• Nina Raj
• Mini Trees

Mini Trees, Love, Audrey, Josaleigh Pollett @ Kilby Court 6/19
Life is full of highs and lows, and while the highs are always worth mentioning, sometimes the lows are overwhelming. Mini Trees, a solo pop project by singer/songwriter Lexi Vega, experienced a roller coaster a few years ago, after the release of their debut album and subsequent tour. "Suddenly, Mini Trees—a project Vega started on a whim in 2018—had become a career," her BandCamp reads, and her 2024 release Burn Out explores the feeling of struggling after things are going exceptionally well. "The thing no one talks about with periods of time that are exceptional is that they are often equal parts amazing and draining," the Burn Out description reads. "When Vega returned home to Los Angeles after almost two years of touring, she found herself tired and dejected. Rarely do musicians talk about the emotional toll exacted behind the scenes—the energy it takes to connect with audiences night after night in strange towns; the industry's insistence on synthesizing your identity into something consumable; the struggle to find joy in commodifying the thing you once did purely for love." The five tracks on Burn Out are poignant and relatable, especially on the title track when she sings, "I'm not worth keeping around." Joining Mini Trees are local lovelies Love, Audrey and Josaleigh Pollett. Come enjoy this delightful mix of alt/indie/pop sounds on Thursday, June 19 at 7 p.m. Tickets for the all-ages show are $15 in advance at 24tix.com and $18 at the door. (Emilee Atkinson)

• Dewey Nicks
• Herb Alpert

Herb Alpert @ Capitol Theatre 6/19
It's only a slight overstatement to call trumpeter Herb Alpert the king of 1960s easy-listening music. Alpert, of course, led the staggeringly successful Tijuana Brass; if you've ever been in a thrift shop, you've probably seen the Whipped Cream and Other Delights record with that famously racy cover photo. As the "A" in A&M Records, Alpert also co-founded the world's largest independent record company. He's best known, however, as the man who brought a kind of pop-jazz into the homes of millions; as Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass, he released 11 albums between 1962 and 1968; six of those LPs went to #1 on the Billboard charts. Alpert's chirpy, up-tempo style was effectively the soundtrack for a certain segment of the '60s lifestyle. After the Tijuana Brass years, Alpert largely left the south-of-the-border style behind, continuing his successes via a smoother mainstream jazz sound. Now coming full circle, Alpert's current tour celebrates the 60th anniversary of Whipped Cream. Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass come to the Capitol Theatre on Thursday, June 19 at 7:30 p.m. At press time, the show was sold out; resale tickets may be available from saltlakecountyarts.org. (Bill Kopp)

• Courtesy photo
• Get Funky

Get Funky @ Great Saltair 6/20-21
Well-known electronic producers Nitti Gritti (Ricky Mears) and Party Favor (Dylan Ragland) teamed up to create a side project known as Sidepiece in 2019. The now-Grammy-nominated duo will headline Friday for the highly anticipated house and techno festival, Get Funky by V2 Presents. You probably already know their single "On My Mind" featuring Diplo, or "Who Created Love" featuring vocalist Midian. These songs mark pretty drastic shifts away from their trap and bass music roots, but it's the more feel-good, groovy vibe of Sidepiece that draws listeners in. Friday also includes artists Green Velvet, Acraze, Girl Math (Vnssa B2B Nala), Airwolf Paradise, and up-and-coming local RYOUUP? Saturday switches gears with headliner duo Sofi Tukker (Sophie Hawley-Weld and Tucker Halpern). Known for their eclectic, Brazilian-influenced beats, you can expect the energy of Carnaval perfect for this summer-time festival. Like their song "Soft Animals" (inspired by Mary Oliver's poem "Wild Geese") says, "You only have to let the soft animal of your body love what it loves." Saturday also includes Duke Dumont, Disco Dom (Dombresky), Omnom, Dreya V (Formerly known as Miss Dre) and a local favorite, Obayashi. Doors open at 7 p.m. at The Great Saltair on Friday, June 20 and Saturday, June 21. This is an 18+ show. Friday general admission costs $88.44, Saturday general admission costs $99.81, while two-day general admission costs $155.45. Charging lockers are also available for purchase. Go to getfunkyfestival.com for further information. (Arica Roberts)

Pierce the Veil @ UFCU Amphitheatre 6/20
This San Diego-based band has a flair for the dramatic—which just so happens to be the name of their first album (A Flair for the Dramatic) released in 2007. Started by brothers Mike and Vic Fuentes (now just Vic), the band also includes lead guitarist Tony Perry and Jaime Preciado on drums. Pierce the Veil got pushed to the top of the post-hardcore, pop-punk music industry around 2012 with their major single, "King for a Day," featuring Kellin Quinn (Sleeping with Sirens) from their album Collide with the Sky. Not only did they headline Warped Tour that year, but also solidified a sub-genre called "mexicore," alluding to their Mexican heritage. In an interview with Alternative Press, Vic Fuentes says that the band tries to "incorporate at least a hint of Latin influence in every song." It's a mix of heavy music with a little Spanish feel—most notably in "Bulls in the Bronx," where the interlude includes a Spanish guitar solo. The band has gone on to make two more albums since then: Misadventures and The Jaws of Life. This weekend at Utah First Credit Union (UFCU) Amphitheatre, their "I Can't Hear You" World Tour features songs from every album in the band's discography, so it's a treat for the super fans. This show takes place on Friday, June 20 at 7 p.m., with openers Sleeping with Sirens and Beach Weather. General admission for the lawn (no seating) costs $42. Prices go up for reserved seating. Visit ticketmaster.com. (Arica Roberts)

• Mary Keating Bruton
• James McMurtry

James McMurtry @ Commonwealth Room 6/26
Populism has always strived within the realms of popular music, beginning with such esteemed folk laureates as Woody Guthrie, Pete Seeger and their guitar-strumming brethren. In more recent times, the mantle's been carried by another breed of folk hero—musicians like Bruce Springsteen, John Mellencamp and John Fogerty, each one an Everyman artist able to sum up the feelings and frustrations of ordinary individuals and turn them into anthems that anyone, regardless of social standing, could appreciate. James McMurtry has taken up that mantle and, in effect, made it his own. In a sense, he comes by that ability naturally, as the son of the legendary western novelist and Oscar-winning screenwriter Larry McMurtry. Yet, his songwriting skills are clearly in his genes—or jeans, if you will—courtesy of the niche he's carved out over the course of his career. The music is uniquely his own—impassioned, anecdotal and flush with iconic imagery. They offer tales of hard-luck heroes and ne'er-do-wells forced by fate to find their own way in a world where the odds are stacked against them. McMurtry's most recent album, The Horses and the Hounds, offers yet another striking example of that tattered template. It's an edgy, overcast set of songs as affecting as they are enticing, offering a clear combination of honesty and insight. Irascible to a degree, but proficient and profound, James McMurtry is an artist to be reckoned with. He performs a 21+ show at the Commonwealth Room at 8 p.m. on Thursday, June 26. Tickets cost $45 GA at axs.com. (Lee Zimmerman)