know How to Love Him" from Jesus Christ Superstar, and "Everybody Says Don't" from Anyone Can Whistle.  She ended her set with a powerful version of "Heart of Stone" from SIX with everyone in the audience singing along (this was a really cool moment).  Lindsay took the stage next with "Not for the Life of Me" from Thoroughly Modern Millie.  She gave a hilarious performance of "Adelaide's Lament" (complete with props) and then the crowd went absolutely crazy when she sang "Watch What Happens" followed by "Something to Believe In" with Jordan (she originated the role of Katherine Plumber and he originated the role of Jack Kelly in Newsies).  I saw Lindsay as Glinda in Wicked when the Broadway touring company came to SLC (she is one of the best Glindas I've seen) so I was really excited when she sang "Popular" next.  She ended her set with lovely renditions of "My House" from Matilda and "Goodnight My Someone" from The Music Man.  Jordan began his set, as he did when I saw him last summer, with "Something's Coming" from West Side Story and then gave us a preview of the upcoming musical The Great Gatsby by singing "For Her."  He continued with "Broadway Here I Come" from the TV show Smash and "Movin' Too Fast" from the movie The Last Five Years.  Voss joined him for an incredible version of "You Matter to Me" from Waitress and then he had an audience member play Audrey II for his amusing rendition of "Grow for Me" from Little Shop of Horrors.  I was hoping for "Santa Fe" from Newsies and he obliged me with a performance that gave me goosebumps!  He was such a goofball on stage and I loved it so much!  This was a wonderful show and I'm so glad Wendy offered me the ticket!

Nathan Pacheco Christmas Concert

I first heard Nathan Pacheco sing when he was a guest vocalist for one of Kurt Bestor's Christmas concerts.  His rendition of "O Holy Night" at that concert is one of the best I've heard so, when I found out that he would be performing a Christmas concert at Abravanel Hall, I bought a ticket hoping that I would get to hear it again. The show was last night and I was not disappointed! He was backed by the Lyceum Philharmonic, which is led by Kayson Brown and features talented high school students from the American Heritage School, as well as his music director and pianist Leo Z and cellist Nicole Pinnell. They began with "O Come, All Ye Faithful" and "Carol of the Bells" and then Pacheco came to the stage singing one of his original songs, "Don't Cry." The concert was an eclectic mix of Christmas songs, original songs, covers, and songs from the classical repertoire and one of my favorite moments came next when he sang "Nessun Dorma" from the opera Turandot (it gave me goosebumps when he hit all of the high notes). He continued with "Silver Bells" and "Winter Wonderland" and then said that he had never performed the next song in front of a crowd before and brought Clara Hurtado Lee and a children's choir to the stage to sing "Adiemus" which was incredibly beautiful! He performed a really cool cover of "Take on Me" by a-ha and then "From Now On" from the movie The Greatest Showman. He told the audience that he had just written an original musical called Beloved and then gave us a sneak peak by singing "What You Become" from it. Emma Nissen joined him on stage for a lovely version of "The Prayer" and then he continued with the Christmas songs "Gaudete" (I loved this), "O Come, O Come Emmanuel," "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing," and "Silent Night." He performed an acoustic cover of Simon and Garfunkel's "Star Carol" (accompanying himself on guitar) and then a powerful version of his song "Forever." He concluded his main set by singing "O Holy Night."  I had been waiting all night for him to sing this and it was definitely worth the wait because he just about blew the roof off Abravanel Hall! For the encore, he brought his sister to the stage to sing the duet "Time to Say Goodbye" which was another favorite moment for me! I don't know if this was spontaneous or not because all of the musicians were prepared to play it but she seemed really hesitant to come up to the stage! He concluded with "God Bless Us Everyone" from the movie A Christmas Carol. This was an amazing show and Pacheco was incredibly charming and continually expressed his genuine gratitude to the crowd for supporting him. He said that he hoped to be back for another Christmas concert at Abravanel Hall next year and, if he is, I will be there, too!

Note:  My sister also had tickets to this show with her friend so we ended up going together!

Christmas with the Tabernacle Choir 2023

Whenever I am unable to get a ticket to the Christmas with the Tabernacle Choir concert, I go to the Music and the Spoken Word broadcast the following Sunday because it usually features the guest artists and a portion of the program.  It is actually quite nice because the parking situation is a bit easier on an early Sunday morning than it is in the evening with so many other events going on.  The guest artists this year were Michael Maliakel, who is currently starring as the title role in Aladdin on Broadway, and Lesley Nicol, who is best known for playing Mrs. Patmore on Downton Abbey.  The concert began with choir members in a procession down the aisles to "Sing We Now of Christmas" with the Orchestra at Temple Square and the Gabriel Trumpet Ensemble.  It was beautiful and incredibly dramatic!  Michael Maliakel joined the choir for "Joy to the World" and I really loved his voice and his rendition of this song.  I wasn't very familiar with him but now I will pay attention because he is extremely talented and charismatic!  Next, the choir sang "To The Cradle Run," which I was unfamiliar with but definitely enjoyed, and then Richard Elliott performed "Bring a Torch, Jeanette, Isabella" on the organ with fanfares played by the Gabriel Trumpet Ensemble (this gave me goosebumps because I love this song).  The choir performed another song I was unfamiliar with called "O Little One Sweet" and then Lesley Nicol read the Christmas story from the Bible.  The program concluded with a stirring version of "Angels from the Realms of Glory" by Michael Maliakel and this also gave me goosebumps.  After the broadcast concluded, the audience got to hear another portion of the concert when a story about Victor Hugo's Christmas fetes for the children on the island of Guernsey was told by Lesley Nicol.  A replica of Hautville House, Hugo's home on Guernsey, was featured with performers acting out the story while Nicol narrated (she was delightful).  It was so inspiring and I especially loved the use of Hugo's quote, "To love is to act."  It was a lovely concert and I'm glad I made the effort to get up early (and put on a skirt) to attend!

A Kurt Bestor Christmas at the Eccles 2023

I really love hearing Christmas music performed live, especially Kurt Bestor's arrangements, so I always try to attend his annual Christmas concert.  The show was last night (along with tons of other Christmas events downtown which made driving and parking a lot of fun) and, as always, I thoroughly enjoyed it.  He began with "Suite de Noel," "Il Le Ne Le Divin Enfant," and "Good King Wenceslaus" before telling a funny story about performing "What Child Is This?" (many songs were prefaced with amusing anecdotes).  Next he played "Bring a Torch, Jeanette Isabella," which I loved because it is one of my favorites, and then "I'll Be Home for Christmas," which he dedicated to all veterans in the audience.  Then he featured his insanely talented band on a calypso-inspired version of "O Tannenbaum" with extended solos from Michael Dowdle on guitar, Carlitos del Puerto on bass, and Eric Valentine on drums.  It was very cool!  Next came a beautiful rendition of "Carol of the Bells" dedicated to the people of Ukraine and then his special guest for the evening, David Archuleta, came to the stage to perform a breathtaking version of "Prayer of the Children" (Kurt Bestor's best known song which is celebrating its 30th Anniversary) that brought the audience to its feet!  After the intermission, Bestor performed "Coventry Carol," another favorite of mine, and then a fun arrangement of "Christmas Time Is Here" complete with a Charlie Brown Christmas tree!  Next, he dedicated a lovely version of "All Through the Night" to one of his close friends who recently died.  David Archuleta returned to the stage for an incredible performance of "Pat-A-Pan" that gave me goosebumps and then gave a very heartfelt rendition of "Grown Up Christmas List" after telling the audience that his list included kindness and understanding for those who are different (he received thunderous applause for this).  Then he performed Bestor's arrangement of "I Wonder as I Wander" (at Bestor's request) and the audience leapt to their feet once again!  Bestor lamented that it would be impossible to follow such an amazing performance but his version of "O Holy Night" was definitely a highlight for me (it was the second time that I have heard my favorite Christmas song this season).  As is tradition, he chose someone from the audience to narrate "'Twas the Night Before Christmas" while he performed his amusing arrangement of songs to go with it.  He concluded the concert with "Joy to the World" and a lovely audience sing-along to "Silent Night" led by David Archuleta.  I always love this concert every year but I think this one might be my favorite!

Lower Lights Christmas Concert 2023

I really love hearing Christmas music performed live so one of my favorite traditions is attending the Lower Lights Christmas concert every year.  I went to their first show of the season at Kingsbury Hall last night and I absolutely loved it!  The Lower Lights is a supergroup of amazing musicians, many of whom are popular in their own right, who periodically come together to record and perform folk and bluegrass renditions of hymns and Christmas songs (Sarah Sample called the group a band of misfits last night).  I really love their sound and I especially love all of their arrangements of Christmas songs (any Christmas song that features steel guitars, mandolins, and banjos is automatically great in my opinion).  The concert began with "I Saw Three Ships," "Angels We Have Heard On High," and "Beautiful Star of Bethlehem."  Then Kiki Sieger sang a beautiful version of "Pretty Paper" (which is new to their set), Dominic Moore and Paul Jacobsen performed an incredibly poignant acoustic rendition of "Happy X-Mas (War Is Over),"  and Debra Fotheringham (who is back with the group this year) sang "A Cradle in Bethlehem" while accompanying herself on electric guitar.  The crowd last night was one of the most subdued I've seen at a Lower Lights concert but they got a lot more animated during the next set which featured "Trouble the Water," "When the Roll is Called Up Yonder," and "Just a Closer Walk With Thee." Cherie Call sang a lovely version of "Away in a Manger" and then she was joined by Kiki Sieger and Marie Bradshaw for "Still, Still, Still" which was a highlight of the show for me because the three of them harmonize so well together and they always give me goosebumps!  Next came an instrumental version of "Carol of the Bells" and then Dustin Christensen, who has a beautiful voice, performed "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas."  There was an incredible violin solo by Megan Nay during "Maybe This Christmas" and then the crowd was on their feet once again for rousing renditions of "Go Tell It On The Mountain" and "Children, Go Where I Send Thee."  Sarah Sample asked the audience to dance in the aisles during "White Christmas" and then sang a tender version of "I'll Be Home For Christmas."  The whole group continued with "Mary's Boy Child," "Oh Come, All Ye Faithful," and "The River Jordan."  Another highlight was when they got down with an epic performance of "Didn't My Lord Deliver Daniel" with lots of extended solos from everyone in the band!  They ended their main set with "Calling You" and "May The Circle Be Unbroken" featuring lots of audience participation.  During the encore they performed a hilarious version of "You're A Mean One, Mr. Grinch" (which is a tradition), "Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)," and "Once in Royal David's City" (one of their best known Christmas songs).  They concluded, as they usually do, with an audience sing-along to "Silent Night."  This concert never fails to give me a huge dose of Christmas cheer and I loved every minute of it!  There are three more shows and I highly recommend getting a ticket to one of them (go here).

Gentri Christmas at the Eccles 2023

Last night I went to my first Christmas concert of the season and I definitely picked a good one!  The Gentlemen Trio, or Gentri as they are more commonly known, was established when Casey Elliott, Bradley Quinn Lever, and Brad Robins were cast in a production of Les Miserables at HCT (they recently reprised their roles of Jean Valjean, Enjolras, and Marius, respectively, in another HCT production) and then continued singing together after the run was over.  My sister Marilyn is a huge fan so we went to their Christmas concert last year and we loved it so much we decided to make it a tradition!  This year's show at the Eccles Theater was amazing!  They began with "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" and the arrangement included snippets from "Carol of the Bells" and I really liked it.  They continued with "Little Drummer Boy," "Gesu Bambino," and an incredible arrangement of "Still Still Still" with snippets from the score of the movie The Mission (I love this song because I sang it in choir in college).  They were joined by vocalist Yaphet Bustos for "Angels We Have Heard on High" and by the Rise Up Children's Choir for "Do You Hear What I Hear?" and "What Child Is This?" (which featured the Christmas story acted by several members of the choir in costume).  The first set ended with a bluesy mashup of "Go Tell It On The Mountain" and "Joy To The World" with Brad Wheeler on harmonica.  After the intermission, they performed "We Three Kings" with another guest vocalist, Ellie Barry, and then "I Saw Three Ships."  Next they had their music director Stephen Nelson arrange a piece on the spot from a movie score and a Christmas song suggested by the audience (they did this last year as well).  Our audience picked the score from The Lord of the Rings trilogy and "Mistletoe" by Justin Bieber and, believe it or not, the result was really good!  Next they performed an original song called "Somewhere In Your Silent Night" which is very moving.  A mashup of "Coventry Carol" and "Poor Wayfaring Stranger" with dramatic themes played by a cello was definitely my favorite of the night but a close second was their arrangement of "O Holy Night," which is my favorite Christmas song, featuring the Rise Up Children's Choir.  The concert concluded with a powerful rendition of "O Come All Ye Faithful" with Bustos, Barry, and the children.  Both Marilyn and I loved this show and it was the perfect way to begin this holiday season.  There are a few tickets available for both of the shows today (go here) and I highly recommend getting one!

Note:  I always hope that I will hear "O Holy Night" performed live at least once during the holiday season and I am so happy that I got to hear it last night!

U2 at the Sphere in Las Vegas

When I found out that U2 was doing a residency at a cool new billion dollar venue in Las Vegas I had a really stern talk with myself about how much money I had already spent on concerts this year and maybe, since I have already seen them seven times, I could skip this one.  That went over about as well as you might expect!  I ignored responsible Phaedra and immediately registered for the Verified Fan Presale and, when I was selected, I took it as a sign that I needed to see this show!  Amazing doesn't even begin to describe what I experienced last night!  The Sphere, as the name implies, is a giant sphere-shaped structure with both interior and exterior LED screens (the largest of their kind) and seating areas that cover two-thirds of the interior with an area that can be configured as a stage in the remainder.  U2 has a small square stage with a circular platform that is meant to mimic a turntable (Bono would frequently spin around on the circle).  This particular concert showcases the album Achtung Baby and U2 performed it in its entirety with a side one set and a side two set.  It was great to hear the hits from this album, including "Zoo Station" (which opened the show), "The Fly," "Even Better Than the Real Thing," "Mysterious Ways," "One" (sigh), and "Until the End of the World," but I also really enjoyed hearing the deeper tracks that I've never heard performed live before, such as "Who's Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses," "Tryin' to Throw Your Arms Around the World," "So Cruel" (my favorite of the show because Bono's vocal performance was so passionate)," "Acrobat," "Ultra Violet (Light My Way)," and "Love Is Blindness."  Each of these songs has an incredibly immersive visual display on the state-of-the-art LED screens.  My favorite visuals were for "The Fly" because they feature rows and rows of random numbers and letters that keep climbing up the screens and, when they reach the top, they actually collapse on each other and it looked like they were three-dimensional and coming towards the audience (it is hard to explain but it was pretty much the coolest thing ever).  Not only are the images three-dimensional but they also surround the audience!  Sometimes the images would include a live feed of the band and, because I was sitting in the cheaper seats at the top of arena (my one concession to responsible Phaedra), they were eye-level as if I was watching Bono from the front row (sigh).  In between the two Achtung Baby sets, the band performed a more stripped down acoustic set featuring "All I Want Is You," "Desire," "Angel of Harlem," and an incredibly emotional rendition of "Love Rescue Me" which Bono and The Edge sang as a duet (goosebumps).  For the encore, they performed their new song about Las Vegas, "Atomic City," as well as "Elevation," "Vertigo," "Where the Streets Have No Name," "With or Without You" (which included amazing visuals featuring different animals), and "Beautiful Day." Bono is one of the most charismatic performers that I've ever seen and he was in fine form last night!  He struggled a bit with some of the higher notes but he was so engaging it didn't even matter (at least not to me or anyone around me).  This concert reminded me of how much I love him and, between his performance and all of the high-tech gadgetry, I felt like I was in sensory overload all night (in the best possible way).  It is definitely something I will never forget and I am so glad that irresponsible Phaedra won the argument!