Live: Music Picks Nov. 21-27 | Music Picks | Salt Lake City Weekly

Live: Music Picks Nov. 21-27 

Pin It
Favorite
art18392.jpg

THURSDAY NOV. 21

Wild Child
The sound produced by this Austin, Texas, indie-rock band started out small, with simple ukulele-centered melodies and pure harmonies between founding members Alexander Beggins and Kelsey Wilson at the forefront, as heard on Wild Child’s debut album, Pillow Talk. However, the six-piece’s sophomore album, The Runaround, which came out in October, features a new mature sound that’s filled out with drums, piano, bass and more strings, but still has all the intimacy and focus on wistful storytelling that Wild Child first became known for. The song “Stitches” is stunningly beautiful in its slow buildup of layered instruments and voices, and “Victim to Charm” is poetic in evocative lyrics like “I trace the freckles on your porcelain arm.” Strong Words will start things off. (Kolbie Stonehocker)
Kilby Court, 741 S. Kilby Court (330 West), 7 p.m., $10, KilbyCourt.com


FRIDAY NOV. 22

Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin
When indie-rock trio Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin named their band after the first voter-elected leader of Russia, they probably weren’t planning on the Boris Yeltsin Foundation noticing the reference and inviting them to perform in Russia. But that’s exactly what happened in January, when the band members were not only named as cultural ambassadors for a day and played a show at a Russian elementary school, but also met several of Yeltsin’s close friends. Learn more about SSLYBY’s experiences in their documentary, Discussions With Russians, and also check out their new album, Fly By Wire (Polyvinyl). The 10 clap-your-hands tracks are mellow but intricately structured, with lots of piano, dreamy vocals and acoustic guitar. Army Navy is also on the bill. (Kolbie Stonehocker)
Kilby Court, 741 S. Kilby Court (330 West), 8 p.m., $10, KilbyCourt.com

Big Freedia
Before there was ever that tongue-happy “twerking” wannabe She Who Must Not Be Named, openly gay New Orleans hip-hop/bounce musician Freddie Ross, aka Big Freedia, aka The Queen of Bounce, ruled over her twerk-dom with loose hips and fresh beats. In September in New York City’s Herald Square, she oversaw the setting of the Guinness World Record for the most people twerking simultaneously, with more than 350 dancers. And with her new TV show on Fuse, upcoming instructional DVD and the advice that twerking is “in your hips, not in your knees,” there’s no excuse for lazy twerking form. Fans will be happy to know that Big Freedia’s debut full-length album, Da Idol, is also in the works. In the meantime, come drop it and pop it at this show and make the queen proud. Jesse Walker and Mama Beatz will start things off. (Kolbie Stonehocker)
The Urban Lounge, 241 S. 500 East, 9 p.m., $10, TheUrbanLoungeSLC.com


SATURDAY NOV. 23

Lupe Fiasco
Chicago rapper/activist Wasalu Muhammad Jaco, aka Lupe Fiasco, is used to stirring the political pot. At an inaugural party in January, he had to be escorted off the stage after he refused to stop his 40-minute repetition of his anti-war song “Words I Never Said,” with the Obama-criticizing lyrics “Gaza Strip was bombed, Obama didn’t say shit.” But as he told Rolling Stone in October, his next album, Tetsuo & Youth, out in 2014, will step away from the political stuff entirely. “Consciously, there are no politics on the record,” he said. “From here on out, I’m just making music.” That change is apparent on the first single from the album, “Old School Love,” for which the wordsmith collaborated with British singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran. The track is a combo of an R&B-tinged crooner chorus and Fiasco nostalgically rapping about the good old days in the ‘80s and ‘90s. Stalley is also on the bill. (Kolbie Stonehocker)
The Depot, 400 W. South Temple, 9 p.m., $36 in advance, $41 day of show, DepotSLC.com

Sleepy Sun
This Santa Cruz psych-rock five-piece has a new album coming out in January 2014, but luckily for fans, they also released a self-titled EP in October. Meant to be played loud, the EP’s two songs, “The Lane” and “11:32,” are as heavy and sludgy as jetsam pulled out of a swamp, filled with cryptic references and symbols, eardrum-blaster guitar fuzz and vocals that alternate between gravelly and translucent. Fans of Black Mountain, The Spyrals and The Black Angels’ This Phosphene Dream will dig these dark grooves. Check out the strange music video for “11:32,” in which a wild night on the town turns into a dangerously bad trip. Max Pain & the Groovies, Red Telephone and Green River Blues will also perform. (Kolbie Stonehocker)
The Urban Lounge, 241 S. 500 East, 9 p.m., $5, TheUrbanLoungeSLC.com

Motion City Soundtrack
Pop-punk band Motion City Soundtrack has been creating music since 1997, releasing five albums and exploring a range of different sounds. Their newest single, “Inside Out,” shows Motion City Soundtrack returning to an older sound. The song is more punk, like 2010’s My Dinosaur Life, instead of the pop feel of their most recent album, Go, released in 2012. The band will be recording a new album next year; stay tuned to see if the rest of the album will be as good as “Inside Out.” Relient K and Driver Friendly will also perform. (Laurie Reiner)
The Complex, 536 W. 100 South, 7 p.m., $18 in advance, $23 day of the show, TheComplexSLC.com


SUNDAY NOV. 24 

Less Than Jake
For a lot of bands, staying together for more than two decades is unheard of. But for Gainesville, Fla., ska-punk five-piece Less Than Jake, not only was celebrating the band’s 21st birthday an attainable feat, but they’ve also remained immune to fickle musical trends. For their first full-length album in five years, See the Light—released Nov. 12—Less Than Jake wrote the songs as a band, without influence from a record label, choosing instead to get back to their roots of making positive, tightly arranged music centered around harmonized vocals. Songs like “American Idle” and “The Loudest Songs” show Less Than Jake’s writing expertise in both punk and ska styles. Anti-Flag, Masked Intruder and Get Dead are also on the bill. (Kolbie Stonehocker)
The Complex, 536 W. 100 South, 6 p.m., $20 in advance, $22 day of show, TheComplexSLC.com


MONDAY NOV. 25

Cat Power
Since the ‘90s, fans of singer-songwriter Chan Marshall, aka Cat Power, have fallen in love with her artsy folk-pop and delicate, ethereal voice. At this intimate seated solo show, fans will get a special chance to experience Cat Power’s music without the distractions of getting stuck behind a tall person, getting jostled by crowds or worrying about someone spilling their drink on you. Her set will most likely span her discography, including her latest album, Sun, released in 2012. The pop album, which blooms with piano and subtle electronic effects, is resolute and hopeful, about making your own way in life and trusting in yourself. The title of the track “Always On My Own” hints at a resignation to loneliness, but instead, the song is about striking out on your own, with the lyrics “I want to live my way of living.” Nico Turner will start things off. (Kolbie Stonehocker)
The Depot, 400 W. South Temple, 9 p.m., $30 in advance, $35 day of show, DepotSLC.com

More Entertainment & Music Picks: Events.CityWeekly.net

Pin It
Favorite

More by City Weekly Staff

  • THE ESSENTIAL A&E PICKS FOR MAR 28 - APR 3

    Pioneer Theatre Company: The Lehman Trilogy, Jurassic Quest, Pretty Woman: The Musical, and more.
    • Mar 27, 2024
  • MUSIC PICKS MAR 28 - APR 3

    Cinders EP Release show ft. Heber Matüte, West Max @ Soundwell 3/29, Slander @ The Marquis 3/30, Low Cut Connie, Fantastic Cat @ The State Room 4/1, and more.
    • Mar 27, 2024
  • MUSIC PICKS MAR 21 - 27

    Rally, Miicah, Botanical Animal @ Velour 3/22, Dimond Saints Syndicate @ Soundwell 3/23, Devendra Banhart @ The Urban Lounge 3/23, and more.
    • Mar 20, 2024
  • More »

Latest in Music Picks

  • MUSIC PICKS MAR 28 - APR 3

    Cinders EP Release show ft. Heber Matüte, West Max @ Soundwell 3/29, Slander @ The Marquis 3/30, Low Cut Connie, Fantastic Cat @ The State Room 4/1, and more.
    • Mar 27, 2024
  • MUSIC PICKS MAR 21 - 27

    Rally, Miicah, Botanical Animal @ Velour 3/22, Dimond Saints Syndicate @ Soundwell 3/23, Devendra Banhart @ The Urban Lounge 3/23, and more.
    • Mar 20, 2024
  • MUSIC PICKS MAR 14 - 20

    Journey, Toto @ Maverick Center 3/15, LOAFA Album Release/Glow Stick Party @ Boardwalk Sound 3/16, Elephante @ Soundwell 3/16, and more.
    • Mar 13, 2024
  • More »

© 2024 Salt Lake City Weekly

Website powered by Foundation