Salt Lake City’s summer Twilight Concert Series isn’t going away after all. The city announced last Fall that the yearly event would be canceled but now, with the help of a new business partner and more manageable venue, it’s back.
The city’s partner is the Salt Lake-based entertainment company Broadway Media. The company’s VP, Jake Jensen, says it was a blow to hear about the Twilight Concerts ending because he and his colleagues were patrons themselves.
“It would have been a tragedy just for it to die," Jensen says. "We reached out to the arts council to see if there was something we could do to make it happen again this year.”
In addition to financial support, Broadway could offer help past partners couldn’t. As a broadcast company that runs some of the most popular music stations in the state, including X96, they’re used to organizing and marketing concerts — especially on a tight timeline.
Broadway is taking over the responsibility of booking guests and other logistical needs that typically fell on the arts council. And Jensen says he and his team are well aware that there is room for improvement with the overall concert experience.
"Some people had a bad experience because of how crowded it was which is the nature of having that many people inside of a park like that," Jensen said.
Along with the arts council the decision was made to downsize. Or, as Jensen says “right-size” the series, and move it from Pioneer Park back to the smaller Gallivan Center nearby. With an existing stage and more convenient infrastructure, putting on the concerts there will require less money and manpower.
A smaller venue also means fewer people can get in. It’s likely the shows will sell out, which Jensen says is not necessarily a bad thing. It means the people who show up will likely be there first and foremost for the music.
There will be a total of five concerts held on Thursday nights in August and September and the cost of entry will be $10.
