Thursday 10.25
STUPORHERO
In the mood for unabashedly sweet pop that’s neither sleek nor cloying? Look no further than Stuporhero, a quirky—but not too precious—husband-wife team who toured with a ventriloquist doll long before Lars and the Real Girl entertained the notion of developing meaningful relationships with artificial objects. Stuporhero’s new Last Star Shining picks up where It Would Be Nice to Wake Up left off, with fanciful songs about chemicals, a deathbot and other out-of-this-world topics. There’s even a rad version of Cat Stevens’ “If You Want to Sing Out, Sing Out,” to which you’ll want to sing along. Kilby Court, 741 S. 330 West, 7:30 p.m. All-ages. Tickets: 24Tix.com
• Also Thursday: Blackalicious, Crown City Rockers (The Depot); Too Short (The Hotel); Rocky Horror Show (Sandy Station); DJ Fabuloso (Bar Deluxe); Jane Deere (Velour, Provo)
Friday 10.26
BUSDRIVER
Here’s a dream emcee battle for you: Subtle’s Doseone versus Busdriver. Both artists have bizarre, almost nerdy rapid-fire deliveries based in futuristic, electronic, rap, pop and spoken-word gumbos that make you go “What?!,” “Yes!” and “Damn!” Busdriver’s latest release RoadKillOvercoat makes good use of his karma chameleon vocals and smart lyrics that poke fun at “pompous posies” and slacker hippies whose good intentions lead nowhere fast: “’Cuz smearing a salad on a SUV can’t save the black faces in the refugee camp.” Maybe the pen is mightier? In the Venue, 219 S. 600 West, 6 p.m. All-ages. Tickets: 24Tix.com (with Daedelus)
PUBLIC ENEMY
“You don’t stand for something, you fall for anything.” So says Chuck D, throwing down on Public Enemy’s new single “Harder Than You Think.” PE isn’t just reliving the glory days with a half-assed comeback tour—they’re out to teach a new generation about social/political consciousness through tough beats and rhymes that hit harder than all that rub-a-dub-dub-three-bitches-in-a-tub-bling-bling crap brought to you by today’s “gangster” rappers. They’re also more than just activists and performers. Look for a comic book co-written by D based on their 20-year career set to drop this summer. Suede, 1612 Ute Blvd., Park City, 9 p.m. Tickets: SmithsTix.com
• Also Friday: Cub Country (Monk’s); Tiger Army (Club Sound); Die Monster Die, Left for Dead (Bar Deluxe); D:Fuse (The Hotel); Zombie Prom: Eagle Twin, Her Candane (Broken Record); Halloween Costume Ball: Seve vs. Evan (Velour, Provo); Roger Sanchez (Harry O’s, Park City)
Saturday 10.27
• Menomena (Kilby Court—see Music); Skullfuzz (Red Light Books); Architecture In Helsinki (In the Venue); Brand New (Great Saltair); IAMX, Polaroid Kiss (Urban Lounge—see Music); Thunderfist (Bar Deluxe); Junior Brown (Suede, Park City); Skalloween: Fews & Twos (Velour, Park City); Vanilla Ice (Teazers, Ogden)
Sunday 10.28
UZ JSME DOMA
You think your band has it rough? Try coming up in ’80s-era Czechoslovakia where Uz Jsme Doma (Now We’re at Home or Now I Get It) first formed out of a mutual appreciation for American punk and avant-garde acts. Their music wasn’t just panned by mainstream palates or corporate radio weasels, but rather banned by (mostly corrupt) government officials. Two decades and one new freedom-loving regime later, UJD’s touring abroad, promoting an album that’s part Gogol Bordello, part Serj Tankain in its traditional-folk meets chaotic party punk sound. After a few drinks and spins around the room, UJD’s bassoon, violin, trumpet, sax, French horns, guitar, piano and drums blur together like confetti at the best surprise party you’ve ever thrown for your great uncle. Monk’s, 19 E. 200 South, 10 p.m. Info: 350-0950
Monday 10.29
DAVID BAVAS
David Bavas is more than just a pretty face. While his brooding good looks and dark singer/songwriter style merit comparisons to Jakob Dylan, the Seattle-based, Appalachian Mountains-reared musician is easier on the ears than the Wallflowers leader. Perhaps I’ve heard “One Headlight” one too many times, but it pales next to Bavas’ new Songs of Love, Death & Trains, whose subtle poignancy far surpasses the brief allure of Dylan’s one-time Top 40 hit. Bavas comes off as an everyman—if every man could win us over with a strange timbre that makes the hard-of-hearing struggle to pick up. It’s a nice change from the musical version of Jon Lovitz’s SNL character Acting! Nobrow Coffee & Tea, 315 E. 300 South, 7:30 p.m. All-ages. Info: 364-3448
• Also Monday: Hurt (Urban Lounge); Victory Smokes, Black Velvet Elvis, Vile Blue Shades (Burt’s Tiki Lounge); Lucas Rossi (Club Vegas)
Wednesday 10.31
• Dilated Peoples’ Little Brother & Evidence (The Hotel); The Wolfs, Vile Blue Shades (Urban Lounge); Freaker’s Ball (The Depot); Kaskade (Celsius Lounge, Park City); Freak-O-Ween (Star Bar, Park City); Monkeygrinder Halloween (Velour, Provo) Rocky Horror Show: Redemption, Salt City Derby Girls (Club Vegas); Supagroup (Bar Deluxe)
Coming Up
Regina Spektor (In the Venue, Nov. 2); Cary Judd (Velour, Nov. 2); Cedric Gervais (The Hotel, Nov. 2); Hells Belles (Bar Deluxe, Nov. 2-3); Subrosa CD Release (Burt’s Tiki Lounge, Nov. 2); Slaughter (The Depot, Nov. 3); Roger Clyne & The Peacemakers (Suede, Nov. 3); HIM (In the Venue, Nov. 3); The Ponys (Urban Lounge, Nov. 4); Del the Funkee Homosapien (Suede, Nov. 5); Jay Reatard (Urban Lounge, Nov. 6); Danzig, Horrorpops (Great Saltair, Nov. 6); Old Crow Medicine Show (The Depot, Nov. 7); Rakim, Ghostface Killah, Brother Ali (Harry O’s, Nov. 7); Christopher Lawrence (The Hotel, Nov. 9); De La Soul (Wells Fargo Downtown, Nov. 9); Ozzy Osbourne (E Center, Nov. 11); The Glasspack (Monk’s, Nov. 12)
