THURSDAY 9/14
Mariachi Sol de Jalisco
There's a song by Los Lobos called "Canción del Mariachi" that portrays mariachi musicians as itinerant, passionate badasses that drink liquor like water, have lovers in every town and are generally heroic in every sense. It's interesting, because we ugly Americans are conditioned through popular culture to regard them as the annoying guys that play trumpets and guitarrónes while we're trying to inhale our six-item combo plates. But if you put down the flauta and listen, you'll see mariachis for what they are: heroes in velvety charro suits whose goal is to elevate you via the bright notes of the trumpet, the jaunty rhythmic plunking of the guitarrón, the singing violins and soaring, impassioned voices. The idea is to encourage you to live life to the fullest, embracing adventure and romance at every turn. This is true for any mariachi performer, whether it's Utah County-based Yunuen Carillo performing solo or this seven-piece, a perennial favorite of fans of Excellence in the Community's free weekly concerts. This week, there are two chances to enjoy them: The regular Thursday night show and another free performance in Ogden at Peery's Egyptian Theater with Ballet Folklórico de las Americas on Monday, Sept. 18 at 7:30 p.m. The Gallivan Center, 239 S. Main, 7:30 p.m., free, all ages, excellenceconcerts.org

 

Tight Fright, Baby Gurl, Turtleneck Wedding Dress
The email from Brooklyn-via-Tucson foursome Tight Fright asks in the subject line, "Do you like to party?" How did they know that music journalists not only enjoy a swanky soiree but also fester to be included in these little get-togethers and will therefore always take that bait? It was just the right preamble for Tight Fright's economical PR payload: one concept video ("I Can't Stop Being Hungry Today"), one live video ("Look Out Below"), two recent press clips and two social media links. The two videos clinched it: "Hungry" shows the glistening, largely hirsute band rubbing their naked bodies while eating cheeseburgers, fries and a footlong hotdog while flashing either bedroom or crazy eyes. In the live clip, the band—a power trio, but with two drummers—gets serious onstage, playing what they describe on Facebook as, "Captain Beefheart wandering the desert tripping on peyote with Motorhead, leaving a trail of empty baggies and beer bottles, giving zero fucks." Loosely translated, that's an unhinged hybrid of boogie, noise, jazz and metal that's surprisingly catchy. So ... Do you like to party? Urban Lounge, 241 S. 500 East, 8 p.m., $5, 21+, theurbanloungeslc.com

 

Gov't Mule
When they issued their eponymous debut LP and contributed "Don't Step On the Grass, Sam" to the pro-pot comp Hempilation in 1995, Gov't Mule was a hoof-to-face surprise. We'd almost completely kicked our '80s glam bands 'n' booze habit and switched to grunge and heroin, aka "horse." And here came this ornery trio. Coming out of his revitalizing tenure with the Allman Brothers Band, Warren Haynes' voice sounded like the spirit of Otis Redding had possessed Ozzy Osbourne—ardent, gravelly and almost terrifyingly loud. His Les Paul was an extension of his voice, vibing likewise in Haynes' gritty power chords, sinewy solos and keening slide licks. This, as bassist Allen Woody and drummer Matt Abts formed a tight, towering foundation for Haynes' lucid, heart-on-sleeve tunes on Gov't Mule and later alsums where he indicted political corruption and hypocrisy ("Grass"), reflected on loss ("Painted Silver Light"), warned us to look out for number one ("Blind Man in the Dark"), and encouraged us to be ourselves, brightly ("Soulshine"). Then there were the mind-scrambling instrumentals like "Thelonious Beck" and "Trane," where the trio tributized their virtuoso heroes with their own dazzling virtuosity. And if they weren't performing originals, the band interpreted the work of Neil Young, Black Sabbath, the Beatles, Screamin' Jay Hawkins, Pink Floyd, James Brown—and even traditional gospel numbers like the a cappella "John the Revelator"—faithfully but uniquely. Some 23 years later, the band has evolved, losing Woody in 2000 and morphing into its current four-headed entity, with keyboardist Danny Louis and bassist Jorgen Carlsson. The group released its 10th studio album, Revolution Come... Revolution Go (Fantasy), in June and the platter finds Mule evolved into an even more majestic beast, as if that were possible. (RH) Red Butte Garden, 300 Wakara Way, 7 p.m., $35-$42, all ages, redbuttegarden.org

 

FRIDAY 9/15
Stiff Little Fingers +Death by Unga Bunga
When punk rock 'sploded in 1977, it was also the height of the Northern Irish conflict, also known as the Troubles. So naturally, this group of Irishmen from Belfast, led by singer-guitarist Jake Burns, wrote songs that blended pub rock with street punk, and focused on their experiences of the violent clash of ideologies. The band went on to become one of the genre's greatest. But for a six-year break in the mid-'80s, they've continued to record and tour. Their current releases are their 10th studio album, No Going Back (PledgeMusic, 2014) and the live CD/LP/DVD/Blu-ray Best Served Loud: Live at Barrowlands (earMUSIC, 2017). Joining Stiff Little Fingers tonight is Norwegian garage/fuzz/surf/power-pop band Death by Unga Bunga, named for a joke that says death lurks at your back door. Huh. Maybe they should call this show Friday, Bloody Friday. Metro Music Hall, 615 W. 100 South, 8 p.m., $20, 21+, metromusichall.com

 

SATURDAY and SUNDAY 9/16-17
Urban Arts Festival: Mix Master Mike, Afrolicious, Insatiable, La Calavera, Talia Keys, Conquer Monster, Mojave Jive and more
Hip-hop pioneer Grandmaster Flash is a tough act to follow—but how do ya like Mix Master Mike? You know this gifted and influential turntablist from the Beastie Boys, or perhaps you caught him on with Metallica this summer (assuming you crossed Utah's borders to do so). The fact he's headlining this free show down at the Gallivan Center is enough to warrant scratching out Saturday night on your calendar. But you might wanna block out the entire weekend in order to enjoy the visual art displays—including some interactive and live stuff, dance performances, virtual reality and other new media, street basketball league and slam-dunk contest, fashion show, food trucks and custom cars. Not to mention tons more tunes by Sunday night's headliners, San Francisco-based dance-fusion collective Afrolicious and—on both days—some killer local acts, including the MusicGarage student band, alt-rock en Español quintet La Calavera, Latin dance band Samba Fogo, rock/funk/jam outfit Mojave Jive, rap groups House of Lewis and Numbs, funk-minded songsmiths SuperBubble, singer-songwriter Talia Keys, retro-electro duo Conquer Monster, pop-rock duo MiNX, Utah's preeminent ska maestros Insatiable and more. The Gallivan Center, 239 S. Main, Saturday, noon-10 p.m.; Sunday, noon-8 p.m.; free, all ages, utaharts.org/urban-arts-fest

 

SUNDAY 9/17
Samantha Fish, special guest TBD
Three months to the day from her blistering set at the Utah Blues Festival in June, this 28-year-old guitar-slinging spitfire of a singer-songwriter returns to burn down the State Room. Her fourth offering of sultry, swampy blues, Chills & Fever, dropped on Ruf Records earlier this year and trust this: Nobody is immune to this absolute party of a record, which features members of The Detroit Cobras and was produced by Bobby Harlow of garage-psych band The Go (which at one time also featured Jack White on guitar). That's owed mostly to Fish, with her bewitching voice, mesmerizing guitar playing and blend of blues, '50s/'60s roots rock and soul is the musical equivalent of the common cold. Once you hear her music, you're gonna pass it along to everyone you encounter—and none of us will bother to seek a cure. The State Room, 638 S. State, 8 p.m., $15, 21+, thestateroomslc.com