Thursday 5.3
ttSCOTT H. BIRAM
ttScott H. Biram is ballsy'or foolish'enough to not only one-up Kris Kristofferson in front of the crusty legend’s loyal audience but also to perform just one month after losing part of his intestine in the sort of dramatic highway accident drivers-ed teachers draw on to put the fear of God in teenage drivers. Biram is everything that’s right about wrong impulses and bad decisions. His gruff, devil-may-care approach to music results in a caustic one-man band whose barroom sound is best experienced in a live, barroom setting. The Urban Lounge, 241 S. 500 East, 10 p.m. Tickets: 24Tix.com

UPROK RECORDS CD RELEASE
ttBesides hosting weekly concert showcases and providing Salt Lake City residents with a comprehensive source for national and local hip-hop, Uprok Records is supporting homegrown artists by releasing their material under the downtown music store’s trusted name. Concise Kilgore, Brisk and Finale bought the records, searched for samples, recorded beats, laid down vocals and mastered 48 Hours in just two days. The result is surprisingly smooth, with tasty rhymes and solid production. Hear it live tonight. Monk’s, 19 W. 200 South, 10 p.m. Info: 363-1523 (with Illogic and Mugshots)

Also Thursday: Glade Sowards (NoBrow Coffee & Tea); Skillet (In the Venue); 3 Inches of Blood (Country Club Theater, Ogden); Big Gun Baby (Mojos, Ogden)

Friday 5.4
ttRION BUHLER & BLACK EYED SUSAN
ttTake a walk on the wild side with Rion Buhler, a local troubadour best recognized as one-fourth of furious noise artists Loiter Cognition. Buhler swaps Cognition’s shred-and-wail template for a more palatable, though no less punk, sound with Black Eyed Susan, a talented lot of offbeat visionaries including fellow Loiterer drummer Cody Eden, bassist/vocalist Lisa Baker, guitarist/Rhodes-man Matt Crane and bassist Jake Scabie. The group apparently released an album on April 23, which is news to us, but online recordings are enticing enough to seek out the elusive debut. Surprisingly rich orchestration meets raw, Lou Reed-meets-Beck vocals and urban cowboy poetry full of seedy lines like “I want to be your cocaine baby” that might just get you high. Burt’s Tiki Lounge, 726 S. State, 10 p.m. Info: 521-0572 (with Vile Blue Shades)

Also Friday: Band of Annuals CD Release (Kilby Court); School of Rock: The Beatles (Realms of Inquiry); School of Rock: Aerosmith (The Circuit); Head Like a Kite (Monk’s); Damien Rice (McKay Events Center, Orem); Skint, Dubbed (Mojos, Ogden); Rattle & Hum: U2 Tribute (Harry O’s, Park City)

Saturday 5.5
ttSISTER CAROL
ttYou might recognize Sister Carol as Dottie from 1986’s Something Wild. Chances are good, however, that you missed the little Jeff Daniels/Melanie Griffith flick about an uptight businessman who hooks up with a “Wild” temptress upon which hilarity'and some sexiness'ensues. Carol probably had a blast on the set but, boy are we glad she didn’t give up her day job as one of reggae’s most respected and prolific artists. Her latest release Black Cinderella showcases the powerful vocalist’s signature pipes and continued spiritual convictions in the name of Jah. Carol considers music the ultimate treat and as a result produces songs that are a joy to listen to. Don’t miss this legend backed by the Yellow Wall Dub Squad tonight. The Urban Lounge, 241 S. 500 East, 10 p.m. Info: 746-0557

LINDA RONSTADT
ttSpeaking of legends, Linda Ronstadt is in the house, or more accurately, the hall. The Grammy award-winning singer/songwriter got her start with ‘60s folk outfit Stone Poneys before launching a successful solo career. While best known for her country hits, Ronstadt dabbled in Mexican balladry and the sort of non-offensive pop that pairs well with picnics or afternoon delight. She recently added a little Cajun flavor to her repertoire with the Ann Savoy collaboration, Adieu False Heart, a collection that indicates the versatile artist is in no hurry to slow down. Ronstadt’s appearance offers a perfectly good reason to check out Wendover’s best kept secret. Peppermill Concert Hall, 300 Wendover Blvd., Wendover, Nev., 8 p.m. Tickets: 800-648-9660

Also Saturday: Vigaholics (Bada Bean); School of Rock: The Beatles (Realms of Inquiry); School of Rock: Aerosmith (The Circuit); No Quarter (The Depot); Insane Clown Posse (Great Saltair); Groundation (Suede, Park City)

Sunday 5.6
ttU92 Cinco de Mayo: Ja Rule, Lil Rob & Mims (Utah State Fairpark); Catherine (Country Club Theater, Ogden)

Monday 5.7
ttLoreena McKennitt (Kingsbury Hall); Vedera, Deer in the Headlights (Kilby Court) Mastodon, Against Me! (In the Venue)

Tuesday 5.8
ttMORRISSEY
tt“Let’s face it, soon I will be dead,” Morrissey observes on “I Just Want the Boy to Be Happy,” his grim, decadent tone leading long-time listeners through familiar territory. But while the single off 2006’s Ringleader of the Tormentors evidences little change in the depressive icon’s demeanor, the album’s overall content is surprisingly upbeat and, oddly, explicitly saucy: “I entered nothing/ and nothing entered me/ until you came/ with the key.” Not bad for a man who kept his personal life under wraps even during The Smiths’ glorious heyday. It’s good to see both Morrissey and Johnny Marr (who currently plays with Modest Mouse) growing strong and getting stable after all these years. E Center, 3200 S. Decker Lake Dr., 7:30 p.m. All-ages. Tickets: SmithsTix.com

Also Tuesday: The Phenomenauts, Cavedoll (Burt’s Tiki Lounge)

Wednesday 5.9
ttOzma (Kilby Court); Y Mountain Productions Showcase (Velour, Provo)

COMING UP
ttL.A. Symphony (Monk’s, May 11). John Prine (Weber State University, May 11). El-P (The Depot, May 12). HR of Bad Brains (Urban Lounge, May 14). Black Rebel Motorcycle Club (In the Venue, May 16). I Am The Ocean CD Release (Avalon Theater, May 17). Hot Hot Heat (In the Venue, May 18). Cunninlynguists (Suede, May 19). The Meat Puppets (Urban Lounge, May 19). Clutch (The Depot, May 21). Animal Collective (In the Venue, May 22). The Black Angels (Kilby Court, May 22). The Hold Steady (Urban Lounge, May 23). Girl in a Goma (Burt’s Tiki Lounge, May 26). The Killers, Louis XIV (Great Saltair, May 31).