SLCene Suggests: The Shins and Ra Ra Riot at Park City Live

THE SHINS/RA RA RIOT, PARK CITY LIVE, Monday, May 13, 7:30 p.m., $62.50

Last summer, The Shins headlined the first Red Butte Garden show of the year, kicking off the summer concert season with the tour supporting the band’s then-new album, Port of Morrow. At the time, it was anyone’s guess how Shins leader James Mercer would be live with his new lineup of backing musicians. The answer–largely as he did his old band of Shins; Mercer is a fine singer and songwriter who doesn’t seem particularly comfortable on stage, while his bandmates generally bring more visual energy to the proceedings. Remarkably, a year later the Shins are still on the road in support of that album, and this time they’re bringing along Ra Ra Riot, a band worthy of headlining status in its own right. Even so, the price seems a bit steep, even for fans who will surely enjoy seeing these bands in a relatively small venue.