Live music preview: Six bands to see at Kilby Block Party 2025

The epicenter of live music in Salt Lake City is Kilby Court, S&S Presents and the independent venues they book. A statement similar to this was made to us by an Utah native and hardcore music fan. They’re not wrong. The DIY spirit of Kilby Court runs through the heart of the SLC music scene culminating each May with Kilby Block Party at the Utah State Fairpark. This year’s edition has expanded to a fourth evening on Thursday, May 15, celebrating 26 years of Kilby Court. The fest runs through Sunday, May 18 with a lineup of bands that stands out among American music festivals this year. The added day was to accommodate the schedule of New Order who haven’t played Utah in 35 years. The rest of the lineup is mind blowing with acts like Beach House, Weezer and Justice who will perform in Salt Lake for the first time. Four-day passes and single day tickets are still available here. Read on to learn more about six bands to see at Kilby Block Party in 2025.

Thursday
New Order

Our opening night recommendation is a no-brainer as New Order headline to kick off KBP this year. The legendary UK act hasn’t played Utah in 35 years. Their booking sets the tone for the festival this year. Expect songs from New Order predecessors Joy Division as the remaining members tour without JD’s bandleader Ian Curtis who tragically died of suicide leading to the formation of New Order. The band is also missing founding bassist Peter Hook due to conflicts with other members but the rest of the lineup featuring vocalist and guitarist Bernard Sumner, drummer Stephen Morris, keyboardist, Gillian Gilbert along with Phil Cunningham and Tom Chapman have been touring for several years after reforming in 1998. These groundbreaking artists are credited with fusing post-punk, electronic and dance music to create an incredibly influential sound that produced songs like “Age of Innocence,”  “Ceremony” and “Temptation.” Any true music fan would be negligent to miss this performance.

If you’re at KPB on opening night, don’t miss another hugely influential band, future-punks Devo who perform on the Mountain Stage prior to New Order’s first night closing set.

Other notable acts Thursday:
Devo
Yo La Tango

Friday
Rilo Kiley

Influential indie rock band, Rilo Kiley have reunited after taking an extended hiatus that turned into a full fledged break up in 2010. The group is playing their seventh show of the tour at Kilby Block Party after kicking off the reunion tour May 5 in San Luis Obispo. KPB organizers S&S Presents must really love Jenny Lewis who performed last year with The Postal Service, inviting her back with the reformed Rilo Kiley. The group is led by songwriters Blake Sennet and Lewis with Pierre de Reeder (bass, guitar), Jason Boesel (drums) rounding out the original formation. Multi-instrumentalist, Harrison Whitford has joined the band for the tour this year.

Rilo Kiley’s breakout album came in 2004 with More Adventurous which immediately hit high on the Billboard Heatseekers chart. Opening track, It’s a Hit is a catchy tune with bright melody and Lewis’ sublime vocals. It is one of many songs fans might recognize from their early catalogue without realizing they knew it already.

Built to Spill

For fans of exceptional guitar work and groundbreaking indie rock from Boise, Idaho, don’t miss Built to Spill led by Doug Martsch who generally tours with a different lineup of supporting musicians each tour. Martsch is an underrated guitarist who basically carries the band with layers of sound, effects and loops all created with his intricate pedal board and effects set-up. Martsch is the only permanent member of the band.

With nine albums to their credit, major label release, Keep It Like a Secret (1999). The band toured on its 25th anniversary last year. While 2009’s There Is No Enemy was BTS’s highest charting album, our favorite was You in Reverse (2006). Watch Doug shred the guitar parts during a performance at Antone’s below.

Other notable acts Friday:
Being Dead
Carseat Headrest
Slowdive

Saturday
The Black Angels

Austin’s The Black Angels best represents the Neo-psych rock movement of the early 2000’s forming in 2004. Since then the group led by vocalist and guitarist Alex Maas and lead guitarist Christian Bland. Jake Garcia (guitar) Misti Hamrick (bass) and Stephanie Bailey (drums) round out the band. TBA have cemented their status in the rock n roll underground with their own music festival, Austin Psych Fest (since rebranded Levitation) in 2008. The festival is generally regarded as the first psych rock festival of its kind.

The group has released six albums since forming. Their latest release Wilderness of Mirrors (2022) was released on Partisan Records. They’re heavily influenced by The Velvet Underground, early Pink Floyd and the 13th Floor Elevators who were all psych rock pioneers. The Black Angels performances typically feature psychedelic light shows and exceptional musicianship.

Other notable acts Saturday: 
Panda Bear
Toro y Moi
St. Vincent

Sunday
Nation of Language

Brooklyn’s Nation of Language surged in popularity during the COVID pandemic with the release of Introduction, Presence (2020) followed by 2022’s A Way Forward which emphasizes Krautrock and synthesizer influences. The album gained the band even more new fans, an appearance on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert and invitations to perform on the music festival circuit.

The trio is led by Ian Richard Devaney (vocals, guitar) and Aidan Noell (the two are partners) with Alex MacKay on bass. Bring your dancing shoes to this set.

TV on the Radio

Another Brooklyn act, TV on the Radio joins our short list after taking a hiatus in 2019, finally returning to touring last year on the 20th Anniversary of their debut, Desperate Youth, Blood Thristy Babes. TVOTR is best described as progressive indie rock with unorthodox arrangements, sequencers and loops accentuating guitars and drums. The group is led by lead vocalist, Tunde Adebimpe and Kyp Malone (guitar, vocals) who both have an animated stage presence. If you’ve not caught on yet, KBP organizers have focused on booking acts that haven’t performed live often yet possess a sterling live performance reputation. Don’t miss this set.

Other notable acts Sunday:
Gift
Real Estate
Justice

Featured photo by Christopher Alvarez