From Jordan to Mexico to Canada, The Piano Guys have had a busy year performing around the world. But pianist Jon Schmidt said the group is also excited to perform at their next venue — the USANA Amphitheatre in Utah.
“We really love playing for Salt Lake,” Schmidt said in an interview with the Deseret News. He added that after traveling around the world, “it feels sort of like family in a lot of ways” and that it’s nice to “come home to Salt Lake."
The Piano Guys are four men from Utah — Schmidt, cellist Steven Sharp Nelson, producer and videographer Paul Anderson, and songwriter and music producer Al van der Beek — who produce fun and creative music. Their videos on YouTube have drawn a lot of attention.
The Piano Guys anticipate that their concert on Saturday, July 16, will be their biggest and best yet, Schmidt said. In 2014, The Piano Guys performed for around 14,000 fans at Vivint Arena. But with the way ticket sales are going for USANA, Schmidt said, he thinks they will likely sell all of their approximately 19,000 tickets.
For the past four years, the group's concerts in Utah have been Christmas concerts, Schmidt said, so the group’s members are excited to play songs they haven’t previously incorporated.
Schmidt said he feels like this show is the group’s best.
“We’ve honed it on the road,” he said. “I think it’s the best show that I’ve ever been involved with in Salt Lake City, so I’m really excited about that.”
In addition, this concert will be like an album debut, Schmidt said. The musicians will be playing several new tunes from their upcoming album “Uncharted,” which will be released at the beginning of October. One or two of the songs have never been performed before, Schmidt said. One of the new songs will be filmed, and the footage will be used for a YouTube video.
“Everybody there will be able to be in one of our YouTube videos,” Schmidt said. “That’s going to be something we’re really looking forward to.”
The Piano Guys have nearly 5 million subscribers on their YouTube channel, and their videos have millions of views, including a cover of Christina Perri’s “A Thousand Years” that has more than 72 million views.
Schmidt credits the group’s Utah fan base for The Piano Guys’ success. He explained that the group was in a good position with the rise of YouTube and Facebook.
“I don’t know if we would be The Piano Guys without Salt Lake,” he said. “They really gave us the launching pad and the foundation that we needed.”
Schmidt said the group is grateful for its support from fans in the Salt Lake area.
“I would love to just say thank you to all of the people here that helped us be able to do this,” he said.
The Piano Guys’ last tour was in Canada, and Schmidt said tickets sold out months in advance.
“It’s just amazing to us to go to these cities around the world and see the effects of YouTube,” he said.
In addition to their concerts, The Piano Guys are continuing with their project to perform at all the Seven Wonders of the World on the New7Wonders list. They have four checked off so far. They released their first video, filmed at the Great Wall of China, in October 2013. Their second video was filmed in Brazil at the Christ the Redeemer statue and was released in April 2014. Their most recent video, filmed at the Pyramid at Chichén Itzá in Mexico, was released in May. In that video, music by George Frideric Handel and from Disney’s “The Jungle Book” was given a Mayan interpretation.
Schmidt said the group just finished shooting their fourth video at the archaeological sites in Petra, Jordan, and the video will be released in August.
“We’ve got four down and three left,” he said, adding that filming will likely continue next year.
In the meantime, The Piano Guys are expecting to stay stateside for the reminder of this year’s concerts, touring Western states in August and then Eastern states at the end of the year.
If you go …
What: The Piano Guys Concert
When: Saturday, July 16, 8 p.m.
Where: USANA Amphitheatre, 5125 S. 6400 West, West Valley City
How much: $28.50-$149.50
Phone: 801-467-8499 or 1-800-888-8499
Web: smithstix.com/music/event/17618/thepianoguys-jul-16
Piano Guys “excited” to play for Utah, USANA Amphitheatre
Email: mmcinnes@deseretnews.com