MUSIC PICKS: FEB 10 - 16 

• Zuma Press

Ice Cube at Vivint Arena
It's not all the time that a legend like Ice Cube goes on tour, let alone that he'd stop in Utah. But we're lucky this Valentine's Day weekend to be presented with U92's Valentine's Jam, which is an event for all lovers of hip hop jams. Not only will Ice Cube be including the stop in his Kings of the West tour, but he'll be joined by an exciting group of other hip hop legends. So buckle up, because the list of '80s and '90s icons is almost unbelievable. It includes Bone Thugs-N-Harmony, Sugar Hill Gang, The Dogg Pound, N2Deep and J.J. Fad, plus representation from Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five's Melle Mel and Scorpio. Besides the fact that this lineup should satisfy any old-school hip hop head, headliner Ice Cube has got some new stuff to offer, mainly by way of the recent re-release of the "complete version" of his 1991 album Death Certificate. Don't miss this crazy lineup of legends, and get tickets, in the name of love. It goes down on Saturday, Feb. 12 at 7:30 p.m. at Vivint Arena, and tickets to the all-ages show are $41 - $151 at vivintarena.com.

Closefriends & LVRS SLC Valentines Ball at The Depot
If you're looking to go all out for your date night, The Depot has got a great pre-Valentine's weekend outing lined up for you. Who better to give you the lovey-dovey goods this Valentine's Day than LVRS SLC? The events group will be showing up to The Depot with the very best tunes for getting a little closer to your lovers, thanks to DJs DJ Luva Luva and Lorenzo Pighini. But they're not the only ones who will be bringing their rotations of crowd-pleasing soul—fellow events group Closefriends is also collab-ing on the event, and bringing DJs Radical Jones and Andy Doors to round out the music. Usually, LVRS holds their events at the small-but-hip Good Grammar, and Closefriends at secret locales; this time around, they're inviting all the fans of their groovy dance nights out to the much more spacious room at The Depot. They're also encouraging dressing in the true Valentine's Day spirit, in formal attire (every girl's dream in this overly-casual modern world) that can be remembered forever with a visit to their photo booth. So come get your swanky, sexy romance on, and get there (on time, they ask) to The Depot on Friday, Feb. 11 at 9 p.m. The 21+ show is $12 at depotslc.com.

Cabaret From Hell at The Urban Lounge
If Valentine's Day gets you feeling a little salty and not so sweet, and you'd like to visit an atmosphere that suits rage more than passion, look no further than this JRC Event. Always the top stop for the best drag shows in town, this JRC Event is full of attitude. Welcome to Cabaret From Hell. All the best local drag queens will be bringing their scariest to this, no doubt. It's a night of mainly drag, though The Pho3nix Child will be there slinging her easygoing raps as she often does at JRC shows. Other mainstays will be there too, including Sarah Prollem (who is also hosting the Salty City Variety Show on the Saturday prior at The Loading Dock) and Sequoia. Some scaries will come out though, with the horror-glam specialization of Justice Legacy and Madazon Can-Can's circus-like themed drag and burlesque skills (beware those who fear clowns). There will also be a breath of fresh air in a new drag king on the scene, Ben D. Dickson. If so far this Cabaret From Hell actually looks more like a heavenly Monday night out to you, then make this your date for Valentine's Day. The 21+ show starts at 8 p.m. on Monday, Feb. 14 at The Urban Lounge, and tickets are $15 at theurbanloungeslc.com.

• Tom Oxley

The Wombats at The Union Event Center
There might be something to not doing so great the first time 'round in your career; some people find their stride later on. The Wombats, for example, were part of a big indie-pop wave that followed the hits of The Strokes, Interpol and all their friendly post-punk inspired, modern rock ilk. If you liked The Wombats at their early millennium debut, you're probably also familiar with bands like The Fratellis, The Kooks and Kaiser Chiefs. They were all lively members of the time's "dance punk" genre of the day—which is maybe best embodied by none other than The Wombats' punchy, poppy, giddy 2007 track "Let's Dance to Joy Division," a precursor to Two Door Cinema Club-style indie dance pop that would take over the 20-teens. The song and the band don't sound in the least like Joy Division, but it was part of a signature upbeat sound of the time—it was meant to be sung by crowds, and meant to be danced to. Fast forward, though, and The Wombats are now well-past their early 2000s debut, as they've just released their fifth album, Fix Yourself, Not the World. And it's a damn triumph of an album, too. They're nowhere near their dance-punk beginnings, but have instead leaned into polished pop-rock that stays interesting and expert enough (probably due to all their experience) not to fall into lazy mall music territory. Standouts on the new album include "Everything I Love Is Going to Die," the Death Cab For Cutie-ish "People Don't Change People, Time Does" and the upbeat opening track "Flip Me Upside Down." See them and opener Clubhouse as they support the album on The Union Event Center on Tuesday, Feb. 15. The all-ages show opens at 6:30 p.m. and tickets are $25 at theunioneventcenter.com.

• Katy Ferris

Aries at Kilby Court
Rounding out a rap-heavy group of music picks this week is an exciting appearance at Kilby Court from Aries, a bedroom pop artist who went from producing his own work under his own label to getting signed by Columbia Records. His 2019 album WELCOME HOME was a smash in its own right, utilizing the fusion of acoustic samples, gritty beats and emotional delivery that's become so popular in DIY music and beyond in recent years, thanks to the influence of certain lo-fi Soundcloud stars. That first album is also a pretty moody one in general, and that's where things change a bit when it comes to his new label-supported release. On 2021's BELIEVE IN ME, WHO BELIEVES IN YOU, we get a tropical, bright acoustic vibe on the seductive "Riding," and the borderline party builder "One Punch." The rest of the album bleeds the same kind of confidence—there are still gloomy aesthetics, like those acoustic samples, but altogether, this is the work of a more mature artist. Aries will find support from the trippy indie pop act Brakence, who on his 2020 album punk2 balances delicate, minimal production with earnest emotion and occasional beats that are just as raw. See both when they stop in to Kilby Court on Monday, Feb. 14. The all-ages show is $29.50 at kilbycourt.com, and doors are at 7 p.m.