Kilby Day One Sets the Stage with Iconic Performances and Festival Excitement

Located in the heart of Salt Lake City, Utah, Kilby Block Party takes the scene. The 3-day festival filled with smiling faces ready to enjoy what the festival had in store. Day 1 of shooting my first-ever music festival, and the whole festival experience has already exceeded my expectations; dancing, energy transfer, and true expression all around me. Kilby Block Party Day 1 really set the tone for the weekend — not just with its lineup, but with the way fans showed up, busting moves and existing purely in the moment. It’s an incredible and rewarding moment to watch people be so comfortable in their own skin. Capturing these moments is always a blast, especially when I can share the moments I eternalized by sending it over to the people featured.

Devo’s set was a huge standout. This close-up shot perfectly sums up not just their high-energy performance, but the entire vibe of the day. The energy the crowd showed for a band from the 80s was remarkable, considering most of the Kilby audience is younger. This all goes to show the high levels of energy the crowd is going to bring for the remaining three days, with the lineup comprised of their favorite artists rocking each stage. Devo’s presence on stage was electric, and photographing them was a serious honor. Especially knowing how many decades they’ve been accumulating loyal fans who enjoy their 80s rock pop jams.

Yo La Tengo brought a more mellow but deeply nostalgic energy. Their set felt like a breath of tranquility among some of the more chaotic moments of the day. It was incredible to see how the crowd responded — swaying, singing along, and fully devoted to giving the same amount of energy to Yo La Tengo as they did for some of the more upbeat acts, even if the energy was different in nature. Shooting their set was less about chasing the wild energy and more about finding those intimate, emotional moments while they flowed through their beautiful discography.

Then, New Order closed out the night. Their lighting setup was probably my favorite of the day — the stage was washed in deep blues and purples as the night sky took over Kilby Block Party’s festival grounds. Every frame of the song’s performance looked and sounded cinematic, and it was apparent how, just like Devo, this was a band that fans have looked up to for decades upon decades, thanks to their nostalgic energy and 80s musical prowess.

One of my favorite things about the day was how social it ended up being. Between meeting other photographers (who were all incredibly talented and welcoming) and interacting with fans who wanted their photo taken, it felt more like being part of a big creative community than just documenting an event as a journalist.

Shooting my first festival was definitely a new experience with new technical challenges to overcome, but one I was stoked to take on and wrap up day 1. I’m incredibly excited to take on day 2 tomorrow.