Utah may not spring to mind when one thinks of music – whether contemporary rock or classical piano or anything in between. But it has a lot to offer for anyone looking to enjoy a night of great live music or find a new favorite rock band to play on repeat.
Good ol’ rock’n’roll music
Utah music is filled with great rock! The Used, Imagine Dragons, and Neon Trees all hail from Utah (though they may reside in Las Vegas or other parts of the United States now). Musician Brandon Flowers of The Killers, bass player Dallin Weekes of Panic At The Disco, and drummer Branden Steineckert of Rancid, all have their roots in Utah as well.
And for every big name, there are dozens of smaller ones with just as great of a music performance – like Jeff Dillon and the Revival, Hi-Fi Murder, Salduro, My New Mistress, Spirit Machines, Brad Rizer, Katie Jo Olsen, Little Barefoot, Choice Coin, Jail City Rockers, Julian Moon, Panthermilk, The Rompstompers, Version Two, DougTheHuman, and, of course, Open Door Policy.
Classic rock is definitely not dead in this state. And All across Utah you can find great venues featuring local rock bands – Urban Lounge, WhySound, Kilby Court, The Cache, Kamikazes, and The Depot – just to name a few.
Park City, Provo, Salt Lake City, Spanish Fork, and Ogden are all known to have great music performance – but other areas of Utah County and Davis County, as well as areas in Southern Utah like St George and Cedar City, and Northern Utah, like Cache Valley and Logan, also have thriving music scenes with great bands.
Classical and orchestral music
If you’re looking for music performance that is more “high-brow”, Utah also has plenty of classical and orchestral music offerings – complete with piano, strings, percussion, woodwind, and brass. The Utah Symphony plays prominently in Salt Lake City. Of course, there is also the Tabernacle Choir at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints’ Temple Square and the NOVA Chamber Music Series in Salt Lake City which often has piano accompaniment.
At bars across the state, people dance to live jazz throughout the night. And classical guitarists like Robert Linton can soothe even the most hardened of souls at any music event.
Fostering music education
Perhaps the reason Utah has such a thriving music scene is due to music teachers across the state who encourage every student of theirs to push their limits. The state is filled with musicians with a music class teaching piano lessons, guitar lessons, singing lessons, and music theory.
Public and private institutions – from high school to university – also offer every imaginable lesson in music. Brigham Young University and Utah Valley University both have notable music and arts programs. Many higher-education schools also offer a focus on music therapy.
This is the place for music
It’s clear that, while often overlooked, Utah is a great place to enjoy a variety of music. Make sure to enjoy some of our music today and check out where we’re playing next!