I'm taking a super-sized weekend starting Thursday morning, but I wouldn't bail The Lounge without throwing you some suggestions on activities the next few nights.
Summer has officially been off and running for a couple weeks now, but for me, the season truly hits its stride this week.
Why do I ignore the calendar definition of summer? Because to me, it's not really summer in Utah until all the outdoor concert venues are open for business. Sitting or standing outside at a sunny summer concert is as All-American an experience as playing baseball, munching apple pie and loving dear ol' Mom, and I'm nothing if not a patriotic guy.
In the week ahead, the floodgates open in terms of outdoor concerts.
Two of the longest-running summer concert series also kick off in the coming days.
The Deer Valley Music Festival takes the state's classical music fans out of Abravanel Hall and onto the hillside at the Park City resort for a summer-long series of shows that this year includes appearances by pop stars Elvis Costello and LeAnn Rimes, as well as an ABBA tribute of all things. The Deer Valley Music Festival kicks off Saturday with the Utah Symphony's regular July 4 patriotic celebration, this year celebrating the 40th anniversary of the Apollo Eleven lunar landing.
In the Salt Lake valley, the annual Twilight Concert Series starts what is arguably its most ambitious season of free-concert programming with a Thursday night concert featuring indie darlings Bon Iver and Jenny Lewis.
Later this year in the Twilight series, you'll be able to catch legends like art-rockers Sonic Youth, reggae pioneers Toots & the Maytals and hip-hop maestro Q-Tip.
Also this weekend, teeny-bopper heroes The Jonas Brothers headline Saturday at Provo's Lavell Edwards Stadium, part of the town's Freedom Festival. Thursday at Kilby Court, catch the oh-so-clever Jonathan Richman (above), who you might know from his years leading the Modern Lovers, or for his role as the wandering troubador in There's Something About Mary. Friday, catch the always stellar Michael Dean Damron when he plays a free in-store at The Heavy Metal Shop at 6 p.m., and a set at Burt's Tiki Lounge later than night.
There will be fireworks displays throughout the state Saturday night.
My favorite vantage point for such things is the bleachers of the Salt Lake Bees game. They have home games Saturday and Sunday. See you there.
Arts & Entertainment editor Dan Nailen spends many a late night on the town so that you don’t have to, but he will do his best to cajole you to join him for a meal, a martini or a Pabst Blue Ribbon. Whether he’s hitting a dive bar to hear a hot new band or playing with the pretty people at events far too classy to admit him if he didn’t work for Salt Lake magazine, you’ll read about it here.
Check in regularly for tips on worthwhile nocturnal activities, concert reviews and one-of-a-kind commentary from our resident pop culture-obsessed music geek and social gadfly.
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