THURSDAY MAY 29
Lindsey Stirling
BYU alumna and Utah favorite Lindsey Stirling has been enthralling audiences with her violin melodies laid over hip-hop/dubstep-style beats since competing on America’s Got Talent four years ago. The 27-year-old combines her training as a classical violinist and love of hip-hop to create sounds that are ethereal but danceable, and dance she does. The title track and second single off her new album, Shatter Me—released in April—is a ballad with a dance beat that sets the deeply emotional tone of her new record. Dia Frampton, who is featured on the record, will open the show. (Natalee Wilding)
The Great Saltair, 12408 W. Saltair Drive, 7 p.m., $35, TheSaltair.com
FRIDAY MAY 30
Blueprint, Count Bass D
Both Blueprint and Count Bass D in the same building is a big deal; it’s essentially a rap fan’s dream lineup. Blueprint, a Rhymesayers artist who is half of the legendary Soul Position (with RJD2), and Count Bass D, a producer and emcee who’s collaborated with everyone from the Beastie Boys to MF Doom, are arguably two of the most respected and simultaneously slept-on names in hip-hop. Blueprint’s latest album, Respect the Architect, pairs both artists on the single “Once Again.” It’s a classic call-out track, a reminder that trends come and go in rap, but quality is timeless. As Blueprint says, “Invested in myself when nobody else believed/ now the world proud about what I achieved/ Things changed, now I’m looking like the safest bet/ Just getting started, they ain’t seen nothing yet.” (Colin Wolf)
Bar Deluxe, 666 S. State, 9 p.m., $10, BarDeluxeSLC.com; limited no-fee tickets available at CityWeeklyStore.com
MONDAY JUNE 2
Black Label Society
On-again-off-again Ozzy Osbourne guitarist Zakk Wylde was beardy before beards were cool—not that Black Label Society ever cared about “cool.” The burly guitar hero’s band has released nine heavier-than-metal albums since 1999, including this year’s Catacombs of the Black Vatican, each slightly more accessible than the last; the constants are Wylde’s dizzying “Why play one note when 1,000 will fit?” solos and surprisingly melodic hellhound-howl vocals. On the undercard of this Revolver Golden Gods Tour, show openers Butcher Babies, featuring Provo expat Heidi Shepherd, have long since ditched the topless stage gimmick she and co-screamer Carla Harvey flaunted in the band’s early days, but they can still put on a thrashingly energetic set while fully—well, mostly—clothed. Also on the bill is Devil You Know. (Bill Frost)
The Complex, 536 W. 100 South, 8 p.m., $28 in advance, $33 day of show, TheComplexSLC.com
TUESDAY JUNE 3
Emmylou Harris
If you think you don’t know who Emmylou Harris is, you’d probably recognize her breathy, vibrato-rich voice when you heard it, since it’s been included on soundtracks for numerous films and TV shows, including Brokeback Mountain, Lawless, The Sopranos and O Brother, Where Art Thou? The legendary Alabama-born singer-songwriter and multiple Grammy winner—the first performer on the lineup of this year’s Red Butte Concert Series—is usually described as a country singer, and was even inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2008, but her long discography displayers her skill in alternative, pop and folk styles as well. In April, Harris’ 1995 masterpiece Wrecking Ball was reissued, so new and old fans alike can now experience her haunting covers of songs by Bob Dylan, Steve Earle, Neil Young, Lucinda Williams and more. (Kolbie Stonehocker)
Red Butte Garden Amphitheatre, 300 Wakara Way, 8 p.m., $42-$47, RedButteGarden.org
The Mowgli’s
It’s probably impossible for seven people to sing in unison about peace, love and being positive without sounding like a group of enthusiastic counselors at a summer camp, but that just makes it impossible to stay in a bad mood while listening to The Mowgli’s’ sunny pop music. Made up of five childhood friends from the San Fernando Valley, three more folks from the Midwest and one inexplicable apostrophe, The Mowgli’s are on a mission to make the world a better place. They’re so dedicated to their cause that they even highlight fellow do-gooders as honorary Mowgli’s on their band website. The Mowgli’s’ second full-length album, Waiting for the Dawn—released in 2013—is basically a complete road-trip playlist, with earworm-y songs like “Say It, Just Say It” and “Hi, Hey There, Hello.” Finish Ticket will start things off. (Kolbie Stonehocker)
Kilby Court, 741 S. Kilby Court (330 West), 8 p.m., $12 in advance, $14 day of show, KilbyCourt.com; limited no-fee tickets available at CityWeeklyStore.com
WEDNESDAY JUNE 4
Dax Riggs
With his spooky songwriting and a voice that was made for rock & roll, Dax Riggs would’ve been a perfect addition to the soundtrack of the first season of True Detective, which was filmed in the same region of Louisiana he hails from. The enigmatic musician has been a part of multiple projects—including art-metal band Acid Bath in the ’90s and indie-rock band Deadboy & the Elephantmen in the ’00s—across several genres, but his solo work is as swampy, filthy and sexy as the gritty crime thriller. On his latest album, 2010’s Say Goodnight to the World, Riggs growl-croons lyrics about Satan, witches and cigarettes on songs like “Sleeping With the Witch” and “I Hear Satan,” and there’s even plenty of strangely comforting Cohle-level nihilism/ambivalence on the titular track. Genevieve Smith and Jim Fear are also on the bill. (Kolbie Stonehocker)
The Urban Lounge, 241 S. 500 East, 9 p.m., $15, TheUrbanLoungeSLC.com; limited no-fee tickets available at CityWeeklyStore.com
Framing Hanley
To say Framing Hanley’s third and latest album, The Sum of Who We Are, is a passion project would be an understatement. After a six-year label agreement, the Tennessee rock outfit decided to put their faith in their fans’ hands by asking them for support through Kickstarter. By asking for a dollar from each supporter, the young post-hardcore band raised enough money to record their album over a two-year span. Framing Hanley’s sound follows the post-hardcore traditions of Story of the Year and Red Jumpsuit Apparatus, featuring thumping drums and technical guitar work with rough distortion. Lead singer Kenneth Nixon has a clean voice that can reach the strenuous notes while keeping up with the band’s relentless pace. Starset is also on the bill. (Jimmy Hall)
In the Venue, 219 S. 600 West, 7 p.m., $12 in advance, $15 day of show, InTheVenueSLC.com; limited no-fee tickets available at CityWeeklyStore.com
