Ogden Twilight Concert Series begins: Q&A with Ogden Twilight creator Jared Allen
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- Ogden Twilight creator Jared Allen at the Ogden Amphitheater during a show.
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- The crowd inside the Ogden Amphitheater during a 2021 Ogden Twilight concert.
The 2022 Ogden Twilight season started with Bleachers and The Lemon Twigs on Tuesday, which serendipitously landed on the Summer Solstice. Few things say “summer'” more than the gatherings at this annual concert series. Since 2015, Ogden Twilight Concert Series has been building community and a thriving local music scene, attracting thousands from across the state with irresistible lineups every year. It put Ogden Amphitheater on the map. Now we have to be patient until the next Ogden Twilight concert on Aug. 4 with Local Natives and Lucy Dacus, so here’s a little something to chew on till then — series founder Jared Allen shares some insight about this year’s roster, his favorite music and what he loves about the Ogden Twilight venue and artists.
Why is Ogden one of Utah’s “best kept secrets”?
Ogden was a hidden gem for a long time, but to be honest I think the word is out. I think some of the things that have made Ogden so popular are the great skiing, historic architecture, outdoors access and tons of mom-and-pop-style restaurants and bars that make going out a lot of fun/unique.
What are your favorite music festivals to attend? What makes a good music festival or concert?
My favorite music festival will always be the one with the best lineup. We’ve hit most of the major festivals over the years. They all have their pros and cons, but the thing that gets me to buy a ticket or get on a plane will always come down to the roster. Some festivals have better grounds or experiences than others, and we consider ourselves fortunate to have the Ogden Amphitheater for Ogden Twilight. It’s such a great venue and so well managed. We can host big shows there, but the sight lines are awesome and the shows don’t feel enormous. They still feel intimate.
Where did your love of music come from? What musicians/ bands are you loving right now?
I was always into music as a kid, but I was also into the visual arts. I only had so many electives and had to choose a path. I chose the visual arts for my career, but music has always been big for me and my family. Some of my recent favorite albums are from Rufus Du Sol (an Ogden Twilight alumni), Tinlicker, Royksopp and Arcade Fire.
What do you look for in the artists you book for Ogden Twilight?
We look for artists that are talented/that we love/that we can sell without feeling like phonies. We also make sure those artists are big enough to sell out the venue and get as many people in the community excited and out as possible. This is a community building series and we need to make sure they love who we’re bringing.
What are you the most excited for this season? What surprised you about this year’s lineup?
I’m beyond excited for so many of the shows this year. We got a lot of bucket list bookings. While we’ve had The National before, I never thought it would happen once, let alone twice. Beach House/Rostam is another favorite. Flume is going to be massive. That show sold out in 6 hours! I’m also a huge CHVRCHES fan. I won’t have a voice the next day from singing along in falsetto all night. Ha. The Shins were the first artists to ever sell out the Ogden Amphitheater. Modest Mouse has been on our wish list from day one. We feel really fortunate to have the roster we do this year.
Full bar service and credit card payments are back again this year.
Most shows are sold out, but resale tickets can be purchased at www.24tix.com.
See the full season lineup and search for remaining tickets at ogdentwilight.com.
Follow Ogden Twilight on Facebook and Instagram (@ogdentwilight) for show updates.