REVIEW: Kilby Block Party
REVIEW
REVIEW
☆ BY RACHEL BENNETT ☆
Kilby Block Party is something special. The music festival takes place in Salt Lake City, an unassuming yet striking backdrop to one of the best festivals currently in rotation. The size, lineup curation, and overall layout and vibe of the grounds make it a premier festival-going experience. And one thing is clear about Kilby: it’s a festival for music lovers. Yes, it’s also a party, but it’s a party for people who are there to see music that they adore.
Friday was hot; the sun was out, and people were scattered across the grounds in whimsical festival attire. Friday featured some heavier bands like Die Spitz, who started the most wild mosh-pit and had people crowd surfing for an entire hour in the middle of the day; Show Me The Body who are NYC hardcore at it’s finest, and of course, Turnstile headlining to an energetic and hungry crowd. There were also indie favourites like Snail Mail, who played songs from her incredible new album Ricochet, Beach Bunny, who had the crowd bouncing and dancing in the sun, and the always impeccable Japanese Breakfast. Other standouts include Gelli Haha, who had people rushing to the main stage as soon as the festival opened, Hotline TNT, New Dad, Dry Cleaning, Chanel Beads, and Wombo.
Saturday was cloudy and allowed festival attendees to ease into the second day of amazing music; after a rowdy Friday, Saturday featured artists that were lively and captivating but a more calm energy. YHWH Nailgun was one of the first bands of the day, performing to a crowd engrossed in their experimental sounds, and then Feeble Little Horse took the main stage, to a crowd of cuties. The day continued with the undeniable sounds of LA’s Automatic, the catchy riffs of Dehd, sweeping sounds and theatrics of The Last Dinner Party, Lucy Dacus who brought out Romy as a guest, and Alex G serenading the crowd as the sun set. The night ended with the XX who were performing together for the first time in about 8 years.
Sunday was the last day of the festival, and was absolutely stacked with back-to-back performances that no one wanted to miss. This was the busiest day of the weekend, with a rumoured 30k people in attendance to see the headliners. Australia’s Folk Bitch Trio opened the main stage with their hauntingly beautiful harmonies. Then every musician’s favorite band, This Is Lorelei, played to a packed crowd at the Mountain Stage, followed by Melody’s Echo Chamber’s dreamy tunes. Other amazing artists that day included NYC’s Glom, Manchester UK’s Freak Slug, and Oslo, Norway’s Smerz. As the day went on, the sky became dark and rain became inevitable; as the always iconic Magdalena Bay took the stage it began to rain, but that didn’t stop the huge crowd from dancing to songs off their 2024 album Imaginal Disk. Then the clouds cleared, and Hayley Williams performed on the main stage, playing songs off her first solo album Ego Death at a Bachelorette Party. This was Hayley’s first festival performance as a solo artist, and it did not disappoint. Blood Orange was next, who’s musical craftsmanship and impeccable sound comes through beautifully in the live performance. And finally, Lorde closed out the festival in the pouring rain, to a huge audience of people dancing and singing along, and to be honest the wild weather made it more epic.
The only downside to this festival? That it’s impossible to catch every incredible artist who performed; we only saw about half of the artists each day, and shed a tear for the ones we missed. The entire lineup was amazing, as it has been year after year; the people who make this festival possible should be so proud of what they have accomplished. Independent music festivals are so important for creating community, giving a platform to artists, and providing a place for people to experience music in an authentic way, and Kilby Block Party is an outstanding example of the kind of top tier event that can be pulled off when humans and art are prioritized.
