THURSDAY MARCH 5
Wray
South by Southwest will soon be hoppin' in Austin, Texas, which means bands from all over are making their way down south. One of those touring bands is Wray, which is making a pit stop in Ogden on the way to the festival to co-headline a free show at Alleged with Oklahoma band Native Lights. Formed in Birmingham, Ala., Wray is the latest project of three longtime musicians who got their start in the underground punk scene. As Wray, the trio bring some of that deep-rooted punk mentality to the table but draw a lot more from moody '80s rock, shoegaze and psychedelia, resulting in a fuzzed-out, guitar-heavy but dreamy sound that's multilayered and intoxicatingly hazy, as heard on their 2014 self-titled debut album. (Kolbie Stonehocker) Alleged, 201 25th St., Ogden, 9 p.m., free, Facebook.com/Alleged25th
FRIDAY MARCH 6
Frank Iero
New Jersey-born musician Frank Iero probably will always be known as the former guitarist for rock/post-hardcore band My Chemical Romance. But since that group broke up in 2013, Iero has been doing his own thing, most recently in the form of his album Stomachaches, released in 2014 under the name Frnkiero AndThe Cellabration. Named for the many digestive problems Iero deals with, Stomachaches was recorded in his makeshift home studio and is a mostly solo project that spans anthemic pop-punk and introspective indie-rock. It also gives Iero fans a chance to hear his voice front & center, demonstrating that when he's not screaming in the background of an MCR song, he's actually a compelling lead vocalist in his own right. And bonus: This show will be an opportunity to catch Iero on a stage that's a lot smaller than the stadiums MCR was rocking in its heyday. The Homeless Gospel Choir and Modern Chemistry are also on the bill. (Kolbie Stonehocker) Kilby Court, 741 S. Kilby Court (330 West), 8 p.m., $15, KilbyCourt.com
FRIDAY MARCH 6
Night Terrors of 1927
When friends Blake Sennett (formerly of Rilo Kiley) and Jarrod Gorbel (formerly of The Honorary Title) first started writing music together in Los Angeles, they weren't doing so with the plan to start a band. But after a songwriting sojourn in Mexico helped the duo realize they had stumbled onto something significant, and once they came back home, they officially started their project Night Terrors of 1927, named after a phrase Gorbel found written in his grandfather's journal. Night Terrors of 1927 play a darkly tinted but utterly catchy brand of pop that marries deep vocals with sleek synths, and is fueled by Gorbel and Sennett's love for '80s anthems and the art of pop itself, as heard on their debut full-length, Everything's Coming Up Roses. Check out the eye-catching music videos for "Always Take You Back" and "When You Were Mine," which features guest vocals by Tegan & Sara. Joywave and Bleachers will open. (Kolbie Stonehocker) In the Venue, 219 S. 600 West, 7 p.m., $21 in advance, $24 day of show, InTheVenueSLC.com
TUESDAY MARCH 10
Moon Hooch
Made up of two saxophonists and a drummer, Moon Hooch got their start performing raucous and playfully chaotic jazz-dance music on New York City subway platforms with aplomb. Now, they're taking their dance party on tour to promote their September 2014 release, This is Cave Music. Moon Hooch's music is reminiscent of jazz-band improvisation, but the EDM influence—the gradual heat-up and repetitive, steamy hooks—is there. Relentless jungle drumming replaces the straight bass beat of club dance music. Moon Hooch don't play subway platforms anymore (the NYPD banned them), but videos of the subway dance parties are still online (as a tribute, the first 15 seconds of their first album is a woman making an announcement about the L train). Fans of jazz and ravers of EDM, shake hands; you're about to meet at the brassy and bold blowout that is Moon Hooch. Kris Lager Band opens. (Tiffany Frandsen) O.P. Rockwell, 268 Main, Park City, 9 p.m., $13-$23, OPRockwell.com
TUESDAY MARCH 10
Cheap Girls
Every so often, a song comes along that makes you feel like its writer just gets it, and "Knock Me Over," by Michigan rock outfit Cheap Girls, is one of those songs. As frontman Ian Graham sings in his deadpan voice the acerbic line: "My grip is just falling away/ I'd do anything to lose the pain ... I let the world just knock me over," it's easy to mentally file the song away under "Stuff to Listen to When I'm Feeling Shitty." And that's one of the cool things about the band's latest album, 2014's Famous Graves: The music itself is crunchy, no-frills rock that's all guitar riffs and punchy percussion, but at its core are thoughtful lyrics about life in all its frustrating, depressing, confusing glory. Also on the bill are Restorations, Chris Farren and Hard Girls. (Kolbie Stonehocker) The Urban Lounge, 241 S. 500 East, 9 p.m., $10 in advance, $12 day of show, TheUrbanLoungeSLC.com