MUSIC CHOICES: FEBRUARY 10 – 16 | Choice of music | Salt Lake City
Ice Cube at Vivint Arena
It’s not all the time a legend like Ice Cube goes on tour, let alone stops in Utah. But we’re lucky this Valentine’s Day weekend to be featured with U92’s Valentine’s Jam, which is an event for everyone. lovers of hip hop jams. Not only will Ice Cube include the stop on their Kings of the West tour, but they’ll be joined by an exciting lineup of other hip hop legends. So buckle up, because the list of icons from the 80s and 90s is almost unbelievable. It features Bone Thugs-N-Harmony, Sugar Hill Gang, The Dogg Pound, N2Deep and JJ Fad, as well as Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five’s representation of Melle Mel and Scorpio. Besides the fact that this lineup should satisfy any fan of old-school hip-hop, headliner Ice Cube has some new things to offer, mostly through the recent “full version” re-release. from his 1991 album. Death certificate. Don’t miss this crazy lineup of legends and get tickets, in the name of love. It takes place Saturday, February 12 at 7:30 p.m. at Vivint Arena, and tickets for the show for all ages cost between $41 and $151 at vivintarena.com.
Closefriends & LVRS SLC Valentine’s Day Ball at Depot
If you’re looking to go all out for your date night, The Depot has a great outing planned for the weekend before Valentine’s Day. Who better than LVRS SLC to give you love gifts this Valentine’s Day? The event group will show up at the Depot with the best tracks to get a little closer to your lovers, thanks to DJs DJ Luva Luva and Lorenzo Pighini. But they’re not the only ones bringing their crowd-pleasing spins of soul – fellow event band Closefriends are also collaborating on the event and bringing in DJs Radical Jones and Andy Doors to complement the music. Usually, LVRS organizes its events in the small but trendy Good Grammar and Closefriends in secret places; this time around, they’re inviting all their groovy dance party fans to the much more spacious venue at The Depot. They also encourage dressing in the true spirit of Valentine’s Day, in formal attire (every girl’s dream in this overly casual modern world) that will be remembered forever with a visit to their photo booth. So come put on your chic and sexy romance and arrive (on time, they demand) at the Depot on Friday, February 11 at 9 p.m. The 21+ show is $12 at depotslc.com.
Cabaret de l’enfer at the urban fair
If Valentine’s Day makes you feel a little salty and not so sweet, and you want to visit an atmosphere that’s more suited to rage than passion, look no further than this JRC event. Always the best stop for the best drag shows in town, this JRC event is full of attitude. Welcome to Cabaret de l’enfer. All the top local drag queens will bring their scariest to this, no doubt. It’s a mostly drag night, although The Pho3nix Child will be there to kick off her laid-back raps as she often does at JRC gigs. Other mainstays will also be present, including Sarah Prollem (who also hosts the Salty City Variety Show the previous Saturday at the Loading Dock) and Sequoia. Some spooky ones will come out though, with Justice Legacy’s horror-glam specialization and Madazon Can-Can’s circus-themed drag and slapstick skills (those who fear clowns beware). There will also be a breath of fresh air in a new drag king on the scene, Ben D. Dickson. If this Cabaret From Hell so far sounds more like a heavenly Monday night to you, then make it your go-to for Valentine’s Day. The 21+ show begins at 8 p.m. on Monday, February 14 at the Urban Lounge and tickets are $15 at theurbanloungeslc.com.
The Wombats at the Union Event Center
There may be something about not doing so well the first time in your career; some people find their groove later. The Wombats, for example, were part of a great indie-pop wave that followed the hits of The Strokes, Interpol and all their nice post-punk inspired modern rocks. If you loved the Wombats in their early days at the turn of the millennium, you’re probably also familiar with bands like The Fratellis, The Kooks, and Kaiser Chiefs. They were all living members of the era’s “dance punk” genre, which is perhaps best epitomized by none other than the Wombats’ hard-hitting, poppy, giddy 2007 track “Let’s Dance to Joy Division.” a precursor to club-style Two Door Cinema Indie dance pop that would take over teenage 20s. The song and the band don’t sound the least bit like Joy Division, but it was part of a characteristic upbeat sound of the time – it was meant to be sung by crowds and danced on. Fast forward, however, and the Wombats are now well past their early 2000s debut, as they have just released their fifth album, Fix yourself, not the world. And it’s also a fucking triumph of an album. They’re a far cry from their dance-punk beginnings, instead leaning into polished pop-rock that’s still interesting and expert enough (probably due to all their experience) not to fall into lazy mall music territory. . Highlights from the new album include “Everything I Love Is Going to Die”, the Death Cab For Cutie-ish “People Don’t Change People, Time Does” and the upbeat opener “Flip Me Upside Down”. See them and open Clubhouse as they support the album at The Union Event Center on Tuesday, February 15. The show for all ages opens at 6:30 p.m. and tickets are $25 at theunioneventcenter.com.
Aries at Kilby Court
Rounding out a slew of rap-heavy musical choices this week is an exciting appearance at Kilby Court from Aries, a chamber pop artist who has gone from producing his own work under his own label to signing for Columbia Records. His album 2019 WELCOME TO THE HOUSE was a hit in its own right, utilizing the fusion of acoustic samples, gritty beats and emotional delivery that has become so popular in DIY music and beyond in recent years, thanks to the influence of some popular stars. -fi Soundcloud. This debut album is also pretty lackluster in general, and that’s where things change a bit when it comes to its new label-backed release. In 2021 BELIEVE IN ME, WHO BELIEVES IN YOU, we get a tropical, bright acoustic vibe on the enticing “Riding” and borderline party-creating “One Punch.” The rest of the album exudes the same kind of confidence – there’s still a dark aesthetic, like those acoustic samples, but overall it’s the work of a more mature artist. Aries would find support from trippy indie pop band Brakence, who on their 2020 album punk2 balances delicate, minimal production with heartfelt emotion and equally raw occasional beats. See the two when they stop at Kilby Court on Monday February 14. The show for all ages is $29.50 at kilbycourt.comand the doors are at 7 p.m.