Kilby Block Party: The Party Never Stops

“Do you fancy a little dance?”

A weekend I always look forward to, Kilby Block Party did not disappoint. This last weekend (May 10-12) K-Ute Radio had the pleasure of experiencing Block Party first hand and it was quite the ride... I felt right at home upon entering the festival making it hard to say goodbye once the time came. From acts like our local favorites Blue Rain Boots, Nicole Canaan, and Drusky to our national/global favorites Interpol, Peach Pit, and Dinosaur Jr. the party never stopped. As Kilby Block Party grows, the lineups just keep getting better. The artists that perform are bound to suit a wide range of musical tastes and demographics. It’s a wonderful environment and opportunity to learn about different bands and genres, and what better way to listen than live? 

The open stages and layout of the Utah State fairpark also offer a chance to interact with other fans and enthusiasts. While out in the crowd I could hear several comments made by audience members with one of these being “dance bitches.” The crowds at Kilby become a community of people all in attendance for the love of music and its enjoyers. Avid live music goers would be familiar with the feedback loop of energy from artist to audience. A combination of the blaring beats and the ecstatic energy brought by audiences led me to believe that Kilby Block Party will forever live up to its name.

Crowd Favorites Day By Day

The first day I had chills throughout and it wasn’t just from the cooler weather. A few of my favorites from the lineup today consisted of bands such as Gustaf, Peach Pit, and Courtney Barnett. Each of these artists gave the performance of a lifetime and presented their emotions onstage and let the music flow effortlessly.

Lydia Gammil, lead singer of post-punk band Gustaf, was phenomenal in every way. Her performance was mesmerizing as she whipped back and forth on stage even banging her hand against her head as she sang. Through a call-and-response style, this band took the stage by storm and won the hearts of everyone in the crowd. I wasn’t as familiar with this band going into the festival but I will say that now I am one of their biggest fans. I was very sad but not surprised to find out the next day their merch was all sold out and they had already moved on from the festival.

Peach Pit put on a show that was needless to say perfect in every way. The band took control of the audience as they played their greatest hits. As the show went on, there were literal peaches in the pit as the band played out their set. Some of the best moments were when the band would go crazy along with us on stage and run about screaming their lyrics. Lead vocalist of the band, Neil Smith had the most luscious of locks and would whip them about back and forth almost sending a message to audiences to also do the same.

It was an absolute honor to be in Courtney Barnett’s presence. Her Aussie twang contributes to the charismatic nature of her songs. Her guitar playing was incredibly physical and her performance energy was contagious.  Her set gave me the energy to enjoy the rest of the night’s acts.

    One of the sets that made this year’s block party so special was the one Joanna Newsom played. It was her first live show in about 10 years. She played never-before-heard songs and paid tribute to the late and great Steve Albini with her song “Cosmia” from her album Y’s which Albini worked on the recording for. It was a beautiful way to honor a legacy and celebrate music that many know and love. 

Day II

Saturday was a packed day, unsurprisingly so with knowledge of the line-up. It was probably one of the only issues I had with Block Party this weekend, the crowd control got out of hand at times and made getting around the festival harder than the last. Besides that, I had a great time grooving with the bands.

Blue Rain Boots knows how to control a crowd. As the first set of the day, they opened with high energy and moments to remember for the rest of the festival. While performing their set, there was a moment when lead vocalist, Simon Griffin actually fell to the ground from rocking out but still made it look cool in the process. One of Kilby Court’s fan favorites, they definitely put on a show keeping their 

The performance brought by Water From Your Eyes had me breaking through my skin. It was a constant stream of adrenaline as they played through their set, as the crowd got more wild one after the other. In between songs, they would crack jokes and leave short comments and at one point stopped the music to bring attention to the war on Gaza as lead vocalist Rachel Brown stated, “Ceasefire. Free Palestine.” One of the only bands that pulled attention to the issue, the crowd was cheering along with them, me included.

The Garden was the most anticipated by all and they most certainly met all expectations. I don’t even know where to start. From the flips on stage, the multi-instrumentalism, costume changes, and crowd reactions these brothers know how to get a party started.

Day III

My favorite day of them all and the finale to Kilby Block Party, I was reeling at all the good music hitting my ears. At this point, many were kicking it back and taking breaks from days before. Not me. I was rocking day in, day out to Odie Leigh, Model/Actriz, Panchiko, Interpol, and the final headliner LCD Soundsystem.

“I don’t know you, but I want to.” As the band got up on stage, Odie Leigh introduced herself and bandmates and then afterward asked us our names. On the count of three everyone yelled their name and the show began. One of the earlier sets, I was stunned at the beautiful performance she put on as the band played an act the night before as an after-party event for Block Party. It was refreshing and full of so much love as the band made the space feel like family as we all sang along and enjoyed each other’s presence together.

Model/Actriz put on a show to remember until the end of days. Probably my favorite amongst the others, I was electrified watching the flawless performance of Cole Haden as he strutted across the stage. Breaking out onto the floor, he riled up the audience forcing us to get up and dance. This paired with the ominous, hypersexed industrial dance beats electrified the festival; leaving the crowd stunned with desire and musical transcendence.

Another favorite from Kilby Stage was the performance by Panchiko. All the way from Nottingham, UK, the band brought such a great set to the stage and were precious in every way. There was a moment within their time on stage when they asked the audience what songs we wanted to hear and began strumming instantly. As a concertgoer, I always love to see my bands play my favorite songs so doing this was truly remarkable. 

As a mainstay among alternative rock bands, Interpol took the stage in their classic black and performed a set to an eager audience. At this point, crowds were itching for the big names on the lineup list, and the show they put on was nothing short of spectacular. As frontman Paul Banks sang the lyrics to songs like “Obstacle 1” and “My Desire” the words were chanted back at the band with all the excitement of the festival built up behind them. Not only was this band easy on the ears, but they were wonderful to watch. The style with which the guitar and bassists played made me sure of their experience as a band, as musicians, and as performers. I didn’t want to take my eyes off of them. Interpol guitar man. I love you.

All’s well that ends well, and Kilby Block Party ended with a stellar show from LCD SOUNDSYSTEM.  As one of the main draws to Kilby Block Party this year, high expectations were set for the Grand Finale of the festival. To put it simply, The New York natives know how to put on a show. With a band led by James Murphy set under a shimmering mirrorball, the ensemble shredded through their most notable songs. I had tears in my eyes and a smile on my face as the songs I had heard in headphones so many times were being sung live and loud by the band and the audience. Songs like “New York, I Love You But You’re Bringing Me Down” and “Losing my Edge” were lengthened and had improvised moments incorporated throughout. This made the show feel even more special and once-in-a-lifetime. You haven’t experienced LCD Soundsystem until you’ve seen them live, and anyone who has the chance should take it. Again, I was impressed by the quality of musicianship and performance by every person on stage, and the songs speak for themselves. In the home stretch of the final song “All My Friends” the refrain “Where are your friends tonight?!” echoed throughout the fairpark. I felt like I  had the answer to that question, and it was in a crowd with everyone at Kilby Block Party 2024.

As the show came to an end, I was stunned as to how fast time flew. It’s like I was transported into their world and I just wanted to be put back there instantly as reality hit me once again.

We Love Kilby Block Party

Walking out of the fairpark I was still riding the high of the festival. It was a joy to have been a part of these crowds and among some of my favorite artists. I would say this year was a success as the weekend played out and looking among other attendees, everyone seemed to enjoy themselves. I have high hopes for the coming days of Kilby Block Party and will be trying to keep my composure as I wait for the next year to come around.