LIVE! 

U.A.R.C. BENEFIT

After rocking proper at the X96 Big Ass Show (perhaps you’ve heard of it) during the day, participating radio-fest bands Goldfinger and Story of the Year plan to sit down and get all acoustic and sensitive for a benefit fund-raiser for the Utah Animal Rights Coalition in the evening. Admission is $12 in advance ($15 at the door), and the bands will hang and chat after the show. Fine Arts Auditorium, University of Utah, 8 p.m. Info: 633-5722, UARC.com.

PAUL VAN DYK

Let’s not kid ourselves: Voter-registration drives hosted by musicians and such right now almost unilaterally have the end-goal in mind of trouncing Dubya—nothing at all wrong with that; just sayin.’ The Rock the Vote Tour, headlined by über-hot German (?) DJ Paul Van Dyk, is “devoted to protect freedom of expression as well as political enlightenment, and animates young Americans to vote for the next American president.” Note that it said “next,” not “current.” Subtle! The Vortex, 404 S. West Temple, 9 p.m. Info: 355-5920.

Also Saturday: Norah Jones (Usana Amphitheater); The Supersuckers (Egos); Hell’s Belles (Liquid Joes).

SUNDAY 9/26

LIL’ BIT & THE CUSTOMATICS

Texas rockabilly outfit the Customatics may not use a drummer, but they do have a honky-tonk angel up front who’ll set your ticker beating like a floor kick: Jen “Lil’ Bit” Adams, a fetching Patsy Cline/Loretta Lynn devotee injecting the Customatics’ greased-back ’billy with two-steppin’ country charm for a combo that’s been Texas-certified as “hotter than a 39-cent pistol” (price not adjusted for inflation). Burt’s Tiki Lounge, 726 S. State, 9:30 p.m. Info: 521-0572 (with Sweatin’ Willie).

MONDAY 9/27

THE SLACKERS

Ska, reggae, jazz, soul, dub, R& —New York City’s Slackers have mastered them all over the course of 13 years and six albums, not the least of which being 2003’s Close My Eyes (Hellcat). What’s left? “Well, I’d like to be a lot more successful,” saxophonist David Hillyard told PunkNews.com. “I think right now we’re making about as much money as you would if you were a fry chef at McDonald’s.” The Velvet Room, 145 W. 200 South, 7 p.m. Tickets: 800-888-8499.

Also Monday: John Vanderslice (Kilby Court); Hope of the States (Liquid Joe’s).

TUESDAY 9/28

THE PIXIES

Mike Watt, Patti Rothberg—it’s old-school week at the Alt-Rock Corral, ain’t it? Of course, no other ’80s/’90s band is receiving more deserved hype and love than the reunited Pixies: Frank Black, Kim Deal, Joey Santiago and David Lovering, none of whom are granting interviews, leaving your local press outlets to slap together timelines and discography overviews in order to appear as though they haven’t missed the boat; look for ’em. Oooh, will they play “Palace of the Brine”? Kingsbury Hall, University of Utah, 8 p.m. Tickets: 800-888-8499.

FU MANCHU

Speaking of old school, what have SoCal stoner-metal kings Fu Manchu been up to since 2002’s California Crossing? Says here they finally have a new album, Start the Machine (Fu-Manchu.com), and it’s loaded with the kind of molten riffage you know and love from the Fu, plus some surprises—we’re sure it’ll show up any day now. You might have also caught ’em on the Discovery Channel’s Monster Garage, new haircuts ‘n’ all. The Crazy Goat, 119 S. West Temple, 9:30 p.m. Info: 328-4628.

Also Tuesday: The Plot to Blow Up the Eiffel Tower (Lo-Fi Café); Peter Rowan, California Guitar Trio (Port O’ Call).

WEDNESDAY 9/29

Senses Fail (Lo-Fi Café); Helios U.K. (Sound); Capleton (Velvet Room); Signal Path (Egos).

COMING UP

Sahara Hotnights (In the Venue, Oct. 1). Indigo Girls (Kingsbury Hall, Oct. 1). Division of Laura Lee (Lo-Fi Café, Oct. 4). Tech N9ne (Suede, Oct. 5). Walls of Jericho (Lo-Fi Café, Oct. 8). Bloody Lovelies (Halo, Oct. 8). Old 97’s (In the Venue, Oct. 9). Jesse Sykes (Suede, Oct. 9). Fishbone (Velvet Room, Oct. 13). Dope (The Ritz, Oct. 13). Blood Brothers (Lo-Fi Café, Oct. 14). Drive-By Truckers (Oct. 18). P.J. Harvey (In the Venue, Oct. 19). Les Claypool (Velvet Room, Oct. 21). The Cramps (Sound, Oct. 24).