With winter fading and summer on everyone’s mind, students all around campus are looking forward to the concerts coming up soon.
From Coachella to Warped Tour, there’s a show for everyone. Here at Dixie State College, students are excited about the concerts around the state or nearby.
“I’m so excited that Fall Out Boy is coming to Salt Lake in June,” said Samantha Miller, a sophomore theater major from Taylorsville. “I would have followed them all across the East Coast if I had to; this is much more convenient.”
Aside from headlining tours, there are plenty of music festivals going on in the state.
Vans Warped Tour kicks off in June, starting in Seattle and working its way across the nation. Showcasing the typical punk-rock/hardcore bands, Warped Tour has an average of 30 bands or more, ranging anywhere from extremely well known to local, making it a great way to spend a summer’s day. Warped Tour has dates in both Salt Lake and in Las Vegas, catering to those in St. George who don’t mind the drive.
“I’ve already got my tickets,” said Brady Archuletta, a sophomore English major from Spanaway, Wash. “I go every single year; it’s pretty much the highlight of my summer. ”
Archuletta said that though the official line-up for Warped Tour wasn’t completely out yet, he was excited to see Hawthorne Heights and Chiodos specifically.
“I’m excited to see who else is coming,” Archuletta added. “Vans hasn’t disappointed me yet on line-ups, but the anticipation is killing me.”
Another big music festival going on this summer is the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, or Coachella, which showcases more than 100 artists and bands over the period of two weekends in April and is held in sunny California. The festival is so large that they’ve incorporated camping venues for the concert-goers.
“It’s my first time at Coachella,” said Christy James, a junior theater major from Salt Lake City. “I couldn’t be more excited—my friends have told me all about it.”
James said that even though she’s not going for a specific artist, she knows her friends are excited for Dropkick Murphys and Vampire Weekend.
However, Warped Tour and Coachella can be a bit pricey, and if you’re looking for some good music to listen to cheaply, you could always check out the Twilight Concert Series in Salt Lake City. Held every Thursday from June 5 to Aug. 30, the Twilight Concert Series caters to a variety of audiences. A full season pass is only $35, which gets you into nine concerts. Regular price admissions for one concert are only $5, so even if you only wanted to go to one or two of the concerts, it won’t break your wallet.
“I’ve never missed a Twilight Concert,” said Briana Smith, a freshman elementary education major from South Jordan. “You get to listen to good music from bands not everyone has heard of. They’re really laid back and fun.”
Smith will be going to all of the concerts in the Twilight Concert Series, though she said that she is most excited for Band of Horses, which is coming in July.
If driving up to Salt Lake City or out to California isn’t your idea of a good time, there are plenty of concerts being held in Las Vegas this summer. A Day to Remember, One Direction, and Fall Out Boy are some of the big names playing over the summer, but many more artists and bands will be playing shows.
“There are so many shows played in Vegas,” James said. “Sometimes I just drive out there, pick a show, and go see whoever it is that’s playing. I’m rarely disappointed.”
Whether or not you’re into punk-rock, heavy metal, pop, or any other variety of music, during the summer there will be a wide variety of concerts to go to.
“I seriously go to at least seven concerts over the summer months,” said Archuletta. “I suggest everyone go to at least one, though. There’s really nothing quite like it.”
