• Sum 41

Sum 41, Simple Plan, Magnolia Park @ The Complex
Nostalgic 21st-century Canadian pop punk is alive and well, and it's touring the U.S. now. Sum 41 and Simple Plan announced their first tour together in February and their "Blame Canada" U.S. Tour celebrates 21 years of Sum 41's debut album All Killer No Filler, and the 2022 release of Simple Plan's record Harder Than It Looks. Simple Plan is known for their relatable lyrics and upbeat tunes that provide humor and a sense of escape to their audience. Going along with that tradition, their latest album proves that you can find three to four minutes of relief in a song, even while the song spells out those challenges—all over the top of catchy pop punk beats and simple, yet enthralling guitar riffs. Doing so is "harder than it looks" even after doing so for 23 years, but they still successfully keep their listeners in the right headspace for each song. Over two decades laters, both bands rock on, revisiting the iconic pieces they are known for. This is your chance to see some well recognized tracks by Sum 41, like "Fat Lip" and "In Too Deep"—both went straight to platinum sales and were defining songs for early 2000s punk. For the latter half of the tour, including the SLC stop, Florida emo band Magnolia Park will bring hip hop and punk elements to the stage. Audience members get ready to jump up and down Wednesday, Aug. 17 at The Complex . Doors to the all-ages show open at 6 p.m., show begins at 7. While at press time the show is sold out, find resell tickets for not-too-shabby prices at vividseats.com. (Brooke Williams)

Homephone, Body of Leaves, Gontiks, Angel Magic @ International Bar
For a band that just popped up in 2020, Homephone has developed a full and luscious sound, churning out rich tapestries of dream pop at a wild pace over the last two years. Singles like "Pistacho" move with a relentless but gentle energy, taking your hand and stomping with you through a field of cosmic flowers where maybe you'll have a little picnic. The opener of their May 2022-released album, Melon Collie, does actually reference such a cosmic field—"Meadow Drive," opens sleepily, and after it tumbles an album that glitters with the same vibe as all the good indie pop that colored the 20-teens, like Local Natives. The album also brings to mind emo-tinged works like From Indian Lakes' Dimly Lit from 2019. And while Homephone definitely taps the easygoing dreamy guitar rock sound that's been so popular in local indie the last few years, they buck boring with songs that can be lightly lulling as much as they can vibrate with glowing warmth, plus emotive, magnetic vocals from Ysa Stepp, endlessly groovy drumlines, and even fun little horn additions (like on "Dandelion Fields"). And they don't seem to be resting—just last week they dropped a new single, "Hot Tea," which slowly builds and churns, a reflective pool of moodiness to get lost in. They'll find support in fellow locals Body of Leaves, Gontiks and Angel Magic this Friday, Aug. 19 at International Bar. The 21+ show starts at 10 p.m. and is remarkably, free—your drinks pay their way. Find more info at internationalbarslc.com. (Erin Moore)

• Brian Rasic
• Boy George

Boy George & Culture Club @ Red Butte Gardens
We all know Culture Club, even if you didn't grow up in the era of their "karma, karma, karma, karma, karma chameleon" and the shaking up of, indeed, the culture, thanks to Boy George's representation of a movement of "gender-bending" in the fashionable early-'80s New Romantic pop scene. They certainly have "come and go," with many reunions and different versions of the band playing together between their peak '80s years and now. That's all due to a rocky past of post-romance tensions between founding members Jon Moss and George, which has only recently resulted in Moss permanently leaving the band in 2021. But they've played in so many iterations over the years that fans will be delighted to hear that George will be joined by other founding members Mikey Craig and Roy Hay. The trio have new work to offer, too, most recently by way of their album Life, from 2018. Reviewing a live set with songs from the album, The Guardian noted that tracks from Life "don't stray far from the soul-pop template, but are fresh enough to keep Culture Club out of the nostalgia category." It seems an accomplishment that the band can keep finding themselves together this way, beyond just their hits, and beyond (or bouncing off of) the experiments of George, who went as far as to dabble in solo projects including acid house in the early '90s. You can take in the miracle yourself on Monday, Aug. 22 at the Red Butte Outdoor Concert Series. The show is all-ages, $78 for general admission; $73 for Garden members. Doors are at 6:30, and tickets can be found at redbuttegarden.org/concerts. (EM)

Maddie Poppe and Fritz Hager @ Soundwell
Folk singer Maddie Poppe is heading out on tour, and she's trying to find a new voice. Utilizing strong vocals, plus playing guitar, piano and ukulele, Poppe won season 16 of American Idol back in 2018. Her post-Idol album Whirlwind has millions of streams online, and it leans into the folk sound she is known for. The songs on the album are full of longing, but they're whimsical, and include deep lyrics about home roots and love lost. Her newest single, "One That Got Away," leans more into pop, but still features lyrics of substance as well as a showcase of Poppe's excellent vocal range and power. It's a catchy tune that easily sticks with listeners. "I wanted to get the same feelings from the music I put out that I would get listening to some of my favorite artists," Poppe told People in May. "But it took some time to get there. There were times that I was really frustrated. I didn't even know who I wanted to be and what I wanted my sound to be. But then we landed on this song, and I knew this was it," she said. Poppe is joined by fellow American Idol alum Fritz Hager, who made it to the top five of the show earlier this year. See both at Soundwell on Monday, Aug. 22. Tickets to the all-ages show are $15 - 20, and the show starts at 7 p.m. Tickets can be found at soundwellslc.com. (Emilee Atkinson)

• Frank Hoensch
• GZA

GZA @ Urban Lounge
A founding member of New York City hip-hop supergroup Wu-Tang Clan and master wordsmith, The Genius a.k.a. GZA is coming to the Urban Lounge this week to perform Liquid Swords in its entirety. Released in 1995 and featuring appearances from all nine of the other WTC members, Liquid Swords is the one Wu-Tang solo LP that comes close to replicating the quality of Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers). Few albums have aged better than this timeless classic, with not a single dud in the tracklist. The best moments on it are pretty unmatched; it's one of those records where any of the RZA's razor-sharp produced songs could be a favorite on any given day. Live and direct with his band, Phunky Nomads, GZA promises rugged and raw verses and ridiculously precise rhymes that do not waste a syllable or over-explain an idea. Ahead of the show, fans have the opportunity for a very unique meet and greet where you (yes, YOU!) can go one-on-one against the GZA in a game of chess. Supporting acts Wu-Tang affiliate Bronze Nazareth and Salt Lake City hip-hop veteran Zac Ivie should have every head nodding in the venue, while DJ Juggy will bring that old school vibe with boom bap cuts and street level selections. This event is not to be missed. Catch it on Tuesday, Aug. 23 at the Urban Lounge. Doors for the 21+ show are at 7 p.m. There are booth reservations for $150 as well as VIP-Chess Viewer for $100 and VIP-Chess Match for $200. Find tickets at theurbanloungeslc.com. (Mark Dago)