As Low Cut Connie’s frontman Adam Weiner put it, “you make Monday feel like Saturday.” Indeed it did. The State Room hosted two dynamic bands to help celebrate the venue’s 15th Anniversary on Monday, April 1, 2024. They both raised the roof.
Most opening acts ease you into the evening, but Fantastic Cat came with the energy of an encore performance. The New York-based power quartet took the stage (their first time playing in SLC) and immediately rocked the house with “C’mon Armageddon.” The four players rotated instruments and lead vocals on every song. The drummer shifted to the bass, and the bassist took over lead vocals. The guy who I thought was the lead vocalist moved to acoustic guitar while the previous singer took up the drums and the acoustic guitarist went electric. If you weren’t paying attention you’d think The State Room was pulling an April Fools prank. Yes, Monday felt like a Saturday.
Fantastic Cat played several songs from their masterful, debut album The Very Best of Fantastic Cat (2022) including: “Nobody’s Coming to Get You,” “New Year’s Day,” and “Wild and Free.” They then performed their radio-ready new single “All My Fault” from their upcoming album Now That’s What I Call Fantastic Cat due for release in early June and took their high-energy performance to another level on “The Gig” and “Oh Man.” They ended their lightning fast 9-song set with the unreleased gem “Goodnight My Darling.” I wanted more.
Fantastic Cat described themselves as: CSNY or The Traveling Wilburys, if none of them were famous. I would add The Band to that mix. Their debut record feels like a compilation from a long-established career, but they’re just getting started. I hope they return to Salt Lake City very soon.
Between the opener and the main act, The State Room served cake to celebrate their 15-years as the Intermountain West’s premier live music venue.
Low Cut Connie (LCC) is the perfect band to invite to a musical party. Immediately electrifying the crowd, LCC took us on a madcap rock ‘n’ roll thrill ride. They kicked off their massive 22-song set with “Let It All Hang out Tonite”. The band’s frontman, Adam Weiner, embodies a larger-than-life stage persona on stage (think Elton John meets Billy Joel at a Jerry Lee Lewis house party). But it’s his backing band that takes LCC’s piano-driven rock to the summit. Guitarist/fiddle/vocalist Abigail Dempsey and backing vocalist Amanda “Rocky” Bullwinkel put a soulful charge into the music and complemented Weiner’s flamboyance with their own burlesque energy. On “Death and Destruction” the ensemble shook the rafters before moving seamlessly to “Private Lives” and “Rio.”
They featured new material from their album Art Dealer including ”Sleaze Me On,” “Big Boy,” and “Are You Gonna Run?” before playing the melodic chorus of “Full of Joy” from their 2011 debut record Get Out The Lotion. After LCC’s signature tune “Shake It Little Tina,” the band took a break while Weiner played a short piano solo set which included a homage to Lou Reed with ”Sweet Jane.” Reed’s musical influence is palpable on Art Dealer, so “Take Me To The Place” fits perfectly alongside a Reed classic. When the band returned they entered the homestretch with the big guns “Revolution Rock ‘n’ Roll,” and “Boozophilia.” If there was still any dust on the rafters it disappeared with the ground swelling encore “Whips and Chains.”
This much fun at a Salt Lake City concert—and all on a Monday night— will surely be outlawed during the next legislative session! What a fitting celebration for The State Room’s 15th Anniversary show. Over the past decade and a half, how many of us have left the venue in complete awe of the talent they bring to Salt Lake City? Monday night was no exception…. and the cake tasted pretty great too.
Who: Low Cut Connie w/ Fantastic Cat
What: The State Room’s 15th Anniversary show
Where: The State Room
When: April 1, 2024
Info: https://thestateroompresents.com, https://lowcutconnie.com/ , https://www.fantasticcatband.com/
