No matter who you were hoping to see in the Kilby Block Party lineup for 2025, you were bound to find some terrific bands along with a few headscratchers. It’s the nature of booking music. Kilby isn’t curating a personal playlist for you. They’re trying to draw 30,000 people to the Utah State Fairgrounds next May 15-18. They’re also trying to turn a profit in the process.
Some of the down ballot candidates here are going to be the big hits for me. Headliners tend to have a Dad Rock appeal. Let’s have a look at the music planned for Kilby’s 2025 event and possibly a few of the bands you may have overlooked but shouldn’t! Let’s have a look.
The Kilby Block Party 2024 fired next year’s lineup announcement like a cannon shot. The May 10-12 festival will celebrate Kilby’s 25th anniversary and they’re already stacked.
We don’t have the day by day lineup, which means no sense yet which bands play opposite each other and the hard choices you may have to make. But here is what we can expect.
Who imagined this remarkable summer of live music would end with a Jockstrap Salt Lake City show!
British students Georgia Ellery and Taylor Skye released my favorite album of 2022. Jennifer B, I Love You is a exquisite amalgam of funky electropop, glitchy dance beats, giant esoteric hooks and Ellery’s deliquescent vocals floating throughout.
This is — end of May? Even now, I find myself in random moments singing some loopy bridge from last year’s Jennifer B. What a gift to be able to see the Jockstrap Salt Lake City show just before the weather turns truly cold!
Here are 3 things you need to know about Jockstrap and the upcoming performance.
Weezer and Spoon (or more properly, Spoon and Weezer) announced a summer concert today at The Great Saltair. The Spoon and Weezer SLC show is on a Sunday night, August 27. It is part of what’s billed as the Weezer Indie Rock Road Trip. What a great wrap to the summer!
General lawn seats are $65… so you’re close to $90 with taxes and fees just to sit in the grass with the great unwashed. Unfortunately the next step up is a VIP ticket with a premium seat and unknown “merch” (chip clip? refrigerator magnet?). VIP tix cost close to $200 all in.
If you’re not a wild-eyed superfan, I can’t recommend the mostly vague VIP options.
I’m a little lost on better guidance for seating — I have never been to Saltair. The truth is: I didn’t know Saltair was still booking acts on the south shore of the Great Salt Lake. Some coming attractions include the Thrones of Blood US tour (March 25), Kayzo – Unleashed XL (April 7), NGHTMRE (April 21) and Seven Lions: Beyond the Veil (June 9).
Spoon and Weezer SLC concert at end of nationwide tour
From June until the middle of September, Weezer is touring with Spoon, Modest Mouse and Future Islands. I think we are just fortunate that the Western US leg of the tour in August includes this Spoon, Weezer SLC combo. Here is the current itinerary:
03-18 Tampa, FL – Innings Festival Florida
06-03 Lexington, KY – Railbird Music Festival
06-04 Huntsville, AL – The Orion Amphitheater $@
06-06 Irving, TX – The Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory $@
06-08 Austin, TX Germania Insurance Amphitheater $@
06-10 Oklahoma City, OK – Zoo Amphitheatre $@
06-11 Bonner Springs, KS – Azura Amphitheater $@
06-13 Minneapolis, MN – The Armory $@
06-14 Madison, WI – Breese Stevens Field $@
06-16 Cuyahoga Falls, OH – Blossom Music Center $@
06-17-18 Indianapolis, IN – Wonderroad Festival
06-18 Clarkston, MI – Pine Knob Music Theatre $@
06-23 Columbia, MD – Merriweather Post Pavilion &%
06-24 Charlotte, NC – PNC Music Pavilion &%
06-25 Alpharetta, GA – Ameris Bank Amphitheatre &%
06-27 Philadelphia, PA – TD Pavilion at the Mann &%
07-09 Gary, IN – Hard Rock Casino Northern Indiana – Hard Rock Live %
07-11 Pittsburgh, PA – Stage AE &%
07-13 Queens, NY – Forest Hills Stadium &%
07-28-07-30 Naeba, Japan – Fuji Rock Festival
Weezer Indie Rock Tour heads west in August
08-22 Bend, OR – Hayden Homes Amphitheater *^
08-24 Berkeley, CA – Greek Theatre *^
08-27 Magna, UT – The Great Saltair – Outdoor Pavilion *^
08-28 Greenwood Village, CO – Fiddler’s Green Amphitheatre *^
08-30 Phoenix, AZ – Arizona Financial Theatre *^
09-01 Las Vegas, NV – Zappos Theater at Planet Hollywood *^
09-02 Irvine, CA – Fivepoint Amphitheatre *^
09-03 San Diego, CA – Sycuan Stage at Gallagher Square Petco Park *^
09-17 Asbury Park, NJ – Sea.Hear.Now Festival
$ with Modest Mouse @ with Momma * with Spoon ^ with White Reaper & with Future Islands % with Joyce Manor
Get ready for the Weezer Indie Rock Roadtrip
Weezer and Spoon were both very active in 2022. Weezer released four seasonal EP’s in 2022, like the Gilmore Girls reboot. SZNZ: Spring came out in March 2022 and the subsequent three EP’s for each season by December. All of this and more at Weezerpedia, which is an actual site on the interwebs. Spoon toured on the acclaimed Lucifer on the Sofa throughout 2022, including in Salt Lake City in May.
Here’s the reveal video for the Weezer Indie Rock Roadtrip. See you at The Great Saltair!
Attention music lovers, the best possible news: The band Semiwestern is releasing a debut LP this year, with singles to come this spring!
Who is this band Semiwestern you speak of?
In November 2022, like a delicate shot across the bow, California’s redoubtable Spirit Goth Records released “Velvet Sea.” I naturally believed this was new music. It was, in fact, a remix of a song recorded by Semiwestern’s members ten years earlier as The Vliets.
Before we go any further, listen to the updated “Velvet Sea” to understand how I swooned over this atmospheric, Luna-inflected recording. It was my #1 or #2 favorite song of the entire year. Since, then, I have listened to “Velvet Sea” approximately one billion times.
I’ll be honest, there’s not a ton of information on the world wide interwebs about either The Vliets or Semiwestern. But here’s what I can tell you.
Semiwestern, formerly The Vliets, reappear a decade later
A brief history of the world. The band Semiwestern emerged from Austin’s The Vliets (pronounced VLEETS), who were active about ten years ago. The Vliets, lead by singer Ty Bohrnstedt, released The Vliets EP in 2011 and God’s Drug EP in 2012. God’s Drug included the original “Velvet Sea.”
These early EP’s by The Vliets are more traditionally alternative. Here is “Pale Solar Stream” from 2012’s God’s Drug EP. You can hear just an echo of what Ty would mix in 2022.
I was so smitten by the band Semiwestern’s remix of “Velvet Sea” that I inquired with both Spirit Goth and Semiwestern about a new album. Was I a wee bit stalker-y? Possibly, but not completely psycho.
Ty says “a full length album (is) coming. It’s finished but we have to shoot a few music videos and tie up a few loose ends before we set release dates. My best guess is we’ll start putting the singles out around April or so.”
That means we could be six weeks out from new Semiwestern material and I couldn’t be more excited. Will it be consistent with The Vliets indie-centric back catalogue? Or more of the California dream pop like “Velvet Sea?” We will find out!
One more platform for the single, here is the video for the updated “Velvet Sea.”
FRIDAY: Japanese Breakfast, The Yeah Yeah Yeahs and Cuco… SATURDAY: Run the Jewels, Weyes Blood and Alex G… SUNDAY: The Walkmen, Parquet Courts and what I predict will be a legendary show by Pavement.
Oh also on Sunday, The Pixies, whatever that means anymore.
If you’re wondering what day to spend your hard-earned rock and roll dollar, this may help. No times but generally your marquee acts will play later in the day.
The Kilby Block Party Friday (May 12)
Yeah Yeah Yeahs
Japanese Breakfast
Cuco
Deerhoof
Also on Friday: Dominic Fike, Remi Wolf, Lucius, Ritt Momney, Frankie Cosmos, Jean Dawson, Alice Phoebe Lou, Westerman, Julie, Momma, NoSo, Miya Folick, The Plastic Cherries, Homephone, Sunhills
Read about LISTEN TO every Friday band in the Kilby Block Party Friday lineup right here
So, good news right now, the only sold out tickets are 3-day Super VIP and Saturday Super VIP. Standard 3-day VIP tickets and 1-day VIP tickets for Friday and Sunday are still out there. Honestly, I’m not sure why I did the Super deal, the standard 3-day VIP tickets include premium viewing areas, re-entry, some kind of access to an overpriced bar, etc. Still a good investment.
Standard VIP for 3 days is $299. General admission for 3 days is $209. Spend the extra $90 believe me. All available right here.
Kilby Block Party SLC parking
It’s not great.
Apparently you can reserve parking during ticket checkout, which I didn’t do. Now that I’ve bought my tickets, I don’t see a way to go back and just pay for parking separately from my ticket purchase.
UPDATE: I found a link for official Kilby parking here. The information was actually included in the fine print of my original e-mail ticket receipt, so I herewith absolve Kilby organizers of parking neglect.
You’re probably going to end up spending $20 or $30 a day on the private lots. You can also take your chances leaving your car at the abandoned Wienerschnitzel and buy a side of Fentanyl on your way in. Or you can park downtown and ride in on Trax.
Lockers serve as a meet up location and storage for merch and approved bags you don’t want to carry all day. Importantly, the locker is also a charging station for your phone after all those pointless, long-range shots over the really tall bros standing in front of you.
The lockers are $20 a day and you clean out your stuff before leaving like a Planet Fitness. For $60, you get a locker for three days and you can leave your leftover gyro in there until Sunday.
Daily schedule for Kilby Block Party 2023 lineup
I hope these lineup and ticket updates are useful. Over the coming weeks, I’ll be posting profiles of some of the artists where you can read and hear their songs before they appear.
Have a question or comment about the Kilby Block Party 2023 lineup or logistics? Email me at the address in the About section of the Zerovu website. You can also subscribe for e-mail alerts below.
May will be here before we know it!
These are three of my favorite headliners at KBP4…what are yours?!
Marquee Moon is one of those few albums you’ll always remember hearing for the first time. Now thousands of fans may remember where they were when they heard of Tom Verlaine passing. He was 73.
Music pioneer Tom Verlaine passing away comes as shock
Jesse Paris Smith, the daughter of Patti Smith, with whom Verlaine frequently collaborated, announced his death today after a “brief illness.”
Best known for his groundbreaking work in the influential art punk band Television, Verlaine was an immense influence on the punk rock scene and his death leaves a lasting impression on a generation of fans.
Tom Verlaine, born Thomas Miller on December 13, 1949, had a music career that stretched back to the early 1970s, when he co-founded the influential punk band Television alongside Richard Hell and Richard Lloyd.
The band made a massive impact on the punk scene with their influential albums Marquee Moon (1977) and Adventure (1978). Verlaine released a string of solo albums throughout his career, including the highly acclaimed Tom Verlaine (1979) and Dreamtime (1981).
Verlaine rose to fame as the front man of influential 1970’s band Television
Television formed in New York City in 1973, and quickly made a name for themselves with their unique blend of punk and avant-garde rock. Their debut album, Marquee Moon, released in 1977, is considered a classic of the genre. It was a major influence on the punk and alternative rock scenes that followed.
Verlaine’s guitar technique and lyrical style
Verlaine’s guitar playing was unlike anything else of his time. It blended elements of punk, blues, and jazz to create a sound that was both raw and sophisticated. His use of dissonance and complex chord progressions was a major influence on many guitarists who came after him.
Verlaine’s influence on the music world extends far beyond just his guitar playing. He was known for his poetic and literate lyrics. They often dealt with themes of alienation and urban life. He was also a major influence on the New York City music scene, helping to pave the way for the punk and alternative movements of the 1970s and 80s.
Tom Verlaine’s passing hard to believe
Before Tom Verlaine’s passing, I probably hadn’t listened to Marquee Moon for 15 years. Until about two months ago. I brought it back out to remind myself of some of the tonality that Television achieved.
Those opening bars of “See No Evil” are iconic to me as anything in rock music. Marquee Moon was as impeccable that November night in 2022 as it was when it transformed the New York scene in 1977.
“See No Evil” – Television (Marquee Moon)
With Tom Verlaine’s passing, he now sees the Torn Curtain. Rest in peace.
When promoters announced the Kilby Block Party SLC five weeks ago, they left some sly holes in their lineup. The poster was filled with stars as placeholders for bands that hadn’t been finalized. One of the acts TBD had top billing with Pavement and The Yeah Yeah Yeahs.
HEY HEY STOP! Are you looking for the **2024** LINEUP?!! Click here for band reviews!
Imagine the logistics of coordinating dozens of bands into a 3-day window, dickering with band managers and site coordinators. Add to that, multiple top-shelf artists TBA. Now we know who the Kilby Block Party has added, and they’re as exciting as anyone announced to date for the Kilby Block Party SLC.
Mystery bands revealed for the Kilby Block Party 2023 lineup
Some new big names are coming as part of the Kilby Block Party 2023 lineup. Here’s a quick rundown of new bands. These are roughly in order of my personal preference and not top billing.
Weyes Blood
The heralded artist known for 2019’s Titanic Rising and last year’s And in the Darkness, Hearts Aglow, Natalie Mering has enchanted audiences with her emotive, chamber folk songs. Mering came to prominence just one year before the corona, so audiences are only now getting widespread opportunity to experience her live.
Here is “Everyday” from Titanic Rising.
Bookmark the Kilby Block party daily lineup right here:
God bless his heart, on God Save the Animals, Alex Giannascoli finally gave in and used professional engineers to record a series of songs about God and animals. Previously, Alex G insisted on doing most of the work from home. I’ve listened and re-listened to God Save the Animals the last several months to synch with those who compare Alex G to the incomparable Elliot Smith.
Make no mistake Alex G is a giant “get” for the Kilby Court Block Party 2023 lineup. I’m excited to see him play!
Here is one of Kilby’s best acts you may not know! Listen to Cuco right here!
Funky pop soul with an NC-17 rating. Former alpine ski Olympic hopeful and American Idol contestant, Remi Wolf’s 2021 debut Juno received considerable attention. It’s pretty heady stuff, a bit of SZA, The B-52’s and The Go! Team. In fact, sampling Juno made me want to go back and listen to Thunder, Lightening, Strike.
Dominic Fike
Euphoria actor, rapper, TikTokker
Kilby Block Party 2023 lineup tickets – New info on Super VIP’s. READ THIS
Organizers of the Kilby Court Block Party 2023 lineup obviously didn’t price themselves out of the market.
According to Kilby’s website, 3-Day Super VIP Passes are sold out. You can still buy regular, not-super 3-day VIP passes for $328. A small number of single day Super VIP passes are still available at $202 per day. General admission for all three days is $234.
ALL OF THAT SAID, tonight I ordered and received a 3-day Super VIP Pass for the Kilby Court Block Party despite Kilby’s notice the ultra-super-incredible 3-day passes were sold out (see fine print in comments).
After taxes, fees, freight licenses, surcharges, inheritance and ZAPP taxes, my cost was was $432.51. Not a small amount and this includes no parking. But IT DOES get you super premium viewing and some kind of access to food trucks and alcohol that is not a cash bar.
Here’s to trusting your favorite music blogger has discovered a few of these super amazing tickets are still available.
Wow fans, Stuart Murdoch and company are releasing a new Belle and Sebastian album. Late Developers, out January 13, comes just months since B&S triumphant return last year with A Bit of Previous. Developers is billed as a bigger, brighter and more playful release than A Bit of Previous. Early single “I Don’t Know What You See in Me” is a chugging dance number.
What do you think?
Pete Ferguson gets co-writing credit on “I Don’t Know What You See in Me,” a first for Belle and Sebastian.
The Scots’ 12th album was written at the same time as A Bit of Previous, with these tracks held back as a deliberate exclamation point to last year’s delightful release.
New Belle and Sebastian album also reaches into the past
In addition to this new chapter, the new Belle and Sebastian album includes a page from the past. “When the Cynics Stare Back From the Wall” is a 1994 song finally getting release. Fellow Glasgow resident Tracyanne Campbell of Camera Obscura shares vocals. “Julie Naked” is an unreleased song from the Ethan Hawke’s movie five years ago.
Belle and Sebastian album previews new movie or rom-com?!
Murdoch continues to work on a fictional memoir as he recovers from an illness that canceled tours in South America and Europe the last several months. He tells NME he hopes the stories based on his early years could end up as a TV show or movie. Murdoch calls the book,
a fiction, but based around my early adventures before the band were together, when I was struggling as a hapless musician for ages
The organizers behind the Kilby Block Party SLC have knocked a home run with a lineup next year that will rival some of the best in the country. And right here in the 801! With bigger names come a bigger venue. The Utah State Fairpark at 10th West will host the event May 12-14, 2023. Here are some FAQs on the Kilby Block Party 2023 lineup.
HEY HEY STOP! Are you looking for the **2024** LINEUP?!! Click here for band reviews!
How do you get tickets and which bands do you prioritize? Read on, and listen to songs by the 3 bands you need to put at the top of your list. They may not be at the top of the bill, so keep reading and listening below!
Kilby Block Party 2023 lineup
Maybe you’ve seen the headliners, a Who’s Who of indie rock stardom. In somewhat deliberate order:
Pavement. Started playing their reunion tour this year after 12 years on the sideline. It has been 30 years since Slanted and Enchanted put Pavement on the map as one of the 90’s arch indie influencers.
Yeah Yeah Yeahs. The comeback kids of 2022, with their bracing single “Spitting off the Edge of the World.” Cool It Down is the YYYs first record in almost a decade. Already topping many Best Of lists in 2022.
The Strokes. Remember when The Strokes were going to save rock ‘n roll in 2001 (did it need saving?!) with This Is It? It is a genuinely legendary album but reviews of this year’s live appearances are mixed. New album rumored.
Bookmark this page for Kilby’s daily schedule of headliners:
Additionally, as a testament to the strength of the show (and perhaps their eroding legacy), The Pixies get second billing. Along with Brooklyn stalwarts Parquet Courts and San Francisco’s Deerhoof, you can’t go wrong with any of these decisions.
3 bands you CANNOT MISS in the Kilby Block Party 2023 lineup
Beyond the headliners and these rock legends, though, which bands should be at the top of your list?!
Run the Jewels
First, if you weren’t already planning your Kilby Block Party 2023 lineup around Run the Jewels WHAT ARE YOU EVEN DOING?!
Their four releases are modern classics, RTJ4 booming as the outraged soundtrack of the 2020 protests over the death of George Floyd. Remember, too, the songs on RTJ4 are still relatively fresh material for El-P and Killer Mike. Because of the Corona, they’ve only been playing them live for a year.
Last fall, Run the Jewels announced a version of RTJ4 interpreted through Latin American artists. Needed? Eh. Good marketing? These guys are the masters. And MAYBE, just maybe, Run the Jewels 5 will drop just before the Kilby Block Party SLC.
Second, don’t be dissuaded by the Grammy buzz around Michelle Zauner and Japanese Breakfast. There is so much to like about 2021’s Jubilee. Zauner earns every indie pop hook on Jubilee, and they emerge in the most delightful and unexpected ways. Her arrangements, like on opener “Paprika,” bubble with joy.
This is one I tried to convince my Swiftie daughter to listen to, and with some success. I’m always trying to brainwash her with alternative music and “Tactics” is now a regular on her Spotify playlist. Parenting success!
Third, besides RTJ and Pavement, I’m probably most excited to finally see The Walkmen, and you should be, too! Hamilton Leithauser and company recently reunited after nine years working on solo projects. I have waxed poetic before about 2010’s Lisbon, and the raspy, soaring vocals on “Angela Surf City.”
Here’s how to get tickets to the Kilby Block Party 2023 lineup
Finally, ticket costs for the Kilby Block Party 2023 lineup are…not insignificant.
Single day tickets haven’t gone on sale yet. But if you have the wallet for it, 3-day passes, VIP passes and super-ultra-crazy VIP passes are now on sale here.
The basic 3-day pass is $234. For premium seating and access to a private bar, you can buy a VIP pass for $328. And if you want onto the premium viewing platform with Jon Huntsman*, access to private food trucks and the VIP bar, you’ll need $432 for the weekend.
Kilby says several bands, including a major supporting act, haven’t been announced for the Kilby Block Party SLC yet. They invite you to watch their Instagram page for updates. Also, I didn’t even get to Cuco, who almost made my list of Must See’s but honestly I need to get to bed at decent time. More to come!
