MUSIC PICKS: OCT 20 - 26 

• Chopski

Struggle Jennings, Caitlynne Curtis, Brianna Harness @ Metro Music Hall 10/20
Blending a unique combination of genres, Struggle Jennings stops by SLC to show off his fusion of country and hip-hop. As the self-proclaimed black sheep of the country-music royalty Jennings family, Jenkins has carved his own path in the world of country. The grandson of country music icon Waylon Jennings, Struggle has made his name by fusing outlaw country, hip-hop and rock in an attempt to create his own legacy. The tour supports his 2021 release Troubadour of Troubled Souls, released via his self-owned record label, Angels and Outlaws. "It was 2020 when we were last on the west coast, so I've been highly anticipating this tour," Jennings told Broadway World this month. "It's full of some of my favorite cities in the world and I'm hyped to see so many friends and fans that I haven't seen in so long." Joining Jennings are label mates Caitlynne Curtis and Brianna Harness. Curtis has been steadily releasing singles since her 2021 release Sad Girl Energy. One of the most notable is "I Will Survive," an emotional and heartfelt track that pays tribute to the hardworking and resilient women of the world. Harness, meanwhile, is also part of the Jennings family tree, the step-great-granddaughter of Waylon. She and Struggle have collaborated on her latest release, "Not the Blues Again." She comes from a musically rich family, but holds her own with a strong voice and relatable bluesy tracks. Catch this trio of unique acts on Thursday, Oct. 4. Tickets for the 21+ show are $45 and can be found at metromusichall.com (Emilee Atkinson)

Movements, Downward, Portraits @ The Beehive 10/22
Southern California quartet Movements are passing through Salt Lake on their latest tour, sharing some of their most emotional work yet. The post-hardcore group have gone through a lot in the last five years, and listeners can hear that on the band's 2020 release No Good Left to Give. According to the Movements' bio with their label Fearless Records, "Not only does the music address the emotional push-and-pull of relationships, but it also explores loss, love, mental health and even intimacy through a prism of newfound clarity soundtracked by post-punk grit, alternative expanse, heartfelt spoken word, expansive rock and subtle pop ambition." No Good Left to Give marked a pivotal moment for the group, cementing their storytelling, musicianship and vision, and following the heartfelt 2020 release, Movements have released two new singles in the same vein. The new tracks are packed with energy, and will be refreshing to hear live. Joining Movements is another emo/post-hardcore group, Downward, who are celebrating the release of their latest EP The Brass Tax. "The five tracks that appear on this EP show a matured band taking more risks sonically in song structure and even leaning into near pop-like sensibility. The Brass Tax is clearly the product of three musicians spending hours together in a living room working on creating timeless music," according to Downward's Bandcamp profile. Catch them on Saturday, Oct. 22 at 7 p.m., where tickets for the all-ages show are $22 in advance and $22 the day of the show. Find tickets at 24tix.com. (EA)

• Susan Theis
• Pixie and the Partygrass Boys

Pixie and the Partygrass Boys, The Pickpockets @ The Commonwealth Room 10/23
Utah favorites Pixie and the Partygrass Boys hit the road again this fall, with several dates around the state. Like many modern artists, Pixie and the Partygrass Boys don't find themselves fitting narrowly into one specific style. They blend a variety of genres, creating their own unique sound. "Partygrass isn't exactly bluegrass or newgrass, or pop or punk, or rock and roll. They fall somewhere between it all, and that's the way they like it," according to the bio on their website. Pixie and the Partygrass Boys prove just as infectious in their recorded material as they are live. Their high energy and just-plain-fun music will have you up and moving as soon as they start playing. The group started out with sets featuring a lot of covers, but now have a pretty large catalog of original music for listeners to enjoy. The group mesh so well together as songwriters, they have an abundance of talent. "Every member of the band is a composer," guitarist/vocalist Ben Weiss told Salt Lake Magazine in March. "We all write songs then get together as a band to arrange them." Joining Pixie and the Partygrass Boys are another great local band, The Pickpockets. Formed in 2018, the group started out as an informal weekly jam morphed into something more. They released their first EP this year, Pickin' Pockets, Stealin' Hearts. The five-track EP is a small taste of the repertoire of songs the group has built up since they formally began as a band. These two local favorites play on Sunday, Oct. 23 at 8 p.m. Tickets for the 21+ show are $31-$50 and can be found at thestateroompresents.com. (EA)

Spellling, Spacemoth @ Kilby Court 10/25
Experimental pop artist Spellling has finished up a busy summer of shows to start up a headlining fall tour, not slowing down as we head into the new season. Spelling (born Crystia Cabral) has been applauded for her most recent release, The Turning Wheel, which ended up at number 36 on NPR's 50 best albums of 2021 list. "On her third album as Spellling, the Bay Area-based wizardess Chrystia Cabral employs the language of myth, magic and fancy to illuminate her reality as an empathic artist negotiating the realities of a world that's multifariously on fire. Exchanging the dark languor of previous synth-based sets for the dappled expanses of orch pop, Cabral finds power in the language of forebears like Minnie Riperton and Kate Bush while staying true to her own restlessness and sense of delight," NPR said last year. Even though the major chaos of the pandemic is behind us, COVID-19 is still rearing its ugly head and causing difficulties for musicians as they travel. Spellling had hesitations about touring, but ultimately decided there were too many opportunities to pass up. "It was too hard to turn it down [because of] my eagerness to share the music that I spent so long writing. I'm like, I just want to do it," Spellling told Georgia Public Broadcasting in September. Each show involves some risk for musicians and show-goers alike, so it's important to still be careful while heading out to see your favorite artists. Spellling will be at Kilby Court on Tuesday, Oct. 25 at 7 p.m. Tickets for the all-ages show are $15 in advance and $17 the day of the show. Find tickets at kilbycourt.com. (EA)

• Carlos Rosillo
• Lila Downs

Lila Downs @ Live at the Eccles 10/26
Celebrated Latin American singer Lila Downs brings her talent and unique voice to SLC this week. Her music spans genres combining boleros, jazz and hip-hop, as well as popular American music. The subject matter of her songs reflects themes of social justice, immigration and women's rights. "I think it's not something new, but now they give us more microphones. That does not necessarily mean that we are still free to express the truth, but I think there is a greater dialogue and that society already looks at young girls with more respect," she told La Voz de Galicia this month. Heavily inspired by her heritage, Downs draws inspiration from her family. She's taken a lot of advice from her mother, who was also a singer. "I even started paying attention to my mother's words; she told me 'Lila, sing with feeling or don't sing at all,'" Downs told Mexican News Daily in September. Downs is also a gifted dancer, incorporating beautiful outfits and choreography with her music, creating an immersive experience for attendees. The singer has been compared to a chiltepin—a wild chili pepper known for producing intense heat despite its diminutive size. Catch this enigmatic and talented artist on Wednesday Oct. 26 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $30-$70 and can be found at live-at-the-eccles.com. (EA) CW