May 18, 2022 Music » Music Picks

Jefferson Starship @ Scera Shell Theatre There's a long and complicated history that we're only skimming here, but Jefferson Starship is the group that commercially thrived in that interesting period between hit-makers Jefferson Airplane ("White Rabbit," "Somebody to Love") and Starship ("We Built This City," "Sara"). But Jefferson Starship is more than a transition or bridge band; instead, they're a group that's had a full second career, still out on the road, flying the classic rock flag under the stewardship of founding member and multi-instrumentalist David Freiberg. This version of the band plays songs from the group's original, 1974-84 era, as well as tracks from the longer, post-hiatus epoch of 1992-today. In fact, the group is still producing new music; their latest, Mother of the Sun, was released pretty recently, in 2020. Every summer, bands with long and complicated histories crank up their touring machines and hit the road, satisfying the needs of fans who've been with them for decades. If you want to hear the four tracks listed above, as well as Jefferson Starship's own hits (like "Find Your Way Back," "Miracles," "Jane"), this show's got you covered. Some new songs will be delivered to your ears as part of the bargain for getting that passel of hits. Jefferson Starship appears under the stars at the Scera Shell Outdoor Theatre (600 S. 400 East, Orem) on Friday, May 20. Gates open at 6:30, show's at 8 p.m. Visit scera.org for more information.

Grace McKagan with Slater @ Quarters Not everyone plays Coachella and The DLC @ Quarters in the same year. Nor is everyone the daughter of the bassist of Guns n' Roses. But Grace McKagen's got a few unique things going for her, it seems. Formerly the vocalist of the group The Pink Slips, McKagen's now responsible for her own sound, look and spirit, and says in promotional material that "my music has matured over the years and is more in tune with who I am in this moment. When I was writing music for the new EP, I was influenced by so many of my favorite artists from Morphine to the Yeah Yeah Yeahs to Lee Hazlewood." And while a lot of acts like to play with the idea of blending genres and influences into their music, McKagan really does do so, as evidenced by a spate of singles available for listening at your favorite streaming services. Grace McKagan appears with Slater and Madge at The DLC at Quarters (5 E 400 S) on Sunday, May 22 at 8 pm. Ticket information's available at quartersslc.com/the-dlc.

Marc Broussard @ The State Room No Depression is a publication that enjoys performers and songwriters that bend the rules of strict styles and forms. Thus, they've given nice words to Marc Broussard, describing him as "an acrobat, a genre-juggling time traveler straddling two very different generations in his fan base, uniting them with the power of his voice. The 37-year-old Carencro, Louisiana, native revives soul with remakes of the classics from icons including Solomon Burke and Otis Redding as well as weaving swampy soul into his own compositions." Though he's got albums on major labels and indies, too, dating back to 2004, it's in the live setting that the man's said to really shine. Marc Broussard, the pride of Lafayette, LA and a fella fresh off of a gig at the New Orleans Jazz Fest, plays The State Room with the Cory Mon Band on Sunday, May 22. Ticket information can be found at thestateroompresents.com. Doors at 7 p.m., show at 8 p.m.

Ruthie Collins @ Kilby Court Releasing music with Curb Records since 2014, Ruthie Collins saw her 2020 album Cold Comfort released and expanded earlier this year as Cold Comfort +. (Hey, good for Collins; we all deserve some COVID-era resets.) The songwriter is building a career that's based on some traditional musical soil, while employing contemporary recording touches, as heard on her singles "Joshua Tree" and "Hypocrite." Or as stated on her bio: "Raised on a farm in Fredonia, NY, Collins blends the vulnerable, the volatile and the serene in her music. Her songs straddle the line between Americana, Bluegrass and modern Country, upheld by buoyant and agile vocals reminiscent of her musical icons, Patty Griffin and Emmylou Harris. Collins' music features some upright bass and traditional bluegrass instrumentation in a style that's both old-fashioned and completely modern." Collins, on a Western states run, brings her talents to the friendly confines of Kilby Court (741 S. Kilby Court) on Wednesday, May 25. Tickets for this all-ages show, priced at $12, can be secured at 24tix.com. Opening acts TBD.

Spoon @ The Complex Going to bat for the long-running rock'n'roll band Spoon, Rolling Stone says that the group's latest, Lucifer On The Sofa, continues a tradition—that of excellence. The magazine's review of the band's 10th and latest long-player reads like so: "Spoon are the most reliable great American rock band of the past 25 years. That might say more about American rock than it does about Spoon, but facts don't lie. They've been at it since the mid-Nineties, and they've never made a dull record, thanks to leader Britt Daniel's brilliant songwriting and a knack for nuancing their Texas indie rock... Casually stylish and stunningly catchy, opaque but openhearted, bristling with the thrill of subtle invention." Spoon's tour with special guest Geese arrives at SLC's The Complex (536 W. 100 South) on Wednesday, May 25. Tickets for this show are $35 and found at tickets.thecomplexslc.com, or via Graywhale Entertainment locations.

Urban Lounge Comes of Age

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