MUSIC PICKS JUN 15 - 21 

• Jason Lee
• The Aces

Fork Fest @ Art Dye Park 6/16-17
As we steadily march into summer, more and more epic music festivals and events emerge. It's hard to hit all of them, but it's well worth it to consider all of the options. In mid-June, Fork Fest comes out to play with a heap of Utah natives in the lineup; it's probably one of the biggest showcases of locals in the state. This annual event is a favorite for Northern Utahns, featuring 32 bands across three stages on top of a smaller acoustic stage. In addition, you can expect plenty of food vendors, art installations and a vendor village featuring local artisans. Kicking off Friday, June 16, you'll get a warm welcome from Little Moon, Book on Tape Worm, Kyle Henderson, Stuart Wheeler and Stephanie Mabey. As Saturday, June 17 rolls around, you'll get even more local talent with nearly 30 Utah bands playing in one evening. At the top of the bill, Fork Fest has The Aces, the alternative pop band from Provo that has been seeing great success in the last few years, gaining millions of streams on their work and making Utah proud. Their latest release, I've Loved You for So Long, just dropped on June 2, and is a fantastic entry to their catalog. Joining The Aces are Cardinal Bloom, 19 Miles Per Hour, Cinders, 26Fix and Cactus Tree, just to name a few. Come check out one of the biggest showcases of local talents in the state on Friday, June 16 and Saturday, June 17. Tickets for the all-ages shows are $37 for two-day passes in advance and $42 day of. Two-day VIP passes are also available at $67 in advance and $72 day of. For a full list of bands and times go to forkfest.org. (Emilee Atkinson)

• Joel Ryan
• EELS

Eels @ Metro Music Hall 6/16
For anybody who needs to put Eels frontman Mark Oliver Everett in context, I recommend his autobiography, What the Grandchildren Should Know. His father, a renowned scientist who pioneered the many-worlds theory, died young (Everett found his body); his sister committed suicide; and his cousin died on 9/11 on a hijacked plane. That he creates art from pain is astounding. What's more amazing, he is able to create tunes that change peoples lives. Well, that is what I hear when I throw on Souljacker or Beautiful Freak. "It's kind of a song-by-song thing—whatever the story is in each song. I'm not really making one big bold statement about anything as an album," Everett told Billboard in 2022. "I think it's up to the listener to decide." Eels' 14th LP, Extreme Witchcraft, dropped in 2022. The inspired dynamic duo of the Everett/Parish production relationship is on full display here, as the album really does offer something for everyone to enjoy. If you find yourself working back through the Eels catalog: Electro-Shock Blues is a masterly-record, Blinking Lights is a treasure trove magnum opus and Shootenanny and Hombre Lobo are gorgeous sounding collections of songs. Everett is one of those musicians who make you realize you have ear muscles, like an animal hearing a good noise in the woods. Multifaceted performer and dope emcee Austin Antoine opens. Catch the Lockdown Hurricane tour (presented by KRCL 90.9) as it rages through Salt Lake City on Friday, June 16 at 7 p.m. Tickets for the 21+ show are $35 at 24tix.com (Mark Dago)

• Jacqueline Justice
• Annie DiRusso

Annie DiRusso @ Kilby Court 6/17
The title of indie/rock artist Annie DiRusso's latest EP is something many of us have probably thought in the last few months: God, I Hate This Place. The scathing-yet-introspective five-track adventure starts out with the song "Emerson," and DiRusso doesn't hold back. She sings, "Baptized by a pedophile in a church that reeks of oak and death / My parents raised a happy child in the house at the bottom of Emerson / Now every time I go home / All I do is sleep / I don't know what kind of twisted hold my childhood bedroom has on me." The song is slow, but has fuzzy guitar laid over DiRusso's vocals, with wailing solos throughout. The singer/songwriter was born in NYC, but is now based in Nashville, wearing both influences on her sleeve. "I feel a lot of emotion from a distorted guitar, so I think that's pretty reflective on the EP," DiRusso told Nashville Scene in May. "I highlight more heavy and emotional moments with that sound." In addition to this heavy soundscape she creates with distorted guitar, DiRusso also wanted to focus on being completely blunt and truthful with her lyrics. "That feeling of hearing something and being like, 'Oh my gosh, I felt that so many times, but I would never say it out loud,'" she said. "That was a huge moment for me, of just realizing that honesty and vulnerability is the most important aspect of songwriting, and saying things that I'm scared to say out loud." Come feel your feelings with DiRusso on Saturday, June 17 at 7 p.m. Tickets for the all-ages show are $18 in advance and $20 day-of. Grab tickets at kilbycourt.com. (EA)

• Molly Daniel
• Temples

Temples @ Urban Lounge 6/20
When you see a photo of British psych band Temples, you may think you've gone back in time. The quartet's aesthetic is straight out of the '70s—the hair, the wardrobe, all of it makes Temples feel like a band out of time. Their newest album, Exotico, is heavy on the psych aspects as you'd expect, but also has a fun summer vibe perfect for hot days relaxing by the pool. This feeling is amplified by the music video for their new song "Oval Stones," which features the group on a beach with palm trees stretched tall in the background. Directed by guitarist/lead singer of the group James Bagshaw, the song and video takes listeners on a journey of nostalgia. "'The Oval Stones' video is about being nostalgic and reminiscing," said Bagshaw. "The video has snapshots of our own gigs and days off on tour which we have many fond memories of! Often we find when we are driving we talk about all kinds of things and it's a good excuse to take a drive down memory lane." Exotico is garnering pretty favorable reviews, but that's to be expected with big names on the production side like Sean Ono Lennon and Dave Fridmann (who has worked with the likes of The Flaming Lips). Come take a psychedelic journey with Temples on Tuesday, June 20 at 8 p.m. Tickets for the 21+ show are $25 in advance and $30 day-of at theurbanloungeslc.com. (EA)