For 17 years now, the Gallivan Center has been one of Utah’s number one sources of entertainment and community events. In particular, some of Gallivan’s most memorable events have circulated around the performing arts and local music scene. An event that has been around since the Gallivan opened in 1993 is the Lunch Brunch Concert Series-a free event that happens every weekday from 12 p.m. to 1 p.m. showcasing local musicians hoping to be heard by a new crowd and even more so, liked by people who aren’t related or dating the band.
The Lunch Brunch Concert Series runs from the end of May through the first week in September every Monday through Friday. Usually performers will play on the Gallivan stage, but because of the construction going on around the Gallivan Center, performers will play in the courtyard by the Gallivan office building.
Although local musicians are a huge pull for this community weekday event, it’s not the only entertainment scheduled to play. Storytellers, children’s dance groups and poets will perform alongside many other entertainers.
Recent visitors were able to catch the sounds of former SLCC student, Jake Jacobsen, as he showcased for the fourth time at the Lunch Brunch Concert Series last Friday. Comparable to a cross between Jack Johnson and Johnny Cash, this acoustic folk rock musician caught people’s attention during his introduction of a song that was about a café in Paris that he had never been to. He decided to sing it in French, a language he doesn’t speak.
When asked why he would choose to write a song about a place he has never been to and in a language he doesn’t speak, Jacobsen said, “When I was writing the song, it sounded like a café song, like it would be playing in a café. I got on the Internet and I came across this site with all this information about this café and loved it”
When asked if he had become fluent in French since he wrote this song, Jacobsen laughed and said, “Only in French fries and French toast.” Jacobsen was giving away free CD’s as he played for the hour at the Lunch Brunch Concert Series, and can be found on iTunes as well as heard on his MySpace at myspace.com/jakejacobsen.
Not only is this event free to attend, it’s also a chance to get hooked up with some free stuff. Another familiar name, 103.5 The Arrow radio station was parked right next to the tent Jacobsen was playing under. This popular Utah radio station happens to be doing a summer promotion called 103 Days of Summer. For the rest of summer, you can find 103.5 The Arrow at 103 different events throughout summer and enter to win a chance to win a family vacation alongside a two-year lease on a brand new Camero.
A rep from Vitamin Water also showed up giving the crowd free bottles of vitamin water. “My boss just said there is a group of people out there, go out there and hydrate them,” said Matty Boulton with Vitamin Water.
If you’re looking for something to do this summer that’s free, fun and supports the locals of Utah, venture out to the Gallivan Center weekdays from 12 p.m. to 1 p.m. with your bagged lunch for some good music.
Are you a local musician? Want to play in the Lunch Brunch Concert Series? Sign-ups are in January every year. Have a CD or demo ready to hand over. Musicians or entertainers who participate in the series receive $40 and a chance to be heard by a new crowd. You can find all the contact information in the Lunch Brunch Concert Series page at slc.gov/publicservices/gallivan. The website also boasts a full schedule of performers.
If you’d like to grab a couple paper bags with all the details of this event to give to friends, family or just for your own lunch, pick them up in the Gallivan office.