MUSIC PICKS: APR 7 - 13 

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Dar Williams @ Egyptian Theatre
Dar Williams has been an active touring musician over the past three decades, as her official bio describes how she "rose out of the vibrant mid-'90s Boston scene, inspired by the eclectic influences of alt-rockers, Berklee jazz musicians, slam poets, and folk artists, like Patty Griffith, Melissa Ferrick, the Throwing Muses, Vance Gilbert, and Jonatha Brooke." Over the course of a dozen-plus albums, Williams has found an audience drawn to thoughtful lyricism and a musical approach that straddles folk and alt country, though plenty of other elements peek in, as well. Though she has a deep catalog to choose from, it's doubtless that her sets at this three-night stand in Park City will include tracks from her 2021 album I'll Meet You Here. Each of Dar Williams' three shows April 7-9 at the Egyptian Theatre (328 Main Street, Park City) start at 8 p.m, with a 7:30 door. Tickets are available at tickets.egyptiantheatrecompany.org and run from $23-29.

Gene Loves Jezebel @ Liquid Joe's
Formed way back in 1980 by the twin brothers Michael and Jay Aston, Gene Loves Jezebel was a band perfectly built for success in the video-centric '80s, with a sound that melded glam, post-punk and goth alongside some dancier elements. Like many of their era, record sales and radio play were harder things to find once grunge exploded onto the scene in 1991. Unlike most bands formed by twins (a select group, at that) this college-rock sensation splintered into two similarly-named groups, with years of legal proceedings involved in what has to be one of the more-unusual legal entanglements in rock'n'roll history. Both brothers tour on a regular basis, and this Gene Loves Jezebel version is helmed by Michael Aston, with a group that concentrates on American gigging; meanwhile Jay's concentrates on the U.K. and Europe. If you're of the era that saw MTV's birth, you will find the group offering up all of their expected hits and near-hits of that era. And if you're just curious about a legal case that's plenty fascinating, you can find information about that online, as well. This Friday's (April 8) show has a 7 p.m. scheduled door, with tickets available from Liquid Joe's (1249 E. 3300 S.) at: liquidjoes.ticketsauce.com.

Benefit for Heavy Metal Shop Benefit @ The Commonwealth Room
As fans of the store are doubtless aware, the long-running Heavy Metal Shop lost a key member of its operation with the recent passing of Angie Kirk, the wife of founding metalhead Kevin Kirk. Various fundraising efforts have been undertaken to help alleviate the family's significant financial burden brought on by the costs associated with her medical treatment. A very public outpouring of support will take place at The Commonwealth Room (195 W. 2100 South) on Sunday, April 10, as Triggers & Slips, Thunderfist and Sammy Brue will play music in the mom'n'pop music shop's honor, with all ticket funds going to the Kirk family. Additional fundraising will take place onsite, as well. Doors are at 7 p.m., with the show starting at 8 p.m. Tickets are $20 and information about purchasing (and the club's Covid policies) can be found at: thestateroompresents.com.

John Pizzarelli @ Capitol Theatre
A recording artist for just shy of four decades, lifelong jazz guitarist John Pizzarelli doesn't need to tie his tours into any special album obligation these days. With years of live gigs behind him, fans have come to expect some classic tracks from pop stars of the past, alongside those of certified jazz greats with originals compositions taking up the balance. Pizzarelli's latest release is 2021's Better Days Ahead: Solo Guitar Takes on Pat Metheny, one of a series of his albums that've tackled the music of a single performer or theme—so some Metheny may be spotted into this setlist. No matter the material presented, his audience is already onboard, so there's little reason to believe that this won't be a true crowd-pleaser. Tickets at various price points for this show on Monday, April 11 at the Capitol Theatre (50 W. 200 South), are available at my.arttix.com.

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Brian Jonestown Massacre @ Metro Music Hall
Active for 30 years now, the Brian Jonestown Massacre's always been good about producing new music, rather than just setting sail on concert tours that borrow from the past. Fire Doesn't Grow On Trees is the band's newest album—or next, perhaps, as it's due in June. Never one to shy away from overarching narrative trips on his album, songwriter Anton Newcombe's zeitgeist-sailing on this one, with various songs themed to today's technology-riddled culture: "A lot of the album is about affirmation by just living," he says via press release. "Existentially, this time period has felt pretty dark, so it's about fighting the good fight. I'm singing to empower other people. First of all, I'm getting whatever I need out of it, but I can see it as something other people can identify with." The album, it further states, grew from humble beginnings inside of Newcombe's Berlin studio: "I could sit at the piano, the organ, any instrument, and get an idea all of a sudden. I would play for one second with the band to get a grasp of the idea, and then we would unplug the amps and put on the headphones, plug in and track it. Then I would go, 'guys leave the room,' sing the words in my head and then record them. Everything's off the top of my head, just like one-take Jake. I surprised myself." Rare, in this case, is the fact that the headliner's matched by a contemporary with major chops, a lengthy catalog of its own and a history that merits more than a passing mention. Shoegaze legends Mercury Rev have been releasing albums just a touch longer than BJM, having debuted in 1991. What a bill! This Wednesday, April 13 concert at Metro Music Hall (615 W. 100 South) has a 7 p.m. door, with $25 tickets available at 24tix.com. CW