THURSDAY-FRIDAY 11.17-18
Felix Martin & Andy McKee
Guitar nerds get a double-dose of hot stringy action this week, with Felix Martin at Club X and Andy McKee at The Urban Lounge. You might never encounter another guitarist like Felix Martin. Sure, there's plenty of competition, but how many others perform on two guitars simultaneously, shredding and riffing with metallic mayhem and pure precision? Venezuela-born Martin's playing is out of this world, thanks in part to his custom-designed 14- and 16-string axes. Not only that, he began perfecting his technique at age 13, and so far, no one else has ever attempted to emulate it. That alone is worth the price of admission ... after all, this is novelty with nuance. Club X, 445 S. 400 West, Thursday, 8 p.m., $12, 21+, ClubXSLC.com
Andy McKee takes the opposite tack. Or maybe not. An accomplished acoustic instrumentalist, he makes his steel-string guitar sound like an entire orchestra through altered tunings, tapping, partial capos, percussive hits and his signature two-handed technique. Apart from his tours all over the world, he claims millions of hits on YouTube while gracing the covers of guitar magazines. Supple, seductive and imbued with special finesse, McKee puts on shows that have earned him a fanatical following. Hear the zing in his strings this Friday. (Lee Zimmerman) The Urban Lounge, 241 S. 500 East, Friday, 6 p.m., $25, 21+, TheUrbanLoungeSLC.com
THURSDAY 11.17
Shovels & Rope, Indianola
Shovels & Rope have made quite an impression since being named "Best New Band" by the Americana Music Association in 2013. Not content to rest on those kudos, Cary Ann Hearst and Michael Trent have shown their determination to move beyond the rustic sensibility they established early on. Their new effort, Little Seeds (New West), might be their boldest venture yet, one that spans the vast reach of current events and the troubled times in which we live. The shooting at the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in their hometown of Charleston, S.C., takes center stage, with message and motif fully in focus. Indeed, for a pair that plays practically every instrument, they create a remarkably diverse musical range. This lyric from the new album—"Black lives, white lives, yellow lives, red/ Let's all come together and share the bread"—sums up their sentiments succinctly. (Lee Zimmerman) The Depot, 400 W. South Temple, 8 p.m., $19 in advance, $26 day of show, DepotSLC.com
FRIDAY 11.18
Method Man & Redman, Bone Thugs-n-Harmony
Now it's rap aficionados' turn—only these two shows are on the same night at different venues. Variously referred to as Meth & Red, Red & Mef, John Blaze and Funk Doc or Funk Doctor Spock and Johnny Blaze, Method Man and Redman share a common bond. Both are East Coast rappers with big name associations. Method Man belongs to Wu-Tang Clan, and his homie Redman is with the group Def Squad. Though they joined forces in 1994, it took five years to see the duo debut with their album Blackout!, and it was another 10-year wait for its successor Blackout 2!. In the years in between, they starred in the stoner movie How High and launched their own Fox sitcom. Suffice it to say, there's method to the redness. With DJ Bentley and DJ Luva Luva. The Depot, 400 W. South Temple, 8 p.m., $45-$50, DepotSLC.com
On the other hand, Bone Thugs-n-Harmony's internal disharmony caused several ups and downs. Yet they're still leaders among today's rap pack. Bizzy Bone, Wish Bone, Layzie Bone, Krayzie Bone and Flesh-N-Bone share a pseudonymous surname, but no, they're not related. However, they might as well be for all their breakups and makeups over the course of the past 25 years. A dozen albums on, they boast two Grammys, two American Music Awards and four MTV Video Music Awards, and there's enough harmony among them to tour. (LZ) Park City Live, 427 Main, Park City, 9 p.m., $25-$50, 21+, ParkCityLive.net
FRIDAY 11.18
Mr. Little Jeans, TRACE
Norwegian-born Monica Birkenes (aka Mr. Little Jeans) became a bit of an overnight sensation with her spellbinding cover of Arcade Fire's "The Suburbs" that appears on 2014's Pocketknife (Harvest). It's no surprise—that particular blend of dreamy, synth-infused fan-fiction was the perfect access point to the collection of muted pop tunes on her debut LP. Since the release of Pocketknife, Birkenes' music has popped up in films like Iron Man 3 and television shows like Gossip Girl. Her tour kicks off only weeks after the ink has dried on her latest EP, Fevers (Nettwerk). While Fevers definitely stays true to the roots that Mr. Little Jeans put down with the release of Pocketknife, there's something a bit more ambitious and expansive about these new songs, and it speaks to Birkenes' evolution as an artist. (Alex Springer) Kilby Court, 741 S. 330 West, 6 p.m., $12, KilbyCourt.com
SATURDAY 11.19
Cuca
So I just got back from Cancun. My favorite souvenir? Glad you asked. It's a very detailed skull hand-carved by a real-deal Mayan from deer bone (still wet with marrow—¡qué metal!) that I purchased from him while in the shadow of the Castillo de Kulkulcán at Chichen Itza. That, and a stack of rock en español CDs I got at the mall. Among the pile are platos by El Tri, Los Frankys, Haragan y Cia—and Venganza del Cucamonga (Fonarte Latino), the new one from these cabrones. You might have heard Cuca's bitchin' canción "Alcohol y Rocanrol" in Robert Rodriguez's Once Upon A Time in Mexico. Or maybe you're already aware they're one of Mexico's biggest bands, and they're celebrating their 25th anniversary with their first album in almost 10 years. In which case, you already know the new joint rocks as hard as "Alcohol" and has Cuca's trademark Beavicio y Nalga-head humor. It's a big deal they're playing here, so come along with me and shout for new songs like "Caca Pop" and "Más Puta Que Las Putas" and classics like "Señorita Cara de Pizza" and "Qué Chingaos." (Randy Harward) Infinity Event Center, 26 W. 600 South, 7:30 p.m., $35-$50, InfinityEventCenter.com
Skinny Lister, Lincoln Durham, Trapper Schoepp & the Shades
British folk band Skinny Lister is like The Pogues with an even more rambunctious attitude. OK, you're stumped. Actually, that's the idea. Lincoln Durham's music suggests he's one dissatisfied soul, an unholy amalgam of Nick Cave, Tom Waits and Robert Plant as they share their edge and agitation. In equal measure, darkness and defiance makes for a powerful brew, and Durham seems intent on carrying that combination to the most ragged extreme. Trapper Schoepp is not as easily defined. He leans toward a more eccentric stance, imbued with self-deprecating humor and occasional twists that challenge the listener. Nevertheless, their enthusiasm and exhilaration makes every show something of a celebration, reason enough to catch them. (LZ) The State Room, 638 S. State, 9 p.m., $17, 21+, TheStateRoomSLC.com
Phallic Food Party No. 2: Heathen Ass Worship reunion, Zombiecock, SCROmance
OK, local music fans—prepare yourselves. Tonight, for the first time since 2011, notorious "sexgrab music" quartet Heathen Ass Worship reunite. From their official propaganda, they disbanded "after their ladyboy/snuffporn ranch in the Philippines was shut down." In that time, they "wandered the planet, looking for the most hedonistic ways to fill their gaping holes." That, uh, fits the occasion. Tonight is the second iteration of drummer Jordan Fairbanks' Phallic Food Party, a concert/culinary event that entails eating a bunch of stuff that makes you look like ... you know. "Hotdogs and bananas will be provided," Fairbanks says, adding that we're welcome to make it a potluck and bring our own pickles or popsicles or ... does spotted dick count? Fairbanks says, "Yeah, if you wanna pass on your leprosy. You sick-ass gift-giver." (RH) Metro Music Hall, 615 W. 100 South, 9 p.m., $6.66 (half price if you dress as a phallic food), 21+, Facebook.com/MetroMusicHall
WEDNESDAY 11.23
A Salt Lake City Tribute to Bruce Springsteen
There comes a time in every rock 'n' roll musician's life when they must pay tribute to the Boss. Just before Thanksgiving, The State Room hosts a Bruce Springsteen-inspired concert performed by members of local rock groups such as Neon Trees, The Hollering Pines, The Lower Lights, The Blue Heart Revue and Atherton. The artists will be tackling Springsteen's seminal album Born in the U.S.A. in its entirety, along with many other classics from the rock legend's songbook. It'll be a great way to clear the air after post-election fallout and welcome the holiday season—there won't be a dry eye in the house when the locally sourced rock stars launch into "My Hometown." In addition to being a nostalgic night out with some great music, proceeds from the event will go to benefit the Salt Lake City Rape Recovery Center. (AS) The State Room, 638 S. State, 8 p.m., $12, 21+, TheStateRoomSLC.com