The 2010 Twilight Concert Series comes to a close tonight at Pioneer Park with musical guests She & Him – that’s actress-turned-musician-turned indie “it” girl Zooey Deschanel and M. Ward – headlining the evening. Los Angeles-based quartet Dum Dum Girls will open with a set of 60s-flavored garage rock whose street-smarts presence reminds me of the Pink Ladies from Grease. Gates open at 5 p.m. Music starts at 7.

Well, yes. Yes I did. Free, all-ages concerts are taking place in Salt Lake City and you should know about them. Tonight, the Hidden Hollow Concert Series continues with Utah artists Fictionist and Libbie Linton. Music starts at 7. Bring a blanket and snacks. It should be a beautiful night.

Tomorrow, local twang rockers Cub Country take the stage at Pioneer Park as park of the Downtown Alliance’s Music at the Market series. The action typically goes down in the 400 West/400 South quadrant of the park. Grab a bicycle-powered smoothie and settle in for some solid sounds. Music starts at 11 a.m. and runs about an hour/hour and a half.

Hard to believe it’s the second to last Twilight Concert of 2010 tonight at Pioneer Park. Also hard to believe that it looks like the evening will also feature a performance by the unseasonable rain. Bring an umbrella – and your dancing shoes. The youth will be out in full force for opening act Chromeo followed by Outkast’s Big Boi delivering his solo goods. Oh, and Chromeo will be doing a DJ set at W Lounge after-hours. Craz-ay. Here’s a taste of things to come:

and with their buddy Daryl…

Also tonight, John Prine treats Red Butte Garden to a special performance with opener Carrie Rodriguez. Again, bring an umbrella. And some snacks.

Two legends hit town tonight to perform 21+ shows:

KRCL’s Brad Wheeler has been preparing for tonight’s Andre Williams show at The Urban Lounge since he first laid ears upon the so-called Black Godfather of rhythm and blues. Wheeler scored Williams’ digits on a recent trip to Chicago and helped persuade the seasoned musician to stop in SLC for a once-in-a-lifetime concert. Opening act, Utah’s own The Rubes, have a little something special planned for the occasion including extra horns and backup singers. Music starts at 9 p.m. Taste of things to come (possibly NSFW):

Also tonight, John Hiatt arrives in support of his latest LP, The Open Road. Everytime I hear the new track “My Baby,” the refrain loops in my head for hours. Solid, catchy and a whole lot of fun, Hiatt headlines a sold-out evening at The State Room with local opener Paul Jacobsen! Music starts at 8 p.m. For those who didn’t get a hold of tickets in time, enjoy this clip:

This summer is racing by – hard to believe that the Twilight Concert Series is nearing the finish line. Just three more weeks of fabulous free shows at Pioneer Park continuing tonight at Pioneer Park with Matisyahu and openers Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe. Matisyahu, a Hasidic Jew whose music blends elements of reggae and hip-hop into one explosive kosher sound, will headline. Gates open at 5. Music starts at 7 p.m.

Down the road from Pioneer Park, lo-fi rock and roller Dan Sartain brings his offbeat sensibilities to Kilby Court in support of his latest release and debut on One Little Indian, Dan Sartain Lives. Slick back your pompadour and bring your dancing shoes.
Music starts at 7 p.m.

Two great concerts worth your while tonight including Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings with opening act Jamie Lidell playing for free at Pioneer Park. I’ve been waiting for this fine woman to come to town since I first heard her belt out “100 Days, 100 Nights.” The former Riker’s Island guard/wedding singer turned professional soul singer has finally started to gain some mainstream attention of late including an appearance on Comedy Central’s Colbert Report. This year, she and her crew released arguably their best record to date, I Learned the Hard Way, and if you’re a fan of those tunes you don’t want to miss seeing them performed live. Arrive early to catch Jamie Lidell. From what I hear the ecclectic R&B singer puts on one hell of a show.

For those who don’t want to brave the Twilight Concert crowds or if you’re just in the mood for some soulful country/Americana, head over to Kilby Court for Leslie & The Badgers and Casey James Prestwood & The Burning Angels (featuring members of Band of Annuals). Both of these bands are amazing!!

For those who don’t feel like braving the crowds at Pioneer Park for Sharon

Someone asked my friend if Twilight Concert Series is affiliated with the popular vampire book/film series, so it bears reminding folks that this Twilight is a free, outdoor concert series presented by the Salt Lake City Arts Council. It kicked off with an unexpected bang at its new home at Pioneer Park, with 40,000 people showing up for Modest Mouse’s debut performance. Since then, crowds have blessedly decreased to about half the size of opening night’s audience and things are running smoothly! Tonight, The New Pornographers headline with opening act Dodos. Brian Staker has a nice write-up of the band here. Gates open at 6, music starts at 7. KRCL will be down there with our booth. Stop by and say hello – grab a sticker or one of our new nifty buttons/bottle openers!

Pioneer Day is about more than what happened when settlers stood here in 1847 and claimedthat “this was the place.” Every 24th of July is an opportunity to celebrate why Utah is still our place, and what continues to make us special. At KRCL, we know that our state wouldn’t be the same without the local music scene. That’s why we invite you to celebrate our community at a house concert with fantastic local music provided by La Farsa and your community radio station.

For more information.