Utah Arts Festival, The Hood Internet, Vibrant Sound, Matisyahu, Dub Trio & Cursive 

Friday 6.26
THE HOOD INTERNET
Don’t over-analyze The Hood Internet. The Chicago duo—Aaron Brink (ABX) and Steve Reidell (STV SLC)—aren’t out to legitimize the art of the remix/mashup. They use their laptops to unite strange bedfellows like Grizzly Bear and Dead Prez in the spirit of pure and simple body moving. Organic music purists might not agree with the use of laptops to manipulate pre-existing material, but in The Hood Internet’s capable hands the end result is undeniably catchy. Some of their more successful creations bring together the best of Amanda Blank and Vega, Phil Collins and Yelle, Ghostface Killah and Beirut for universally appealing dance tracks. W Lounge, 358 S. West Temple, 9 p.m.

Thursday 6.25-Sunday 6.28
UTAH ARTS FESTIVAL
The 2009 Utah Arts Festival is—to borrow a line from KRCL’s Bad Brad Wheeler— locally made, locally played. That is, particularly where performing arts are concerned, the annual four-day event gives top billing to homegrown talent with several stages highlighting Utah bands. This year’s local musical guests include Fictionist, Oh! Wild Birds, Red Bennies, Haun’s Hill Massacre, Marvin Payne & The Gifted Seed, Two & a Half White Guys, Mana Poly All-Stars, Andrew Goldring, Laserfang, Elizabethan Report, Band of Annuals, The Wailing O’Sheas, Theta Naught and many others. UAF ’09 will also feature a number of touring artists including Austin R&B vocalist Ruthie Foster. Library Square, 400 S. 200 East, Noon-11 p.m., through Sunday. All-ages. Complete schedule: UAF.org.

Saturday 6.27
VIBRANT SOUND CD RELEASE
Many people recognize McKay Stevens as the man behind North Platte Records, an independent record label whose roster features some of Utah’s fastest rising stars including Joshua James, RuRu and Desert Noises. But Stevens, who also teaches at UVU and apparently never sleeps, started out as a musician and continues to play, most recently performing as leader of Vibrant Sound. The eclectic group layers hip-hop rhymes over loose beach-ready guitar for a light, easygoing vibe belied by thoughtful social commentary as on “Abolitionist Newspaper,” a song that samples Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s speech “I Have a Dream.” The powerful excerpts might cause listeners to first question what a Utah County white boy knows about continued racial injustice, then examine where they get off dismissing his opinions. Not bad for music that just as quickly makes you toss up your heels in devilmay-care fashion. Another fine outing by Provo artists who deserve to be judged on artistic rather than geographical merit. Velour, 135 N. University Ave., Provo, 8 p.m. All-ages. Info: VelourLive.com

Wednesday 7.1
CURSIVE
Cursive walk a wonderfully jagged line between cerebral and primal sensibilities, celebrating base instincts as on “From Our Hips,” by analyzing our penchant to get hung up on words and expectations when we should probably just go with the flow—“We’re all just trying to play our roles in a play that runs ad nauseam.” The Omaha-based indie-rock vets strike the perfect balance of head, heart and id on Mama, I’m Swollen (Saddle Creek), an album that further refines the group’s alternately gentle/frenetic horn-fueled, jazzflecked sound. Time, its harsh lessons and subsequent battle wounds have been very good to Tim Kasher. In the Venue, 579 W. 200 South, 7:30 p.m. All-ages. Tickets: 24Tix.com

Coming Up
Jonathon Richman (Kilby Court, July 2); VNV Nation, War Tapes (Murray Theater, July 3); Michael Dean Damron and Thee Loyal Bastards (Burt’s Tiki Lounge, July 3); Indigo Girls (Red Butte Garden, July 7); Girl in a Coma (Burt’s Tiki Lounge, July 8); Regeneration Tour feat. ABC (The Depot, July 8); Jenny Lewis, Bon Iver (Gallivan Center, July 9); Bad Boy Bill (Harry O’s, July 10); Fear Before the March of Flames (Studio 600, July 10); Cage (Urban Lounge, July 11); Jim Rose Side Circus (Burt’s Tiki Lounge, July 12); Death Cab for Cutie, Andrew Bird, Ra Ra Riot (Red Butte Garden, July 13)

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