Tribune Blogs -- Burger with Relish: Pop Culture and music by David Burger

I wanna talk about them

When Toby Keith does something, he goes all out, making him an outlaw in many respects.

For instance, several years ago, the country musician shot a high-concept video for his song "Beer for My Horses." He was so impressed with it, he turned it into a full-length movie, which opened Aug. 8 (but not in Utah).

And when it came time to tour this summer, Keith didn't want to do the ordinary. That's why his tour is called "The Biggest and Baddest Tour" and has no less than four opening acts, including the multi-platinum Montgomery Gentry. He performs at Usana Amphitheatre on Sept. 20.

In an interview with The Salt Lake Tribune, Keith wanted to talk more about his movie, which he co-wrote and starred in.

"Some of my favorite movies they don't make anymore, like 'Cannonball Run' and "Smokey and the Bandit,'" Keith said of his inspiration. "I thought this would be a good cop movie."

The action-comedy's premise is that Keith and comedian and musician Rodney Carrington are Southern small-town deputies who pursue a drug lord who has kidnapped Keith's girlfriend. He was able to recruit an impressive cast that included Burt Reynolds, Ted Nugent, Barry Corbin, Claire Forlani, Tom Skerritt and Willie Nelson.

Reynolds gave Keith invaluable advice, Keith said. "You can be charming or dangerous," Keith said Reynolds told him. "I was never dangerous, but I was charming as hell," Reynolds told him.

Charming as hell could describe Keith as a musician, who has five No. 1 country albums and 16 No. 1 country singles. Besides a feud with the Dixie Chicks, Keith is best known as the singer of "Should've Been a Cowboy," "How Do You Like Me Now?!," "I Wanna Talk About Me," and "Courtesy of the Red, White, & Blue (The Angry American)."

When he was planning his tour, Keith said, "I want to go to places that make the most noise."

Keith is also promoting his new record label, Show Dog Nashville, by bringing along some of the first three acts signed to his roster: the trio Carter's Chord (pictured above), singer-songwriter Mica Roberts, and good-times band Trailer Choir. Montgomery Gentry will also appear, but the duo is not on Keith's roster, just good friends, Keith said.

The three sisters of Carter's Chord told The Salt Lake Tribune that Keith was very "hands on" in the production of their recently released debut self-titled album, Joanna Robertson said.
The young sisters — Becky, Emily and Joanna Robertson — also received help from their father, who was a member of the late Waylon Jennings' backing band for many years.

The sisters grew up in the Central Valley of California — "Our grandfather was from Oklahoma, straight out of the 'Grapes of Wrath,'" Becky said — but moved to Nashville to pursue a music career.

Jennings was the only person the family knew in Nashville, so "Waylon Jennings was our emergency contact on our school forms," Emily said.

Despite growing up among the Dust Bowl refugees like country pioneer Buck Owens in California, the Robertsons were more inspired by the "outlaw movement."
Keith knows a little something about being an outlaw.

Unsolicited contribution No. 6 from Scott Murphy

Editor Scott Murphy was at the second night of Bonnie Raitt's shows at Red Butte Garden Tuesday night, and here is his report:

When you go to see a show by a performer, who among other things is likely the favorite singer of most people's moms, you don't expect to see a rocker.
With Bonnie Raitt, however, that's what happens.
She played a fine, high-energy, and downright grooving, 100-minute set with highlights that included many holdovers from Monday's show, but the singer's early show onstage poll indicated Tuesday's sold-out crowd was a different set of folks from the day before.
Highlights included a duet with opener Richard Julian on "Angel From Montgomery," the set opener "Talk To Me" from 1982's "Green Light" LP, and "Premature" from her 2007 collaboration with Toots and the Maytals.
Raitt also delighted the crowd with amusing banter: After guitarist George Marinelli played a hot lead during "Thing Called Love," she quipped, "What did you do this afternoon?" She also complimented the setting as having "no humidity, no bugs and no hammered people in the front row yelling at me."
Richard Julian's 50-minute opening set went over lukewarm with the crowd who was clearly there for Raitt. (The show sold out before tickets even were released to the general public. The only Red Butte show to do so this year.) Julian had funny songs like "God III," which chronicles the life of the son of Jesus. Great stuff, as were "Brooklyn In The Morning," "End of the Line," and "Cheap Guitar."
Julian's set exposed him as a fine up-and-coming songwriter, who even though most folks had never heard of him, who shouldn't be missed if he returns.

You can read an account of the first show in today's The Mix section, written by A & E Editor Ellen Fagg.

Nicodemus predicts ....

Soul singer Al Green still preaches every Sunday at the Full Gospel Tabernacle in Memphis (last week it was about the scriptures regarding Nicodemus), Tenn., but on Sept. 3 he'll be preaching to the converted at Red Butte Garden. In an interview, Green said his last album, "Lay it Down," released in May, was recorded with the help of The Roots, John Legend and Corinne Bailey Rae, young artists he affectionately terms "those rascals ... Those children are just wonderful." The Rev. Green said he is bringing a 14-piece band with him that he compares to a racehorse. But most importantly, Green said, he is bringing God in his heart: "God is still at the helm, and in the midst of the storm, he just tells me to take it easy."
When: Sept. 3 at 7 p.m.
Where: Red Butte Garden, 300 Wakara Way, Salt Lake City
Tickets: $53 for members, $58 for nonmembers, $35 for children, by calling 585-0556 or online at redbuttegarden.org

Still no word on DMB

There's still no word on when the Dave Matthew Band will reschedule its concert in Utah. The band was supposed to play tonight at Usana Amphitheatre, but canceled two shows, including the Usana show, because of the death of a band member.

Today is saxophonist LeRoi Moore's funeral in Charlottesville, Virginia. If you're in that neck of the woods, the funeral will be at 11 a.m. at First Baptist Church, 735 Park St. The Rev. Sherry Hardwick Thomas presides and the Rev. Dr. William Guthrie will give the eulogy.

Here's a LeRoi solo:

Who cares about Michael Phelps?

The U.S. has won the Air Guitar World Championships for the first time in years. San Francisco's Craig Billmeier (otherwise known as Hot Lixx Hulahan) went to Finland, the host of the annual competition, and was crowned the champion of the 2008 Cuervo Black US Air Guitar presented by TouchTunes. (Who knew it had such respectable sponsors?)

From the press release:
The World Championships brought 20 more challengers, this time from all around the globe. The field included two-time defending World Champion Ochi (Dainoji) Yosuke of Japan, as well as representatives from Russia, Australia, the United Kingdom, and South Africa. "I honestly didn't think I had a chance," Billmeier said afterwards. "Don't get me wrong, I wanted to do good, to do everyone proud, to at least look decent on YouTube."

"With this win, America has just entered an Air Guitar dynasty," said USAG co-founder Cedric Devitt. The US won the world crown in its first and second years in the world competition (2003 & 2004, respectively), but relinquished the throne in 2005 to Michael (Destroyer) Heffels of the Netherlands, and in 2006 and 2007 to Ochi Yosuke of Japan. For winning the Air Guitar World Championship title, Billmeier was awarded a Finnish handmade Flying Finn electric guitar. Of his victory, he said simply, humbly, "I certainly did not expect this."

See the award-winning performance above.

Deer Valley of Life

The Gipsy Kings are at Deer Valley tonight, with the second-to-last show of this summerss outstanding line-up presented by the Park City Performing Arts Foundation.

Dwight Yoakam, scheduled for this Saturday, is the last. (Bob Dylan, the following night, is an independent show at the same venue.)

Tickets for the Gipsy Kings are $46 for lawn seats, because all of the reserved seats are sold out.

Tickets for Dwight Yoakam are also $46, because all of the reserved seats are taken.

Fun facts about the Gipsy Kings:
1. I put in a request to interview them, but I don't speak French, so it was a no-go. I'm sure they are very nice people.
2. Borat doesn't like gypsies, but gipsies are perfectly fine. Especially kings.
3. The group is from France, but their parents fled from Spain during the Spanish Civil War.
4. In a nutshell, the band plays a poppier version of flamenco.

Fun facts about Dwight Yoakam:
1. His last album is a tribute to his idol, country pioneer Buck Owens.
2. Four days before Buck died in 2006, Dwight talked to him on the phone for four hours.
3. He once dated Sharon Stone.
4. He's the villain in "Panic Room."

And Frankenstein, on channel nine ...

AOL and PopEater.com have published the results of a poll tied in with Michael Jackson's upcoming 50th birthday (on Aug. 29). Here are the results:

What's Michael Jackson's best song ever?
Thriller: 42 percent
Billie Jean: 20 percent
Beat It: 14 percent
Man in the Mirror: 7 percent
Rock With You: 5 percent
The Way You Make Me Feel: 4 percent
Don't Stop 'til You Get Enough: 4 percent (and my favorite: 4 percent is far too low!)
Wanna Be Startin' Somethin: 2 percent
Human Nature: 1 percent
Off the Wall: 1 percent
Total Votes: 56,829

Michael Jackson will turn 50 on Aug. 29. Has Jacko's wacko behavior changed the way you hear his classics?
Absolutely: 49 percent
Absolutely Not: 51 percent
Total Votes: 72,348

Can the King of Pop make a comeback?
Not a chance: 71 percent
Absolutely : 29 percent
Total Votes: 58,919

What does Michael Jackson make you think of?
The plastic surgery: 42 percent
The scandals: 28 percent
His music : 26 percent
Other: 4 percent
Total Votes: 53,476

Blunt Mojo

A recent issue of Rolling Stone (not the one at left, but similar) features a picture of singer-songwriter James Blunt cavorting near the Spanish island of Ibiza with a comely, topless young woman. (Before you buy the magazine, know that the girl's torso is blurred.)

Since his unrequited love song "You're Beautiful" became inescapable on top-40 radio in 2005, Blunt has taken advantage of his fame by dating a string of socialites and beautiful people, including former Sports Illustrated cover model Petra Nemcova.
But there's a lot more depth to Blunt, who opens for Sheryl Crow tonight at Usana Amphitheatre. In an interview, he talked about his six years in the British military and his lineage, as the Blounts (that's the spelling of his real last name) have a legacy of serving queens and kings for centuries in the armed forces. Blunt was a reconnaissance officer in the NATO deployment in Kosovo in 1999, targeting Serb positions for NATO bombing.

As a soldier, he dreamed of playing music. "The last thing I wanted to do was go into old age wishing I had been a musician," Blunt said.

He asked his father about the prospect of leaving the army and becoming a musician. "He said, 'Wow, that's a dodgy business,' " Blunt said, before his father gave him his blessing.

Blunt said he was caught unawares by the international success of his debut album, and was equally surprised at the backlash. "Critics have as large an ego as any musician," he said.

He termed it "liberating" when his second album, "All the Lost Souls," became popular. But the money, success, girls and an island home in Spain aren't what's important to the singer. "If I had no listeners, I'd still write music," Blunt said.

Radio Free Archuleta

David Archuleta is "taking over the Radio Disney airwaves" this afternoon, beginning at 4 p.m. Mountain time.

Radio Disney, I'm told, is 910 AM.

Radio Disney officials say, "He wants to hear from you, so call 1-888-327-7018 to ask a question, request a song or just say hello!"

No matter how you may feel about David, please don't use profanity on the air. And turn your radio down, for Pete's sake.

DMB off ... for now

Bad news from United Concerts:

"The scheduled performance of Dave Matthews Band on August 27th at USANA Amphitheatre has been postponed. Please stand by for further details."

The band's Web site has this: "Dave Matthews Band is postponing tonight's show at Raley Field in West Sacramento, CA and Wednesday's show at USANA Amphitheatre in West Valley, UT. We apologize for any inconvenience and will announce more information on these two dates as soon as it becomes available."

Although it hasn't been confirmed, it is probably related to the funeral for saxophonist LeRoi Moore, who died last week.

And the winners are ...

The winners of the Utah State Fair's classical music competition have just been announced. Entrants ranged from ages 8 to 23.

Select winners of the competition will receive an opportunity to audition for the Utah Symphony & Opera in their “Salute to Youth” and “All Star Evening” concerts.

The public is invited to attend the Winners Recitals as part of the 2008 Utah State Fair, with different performers in each of the four recitals. Performances will be held on Thursday, Sept. 4 and Friday, Sept. 5, at 7 p.m. and 8:30 pm each night.

The winners are:

Intermediate wind/brass/percussion
1st Place, Catherine Winters (flute, Lindon); 2nd Place, Camille Johnson (marimba, Farmington); 3rd Place, Victoria Wirthlin (flute, Spanish Fork).
Junior wind/brass/percussion
1st Place, Jana Gardner (flute, Brigham City); 2nd Place, Trevor Giles (Alto Sax, Orem); 3rd Place, Stefania Neumann (flute, Tooele).
Senior wind/brass/percussion
1st Place, Arienne Tedjamulia (flute, Provo); 2nd Place, Bobbi Blood (flute, Draper); 3rd Place Daniel Bailey (clarinet, Provo).
Elementary piano
1st Place, Nicole Chang (Park City); 2nd Place, Bovey Rao (Sandy); 3rd Place, Trenton Chang, (Logan).
Intermediate piano
1st Place, Jim Lu (Orem); 2nd Place, Weiyi Le (Layton); 3rd Place, Ree Lu (Orem).
Junior piano
1st Place, Conlan Miller (Delta); 2nd Place, John Sargeant (Orem); 3rd Place, Kellice Bradley(Howell).
Senior piano
1st Place, Whitney Smith (Salt Lake City); 2nd Place, Kristofer Michaels (American Fork); 3rd Place, Emilee Bradley (Howell).
Elementary harp
1st Place, Caroline Richards (Pleasant Grove); 2nd Place, Bonnie Bennett (Salt Lake City).
Junior / Senior harp
1st Place, Jessica Hart (Sandy); 2nd Place, Brittany Hicken (South Jordan);
Elementary strings
1st Place, Shenae Anderson (violin, Draper); 2nd Place, Aubree Oliverson (violin, Orem); 3rd Place, Jessi Riley (violin, Beaver).
Intermediate strings
1st Place, Rebekah Willey (violin/viola, Pleasant Grove); 2nd Place, Megumi Gass (violin, Washington); 3rd Place, McKay Bowcut (bass, Spanish Fork).
Junior strings
1st Place, Catherine Willey (cello, Pleasant Grove); 2nd Place, Alexander Willey (double bass, Pleasant Grove); 3rd Place, Jossalyn Jensen (viola, Springville).
Intermediate voice
1st Place, Ryan Tani (Salt Lake City); 2nd Place, Jillian Weaver (Holladay); 3rd Place Shane Mickelsen (Riverton).
Senior Strings
1st Place, Elizabeth Willey (cello, Pleasant Grove); 2nd Place Kristina Willey (viola, Pleasant Grove); 3rd Place, Cari S Green (violin, St. George).
Organ
1st Place, Emily Cloward (Provo); 2nd Place, Yu Takei (Salt Lake City); 3rd Place, Christopher Haacke (Bountiful).
Intermediate Voice
1st Place Haley Beckstrand (Centerville); 2nd Place, Travis Hewitt (Salt Lake City); 3rd Place, Ryan Tani (Salt Lake City).
Junior voice
1st Place, Arianne Green (Centerville); 2nd Place, Serene Stead (St. George); 3rd Place, Amanda Shrum (Salt Lake City).
Senior voice
1st Place, Melissa Jensen (Provo); 2nd Place, Karlee L Heaps (Logan); 3rd Place, Elizabeth A Smith (Logan).

Down with GZA, yeah you know me

Within a week's time, two of the most influential and revered rappers in the modern hip-hop world will play shows along the Wasatch Front. Tonight, Nas will visit Harry O's in Park City; one week from today, GZA (left) from the Wu-Tang Clan will be at the Urban Lounge in Salt Lake City.

Nas: Like GZA, he released his debut in the mid-'90s and remains a major figure of the rap scene. In 1994, Nas released "Illmatic," which became a worldwide best-seller and is considered a landmark rap recording of the 1990s. In July this year, he released "Untitled," which debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard album chart. The album was controversial because Nas' original title was a six-letter racial epithet that drew scorn from everyone from Bill O'Reilly to Jesse Jackson. The album's first single was the scathing "Hero," which is about the tension between musicians and the music industry.

GZA: Also known as Genius, he is a founding member of the Wu-Tang Clan, a collective of rappers that includes the late Ol' Dirty Bastard, RZA, Method Man, Ghostface Killah and Raekwon. The hardcore rappers from the group launched music careers in the early 1990s; while still releasing albums as the Wu-Tang Clan, most have gone on to solo success as well.

GZA, born Gary Grice in Brooklyn, was one of the de facto leaders in the early days of the Wu-Tang Clan. On the group's now-classic debut, 1992's "Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers)," he was a main lyricist as well as one of only two members to score a solo track. Emboldened by the success of the Wu-Tang Clan, GZA in 1995 released his own debut, "Liquid Swords," considered one of the landmark rap albums of the 1990s, featuring incisive wordplay and looming, apocalyptic beats.

He has gone onto greater success with and without the Wu-Tang Clan, but GZA is coming to Utah for his special "Liquid Swords" tour, and will perform the album in its entirety, from start to finish. In an interview, GZA told The Salt Lake Tribune he was persuaded to tour because of his young fans, many who were born after "Liquid Swords" debuted. "There are a lot of kids in the audience," GZA said. "It's amazing and it's quite surprising."

GZA has become a critic of modern-day hip-hop, especially 50 Cent, and is engaged in a long-standing feud with the popular rapper. "Years ago we had writers, we had lyricists," GZA said. "Now all the songs sound the same. It's very much watered down." In the interview, GZA even made fun of the rapper's commercials for Vitamin Water, where 50 Cent is depicted conducting a symphony orchestra to the tune of "In Da Club." "He wishes he could do that," GZA said. "I don't drink Vitamin Water. I tried it once, but it wasn't all that."

Nas
When: Tonight. Doors open at 9 p.m.
Where: Harry O's, 427 Main St., Park City
Tickets: $45 at SmithsTix

GZA
When: Aug. 29 at 9 p.m.
Where: Urban Lounge, 241 S. 500 East, Salt Lake City
Tickets: $22 advance, $25 day of, at SmithsTix

Depot's Most Wanted

Ice Cube is just one of the noted musicians playing this weekend:

Roy Zimmerman
Roy Zimmerman has traveled to 27 states on the strength of his satirical songwriting about modern politics. He will play songs from his album, "Thanks for the Support," with comedic jabs at Republicans and Democrats, Obama and McCain.
When: Tonight at 8
Where: First Unitarian Church of Salt Lake City, 569 S. 1300 East
Tickets: $15 at the door, but no one is turned away for lack of ability to pay

Head Like a Kite
The indie electronica-influenced shoegazer Head Like a Kite is out on its first out-of-Washington state tour since the release of its album "There Is Loud Laughter Everywhere." The band's publicist - a creative sort - said the band "is soon to blow into your fair city like happy dust bunnies in the wind." Trebuchet, Bring Your Guns and the Mooks are also on the bill.
When: Tonight at 7
Where: Kilby Court, 741 S. 330 West, Salt Lake City
Tickets: $8 at the door

Meiko
The Georgia-born singer-songwriter self-released her album late last year and watched it become the No. 1 folk album on iTunes. Like Abe Lincoln, she was born in a log cabin, but her life took a different turn after she got her start at the famed Hotel Cafe in Hollywood, where she first worked as a waitress. The Low Stars, Joe Purdy and Jay Nash are also on the bill.
When: Tonight at 7:30
Where: Velour, 135 N. University Ave., Provo
Tickets: $14 at SmithsTix

Rock 'n' Ribs Festival
Downtown Salt Lake City plays host to bands playing until 8 at night and loads of barbecue food. One of the highlights should be local rock band The B.D. Howes Band, performing at 1 p.m.
When: Aug. 23 at 11 a.m.
Where: Gallivan Center, 239 S. Main St., Salt Lake City
Tickets: $5 at entrance

GG Elvis
Straight from Oxnard, Calif., comes GG Elvis and the TCP Band, described as a comedic punk-rock band. Each of the band members portrays a different era of Elvis Presley's career. Really.
When: Aug. 23 at 8 p.m.
Where: Burts Tiki Lounge, 726 S. State St., Salt Lake City
Tickets: $10 at SmithsTix

Eric Heatherly
Eric Heatherly, 38, from Tennessee, is a country singer who had a hit in 2000 with "Swimming in Champagne" and "Flowers on the Wall." This is part of Wolf Mountain's Music in the Mountains series.
When: Aug. 23 at 8 p.m.
Where: Wolf Mountain, 3567 Nordic Valley Way, Eden
Tickets: $20 per carload at entrance

Secondhand Serenade
Secondhand Serenade is another name for John Vesely, a Californian singer-songwriter with a backing band. The song "Fall for You" has been all over top-40 radio, and the singer is back after recently being at Thanksgiving Point. The Graduate is also on the bill.
When: Aug. 23 at 6 p.m.
Where: Murray Theater, 4916 S. State St.
Tickets: $20 at SmithsTix

Ice Cube
Ice Cube is now known as a family-friendly movie star, but he came to fame as a founding member of the influential (and Tipper Gore-inciting) rap group N.W.A. Expect him to be fierce at this show, just as he is on his new, furious album "Raw Footage."
When: Aug. 24 at 8 p.m.
Where: The Depot, 400 W. South Temple, Salt Lake City
Tickets: $30 at SmithsTix

Jazz, blues, gospel, swing: What's the difference?

If you don't go to Park City this weekend, you don't know jack.

I was going to write the cliché "you don't know jazz," but there is much more than just jazz at this weekend's Park City Jazz Festival.

Festival officials are bringing in a variety of nationally known musicians, including the Blind Boys of Alabama, Blues Traveler and Big Bad Voodoo Daddy - none known for being jazz bands - but also local jazz bands like the Park City All-Star Band and the Crescent Super Band.

Members of the Blind Boys, Blues Traveler and Big Bad Voodoo Daddy talked to The Salt Lake Tribune about this year's festival.

Blind Boys of Alabama: the group, performing Aug. 24, formed in 1939 at the Alabama Institute for Negro Blind. Jimmy Carter is the only original singer left, but newer members have reinvigorated the venerable gospel group, which won the Grammy Award for Best Traditional Soul Gospel Album every year between 2002 and 2005.

Drummer Ricky McKinnie, 56, has been blind since he developed glaucoma at age 16.

"I'm not blind," he said. "I just can't see. . . . I may have lost my sight, but I haven't lost my direction."

The group's latest release is "Down in New Orleans," a gospel album recorded with some of the Crescent City's most accomplished R & B and jazz musicians, including the Preservation Hall Jazz Band.

"If [an audience member] comes to a show feeling sad, the Blind Boys are going to make you glad," McKinnie said.

Blues Traveler: Tonight's headlining act has been around since 1987, with its biggest success coming in the mid-1990s when "Run-around" and "Hook" plunged the bluesy jam band into the mainstream. While it hasn't matched that success, Blues Traveler maintains a devoted following.

Keyboardist Ben Wilson joined the band in 2000, after the death of bassist Bobby Sheehan. Wilson said the band wanted a delineation between its first incarnation and the new one, so he was hired as its first and only keyboardist.

Wilson got the job after answering an online ad. The band flew him and five other keyboardists in for an audition and "hired me on the spot."

"There's been ups and downs, but we've been honest, and people stick with you if you do what got you there," Wilson said.

Big Bad Voodoo Daddy: The group formed in 1989 and revived contemporary swing in "Swingers" and other films. Its biggest hits were "Go Daddy-O," "You and Me and the Bottle Makes Three Tonight" and "Mr. Pinstripe Suit."

Trumpeter Glen "The Kid" Marhevka said Jon Favreau saw the band perform every Wednesday when he was writing the "Swingers" screenplay. Favreau, who later directed "Iron Man," told Marhevka he wrote the film with the band in mind. When the movie premiered, "it was huge for us," Marhevka said. "We could go to any city in the U.S. and they knew us."

The swing band's horn section will teach one of the festival's free clinics at noon on Aug. 23. "I've been teaching trumpet since I've been about 15," Marhevka said.

Park City Jazz Festival
When: Today at 3:30 p.m., Aug. 23 at 2 p.m., Aug. 24 at 1 p.m.
Where: Deer Valley Resort, 2250 Deer Valley Drive, Park City
Tickets: Each day general admission is $45. Children 12 and younger are free. $25 general admission tickets for locals (residents of Summit and Wasatch counties) are available in limited quantities. Call 435-940-1362 or go online at www.parkcityjazz.org for tickets.

Lineup of performers

Friday, Aug. 22: 3:30 p.m. Doors open; 4:30 p.m. Pat Carnahan Quartet; 5:30 p.m. Joshua Redman; 7 p.m. Park City All-Star Band with special guest Christian McBride; 8 p.m. Blues Traveler
Sat., Aug. 23: 2 p.m. Doors open; 3 p.m. Little Big Band; 4 p.m. Anna Wilson; 5:15 p.m. Los Hombres C; 6:45 p.m. Crescent Super Band with special guest Stefon Harris; 7:30 p.m. Student scholarship and merit awards; 7:45 p.m. Big Bad Voodoo Daddy
Sun., Aug. 24: 1 p.m. Doors open; 1:30 p.m. Four Corners; 2:30 p.m. Papa Grows Funk; 3:45 p.m. Blind Boys of Alabama; 5 p.m. Javon Jackson with Les McCann; 6:15 p.m. The Rippingtons

Clinic schedule

All clinics are free and held Aug. 23, at Ecker Hill Middle School, 2465 Kilby Road, Park City. You may preregister by calling 435-940-1362.
10 a.m.: Bill Summers (percussion) presents: "Clave Is the Key," Ecker Hill Auditorium; Christian Sands (piano) presents: Musical Ingredients for Success," Clinic Room 1; Maurice Brown (trumpet) presents: "Hip to Bop: Combining Modern Elements with the Traditional," Clinic Room 2
11 a.m,: Stefon Harris (mallets) presents: "Evolution: Developing a Musical Vocabulary," Ecker Hill Auditorium; Javon Jackson (sax) presents: "Improve Your Improv," Clinic Room 1; Lars Yorgason (voice) presents: "Understanding Vocal Jazz Stylings," Clinic Room 2
12 p.m.: Christian McBride (bass) presents: "Say It Loud: Preparing to Perform With Confidence," Ecker Hill Auditorium; Big Bad Voodoo Daddy Horns (horns) present: "The Art of Section Playing," Clinic Room 1

Not broken, but fixed

Staffer Maria Villasenor was at the Gallivan Center Thursday night, and here is her report:

Broken Social Scene and its revolving line up of guest musicians obviously had their fans in the Gallivan Center crowd, but they also brought new ones into the fold by the end of their set.
"I love it when there's a free concert and the band is awesome," the shimmying woman holding a beer told her fella.
The Canadian outfit filled their nearly hour-and-a-half set with (what seemed to be) old favorites, a new song, a group therapy session involving the audience to scream together, a one-song encore, and a two-song jam session after they announced the end to the show and the lead singer lingered around to tinker on the keyboards.

Jason Schwartzman is missing

Phantom Planet will be at In the Venue in downtown Salt Lake City on Sept. 19. It's a Friday night, so there are no excuses.

Here's the press release:

Fueled By Ramen recording group Phantom Planet will set out on a trek this fall with The Rocket Summer, and will perform at In The Venue on September 19th.

The band recently released their label debut, "RAISE THE DEAD," to enthusiastic reviews. Alternative Press hailed it as "Phantom Planet's best," calling it "insistent," "spirited," and "brilliant." Rolling Stone gave it three-and-a-half stars, calling the title track "the best Strokes song in years," Spin and Entertainment Weekly also gave the album great reviews.

Phantom Planet recently wrapped The Honda Civic Tour with Panic At The Disco, and are currently out with Paramore. They recently performed live on both the Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson and Jimmy Kimmel Live!

"RAISE THE DEAD" is Phantom Planet's fourth full-length collection, following 1998's highly praised "PHANTOM PLANET IS MISSING," 2002's "THE GUEST" (which included the now-classic "California," the theme song to Fox's The O.C.), and 2004's "PHANTOM PLANET."

Ticket info is forthcoming, but it will probably be listed at SmithsTix.

Archulotta

David Archuleta's first single, "Crush," has rushed up the charts and is now the No. 2 song in the nation, Billboard reports this week. It is second only to Rihanna's "Disturbia."

Three times a lady

SmithsTix is offering a reduced price for admission to the Utah State Fair, If you get them at SmithsTix (467-8499), the cost is $6, instead of $8 if you just show up at the Fair and pay to get in.

The service charge will only be 25 cents.

The Fair features plenty of musical acts, with all of the acts (except for "High School Musical" Vanessa Hudgen) performing "free" along with paid admission.

One of the highlights should be stars-in-the-making Lady Antebellum (left), a country trio whose debut album debuted at No. 4 on the Billboard charts, an unheard-of- number for a debuting artist.

Lady Antebellum is Sept. 13 at the grandstand.

Not so Nas-ty price

For today only, until 5 p.m., tickets for Nas' Friday performance at Harry O's in Park City will be $35, down from the original price of $45.

Nas' latest album debuted at No. 1, perhaps helped by the controversy that accompanied his choice of as title. He wanted to call the album a six-letter word that starts with the letter "N," and that drew protests from everyone from Bill O'Reilly to Jesse Jackson. Bowing to record label pressure, Nas decided to release the album as "Untitled." The cover of the album still shows his back, with whipping wounds reminiscent of slavery. His first single, "Hero," was also an attack on the music industry for stifling the creativity of an artist.

If you miss Nas Friday night, be sure to catch GZA of the Wu-Tang Clan at the Urban Lounge next Friday, when he will perform his classic album "Liquid Swords" in its entirety.

Note: if you plan on going to Harry O's, just know that doors open at 9 p.m. and artists are known to appear on stage after 11 p.m.

R.I.P LeRoi Moore

Saxophonist LeRoi Moore of the Dave Matthews Band died Tuesday, but if Tuesday's show is any indication, the band will make its scheduled appearance in West Valley City on Aug. 27.

Moore was in an ATV accident on his farm in June, and initially the injuries were not thought to be life-threatening. But he took a turn for the worse and died at a Los Angeles hospital Tuesday.

After learning of their band member's death, the band went ahead with its show at Los Angeles' Staple Center Tuesday night. Matthews called Jones a "dear friend."

KT A-OK

KT Tunstall (right) performs at Red Butte Garden tonight at 7 p.m., but it is sold-out.

If you don't feel like paying a scalper (who most likely won't share his proceeds with the non-profit Red Butte Garden), the Avett Brothers perform at The Depot tonight at 8 p.m.

Tickets for the Avett Brothers are $20 at SmithsTix.

The Avett Brothers are two brothers and two non-brothers from North Carolina. Seth Avett and Scott Avett play the guitar and banjo, Bob Crawford plays stand-up bass, and Jo Kwon plays the cello.

The band just went to Jackson Hole over the weekend for the inaugural Jackson Hole Music Featival, where they appeared with The Black Crowes, Son Volt, Wilco and Brian Wilson, among others. A fellow staffer made the trek and said that it was surprisingly a well-run festival, which hopefully will be held next year, when gas prices are lower (or $5 a gallon).

The Avett Brothers aren't quite bluegrass, but more of a rootsy Americana band. They won the Americana Music Association Duo/Group of the Year and New/Emerging Artist of the Year awards in November of last year.

Smokin' bluegrass

Contemporary Americana/bluegrass band Old Crow Medicine Show returns to The Depot on Nov. 18, one year after playing to a packed crowd at the same venue.

Tickets go onsale this Friday at SmithsTix outlets and the Depot's box office. Prices are $22.50 in advance and $25 the day of.

Here's Old Crow Medicine Show:

Wilco means Will Comply in the military

Wilco demonstrated why they are a hard band to categorize Monday at a galvanizing concert at Red Butte Garden.

The sextet upended diehard fans' expectations in exciting and fascinating ways, making the two-and-one-half-hour show one of the best - if not the best - show of the summer.

Wilco is writer and guitarist Jeff Tweedy's band, created in the wake of the dissolution of Uncle Tupelo, a pioneering alt-country band of the early 1990s. With its first two albums, "A.M." and "Being There," Wilco stayed the course with its country influences, but since then the band has blazed its own rock 'n' roll path that borders on avant-garde.

Monday's concert showed Wilco at its best, with Tweedy just one member of an impressive band of four guitarists, a keyboardist and drummer. On record, Tweedy writes accessible songs with unusual song structures and sonic landscapes. Live, the band was determined to add a different spin on the songs, whether it was adding an organ solo to "California Stars," four band members playing percussion on the opening of "Airline to Heaven," or power chords to an epic version of "Spiders (Kidsmoke)."

As a result, the concert was a rock show featuring unique versions of songs from Wilco's first album to their latest, "Sky Blue Sky." Many of the 23 songs were stretched in length and devolved into feedback, with band members smiling and seeming to actually enjoy playing songs they have played hundreds of times before.

Tweedy can be known for a surly attitude, but the summer breeze and beautiful surroundings seemed to inspire good humor. Early on, he jokingly called the venue "Red Butt Observatory." At one point, he addressed the freeloading audience on a hill behind the venue to watch out for bobcats, and later called the concert a "very idyllic night." He even attempted to insert the words "Salt Lake City" (instead of Peking) into the show's closer, "Kingpin."

Best of all, the band played two encores, with the first encore set employing five songs and the second encore including three, including the beloved but seldom-played "Passenger Side." The song's written from the perspective of someone who has had his license revoked for drunk driving, and is thus always riding on the passenger side: " You're gonna make me spill my beer / If you don't learn how to steer."

The set and lighting themselves were bare-bones, but no one minded. Red Butte Garden proved again that it is one of the best venues to see a show, with impeccable sound and seating that allowed every person a clear sightline to the stage, where the musicians were all the pyrotechnics the show needed.

Set list:
Remember the Mountain Bed
You Are My Face
Hummingbird
I Am Trying to Break Your Heart
Handshake Drugs
A Shot in the Arm
Side With the Seeds
Via Chicago
Impossible Germany
Hell is Chrome
Airline to Heaven
Jesus Etc.
California Stars
Summerteeth
Theologians
Spiders (Kidsmoke)

First encore: Hate It Here, Walken, I'm the Man Who Loves You, Monday, Outtasite (Outta Mind)

Second encore: Passenger Side, Heavy Metal Drummer, Kingpin

Bust a nut

World tours start in lots of places: New York, Los Angeles, Miami.

But not too many start in Salt Lake City.

But that's where Tesla is beginning its world tour.

Tesla will play The Depot at the Gateway on Oct. 1. Tickets go onsale this Friday at 10 a.m. at all SmithsTix outlets. (You can also call 467-TIXX or go online.)

Tesla's seventh studio album, "Forever More," comes out Oct. 7, so Salt Lake City will be among the first to hear the Sacramento-based multi-platinum rockers play their new stuff.

But there's no shame in going to The Depot and screaming out requests for their hits: "Love Song," "Signs" (a cover), "The Way It Is," "What You Give." Especially "Love Song." I know, I know, it's not representative of what Tesla is, but it's a sweet song. Perfect for the lighter, if only The Depot was a non-smoking venue. The new iPhone (which I don't own) has a video image of a lighter, though.

Jeremiah was a bull frog

Three Dog Night will kick off SCERA's 75th anniversary with a Labor Day (Sept. 1) concert in Orem at the SCERA Shell Outdoor Theatre (745 S. State St., Orem).

Tickets are $15 for adults and $10 for children ages 3-11, seniros 65 and older, and students with ID. Patrons can bring a blanket or rent a first-come, first-served chair for $1. The reserved seating areas are already sold out to the Orem muckety-mucks. Tickets are available from 10 a.m to 6 p.m. weekdays at the SCERA Cenyer, 745 S. State St., Orem, or by calling 225-ARTS or going online at www.scera.org. A limited amount will be available at the gate.

According to SCCERA's Website, "Founded in 1933, SCERA is a non-profit charitable arts organization dedicated to the development and advancement of arts and culture, arts education, and wholesome and affordable family entertainment. Our goal is to 'enrich the mind, touch the soul and unify the family.'" I still can't figure out what SCERA is an acronym for, though.

Three Dog Night is known for "Joy to the World," "Mama Told Me (Not to Come)," and "Easy to be Hard." They had 21 consecutive top-40 hits. Three of the band members are original.

Gratuitous photo alert

The 36th annual Snowbird Oktoberfest begins this Saturday.

In the past, as many as 70,000 people have attended the Oktoberfests at Snowbird every Saturday and Sunday between Aug. 23 and Oct. 5. (It is also open on Labor Day.)

Each day there will be live music, dancing, authentic German food (bratwurst, sauerkraut, apple strudel, pretzels and Bavarian roasted almonds) and children’s activities, with musical acts including The Bavarians and Salzburger Echo. There will also be "Der Marktplatz," with more than 35 local and regional artists displaying handmade arts and crafts. (I don't know if "Der Marktplatz" is a German phrase.)

Best of all, local Utah breweries will also be featured.

Admission to Oktoberfest is free. Hours are noon to 6 p.m.

Visitors can also catch the Alp Horns on Hidden Peak throughout Oktoberfest. A Tram pass is $18 per day or $12 for a single ride. The Tram, Peruvian Express Chairlift and Tunnel will be open for rides throughout Oktoberfest. Other activities include a new four-station climbing wall, ZipRider, Alpine Slide, Bungy Trampoline, inflatables, mechanical bull, horseback and ATV tours, mountain biking and scooters, and lots of hiking options. All-day activity passes are $36 for adults and $19 for children under 75 lbs. If you an adult and weigh under 75 lbs, please eat some bratwurst.

Roger Wilco

Wilco plays tonight at Red Butte Garden, with opening act Fleet Foxes. That show is sold out, but a show that is not sold out tonight is Jack Johnson at Usana Amphitheatre:

Cray-ve

Acclaimed bluesman Robert Cray and his band will be at The Depot in downtown Salt Lake City on Tuesday, Sept. 30.

Tickets go onsale this Friday (Aug. 22) at 10 a.m. at all SmithsTix outlets. They cost $32, not counting service charges.

Fun facts about Cray:
-- He was won five Grammys
-- Has been nominated 16 times for Grammys
-- His publicist said "Cray's band rocks and wails and plunges way down to the bottom of the blues well."
-- He's 55 years old
-- His first band was named "Steakface"
-- In "Animal House," Cray plays the bassist in Otis Day and the Knights
-- Some of the gigs that made him successful was opening for Eric Clapton in the 1980s

Cruisin'

Kevin Cruise, music director of KUUU-FM in Salt Lake City, has been nominated by the music industry trade publication "Radio & Records" for its 2008 Industry Achievement Awards.

He has been nominated by his peers for Music Director of the Year along with five other music directors from hip-hop stations across the nation.

"I know everyone says it, but it truly is an honor to be mentioned with the other nominees," Cruise said in a press release. "[The other nominees] are not only friends but also ... people I highly respect in the music industry. I'm just honored to be placed among such a great group of people."

Past winners of the Music Director of the Year awards have been directors in Los Angeles and Chicago. This year, Cruise is up against music directors from New York City, Boston and Denver, among others.

You can listen to Kevin locally afternoons on U92.

Twlight's twilight

Just a few thoughts about Thursday night's Twilight Concert Series show, which I didn't formally review because it was too crowded:

-- Delta Spirit, right, was the definite highlight of the show for me, including their ending number. The San Diego band did well trying to convince the crowd that it was an Appalachian band that happened to play electric guitars instead of banjos, and I mean that in the best way possible. The singer has obviously grown up listening to Bob Dylan records, and I mean that, too, in the best way possible. I can't wait until Aug. 26, when their new album "Ode to Sunshine" comes out.

-- I was disappointed by the headliner, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, which a friend told me was akin to "Crap Your Pants Say Yeah." With bad haircuts (almost as bad as mine) and no stage energy, the band seemed to be trying too hard to be weird or the next Sonic Youth. The sound was muddy and besides, there can only be one Sonic Youth.

But hey, the night was free, and despite the crowds, it was a great night. It's a great atmosphere and I hope the shows continue for many summers to come.

Too bad it's sold-out

Even Fleet Foxes are staggered they're opening for Wilco at Red Butte Garden Monday.

"Everything is unbelievable," said Robin Pecknold, Fleet Foxes frontman.

The band further expresses its disbelief on its MySpace site. Upcoming shows they are booked for, supporting Wilco four times, include comments from the band, such as "How did we get here, seriously, what is going on," "Shock, disbelief," "Still flabbergasted," and "WTF?????"

But some Utahns are just as excited to see the Fleet Foxes as they are to see alt-country heroes Wilco, especially because Fleet Foxes had to cancel a show at Kilby Court last month at the last minute.

"Our fan belt broke [near Denver]," Pecknold said of the band's Dodge van. "The water pump too. And the radiator."

As a result, the band will perform in Utah for the first time since the June release of its full-length, self-titled debut. Music critics have dubbed the band the "It" band of the moment, ending the reign of Vampire Weekend.

Like Vampire Weekend, Fleet Foxes sound like nothing else out there right now.

Becknold described the band as producing "baroque harmonic pop" songs, which only begin to tell the story. All of the band members sing together, producing five-part harmonies that soar above the spare, acoustic folk background, reminiscent of the best tunes from Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young. But there is a haunting immediacy of the songs although they seem to be from another era, with titles such as "Tiger Mountain Peasant Song."

"I grew up listening to a lot of 60s folk music and musicals," Pecknold said, adding that he enjoyed Joni Mitchell and Beach Boys records laying around his house when he was younger. "I mean, who hasn't?"

Coalescing the sound Pecknold and his band mates heard in their head was difficult as the band started to record its debut, he said. "It came fairly late [into the recording process]," he said. "It was stumbling toward it."

Now that the record is out, Pecknold said the band will attempt to closely match the sound of the album to the sound of them, live.

"Making the record, we weren't trying to fill it with 100 things we couldn't do live," he said.

Son rises tonight

Son Volt plays tonight at the Paladium (tickets are $25 at SmithsTix) and Wilco plays Aug. 18, both in Salt Lake City, with both alt-country bands also playing the Jackson Hole Music Festival this weekend.

So fans might ask if the timing is ripe for an Uncle Tupelo reunion.

Not so fast.

Son Volt is led by Jay Farrar and Wilco is led by Jeff Tweedy, founders of the influential country-rock pioneers Uncle Tupelo in the early 1990s. The band broke up acrimoniously, and it seems the two still share enmity.
But bad times inspire good music.

Farrar's Son Volt has carried the torch lit by Uncle Tupelo, while Wilco has leaned more toward experimental rock lately. Son Volt will be in the recording studio this fall, and the only thing Farrar can promise is that he is "keeping the synthesizers" away.

Until about two years ago, it seemed that Son Volt had run its course, as its country-rock and Farrar's deep, one-octave baritone led its record label to drop it in 1999, despite 1995's college-radio hit "Drown." Farrar worked on well-received solo albums and seemed content.

But he formed a new incarnation of the band in late 2006, and in March 2007 released its fourth album, "The Search." Although horns and the kitchen sink added new dimensions to the mix, the sound was still distinctly Son Volt, heavily influenced by the Sun and Volt records of an earlier era (hence the name). He said he loved the band dynamic and hated being away from healthy collaboration.

Farrar said he is also in the midst of recording an album of Woody Guthrie covers in his Gob Iron side project. He said he has wanted to do Guthrie songs since 1996, when there was a possibility he would become involved with folk singer Billy Bragg's acclaimed "Mermaid Avenue" sessions, where forgotten Guthrie lyrics were given song arrangements. Tweedy and Wilco ended up collaborating with Bragg on the project, Farrar said, because "I wasn't quite the opportunist that [Tweedy] was."

One thing Farrar remembers fondly about Utah is the Red Iguana restaurant. He plans to not just visit the place, but "I think we're going to live there."

With a solo acoustic set, Bobby Bare Jr. will open for Son Volt. The son of the famous country singer Bobby Bare, he was nonimated, along with his father, for a Grammy in the early 1970s for a rendition of Shel Silverstein's "Daddy What If."

Despite that early exposure, Bare told The Tribune that his parents tried to shield him from the music business, especially when the producers of "Hee Haw" wanted to cast him and his brother in the show.

Bare never appeared on "Hee Haw," but expressed affection for the Bakersfield Sound; Bakersfield's favorite son Buck Owens was on "Hee Haw," and "I dig the Buck Owens stuff," Bare said.

Besides being a prolific recording artist, Bare is a much-in-demand producer, having just finished sessions with My Morning Jacket, and is planning work with Emmylou Harris and Alison Krauss.

Here's Bobby Bare Jr.'s first appearance on a record:

Counting Crowes

The Black Crowes (left) play in Jackson Hole this weekend, but unlike Son Volt and Wilco, they aren't stopping in Utah on the way there or on the way back to where they came from.

Here are some A & E options for the weekend:

Jackson Hole Music Festival
Sure, it's a drive, but the impressive lineup for this inaugural festival looks worth the gas bill. On Saturday, performers include Wilco and Brian Wilson, and on Sunday it will be The Black Crowes, Son Volt, Ben Harper & the Innocent Criminals and the Avett Brothers.
When: Aug. 17 and 18; venue opens each day at 10 a.m.
Where: Teton Village, Jackson Hole, Wyoming
Tickets: Two-day passes are $130; single-day passes are $72.50; available at www.jacksonholemusicfestival.com

Rick DellaRatta
New York-based jazz pianist, singer and composer Rick DellaRatta performs a benefit concert for Habitat for Humanity of Weber and Davis counties.
When: Aug. 16 at 6 p.m.
Where: Peery's Egyptian Theatre, 2415 Washington Blvd., Ogden
Tickets: $35 at www.jazzforpeace.org or at the door

Slippery Kittens Burlesque
The only Utah act to break the top 40 on this season's NBC show "America's Got Talent," these nine women formed their troupe two years ago to perform their avant-garde and sexy burlesque acts. The Hoff loves 'em.
When: Aug. 16. Doors open at 8 p.m.
Where: Bar Deluxe, 666 S. State St., Salt Lake City
Tickets: $10 at SmithsTix

Rodney Carrington
Comedian and musician Rodney Carrington sold out two of his three shows at Wendover, with tickets for a matinee show still available. The star of the ABC sitcom "Rodney" is now in Toby Keith's limited-release film, "Beer For My Horses."
When: Aug. 17 at 4 p.m.
Where: Peppermill Concert Hall, 1045 Wendover Blvd., Wendover
Tickets: $35 to $70 at wendoverfun.com or by calling 800-537-0207

Here's Rodney with "Today's The Day My Wife Met My Girlfriend":

Thursday night's alright for rocking

Clap Your Hands Say Yeah and Delta Spirit are playing tonight in a rock-based show at the free Twilight Concert Series concert, free at the Gallivan Center and starting at 7 p.m.

Here are the furnished bios from each band:

Indie rockers Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, from Brooklyn/Philadelphia were touted as the hottest unsigned band in the U.S. in 2005. Their self-titled debut was self-produced, self-released, self-promoted, and self-distributed, with a great deal of help from the grassroots indie blog machine. Rolling Stone championed the cause by heralding the group as “Hot New Band” for 2005 and by the end of the year, CYHSY signed with U.K. based Wichita Recordings. In 2006, the group, with their new label, leaked out a few EPs before they hit the shelves with their second full-length album, Some Loud Thunder, in 2007. Band members are; Alec Ounsworth, Lee Sargent, Robbie Guertin, Tyler Sargent and Sean Greenhalgh.

After the San Diego-based emo outfit Noise Ratchet called it quits in 2004, co-founders Jon Jameson and Brandon Young decided to ditch their punk-influenced songwriting for something more soulful and rootsy. The two left Rick Rubin's American label and joined forces with Matthew Vasquez, Sean Walker, and Kelly Winrich to form Delta Spirit. Pitching their style between the indie rock and alt-country camps, the group issued the “I Think I've Found It” EP in 2006 and hit the road alongside Cold War Kids and Dr. Dog. A self-released full-length effort, “Ode to Sunshine,” followed.

Here is Clap Your Hands Say Yeah:

Here is Delta Spirit:

Rage at DNC

For those going to Denver for the Democratic National Convention, Rage Against the Machine will perform as part of the "Tent State Music Festival to End the War" on Wednesday, Aug. 27 at the Denver Coliseum.

RATM will be joined by the Flobots, The Coup, State Radio and Wayne Kramer. Doors open at 9:30 a.m., with the show at 11 a.m. (Yes, it is in the a.m.) Iraq Veterans Against the War will also be present.

Tickets are free and available by lottery, and you can register at the Tent State University at Cuernavaca Park between 11 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. on each day between Aug. 24 and Aug. 26.

Go to www.tentstate.org for more information.

Here's a look at what happened when Michael Moore and RATM attempted a similar concert: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jz8wU9DdbqU

Summertime, the living is ... expensive ... and sometimes not

StubHub, a pretty good site for buying and selling concert tickets, published this summer concert info about the most popular tickets sold this summer by the Web site:

"The most inexpensive concert ticket sold this summer was $2 for a middle section ticket to the Dave Matthews Band (right) concert at the DTE Energy Music Theatre in Michigan on June 9. The buyer from California purchased a pair for a total cost of over $4.

The most expensive concert ticket sold this summer was $4,000 for a front-row seat to the Dave Matthews Band concert at Madison Square Garden in New York on September 10. The buyer from Connecticut purchased a pair for a total cost of over $8,000.

Top Five Summer Concerts (Ranked by sales dollar volume)
Rank Band Average Selling Ticket Price
1. Jonas Brothers $159
2. Billy Joel $230
3. Dave Matthews Band $140
4. Jimmy Buffett $122
5. Bruce Springsteen $194

Based on Number of Tickets Sold:
Rank Band Average Selling Ticket Price
1. Dave Matthews Band $140
2. Jimmy Buffett $122
3. Jonas Brothers $159
4. Billy Joel $230
5. Kenny Chesney $163

To use an old headline cliche, "Fiddlin' around"

The American West Heritage Center's Fall Festival will feature two competitions for folks who like folk.

The first is the 8th annual Heritage Old-Time Fiddle Contest, which will be held on Sept. 20. Participants must register by Sept. 15. There are four age divisions, and each participant has to play a waltz, a hoedown and a song of the contestant's choice. And, they have to do all of those within a four-minute time span. Entrance fees are $8 for kids and $11 for adults.

The second is the second annual Folk Band Battle, and bands get between 20-30 minutes to set up, play and take down. There is no entrance fee for any of the bands.

To register, go to the center's Web site at www.awhc.org.

Tokyo to Salt Lake

Tokyo Police Club will be playing a free show at Urban Outfitters at The Gateway on Monday, Sept. 15, at 7 p.m.

The show is a benefit for KRCL as part of the Toyota/Urban Outfitters Free Yr Radio campaign.

If you miss out on the show, you can pay money a few weeks later when the band is touring with Weezer, who are coming to the E Center.

Fun facts about Tokyo Police Club:
1. The band is Canadian, and not Japanese.
2. In 2007, the band played the Coachella music festival, Lollapalooza in Chicago, Bumbershoot in Seattle, and also at the Glastonbury Festival and Reading Festival in England.
3. The band's debut album, "Elephant Shell," was released in April, and debuted at No. 1 in the Billboard Top Heatseekers chart.
4. The band first gained notice with 2006's "A Lesson In Crime" EP, which was only 16 minutes long.
5. The four friends learned to play during senior year and named themselves for a nonsensical lyric from the song that would become track one on their EP.

Radio move, world collapses

In case you have been trying to tune into the Blaze at 94.9 FM and instead heard static, fear not: the station has been moved to 97.5 FM and 105.1 FM. Rock on.

Say it is so on Saturday

Weezer tickets go onsale this Saturday at 10 a.m. at the E Center box office and all Ticketmaster outlets. Tickets are $36.50 to $39.50, so you might as well buy the latter and maybe get a floor spot.

Weezer is being supported by Angels & Airwaves (led by former Blink-182 frontman Tom DeLonge, and above) and Tokyo Police Club (below). The show is Oct. 7 at 7:30 p.m.

Start making sense

David Byrne is one of the acts coming to the Eccles Center this fall, brought to you by the Park City Performing Arts Foundation.

Tickets for Byrne's Oct. 11 show go on sale to foundation members this coming Monday, with tickets only available at first at the temporary box office location at 333 Main St. (inside the mall) or by calling 435-355-3114.

To become a member, you can buy a membership online at the foundation's Web site for $25.

Regular blokes can buy tickets for Byrne beginning Sept. 2.

Magnetic to Utah

Metallica is coming to Utah.

The band, which will be launching its first North American tour in four years, will be at EnergySolutions Arena on Nov. 3, the fifth date of their tour.

The North Californian band will be supporting its new album, "Death Magnetic," which comes out Sept. 12.

Supporting bands are Down and The Sword.

Here's some info from the press release:

News about the album has been flowing out of Metallica's camp via the band's official website ( www.metallica.com ) and a new site, missionmetallica.com, which offers users a unique, ground-breaking look-in on the making of the album with producer Rick Rubin via a treasure trove of exclusive content. Metallica fan club members and users who have a purchased a Platinum-level membership to Mission Metallica will have first crack at purchasing tickets for the tour when they go on sale. Details about on-sale dates will be announced on both websites shortly.

Svelte sweet

Be sure to catch Langhorne Slim at the Urban Lounge tonight at 9 p.m. Tickets are $10 at SmithsTix, and the Urban Lounge (under new ownership after it closed suddenly a few weeks ago) is at 241 S. 500 East in Salt Lake City.

Langhorne, from New York and touring with his band the War Eagles, has opened for Cake, The Avett Brothers (coming to The Depot soon), Murder By Death and The Violent Femmes. Slim's self-titled album came out in April.

While looking on Slim's MySpace page, among the countless, grammatically incorrect kudos from fans, I found this comment: "If men can rule the world, why can't they stop wearing neckties? How intelligent is it to start the day by tying a little noose around your neck?" (spoken by Linda Ellerbee)

Hudgens sued, world collapses

Vanessa Hudgens, star of the "High School Musical" juggernaut, will sing at the Utah State Fair on Sept. 5, but she is not having a fair day, according to this Yahoo! news story:

LOS ANGELES - A music producer has sued Vanessa Hudgens for $5 million, claiming the actress and her father have repeatedly violated a contract and failed to pay him his share of her earnings.

Hudgens, one of the stars of Disney's successful "High School Musical" series, entered into an agreement with producer Johnny Vieira when she was still a minor, the lawsuit, filed in Los Angeles Superior Court on Monday, states. Vieira claims Hudgens and her father, Greg, sued to get out of the agreement, but have also failed to abide by settlement terms.

An e-mail message seeking comment from Hudgens' publicist wasn't immediately returned Tuesday morning.

Vieira is described in the lawsuit as a songwriter and music producer who was "engaged in the business of discovering and developing artists in the music industry" when he entered into an agreement with Hudgens in 2005.

That agreement, Vieira states, called for him to equally share in advances, royalties and merchandising from Hudgens' career.

That was before she landed a starring role in "High School Musical," which is scheduled to release its third installment later this year.

Taylor-made nation

It's been announced that Taylor Swift will release her long-awaited sophomore album "Fearless" on Nov. 11, just a month after her 19th birthday.

All 13 songs are written or co-written by Swift, a strategy she employed to financial success on her debut self-titled album. which turned her into a crossover star of the likes of Carrie Underwood.

On Aug. 22 (my birthday), the new album will be available for a special pre-sale on the soon-to-be-launched Web site www.TheTaylorNation.com. Swift's publicist says a "very unique opportunity will exist for Taylor's biggest fans to have their own picture included in the album network and on the package's CD-ROM. There will be a special deluxe box set edition ... available that includes the CD, a "Fearless" leather bracelet, a "Fearless" t-shirt, a "Fearless" picture book and a "Taylor Nation" decal. The first 10,000 fans who purchase the limited box set and upload their photos will have their pictures included in a mosaic image in the album artwork."

Um, I probably would just like a bunch of pics of Taylor.

TRAX ticket to ride

Jesse McCartney, performing tonight with Jordan Sparks at Abravanel Hall, is not related to the other McCartney, but you couldn't be blamed for thinking he is related to Sir Paul.

That's because Jesse McCartney is the co-writer of one of the biggest songs on the planet, "Bleeding Love," by Leona Lewis.

Not bad for a 21-year-old known mostly for being a teenage heartthrob on shows such as "Summerland," "All My Children" and "Hannah Montana." "You never know what will be huge and what will never be heard," said McCartney, who will co-headline an Aug. 11 show at Abravanel Hall with "American Idol" winner Jordin Sparks.

McCartney wrote the song with another hot songwriter, Ryan Tedder, who fronts OneRepublic. Tedder has a long history of penning songs for other artists before his own band hit it big with "Apologize" - currently being performed by David Archuleta on the "American Idols LIVE Tour" - and "Stop and Stare."

It was the first song the pair wrote together, during a session writing for McCartney's album. First legendary music industy exec Clive Davis heard it, then Simon Cowell, the influential "Americal Idol" judge, passed it along to his mentee, young British singer Leona Lewis. "We thought Leona was a good choice," McCartney understated.

McCartney doesn't sing the song on his latest album, "Departure," but it's included as a bonus track on international editions of the album.

This will be the first co-headlining tour for McCartney, who broke out musically with his R&B-flavored pop hit "Beautiful Soul" in 2004. He said he is excited to tour with Sparks, who not only won "American Idol" but has become an established pop singer with recent hits like "Tattoo" and "No Air."

"She's an incredible performer," McCartney said. "She knows how to entertain the crowd."

While music has taken a front seat, McCartney still acts, and just signed a deal to reprise the voice of Theodore in the film "Alvin and the Chipmunks 2." He said appearing on "Hannah Montana" gained him new fans. "I see 4-year-olds jumping out of their car seats [now]," he said.

Jesse McCartney and Jordin Sparks

When: Tonight at 7:30 p.m.
Where: Abravanel Hall, 123 W. South Temple, Salt Lake City
Tickets: $29.50 to $39.50 at Arttix.org or by calling 801-355-ARTS

Cavedoll coming out of the cave

Salt Lake City's Cavedoll is just one of the bands performing at this Septmeber's Green Desert Festival.

The three-day festival (Sept. 19 to Sept. 21) will take place on the Green Desert Ranch, which is five miles outside of Eureka, Utah. Don't ask me where Eureka is; I'm from California. Just kidding. It's in Juab County. Don't ask me where Juab County is; I'm from California. I'm not kidding this time.

Over 25 artists are slated to perform, including Cavedoll, The Gorgeous Hussies, Junior Giant, The Rotten Musicians, Lost By Reason, Elemental, Brett Turner, The Ambiguous Yum Yums, Areinette, Born to Ride, Red Caps, Suburban Boredumb, Melody, Tyler Forsburg, Muhaw, Big Black Sky Sun, Melissa Warner, Swudgie, Mariellon, Monarch, Triggers and Slips, Katie McMinn, Medicine Circusm Atilast, Libbie Linton, For Fairweather, Sober Down and Drop Dead Julio. (I cannot guarantee the spelling of each of those, especially Swudgie and Muhaw.)

Tickets are priced at $20 until Aug. 31. On Sept. 1, tickets are $30. One-day tickets will be sold for $20. Tickets are available at Slowtrain, Shear Ecstasy Hair and Acoustic Music, all in Salt Lake City.

I ran into the founder Robert Anderson at Liquid Joe's Friday night, where we were both checking out The Gorgeous Hussies, back on tour after a nine-month hiatus to record an album. Anderson and I both dug the Hussies, who are neither gorgeous nor husses, but three guys with facial hair who used looping to make the trio sound much larger.

If you're not watching NBC this weekend ...

The Band of Annuals' concert at Snowbird tonight has been canceled because of weather, but there are other good shows on tap this weekend. Here are some notable shows, though with some I can't vouch for the quality ...

Corbin Bleu
Corbin Bleu, 19-year-old star of the "High School Musical" franchise, headlines this year's Weber County Fair. Bleu has been accepted to Stanford University, but turned down the famed school to continue acting and singing.
When: Tonight at 7
Where: Weber County Fair, 1000 N. 1200 West, Ogden
Tickets: $25 and $20 at SmithsTix

Women's Redrock Music Festival
This second annual festival features local favorites as well as nationally known singer-songwriters. Martine Locke headlines tonight at 9:40, and Melissa Ferrick headlines Aug. 9 at 8 p.m. Other performers throughout the weekend include Mary Tebbs, Wishing Chair, Jill Knight, Gearl Jam and Lost by Reason.
When: Today at 5 p.m. and Aug. 9 at noon
Where: Robber's Roost Bookstore Outdoor Venue, 185 W. Main St., Torrey
Tickets: today, $20; Aug. 9, $35. Two-day tickets are $45. Available at Utah Pride Center, 361 N. 300 West, Salt Lake City or at redrockwomensfest.com

Marcus
West Jordan's Marcus finished in the top 2 of this season's NBC reality show "Last Comic Standing," where he showed that he is more than just a standard impressionist. He integrates 1,000 voices with his material, as displayed in a recent performance on the show when he aped Eddie Vedder's guttural, indecipherable singing on the Pearl Jam hit "Even Flow."
When: Aug. 9 at 8 and 10 p.m.
Where: Ogden Wiseguys Comedy Cafe, 269 Historic 25th St., Ogden
Also: Wiseguys in West Valley City, 3500 S. 2200 West; Aug. 10, 8 p.m.
Tickets: $20 at SmithsTix

Kottonmouth Kings
Kottonmouth Kings are a California rocking hip-hop band named for the taste in your mouth after ingesting marijuana. The band's 2007 album, "Cloud Nine," reached a peak of No.44 on the Billboard album chart.Tech N9ne, Sen Dog, Hed PE and X Clan are also on the bill.
When: Aug. 9 at 7 p.m.
Where: Saltair, 12408 W. Saltair Drive, Magna
Tickets: $30 in advance, $35 day of, at SmithsTix

Greg Brown and Iris DeMent
Alejandro Escovedo had to bow out of this concert because of exhaustion, but Greg Brown, his wife Iris Dement, and his daughter Pieta more than make up for it. Iris DeMent is an acclaimed folk artist of her own, and Brown is an Iowa-based, folk-rocking singer-songwriter who has been profiled in The New Yorker. His songs have been covered by such performers as Willie Nelson, Jack Johnson, Carlos Santana, Ani DiFranco and Joan Baez.
When: Aug. 10 at 7 p.m.
Where: Red Butte Garden, 300 Wakara Way, Salt Lake City
Tickets: garden members $24, public $29, children $20 at redbuttegarden.org

Here's Iris singing a Greg Brown song:

Must see TV, I guess

West Jordan's Marcus will find out if he is indeed the "Last Comic Standing" tonight on NBC at 7 p.m.

Actually, he probably won't find out until about 8:29 p.m., as he and we will have to suffer through a bloated results show.

On the bright side, Joel McHale from "The Soup" is scheduled to make an appearance during the show. "Mankini," unfortunately, will not be there.

Also on NBC tonight is "America's Got Talent." A NBC publicist called me today to tell me to make sure I watch the show, since someone from Utah makes the top 40, announced tonight. Great. Now I have to watch another NBC show tonight. (Rumor has it that our town's burlesque troupe gets the go-ahead.)

So, tonight looks like a night of watching NBC, which I am sure won't hesitate to remind me 8,888 times that the Olympics start Friday. I mean, I plan on watching the Olympics every night for the next 16 days, but I was hoping I didn't have to watch it for 17 nights.

I mean, c'mon, isn't there something on PBS worth watching? Or MTV? Or C-SPAN?

Fite is Popular like Pee Wee Herman

Tonight is Nada Surf and Tim Fite (right) at the Gallivan Center's "Twilight Concert Series," beginning at 7 p.m.

Nada Surf recorded the summer song of 1996, "Popular," a sarcastic anthem advising high-schoolers on how to be a BMOC. Fite was half of Little-T and One Track Mike, who early in this decade released the MTV hit "Shaniqua," with the unforgettable chorus of "Shaniqua don't live here no mo' / Is Shaniqua there? / Hell no!"

"We were [expletive] stunned," Nada Surf drummer Ira Elliot said of "Popular" becoming, well, popular.

Nada Surf singer and guitarist Matthew Caws told The Salt Lake Tribune he considered "Popular" as just a novelty song. It originally was a duet before the producer eliminated the female vocals and told him, "This is a pop single."

As for Fite, being part of Little-T and One Track Mike was a "summer job," he said. He hasn't kept in contact much with One Track Mike, instead focusing on his own unique take on hip-hop that features his Southern drawl (though he's from New Jersey).

It ultimately isn't important that his genre and Nada Surf's genre clash, Fite said. "Our show is about togetherness."

Leftover misspellings

Ever heard to the bluegrass supergroup Emmitt-Nershi Band?

Apparently no one in Park City has.

SmithsTix offered tickets for their Thursday show at Harry O's for the absurdly low price of $7. (The original price was $15.) I meant to post this info Wednesday, but our blogging program was down.

To add insult to injury, the show poster for the band even misspells the band's name, labeling the band as "Emmitt Nirshey."

The band features Drew Emmitt from Leftover Salmon and Billy Nershi from the String Cheese Incident.

Harry O's is at 427 Main St. in Park City, and shows there routinely start after 11 p.m. That's not so-super, especially on a school night. But "Last Comic Standing" will be over by then, at least, so we can see if Utah's Marcus gets the shaft like Archuleta did.

Who let these dogs out?

AOL Music and AOL Radio just came out with the worst 111 songs of all time (not counting the years from the dawn of man to about 1960). The editors there decided to decide, and didn't bother to ask fans, but I think they did a pretty good job. I would have added some Jimmy Buffett and Eagles, but otherwise they did good.

No. 1 was the obvious choice, "Who Let the Dogs Out?" by Baha Men.

Here's the rest of the top (or worst):

2. "Ice, Ice, Baby," Vanilla Ice
3. "She Bangs," Ricky Martin
4. "Barbie Girl," Aqua
5. "Can't Touch This," MC Hammer
6. "I Am Woman," Helen Redey
7. "I'm Too Sexy," Right Said Fred
8. "Ebony and Ivory," Paul McCartney and Stevie Wonder
9. "Macarena," Los Del Rio
10. "My Heart Will Go On," Celine Dion
11. "Wannabe," Spice Girls

Others on the top 20: "Arms Wide Open," "Hollback Girl," "Achy Breaky Heart," "Rico Suave," "Getting Jiggy Wit It," and "Superbowl Shuffle."

For those about to rock air guitar

D.R.U.S.A. will represent Salt Lake City this Friday as he attempts to win the 2008 Cuervo Black U.S. Air Guitar Championships at San Francisco’s Grand Ballroom. With 23 other regional finalists, Salt Lake City's Drew Simonsen will vie for the ultimate rock and roll distinction: The 2008 Cuervo Black U.S. Air Guitar Champion.

This year, the U.S. Air Guitar regional championships has expanded to 24 major tournaments, and 24 regional winners will try to win the U.S. title so he or she can represent the U.S. at the World Air Guitar Championships in Finland later this month.

D.R.U.S.A. will be judged in three key judging categories: technical merit, stage presence and airness, the most intangible and essential skill in this rocking art form. The Championship Finals consist of two rounds, during which each contestant will be judged by a panel of air guitar experts. In Round One, each regional rock star will perform one minute of a song of their choice. In Round Two, the top competitors from Round One will perform to a surprise compulsory song. The only rule: all guitars must be invisible.

KC Hensley, from Boise, competed against D.R.U.S.A. in July at the regionals and had this to say this week: "D.R.U.S.A. is the class act of air guitar USA. I think the reason [he] won is for a couple reasons. 1. I went first and got screwed by the judges and 2. he was the most innovative contestant besides me! He came down on a motorcycle for rock's sake! He came well-prepared and had a good showing. In San Francisco he will be up against some crazy people with even crazier skills on the air guitar. I think he has a slight chance at winning. He needs to concentrate on his energy on stage and make the crowd and judges instantly love him. Who doesn't love an American that rocks a U.S. Flag for a bandanna, especially when this is to go represent the USA in the world championships. I've seen alot of video of other contestants from around the world and I think any American is better than them. I mean the winner last year played an Offspring song and everyone knows Offspring sucks! ... In describing [Drew's] airness I would have to use the adjective 'innovative.' He is always looking for something crazy to do. From riding in on a motorcycle to jumping off a huge stack of speakers he will find anything that will give a shock factor to the crowd. I hope him the best and want Drew to know that next year I'm going to give him a run for his money. Condor [my alias] will return for some air guitar wickedness and hopefully next year SLC will have a good crowd out to see the air guitar show. Next year I hope it sells out. "

Jared Hallock, also from Boise, was another competitor. He said, Hhe deserved to win. When I saw him ride his motorcycle down to the stage I knew it was all over. For the most part I am not sure I agree with the judges, but nobody else should have won besides him ... so i guess it turned out OK. I can only hope to convince him to do a cameo at my show here in Idaho."

Death is Magnetic in September

Metallica is releasing their 10th studio album, "Death Magnetic," on Friday, Sept. 12, breaking the tradition of new releases being released on a Tuesday. One of the tracks is "Unforgiven III," apparently a third version of "Unforgiven," which originally appeared on the Black Album and showed up in a lyrically different version (sounding a little different, too) on a later album. Both of those tracks were great, so here's hoping the third version kills, too.

Here is the press release:

Metallica have announced their tenth studio album, Death Magnetic, will be released globally on Friday, September 12th. News about Death Magnetic has been flowing out of Metallica's camp via the band's official website (www.metallica.com) and a brand-new site, missionmetallica.com, which offers users a unique, ground-breaking look-in on the making of the album, with producer Rick Rubin. Fans who can't wait for the September 12th release date will be able to purchase a digital-edition version of the album, to be delivered at midnight on release day, by joining the free site, which launched on May 29th. Missionmetallica.com features a treasure trove of exclusive content, including the low-down from the band members themselves about their progress in the studio via fly-on-the-wall video footage, live concerts downloads, exclusive new and never-before-seen archival photos from the studio, contests to fly to foreign lands to see the band perform and much much more. Metallica are currently finishing up the mixing and mastering of Death Magnetic. The cover art and full-track-listing (below) have been posted at missionmetallica.com, where fans can purchase the album plus web content in various configurations. Users should continue to check the site for the chance to win tickets and meet-and-greet passes to Metallica's live concert events this summer. Upcoming dates include headlining slots at Ozzfest on August 8 in Dallas, TX and at England's Leeds and Reading festivals later this month. Death Magnetic is Metallica's first studio album since 2003's multi-platinum "St. Anger," which hit No. 1 in 30 countries and has sold nearly six million copies worldwide. Formed in Los Angeles in 1981 by drummer Lars Ulrich and guitarist and vocalist James Hetfield, Metallica has become one of the most influential and commercially successful rock bands in history, having sold 100 million albums worldwide and playing to millions of fans the world over. They have garnered numerous awards and accolades, including seven Grammy Awards, two American Music Awards, and multiple MTV Video Music Awards. In addition, their 1991 album, "Metallica," which has sold 15 million copies in the United States, has been awarded the prestigious "Diamond Award" from the Recording Industry Association of America, given to those albums with U.S. sales of 10 million or more. The track-listing for Death Magnetic is as follows: That Was Just Your Life, The End of The Line, Broken, Beat & Scarred, The Day That Never Comes, All Nightmare Long, Cyanide, The Unforgiven III, The Judas Kiss, Suicide & Redemption, My Apocalypse."

Baby did a good, good thing

Local fan Bruce Mathews went to the Chris Isaak show Monday night, and since I couldn't make the show (I was at James Taylor's show), here is his report:

Chris Isaak may have had a tough act to compete against playing across town the same night (James Taylor at Usana), causing The Depot to cut the ticket price by more than half almost a week prior to Monday night. But all the people I spoke with had ordered tix in advance of the sale price. Both acts attract the same demographic and both had new music to perform for the first time here and as Mr. Isaak said, "I've was warned by the owners here there's a problem with bootlegging here and I'm about to do a new song. So to all you bootleggers out there ... be sure not to miss this one." It's that kind of humor as well as his accessibility including an autograph session following his performance and walking out into the audience while singing that characterizes his connection to his audience in contrast to the "distance""most other performers keep from their viewers and listeners. He and the musicians he has are so accomplished, and additional to the songs, aside from his hits, he plays other music by other acts from Elvis to Cheap Trick. Leaving the building not a discouraging word could be heard as quite a sizeable audience included the opening act Sharon Little whose performance was punctuated by her stating that she was very glad to be there as she may get the chance to meet Chris. I'm sure that happened and she found it to be as fully satisfying as the rest of us did."

Thanks, Bruce.

You look just like Buddy Holly, but I am not Mary Tyler Moore

Weezer will bring its Pork & Beans to the E Center on Tuesday, Oct. 7.

The quartet led by Rivers Cuomo will be touring behind its latest album, "Weezer," but also known as "The Red Album." The band's first tour in three years will last only five weeks.

Opening acts are Angels & Airwaves (led by former Blink-182 frontman Tom DeLonge) and Tokyo Police Club.

Ticket info was not immediately available, but don't fret. I will include them as soon as they become available, unless I forget. :)

Also at the E Center in October is Jason Mraz, on Oct. 28., with tickets going on sale this Saturday at 10 a.m. at Ticketmaster outlets for $29.50 and $35.

The Foreigner is coming

Feels Like the First Time. Cold as Ice. Double Vision. Hot Blooded. Waiting for a Girl Like You. I Want to Know What Love Is. Urgent.

Foreigner will perform at The Depot on Sept. 23.

Tickets go onsale this Saturday at 10 a.m. at SmithsTix outlets.

After selling more than 70 million albums, "No End in Sight: The Very Best of Foreigner" was released a few weeks ago, a 2-CD collection that includes both live and previously unreleased tracks, as well as the studio greatest hits.

Fun facts about Foreigner: Lou Gramm is no longer the lead singer. There are 22 former members of Foreigner. The band's name comes from the fact that three of the original members were British, while three were American. Foreigner was one of the opening acts when Led Zeppelin reunited late last year in London.

James Taylor on Monday, Regrets on Tuesday

Near the end of his concert Monday night, James Taylor almost apologized from the stage in the middle of playing the one-two punch of his classics, "Sweet Baby James" and "Fire and Rain." He called the mood and tempo of the moment a "lull."

But the "lull" was the highlight of the night, as Taylor let his most of Band of Legends take a break as he played the songs that made him famous with an intimate, emotional feel that was lacking for most of his two-hour show.

Taylor, with his comfortable voice and easy-going persona, could never be a Bruce Springsteen, causing fans to convulse and sweat and be convinced that they've seen Elvis and Jesus in momentary lapses of sanity and reserve. We shouldn't expect the mellow Taylor to be someone else. But somewhere between the stage and the audience, that electric connection between artist and fan was not there.

You couldn't fault Taylor for trying. He and his Band of Legends, a bloated dozen, seemed to be having fun up on stage, with an amiable Taylor chatting with the audience and jumping up and down with his acoustic guitar despite turning 60 this year.

But the problem was the Band of Legends. They were crack musicians, playing with technical skill, but when you have 12 musicians playing Buddy Holly's "Everyday," it was simply too much for such a simple, beautiful song in which the original only features the drummer slapping his lap and a celeste (an instrument similar to a xylophone).

Taylor focused his concert, which was adorned by huge crimson curtains and name placards in front of each musician, on his greatest hits and covers from his upcoming album, "Covers," to be released in September. Because of his success with covers of "Handy Man" and "How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved by You)," it was interesting to see what covers he chose: Jimmy Webb's "Wichita Lineman," George Jones' "Why Baby Why," the Dixie Chicks' "Some Days You Gotta Dance," and even a Rodgers-Hammerstein song from "Oklahoma," "Oh, What a Beautiful Mornin'."

The setting at Usana Amphitheatre was perfect, the weather was pleasantly warm, and the sound system was crisp, but the band swamped the songs with irritating bombast. Taylor's voice is truly gorgeous in person, but he has a limited range — which is part of his charm — and the band overshadowed him as he sang.

The evening was not without beauty, notably on "Mexico," when the sound and the fury fit the song like jeans.

But next time, it will hopefully just be Taylor by himself, with perhaps an upright bass and a drummer.

Tritt quit

Country star Travis Tritt has canceled his Wednesday show at The Depot.

Here's a video of him so you can at least see a little of him.

I don't think I can write the A-word

The 14th annual X96 Maverik Big A__ Show will likely be the last outdoor Usana show of the season, with Toby Keith performing on a relatively balmier Sept. 20.

The X96 show will be at Usana on Saturday, Sept. 27.

Performing will be Shiny Toy Guns, Hawthorne Heights, Jack's Mannequin, Atreyu, Mindless Self Indulgence, Local H, From First to Last, Ludo, Ten Years, The Brobecks and TRAPT.

The first 1,000 tickets are $9.60 and go onsale this Friday at 9 a.m. at the West Jordan Graywhale (90th South and Redwood Road). Tickets can only be bought with cash.

After that, tickets are $20 for general admission seats/lawn.

Reserved seats go onsale at SmithsTix at 10 a.m. Friday and cost $30.

Video games killed the radio star

First, music inspired the video game. Now the video game inspires music.

Dashboard Confessional and Panic at the Disco (still without an exclamation point within their name) will headline the first-ever "Rock Band" tour at the E Center on Thursday, Oct. 16.

Tickets go onsale this Friday at 11 a.m. at all Ticketmaster outlets.

From the press release: "The concert tour will let Rock Band bands rock their way onto the main stage with a truly interactive experience that allows fans to compete in head-to-head competitions for the chance to play on the main stage in between the tour acts' sets. Bands will be selected through local radio promotions, national contests and on-site at each show."

"I'm practicing my Rock Band drumming," said Dashboard's Chris Carrabba (left) in a statement. "With any luck I'll win a spot on stage to show what I can really do."

Hough on the Range

Utah's Julianne Hough was in Salt Lake City today because later tonight she will be performing at the Huntsman Cancer Institute's "Hope on the Range" gala/benefit.

The performance, at the Grand America, is sold out, but don't worry, you (and I) wouldn't be able to afford it anyway.

She toured the Infusion Lab and other labs at the institute, met with cancer patients and cheerfully didn't mind the dozen or so journalists following her around, trying not to look at her legs although she was wearing the shortest shorts imaginable.

In an interview with The Tribune, she said that joining Brad Paisley and Jewel on Brad's latest tour taught her a lot about how to perform for an audience. The "Dancing With the Stars" two-time winner and country singer said the pros taught her how important it was for her to keep the energy level high throughout the show. And she got a taste of the welcoming nature of Nashville, too, recounting tales of watching movies and TV with Brad on his huge bus, along with fellow musicians Chuck Wicks and band members.

Julianne's next single, out in September with a video, will probably be "My Hallelujah Song," she said, because "it reflects how I feel right now." Here are some of the lyrics:

Look at me, Can't believe
I finally made it here
Feelin' like I'm where I belong
Singin' my hallelujah song

Hard to find, took some time
But I think that I might be
Hittin' on what's been missing all along
Singin' my hallelujah song

Some pictures of Julianne's visit should be online pretty soon in an online photo gallery. And don't look at her legs. It's disrespectful. You should be ashamed of yourself. Here's a link to the photo gallery: Julianne Hough

Now pinch-hitting: Iris

Alejandro Escovedo has pulled out from his Aug. 10 Red Butte Garden show because of illness, but there is a more-than-worthy replacement: Grammy-nominated Iris DeMent.

Why Iris? It probably has something to do with the other headliner, folk-rocking signer-songwriter Greg Brown, who is married to the country-folkie Iris. Greg's daughter, from another relationship, Pieta, is opening the show.

Tickets for the show are $24 for Garden members and $29 for the general public.

Here's the lowdown on Alejandro, from his publicist:

"Unfortunately, Alejandro is under the weather and has to cancel a string of dates, including Salt Lake City."

Here is info from his management:

“Due to symptoms from acute exhaustion, and per the suggestion of his doctors, Alejandro Escovedo will need to postpone his scheduled performances for this week,” said Escovedo’s management in a statement. “Doctors have advised Escovedo take a proper rest as to not further complicate the symptoms.”

It might or might not be related to Alejandro's battle with Hepatitis-C, which he nearly died from several years ago.

Marcus ready for his close-up

Marcus, the pride of West Jordan, is in the top five of NBC's "Last Comic Standing." While all episodes to this point have been taped, this Thursday's season finale will be live, Marcus told me on the phone while he was at the airport.

"You find out [the winner[ when we find out," Marcus said.

He said he predicted three of the top 5 finalists, and has no regrets. "I feel very good about what I've done there. I've left myself out there."

Regardless of whether he wins the $250,000 prize Thursday, Marcus will be at Ogden's Wiseguys on Saturday and West Valley City's Wiseguys on Sunday. (Get tickets at SmithsTix.) Then, in September, he and the other four finalists embark on a cross-country tour until February.

Total ellipses of the heart

Here is the complete e-mail interview with Chris Isaak, who performs tonight at The Depot. Tickets are $65.

1. Do you remember anything from previous Salt Lake or Utah experiences? Ever stepped foot in the Great Salt Lake?
1. I always look forward to Salt Lake when we go on tour. I guess it reminds me in some ways of where I grew up, real hot and big flat areas that are perfect for an occasional bike rider like me. I do remember last time I rode my bike about six or seven miles from the hotel, got a flat tire and then walked back. The good thing was I was in an interesting area and I had plenty of water. Singers always bring water...

2. Do you feel a burden to play "Baby Did a Bad, Bad Thing," "Somebody's Crying" or "Wicked Game" at recent concerts, wishing you could play newer material?
2. I love playing the songs people like to hear... It always amazes me when musicians complain about playing their hits or older material. I like to mix it up and I throw in different songs all the time, but it would be pretty self-centered to just leave out the songs people came to hear. I play a fair amount of time, I do the hits and I try to always throw in some new and some off the wall stuff that maybe not everyone knows as well. Some people drive a long ways to see us play...I love em for coming and I go all out to make sure they have a good time. We dress up, I wear clothes sometimes I think Liberace would have worried about, and we start on time and sign autographs and shake hands after the show. If doing that kind of stuff bugs you ... maybe you shouldn't be a musician. Roofing work is always an option ... but I don't think its nearly as much fun!

3. What guitars (or guitars) will you be playing and why?
3. I play a white Gibson guitar that I love. I have played it so long and sweat in it so much it is now kind of gray and tan instead of white. You can even see where my arm lays. It looks like a permanent shadow now. I play Gibsons because they hold up and stay in tune and when you are on stage it is tough on a guitar. Jumping around, running in the crowd, sweating on the strings...If the guitar isn't tough it won't last. Gibsons are built like a Chevy, and I put them through a lot! A guitar repair guy at the factory looked at my guitar after a few tours and said "what did you do to it?". It looked like it had been deep sea diving, but it still played great!

4. Now that your Showtime show is off the air, what new acting projects would you like to pursue or are pursuing?
4. I did a film in Uruguay this last year, I am anxious to see it (not because of my part but they have some great actors in it. Winona Ryder, Billy Bob Thornton, Mickey Rourke). I don't usually pursue any particular acting parts, my down time is spent with a guitar or at the local hamburger shop. I did read a script about a singing cowboy, a comedy, and I laughed out loud so that might be fun. And I could sing and act and maybe ride a little ... I guess in someways I'm like my dad who was a handyman and forklift driver... I'm just glad for the work!

5. Besides the Best-of and Christmas album, your last studio album was in 2002. Is there anything coming down the pipes?
5. I have a new album of original songs that is almost done, should be out this year, and a live record that is also being put together. I never sleep..
6. Why did you wait so long to release a Best-of album?
6. I was waiting till I had enough songs to be "best" not just "Chris Isaak's Pretty Good Album"... although I like that title.

7. How did growing up in Stockton affect who you are today, both personally and musically?
7.Growing up in Stockton, California was great. My family goes way back in the town to my great-grandfather ... yet oddly we were always broke. My Dad worked as a fork lift driver, my mom was working at a potato chip factory and we knew everybody. It was great training for being a celebrity, because everyone in town knew if you did anything good ... or not so good. So you had to toe the line. You never really leave your hometown, you never stop loving your first love.

8. Songs like "Baby Did Bad, Bad Thing" and "Wicked Game" are key moments in their respective films. Why do you think your music was used in those films?
8. I always picture the things I write about in songs...they become like a movie in my mind as I write. Later, when so many filmmakers did me the honor of choosing one of my songs, I realized that they may have sensed that these songs were built with images in mind. I hope these answers help Mr. Burger, and if you make it out to the show say hi. I always sign autographs and hang out after the show so I'm real easy to find!

How Sweet It Is

Since he began performing music in the late 1960s, James Taylor ranks three or four concerts as his most memorable. One of them was in Salt Lake City, four days after 9/11.

"It was quite a memorable and profound evening," Taylor said. "There were several amazing concerts during that time, [but] Salt Lake City sticks out in my mind. . . . "

In a phone interview, Taylor, who performs tonight at Usana Amphitheatre, recalled the Utah concert without prompting. "Since 9/11, I've had a special connection with Salt Lake City," he said.

With the concert scheduled just four days after the terrorists attacks, some advisers told Taylor that it was too soon to perform, and that he should cancel out of respect for the nation's mourning. Instead, Taylor chartered a plane right before air travel was restricted, and his band members drove to town from Los Angeles. Playing the concert, coupled with the audience's emotional reaction, helped him deal with the horrors of the time.

He returns to Utah with his Band of Legends under happier circumstances. Along with his greatest hits, the mellow folk-rocker will be premiering songs from his upcoming "Covers," to be released Sept. 30.

Taylor has always been known for his way with covers, including his mega-hits "How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved by You)" and "Handy Man," which many fans assume were songs he had written.

In January, he assembled his Band of Legends in a converted barn-turned-recording-studio in his home state of Massachusetts. The band recorded 20 songs in 10 days, all recorded live. Notable is the fact that the songs include only one overdub, when Taylor invited his friend, legendary cellist Yo-Yo Ma, to accompany a rendition of Leonard Cohen's "Suzanne."

Taylor said he anticipates playing about eight or nine covers during the Usana concert (which begins at 8 p.m. with no opening act), along with about nine of his greatest hits.

Tickets are $29 to $85 at SmithsTix.

Keep on Rock'n and Bluesying Me Baby

I was at Snowbird's Rock & Blues Festival for a while Saturday, and editor Scott Murphy was there, too. Here is his unsolicited contribution No. 5. :)

"A crowd of around 750 gyrated and grooved to a wide-ranging festival full of acts Saturday afternoon and evening at Snowbird Ski Resort. Local act Junior Giant took the first slot with varied results. Less than 100 people were on hand for the duration of the indie-rock-sounding band's energetic set. JG gave way to Ogden's Legendary Porch Pounders, who delivered some true blues feeling and emotion complete with an inspired cover of the Rolling Stones' "Let It Bleed." This band is fun in a major way, something most blues-loving locals already know. Next up was a groove-drenched set from Salt Lake's Soul Survivors which got the crowd excited with well-know soul classics like "I Heard It Through The Grapevine," "Superbad," and "Respect." The Soul Survivors were followed by the first national act of the afternoon, and it proved to be a highlight of the whole day, if not weekend. Texas-based Ruthie Foster used her soulful voice and funky band of bassist Tanya Richardson and drummer Samantha Banks to woo the crowd with Sam Cooke covers and originals like "Real Love." Her 80-minute set was going to end sans encore, but the crowd refused. Boos showered festival emcee Bad Brad Wheeler and the festival leadership reconsidered. Foster rewarded the crowd with another gospel-based number. Mississippi-based singer/guitarist Paul Thorn then played a humorous 90-minute set full of originals, bawdy insinuations and implied gospel messages. The highlights, and there were several, included "A Long Way From Tupelo," "Rise Up," and the funny "I'd Rather Be a Hammer Than A Nail." Thorn told the crowd that number was inspired by the former fighter's bout with Roberto Duran. Wheeler had introduced Thorn as one of the "best-kept secrets" in the music business. Thorn's talent, charm and rock-solid songbook are no longer secrets in Utah. Legendary zydeco musician Buckwheat Zydeco (above) started around 7:40 p.m. To say this seven-piece band is high-energy is selling it short by a mile. Many bands claim to "bring the party," but not like Zydeco does. His band IS the party. The previously lethargic crowd was on its collective feet 30 seconds into the first number and continued that way."

As for my (David Burger) own thoughts on the show, I enjoyed Ruthie, especially her cover of Lucinda Williams' "Fruits of My Labor," which Lucinda herself played at her own concert the previous Monday at Deer Valley.

It was my first time at Snowbird, and despite the $10 cheeseburgers, had a good time in the cooler-than-Salt-Lake-Valley temperatures and slight breeze. There is a semi-permanent tent that shaded the performers and most of the crowd, and while I can see the need for shelter from the warm temps and inclement weather, it would be a good thing to remove the tent and let the performers perform with the majestic cliffs of Big Cottonwood Canyon as a backdrop. I preferred to sit on an embankment behind the tent, where I could still see the performer but enjoyed the scenery, too. You know, sometimes, music isn't everything.

Rap rap rapping at my front door

Superproducers in the rap world live in darkness. They work long into the night, mostly in recording studios without windows, and sleep during the day.

Utah audiences will get to see three great hip-hop producers in the afternoon daylight Aug. 2 in what's billed as the biggest rap concert of the summer.

U92's Summer Jam returns to Usana Amphitheatre with The Game headlining. Also playing are David Banner (right) and the duo of Play-N-Skillz, who have temporarily released themselves from the chains of co-producing tracks with T-Pain and Lil Wayne to display their own skills at the mic.

Play-N-Skillz: "We want to put a face behind the production," said Juan "Play" Salinas, who along with his brother Oscar "Skillz" Salinas makes up the prolific and influential producing team behind some prominent cuts on Lil Wayne's groundbreaking and popular "Tha Carter III" album.

Producing and performing are "different types of energies," Play said. He admits producing is "better financially," but he and his brother decided to become a rap duo to guarantee that the Dallas music scene where they grew up got the recognition and headlines it has deserved.

Besides working alongside 50 Cent and Pitbull on the artists' upcoming releases, Play-N-Skillz will release its own album, "Out Tha Box," soon. "It might not work and sell 13 copies," Play said. Not likely.

David Banner: His stage name is familiar to fans of the Incredible Hulk, as Banner is the mild-mannered lead character of the television show and movies who turns into the Hulk when he's angry. The rap producer took his name from his fanboy days.

Banner is also well-known in the rap community for producing tracks by artists such as Akon, Lil Wayne and Snoop Dogg, but he is coming to Utah to perform. He said he wasn't surprised he has a devoted following in the Beehive State. "I've been to Germany, Italy and the Czech Republic, and see them yell 'David Banner,' " he said.

Banner, born Levell Crump, grew up in Mississippi and said the state - not known for producing rap stars - emboldens him. "There are no excuses for you not to make it," he said, talking about blazing a path for other Mississippi rappers to follow.

As for the latest "Hulk" movie, Banner said it is "a lot better than the last one."

Wiz Khalifa: From Pennsylvania, the young Wiz Khalifa is not a producer yet, but is loudly making strides as a fresh face in rap music. Location often defines rappers' styles, but Khalifa is, like Banner and Play, from a locale not known for growing hip-hop stars.

"There's definitely a Pennsylvania sound," Khalifa said. Although Pennsylvania is on the East Coast, the performer states he's from western Pennsylvania, which is why he draws upon West Coast and Gulf Coast influences to create his beats.

Khalifa is still humbled by his early success. "I'm surprised that Utah knows who I am and wants to have me," he said.

U92's Summer Jam
When: Aug. 2. Gates open at 1 p.m.
Where: Usana Amphitheatre, 5150 S. 6055 West, West Valley City.
Tickets are $20 and $30 in advance, $30 and $40 the day of, at SmithsTix.
Performers include The Game, David Banner, Play-N-Skillz, Wiz Khalifa, Dolla, Chino 4 Real.

Archie releases first single

The New York radio station Z100 played what it called David Archuleta's first single, "Crush," Friday morning. It appeared on YouTube minutes later. Here it is:

This one picture is for the boys

Country superstar Martina McBride has never headlined an amphitheater tour. Until now.

As part of her "Waking Up Laughing" tour, McBride will be at Usana Amphitheatre tonight, under the stars - and enduring possible heat. Which partly explains why she has avoided outdoor summer concerts for so long. "I feel bad fans have to be out there [in the heat] twice as long as I have to be," she told The Salt Lake Tribune.

McBride, whose first gig was opening for Garth Brooks, said she plans to sweat in a high-energy set.

"We go out a little more, throw in a little more covers," the native Kansan said. "It's a little more [of a] party atmosphere."

McBride's most recent studio album was 2007's "Waking Up Laughing," but her most recent record is a live album/DVD, released earlier this year and featuring some of her 30 charting singles on the country charts (in case you've forgotten, that list includes "This One's for the Girls," "Independence Day" and "A Broken Wing") and covers ("Hit Me With Your Best Shot" "Don't Stop Believing," "Over the Rainbow").

"Waking Up Believing" was the first time McBride co-wrote songs, and she said she was "reluctant" at first. "It was hard to start, [but] now I'm enjoying it," she said. "It's fun to tap into another creative outlet."

Opening for McBride are Chris Young and Jack Ingram, the latter of whom McBride characterized as having a "great voice, great songs."

The 37-year-old Ingram has been releasing albums since 1992, but this year he won the Academy of Country Music's Top New Male Vocalist award.

The ACM recognizes artists who have recently appeared on Nashville's radar, Ingram explained, adding that he didn't feel slighted by being labeled a "new" artist.

It was in 2007 when Ingram became noticed by country music fans everywhere, when his album "This Is It" charted as high as No. 4 on Billboard's country chart. The album was propelled by his No. 1 country song, "Wherever You Are," and the unlikely cover of hard rock band Hinder's "Lips of an Angel."

"I heard it on the radio like everyone else," Ingram said of "Lips," which tells the story of a man who is sleeping with a woman in another room when he receives a phone call from a past lover with the "lips of an angel." "It's a great song," Ingram said. "It's a cheatin' song, and a complex one at that."

Some longtime fans complained to Ingram that he had sold out by recording that cover, but the singer said it "was fun to see people argue about it. That's what I want - people talking about my music."

Martina McBride
When: Tonight at 7:30
Where: Usana Amphitheatre, 5150 S. 6055 West, West Valley City
Tickets: $33 to $70 at SmithsTix
Opening acts: Jack Ingram and Chris Young open.

We're in Kansas anymore

Kansas (left) and no fewer than two tribute bands play this weekend. Here are some of the acts:

Kansas : "We work all year, but summer is when it really kicks off," said Rich Williams, the eyepatch-wearing guitarist for Kansas. You know Kansas: "Dust in the Wind" and "Carry On, My Wayward Son." Having songs appear on recent video games has given Williams and the band their "own guitar army of 9-to-19-year-olds," he said.
This multiplatinum band of the 1970s and 1980s will perform tonight with many of the original members, "the one that went out and got a record deal," Williams said. "This is the one that did something." As for the set list, Williams said to expect to hear the hits. "That's 99 percent of what people want to hear. What we love is playing live."
When: Tonight at 8
Where: Ed Kenley Amphitheater, 403 N. Wasatch Drive, Layton
Tickets: $30 to $55 at thedavisarts.com or the box office (445 N. Wasatch Drive, Layton) until 5 p.m.

Joshua James : After having toured to support the Old 97's and The Reverend Horton Heat, Joshua James is headlining on his own. The Oregonian is a rock 'n' roll musician, considered a folk icon for his uncompromising brand of Springsteen-style rock - with an edge. The talented Cory Chisel opens, so get there by 8 to see him.
When: Tonight. Doors open at 7
Where: Club Sound, In the Venue, 579 W. 200 South, Salt Lake City
Tickets: $12 at SmithsTix and 24Tix

Appetite for Deception: This Guns N' Roses tribute band is, as the name implies, an incarnation of the late-1980s band that ruled the world for a short time. The Portland group is billed as the Northwest's best GN'R cover band.
When: Tonight. Doors open at 8
Where: Bar Deluxe, 666 S. State St., Salt Lake City
Tickets: $10 at SmithsTix

Imagine: Imagine is the only Beatles tribute band that has performed for private parties hosted by Tom Hanks and Goldie Hawn. The band of lookalikes and soundalikes play songs from throughout the Fab Four's canon.
When: Tonight at 9
Where: Tracks Brewing Co., 1641 N. Main St., Tooele
Tickets: $10 at SmithsTix

Alkaline Trio: If only Kansas weren't playing the same night, this would be the show of the week. The Chicago trio is an alternative hard-rock band that last month released "Agony & Irony," which debuted at No. 13 on the Billboard album chart.
When: Tonight. Doors open at 6
Where: In the Venue, 579 W. 200 South, Salt Lake City
Tickets: $20 at SmithsTix and 24Tix

Son, Ambulance: Son, Ambulance is a Nebraska experimental rock band with a leader who once collaborated prolifically with Bright Eyes' Conor Oberst. Patterstats and Almost Brothers open.
When: Aug. 2 at 7 p.m.
Where: Kilby Court, 741 S. 330 West, Salt Lake City
Tickets: $8 at 24Tix

Scary Kids Scaring Kids: Finch, Foxy Shazam and Tickle Me Pink are also on the bill, and any one of these rock bands could headline a show on its own. Tickle Me Pink, from Colorado, has been in the news most recently, with its bassist found dead the day its debut album was released. The band is carrying on with a loaner bassist.
When: Aug. 2 at 6:30 p.m.
Where: Avalon Theater, 3605 S. State St., South Salt Lake
Tickets: $15 at KTix and SmithsTix

Here's Scary Kids Scaring Kids, scaring me:

More fun that Twilight in a glass of milk

Editor Scott Murphy was at the Twilight Concert Series Thursday, and here is his report:

An exuberant crowd was hit with Keller Williams' one-man dance party Thursday night as part of the Gallivan Center's ongoing Twilight Concert series. Williams (right) had fellow jam-band stars Yonder Mountain String Band in tow as the openers and then as guests for his set.

Williams has criss-crossed the country multiple times since the late '90s, but it's likely that many of the free show attendees hadntt been exposed to the Virginia guitarist's rapid-fire dash across the pop-culture songbook, with only occasional stops during the 85-minute set for his own material. Williams spent much of the time daring around like a mad scientist, bringing up loops of acoustic guitar, beatbox sounds that he did live and pre-recorded beats. Then he would play acoustic guitar, sing along the top and sometimes throw in his own mouth-trumpet sounds. What sounded at times like a five-piece band was just one man, and a lot of technology, which Williams plays just like an instrument.

The opener "Freaker By the Speaker," the lone Williams tune to receive steady radio play, quickly segued into Heart's "Barracuda," which he played on guitar and whistled the vocal lines, before returning to "Freaker."

A few highlights of Williams' set, which included separate cameos from each member of Yonder: Guitarist Adam Aijala sang "Remind Me" by Royksopp, (you know this, it's the song in the Geico commercial with the caveman on a moving sidewalk). Williams sang an enthusiastic and at times hilarious lead on Billy Joel's "Big Shot," as Yonder's bassist Ben Kaufmann sat in on acoustic bass.

But the two big highlights were Keller's take on his own stoned-snowboarder anthem "Floating on the Freshies," which was marred by a shirtless young man running toward the singer before being unceremoniously restrained by a muscular security guard. Yonder Mountain's mandolinist Jeff Austin joined for the end for the song before the duo treated the crowd to the Grateful Dead's "Scarlet Begonias." Williams has played tons of GD covers over the years and has recorded with the Dead's Bob Weir. For Keller's longtime fans, the song came as no surprise, and was greeted with fist-pumps and a sing-along. Weir once described Keller as "more fun than a frog in a glass of milk."

Yonder's opening set ended with the band's "Death Trip" and an anecdote by YMSB's Jeff Austin about the band's first SLC show in the late '90s which featured an audience member ordering a pizza. That stay also included Yonder singing for members of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, whose practice Yonder had watched. Another highlight included Yonder's take on Todd Snider's "Sideshow Blues."

Wednesday, August 27, 2008

Tuesday, August 26, 2008

Monday, August 25, 2008

Friday, August 22, 2008

Thursday, August 21, 2008

Wednesday, August 20, 2008

Tuesday, August 19, 2008

Monday, August 18, 2008

Friday, August 15, 2008

Thursday, August 14, 2008

Wednesday, August 13, 2008

Tuesday, August 12, 2008

Monday, August 11, 2008

Friday, August 08, 2008

Thursday, August 07, 2008

Wednesday, August 06, 2008

Tuesday, August 05, 2008

Monday, August 04, 2008

Friday, August 01, 2008