Analog Utah

Analog Utah’s Guide to Local Venues

How to find the right venue for you.

Are you new to the music scene? Have you always wondered where you can listen to some really good local music? Or do you just want to know more about your favorite venue? If you’re any of those things than this article is for you. When I think of the Utah Music scene, three venues always come to my mind, Velour, Kilby Court, and The Boardwalk. Each of those venues have distinctive important roles in the music scene and are places that you can always catch a good show at. Although there are many great local Utah venues, I wanted to highlight my top three favorites, in hopes of covering some more in the future. With that being said, here is a guide to my three favorite local venues.

Velour

To say that Velour is a powerhouse in the music scene would be an understatement, it is a pillar of music in Utah, and has become insanely iconic over the years. Velour is the center and soul of music in Provo where artists big and small (but always great) join together to create the sound of Utah. Many great bands have come out of Utah and most of them spent their early days playing in front of Velour’s iconic stained glass windows. Bands like Imagine Dragons, Neon Trees, The Moth & The Flame, The Aces, and The Backseat Lovers had started out at Velour and those are just a few of the many successful bands that began at Velour. As an all-ages venue, Velour has a place for everyone.

Started in 2006 by Corey Fox, Velour has pioneered the Utah scene with all of Fox’s expertise. Fox is the genius behind the best venue in Utah County, and I don’t use the term genius lightly. Velour is not only special because of the musicians it has brought up but also because of Fox’s attention to detail. When you walk into Velour you can literally see that attention to detail all around you. The venue is beautiful and eclectic with every inch of the walls covered with vintage music memorabilia and pieces of art that all blend beautifully together. The decor is impeccable but so are the stage set pieces. If you were to ask someone to describe the look of Velour the first thing they would tell you about is the beautiful stained glass windows that hang at the back of the stage. These stained glass windows have transcended Velour and have become a symbol for the Provo music scene. The decoration isn’t the only impressive thing you’ll find inside of Velour, you’ll also find great lighting, great sound, great sound technicians, great employees, great photographers, a great audience, and great musicians. Fox’s attention to detail and care for excellence has lead Velour to be the artistic center of Provo.

Velour isn’t just a venue, it’s a movement, and that’s because Corey Fox has his hands in many things such as the legendary Halloween festival: Buzzards & Bees, the perfect summer festival: Fork Fest, and Velour’s iconic Battle of The Bands. You can tell that Fox cares for the music scene and in a sense his passion has kept the Utah music scene alive and thriving. With all of that said, Velour is truly legendary, and is the beating heart of Provo. You can go to Velour any night that a show is going on and I can guarantee that you’ll have a good time. Each night that the doors open to Velour there will always be phenomenal artists playing and a great community of artists to interact with. When deciding what to do on a night out in Provo, going to Velour is never a bad choice, and hey, you may never know which band playing there will be the next big thing.

Kilby Court

Tucked away in Downtown Salt Lake City, Kilby Court is a venue everyone knows and loves. My first local show was at Kilby Court, which I can assume is a common experience for many Utahns. Growing up in Salt Lake City made me feel like I was surrounded by musicians all of the time and that’s thanks to the impact of Kilby Court. It’s smaller than other venues in Salt Lake but what it lacks in space, it makes up for in charm. Much like Velour, Kilby Court has a unique identity that sets it apart from any venue I’ve ever been to. And also like Velour, I consider it to be the heart of Salt Lake City and Utah as a whole. Kilby Court is a staple in the Utah Music scene and laid the foundation for many venues to come. If you want to go to a venue that feels like a garage rock show then Kilby Court is the place for you.

One word comes to mind when thinking about Kilby Court: Counterculture. In 1999 Phil Sherburne noticed that there weren’t any small venues for local bands to play at in Utah and boldly decided to make his garage a venue for the once underrepresented local artists. That moment in time is a landmark in the Utah music scene’s history because it was the start of the musical atmosphere we know today. Utah was not known for it’s music scene in 1999, sure bands would stop in Salt Lake, but no bands ever came from Salt Lake, and Phil Sherburne saw all the local talent and wanted to change that, so he did. With the help of Kilby Court and venues like Velour, Utah has turned into a cultural epicenter for music, where people will move out of state to Utah for the music scene, where Utah even has it’s own genres of music such as Provo-Indie, and it all started with Phil Sherburne’s garage. In 2008 Lance Saunders and Will Sartain bought Kilby Court but kept it’s original identity. When you walk into Kilby Court you’re met with a garage made of aluminum panels and wood that’s barely holding up but that’s the Kilby charm.

In 2019, Kilby Court was celebrating their twenty year anniversary, and decided to throw a block party. This block party was cemented into the history of the scene because it became the biggest music festival hosted by Utah. The Kilby Block Party has been going strong every year for the past six years. Kilby Court has undoubtedly left it’s mark on Utah and has transcended just being a garage. Kilby Court is the sound and soul of Utah. It even has a song dedicated to it: Kilby Girl by The backseat Lovers is Kilby Court personified. If you ever have trouble finding a venue, Kilby Court is one you can always fall back onto not only for the great bands that play there every week but also because of it’s legacy of staying true to itself and Utah.

The Boardwalk

Just northwest of Utah Valley University there’s a venue in the middle of a industrial area that houses the most underrated artist of the Provo scene. If you frequent the Provo scene than The Boardwalk needs no introduction. The Boardwalk is a venue that accepts everyone and has somewhat became a home for the outcasts of the Provo scene. Twice a year they hold a Battle of The Bands competition where you’ll find non-stop rock and heavier guitar tones, which is rare in Provo. I’ve spent a lot of my time at The Boardwalk, from going to shows, to helping stain the floor, to judging the Fall 2024 Battle of The Bands final night. Each time I’ve been at The Boardwalk I have never felt anything but welcome. The Boardwalk is a venue that’s all about putting on a good show and all about the music.

Logan Casper and Braxton Bitsoi opened The Boardwalk doors in 2020 as a concert venue. Five years later and The Boardwalk is much more than that. In 2022, Brain Cabello took over ownership and still runs The Boardwalk today. Housed in an old industrial building The Boardwalk is not only a concert venue but also a recording studio and a hub for a underepresented community. Ever since it’s doors opened in 2020, The Boardwalk has allowed everyone a shot at the local music scene, and that is why they are one of my favorite venues. Everyone you run into at The Boardwalk is what makes The Boardwalk what it is today. The venue has help from interns and students who are incredibly passionate about what they do and always extremely kind to whoever they talk to. Their staff is tight-nit and are the spark that keeps the light of the venue lit. There’s a wall for anyone and everybody to sign, a sticker bombed door, and a recording studio upstairs by the enterance, to say The Boardwalk is unique is understatment, and that’s where The Boardwalk dynamic lies. From concerts during the weekends and a recording studio during the week, The Boardwalk is a home for the arts and for creativety.

As previously mentioned, The Boardwalk has a recording studio, which is something that sets it apart from other venues. Musicians can get stems of their live preformances at The Boardwalk and record music with one of the best producers on the scene, Wesley Monohan. Along with Brian Cabello, Wesley Monohan has helped shaped the identity of The Boardwalk. This venue is more than a venue just like Velour and Kilby Court. The Boardwalk has carved out a name for itself and has paved the way for many non indie bands in Utah. The Boardwalk is about community and will open it’s arms to everyone who walks through it’s doors. If you’re looking for the next place to catch a set filled to the brim with passion, creativity, and community, then The Boardwalk is the place for you.

WHere to find each Venue

Velour: Velour is located at 135 N University Ave, Provo, UT 84601. You can also find them on Instagram at @velourlive. They have plenty of exciting things coming up such as Les Femmes De Velour which is where they’ll be celebrating female music artists for month of Feburary!

Kilby Court: Kilby Court is located at 741 W Kilby Ct, Salt Lake City, UT 84101. You can also find them on Instagram at @kilbycourt. Follow them to see all the new shows they have coming up and to see updates for the sixth annual Kilby Block Party.

The Boardwalk: The Boardwalk is located at 1384 W Center St, Orem, UT 84057. You can also find them on Instagram at @theboardwalksound . Follow them to see all of their new shows and all of the exciting new renovations they’ve been doing!

Thank you for reading about all these awesome venues and thank you for reading this post! – Sincerly, Madiegan.