It's chilly as hell everywhere you go now, but who cares? There are great shows to go see before the snow starts taking over in a month or so. This weekend, we've got three different release shows for you to check out, but before we get to them, we've got more than 20 brand-new digitally-released local albumsfor your listening pleasure. Check out that list below, then read more about the shows happening tonight and tomorrow.


The Blue Heart Revue - Self-Titled
Embargo Effective Immediately - Glone (EP)
Thanom - Homegrown (EP)
Invalids - Two - Hundred - Second (EP)
Various Artists - Redacted Summer Mixtape Volume 1


Ezra - Labels  (EP)
Buttons and Mindy/Hit Home - Split EP
Body Thief - Speak in Hibernation
Strigidae - Self-Titled (EP)
Komodo Vision - Mostly The Endings
Lucid Sound Driver - Serenading The Indigo Child


Jazz Jaguars - Jazz Jags Music to Sooth The Savage Beast
Liberal Shimmering - The Wonders of the World
Company Vacation - Expectations (EP)
The Highway Thieves - Again & Again
Filaments - Master, Collapse


Burn Your World - Full Dark (EP)
Quiet Kid - Headphones Recommended
I Like My Trike - Implications
Little Sap Dungeon - The Devil's Autumn (EP)
Durandal - Corporeal Devolution (EP)
Sea of Evenings - Take Care


The first of our three release shows this week takes place tonight (Oct. 7) as we get the latest from Despite Despair. One of the sorely overlooked bands of the Utah hardcore scene, the group had an amazing split EP with Gunner back in 2012, and several shows in Provo and SLC that were near-packed. However, the group went on hiatus shortly after, and never got that anticipated full-length album out. Their new album, Geist, is the culmination of an effort that's been years in the making, as Brett Barrett discussed with me online:

"Geist was the record we wished was the product of the previous and original lineup. Any inhibitions we had during the writing process with previous members were hacked. We wrote whatever we want, musically, lyrically. We recorded it over a year or two in a million different places, as our living situations and mental health wasn't always conducive to a consistent recording schedule." 

Geist is one hell of an album, put together with fine skill, love of metal and some digital duct tape. The combination of recordings done over iPads, voice memos and live recordings completed here in Utah finally released on Panic Records this week. You can snag a physical copy tonight at The Borough as they play a release show/tour sendoff with Greg Bennick, I Buried The Box With Your Name, Gouged and Mara opening. Tickets are $10 at the door, and the show starts at 7 p.m.


On Saturday, Oct. 8, we'll have a pair of shows in SLC. The first, at The State Room, features the latest from Bronwen Beecher. Better known around these parts as The Fiddle Preacher, Beecher has had a long career performing around the world in multiple disciplines and styles with her fiddle, as well as being a session player on dozens of albums. Her latest solo effort is Love Comes, working with Mike Sasich and some of Utah's finest players to craft out this fantastic piece of music. You can pick up the album tomorrow night as he performs his release show with Otter Creek opening. Tickets are $17, and the show starts at 8 p.m.


Meanwhile, down at The Ice Haüs, we'll see the latest from The SexWax Surfers. This is an SLC-based surf rock band comprised of Jamie the Gringo, El Heffe, Johnny Dos Calcetines and Bill Bones. The group formed in 2011 and were pretty prominent at Burt's Tiki Lounge and in central valley venues like Liquid Joe's and 5 Monkeys. They took a hiatus for nearly three years before reuniting in 2016 to work on their debut full-length album, Born To Surf. You can snag a copy on Saturday as the band performs at their release show with MiNX and The Rhythm Combo. Tickets are $10 and the show starts at 8 p.m. 


Love music, head out, buy local!