THURSDAY 5/5
Supersystem (Kilby Court—see Music, p. 55); Brandston (Lo-Fi Café); Fat Paw (Velvet Room); Purdymouth (Egos)
FRIDAY 5/6
VILE BLUE SHADES CD RELEASE
Thanks to some stealth bootlegging, City Weekly was able to obtain a sneak preview of Vile Blue Shades’ debut album. While it might have been nice to listen to a finished copy, our secondhand, pre-street version seems a fitting complement for a band coughing up primal chaos. The local group, featuring former members of The Corleones and Beard of Solitude, produces distinct tribal-bar sounds with an all-star six-piece including a drummer, two percussionists and tambourine-toting singer. Not everyone will dig on the noise, but its pretty safe to assume they’re not playing for critics. Kilby Court, 741 S. 330 West, 7 p.m. All-ages. Info: 320-9887 (with Smashy Smashy; also Saturday at Urban Lounge with Tolchock Trio).
TRASHCAN SINATRAS
What a bummer that eight year hiatus turned out to be, huh? Things were going so well until their record company traded hands, leaving them with a bunch of heart-on-sleeve songs to shelve until further notice. But they showed ’em! Last year’s Weightlifting marked a triumphant return for the Trashcan Sinatras, proving nothing can stop creative Scots. Guess there’s something to be said for sincerity and solid songwriting after all. Let’s just hope mainstream America will turn off American Idol long enough to appreciate something tried, true and impossible to forget. Suede, 1612 Ute Blvd. (Kimball Junction), Park City, 9:30 p.m. Tickets: 800-888-8499.
KELLY JOE PHELPS
If you happen to be one of those vaguely tagged “singer-songwriters” shooting for more than Tuesday night gigs at Joe’s Cup of Beans, it might not hurt to get a shout-out from Cameron Crowe. The rock-critic-prodigy-turned-director has been around, so when he calls Kelly Joe Phelps “more than just an awesomely talented musician,” people listen. If that seems vague, think of summer nights in Georgia, sipping lemonade and Bud. The kids are catching fireflies while Phelps croons distant thunder—echoing like a whisper. Tap the Red Cane Whirlwind is the next best thing to romanticized memories, material rooted in live performance. Dumke Auditorium, Utah Museum of Fine Arts, University of Utah, 7:30 p.m. All-ages. Tickets: 363-1818 (proceeds benefit KRCL 90.9 and Utah Jobs with Justice).
TIGER ARMY
Three years ago, Tiger Army’s Nick 13 told Oklahoma Punk Scene his lyrical content wrapped around, among other things, dark romance. Now the dexterous psychobilly-punk is fronting a tour by the same name, promoting III: Ghost Tigers Rise. Since his days playing San Francisco’s 924 Gilman, lucky 13 has maintained a respectable presence among both casual listeners and diehard followers by producing consistent sounds throughout shifting lineups. “A lot of people have come up to me and said that they find it really inspiring that I keep going despite all the stuff that’s thrown at you and don’t ever stop doing it, and that’s a really good feeling,” he told Sound the Sirens. In the Venue, 579 W. 200 South, 7 p.m. All-ages. Tickets: 800-888-8499.
SATURDAY 5/7
RASPUTINA
Anachronism is underrated. There simply aren’t enough contemporary cello-rock ensembles citing 1891 as their inaugural year. Those interested in mining past eras for classical inspiration should take a cue from Rasputina. Formed last century by composer/directress Melora Creager, the New York-based trio recorded their last album on the heels of a Louisiana-plantation tour where each member dressed in costume and studied the history of Southern song. The result is nothing less than timeless. Catch the era-skippers on tour in support of Radical Recital, a collection of live recordings. The Velvet Room, 149 W. 200 South, 9 p.m. Tickets: 800-888-8499.
Also Saturday: Kaskade (W Lounge); Junior Reid & Reggae Angels (Suede, Park City); Legends Alive (E Center)
SUNDAY 5/8
FRANKIE J, BABY BASH
It’s not clear why U92 decided to hold its Cinco de Mayo event three days after May 5—a Sunday, no less. Whatever the reason, it’s nice they included a headliner well versed in Mexican culture. Born in Tijuana, Francisco Javier Bautista, aka Frankie J, grew up in San Diego listening to traditional ballads and boleros. While he later developed a preference for freestyle-dance, the high-falsetto vocalist didn’t abandon his roots. The One features a remake of bachata group Aventura’s “Obsession (No Es Amor).” Remaining songs off his debut are drenched in pop, neo-soul and enough TRL crossover appeal to bring the kids out in droves. Oh, and Xzibit will also be on hand to pimp someone’s ride. Utah State Fairpark, 155 N. 1000 West, noon. All-ages. Tickets: 800-888-8499.
MONDAY 5/9
Afroman (Velvet Room—see Music, p. 55); Hungry Lucy (Sugarbeats)
TUESDAY 5/10
HONKY
They were supposed to play Salt Lake City back in December, but then the club closed down on show day and Honky moved onto the next town—which was not, of course, Vegas. Fortunately for lovers of whiskey-snortin’ rock & roll, the Austin trio (fronted by Butthole Surfers bassist J.D. Pinkus) have rescheduled an SLC show at Burt’s Tiki Lounge, the perfect joint in which to hear tender tunes like “Your Bottom’s at the Top of My List” and “Walkin’ on Moonshine.” Honky’s thunderous mash-up of Southern rock, show-off riffage and gonzo humor comes off like the bastard offspring of ZZ Top, Metallica and Doug Stanhope—girls, prepare to go wild. Burt’s Tiki Lounge, 726 S. State, 9:30 p.m. Info: 521-0572 (with J.W. Blackout).
Also Tuesday: Rufio, Gatsby’s American Dream (Kilby Court)
WEDNESDAY 5/11
THE SHINS, THE BRUNETTES
Seattle. Detroit. Omaha. Canada. History is ripe with locales credited at one time or another for saving contemporary music from a fate worse than (one more potshot) American Idol. Just when you thought it was all about our northern friends, New Zealand starts blowing up with bands like The Brunettes, a duo-turned-10-piece making like Ronnie and Phil Spector rolling ’bout a bed with Nico and Blondie. Not to sound like Drew Barrymore, but these Auckland kids are magical. Their new EP, When Ice Met Cream, reunites Jonathan Bree and Heather Mansfield with Lil’ Chief Pop Orchestrette members for a culmination of melt-in-your-mouth classics. Yum. Olpin Union Ballroom, University of Utah, 6 p.m. Info: 581-5888.
THE VISIBLE MEN
When former big-band revivalists Dustin Langer and Dan Schmidt realized the glory days of retro swing were coming to a close (or, at the very least, a decade reprieve), they bid adieu to Cherry Poppin’ Daddies and formed The Visible Men. While heavy on piano, the duo’s debut effort, In Socks Made, is no Ben Folds knockoff. Classy and sophisticated, these are tunes designed for mid-week cocktail parties in swank downtown lofts. Now that’s money, baby. Burt’s Tiki Lounge, 726 S. State, 9 p.m. Info: 521-0572.
Also Wednesday: Mudvayne (In the Venue); Ozomatli (Velvet Room)
COMING UP
Keane (Abravanel Hall, May 12). Orbit Service (Urban Lounge, May 12). Willie Graff (W Lounge, May 14). And You Will Know Us By the Trail of Dead (Lo-Fi Café, May 15). Roger Sanchez (Vortex, May 21). Otep (Lo-Fi Café, May 21). Queens of the Stone Age (In the Venue, May 23). Michael Camilo Trio (Sheraton City Center, May 23). Of Montreal (Lo-Fi Café, May 23). Bloc Party (In the Venue, May 25). Jackpot (Egos, May 25). Erasure (Kingsbury Hall, May 28). Built to Spill (Velvet Room, May 29). Kasabian (In the Venue, May 31). Tilly & the Wall (Kilby Court, May 31). Stereophonics (In the Venue, June 1). Richmond Fontaine (Egos, June 4). Reba McEntire (Usana Amphitheater, June 4).
