THURSDAY JULY 4
Los Lobos, Los Lonely Boys, Alejandro Escovedo
This Fourth of July, you could be boring and go to a barbecue, drink a lot of beer and then blow stuff up. Or, you could get yourself to a night of epic Latin-infused music and see a triple-headliner bill of Los Lobos, Los Lonely Boys and Alejandro Escovedo. Formed in 1974, four-man wolf pack Los Lobos have won multiple Grammys for their genre-blending music. Their bilingual latest album, Tin Can Trust, released in 2010, features Mexican cumbia and norteña, as well as bluegrass and rock, on its 11 tracks. The tres brothers of Los Lonely Boys play what they call “Texican rock & roll,” as heard on their album Rockpanga, released in 2011, which is filled to the brim with sizzling guitar licks and hard-hitting grooves. And singer-songwriter Alejandro Escovedo might be in his 60s, but he’ll charm the audience right out of their lawn chairs with his gritty, soulful voice that draws from punk-rock roots.
Deer Valley Snow Park Outdoor Amphitheater, 2250 Deer Valley Drive South, 6:30 p.m., $35
FRIDAY JULY 5
Dick Dale
If you picture the perfect day of surfing, full of sun and sweet waves, the soundtrack that probably accompanies that visual is some type of guitar-heavy surf music. Did you know the reason you think of that style of music is because of Dick Dale, “The King of the Surf Guitar”? The 76-year-old Lebanese-American musician literally invented the genre in the 1950s, when he pioneered a reverb-heavy type of music that drew from Eastern musical scales and used a dizzyingly intricate staccato playing style. He also helped develop the equipment that made playing surf music possible, because in the beginning he blew up a lot of amps because of how loud he was shredding. Did I mention he plays his guitar left-handed and upside-down, and is entirely self-taught? Yep. You’ve probably heard his hit song “Miserlou” in tons of movies—including Pulp Fiction—TV shows and commercials. And without his music, The Reverend Horton Heat, The Ramones, Blondie, Horrorpops, The Cramps and lots of others would all be very different bands. The legend will be playing at new club The Royal, which has been open for just over a month.
The Royal, 4760 S. 900 East, 7 p.m., $20
TUESDAY JULY 9
Pink Martini
Originally founded in 1994 by pianist Thomas Lauderdale in Portland, Ore., to perform at musically challenged political functions—Lauderdale was working in politics at the time—“little orchestra” Pink Martini has graduated to unofficial American ambassador status. The band’s members travel around the world and have collaborated with several international musicians, and that broad palette of influences is reflected in their lighthearted music. With an accomplished discography that dances between vintage pop, jazz, classical and Latin styles, Pink Martini’s headlining show at Red Butte Garden is a must-see. While the orchestra will probably bust out some new songs from their upcoming album, Get Happy—featuring the four great-grandchildren of the real-life Maria and Georg von Trapp, among other guests—out Sept. 24, hopefully they’ll also play older classics like “Sympathique,” with the easy-going lyric “Je ne veux pas travailler” (French for “I don’t want to work.”).
Red Butte Garden Amphitheatre, 300 Wakara Way, 7:30 p.m., $42
The Neighbourhood
It seems strange to compare a band to Houdini, but The Neighbourhood is that band. The bewitching quintet has slipped through the media straitjacket, escaping with only their names made public. And even their genre is a mystery: They are eclectically noncommittal, their music shifting from indie-rock to electronica to hip-hop. But the mystery only adds to the appeal of their music. With hits like “Sweater Weather” and “Female Robbery,” The Neighborhood will satisfy your curiosity as they let the magic of their music shine rather than their biography. (Courtney Tanner)
In the Venue, 219 S. 600 West, 8 p.m., $15 in advance, $18 day of show
WEDNESDAY JULY 10
Jessica Hernandez & the Deltas
Detroit-based band Jessica Hernandez & the Deltas describe their sound as “big-indiefolkestraljazz&B” on their Facebook page, and while that genre mishmash might appear to just be gibberish, it’s actually an apt description. First-generation Cuban-American Hernandez and her five-piece backing band tinker with genres such as Latin, big-band, jazz and intricate indie-rock to create a style that’s entirely their own, unified by the fiery frontwoman’s powerful, brassy voice and vulnerable, heart-on-her-sleeve lyrics. They haven’t released an LP yet—past releases are two EPs, Weird Looking Women in Too Many Clothes and Live at the Magic Bag—but if songs like “In the City” and “Gone in Two Seconds,” portend what we can expect from Jessica Hernandez & the Deltas, their first full-length album will be a much-anticipated masterpiece. Shadow Puppet opens the show.
Bar Deluxe, 666 S. State, 9 p.m., $5
Robert Randolph & the Family Band
The upcoming release from this New Jersey funk and soul band, Lickity Split (Blue Note Records), out July 16, has been three years in the making. The reason for the gap between this album and Robert Randolph & the Family Band’s previous release, We Walk This Road, was that legendary lap-steel player/frontman Randolph found himself in a funk, and not the good kind. Near-constant touring had him feeling burned out and missing the joy he says he’d felt at the beginning of his career. Luckily for fans, he found his creative spark again and, with the help of his bandmates—his real-life family members Marcus Randolph, Danyel Morgan and Lenesha Randolph, along with guitarist Brett Haas—wrote the 12-track Lickity Split, which features contributions by Carlos Santana and Trombone Shorty. Listen to “Amped Up” anytime you’re feeling gloomy and just try not to wiggle.
The Depot, 400 W. South Temple, 8 p.m., $21 in advance, $26 day of show
The Baptist Generals
After taking a 10-year break from recording, The Baptist Generals have finally returned with Jackleg Devotional to the Heart, released in May. The long-awaited album is filled with the group’s signature electro-folk beats, and while the gritty songs may be a bit eccentric, they’re still compelling for the everyday listener. Frontman Chris Flemmon’s unique voice creates scratchy, poetic melodies, making for an unusually beautiful sound that’s unforgettable. The song “Machine En Prolepsis”—the band’s amusing new take on the old Southern favorite “When the Saints Go Marching In”—is a must-listen. Your Meteor and Coyote Vision Group open the show. (Renee Estrada)
The Urban Lounge, 241 S. 500 East, 9 p.m., $10
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