March 5 (Wed)

Who: The Handsome Family
Where: The State Room
When: 8 p.m.
What: The State Room is in the business of doing their fans favors, bringing in acts nobody totally expects yet remembers fondly. Whoever is curating over that way takes their job of offering surprises so seriously. It feels like a rare treat to discover that gothic country husband-and-wife Brett and Rennie Sparks of The Handsome Family are on their way later this week. Much like the Crash Test Dummies last month, it makes the heart skip a beat to see that they’re a) touring at all and b) chose this spot on the map as one of their dozen or so dates. Who doesn’t need more live murder ballads in their lives? Bonus: Local sad song guy Paul Jacobsen opens.

Tickets  

March 10 (Mon)

Who: Talib Kweli
Where: Urban Lounge
When: 7 p.m.
What: We’re lucky that Talib likes to visit us and play our city as often as he does. We’re even more fortunate when he does so at one of our more intimate neighborhood bars. Come see a master at work on a Monday night. For fans of Mos Def and/or politically insightful and socially aware rapping, this’ll be one to see.

Tickets

March 12 (Wed)

Who: G. Love & Special Sauce
Where: The State Room|
When: 8 p.m.
|What: G. Love and his troupe are a little to a lot of everything good in the world. A born performer. A seasoned hip hop blues veteran. A guitar and harmonica player who likes to dabble with jazz or play a string of Dylan songs as an encore, JUST BECAUSE. It’s been a minute since he’s been here, right? No matter. G. Love and his merry misfits are a band that’s earned its stripes. Come see how the seasoned pros sound after 30+ years of perfecting their approach.

Tickets 

March 15 (Sat)

Who: Sue Foley
Where: The State Room
When: 8 p.m.
What: If you’ve yet to be baptized in the blues, this just may be your chance. As a Canadian blues guitarist/singer dynamo, Sue Foley has released a staggering 15 albums since her debut with Young Girl Blues (1992). In May 2020, she won her first Blues Music Award in the Koko Taylor Award category.

Tickets 

March 15 (Sat)

Who: Underground Cash
Where: HandleBar SLC
When: 7 p.m.
What: Details are a little sparse on this one, but all you need to know is this: they’re a local band that plays Johnny Cash music. Period. And if that weren’t enough reason to throw your tenner at them and attend, it will somehow also be an early St. Paddy’s Day celebration. Green brews, anyone? This has all that’s needed for a deliriously good-to-great time.

Tickets: $10 cover   

March 22 (Sat)

Who: Vinyl Koala
Where: Fisher Brewing Co.
When: 7 p.m.
What: If you dig Khruangbin, you’ll be a fast fan of this local instrumental family band. And if you’ve frequented Fisher over the past few years, you’ve likely already heard them playing one of their events in their typically understated way. This one also counts as the band’s album release party (2024’s full-length Polaroid).

Tickets: Free

March 28 (Fri)

Who: Fictionist
Where: Velour
When: 7:30 p.m. 
What: Well, this was certainly unexpected. Personally, I’ve yet to see or hear Fictionist ever play live, and it’s been a minute since they’ve done so. They’re releasing a brand new album and want to show it off onstage. This bodes so well. Bonus: Guitarist Robert Connolly is releasing his debut (titled Bitter Optimist) the same night. Consider this a double feature. Do I already have the physical ticket I paid a little extra for? Solid yes.

Tickets 

March 29 (Sat)

Who: Rubblebucket
Where: The Commonwealth Room
When: 8 p.m.
What: KRCL can take the blame for this show getting added to the other previews here. Every tune their deejays have ever spun by this Brooklyn-based art pop and indie rock band has served to deepen my curiosity about them. Leave it to a couple of former University of Vermont jazz students (Kalmia Traver and Alex Toth) to not only decide to form a band together but try their hands at pop, funk, dance, and psychedelia along the way. Deep Architecture in Helsinki vibes here. Oh, they’re good. Expect fun.

Tickets   

March 29 (Sat)

Who: 50 Years of Bob Dylan ‘Blood on the Tracks’
Where: The State Room
When: 8 p.m.
What: Dylan’s so hot right now. One of his best albums turned 50 years old in January (but, I swear … hardly looks a day over 46) and some of the area’s finest want to help celebrate. Come see the same folks who have paid similar tributes to Tom Petty, Neil Young and, most recently, Weezer. To whet your appetite, some familiar names in the mix, including Sammy Brue, Michelle Moonshine, Cory Mon, Morgan Snow, Marcus Bently, and Julianne Brough.

Tickets

In the wake of Justin Townes Earle’s passing in 2020, he left heaps of fans behind. One was local singer-songwriter and Ogdenite Sammy Brue, who’s scared up lots of local talent to pay tribute to the late singer at The State Room this Friday, Feb. 28, at 8 p.m.

While some JTE fans have taken solace in endlessly playing the many songs he left them, musicians like Brue are building on his legend instead. Brue wrote a record using journals that Justin’s wife shared with him, and it should have a release date any day now. In the meantime, he’s gathered local bands and friends to play Justin’s music, mainstay troubadours like Daniel Young, Andrew Wiscombe, Michelle Moonshine, J-Rad Cooley and The Proper Way.

When they honor Justin, it won’t be by performing solely covers. It’s a tribute, sure, but with a twist. Brue will share new songs he’s written while combing through the lyrics his mentor left behind, songs he wrote in Justin’s memory and with his help. Doing so came naturally, and gaining access to Justin’s words was like being passed a baton. He got to work.

“I met Justin when I was very young, and he’s a hero of mine,” Brue says. “Since I started to play the guitar, I’ve tried to emulate Justin. Finally getting to meet him was surreal.”

It’s fitting Brue met Justin at The State Room when he was just 12 years old. He was too young to attend the show, so his dad did the next best thing by arriving early, hoping to run into him. As luck would have it, Justin was in the parking lot and smoking a cigarette. When Brue asked him to sign his guitar and pointed out the hat he bought to look like his, the one he bought after a lot of busking, Justin was endeared by him. He even placed Brue on the cover of his 2014 Single Mothers album and brought him on tour as an opening act.

“Justin told stories that never existed and didn’t ask [the industry] for anything. He co-existed with music and let it flow through him, describing the feelings he was going through,” Brue says.

“I only hope to achieve a fraction of what he did, and it’ll be a lifelong journey. He inspired the record I recorded, and I’m excited to share it with the world,” he says. “These songs have been written for a year and a half, and I’m still not sick of playing them.”

More songs are being written, too, mainly because Brue still has a lot of journal pages to tackle. He’s taken photos of every page, numbering and transcribing along the way. So far, he’s uncovered over 400 pages and is not even 25 percent of the way finished.

As far as access to heroes goes, Brue’s hit a gold mine. It’s an unexpected dream come true.

“It’s getting trippy. Looking at these journals feels like college. I’m studying, caring for what is precious to me, and giving it new life. I go to sleep at night and have a dream that I’m watching Justin play a song, then I’ll wake up and write three new songs, back to back. It’s beautiful.”

And if Justin gets to visit from wherever he is now and joins the Salt Lake City audience Friday night, there’s only one reaction Brue would want.

“I’d probably just want a hug,” Brue says, and nothing else. “A big hug.”

• Who: Justin Townes Earle Tribute Show
• Where: The State Room
• When: Feb. 28 @ 8 p.m.
• Tickets and Info: Tickets