Adventure Club @ The Marquis 12/20
It can be difficult to rally the weekend before all the New Year's festivities, but if there's one group worth rallying for, it's the Canadian electronic music duo Adventure Club (Christian Srigley and Leighton James). The two have been friends since high school, evolving from punk/hardcore musicians to their now signature sound which includes melodic, sensual, high-pitched female vocals with house and dubstep synths. It's been a popular staple of their music since their well-known 2011 remix of "Crave You" by Flight Facilities, which amassed over 34 million streams on SoundCloud. Often considered among the pioneers of dubstep, Srigley and James have mastered the art of the melodic genre of dubstep and continue to keep it alive and thriving. Adventure's earlier work in 2012, like the remix of "Lullabies" by Yuna contain deeply romantic lyrics: "Forever in my mind, only you / The pieces in my life go away with you / Forever in my mind, only you / The pieces in my life run away with you / You're my first love ..." From their song "Rise and Fall" with Krewella, to the Grammy-nominated remix "Undercover" with Kehlani, their 2020 single title "High Like This," to their newest 2023 single titled "You Found Me," the duo showcase their emotive buildups and explosive drops. Bundle up this weekend to see Adventure Club perform at The Marquis in Park City on Friday, Dec. 20. Doors open at 9 p.m.; tickets cost $35 at tixr.com. (Arica Roberts)
Cannibal Queen, Bad Luck Brigade, You Shall Know Our Velocity @ Kilby Court 12/20
The last few weeks of the year are always kind of a blur. Between Christmas and New Year's Day, it kind of makes life feel like the Wild West: Kids are out of school, adults are off work, and sometimes you want to do something other than stay in. If you're looking for fun things to do in this weird in-between time, come catch this trio of excellent locals. At the top of the bill is Cannibal Queen, a music project of singer/songwriter Aubrey Auclair. "I closed a lot of doors and opened so many new ones. I'm the most vulnerable I've ever been, and I feel that's what I make music about," Auclair wrote on her Spotify profile. "I've never been good at biting my tongue, and I'm brutally honest when I write my songs. My music isn't meant to fit a genre, I just hope you find something that pleases you." Her latest release, "Hostage," is tragic, sad and beautiful all at the same time. It's stunningly produced and will have you thinking about it long after it stops playing. Bad Luck Brigade and You Shall Know Our Velocity also take the stage at this all-ages show on Friday, Dec. 20 at 7 p.m. Tickets are $10 and can be found at 24tix.com. (Emilee Atkinson)
Holiday Pops Extravaganza @ Abravanel Hall 12/20-21
Christmas week ushers in the top of the pops to you and yours via the Utah Symphony's annual holiday offerings, this year featuring the Holiday Pops Extravaganza at Abravanel Hall. These days, it's hard to gauge what "fun for the whole family" actually means when you're trying to appease a rambunctious toddler, an angsty teen and your mother-in-law all in one swing. Luckily, a night at the symphony bridges these divides seamlessly, offering Christmas classics everyone can join in on ("Sleigh Ride," anyone?) while also providing a serving of Nutcracker suites. Plus, Santa Claus himself is guaranteed a visit! So, let the season's greeting wash over you as the dazzling musicians of Utah walk you through a winter wonderland, or simply enjoy the hour-or-so odd minutes of guaranteed silence you are graciously granted from your family as you sit rapt within the power of music. Maybe even let bygones be bygones and sing along! The festivities take place on Friday, Dec. 20 and Saturday, Dec. 21 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets range in price and can be found at utahsymphony.org. (Sophie Caligiuri)
Loom @ The State Room, 12/21
Improvisation is music's wild card. At its worst, it's a noisy train wreck. In a better form, it can still sometimes come across as insular, the musical version of an inside joke that only the players get. At its best, however, improvisation energizes the musicians and engages the audience, creating a never-before (and, by definition, a never-again) experience. The latter is the target at which SLC-based Loom aims. Combining a dizzying array of musical styles—country, disco, funk, jazz, rock and world—Loom seeks to weave a sonic tapestry that works for listening as much as it does dancing. The group's aesthetic is squarely focused on the here-and-now, creating auditory atmospheres that celebrate those shared experiences, breaking down perceived barriers between band and audience. The band—Billy Rogan (guitar), Vince DiMichele (bass), Tyler Troy (keyboards) and Carlos Bible (drums)—fashions original material, but Loom also applies its musical character to existing and well-known songs, endeavoring to make cuts like The Meters' classic "Cissy Strut" their own. While improvisation (or jamming, if you prefer) is Loom's specialty live onstage, in the studio (as showcased on "What I Mean") the quartet takes a tightly focused approach to its craft. The 21+ show takes place Dec. 21 at 8 p.m. Tickets are $20 at axs.com. (Bill Kopp)
The Shake Up! @ The Green Room 12/21
All that matters is what's in the grooves—and Rockin' Robin has you covered. Artist/illustrator/vinyl DJ Robin Banks' nom de plume (or is it a nom de guerre at this point?) brings The Shake Up to Utah's only hi-fi listening bar that is right here in Salt Lake City. The Shake Up! is an event where they play all '60s wax, from soul to garage rock, bubblegum and psych pop. Bands you can expect to hear are Marvin Gaye, the Kinks and Nancy Sinatra, along with deeper cuts like the Music Machine and Don Gardner. If you have heard Robin's radio show, Gee Whiz! (Tuesdays from midnight – 2 a.m. on KRCL 90.9FM), then you know what you are getting into. Same sense of chaos with a new sense of style. Endlessly shifting chords, splendid harmonies and sublime bridges and that stuck 'aum.....bobdittit' that's emblematic of the fun and innocence of the time. If you're out to create special moments, a singular experience or even if you just want to get on out there and strut about, you should know that Robin also plays film clips of go-go dancing, weird cartoons and advertisements from a projector. It's not so much avant-garde; it's just a big hit with the crowd. The audience is almost as big a part of the show. Catch all of this at the Green Room (17 E. 400 South in SLC) on Saturday, Dec 21 at 9 p.m. Admission or the 21+ event is free. For more information please check @thegreenroom.bar on Instagram. (Mark Dago)