Ogden Twilight organizers announce acts, including Big Wild, Death Cab for Cutie
Attendees dance during an Ogden Twilight Concert Series performance on June 6, 2019, at the Ogden Amphitheater in Ogden. The 2021 installment of the series is set to start Aug. 13, 2021.
OGDEN — Ogden Twilight organizers have announced the lineup — most of it, anyway — for the COVID-19-delayed summer 2021 season, and several acts that were to have performed last year are slated to show up.
“We did all that we could to try and rebuild the season we all lost last year. We came close, but several artists just aren’t going to tour in 2021,” Ogden Twilight organizers said in a Facebook post on Tuesday to announce the lineup for this year’s season. “However, we’re incredibly excited about the new artists we’re able to work with this year and extremely grateful for their willingness to come play this affordable community building series!!”
The first show is scheduled for Aug. 13 and the headliner will be Fitz and the Tantrums, who were also to take part in the 2020 season, canceled like so many activities because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Kishi Bashi is also scheduled to perform in this year’s inaugural show.
Ogden Twilight is an annual music series held at the Ogden Amphitheater, typically starting around late May or early June and drawing visitors from around the state and country. This year, the start date was pushed to Aug. 13 and the 10-date season will go on until Sept. 25. Here are the other scheduled acts and the dates they are to perform:
Aug. 20, The Flaming Lips and Dan Deacon;
Aug. 21, Big Wild and Crooked Colours;
Aug. 28, Louis the Child and a DJ set by Washed Out;
Sept. 3, to be announced, though the group to perform has “been on our wish list from the very beginning of this series,” organizers said;
Sept. 4, Noah Cyrus and Ant Clemons;
Sept. 10, Death Cab for Cutie and a yet-to-be announced opening act;
Sept. 16, Purity Ring and Dawn Richard;
Sept. 21, Portugal. The Man and Japanese Breakfast;
Sept. 25, Grouplove and Black Star Kids.
Season passes start at $100 and are available online at 24tix.com/ot. Individual tickets to the various concerts go on sale starting on Friday at 10 a.m.
“The reason we’re able to bring artists like these to town is because you show up and you help us spread the word. Thank you!!” said the Ogden Twilight Facebook post.
It went on, noting the relative economic value of the concerts in the series. “A couple of these shows are already SOLD OUT at Red Rocks in Colorado. Getting two tickets to either Louis The Child or Big Wild a state away would run you over $700 right now. It’s crazy,” said the post.
Christy McBride, manager of the City of Ogden’s Arts, Culture and Events Division, said average attendance in 2019 was around 4,600 per show, which works out to 46,000 people in all over the course of the 10-concert series. The Ogden Amphitheater, located off Historic 25th Street in Ogden’s city center, can hold 6,000-6,500 people.
With such numbers, the performances are big economic drivers in Ogden, particularly the city center. In 2019, around 30%-32% of the concertgoers came from Weber County, another 30%-35% came from the Salt Lake City-Provo area and the rest came from elsewhere around the state and country, McBride said.
“People fly in and stay in our hotels and eat in our restaurants,” she said. The city typically pitches in around $25,000 per season to cover security and other costs at the shows, tapping funds from the RAMP tax, the special county sales tax meant for recreation, arts and cultural activities. The bulk of the funding for the series comes from ticket sales, sponsors, and beverage and merchandise sales.
This year, there will be two sets of dates with back-to-back shows, on Aug. 20-21 and Sept. 3-4. The aim, in part, is to encourage visitation to Ogden, to draw visitors and have them stay the night. “It’s a great way to support our businesses,” McBride said.
The COVID-19 guidelines will be tweaked from concert to concert, if needed, to comply with the prevailing rules in effect at the time. “We’ll just work with the (Weber-Morgan) Health Department, because it’s changing daily,” McBride said.
As the COVID-19 threat has eased, mask rules and other guidelines have also been scaled back. According to current rules in effect statewide, those who attend events with 50 or more people must wear face coverings.
Among the groups that were to have performed in 2020 before the season last year was canceled were Purity Ring, the Flaming Lips, Big Wild, Louis The Child and Portugal. The Man, among others.