MUSIC PICKS JUN 22 - 28 

• Michael J. Media Group
• Pure Prairie League

Pure Prairie League @ Egyptian Theater 6/21-23
For many, the mention of Pure Prairie League brings one song in particular to mind, the easily entreating "Amie," a radio staple of the early '70s. In retrospect, Pure Prairie League clearly played a significant role in the origins of the genre now known as Americana. Named after a fictional 19th-century temperance union featured in the 1939 Errol Flynn western "Dodge City," the group was personified by Norman Rockwell's hapless cartoon cowboy, a fixture on each of their album covers. Formed by singer/songwriter Craig Fuller, who later left to front Little Feat, the group had a revolving cast of musicians, which, at one time, included a young Vince Gill. They also recruited some all-star contributors for their best-selling album Two Lane Highway, including Chet Atkins, Emmylou Harris and Don Felder of the Eagles. Even after their heyday in the mid to late '70s, the band still soldiered on into the '80s, fueled by their top ten hit "Let Me Love You Tonight." A final album, aptly titled All In Good Time, appeared in 2005, adding impetus for keeping the band brand alive. As that signature song states, "Don't you think the time is right for us to find / All the things we thought weren't proper could be right in time..." In this case, why not? Pure Prairie League performs an all-ages show at the Egyptian Theater at 8 p.m. Wednesday, June 22 - Friday, June 23. Tickets cost $35 - $59 ($5 more half hour before show time.) Visit tickets.egyptiantheatrecompany.org (Lee Zimmerman)

• Shae Dynamics
• No Such Animal

No Such Animal, Hollow Hill, Say It Back @ Boardwalk Sound 6/24
There are few more comforting ways to spend an evening than chilling out with a great crowd and amazing local bands. Orem-based alt-rock outfit No Such Animal has been putting out some incredible hits since 2022. They've amassed an incredible following in such a short amount of time, but hearing their songs like "Witches in Salt Lake City" and "Painted Faces," it's hard not to become an instant fan. The group has an incredible hard rock sound that's easy to dive head-first into. The young band sound like seasoned professionals; the production on their music is insane, paired with clever lyrics and lively vibes, you won't want to stop listening. Joining No Such Animal are Hollow Hill, another alt-rock group who have started 2023 off strong with a fresh EP called Lost But Not Forgotten. This five-song collection is on the slower side, featuring scaled-back yet beautiful acoustic tracks. Hollow Hill can definitely rock like the best of them, but it's nice to hear these stripped back intimate tracks. Rounding out the bill is another group with the same genre vibes as the previous acts, Say It Back. The quartet has had some amazing releases since last year, including their latest "Never the Rain." Don't miss this incredible local lineup on Saturday, June 24 at 6:30 p.m. Tickets for the all-ages show are $10 and can be found at theboardwalksound.com. (Emilee Atkinson)

• Tim Saccent
• Fly Anakin

Fly Anakin @ Soundwell 6/25
Fly Anakin is the hip-hop definition of "coming correct." See also: a rapper who is a dope emcee. Richmond, Va.-raised Frank Walton, a.k.a. Fly Anakin, can spit with the best of them, and doesn't seem like he is going to run out of things to say anytime soon. His catalog stretches past the better part of a decade now, and his discography includes 25 previous projects. "I used to give myself 30 days to make a project and, if it was good, just put that shit out," he told Pitchfork last year. "That's how I got my chops up. But Frank needed to be respected." Frank, his "debut" album, was released via Lex Records in 2022 doesn't cater to any mainstream whims, just ill beats and rhymes. Every track sounds like its own individual work of art, but with repeated listens, they converge into something else. With production from heavyweights Madlib and Evidence (among others), Frank is consistent to the very last song—38 straight minutes of pen-to-paper storytelling. His new effort, Skinemaxxx (Side B) is slated to be released on July 28. Now, Side B is the second half of his latest, with Side A dropping earlier this year. It will feature guests ANKLEJOHN and BbyMutha as well as London-based singer-songwriter Demae on the lead single "Things Change." Birdy Music, Gloco, Wes Burke and Ferrari $moke open the show. Sounds by DJ Juggy. Catch these acts at Soundwell on Sunday, June 25 at 8 p.m. Tickets for the 21+ show are $15, and can be found at tixr.com (Mark Dago)

• Brian Cox
• The Used

The Used, Pierce the Veil @ The Complex 6/28
The Used make their triumphant return to their home state of Utah this month with fellow rockers Pierce the Veil in this epic showing of early '00s emo/hardcore fanfare. It's hard not to think of these two bands when thinking of these genres that were hugely popular in the early aughts. The Used has plenty of hits from back then that still hold up today; the songs will bring back memories for those of us who were there, or make new fans for those hearing it for the first time. The Utah natives are back with fresh music in 2023, with a full album called Toxic Positivity. The new music is a formidable addition to their catalog; it keeps elements from their emo aesthetic while sounding fresh for the modern day. The production and mixing on the album is top-notch, while bringing plenty of hardcore, heavy driving instruments to headbang to. Circa 2012, it was hard not to find fans of metalcore wearing Pierce the Veil shirts. They were always designed with intense, brightly-colored art featuring that distinctive metal font that's always a teensy bit hard to read—but you looked so damn cool wearing it. Pierce the Veil have their first full album since 2016 out this year, and it has everything fans of the band could want: intense subject matter, heavy instrumentation and the occasional screaming vocal. With new music coming from these favorites of the last couple decades, this show won't be one to miss. Check them out on Wednesday, June 28 at 5:30 p.m. Tickets for the all-ages show are $120 and can be found at thecomplexslc.com. (EA)

• Kenneth Cappello
• Charlie Puth

Charlie Puth @ USANA Amphitheater 6/28
Pop singer Charlie Puth has made a name for himself online with his wacky antics when it comes to making music. He takes everyday sounds, plugs them into music editing software and somehow makes a bop out of it. He can be found on TikTok doing this all the time; one of the songs that he did this with even made his last album. "Light Switch" was created as described above, and it's cool to hear a track that was inspired by something as mundane as a light switch. The lyrics aren't about a light switch specifically of course, but the music was inspired by it, and he formed the lyrics to fit the theme. "You turn me on like a light switch / When you're movin' your body around and around / You got me in a tight grip / You know how to just make me want you." It's a clever and fun way to let listeners see how he creates music, while using a simple notion to inspire something fun and vibrant. Puth also collaborates with some huge names in the music industry. You can find him on tracks with the likes of Elton John, Jung Kook of BTS, Dan + Shay and Sabrina Carpenter. Hearing Puth with so many different artists showcases his versatility and makes you wonder who he'll end up singing with next. Head out to see Puth at USANA Amphitheater on Wednesday, June 28 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets range from about $76 - $100 and can be found at livenation.com. (EA)