If you were to walk past The Soundwell in Salt Lake City in the evening of January 31st, you would have seen hundreds of fans waiting out in the cold for their chance to see The Runarounds. The 2026 leg of The Minivan Tour found its way to downtown Salt Lake for an incredible night of music that fans would not soon forget. Joined by their friends The Back Alley, The Runarounds were about to give these diehard fans the show of a lifetime.
The first to the stage was a band by the name The Back Alley. This Chicago based band brings an infectious energy. The band brought their very best to their first night on tour with The Runarounds. The Back Alley is a band I have been eager to see for quite some time now and was thrilled to see them on this evening’s lineup. They definitely did not disappoint. Playing some of their most popular songs such as “Brand New” and “Grey Skies” which are both singles that were released in 2024. Front man Ralph Porter danced and moved with every song, taking time to come and sing to his fellow bandmates as he did. The Back Alley boys looked so happy to be sharing the stage with one another as they smiled and laughed through their set, it was near impossible to not have a good time yourself.
For those of you who are unaware, The Runarounds are a band that had been created for an Amazon Prime series of the same name. The boys truly created such a special bond and have become good friends and a force to be reckoned with. The crowd tonight was packed with fans of the show and the music alike. I do believe that while the band’s chemistry on screen brought many fans in, we all stayed for the music The Runarounds were creating.
Around 9pm, the venue went dark. The venue was filled with the excited screams of fans who had been looking forward to this day for months. As the band took the stage, a large sign reading The Runarounds illuminated the dark venue. Finally the lights came up and The Runarounds opened their set with their hit song “Ghosts”. Immediately the crowd lit up, you couldn’t help but to jump and dance as the crowd screamed the lyrics back to the band. The Runarounds used their time on stage well, wasting no time going from song to song in hopes that their fans would all get to hear their favorite songs. We got to hear almost all of the songs from the show, including a cover of “Are You Gonna Be My Girl?” by Jet. The band also played two new songs for us tonight titled “Crossroads” and “Bleachers” which both felt like true Runarounds songs, I along with every person in the venue am eagerly awaiting release dates for both.
Tonight, the band’s regular drummer, Zendé Murdock, was absent due to illness, however the band was prepared, they had a wonderful sub step in and remained committed to giving the crowd the best show possible. I think it speaks volumes to the professionalism of the band that they were able to play such an incredible live set while missing such an integral member of the band. While the set was not perfect due to this last minute switch up, I did truly enjoy the performance The Runarounds gave tonight. Perhaps all of us at the show will just have to see the band again when they come back at full strength.
Overall, I was very very pleased with the show tonight. I don’t see how anyone could have left this show feeling unsatisfied. Between witty banter and great live music, this show was near perfect. If you are a fan of the show, you will love seeing The Runarounds live, and even if you hadn’t heard of the show until now, you will still love seeing The Runarounds live. This is a truly incredible group of performers, and I cannot wait to be able to experience their music live again somewhere in the future.
Photos and Review by Jaye Short
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