MUSIC PICKS: OCT 29 - NOV 4 

• @xincanx_creative

Creeping at Kilby
A while back, City Weekly reported on the return of shows to the iconically drafty stage of Kilby Court—and that draft just might make for one of the safer options for spending Halloween night out and about. Though tricks are not guaranteed, there will be the treat of three nights leading up to Halloween full of local talent, all for the benefit of the beloved all-ages venue. A pair of very adult acts will join forces on Thursday, Oct. 29, by way of the band Adult Prom and the solo act Super Young Adult. The former has been busy releasing low and easy singles like "Baby, You're a Star!" and the especially sultry "We" throughout this summer; those tunes will find a foil in the zanier offerings of Super Young Adult, who's also been dabbling in chill wave with his side project Cop Kid. Following that on Friday, Oct. 30 will be a psychedelic set by three-piece The Fervors, with support from the soloist stylings of Elowyn (formerly of Martian Cult). These nights, which will surely contain some Halloween themes of their own, will be topped off by a final Halloween performance on Saturday, Oct. 31 by Provo's Little Moon, and opener Ty Davis. Little Moon has been performing here and there where she can throughout the months of the pandemic, building her performance skills after a successful shout-out as one of the best entries on NPR's Tiny Desk series earlier this year. While awaiting this up-and-comer's imminent debut album, don't miss a chance to enjoy her unique whimsy and glass-shatteringly high voice this Halloween, or the just-barely Provo-pop stylings of Davis. As always, Kilby Court is all ages, and each show is $15, starting at 7 p.m. Bring a mask and a jacket, and enjoy a Halloween Eve fireside at Kilby. Find more info at kilbycourt.com.

Xicanx Creative Hosts Day of the Dead Celebration
While October is a month usually all about Halloween, it's also become quite closely associated with the Day of the Dead, or Día de los Muertos, the Mexican holiday that honors the dead. And with as much strife as there is at the border and among undocumented individuals who do reside the States, Xicanx Creative will be putting the spotlight on both the healing and celebration that are warranted for those communities. Alongside other local organizations, Xicanx is hosting a whole Day of the Dead event on Saturday, Oct. 31, starting with a Healing Walk at 6 p.m., which will begin in the Granary district at 278 W. 900 South and end at The Murals (of fallen victims of police violence on 300 W. and 800 South). As more grim news comes from the border and from ICE facilities, and immigrant communities feel the losses of loved ones, this already-significant holiday is more important than ever, not just for learning more about immigration and state violence, but for fostering community in the face of a world that keeps getting scarier. They'll work alongside several other local community organizations to foster this night of peace, and once the group reaches The Murals there will be food and entertainment in abundance—by way of poetry, music, storytelling and other performances. After the party concludes at 10 p.m., the space will open up to a DJ and dancing—yeah, that thing we used to do before the pandemic. If you're looking for a low-key and inclusive way to engage with fellow members of the Salt Lake community, or searching for a well-organized Day of the Dead event, this is the space for you. Follow @xicanx_creative on Instagram for updates and more info on the event.

• @izck_prz
• Jacob T. Skeen

Urban Lounge Backyard Halloween
Alongside its sister venue Kilby Court, Urban Lounge will be hosting a number of shows in the days leading up to All Hallow's Eve. In what may be one of the last seasonally possible outdoor gigs of the year, Urban hosts a few of their summer staple bands, a few local classics and even a tribute to the Punk Rock Halloween spirit. That last theme is first up, on Thursday, Oct. 29, by way of Grunge Fest, featuring the talents of local bands EchoField and Holy Revolver at 7 p.m. EchoField, who deal in Swervedriver-ish hard shoegaze, will be bending their guitars towards a different kind of '90s rock, specifically that of Nirvana. They'll find support in Holy Revolver, who, though their cover theme is TBA, certainly already deal in a '90s alt rock style perfect for the night. Following that, Friday, Oct. 30 will find both late and early showtimes to catch Pixie & The Party Grass Boys, at 5 p.m. and 8 p.m. Their late set will then shift tone entirely at 9 p.m., with performances by Major Tom & The Moon Boys alongside Cera Gibson. If you haven't caught one of the many times Major Tom and his loony boys have played this summer—often at S&S's Concert Cruises—then you won't know that they're the cover band to end all cover bands Bowie-wise, making them perfect for the season of costumes and mirth. Finally, on Halloween itself, long-time SLC band Starmy plays starting at 6 p.m. with added support from one particular one-man-band-to-watch, Jacob T. Skeen and another TBA artist. Tickets for each show vary between $10 and $20, and more info on times, tickets and COVID rules can be found at theurbanloungeslc.com

• The Herc
• The HERC DJ room

HERC Presents Turntablism
Hip Hop Education and Resource Center has one more resource for DJs in particular to tuck into their tool belt with their Turntablism classes. The DJ-centric series of classes start on Tuesday, Nov. 3 and run through Nov. 25 as a four week program offered on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, with a limit of four people per class. The turntable series joins a wide variety of classes on all things hip hop, including break dancing and choreography and basic intro to Hip Hop classes. Turntablism, though (which is priced at $75 for the four week period) caters specifically to the DJ set, aimed at those ages 12 and up, though anyone with a basic familiarity with turntable equipment and DJ software is welcome, as long as they want to learn more about the craft that gives music to the whole culture around hip hop. The class will be taught by a pair of local DJs—DJ Lamp Shady and DJ Skratchmo to be specific. Throughout its run, the course will go through the basic and advanced techniques behind scratching, looping and juggling tracks. And while of course the DJ scene is a bit quiet due to the pandemic, that doesn't mean it's still not worthwhile to invest in the craft and get better while there's time to practice—after all, once folks can go out and safely dance again, the market will be ripe for those who can provide the tunes. Find out more about the classes and how to reserve your spot at slcherc.com, and browse the other classes they have to offer. Follow them on facebook.com/SLCHerc for more updates and news.

Super Secret, Super Spreading, Suicide Prevention Co-opters Throw a "Protest Party"
About a month ago, Provo made a big splash in the news for being the site of one of the youngest and dumbest parties since the pandemic started—an alcohol-free, anti-COVID-conscious, un-social distanced free-for-all of a dance party of idiotic proportions that could only be conceived of by sober Mormon kids. Now, there's a group trying to one-up the organizers of the Young/Dumb party company (yes that's their real name) with their attempt to host "Utah's largest Halloween party this year," featuring the artists Jared Woodlief, Branden Estrada, Oorb and Justin Reid. Put on by the mysteriously new Utah Tonight, they are "the silent majority, bringing people together for a good time because it's the healthy thing to do," rationalizing the event in Instagram posts as a mental health-focused affair with suicide prevention at its center—though why these party-throwers feel so concerned about suicide prevention conveniently in time for one of the wildest holidays of the year feels suspect. If one hasn't found ways to connect with the mentally ill people in one's life outside of partying over the past eight months of the pandemic, why does their mental health now hinge on a Halloween party? Although they've also published messages encouraging their attendees to wear masks, their self-identification as the "silent majority" doesn't grant much faith that anyone will actually be doing that. There's also the fact that they've kept the location secret until Halloween day—probably to avoid being shut down—though it's rumored that the spot will be between SLC and Provo. While there are many reasons to be wary of events like this, it's probably not worth arguing with those still determined to deny the pandemic and its dangers in favor of keeping their social lives young, dumb and boring. So rather, if you know anyone going to this super-secret super-spreader event, here's your reminder to stay away from them for two weeks afterwards—and wear a mask if you end up leaving your house for a hopefully smaller event.