The Johns, Pale Dream, Del Perro @ Boardwalk Sound 9/30
Boardwalk Sound hosts a trio of local favorites for the last weekend of September. The Johns, who have been busy the last year, kick off the show. Since their first single release in 2021, the band has released a full debut album, Taxi to San Fran, as well as an EP, Five Dimension Place. The Johns showcase a fun energy and sense of humor on their TikTok account, @thejohnsband. In one of their videos, they say they're a band made up of "a bunch of teenagers that dress like homeless people." Pale Dream has also been busy, steadily releasing singles since their debut EP Velvet released last year. Their latest single, "Curse," is the title track for their upcoming album coming out in October. The band initially formed in 2018 with Mari Ericksen (drums, percussion, vocals) and Trey Hoskins (guitar, lead vocals) down in St. George. Now a fully formed group, they call Salt Lake their home, playing in shows all over town. Lively indie group Del Perro rounds out the evening at this energetic show. No full album or EP from this group yet, but their singles "Decaf" and "The Introvert" are superb listens. Catch this trio of SLC locals at The Boardwalk Sound on Friday, Sept. 30 at 7 p.m. Tickets for the all-ages show are $8 before and $12 at the door. Find tickets at theboardwalksound.com. (Emilee Atkinson)
19 Miles Per Hour Album Release @ The Velour 10/1
19 Miles Per Hour have been making a splash in the local music scene since 2019. They scored a first-place finish at 2019's BYU Battle of the Bands, and earned runner-up in the same competition a year later. 19 Miles Per Hour's infectious, energetic pop-punk vibe is hard driving and entertaining; the band wants to create music that people can relate to and enjoy. "Music brings people together and it is important for everyone to know they aren't alone," they say on their website. "We want our music to make a difference in the world. To help people. People need to know that all the things they are feeling and experiencing are temporary, and that they aren't alone. The world needs more people to focus on doing good, and writing and playing music is our way of contributing to that." The group exemplifies these ideals, not only in their music, but their actions as well, as they've raised money for the LGBTQ+ community and the Alzheimer's Association with proceeds from past shows. Amid helping their community, 19 MPH release their latest album Inner Thoughts on Oct. 1, at The Velour, where they'll play the new album in its entirety for fans. "We have really poured our hearts out in this album and we want to celebrate the release with all of YOU," they said on their Instagram profile. Catch the release party for Inner Thoughts at The Velour on Saturday, Oct. 1 at 8 p.m. Tickets for the all-ages show are $12 and can be found at 24tix.com. (EA)
The Afghan Whigs, Pink Mountaintops @ The Commonwealth Room 10/2
Soul-grunge group Afghan Whigs rose to fame in the late '80s/early '90s, riding the grunge wave of popularity that washed over the world at that time. They've gone through ups and downs like many bands that have been around for so long–breakups, reunions–but the band is going strong in 2022 with their latest album How Do You Burn? It's the ninth release for the band in 26 years, and of course it was created during the pandemic. That process ended up being a safe haven for the band as they recorded, especially for singer Greg Dulli. Not everyone could get together and record, so a lot was done remotely—which was better than the alternative of not recording at all, according to Dulli. "That was my escape, and I was building my escape on a daily basis," Dulli told Forbes at the beginning of September. "The record to me is bright, it has light in it, more so than several of the others, but it's not without its portent or darkness." Joining the grunge veterans are Pink Mountaintops, an indie rock band originally from Canada. Their latest release comes eight years after their previous one, and is a wild ride. Peacock Pools is "the sonic equivalent of falling down a thousand rabbit holes at once and landing somewhere gloriously strange," according to the group's Bandcamp profile. Catch this 21+ show on Sunday, Oct. 2 at 8 p.m. Tickets are $42-$150 and can be found at thestateroompresents.com. (EA)
Paramore @ The Saltair 10/4
After a brief hiatus, beloved pop-punk group Paramore stop at The Saltair as part of their fall tour, bringing us new music for the first time in five years. For many, Paramore qualifies as a quintessential pop-punk/emo group. They took the world by storm in the early aughts, notably with their sophomore album Riot!. It's been some time since Paramore hit the Beehive State, last playing at the USANA Amphitheater on their After Laughter Summer tour in July 2018. The group's new single "This is Why" drops Sept. 28, and fans are hoping to hear about a sixth album following the release of this single. "We wrote and tracked something we loved and it actually surprised us," singer Hayley Williams told Rolling Stone in January of this year. "We kept joking it was all downhill from that point, but thank God we've been surprised a lot throughout this whole thing. I'm always waiting for the moment for us to know we're onto something new and we're not just rehashing the same shit. It was 'Ain't It Fun' for our self-titled record, and 'Hard Times' or 'Told You So' for After Laughter." Seeing Paramore back in action will be a treat for longtime fans on Tuesday, Oct. 4 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets for the all-ages event are $100 and can be found at thesaltair.com. (EA)
Leetham EP release party ft.: Cera Gibson, TAG!, HASHA @ Kilby Court 10/5
Another release party show kicks off the month of October, this time with queer pop artist Leetham and a string of guests. Leetham has spent years playing in bands, but has recently set out on his own as a pop artist. He's been steadily releasing singles since last year, but his first self-titled EP, Leetham, is finally out this October. Leetham always pushes to create new and interesting music for fans. He's spent years playing piano, but has also been in guitar lessons, as well as picking up the bass and trying out drums. He told City Weekly back in June that his comfort levels are getting better in the studio also. "I think that a lot of pop music, you get that cookie-cutter stuff," Leetham says. "At the same time, if it works, it works. You make the music you want to make. And if you're a professional, you're making music that's going to have to appeal to people. For me, personally, I try to be as original as possible, while bringing some familiarity to my songs," he said. Several other solid local performers join the headliner. Cera Gibson had an EP drop at the beginning of this year. Entitled Uninspired, the EP is "a dark, hip hop infused styling, Cera's music offers a familiarity in tone that's soothingly twisted," according to her website. This show isn't one to miss on Wednesday, Oct. 5 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets for the all-ages show are $12 and can be found at kilbycourt.com. (EA)