Sarah McLachlan @ Utah First Credit Union Amphitheatre 7.30.26

Concert

I’ve had an incredible week immersed in art and cinema. On Sunday, I attended the Totally Tubular Festival where I finally saw Thomas Dolby. Monday night was a preview screening of Spider-Man: Brand New Day. Wednesday was Howard Jones with Modern English, The Beat and Wang Chung. Thursday night promised to be something different — a proper concert without the condensed set times.

The evening began with the earthy soul of Allison Russell. I can’t say I’m typically drawn to musicians who sling a banjo. Russell wasn’t exactly an exception, but her infectious joy and genuine passion for her songs made a set I might not normally seek out surprisingly engaging. The crowd responded in kind. There was no mass exodus to the merchandise table or concession stand. Those who arrived early stayed put, rewarding Russell and her band with the warm reception they deserved.

And then the lights went down as the sun fell behind the mountains.

While some artists are comfortable taking on the mantle of “legacy artist,” Sarah McLachlan is committed to the present. Nostalgia? That’s what 2024’s Fumbling Towards Ecstasy 30th Anniversary Tour was for.

That’s not to suggest she has abandoned the past in favor of the present. On Thursday night, McLachlan delivered a 20-song set that included seven carefully placed selections from her 2025 album, Better Broken.

McLachlan walked the tightrope perfectly. I wasn’t sure it was possible. Frankly, I worried the new material leaned a little too heavily into adult contemporary. The songs still sound unmistakably like McLachlan, but something about the studio production felt overly polished — almost too safe.

It’s amazing what a live performance can do for a song. A little context doesn’t hurt, either. Understanding that many in attendance would be hearing these songs for the first time, McLachlan briefly explained the inspiration behind each one without bogging the evening down in lengthy stories. Understanding an artist’s intent can change the way a song resonates, and in this case it gives the new material an emotional immediacy that wasn’t always apparent on the album.

McLachlan opened with “Better Broken,” the title track and arguably the strongest song on her new album. Those uncertain about the unfamiliar material were immediately rewarded with “Hold On” and “Possession,” a pair of beloved songs from Fumbling Towards Ecstasy. Any lingering uncertainty quickly dissolved. McLachlan was then free to take the audience wherever she wanted to go.

Setlist construction matters. McLachlan understood that introducing seven new songs wasn’t simply about writing strong material — it was about earning the audience’s trust. By the end of the third song, she had already done exactly that. Another new track, “Reminds Me,” followed before giving way to a familiar trilogy of “Fallen,” “Adia” and “I Will Remember You.”

Where the concerts earlier in the week were built around instant gratification, McLachlan was given the time and space to craft an atmosphere. The stage production was elegantly understated: a circular video screen anchored the back of the stage while clusters of hanging lights shifted with the mood of each song. Despite the concrete amphitheater that surrounded it, the performance felt remarkably intimate. It was gentle, immersive and quietly bewitching.

Her New song “Only Human” was followed by “Building a Mystery” and “World on Fire.” From there, the evening settled into a confident rhythm, alternating between the past and the present with effortless precision. “One in a Long Line,” “Sweet Surrender,” the apocalyptic “The Last to Go,” “Elsewhere,” a welcome dose of levity with “Ice Cream” and the playful “If This Is the End” all found their place before the main set closed with the ever-beautiful “Fumbling Towards Ecstasy.”

Remarkably, McLachlan never allowed two new songs to appear back-to-back. By pairing each with familiar favorites, she transformed what could have felt like an obligation into one of the evening’s greatest strengths.

The encore began with “Gravity,” a heartfelt tribute to the trials of being a parent. This was followed by “Angel” and my personal favorite, “Fear.”

I know there are some who justified not attending because the Fumbling Towards Ecstasy 30th Anniversary show was going to be nearly impossible to beat. They weren’t wrong. Tonight’s show might not hit those dizzying heights (if you have a time machine, I’d highly recommend going back to the original Fumbling… tour). But skipping an artist who is clearly still near the top of her game is a massive mistake.

The only thing that I would change? A track or two from the first two albums. McLachlan’s pre-fame material is splendid.

Photos by Ethan Clewell: