MUSIC PICKS MAR 21 - 27 

• Leah Joan
• Rally

Rally, Miicah, Botanical Animal @ Velour 3/22
It's no secret that there's a long and exciting history of music acts that have graced the stage at Velour. The stalwart venue continues to feature excellent locals and guests stopping by as they move through the Beehive State. If you're in the mood to hang out there and watch some great local bands, this is the show for you. Provo indie rockers Rally are at the top of the bill as they kick off their spring tour. Hopefully, Rally will be playing plenty of the tracks from their most recent EPs, Songs From a Hotel Room, which are divided into two parts: Day Side and Night Side. On Day Side, you'll find exciting and upbeat tracks like "Mississippi," and "Hotel Room," which slows down a bit. Night Side has tracks like "Pretender" that are perfect for dancing all night to, and "Hotel Girl," an atmospheric track that makes you feel like you're being transported to an otherworldly hotel, where who knows what will happen. Joining Rally is indie gaze-pop artist Miicah, who has had a busy 2024 so far with an EP and two new singles so far; his latest single, "Future Flowing Over," is a fresh and mesmerizing track that features Portland pop duo New Body Electric. Last and certainly not least on the bill is Botanical Animal, whose latest release, Love En Route, is easy to play on repeat with how fantastic it is. Come catch this amazing lineup on Friday, March 22 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets for the all-ages show are $10 and can be found at 24tix.com. (Emilee Atkinson)

• Courtesy photo
• Dimond Saints

Dimond Saints Syndicate @ Soundwell 3/23
Originally from Los Angeles and now based in Oakland, Dimond Saints features producers Reece Rosenfeld and Adam Ohana. Their start was as a West Coast hip-hop duo, which is still evident a decade later in their more recent music. Rosenfeld and Ohana embody the dark, urban fantasy subgenre of EDM, mixing West Coast hip-hop/hi-fi with ambient, experimental beats. Their signature sound is full of both heavy bass and ethereal melodies that flow into psychedelic funk. In short, Dimond Saints is not a normal cup of tea. It is eclectic but tastefully subtle, so much so, that you will realize their sound doesn't sound like anything else. On their SoundCloud, they describe their music as "[d]eep in the heart of the Dimond District in the land of oaks, out of the ashes and the bleakness comes a new sound tearing and bursting the bubble of mediocrity. The music drips of passion, boldness, and the unknown. We are the Dimond Saints." During a live set, they wear mirrored masks, which reflect the light off of them for a very distinct stage presence. The set will include some of their older classics, like "We Diamonds';" the single with fellow producer Saint Sinner, "Lotus Flower" sampled by Kendrick Lamar; and songs from their most recent album Quantum Odyssey, like "Light Bender" and "Oracle." LNE Presents is bringing Dimond Saints to Soundwell on Saturday, March 23. Doors open at 9:30 p.m. and tickets cost $17.50 at tixr.com (Arica Roberts)

• John Crawford
• Chelsea Wolfe

Chelsea Wolfe @ The Depot 3/23
Maybe it's just the trip-hop/industrial enthusiast inside me, but Chelsea Wolfe is one of those rare artists who, in my book, can do no wrong. Her latest project, She Reaches Out to She Reaches Out to She, is album-of-the-year material. Now, Wolfe's LP isn't "supposed to sound like" a particular thing. But the way she uses her voice, leaping between a trembling chest voice into head voice, is reminiscent of PJ Harvey. However, the pacing, mood and texture seem closer to Portishead if one was to compare. One doesn't need to as the 10 tracks on her latest are more. More melodic. More harmonious. More of one of the most consistent of a generation. "I really just wanted to be true to how I was feeling and to my energy at that time and I did feel a lot calmer," Wolfe told New Noise Magazine in February. "I didn't want to make the vocals more forceful or energized when I wasn't actually feeling that way, and the songs didn't really feel like they needed that anyways." It seems strange that critics still talk about what is a "popular" sound and suchlike. I got no words. No need to criticize Wolfe for being, what? Too consistent? Too original? To Chelsea Wolfe-ish? She always manages to surprise. Christian Wallowing Bull and Divide and Dissolve open. Catch these musicians at the Depot on Saturday, Mar 23, show at 7 p.m. Tickets for the 21+ show are $27.50 - $42.50 and can be found at livenation.com (Mark Dago)

• NPR
• Devendra Banhart

Devendra Banhart @ The Urban Lounge 3/23
There's nobody quite like Devendra Banhart—a musician who makes up a psychomimetic, indescribable blend that spans genre, instrumentation and language. Known for amalgamating traditional Venezuelan technique with contemporary American sonance, Banhart has brought forth such heartfelt music that it has become borderline impossible to come by in our hot-from-the-fire generation, focused on immediacy even in the creation of sound. With an impressive discography that burst ferociously on the indie scene in 2002, and with the soft and sweet release of debut oh me oh My..., Banhart has since dipped his toes and danced through different divisions of music, from darklit almost-dirges, to feet-wiggling saccharine sketches, to instrumental-only songs of elegance, to romantic Spanish musings. And while for some artists, this type of skipping up, down, around and through classifications may seem like a indication of a larger search for a musical identity that fits, Devandra Banhart has always been successful in infusing his works with a sound that is, yes, always different, but still completely recognizable. Anyone who plays music—or listens to music, for that matter—knows that this is an accomplishment is easier attempted than done. So see it for yourself: Devendra Banhart will play The Urban Lounge (21+) on Saturday, March 23, with doors opening at 7 p.m. Arrive early to catch opener and special guest, Kate Bollinger. Tickets—which are running low at press time, by the way—can be purchased at 24tix.com for $30. (Sophie Caliguri)

• Jayson James
• Guava Tree

Guava Tree, Lapdog, Shadow Work @ Urban Lounge 3/27
It's hard not to get sucked into Guava Tree's infectious-yet-chill vibes. Their songs usually come dripping in reverb and other cool effects, paired with laid-back vocals that will make you feel like you're drifting off somewhere full of color and wonder to behold. If you're into reggae and stoner rock, Guava Tree is the group for you. Their music is perfect for a night with friends, or to enjoy live. They performed at Van Sessions in Ogden back in Sept 2023, if you're looking for a taste of their sound live (linked on their Instagram page @guava.tree). Guava Tree also posted on Instagram that they have a new album coming in April, and plenty more tour dates this spring, so keep an eye out for more shows from them. Also joining is SLC indie group LapDog, whose latest single "Keep Warm" will do just that—it's a cozy track that sucks you in with its gentle sound, and makes you want to stay with its calming and ambient effects. It's a song that you can listen to a few times and pick up elements each time that you make you love the song even more. Also on for the evening are visitors Shadow Work, an indie psych-rock band from Denver. If you need a night of relaxed feeling and transportive music, this is the show for you. Come hang out at Urban Lounge Wednesday, March 27 at 7 p.m. Tickets for the 21+ show are $10, and can be found at 24tix.com (EA)