_{By Zach Collier
Photos by Clark Clifford}

Provo descended upon Center street on June 26 under the crimson glow of a wildfire sun. The air was thick with the over 300,000 acres that have burned across the state this season – a visible haze blowing through the streets of Sound Town. Having a sunset wash over you while the sun is still high in the sky is an eerie feeling. Carcinogens be damned, aesthetically it was a really cool setting for an outdoor concert.

Gotta look on the bright side, right?

BONNEVILLE kicked off the evening, leaning hard into their signature instrumental breaks and gritty tones. Personally, I love their lead singer’s voice. It’s a calming anchor in the middle of a laid back musical storm. Ending with their latest single, “Horse,” was a great choice.

I love that these guys got a chance to play Rooftop. I hope Rooftop continues injecting some new talent into the lineups on occasion instead of only relying on big names or legacy locals. It’s great to have a snapshot of the entire scene: the newbies, the up-and-comers, the stars, and the major fixtures. I think they’re striking a really good balance this year.

Beeson is one of my all-time favs. As I drank a McDonald’s Dirty Dr. Pepper, I couldn’t help but feel like my beverage choice was a metaphor for Beeson. After getting her start in Provo, Beeson took off to Los Angeles for a while to gig, co-write, record, and sharpen her skills. Her performance was classy and polished – arguably the best I’ve seen her.

I love Sodalicious dirty sodas, but McDonald’s has really taken this unique thing from Utah and dialed it in. Similarly, as much as I loved Beeson’s early Provo days, I feel like her time away really shaped her sound for the better. Their performance of “Swimmer” was immaculate.

Tyke James, frontman of The Moss, is one charismatic performer. I’ve had the pleasure of playing a few shows with him over the years (RIP Third Space), and I’m pleased to report that he’s just as cool off stage as he is on. The energy he poured into that performance was infectious.

That same charisma repeats itself across the entire band, and it shows: fans came from all over to watch them play, amply filling out Nu Skin Plaza. They put on quite the show, and their performance of their hit “Insomnia” did not disappoint.

When the night was through, I was left feeling fulfilled. My wife took a drive up to the base of Y Mountain and sat in our car to talk as we looked out over the valley.

I freaking love this place, and I’m grateful for opportunities like Rooftop to be out in a crowd of people who also love this place. Shoutout to Mayor Judkins and the Rooftop organizers for bringing this back. The world needs more of this.

Catch the next Rooftop Concert Series on July 24, 2026. The Pioneer Day celebration will feature folk gospel revival outfit The Lower Lights, longtime Utah favorites Ryan Shupe & the Rubber Band, and acclaimed Nashville songwriter Susie Brown. 7 PM.