Festivals
Redwest Festival 2025 Recap & Photos
Redwest Country Music Festival 2025 took over Salt Lake City October 10–12, and from the second gates opened, it was clear: this was the country lineup of the fall. Fans showed up early, boots laced and voices warmed, ready to scream every lyric for three straight days.
Friday kicked off under calm skies. The warm-up acts: Noah Rinker, Willow Avalon, Waylon Wyatt, Ella Langley, each earned their moment under the lights, warming up the crowd and proving the undercard was no afterthought. Then Kacey Musgraves headlined, and she delivered exactly what people came for: a polished set that leaned as much on atmosphere as it did on hits. The Utah crowd seemed transfixed, swaying in unity under a sky brushed with pink dusk. She managed to turn the fairground into an ethereal dream.
By Saturday, things went sideways. Lightning storms rolled in, thunder cracking overhead, forcing organizers to cancel large portions of the day, Post Malone included. Chaos overtook the stage: a scramble for safety, tents shredded by wind, mud mixing with despair. Fans huddled under makeshift cover, drenched and heartbroken. The mood shifted fast, from hype to heartbreak, in a matter of minutes.
Amid that disaster, though, there was a deeper blow: a 23-year-old concertgoer named Ava Ahlander was killed in a freak accident during the evacuation. A plank from nearby scaffolding, likely torn loose by gale winds, struck her as she sought shelter near her car. She later died from her injuries. The tragedy cast a long shadow over the festival, reminding everyone how fragile these moments can be.
And then Sunday came to save the story. The skies cleared. The ground dried (mostly). The crowd, starved for something to believe in, came back.
The Band Perry hit the stage and owned it, nostalgia, power vocals, and a crowd that sang so loudly it practically became a backing track. The energy felt huge, and everyone knew the weekend was just getting started. They even did a surprise cover of Chappell Roan’s “Pink Pony Club” and cowboys and girls went wild.
The crowd starved for redemption and the festival roared back to life. Avery Anna and Sam Barber not only debuted a brand-new song, but they also delivered a massive crowd moment during “Indigo”.
By the time Noah Kahan closed out the night with his own set, Redwest was fully resurrected. Every song was a sing-along. Every lyric echoed back at him. Then, Avery Anna walks on stage. Together, they delivered a breathtaking duet of “If We Were Vampires,” and suddenly the entire festival felt intimate, as thousands of people silently took it in before screaming the last chorus.
The storm may have wrecked Saturday, but Sunday made everyone forget, proving the right lineup and the right crowd can still turn chaos into magic.
Boots muddy, hearts full. Redwest, we’ll be back next year!
Check out our favorite photos of the festival below or head to our Facebook page for the full galleries of Friday, Saturday, and Sunday!
FRIDAY
Kacey Musgraves
Ella Langley
Waylon Wyatt
Willow Avalon
Noah Rinker
SATURDAY
Ole 60
Ty Myers
Hudson Westbrook
Cameron Whitcomb
Sons Of Habit
SUNDAY
Noah Kahan
Sam Barber
Avery Anna
The Band Perry
Vincent Mason
Braxton Keith
Jonah Kagen
All Photo Credit: Colin Hancock
Festivals
Governors Ball 2026 Release Daily Schedules
The set times are in. Governors Ball Music Festival just dropped its daily schedules for June 5–7, and the usual game begins: mapping your day, picking your battles, and accepting you can’t see everything.
Friday, June 5
Day one leans indie-pop into rap by night. Lorde closes the main stage at 8:30, opposite the tail end of Baby Keem(7:30–8:30). That’s your first big call: polished pop spectacle or Keem’s high-energy set.
Earlier, things get messy in a good way. KATSEYE (6:35–7:30) overlaps with Pierce the Veil (5:30–6:30) bleed, and The Beths (6:00–7:00) sit right in between. Indie fans will feel that pinch.
Midday conflicts are lighter, but The Dare (4:00–4:45) vs. Arcy Drive (3:30–4:15) creates a small fork in the road.
If you’re pacing yourself, the cleanest run is late afternoon into Mariah the Scientist (4:45–5:30), then pick your lane.
Saturday, June 6
Saturday is the most chaotic on paper. Stray Kids headline at 8:30, directly after Kali Uchis (7:30–8:30). That transition is smooth if you stay put.
The real trouble hits earlier. Major Lazer (6:30–7:30) collides with Blood Orange (5:30–6:30) and the start of Amyl and the Sniffers (7:30–8:30). Dancehall vs. alt-R&B vs. punk. Pick a mood and commit.
Mid-card is stacked with clashes: Ravyn Lenae (4:00–4:45) overlaps with Jane Remover (3:30–4:15), and Snow Strippers (4:45–5:30) runs right into Wet Leg (4:45–5:30). That last one is a true coin flip, two buzzy acts at the exact same time.
Sunday, June 7
Sunday might be the strongest day top to bottom. A$AP Rocky closes at 8:45, opposite the end of JENNIE (7:45–8:45) and Freddie Gibbs & The Alchemist (7:45–8:45). That’s the toughest final hour of the weekend.
The lead-up is just as tight. Dominic Fike (6:45–7:45) overlaps with Clipse (5:45–6:45) and Hot Mulligan (6:15–7:15). Three different crowds, same window.
Earlier, Japanese Breakfast (4:00–4:45) and Holly Humberstone (3:15–4:00) form a nice back-to-back if you stay mobile, but Between Friends (2:30–3:15) cuts into that flow.
The takeaway
Friday is manageable. Saturday is conflict-heavy. Sunday is stacked late.
If you hate missing songs, plan short splits. If you want full sets, accept you’ll miss something big. That’s part of the deal, and honestly, half the fun.
Festivals
PNE Summer Night Concerts Announce 2026 Lineup
Vancouver’s summer concert calendar is locking into place. The annual Summer Night Concerts are set to return to the Pacific National Exhibition from August 22 through September 7, bringing live music back to one of the city’s biggest seasonal events.
This year carries a bit more weight than usual. The series will debut at the brand-new Freedom Mobile Arch, a 10,000-seat outdoor amphitheatre built for large-scale performances. The venue promises better sightlines, improved sound, and a more immersive setup for fans. It’s a major shift for the fair, which spent much of last year dealing with construction that limited its footprint and contributed to a drop in attendance.
Now, with the full site back in action, organizers are aiming for a reset. The 2026 lineup leans into that idea, mixing legacy acts with newer names across genres like rock, pop, hip-hop, and electronic.
Headliners include Blue Rodeo, The Guess Who, The Beaches, Nelly, and Zedd, alongside artists like Mt. Joy, Train, and Barenaked Ladies. Special performances include Cynthia Erivo backed by the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra, as well as appearances from Punjabi Virsa, Weird Al Yankovic, Earth, Wind & Fire, Pierce the Veil, Sarah McLachlan, and Boy George & Culture Club.
The full schedule runs nightly:
- Aug. 22: Blue Rodeo
- Aug. 23: The Guess Who
- Aug. 25: The Beaches
- Aug. 26: Nelly
- Aug. 27: Zedd
- Aug. 28: Mt. Joy
- Aug. 29: Cynthia Erivo with VSO
- Aug. 30: Punjabi Virsa
- Sept. 1: Train
- Sept. 2: Barenaked Ladies
- Sept. 3: Weird Al Yankovic
- Sept. 4: Earth, Wind & Fire
- Sept. 5: Pierce the Veil
- Sept. 6: Sarah McLachlan
- Sept. 7: Boy George & Culture Club
Tickets start at $49 plus fees and include admission to the PNE Fair. Presale began April 19, with general on-sale launching April 20 through TicketLeader.
New venue, full fairgrounds, and a lineup that leans both nostalgic and current. After a quieter year, the PNE looks ready to feel busy again.