The beloved venue Kilby Court has brought so much joy to music lovers and concert goers of all kinds across the state of Utah and beyond. As one of Utah’s biggest music festivals, last weekend (May 10-12) Kilby Block Party celebrated 25 years of nonstop entertainment — bringing headliners Vampire Weekend, The Postal Service and LCD Soundsystem to the stage.
World Class Festival
Upon entering the festival, I was hit with an instant rush of adrenaline. The entire day felt unreal with hit after hit from the wide array of musicians and activities galore. Kilby Block Party is a music lover’s paradise. Friday’s lineup was the perfect start to an amazing weekend of music with bands such as Gustaf, Yot Club, Peach Pit, Courtney Barnett, Alvvays, the headlining act Vampire Weekend and many others. Each set was like magic as each band caught the attention of their audience immediately. It especially drew me in with the aesthetics of the imagery used on stage. Between the lighting and technical backdrops, they never missed a beat.
‘Happy Saturday to All Those Who Celebrate’
The next day of Block Party was just as Blue Rain Boots described in their set: “This one’s about having a good time, a good partner and good friends.”
Day 2 was booming with a bustling crowd excited for the next day to unravel. The day was a roller coaster ride as each band performed, personalities shining through. Some of my favorite sets from the day were performed by Water From Your Eyes and The Garden. As the pit was opened and band members were riding the high of the music, I would argue they stole the show completely from the very beginning and were the topic of conversation throughout the rest of the day.
As the day went on, the energy only increased. Even when the event came to a postponement due to weather conditions, the crowd kept the party going. It was such a lively environment and full of love. Everyone in attendance never failed to take care of each other in moments of need.
Dance Yrself Clean
As artists like Odie Leigh opened the day, the finale of Block Party had fans singing along into the final hours of the festival. Other musicians included local artist Nicole Canaan, Panchiko, Model/Actriz, Interpol and of course the headline act LCD Soundsystem. I was blown away by the performances each of these bands put on, especially from that of Model/Actriz. It was electrifying watching lead singer of the band Cole Haden put on a show almost entirely on his own as he got out in the crowd and strutted his stuff. From the expressive poses and belting motion, I was taken back at the hold they had on me from the start.
It was a hard goodbye as the festival came to a close. I was immersed completely in this hub of music and wasn’t ready for things to end so quickly. After this weekend, it’s needless to say the fifth year of Kilby Block Party was a definite success. I can’t wait to see what the future has in store for us.
