Skeletal Remains, Bewitcher @ Aces High Saloon 10/17
Death metal and the Halloween season go hand-in-hand. The genre is chock full of creepy imagery, and there is of course the sound itself— hardcore and heavy. L.A./Portland-based metalheads Skeletal Remains are passing through just in time for spooky season, and are sure to bring plenty of material for you to injure your neck to while you headbang the night away. They're out promoting their newest album Fragments of the Ageless, which came together by "sound fundamentals, killer musicianship and the right attitude," according to their website. "With every record, we try to push ourselves to make a better record," guitarist/vocalist Chris Monroy said. "We don't get into, 'We need to sound more like this or that.' What comes out of us is natural. Actually, that's how it's been since the first record [Beyond the Flesh]. As death metal fans, we write what we enjoy and want to listen to." This album is heavier than the band's previous work, and it can definitely be heard when you press play on that first track. If you're in the mood to hang at a cool biker bar with some loud and heavy tunes, look no further. Catch Skeletal Remains with Bewitcher on Thursday, Oct. 17 at 7 p.m. Tickets for the 21+ show are $20 and can be found at 24tix.com. (Emilee Atkinson)
Mdou Moctar @ Metro Music Hall, 10/18
The digital age brought with it some fundamental shifts in music industry paradigms. Tuareg guitarist and songwriter Mdou Moctar was a beneficiary of those changes, leveraging them to catapult himself to prominence in his home country of Niger. These days he tours the globe with his distinctive music. Moctar's music draws from Tuareg folk traditions and rhythms, but with the power, energy and attitude of rock. Yet they're rarely constrained by the rules—structure, tempo, meter—that govern most popular rock music. Westerners might perceive a psychedelic flavor to his instrumental approach, but that quality might have more to do with its hypnotic, freewheeling nature than anything else. Tempo shifts, extended guitar solos, one-chord trancelike jams and a conventional melody might all appear in one song. Women's rights, religion and Western exploitation of Africa all figure into the lyrics of Moctar's original songs, but English-speaking listeners are likely to miss all that, as he sings in his native Tamasheq language. But the emotions at the core of his music get through. Mdou Moctar comes to Metro Music Hall on Friday, Oct. 18 at 7 p.m.; Rosali opens. Tickets are $20/adv, $25 day of show and are available at 24tix.com. (Bill Kopp)
Papercut Memory Release Party @ Boardwalk Sound 10/19
I've said it before, and I'll say it again: There's nothing quite like attending a release show. There's something special about getting to hear a new release from an artist before that new music rolls out, or getting to be the first ones to hear it live. It's a perfect moment that won't happen again, so it's great to be one of the ones who get to say that you were there. Papercut Memory refers to themselves as "aggressively mediocre," which of course means they're underselling themselves, sarcasm or not. Emo is a comfort genre for me, and Papercut Memory's music fills me with equal parts nostalgia and excitement. It has that '00s/'10s alt/emo sound, but they continue to give us new releases. Their music is well thought out and easy to listen to for hours without even realizing. We'll get to hear from Papercut Memory and what they have up their sleeves, and they'll be joined by St. Cruz, You're the Worst and Head Above Water. Don't end up with a case of FOMO, and come hang out with this excellent lineup on Saturday, Oct. 19 at 7 p.m. Tickets for the all-ages show are $10 and can be found at theboardwalksound.com. (EA)
Porter Robinson @ The Great Saltair 10/18
Get ready to be in all your feelings for this one. Legendary DJ and producer Porter Robinson has made a lasting impact in EDM since he was signed to fellow EDM powerhouse Skrillex's label OWSLA when he was just 18 years old. His first album, Worlds, was the number one for Billboard's Top Dance/Electronic albums. This year, he released his third album, Smile! :D, and this stop in SLC is part of his Smile! :D World Tour showcasing the new album. Robinson is known for innovation in electronic music, and this album was launched via a unique concept. Beginning in February 2024, he posted a fictional video from the future (2028) explaining that he would delete his entire discography from the internet, and then disappear on March 1, 2024. After the countdown, he then announced this newest album was complete. The album was released in July, along with the launch of the tour. One of the new songs, "Russian Roulette," best explains the themes of "oblivion, of career suicide, of disappearing" as he strives to find a balance with his obligations as a popular name in the world of EDM. For example, the lyrics "Pitchfork reports / They're calling me, their words / The big new thing oh / YouTube review, funny monkey /...And I thought it's strange to sell my face / But let's just make the most of it / Now my hand is drawn / I put the gun against the thing that's stopping me." He shares a look behind the curtain of some of the darker aspects of the music industry with incredible vulnerability and self-awareness. Porter Robinson plays at The Great Saltair on Friday, Oct. 18. Doors open at 8 p.m. Tickets vary in price based on seating, so get yours soon at ticketmaster.com. (Arica Roberts)
Homeboy Sandman @ The Pearl on Main 10/22
There's so much to love on the outer edges of hip hop. Homeboy Sandman has been ruling the underground for a number of years now, and if you can appreciate rap music beyond what is on the charts and dig a compelling perspective, then listen to the Sandman. You will absolutely love getting to know him. "For me, being honest and being authentic generates all the magic in my life, you know?" Angel Del Villar II (a.k.a. Homeboy Sandman) told HotNewHipHop.com. "Makes everything about my world go better: my relationships go better, my creativity, which are works in progress for me, because I need to be honest with myself." Homeboy Sandman is an actively inventive emcee, who has released an impressive roster of projects dating back to 2007. With an output that runs the gamut from compositions founded in old-school genres and boom bap to EPs, mixtapes and compilations, he's an artist at the height of his lyrical powers: DIY, focused, detailed, intricate, precise and frequently awe-inspiring. And look, it's not just the number of words he uses—it's the selection. Mastering vocabulary, wordplay, storytelling, abstract imagery and streams of consciousness, he's responsible for some of the best records of the last ten-plus years. Art Morea, Earthworm, Freemind Movement and DJ Mixter Mike open. Catch these acts on the Wild Wild Rich tour at The Pearl on Main on Tuesday, Oct. 22. Doors at 7 p.m. Tickets for the all-ages show are $15 and can be found at 24tix.com. (Mark Dago)