THURSDAY JULY 9
Brian Wilson, Rodriguez
Nearly 50 years ago, the man brought the world Pet Sounds. Co-founder of The Beach Boys, Brian Wilson has a new album out this year, No Pier Pressure (three years after the most recent Beach Boys release, That's Why God Made The Radio), and it's full of Beach Boys-esque harmonies and—as always—is just really excited to party it up on the beach. It's guest-star heavy, with country singer Kacey Musgraves, She & Him and two of his fellow Beach Boys, Al Jardine and Blondie Chaplin. Jardine and Chaplin are joining him on tour this summer, and even though the three are lacking Wilson's brothers and vocalist Mike Love, the trio are touring plenty of Beach Boys classics along with the new material: "Little Deuce Coupe," "California Girls," "Sloop John B," "God Only Knows" and way more. The tunes themselves are short, but their set list is quite long. He is joined by Rodriguez, the talented folk rocker fetaured in the 2013 documentary film Searching for Silverman. He doesn't have a new release this year, but his grimy, groovy tunes are beloved and probably what fans want to hear anyway. (Randy Harward) Red Butte Garden, 300 Wakara Way, 7:30 p.m., $65-$70, RedButteGarden.org
SATURDAY JULY 11
Blitzen Trapper
At the end of their 2014 tour, country/folk jam-band Blitzen Trapper, from Portland, Ore., played Neil Young's Harvest track by track, and recorded it live. They released that record, Live Harvest (Vagrant), on 2015's Record Store Day, and now they are touring the covers, as well as original songs. The guys of Blitzen Trapper are more experimental than the average country/folk band, throwing in electronic effects and art rock elements. David Williams opens. (Randy Harward) The State Room, 638 S. State, July 11, 9 p.m., $25; TheStateRoom.com, Blues, Brews & BBQ, 3925 E. Snowbasin Road, July 12, 4:30 p.m., free, Snowbasin.com
SATURDAY JULY 11
Rocky Votolato
Hospital Handshakes (No Sleep Records), the newest release from gloomy Seattle singer/songwriter Rocky Votolato is as emotional and heavy as his previous releases True Devotion (Barsuk, 2010) and Television of Saints (Undertow). He's touring solo this time around, sans backing band; it'll be just him and his acoustic guitar, like the quintessential modern troubadour. That said, he's bringing fellow singer/songwriters Chris Farren and David Hause. The album itself has a lot of different melodies going on, so even though it will be an acoustic set, this stripped-down performance is going to be quite a bit more than mere strumming of four basic chords underneath the dramatic lyrics. (Randy Harward) Urban Lounge, 241 S. 500 East, 9 p.m., $13 in advance, $15 day of show, TheUrbanLoungeSLC.com
SATURDAY JULY 11
Hawthorne Heights
Hawthorne Heights have amassed a local following with tender, desperate metalcore radio hits "Ohio is for Lovers," "Saying Sorry" and "Rescue Me." They make my inner 13-year-old come out, especially on the former track, which reminds us all to "cut [our] wrists and black [our] eyes." Ah, the good ol' days. Long Island hardcore act From Autumn to Ashes—back from a seven-year hiatus—was originally slated to co-headline this bill, but are no longer appearing, due to a "personal emergency." They've promised to make up the dates. Sleepwave and Extinction A.D. and Hollow I Am open the show. (Robby Poffenberger) In the Venue, 579 W. 200 South, 5:30 p.m., $15 in advance, $18 day of show, InTheVenueSLC.com
SUNDAY JULY 12
Frontier Ruckus
The video for "The Splendid World," from these indie folkers' 2014 album Sitcom Afterlife (Quite Scientific), is a single, three-minute tracking shot. The song's first banjo notes cue a skateboarder, who's quickly knocked over by a woman with water balloons. Two more skaters replace him, jumping cars and drums, then passing dudes throwing Frisbees, and giving way to a top-hatted hipster on a unicycle. Finally, we see the band themselves—just in time to hear Matthew Milia sing the line, "If I were dumber and detestable, I'd be more successful" while the cast frolics around them. A band this inventive begs to be seen and heard. (Randy Harward) The Urban Lounge, 241 S. 500 East, 8 p.m., $10 advance, $12 day of, TheUrbanLoungeSLC.com
MONDAY JULY 13
Ceremony
There's certainly some violence in the rambunctious performance of the hardcore punk band, Ceremony, from California, but they have some very beachy '90s garage grooves. Their newest album, The L-Shaped Man (Matador), is calmer (well, at points. Not all the time), but the live performance will be energetic, sweaty and hearty. They also have a giant list of covers, from "California Über Alles," by Dead Kennedys, to "Pressure's On," by Red C. They are the headliners for a full lineup: Tony Molina, Creative Adult, Pure Disgust and Barge. (Randy Harward) Kilby Court, 741 S. 330 West, 8 p.m., $12 in advance, $14 day of show, KilbyCourt.com
TUESDAY JULY 14
Indigo Girls
The Indigo Girls heard the news about marriage rights being extended to everyone while preparing for a show near their hometown of Atlanta. Amy Ray and Emily Saliers are both LGBT advocates, and their music is soaked with political and environmental activism. So, yes, their tour is energized right now. They are touring a cover of "The Devil Went Down to Georgia," from The Charlie Daniels Band, with a smoking violinist, Lyris Hung (the symphonic element is scaled way back from 2013, when they played with the Utah Symphony). The women are giving their new record, One Lost Day (Vanguard), away free to all fans who buy a ticket to the show. Caroline Aiken opens. (Randy Harward) Ed Kenley Amphitheater, 403 N. Wasatch Drive, Layton, July 14, 8 p.m., $29-$52, DavisArts.org
WEDNESDAY JULY 15
The Aristocrats
This trio takes its name from the dirty improvisational joke—a rather apt appellation considering they play a hybrid of metal and jazz fusion. As you might expect, they're really into blue humor. Their 2011 debut boasts such songs as "Boing! ... I'm in the Back" and "Blues Fuckers." They backed off on the raunchy song titles on 2013's Culture Clash, and again on their latest, Tres Caballeros (on their own Boing! label). Just a little, though. Caballeros boasts a song called "Kentucky Meat Shower." Guitarist Guthrie Govan is a newly minted guitar hero, having recently graced the cover of Guitar World. So there's more to these cats than having the ability to watch their puerility. (Randy Harward) Club X, 445 S. 400 West, 7 p.m., $15 in advance, $20 day of show, Smithstix.com
WEDNESDAY JULY 15
SonReal
Vancouver hip-hop artist SonReal (alias of Aaron Hoffman), has a raw, piano-heavy EP out this year, For The Town (Blackbox). When he's not spilling his soul on the stage, he's an upbeat, quick-paced rapper, with catchy hooks (again, on piano), like on "Preach." This is his first chance headlining, after just finishing a national tour with Seattle rapper Grieves. He's a few years into his recording career (his first album, Where's Waldo, dropped in 2011 on Goodlife, Inc.), and this album—along with the live performance of it—is an autobiographical of the last four years. Local rappers Tell City and Osseous Dusk are playing along with him. (Randy Harward) Kilby Court, 741 S. 330 West, 8 p.m., $12, KilbyCourt.com
