• Harper
• Gonk

Gonk, Air Vent Dweller, Badmouth, 333 @ Kilby Court 1/6
SLC punk band Gonk made the best of 2022: They served up two EP's and played amazing shows. With singer/songwriter Alex Sandoval at the helm, Gonk is sure to have another epic year. The most recent release, OH MY GONK, hit the interwebs back in July 2022, and has been gaining praise since. To put it simply, the EP is fun as hell. From the moment you press play with "stoopid," through the end to "dancing in the moshpit," there are plenty of high energy punk-tastic guitar tracks that will make you want to jump around. Fellow punk outfit Air Vent Dweller joins Gonk in this terrific local lineup, and they had an equally marvelous 2022 as they released their first self-titled EP. This group also serves up killer punk vibes that you won't want to miss if you're a fan of the genre. As user Jessehd stated on the group's Bandcamp, "Punk isn't dead, they just forgot to check Utah." Just when you thought there couldn't be more great punk, Badmouth jumps into the lineup. They've been spreading their cool vibes around town, but just released their first EP in Dec. The tracks are on the shorter side, but they're incredibly rad. "System of Oppression" is a standout, but you'll have all four of the tracks on repeat once you hit play. Shoegaze group 333 round out the show, and honestly this one won't be one to miss. Check it out on Friday, Jan 6 at 7 p.m. Tickets for the all-ages show are $10 and can be found at kilbycourt.com. (Emilee Atkinson)

• Devaxmedia
• Somna

Somna @ Boomerang's Down Under Bar 1/7
Located above the cozy karaoke dive-bar is Boomerang's hole-in-the-wall second half: an electric, dimly lit dance club. Entering the epitome of where you were feels like a natural evolution of any night, and Boomerang delivers. Whether you're leaning on the bartop or bringing new life to the dance floor, Boomerang's upstairs will introduce you to a childlike ease. This weekend, Canadian DJ/producer Somna claims the privilege and responsibility of cooking this weekend's electronic symphony. With 200,000 monthly streamers, Somna is one of the world's leading trance artists, using trance to drape a hypnotic, energizing blanket over a crowd; it's the type of EDM that makes you truly forget about time. Beside You is Somna's latest album that satisfies the energy needs of any party. Tranquil, echoey lyrics accompany building bass lines that provide the anchor of emotion needed to apply each track to your own experience, as frequent, subtle shifts in intensity keep your body engaged. Somna has enough original tracks to keep you freshly on your toes, boasting the ability and the backlog to produce a long and exciting set. Having played in venues all over (Japan, Indonesia, Switzerland, to name a few), Somna has talent recognized around the world, and a sound so sought-after that he became a Twitch streaming partner early in the pandemic, after having an international tour abruptly canceled. Boomerang bringing in such a big name is a sign that the hole-in-the-wall above the cozy karaoke dive bar is making serious steps towards being downtown's top weekend dance spot. Go see Somna at Boomerang's Down Under Bar Saturday, Jan 7 at 9 p.m. Tickets are $15 and can be found at eventbrite.com. (Caleb Daniel)

Damn Dirty Vultures, Dude Cougar, Hulking Boy Giant, Senescence @ Metro Music Hall 1/7
You don't have to look hard for a stacked local show in SLC, and this is one of them. Starting the year off hot, Damn Dirty Vultures headline this mega-cool show with their hard rock sound. DDV offer up face-melting solos along with their heavy guitar tracks and cutting vocals. Not only does this group offer up legendary performances to the rock gods, they're just good dudes; they recently helped raise over $20k for the Utah Domestic Violence Coalition at a show in Dec. Their 2021 release Wake is an enjoyable listen from beginning to end, and the band has talked on Instagram about new music coming soon, so it'll be exciting to see what's next for DDV. Accompanying those Damn Dirty Vultures are O-Town natives Dude Cougar. Formed in 2018, they've been chugging along, releasing their brand of punk-infused rock n' roll. Their 2021 EP Night Aches is delightful and lamenting at the same time. According to the band's Instagram, Hulking Boy Giant are "three spooky dudes," and these three dudes have been making a splash on the scene since their May 2022 debut 18 Feet. HBG also helped with the benefit show DDV played at, raising money for a good cause. Rounding out this epic lineup is another O-Town group, Senescence. This post-hardcore group made their live debut back in Sept 2022, and this show at Metro will be their first SLC show. Don't miss this epic lineup on Saturday, Jan 7 at 7 p.m. Tickets for the 21+ show are $10 and can be found at metromusichall.com. (EA)

• Moxie Facebook
• Moxie

Moxie, Flamingos in the Tree, Blue Rain Boots @ Kilby Court 1/9
Vermont natives Moxie have been making waves with their indie rock vibes since 2017. They've been steadily releasing music since then, with some of their best work in 2022. The most recent, "Things I Miss," is a cheerful reverb-soaked journey with lovely vocals. It's contemplative and will have you thinking of the things you miss. The band posted on their Instagram that they've been sitting on tons of demos that they've been taking their time to mix and master to deliver to fans. The polish is evident on these releases, including their track "Gelato," a perfect track for a summer playlist that will have you nostalgic for the season when things were simpler. Joining Moxie are indie darlings Flamingoes in the Tree. The group has been pumping out great tunes since about 2020 and released their first full album in 2022. They've grown a lot in that time, accruing hundreds of thousands of streams online. Listening through their catalog, it's apparent why they have such a dedicated fanbase: Their music is full of epic effects, alluring vocals and overall chill vibes, perfect for throwing on your best pair of headphones and just escaping. SLC's own Blue Rain Boots round out the show, following the release of two brand new singles, "Penelope" and "I'll See You in Dreams." This trio of bands will be at Kilby Court Monday, Jan 9 at 7 p.m. Tickets for the all-ages show are $15 and can be found at kilbycourt.com. (EA)

• Erik Carter
• Open Mike Eagle

Open Mike Eagle, Serengeti, Video Dave @ DLC 1/11
Los Angeles-based artist Open Mike Eagle has been dominating in hip-hop for a number of years now. His most recent release, Component System with the Auto Reverse, exemplifies this excellence, making it look so easy. His eighth solo LP is filled with self-deprecating bars, introspective thoughts and high-level lyricism; there are zero skips in the album's 37 minute listen. Everything he did right on 2017's Brick Body Kids Still Daydream and 2020's Anime, Trauma and Divorce is here, while pushing his left-field cadence and content into new directions. Mike told BET in November, "I think in a lot of ways that my craft has just been developing kind of naturally over the years. But this time, I was definitely looking to do something a little different." The raw mixtape/radio snip-it collage feel of Component flows effortlessly—from the perfectly curated production a la beat-makers like Quelle Chris and Madlib, to the fact that every emcee featured showed up and showed out with Aesop Rock and Diamond D (of Diggin' in the Crates fame) on the "CD Only Bonus Track," which ends up being a major highlight on the album. It most definitely raises eyebrows, but in a good way. Mike always kills it when given just enough space to pull his listeners in, and only a select few are currently doing it like him. Catch this energetic lineup on Wednesday, Jan 11 at 8 p.m. with openers Serengeti, Video Dave and 801 icons House of Lewis. Tickets for the 21+ show are $15 and can be found at quartersslc.com. (Mark Dago)