Live: Music Picks Sept. 11-17 

Drake, Lil Wayne
The Drake vs. Lil Wayne tour is less an onstage death match than a chance for the frequent collaborators to co-headline and make wheelchair and short-guy jokes. Former Canadian teen star Drake is a year out from the release of the mega-popular Nothing Was the Same, while there's a chance that NOLA native Lil Wayne's delayed Tha Carter V could still see a 2014 release. In the meantime, the duo's tour takes set-design cues from old button-mashing fight games and harnesses the audience-interaction power of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire. The rappers trade sets of hits throughout the night, running through their catalogs of underdog victory songs and sexy slow jams before joining onstage for "Believe Me," "The Motto" and others, after the audience uses an app to declare one of the rappers the winner of the night—Lil Wayne currently leads 11-10. G-Eazy will also perform. (Rachel Piper) Usana Amphitheatre, 5200 S. 6200 West, 7 p.m., $35-$125.50, Usana-Amp.com

THURSDAY SEPT. 11

• Kathryna Hancock
• She Keeps Bees

She Keeps Bees
Since morphing from a solo project of vocalist/guitarist Jessica Larrabee into a duo with drummer Andy LaPlant, Brooklyn band She Keeps Bees has progressed through haunting Americana/folk to bewitching rock. But what's remained the same is the music's dark, sticky quality, which is largely the product of Larrabee's mysterious lyrics and beautiful, droning, soulful voice. On She Keeps Bees' upcoming new album, Eight Houses—out Sept. 16—the fire that raged in 2011's Dig On seems to be tamed slightly, for a more subdued but no-less-lethal feel, as evidenced by songs such as "Owl" (which features backing vocals from Sharon Van Etten) and the nocturnal "It Is What It Is." Shilpa Ray will start things off. (Kolbie Stonehocker) Kilby Court, 741 S. Kilby Court (330 West), 7:30 p.m., $8 in advance, $10 day of show; limited no-fee tickets available at CityWeeklyStore.com

SATURDAY SEPT. 13

• Nick Zammuto
• Zammuto

Zammuto
If you were to pay attention only to the musical aspect of Anchor—the debut album from producer and multi-instrumentalist Nick Zammuto's new eponymous rock four-piece, released Sept. 2—that in itself would probably be more than enough to make your ears happy. Bursting with swelling synths, snappy percussion and floaty vocals, Anchor is ethereal and textural as well as irresistibly catchy. But your eyes are missing out if you don't also check out the band's playfully experimental music videos, including the ones for "Great Equator"—which features electron micrographs of scratches on records—and "IO," which documents Nick building a catapult at his rural Vermont homestead, and then attaching cameras to objects like a keyboard and a birthday cake before launching them sky-high. Artistic Violence is also on the bill. (Kolbie Stonehocker) Kilby Court, 741 S. Kilby Court (330 West), 7:30 p.m., $12, KilbyCourt.com; limited no-fee tickets available at CityWeeklyStore.com

SUNDAY SEPT. 14

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• Conor Oberst

Red Butte Concert Series: Conor Oberst
As a singer-songwriter who's been involved with multiple projects—political punk band Desaparecidos, indie-rock darlings Bright Eyes and more—Conor Oberst is skilled at taking on various guises to fit with the diverse musical landscapes of those bands. Maybe that's why his latest solo album, the folk/roots-rock Upside Down Mountain—released in May—is so refreshing: because it's a glimpse of the true Conor, who's hearkening back to his musical roots. "This is a return to an earlier way I wrote," Oberst says in his online bio. "It's more intimate or personal, if you will." Full of poignant personal musings and observations—like "Pleasure's not the same as happiness" from "Kick"—as well as distinctive Oberst weirdness ("Talked to a girl with Klonopin eyes," from "Governor's Ball"), Upside Down Mountain is a revealing look at a compelling musician. (Kolbie Stonehocker) Red Butte Amphitheatre, 300 Wakara Way, 7 p.m., $35 garden members, $40 general public, RedButteGarden.org

TUESDAY SEPT. 16

• Shervin Lainez
• Mother Falcon

Mother Falcon
When your band is made up of roughly 20 people who are all playing their hearts out—and not just acting as stage filler on tambourine or backup-dancer duty—all you can do is go big, and that's exactly what Austin, Texas-based band Mother Falcon did. What started out as a jam session between high school friends who were burned out from their classical cello training turned into a veritable rock orchestra, featuring violin, saxophone, percussion, guitar, piano, accordion and more. And Mother Falcon has the sound to match the power of such an ensemble; as heard on the band's sophomore album, 2013's You Knew, it can jump from sleepy to grand and dizzying in moments but is always keenly crafted and intricate. Local acts Porch Lights and Lake Island will begin the show. (Kolbie Stonehocker) Kilby Court, 741 S. Kilby Court (330 West), 7:30 p.m., $10 in advance, $12 day of show, KilbyCourt.com; limited no-fee tickets available at CityWeeklyStore.com

• Shervin Lainez
• Citizen

Citizen
Today, when music venues are inundated with indie-folk and blues-rock, Midwest-based band Citizen aims to break the mold with familiar punk and rock sounds. The term "emo" may seem outdated, but it's relevant to Citizen's newest album, Youth, with its melodic guitar riffs, rhythmic drumming and emotion-laced lyrics, sung by lead vocalist Mat Kerekes at the top of his lungs. Songs like "The Night I Drove Alone" and "The Summer" take you back to a time when feelings and rock music went hand in hand. Also on the bill are You Blew It, Hostage Calm, Praise and True Love. (Rebecca Frost) The Shred Shed, 60 E. Exchange Place (360 South), 7 p.m., $12, ShredShedSLC.com

WEDNESDAY SEPT. 17

• Tycho

Tycho
In an age where dubstep's hard-hitting bass notes dominate the electronic-music scene, Bay Area musician and producer Scott Hansen uses unique, eccentric melodies and subtle percussion to create techno that stands out from the crowd. As heard on Tycho's 2014 album, Awake—the first release since Tycho morphed from Hansen's solo project into a three-piece band—Hansen's subtle instrumental music, made up of mellow guitar and soothing, ambient tones, is easy to get lost in and zone out to, especially tracks "Montana," "Spectre" and "See." Don't expect any mosh pits or headbanging at this show; just prepare to bliss out. Joining Tycho will be fellow San Francisco musician Christopher Willits, with whom Hansen collaborated on Awake. (Nathan Turner) The Depot, 400 W. South Temple, 8 p.m., $21 in advance, $23 day of show, DepotSLC.com