From tributes to long-time favorites to shows by up-and-coming new bands to opportunities to break in your dancin' shoes, there's a lot out there this first Thursday of 2011.---
Foremost in my mind is the tribute show dedicated to Utah Phillips, the rabble-rousing folkie who loved Utah enough to replace his given name, Bruce, and who once ran for Senate from our little state. His son Duncan and Salt Lake City folkie Kate MacLeod have been working on a CD dedicated to Utah's folk songs, and you can hear a bunch of them tonight at the Rose Wagner, performed by a who's who of Utah artists. Read our story about the Long Memory project here, then go check out the show!
After the Utah Phillips tribute show, you still have time to scurry over to A Bar Named Sue for Cash'd Out, a frighteningly accurate recreation of Johnny Cash's sound. Seriously, hit this link and listen to them if you doubt it.
The Main Library is hosting a free screening of Titicut Follies, Frederick Wiseman's 1967 documentary about a state prison for the criminally insane. It's the first in KUER's Through the Lens: Exploring Documentary Storytelling, and Wiseman will be part of the post-film discussion. It starts at 7 p.m.
And if you're looking for a New Year's resolution just a few days late, how about learning some slick moves on the dancefloor? Try out the Afro-Brazilian dance class at the Utah Arts Alliance, just $12 for a drop-in, and it's a great workout.