Audiences can look forward to a “normal concert series” this summer at Red Butte Garden, said the garden’s executive director, Derrek Hanson — after two years of cancelled shows and restrictions because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The 2020 season of Red Butte’s Outdoor Summer Concert Series was canceled altogether because of the pandemic. Last summer saw one show cancel because the headliner couldn’t travel to America — and another act cancel because the garden, which is part of the University of Utah, could not follow the band’s “COVID rider” that required audience members to show proof of vaccination. (The U., being a state agency, is governed by the rules set by the Utah Legislature.)
This year, Hanson said he hopes this year’s concerts — the full slate of 30 shows was announced Tuesday — will help with the economic recovery not only of musicians, but of the venues and the people who work the shows, from sound and light technicians to security, police and subcontractors.
Scheduling the 2022 season has been “tricky to navigate,” Hanson said, and the garden has contingency plans — including limiting audience capacity — if a new COVID-19 variant pops up.
“We’re fortunate that we’re outdoors,” he said. “So we have a better chance than say a club or indoor theater.”
Still, he said, the venue’s hands are tied when it comes to COVID policies that the artists might want that go beyond state law.
“It just feels different this year, we’re not getting that much pushback or even questions about it this year,” Hanson said. “It feels like there’s this whole like a like a relief through the industry.”
Hanson has been with the garden for nearly 21 years, and was promoted from deputy director to executive director in 2021. Through his decades of working on the concert series, he said, there’s no “clear defined way” in how they put the line up together. Many of this year’s acts, like last year’s, were carryovers from the canceled season of 2020.
The line-up includes artists from alternative-indie, pop, rock, and folk music genres.
Hanson has favorites he’s looking forward to — he listed Phish guitarist Trey Anastasio’s solo project, indie-folk singer José González, and folk group Caamp — but, he added, “one thing I’ve learned over the years is I get surprised almost every year by somebody I didn’t expect to be as good as they were, somebody I didn’t normally listen to.”
Tickets will go on sale April 25 for Garden members and for the general public on May 2 on their website. Red Butte Garden is located at 300 Wakara Way in Salt Lake City and seats 3,000 individuals.
Here is the full line-up:
Wednesday, May 18 • KALEO an Icelandic alt-rock band will headline the opening concert, and be accompanied by opening act Bones Owens, an alternative musician. (Previously announced.)
Friday, May 20 • Improv rock and free jazz band Trey Anastasio Band will perform on this date. (Previously announced.)
Tuesday, June 14 • She & Him is an American musical duo, consisting of actor-musician Zooey Deschanel (”New Girl”) and M. Ward.
Wednesday, June 15 • ZZ Top is a legendary blues-rock band from Houston.
Monday, June 20 • Canadian alt-rock band Barenaked Ladies will headline, with alt-rock bands Gin Blossoms and Toad the Wet Sprocket opening.
Tuesday, June 21 • Indie-rock multi-instrumentalist Andrew Bird and Iron & Wine, the stage name of singer-songwriter Sam Beam, will co-headline, joined by Allison Russell. (Previously announced.)
Tuesday, June 28 • British New Wave singer-songwriter Howard Jones, with rock musician Midge Ure (singer of the band Ultravox) opening.
Wednesday, June 29 • Trombone Shorty, a New Orleans jazz musician, will bring his “Voodoo Threauxdown” tour, with New Orleans funk/soul band Tank and the Bangas opening.
Friday, July 1 • Rockabilly crooner Chris Isaak and alt-country act Lyle Lovett & His Large Band will co-headline.
Wednesday, July 6 • Folk/country artist Mary Chapin Carpenter will headline, with “modern-day troubadour” John Craigie opening.
Wednesday, July 13 • English pop-soul singer Joss Stone headlines, with Scottish folk-rock performer KT Tunstall opening.
Tuesday, July 19 • Rapper and reggae artist Michael Franti & Spearhead will headline, joined by Nashville band The New Respects.
Saturday, July 23 • Americana string band Old Crow Medicine Show will perform.
Wednesday, July 27 • CAAMP, a folk trio from Ohio will headline, with opener Futurebirds, a indie-rock group from Georgia.
Thursday, July 28 • Bluegrass band Punch Brothers will co-headline with Americana-folk duo Watchhouse; folk-bluegrass performer Sarah Jarosz will open.
Friday, July 29 • Rock band O.A.R will co-headline with indie band Dispatch, with alt-rock musician G. Love opening.
Monday, Aug. 1 • Americana rock band The Revivalists will perform.
Thursday, Aug. 4 • British post-punk band The Psychedelic Furs; the pioneering punk band X is the opening act.
Monday, Aug. 8 • Americana indie folk band The Head and the Heart will headline; opening is the Americana folk band Dawes.
Saturday, Aug. 13 • Blues legend Bonnie Raitt is the headliner; R&B and gospel legend Mavis Staples, a Red Butte regular, will open.
Wednesday, Aug. 17 • The Black Crowes, an Americana rock band, will mark the 30th anniversary of their album “Shake Your Money Maker.”
Thursday, Aug. 18 • Country-pop star Maren Morris will headline; opening is The Lone Bellow an alt-country/Americana group.
Saturday, Aug. 20 • Pink Martini is retro-swing band that also crosses into jazz, pop and Latin; singer China Forbes will be featured with the band.
Sunday, Aug. 21 • My Morning Jacket is an Americana rock band; multi-genre artist Joy Oladokun will open.
Monday, Aug. 22 • Boy George & Culture Club, the ‘80s New Wave group from England, will headline.
Monday, Aug. 29 • José González is a Swedish-born indie-folk artist.
Tuesday, Aug. 30 • Gipsy Kings are a group of flamenco, salsa and pop artists from France — featuring Nicolas Reyes, who founded the group.
Thursday, Sept. 8 • Umphrey’s McGee, Americana jam band.
Sunday, Sept. 18 • Blues-rock and Americana singer-songwriter John Hiatt will co-headline with the Swedish band The Goners, featuring Americana blues musician Sonny Landreth.
Tuesday, Sept. 20 • Roots-rock singer-songwriter Melissa Etheridge and blues artist Keb’ Mo’ will co-headline the final show of the series.
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