MUSIC PICKS AUG 3 - 9 

• Scott McCormick
• String Cheese Incident

The String Cheese Incident @ Sandy Amphitheater 8/3
The String Cheese Incident belongs to that particular breed of multi-talented musicians that took initial inspiration from bluegrass, but used their stunning instrumental prowess to morph into more of a jam band sound. Based in Colorado, the band's line-up consists of Michael King (acoustic and electric mandolin, electric guitar and violin), Michael Travis (drums and percussion), Bill Nershi (acoustic guitar, lap steel and slide guitar), Kyle Hollingsworth (keyboards and accordion), Keith Moseley (bass) and Jason Hann (percussion). Over the years, the group has expanded their musical template to also include country, funk, jazz, electronica, reggae and psychedelia, making for a varied melodic palette, a populist reputation and ongoing interest from their dedicated devotees. In addition to releasing a like number of live and studio albums, they've made regular appearances at several major festivals, including Bonnaroo, Delfest and the Rothbury Festival in Rothbury Michigan. Now, after a six-year recording hiatus, they're prepping a new offering later this year, tellingly-titled Lend Me A Hand. As for the origins of their handle, it supposedly pertains to a certain restaurant that had jack cheese, beans and salsa scattered all about the premises. With that disruptive image firmly in mind, they believed the name String Cheese Incident might also be an appropriate reference to the fact that all the musicians are adept at playing stringed instruments. What the heck... we find it kooky but catchy. The String Cheese Incident performs at 6:15 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 3 at Sandy Amphitheater. Tickets cost $54 - $69; visit ticketmaster.com (Lee Zimmerman)

• Ryan Pfluger
• Boygenius

Boygenius @ Library Square 8/3
There's a lot to be excited about when a new band comes onto the scene, but there's something extra-special about a supergroup. Well-loved clever minds coming together to create a new musical love child is just exciting. Boygenius completely took the world by storm at the start of this year with their debut album the record, and have been on a thrilling tour all summer sharing the already-beloved work. Formed in 2018 by Julien Baker, Phoebe Bridgers and Lucy Dacus, they pumped out an EP that same year, before going on hiatus due to the pandemic. It was a bummer for listeners, but a plus for more time for the creative process. The album was recorded in California, the result of working on the album 10 hours a day for a month straight. The first four songs were written individually, but the rest are conversations. Sometimes, each person takes a verse, and writes their own version—like on "Satanist," which Baker, who was raised religious, wrote, after watching the documentary Hail Satan?. She could, she thought, be a Satanist—and would her friends join her for this phase in the journey? In other words: "Do you want to be in my life for a long time?" Or, as Bridgers put it: "Would you still love me if I was a bug?" Isn't that what time is—the thing that makes everyone into a bug? Come experience the record for yourself on Thursday, Aug. 3 at 6 p.m at Library Square (210 E. 400 South). There are still GA tickets available at $60 and $65 the day of the show. Grab tickets for the all-ages show at 24tix.com. (Emilee Atkinson)

• Taylor Hill
• Father John Misty

The Head and The Heart, Father John Misty @ Gallivan Center 8/4
Purveyors of lightly nostalgic (albeit not dated) 2010's indie records with flirtations of folk: gather round: Aug. 4's Salt Lake City Twilight show is guaranteed to tickle your fancy. Underneath the milky starlight, open your ears to the incredible double feature that is The Head and The Heart and Father John Misty, two acts that defined a music scene as it shifted away from the garage rock of the early aughts and back into slower tunes laden with lyricism. The Head and The Heart is a large group, rounded out nicely with a few guitars and a violin for good measure. Known primarily for the stunning use of duet between both a woman and a man lead singer, the band hit it big on their first album to a snowball effect of popularity leading all the way up to their 2022 release of Every Shade of Blue. With a sound that is both transcendent and indivisible if a specific period of time, their live performance should be a crowd pleaser. Father John Misty, while considered a singer-songwriter, frequently subverts such classification with skilled eccentricity. With satirical and serious lyrics in equal measure, Father John Misty performs all of his songs with his unmistakable booming voice, which supersedes many vocalists working today in both power and precision. Recognized not only for the loveliness and brava of his range, but also for conceptual albums often dealing with an overarching theme or storyline, Father John Misty boasts interactive and powerful stage presence not to be missed. Tickets for this unforgettable and all-ages duo can be found at 24tix.com. Doors open at 5 p.m. (Sophie Caligiuri)

• Claude Paris
• Trombone Shorty

Trombone Shorty, Orleans Avenue, Ziggy Marley, Mavis Staples @ Red Butte 8/8
As a kid from the Treme, Troy Andrews picked up his first instrument at age four and earned his nickname "Trombone Shorty." He then made history by performing at Jazz Fest, leading his own brass band at six years old and since then, he has become an international recording artist and touring road warrior. "I look at music and different experiences as a world. So when I'm able to share the stage with country musicians or the Foo Fighters, or work with Pharrell Williams, I'm soaking that in as a sponge," Andrews told WLAE-TV via Nola.com in June. "I always want to learn. I love being placed in situations that people don't think that we're supposed to be in, like playing the trombone with Zac Brown. It's intriguing to me." Trombone Shorty and Orleans Avenue will be joined by co- headliner Ziggy Marley and special guest Mavis Staples for their stop in Salt Lake City. The eldest son of reggae icon Bob Marley, Ziggy never fails to provide vibrant, colorful and skunky tunes that bring people together. Gospel-soul legend Mavis Staples is a national treasure. She's been soaring creatively for some time now; We'll Never Turn Back and You Are Not Alone were both fabulous records. Once these acts hit the stage it will most definitely be move, move, move for the rest of the night. Catch these artists at the Red Butte Garden Outdoor Concert Series on Tuesday, Aug. 8. Gates open at 5:30 p.m.; show starts at 6:30 p.m. Tickets can be found at vividseats.com (Mark Dago)

• Danny Clinch
• Foo Fighters

Foo Fighters @ USANA Amphitheater 8/8
It's hard to talk about rock 'n roll without talking about Foo Fighters. The Foos were started in '94 by ex-Nirvana drummer Dave Grohl, and the rest was history. Nearly 30 years and 11 studio albums later, it's safe to say that Foo Fighters have solidly implanted themselves in rock history. Of course, they've been in the news a lot more in the last year with the loss of their longtime drummer Taylor Hawkins, who died of cardiac arrest in 2022. The loss was huge for the band, but the show goes on. In Jun,e the band released their first album without Hawkins, But Here We Are, a heavy and heartfelt tribute to their late drummer and good friend. The release came with a handwritten letter from Grohl dedicated to fans when the album dropped in June. "Hey. It's been a while," Grohl wrote. "Now that we've returned from our first run of shows, I felt compelled to reach out and thank you all for being there for us. Every night, when I see you singing, it makes me sing harder. When I see you screaming, it makes me scream louder. When I see your tears, it brings me to tears. And when I see your joy, it brings me joy. But, I see you ... and it feels so good to see you, churning up these emotions together. Because we've always done this together. Time and time again. See you soon." Come see the Foos play classics mixed with some new jams on Tuesday, Aug. 8 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets for the all-ages show range from $100-175, and can be found at livenation.com. (EA)