Live Music Picks: July 26-August 1
G-Eazy, Amos Lee, Car Seat Headrest, Skeleton and more.
By Rachelle Fernandez, Nick McGregor @mcgregornick, Keith McDonald @keithlmcdonald and Lee Zimmerman
THURSDAY 7/26
G-Eazy, Lil Uzi Vert, Ty Dolla $ign, P-Lo, YBN Nahmir, Murda Beatz
Powered by The Beautiful and the Damned, his fourth studio release, Oakland producer/rapper G-Eazy (né Gerald Earl Gilliam) comes to town headlining the Endless Summer Tour. Backing up Mr. Eazy is none other than Lil Uzi Vert, who might have lost the mantle of most controversial figure in rap music to Tekashi 69 in recent months, but still manages to whip up a solid fan base despite not being "the new guy" anymore. Vert brings his Southern background, saucy style and banging beats to a show that features plenty of artists from the western United States. Ty Dolla $ign, before he moved to a beach house and became paranoid, called Utah home for a stretch. With Loaf Enterprise, he even recorded a 2006 mixtape, Raw & Bangin' Mixtape Vol. 1, right here in Salt Lake City with an artist named Kory. This bill is deep and varied—when you ask yourself how it came together, the reason is clear: Despite their differences, all of these artists bring the same kind of party atmosphere and energy that concert-goers crave. With three artists who could be touring independently headlining one rap show, Usana Amphitheatre is bound to be packed with enthusiastic fans who know every word to every song. In addition, up-and-coming artists like P-Lo, YBN Nahmir and Murda Beatz will help you keep your summer going in the right direction. (Keith L. McDonald) Usana Amphitheatre, 5150 Upper Ridge Road, all ages, 5 p.m., $29.50-$79.50, usana-amp.com
FRIDAY 7/26
Amos Lee with the Utah Symphony
Amos Lee is the combined musical equivalent of Cormac McCarthy, William Faulkner and James Dickey—authors with a strong Southern sensibility and an ability to detail the nuances and novelty of an antebellum attitude. Although he was born in Philadelphia, Lee is frequently compared to artists like John Prine, The Band and Jesse Winchester thanks to a rugged, rustic sound that's both telling and timeless. Although his career only took root a dozen or so years ago, Lee has quickly accumulated a singular reputation as a journeyman musician who articulates the true essence of Americana. His most recent albums—Mission Bell, Mountains of Sorrow, River of Song and Spirit—offer articulate examples of the richness and resilience with which he illuminates the human spirit. Not surprisingly, then, his upcoming effort, My New Moon, expands upon those ideals. Lee describes it as "a dedication ... an offering, an altar of sorts to those who have shared their sorrows with me." As such, it runs a full gamut of emotion, from hope to healing and tragedy to triumph, as inspired by events including the shooting at Parkland High School, a child who overcame an illness, the loss of loved ones and the need to persevere even in the darkest of our days. Credit Lee for offering inspiration that's needed now like never before—and consider it a must to see him perform such songs with the Utah Symphony. (Lee Zimmerman) Deer Valley Snow Park Amphitheater, 2250 Deer Valley Drive South, Park City, 7:30 p.m., $43-$100, all ages, my.usuo.org
MONDAY 7/30
Car Seat Headrest, Naked Giants
Will Toledo makes bedroom pop writ large. Before he signed a record deal, Toledo self-recorded and released nine albums full of knotty, intricate riffs, emotionally eviscerating lyrics and dense, subtle shout-outs to indie rock cult heroes of the past. Even the three records he's put out as Car Seat Headrest for Matador Records all have some rooting in the past: 2015's Teens of Style feeds directly into 2016's Teens of Denial, while 2018's Twin Fantasy is actually a complete remaking of the rough, raw 2011 version of the same name. Sometimes that kind of self-referentialism can be anathema to the rock gods. But when your music cuts as deep as Car Seat Headrest's, you can pull it off. Injected with teenage confusion and mature wisdom, Twin Fantasy documents an ultimately rejected love, yet the auditory atmosphere remains swirling, electrifying—even upbeat. "Beach Life-In-Death" runs 13 minutes yet feels gargantuan ("I pretended I was drunk when I came out to my friends"); "Bodys" streaks by like a bolt of lightning, even as it pauses to reflect on itself ("Is it the chorus yet? No/ It's just a building of the verse"). Twin Fantasy is considered by the most devoted fans to be Car Seat Headrest's masterpiece, and Toledo's performance of an album that's been rattling around in his brain for almost a decade should be electrifying. "This one has totally replaced the old one in my mind," Toledo recently told Rolling Stone. "I was not in the same place then. It felt at times like doing a cover record. The old one is by a different artist that I don't necessarily like as much as the one I've turned into." (Nick McGregor) The Urban Lounge, 241 500 East, 8 p.m., $18 presale; $20 day of show, 21+, theurbanloungeslc.com
TUESDAY 7/31
Skeleton, Skourge, MULNG
Contrary to what Stevo from SLC Punk! says, punks don't kick the shit out of metalheads. In fact, the two blend together in an unholy concoction known as Skeleton, a punk/metal band keeping Austin, Texas, weird since 2014. Since then, Skeleton has endured some lineup changes, but brothers David and Victor Ziolkowski make the band stand out today with their approach: "to write the hardest, darkest and most powerful riff-oriented songs we can, and to pair them with a great live performance," Victor says. He adds that his goal each night is to lose his voice—literally—from screaming. If that's not punk enough for you, then you're just a poser. Although the band has moved more toward metal over the years, "War"—off of their 2018 EP Pyramid of Skull—blasts 55 seconds of fast drums and grindcore riffs covered in bloody vocals. What the Ziolkowski brothers are doing almost mirrors what Dimebag Darrell and Vinnie Paul did in the early '90s with Pantera. Like Vinnie Paul, Victor has been playing in bands around Texas since he was just 8 years old: "We got it all going on down here and it's sick," he says. Everything is definitely bigger in Texas, so pour one out for Vinnie and Dime with Skeleton and Skourge, joined by locals MULNG. (Rachelle Fernandez) The Beehive, 666 S. State, 7 p.m., $5, all ages, beehivecollectiveslc.com
Psychedelic Furs, X, The Fixx
Known for the song "Pretty in Pink," which was used in the soundtrack to the John Hughes film of the same name, Psychedelic Furs have managed to extend their collective career well over 35 years thanks to further worldwide hits like "The Ghost in You," "Love My Way," "All That Money Wants" and "Until She Comes." With singer Richard Butler's raspy vocals at the fore, the Furs played an essential role in Britain's post-punk sound, first by adopting the highly postured so-called "New Romantic" style, which spun off from New Wave, and then through the arched embellishment of their sinewy grooves and aloof persona. Their albums also fared well on the charts, proving that this well-rounded rock band would never be looked at as a one-hit wonder. A temporary breakup and belated re-formation seemed to stall their momentum, and though side ventures followed—Butler and his guitarist brother Tim formed the band Love Spit Love, while Richard later released his own eponymous solo album—it's now been 27 years since the Furs' last studio album, with only a live greatest-hits collection filling the gap in between. Nevertheless, earlier signature songs have made their presence known, with "The Ghost In You" featured in the Netflix series Stranger Things and "Love My Way" revived for the critically acclaimed film Call Me By Your Name. With punk pioneers X and The Fixx in tow, prepare for a promising '80s revival. (LZ) The Complex, 536 W. 100 South, 7 p.m., $33, 21+, thecomplexslc.com
WEDNESDAY 8/1
Stephen Malkmus & The Jicks, Soccer Mommy
Stephen Malkmus can turn even the wryest, driest turn of phrase into melodic gold. Hailed in the '90s as a hero for co-founding the pioneering indie rock band Pavement, the Malkmus of today is far more talented than the Malkmus of old. His latest album, Sparkle Hard, features songs that root into your subconscious immediately; try listening to "Refute," his duet with punk prophetess Kim Gordon, without shouting along to lines like "Similar interests, similar looks/ Similar taste in similar books." Perhaps our modern culture just needed awhile to catch up with Malkmus' wit. Discussing his long history of terse, memorable lyrics with Pitchfork in April, the prolific Twitter user quipped, "They're like bad tweets that only five people would love." Still, there's something loveable about Stephen Malkmus. His shaggy hair and off-the-cuff attitude seem approachable, and his irony is laced with hubris and provocation. His voice, once nasal and hard-edged, has deepened to a Lou Reed-esque croon that softens his snarkiness. Even better, Malkmus still cares deeply about music and its power to inspire. Case in point: he's bringing Soccer Mommy, the sobriquet of 21-year-old rising star Sophie Allison, out on the road to open this run of shows. Soccer Mommy's anguished, poignant debut album Clean has received scores of best-of-2018 predictions, and in 2019 she'll be playing arenas with country superstar Kacey Musgraves. So take advantage of this opportunity to see her plainspoken indie rock presented in an intimate setting. (Nick McGregor) The Urban Lounge, 241 S. 500 East, 8 p.m., $26 presale; $28 day of show, 21+, theurbanloungeslc.com
Lee Zimmerman
An accomplished writer, blogger and reviewer, Zimmerman contributes to several local and national publications, including No Depression, Paste, Relix and Goldmine. The music obsessive says he owns too many albums to count and numerous instruments he’s yet to learn.
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