Live: Music Picks Feb. 26-March 2 

• The Blues Aces

Les Femmes de Velour
As Provo's music scene grows, it seems to be growing more diverse as well. There are many local female solo musicians and female-fronted bands that have been making music and facing the spotlights on Utah stages, and Velour's three-night Les Femmes de Velour event is a great way to see a variety of those artists in one spot. The first show will feature Alpine/Highland four-piece Gils, Tess Comrie, violinist/singer-songwriter Night Wings and Diatom. Friday's lineup will include Salt Lake City rockers Luna Lune, Provo pop-rock foursome The Blue Aces, experimental indie-rock group Shrink the Giant—who dropped their new full-length album, Faceless, in December—and indie-folk band Kitfox. On Saturday, performances by Jenn Blosil, Emily Brown (of Porch Lights), Stephanie Mabey (of The Lower Lights and Gusto) and Mia Grace will conclude this fourth-annual showcase of female musicians. Velour, 135 N. University Ave., Provo, also Feb. 27-28, 8 p.m., $7, VelourLive.com

The K-Bone Kevy Metal Benefit Weekend Warrior Concert
If you evildoers stopped by Kevin Kirk's legendary music store The Heavy Metal Shop during the holidays, you probably noticed his absence. Thanks to a collapsed lung, Kirk spent two weeks in the hospital in December, and since we all know that staying in a hospital for any extended amount of time is a good way to kiss your money goodbye, he needs our help. If you missed the first recent benefit show for Kirk, this concert is another chance to show your support, so head over to Bar Deluxe (at 666 S. State, heh) and catch local rock and metal acts Thunderfist, Muckraker, Oldtimer and Dwellers, all while helping out someone who has been a big part of the local music scene for decades. Tickets are $10, and all proceeds go to Kirk and his family. Bar Deluxe, 666 S. State, 9 p.m., $10, BarDeluxeSLC.com

Best of Utah Music Rap Showcase
Don't forget to catch the Best of Utah Music second rap showcase, featuring Zigga, House of Lewis, Umang, Yze and New Truth. Visit CityWeekly.net/BestOfUtahMusic for more information. 50 West Club, 50 W. 300 South, 9 p.m., $5 in advance, $6 day of show, Facebook.com/ClubAt50West

• The Districts

The Districts
The history of indie-rock band The Districts isn't very flashy: Four friends from the small town of Lilitz, Pa., started playing music together in high school and worked hard at getting their sound nailed down. And only a couple of weeks before they were supposed to start college, they signed with a record label. The Districts have been getting a lot of buzz for their latest album, A Flourish and a Spoil—released earlier this month—and for good reason. The 10 tracks oscillate between the punchy guitar/drum explosions heard on humongous-sounding songs like "Hounds" and the soul-baring vulnerability in the acoustic "Suburban Smell" while maintaining a stick-in-your-head quality, and all feature compelling rough-edged vocals and wry songwriting from frontman Rob Grote. New Jersey psych-folk band Pine Barons will open. Kilby Court, 741 S. Kilby Court (330 West), 8 p.m., $10 in advance, $12 day of show, KilbyCourt.com

Best of Utah Music Band Showcase
Experience great local music at the Best of Utah Music second band showcase, featuring The Ladells, Secret Abilities, Dark Seas, Static Waves and The Strike. Visit CityWeekly.net/BestOfUtahMusic for more information. 50 West Club, 50 W. 300 South, 9 p.m., $5 in advance, $6 day of show, Facebook.com/ClubAt50West

• Portland Cello Project

Portland Cello Project
For almost 10 years, the pack of cellists known as the Portland Cello Project have been upholding their three-fold mission statement: 1. Bring cello to all the places (they've played in venues ranging from traditional venues to sports bars); 2. Play all the music (they cover classical and modern alike) on the cello; 3. Collaborate with all the people. That final goal was doubly accomplished on the Portland Cello Project's latest project, a 12-song album titled to e.s., released in December and dedicated to the late singer-songwriter and fellow Portland, Ore., dweller Elliott Smith. The band started work on the album in 2013—the 10th anniversary of Smith's death—and the result features instrumental covers of six songs by Smith—"Needle in the Hay," "Everything Means Nothing to Me" and more—as well as original pieces that were inspired by his work and written by contemporary composers. The State Room, 638 S. State, 9 p.m., $17, TheStateRoom.com; limited no-fee tickets available at CityWeeklyStore.com

• PRhyme

PRhyme
What happens when you get two hip-hop veterans together in a room? In the case of legendary producer DJ Premier and Detroit emcee Royce da 5'9," aka rap duo PRhyme, something pretty damned great. The two have collaborated here and there for years, but PRhyme—released in December—is their first album as a group, and it has plenty of the type of eyebrow-raising moments that result from combining the talents of two musicians whose combined collab track records include Biggie, Jay Z, Nas and more. Featuring revealing, incisive and technically mind-bending rhymes from Royce da 5'9" and bold, layered beats by Premier, PRhyme is like a kick straight to the teeth. Also on the bill are Brooklyn emcee Your Old Droog, Nas protégé Boldy James and local DJ Juggy. The Urban Lounge, 241 S. 500 East, 9 p.m., $20, TheUrbanLoungeSLC.com; limited no-fee tickets available at CityWeeklyStore.com