_{By Zach Collier
Photos by Molly McCoy}

It’s been 10 years since my last Rooftop Recap, and not gonna lie – it’s making me weirdly emotional. So much has happened in 10 years. Graduating from BYU, going on several national tours, becoming a father of four (and ending the “having children” phase), surviving a global pandemic, and growing Provo Music Magazine through all the ups and downs. It was really surreal to walk Downtown Provo again during a Rooftop show and feel as if nothing had changed – even though the world is radically different than it was a decade ago.

This was my kids’ first real concert. While most of them went home early for bed, my son stayed with me because he wanted to see IDKHOW. He and I first really bonded over the Back to the Future series. We watched the first one on Amazon, and I presented it to him as if it were a brand new movie that had never come out before. He was thrilled. He asked if there would be another. I told him a heard a second one was coming out soon.

Months went by. He had a stuffed Delorean that he carried with him everywhere. He slept with it every night. After 6 months we watched the second one. After another 6 months we watched the third one. And then 6 months later Back to the Future came back to movie theaters and we went and saw it together.

When I told him there was a band named after one of Doc Brown’s lines from the movie, he wanted to hear them. And that’s how he fell in love with I DON’T KNOW HOW BUT THEY FOUND ME.

I couldn’t have asked for a better first concert for him and I to go to together.

Pinguin Mofex kicked off the night with their loud and brash brand of artsy alt rock – getting noisy enough to offend the sensibilities of the normies in the crowd while dropping enough melodic hooks to reel them back in. Nate Pyfer’s vocals slayed, and they showcased how adventurous Provo music could be.

Sego was up next, offering a really polished and tight show. These guys have been together for so long that they’re a well oiled machine. They make it all look so effortless. This was my first time ever watching Sego while eating an ice cream cone, and tbh I really liked that combo. 10/10 will do again.

IDKHOW came on when the sun went down, and the lights really knocked my son’s socks off. He’d never seen anything like it. He kept wanting to climb the stairs to the top of the parking structures so he could see all the people and get a good look at the stage – before heading right back into the crowd to get close to the music.

Eventually, his 7-year-old legs got tired, and he got thirsty. We headed into Java Junkie to get a lemonade, and he loved CHAC XOL’s set. I love that Java Junkie still decided to hold open mic night despite Rooftop happening outside. It made Provo genuinely feel like Sound Town. If you needed a break from the noise, you could retreat to someplace cozy and still get a good show. Someone played the saw during CHAC XOL’s set, and my son was enthralled. He’d never seen that before. Aside from being really unique, it was also really well executed. I loved it.

We ended the night with some Swedish candy. It was fun running into fellow musicians and producers at Swedish Moose Candy Co. Everyone was out in full force to support the revival. It’s been since the pre-pandemic days that I’ve felt such a strong and beautiful sense of community here in the music scene.

I’m so glad Rooftop Concert Series is back. Catch the next one on June 26, 2026 at 7 PM, featuring The Moss, Beeson, and Bonneville.