Live: Music Picks May 19-25 

FRIDAY 5.20
Canyons (EP Release), Palodine, Grits Green
One of Salt Lake City's best-kept secrets is the "assertive folk" trio Canyons. Their songs range from breezy to ruminative to sensual, with exquisite harmonies, engagingly vivid lyrics and great acoustic and (occasionally electric) guitar tones. They tend to release music in small doses—an EP at a time. This weekend, they're dropping a limited-edition, four-song, colored vinyl EP called Sometimes Late at Night, featuring three new songs ("January," "Ohio" and "Once") as well as a new recording of "Pages," from their previous Canyons EP. Drummer Hillary McDaniel tells City Weekly they're taking the middle slot tonight, with Ogden (by way of Seattle) band Palodine opening and Ogden hip-hop act Grits Green capping things off. "We'll play a really fun set and then we've asked Grits Green to close out the night with a huge dance party so we can join our fans in the audience to celebrate." Look for a feature on Canyons soon, where we'll divine just what, exactly, they mean by "assertive folk." (Randy Harward) Lighthouse Lounge, 130 E. 25th St., Ogden, 9 p.m., free, CanyonsMusic.com

Pentagram
Although Black Sabbath, Blue Cheer and Cream get the most credit for originating the blues-based stoner-doom sound, Virginia's Pentagram—coming a few years after the late-'60s advent—are highly influential in the genre. They're enjoying a resurgence thanks to the 2011 documentary Last Days Here, which chronicles singer Bobby Liebling's struggles with addiction—and his ultimate return to rock 'n' roll in 2010. The band released Curious Volume (Peaceville) last August, and its monolithic riffs and big drums—and Liebling's wild-eyed, Morrison-meets-Ozzy vocals—show Pentagram still has the goods more than 40 years after their debut. Salt Lakers should count themselves lucky that Pentagram included us as one of the 11 dates on their tour. Wax Idols, King Woman and Darklord open. (RH) The State Room, 638 S. State, 7:30 p.m., $17, TheStateRoomSLC.com

SATURDAY 5.21
Dead Meadow, Max Pain and the Groovies, Spirit Tribe
For years, L.A.-by-way-of-D.C. outfit Dead Meadow (in addition to Bardo Pond) was indie standard-bearers Matador Records' foothold in psychedelic stoner rock, a style of slowed-down heavy metal originated by Black Sabbath. Since 2010, the power trio has branched out on its own Xemu Records label, and their eighth studio release, Warble Womb (2013) also is a fair description of their sound, alternately lulling and rumbling in a slightly ominous manner—after all, you don't want it to harsh your mellow. The band's 2002 album Got Live If You Want It was produced by Anton Newcombe of the Brian Jonestown Massacre, and released on his label The Committee To Keep Music Evil. Locals Max Pain and the Groovies and Spirit Tribe open. (Brian Staker) Kilby Court, 741 S. 330 West, 7 p.m., $13 in advance, $15 day of show, KilbyCourt.com

SUNDAY 5.22
Paul Simon
It was in 1999, I believe, that Paul Simon and Bob Dylan brought their immensely popular tour to the Delta Center (now the Vivint SmartHome Arena). Since every rock scribe in the state was beggin' for the customary pair of tickets, they had to limit us all to only one. I recall thinking while standing alone watching Paul Simon, who went first, how seeing just one of these legendary songwriters was a big deal. Simon, after all, is one of our greatest living songwriters, having penned and performed such great Simon & Garfunkel tunes as "The Sound of Silence," "Bridge Over Troubled Water" and tons more. In fact, once Simon was done with his healthy set of folk classics—a real emotional rollercoaster—I was spent. I stayed long enough to see Simon and Dylan exchange one of the most awkward hugs ever and perform a few duets. Then, having previously seen Dylan but not Simon, I walked around town, letting it all sink in. What a great night. (RH) Maverik Center, 3200 South Decker Lake Drive, 7:30 p.m., $64.50-$144.50, MaverikCenter.com

MONDAY 5.23
James McCartney
James McCartney—the only son of Paul from his marriage to Linda—naturally had a love of music from an early age, and, while still in his 20s, started aiding the former Beatle, playing drums and guitar on some of Paul's solo albums. Now 38, he has his own music full of the same melodicism as his father's, but often with a little harder edge. His fifth solo album, Blackberry Train (Maybenot), was released earlier this month, and perhaps the biggest surprise is that it was produced by Steve Albini, who's made a career out of making bands like the Pixies and Nirvana sound even better, harder and clearer than they are. On his website, McCartney says, "It's all been an evolution." (BS) Metro Bar, 615 W. 100 South, 8 p.m., $15 in advance, $18 day of show, JRCSLC.com

WEDNESDAY 5.25
The Lumineers
The Red Butte Garden Outdoor Concert Series has really outdone itself this year. It seems they've booked something to please everyone, from blues bands to indie eccentrics like Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros and Wilco to musical icon Willie Nelson to retro-'80s with Tears For Fears, Culture Club, Blondie to Baby Boomer nostalgia with the Monkees. If you haven't procured tickets yet, openers The Lumineers are sold out, but tickets remain available for many of the other shows later in the season. If you do have tix for The Lumineers, you are in for a spirited entry into a summer venue to see the folk-pop combo on their Cleopatra World Tour. Expect songs from their recently released sophomore album of the same name (Cleopatra, on the Dualtone label). With special guests SOAK and Sleepwalkers. (BS) Red Butte Garden, 300 Wakara Way, 7 p.m., sold out, RedButteGarden.com

THURSDAY 5.19
Sticky Fingers
Nope, they're not a Rolling Stones cover band. Nor are they the rapper/actor—he spells his name Sticky Fingaz. But you'll be familiar with this Sydney, Australia indie-psych-reggae fusion quartet soon enough. They're already recording their third album in freakin' Thailand, and they're just coming off a long tour—supporting the critically acclaimed album Land of Pleasure that took them through North America, Europe, the U.K. and New Zealand. Check out Sticky Fingers' new single, "Outcast at Last" on YouTube and see for yourself how they mix such seemingly disparate musical flavors into a crazy Stone Roses/Jesus Jones/Stick Figure brew. With Bootleg Rascals. (Randy Harward) The Urban Lounge, 241 S. 500 East, 8 p.m., $12 in advance, $14 day of show, TheUrbanLoungeSLC.com

MONDAY 5.23
Baroness
In 2012, the members of Savannah, Ga., sludge-prog band Baroness were in a bus crash where all nine passengers survived, but the band still sustained serious injuries. "The band suffered a gigantic bruise," singer-guitarist John Baizley says in the bio for their new album, Purple (Abraxan Hymns). Baizley spent two and a half weeks in the hospital and underwent months of physical therapy. The band's now-former rhythm section both suffered fractured vertebrae. But the band is back in business. "Hopefully," Baizley continues, "this record is the springboard that helps us get away from all that." That should be no problem: Purple is a heady and blistering listen that leaves a mark you'll never want to fade. Youth Code opens. (RH) The Urban Lounge, 241 S. 500 East, 8 p.m., $22 in advance, $25 day of show, TheUrbanLoungeSLC.com