MUSIC PICKS JUN 5 - JUN 11 

• Jesse Dittmar
• Spin Doctors

Spin Doctors @ Egyptian Theatre, 6/5 – 6/8
Flash forward to past precedent. The Spin Doctors—known for their hits "Two Princes" and "Little Miss Can't Be Wrong" from their 1991 album Pocket Full of Kryptonite—provided the perfect prescription for fusing pop precepts with an album-oriented sound, and attracting fans from either side of the divide. Unlike some bands that sacrificed credibility in favor of commercial concerns, the Spin Doctors never found it necessary to give up either. They staked out that stance by touring with the first incarnation of the H.O.R.D.E. festival, sharing the stage with jam bands like Widespread Panic, Phish and Blues Traveler, the latter of which first found John Popper sharing his skills with Spin Doctors' initial incarnation called Trucking Company. The group's original vocalist, Chris Barron, continues at the helm of the Spin Doctors' current line-up, and despite a dozen years since their last album, If the River Was Whiskey, the band is back making music courtesy of the single "Still A Gorilla," released last January, and a new album, the humorously- and self-effacingly-titled Face Full of Cake. The fact that they're holding court in our environs over the course of four nights—offering a different musical experience each evening—makes it clear that a renewed check-up with your primary-care Spin Doctor is long overdue. The Spin Doctors perform at the Egyptian Theatre in Park City, June 5 - 7 at 8 p.m. and June 8 at 5 p.m. Tickets cost for June 5 cost $49-$59, and $55-$65 for June 6, 7 and 8. Visit parkcityshows.com. (Lee Zimmerman)

• Ed Miles
• OMD

OMD @ The Union 6/6
OMD is so good it's humbling. It isn't just that their songs are poptastic melodically; it's how different and experimental they so often sound, while always retaining that standard of brilliance. Their newest LP, Bauhaus Staircase, ticks all of the boxes and extends new ideas, even if co-founders Andy McCluskey and Paul Humphreys are five decades in the game. "I guess we're old-fashioned," McCluskey told ClassicPopMag.com in April. "We try to make a complete album that flows and has light and shade, all because we like to express ourselves in different ways and we have different things that we like to talk about." They might be the most underrated band in British pop history, and boast a back-catalog that is the envy of a number of media darlings ... but where to begin? The plinky-then-whoosh intro to the song "Messages" off their debut self-titled studio record remains one of those rare intros that immediately make you feel that all is well with the world. However, 1981's Architecture & Morality is pretty much the perfect synthpop album. If you like any of the tunes "Souvenir," "Joan of Arc" or "Maid of Orleans," the rest of this album should fit together nicely for you. I so miss the era when a group could have chart hits about phone booths, genetic engineering, French saints and World War II aeroplanes. Walt Disco opens. Catch these musicians at The Union on Friday, June 6. Doors at 7 p.m., show starts at 8 p.m. Tickets for the all-ages show are $84, and can be found at ticketmaster.com. (Mark Dago)

• Insomniac
• The Renegades

The Renegades @ Fear Factory, 6/7
Mutiny Presents brings their third annual rave, The Renegades, to your favorite local haunted house. AC Slater (Aaron Clevenger), the Los Angeles-based DJ and producer, is playing at Fear Factory this week. Clevenger refers to himself as "The King of Heavy Bass House in America," and he's not wrong. He is known for making bass house a distinct genre over the past few decades, from his 2016 single "Bass Inside" to 2018's "Can't Come Down." More recently, in 2023 he's taken a tech-house direction with his album Together. But don't worry: He's still making plenty of hard bass like his 2014 single "Bass Face." There are definitely influences from '90s hip-hop, as well as old-school rave such as U.K. bass music. This year's lineup also showcases a variety of artists including Kyle Watson (for tech-house) and Deeper Purpose (for house music). Raecola, a twin female duo that's part of Chicago Next Generation House, will make their debut in Salt Lake City with a bass house set full of the breaks and juke influence. As always, go early and support the local artists, Maplo and Mike Stern. The best part? You can dress up in spooky Halloween costumes without being cold! Get your tickets for Saturday, June 7 at Fear Factory (666 W. 800 South). Doors open at 7 p.m., and will go late until 2 a.m. Tickets cost $66.98 for general admission at wl.seetickets.us. (Arica Roberts)

• Jon Uleis
• They Might Be Giants

They Might Be Giants @ The Depot, 6/10 – 6/11
They Might Be Giants are often funny; their songs are droll and clever. But it would be a mistake not to take them seriously. Starting in 1982 as the duo of John Flansburgh and John Linnell, TMBG scored with their quirky, literate approach. Tunes like 1987's "Don't Let's Start," 1990's "Birdhouse in Your Soul" and their cover of the 1953 novelty song "Istanbul (Not Constantinople)" showcased a unique worldview, one that had a rock sensibility but often made use of non-rock elements like accordion. Today, nearly 40 years after their recorded debut, They Might Be Giants are still going strong. The group expanded to a full band several years ago, and in recent years has added a tight horn section, with the current lineup brilliantly showcased on their latest album, 2024's live set Beast of Horns. With a deep catalog—nearly two dozen studio albums, plus half a dozen live albums that avoid serving up the same material again and again—TMBG is also notable for successfully taking the indie route before it was fashionable (or financially feasible) to do so. While most long-running bands tend to coast on past glories, TMBG is still making music that stands up against its very best work. The group comes to The Depot for a pair of 16-and-up shows, Tuesday and Wednesday June 10 and 11 at 7 p.m. Tickets are $65 and up at livenation.com. (Bill Kopp)

Styx, Kevin Cronin & Don Felder: The Brotherhood of Rock Tour @ Utah First Credit Union Amphitheatre, 6/11
A concert tailor-made for lovers of classic-rock radio circa the 1970s and 1980s, The Brotherhood of Rock Tour finds three prominent "album-oriented radio"(AOR)-era personalities sharing the stage and delivering distinct musical memories. After all, each member of this storied trio boasts impressive credentials. Styx, of course, contributed to the soundtrack of AOR with standout songs like "Lady," "Come Sail Away" and "Mr. Roboto" that remain nostalgic staples. Kevin Cronin, meanwhile, made his name at the helm of REO Speedwagon, his distinctive vocals illuminating the anthems "Can't Fight This Feeling," "Keep On Loving You," "Ridin' the Storm Out" and "Time For Me To Fly." Likewise, the songs of ex-Eagle Don Felder made a memorable impression all their own, with "Hotel California" and "Victim Of Love" ensuring a certain immortality. His bitter break-up with his former band was well documented in his book "Heaven and Hell: My Life in the Eagles (1974-2001)," but his musical trajectory is best illuminated by his new album The Vault (Fifty Years of Music), all newly-recorded versions of songs originally demoed over the past five decades. Ultimately, then, this particular band of brothers is poised to present one rocking retro reunion. Styx, Kevin Cronin & Don Felder: The Brotherhood of Rock Tour comes to Utah First Credit Union Amphitheatre in West Valley City on Wednesday, June 11 at 6:45 pm. Tickets cost $26 - $132 (fees included) at concerts.livenation.com. (LZ)