Live music review: Day one at Kilby Block Party 2026 featured Turnstile with up and coming acts

It was a picture perfect day in Salt Lake City at the Utah State Fairplex on Friday as Kilby Block Party geared up for its seventh edition of the mid-tier sized music festival with a lineup heavy on up and coming acts. Ireland’s Newdad, Austin’s Die Spitz and L.A. via Boise artist, Gelli Haha all turned in impressive performances as the schedule moved towards red-hot, melodic hardcore rock band Turnstile’s incredible main stage set to close night one of KBP.  Fans enjoyed a silent disco featuring local DJs, art installations and came dressed for fun.

Gelli Haha got things started with a light-hearted, synth-fueled dream-pop performance on the main Kilby Stage that set a festive tone for the day. The artful choreography of the “Gelli Company” dancers along with the bright red color theme made for a playful, art-pop performance that had fans dancing along with big smiles.
In an era of stale, tired pop queens, Gelli Haha is doing something far more interesting with her music and stage presentation. Their set felt fresh and exciting. Check out their latest album, Switcheroo and be sure to watch their inventive, eye-candy videos.

Not long after Galway, Ireland rock band, Newdad hit the Kilby Stage with a pleasing set of indie rock tunes. Vocalist and guitarist, Julie Dawson had a lovely stage presence and her formally trained band hit all the right notes, presenting a tight, unified unit of players. Their fuzzy, shoegaze sound went over well with the KPB crowd. Newdad’s atmospheric style fit the Kilby Block Party aesthetic to a T. Newdad belonged on the main stage and owned their performance with confidence.
Check out the group’s 2025 album Altar. It’s worth a listen.

A couple time slots later, Austin’s fast-rising hardcore rockers, Die Spitz took the Desert Stage next door.  The group show 90s Grunge Era influences couched in 2020s musically. We think a lot about grunge era Grrrl Rock bands like L7 and Hole but there’s plenty of male influence in their music too – Nirvana, The Melvins. The first time we saw the group play in Austin they covered Mudhoney.

Die Spitz’ high-energy performance played to a packed stage area with a massive circle pit that began from the first notes. These fans were ready to get their angst out along with these ladies on a rocket ship to success. Touring with Amyl and the Sniffers was just the start. The group will play six dates in support of pop superstar Olivia Rodrigo in Europe Spring of 2027.

A set highlight was “Groping Dogs Gushing Blood” off their 2023 EP Teeth. The song came at the midpoint of the show. The audience had worked themselves into a frenzy with dozens of crowd surfers floating into the photo pit. Die Spitz had complete command of the stage and they knew it. We couldn’t be prouder.

Kevin Morby had a nice performance mid-afternoon at the Mountain Stage. Sports put on a fun set not long after but the highlight of the day was Turnstile‘s incredible headlining set to close out a stupendous day one at Kilby Block Party. Their melodic hardcore sound has prompted much debate. Are they closer to pop or hardcore? For us the energy felt like Rage Against the Machine who are indeed cited influences of the group. It doesn’t really matter what you call their music, the show has been one of the most talked about rock sets over the last 12 months.

Watching from the stage with members of Die Sptiz, Father John Misty and a smattering of others highlighted how much of a moment Turnstile are enjoying currently. Last year’s Never Enough Tour was one of the most talked about rock tours in 2025. 2023 saw the band nominated for multiple Grammy Awards.

Massive mosh pits with front man, Brendan Yates matching that energy, ensued from the jump. On Saturday when asked, most fans cited Turnstile as their day one highlight. Agreed.

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