ZZ Ward, Angel White @ The State Room 11/8
"This EP is about coming back to who I am and the music I've always wanted to make," ZZ Ward told Grateful Web about her new EP. "It's a reflection of everything I've gone through and all the things I've been faced with—motherhood, self-discovery and empowerment." The indie singer/songwriter burst onto the scene back in 2012 with her captivating debut album Til the Casket Drops, and since then she's continued to keep listeners on the hook leading up to her new EP Mother. The title track hits hard with its emotionality and ripping guitar solos. "That's a mother's cry," Ward explains. "It's that feeling of being weighed down with this new situation. But when you get tested, you discover who you are, and that's where the song comes from." This EP is Ward heading in a new direction, embracing her true self. "I didn't plan to make a blues album about motherhood—it just happened," she said. "The blues has always been my most authentic voice, and now I'm back to it." This stop in SLC is one of many as she shares this new music and direction with listeners. "I can't wait to share these songs live," she said. "It's going to be an incredible experience to see how these stories connect with people." Come check out ZZ Ward and Angel White Friday, Nov. 8 at 8 p.m. Tickets for the 21+ show are $59 and can be found at thestateroompresents.com. (Emilee Atkinson)
ill.GATES @ Plumhouse 11/9
The dubstep/drum-and-bass combo is having its moment in the world of electronic music in Salt Lake City. The mixture of heavy basslines and fast breakbeats keeps listeners on their toes. Dylan Lane—also known as ill.GATES—has become a master at this type of music, having been part of the electronic music world since the age 13. The Toronto-born DJ and producer is described on Insomniac.com as "a bass-droppin', educatin', oscillator-modulatin' space genius from the future." It's quite an introduction to what you will be getting into for one of his live performances. ill.GATES has had a long career, and collabs with huge names in music (EDM and outside), including Apashe, Clozee, Excision, Destroid, KJ Sawka, Vibesquad, Beats Antique, Mimosa, Opiuo, Gucci Mane, Star Wars and the Dead Kennedys. This impressive list showcases the eclecticism of his work, which truly stands out for its breakbeats and downtempo sound. Check out his ill.Methodology album to hear how he's pulled together a big picture for other musicians to emulate; integrating psychology and philosophy into one's music. A favorite on there is ill.Gates featuring Ana Sia's "Extraordinary Rendition" which takes you on quite the sonic journey. ill.Gates plays at the elevated underground warehouse called Plumhouse on Saturday, Nov. 9. It may be cold out, so bundle up and be prepared to dance! Tickets cost $25 at the door. Check out their Instagram for event information and updates @plumhouseslc. (Arica Roberts)
Supersuckers @ Urban Lounge 11/11
The Supersuckers claim to be The Greatest Rock and Roll Band In the World. Who are we to disagree? Even though they jest (a bit), the group founded in Tucson, Ariz. in the late 1980s has as legitimate a claim to that title as anyone else. In practice, the group—fronted by bassist and lead vocalist Eddie Spaghetti—combines C&W with roaring punk. So while audiences might do some boot-scootin,' the rip-roaring songs keep things rooted in the rock idiom. These days, the Supersuckers are closer to "outlaw country" than anything else, but applying any label sells the group short. Razor-sharp wit and irreverent humor are at the core of the band's music: song titles on their latest studio set (2020's Play That Rock N' Roll, recorded at Willie Nelson's home-based studio in Austin) include "Getting Into Each Other's Pants" and "You Ain't the Boss of Me." One can't go wrong with most any of the Supersuckers' 15 plus albums—especially the live ones—but there's really no equivalent to catching them in the flesh. The Supersuckers come to the Urban Lounge with Atomic Bitchwax on Monday, Nov. 11 at 7 p.m. Tickets for this 21+ show are $20 at 24tix.com. (Bill Kopp)
Lemon Twigs @ Kilby Court 11/11
It's hardly surprising that the Lemon Twigs have become a new pop sensation. Brothers Brian and Michael D'Addario's affection for music of the '60s and '70s is obvious, and over the course of their five full-length studio albums, an EP and eight years of making music, they've explored a myriad of styles and sounds representing a decidedly radio-ready approach. Both brothers are singers, songwriters and multi-instrumentalists, and while they enlist a backing band on tour, they're proficient enough to make their records entirely under their own aegis. With their shaggy locks and engaging attitude, they boast an appropriate look as well. It's little wonder, then, that they've garnered the admiration of such stellar artists as Elton John, Todd Rundgren, the Zombies, Flea, Boy George, Alice Cooper, Questlove, Iggy Pop and Michael McDonald, to name but a few. They bring to mind a mesh of Paul McCartney and Wings, Badfinger, The Beach Boys, Big Star and any number of other early architects of an essential retro rock regimen. They jokingly refer to their sound as "Mersey Beach," an amalgam of the music that emerged from the sunny shores of Southern California and the early form of the British Invasion. While some sibling duos—think the Everly Brothers, Oasis, the Kinks—tend to quarrel and quibble incessantly, the D'Addario brothers are clearly intent on making their parents proud. Credit these Lemon Twigs with creating a flavorful treat with a decidedly big beat. The Lemon Twigs play Kilby Court on Monday, Nov. 11 at 7 p.m. Tickets cost $28 - $76 at vividseats.com. (Lee Zimmerman)
Dance With The Dead @ Urban Lounge 11/12
Styles, sounds and idioms of the '80s are exerting such an influence on the current culture. The images with DeLoreans, palm trees, girls in sunglasses framed against window blinds and jagged, slanting pink neon typeface scream hypnagogic Reaganopop. However, Dance With The Dead's aesthetic pulls from metal fantasy and classic blood-and-guts flicks. A Southern California duo, Justin Pointer and Tony Kim are music geeks first, with a taste for the cinematic as well as metal/horror enthusiasts. Established back in 2013, Dance With The Dead takes that modern retro-electronic rock/dark-synth sound to a whole new level of awesome. "As we kept making more records and more songs, guitars in a way also kind of became like the vocal part of the music, along with the synthesizers," Kim told Bloody-Disgusting.com. "Rather than just doing a fancy solo, we come up with catchy melodic riffs that anyone can kind of hum." Look, it's easy to be noisy, atonal and "difficult to listen to," but it takes real talent to craft a great song or make a great groove. With over seven albums, four EPs and countless world-wide tours, Dance With The Dead ride that fine line of distinction between restorative and reflective nostalgia while emulating a sound with an understanding of where it all came from. Korine opens. Catch these acts at the Urban Lounge on Tuesday, Nov. 12. Doors at 7 p.m. Tickets for the 21+ show are $22 at 24tix.com. (Mark Dago)