Photos By: Ari Catherine
Katelyn Tarver, known for a multitude of appearances on TV; ‘Jo Taylor’ on Big Time Rush, ‘Rachael Davis’ on Famous In Love, and more. She has independently released four EP's since 2011, most notably ‘Tired Eyes’ in 2017. She’s started her Compliments Only Tour on September 6th, 2023 in San Fransisco; I was lucky enough to have the opportunity to see her show in Salt Lake City, Utah.
With just over 460k followers on Instagram, I was ecstatic to know she was coming to Salt Lake’s beloved Kilby Court. Personally one of my favorite venues to shoot shows at, it creates such an intimate vibe to any show that takes place. Katelyn started her show with ‘What Makes A Life Good?’ which was released earlier this year in April. Soft spoken, even as she sings, Katelyn still managed a wonderfully fun atmosphere during her set. As I snapped some photos, I noticed the fans at the very front cheerfully singing along to every song from ‘Hurt Like That’ to one of her latest releases ‘Parallel Universe’. Katelyn was entirely enthralled by the love from the fans and their singing along to her music. She covered Paramore’s ‘The Only Exception’ mid set, and boy does she do that song justice. Listening to the crowd sing along to her own releases, and the cover, made for such a sweet and beautiful night.
I got the chance to speak to her photographer/videographer just outside Kilby, who said they loved the idea of a more intimate show, their previous on tour being larger venues. Katelyn loved the idea of a close knit show, being able to truly connect with those in attendance, a common theme I’ve seen from artists as they pass through Salt Lake City. While I wasn’t able to speak to Katelyn personally after the show, she still managed to thank me for coming and taking pics through dm the next morning! She’s definitely high on my list of people that have come through my city.
I highly recommend seeing Katelyn as she tours the US this fall. The vibes of the show are surely immaculate and hearing her live was just an ethereal experience. Whether you know her from her part on Big Time Rush, or her previous releases, her show is not one to miss.
To follow along and get updates on her upcoming shows, here’s a link to her Instagram.
Listen to ‘Parallel Universe’ and other releases here.
