Sound Script

Live at Kilby Court

Opening for Beauty School Dropout

February 16, 2026

Time and time again, the praise has been written about the Utah music scene. From local indie bands and artists to local folk singers, there is just so much to add to the conversation. But when it comes to the pop-punk scene here in Utah, there is one band that brings the heat with their killer sounds and insanely energetic performance. That band is I’d Rather Be, from right here in the beehive state. 

Making up the quartet that is I’d Rather Be, we have Hela as frontman and guitarist, Freemen on Bass, Kenyon on lead guitar, and the 12-year-old prodigy, Bronx, on the drum kit. Opening up for Beauty School Dropout on their tour to promote their newest album, if you didn’t show up to the show early to check out I’d Rather Be’s set, then you missed out on a legendary set opening up on a legendary night. Taking some fast punk rhythms that sound like Travis Barker himself has written and mixing it with some hyper-pop vibes to the guitar and vocals, I’d Rather Be really set the tone for the night. 

This show being a sold out show, Kilby Court was packed from the start, and I’d Rather Be had the whole crowd dancing and singing, successfully heating up the crowd for the next two performances. With how many people were in the room and the vibes of each band, this show should have definitely happened at Soundwell. With a stacked lineup like this, with I’d Rather Be, Nightbreakers, and Beauty School Dropout, the walls of Kilby Court seemed to nearly explode with energy, and with the nasty drum fills, face melting guitar solos, and just an overall nuclear energy from just the opening band alone, this night was bound to be explosive. 

I’d Rather Be played such a fun set. Their stage presence, crowd interaction, and the way they just look like they are having fun on stage makes them a band that you do not want to miss the next chance you get to see them. With some new music on the way, I am sure you won’t have to wait long before getting to see I’d Rather Be live again. 

Next up of the night is a Florida-based band called Nightbreakers. This was a perfect follow-up to the start of the night, as the lighting and the sound design alone seemed almost wasted on the Kilby stage. Nightbreakers absolutely killed it with their high energy pop-punk sounds and had a fun looking stage setup with their light-up drum kit and a killer wave of music. I would love to see them return to Utah to play venues such as Urban Lounge or even Soundwell. 

Ending the night was Beauty School Dropout, on tour to promote their album “Where Did All The Butterflies Go?” They came out with such a dramatic high energy to their set and just demanded the room’s attention. They definitely deserved a bigger stage, but even with the limited amount they had, the band made it feel as though they were playing in a bigger venue than they were. I would love to see Beauty School Dropout return to Utah to play a bigger venue, because they had such a fun energy and the music needed more room for the crowd to move around and be just as rowdy as the band was on stage. 

Review by Sam Howard

Photos by Syd White