This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2014, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

Pioneer Day festivities didn't keep people away from the Twilight Concert in Pioneer Park.

Charles Bradley and His Extraordinaires entertained the crowd Thursday night. Amaris Jacques spent her Pioneer Day at her first Twilight concert.

"The crowd is awesome," the 23-year-old from Layton said. "I feel super comfortable. Everybody's really chill. It's not like most concerts where everybody's ready to party. People are here to chill and socialize."

The deep, raw sounds of Bradley's James Brown-like music made up for missing out on any other July 24 festivities. The weather was perfect — not too hot, enough shade to be comfortable and no wind.

Most of the crowd enjoyed the show with a glass of beer or wine.

The Budos Band gave the crowd a taste of their eclectic groovy sound — a combination of brass voices and heavy bass lines. The band featured screaming trumpet and electric solos as well as a low, calm saxophone solo, but no lyrics.

The modern jazz tones were a perfect fit for the opening of Bradley's set — an artist known for his thick, raw soul and funk vocals.

Bradley is a unique artist. For most of his life, he worked as a James Brown impersonator in Brooklyn clubs. He didn't start his music career until he was 62, releasing his first album in 2011.

He's also known for being extremely grateful to his fans, often crying and giving hugs after his shows. On Thursday, he told the crowd, "My people, my brothers, my sisters. I love you. I thank you for making my dream come true."

His debut record was filled with accounts of his own hardships, including the time he spent living on the streets of Brooklyn when he was a teenager.

After the release of "No Time for Dreaming," the soul artist was featured in a documentary in 2012 about his unusual late starting career, called "Soul of America." He released his second album in 2013, "Victim of Love."

His show in Pioneer Park was his first back in the U.S. since touring in Europe. He spends all of his time traveling the world for his performances.

dmanley@sltrib.com