SALT LAKE CITY — If one of your New Year's resolutions was to attend more concerts in 2018, you're in luck. A wide array of bands and musicians are coming to the Beehive State this month, ranging from the soul music of Booker T. Jones to bass guitar virtuoso Victor Wooten to the '70s/'80s rock sound of Styx.
Check out this list of 20 bands and musicians performing in Utah throughout January. Please note that this list is not all-inclusive.
Jan. 4-6 — Hilary Hahn
When she was just 10 years old, violinist Hilary Hahn attended the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia — a school with a 4.8 percent admission rate that offers free tuition to all of its students. A native of Lexington, Virginia, Hahn has gone on to perform with symphonies throughout the country and world and was even featured on the original score of M. Night Shyamalan’s film “The Village.” The violin virtuoso will appear alongside the Utah Symphony at BYU’s de Jong Concert Hall on Jan. 4, and will take the Abravanel Hall stage Jan. 5-6.
Jan. 4-6 — Richard Thompson
English folk guitarist/singer Richard Thompson is making his way across the pond to Park City’s Egyptian Theatre to present three nights of his solo acoustic show. The prolific guitarist has a career spanning five decades, and a significant portion of his shows are often spent taking requests from his audience. He explained this technique in a recent interview with The Vinyl District, saying, “I’ve been doing all-request shows for a number of years now … where the people will write something on a slip of paper and put it into a bucket and I’ll play whatever comes out. It can be anything from Pacini to Rodgers and Hammerstein, so that’s quite fun and it’s a whole dedicated show … I’m not precious about having to do things how they were planned.”
Jan. 6 — Booker T. Jones
Booker T. Jones, widely known as the frontman for Booker T. and the MGs, is bringing some Memphis soul to the Beehive State. Jones was just 17 years old — a high school student — when he recorded the classic instrumental from 1962, “Green Onions,” on the Hammond M3 organ. In addition to delivering that monster hit, Booker T. and the MGs is also well-known for its time as the house band for the Memphis-based label Stax Records, where they backed up soul acts such as Wilson Pickett, Sam and Dave, Otis Redding and the Staple Singers, according to Rolling Stone magazine. Jones, 73, headlines the State Room Saturday, Jan. 6.
Jan. 10 — Typhoon
An indie rock band from Oregon, the 11-member ensemble Typhoon creates a storm of music featuring a choir of vocals and instruments, including violins, percussion, the xylophone and horns. The band is planning to release its fifth album later this month and will headline Urban Lounge Jan. 10.
Jan. 12 — Joshua James
Before traveling to Finland to do a two-week set of shows, folk singer-songwriter Joshua James will perform at Provo’s Velour. Based out of American Fork and Lincoln, Nebraska, James released his sixth full-length album, “My Spirit Sister,” in April 2017. On his website, the singer expressed gratitude to his fans for their support, saying, “This reception has led me to a grateful heart and mind, and thank you's radiate from my crooked toes to my wandering brain.”
Jan. 12-13 — Anders Osborne
Anders Osborne, a Sweden-born, New Orleans-based singer is making his way to the Beehive State for two nights at the State Room. In addition to performing and touring, the bluesman has also been busy with his recently launched “Send Me a Friend” program that aims to support musicians struggling with sobriety by creating a network of “sober friends” who are on call to attend a show and offer support — especially when concerts are at bars, festivals and other venues that provide alcohol.
Jan. 16 — Joe Satriani presents G3
Guitarist Joe Satriani is bringing some guitar virtuosity to the Eccles Theater via his G3 tour. The tour, which debuted in 1996, features Satriani alongside two other six-string masters — this time John Petrucci, founding member of the progressive metal rock band Dream Theater, and Phil Collen, the lead guitarist for Def Leppard. The 2018 tour kicks off Jan. 11 in Seattle and will stop in Salt Lake City Tuesday, Jan. 16.
Jan. 19 — Marilyn Manson
Marilyn Manson has a rocky history with the Beehive State. In 1994, the band was set to open for Nine Inch Nails at what was then the Delta Center. A preview of the show just a few days before the concert prompted Delta Center workers to cancel Marilyn Manson’s show because of questionable stage theatrics and dialogue, according to The Deseret News. Two years later, the rock band was also prohibited from performing at Utah State Fairpark. Now, Marilyn Manson is set to perform at The Complex in Salt Lake City on Jan. 19 — a rescheduling of the Oct. 20 performance the band was unable to meet due to an onstage injury at a performance in Manhattan on Sept. 30.
Jan. 20 — Justin Moore
The country singer-songwriter from Arkansas is making his way to the Beehive State on Jan. 20, with an appearance at West Valley City's Maverik Center. Moore is known for hits such as "Small Town USA" and "If Heaven Wasn't So Far Away," a song originally recorded by Rhett Akins — father of country singer Thomas Rhett who will perform in Utah later this year— in 2007. Moore released his fourth album, "Kinda Don't Care," in 2016.
Jan. 21 — Brett Dennen
Brett Dennen — a folk/pop singer with a full head of red hair — stepped onto the music scene in 2004, but it was his second album from 2006, which included the hit single “Ain’t No Reason,” that gave him a boost and landed him an opening act slot for John Mayer in 2008. Dennen, a California native, now has six albums to his name and will be taking the O.P. Rockwell stage in Park City Jan. 21.
Jan. 22 — Victor Wooten Trio
Rolling Stone magazine named him one of the top 10 bassists of all time in 2011, and now Victor Wooten, longtime bassist for Bela Fleck and the Flecktones, is hitting the State Room stage with drummer Dennis Chambers and saxophonist Bob Franceschini. The trio visits the Beehive State in support of its jazz album, Trypnotnx, released in 2017. A recipient of five Grammy Awards, Wooten began playing music at age 2, and started performing as a bassist for his family band at nightclubs and theaters at age 5, according to his website.
Jan. 23 — Styx
When visiting the Beehive State, Styx typically performs alongside fellow ‘70s/’80s rockers Def Leppard, Poison and Tesla at the large, 20,000-seat USANA Amphitheatre. The band is breaking tradition Jan. 23 by performing its own show at the more intimate Eccles Theater, so get those vocal pipes in pristine condition so you can belt along to “Come Sail Away,” “Renegade,” “Mr. Roboto” and a slew of other hits. Styx will also perform music from its latest album, “The Mission,” released in 2017. It’s the band’s first record in more than a decade, and is a concept album about a mission to the planet Mars.
Jan. 23 — Passion Pit
Passion Pit got its start in 2007 when frontman Michael Angelakos was a student at Emerson College in Boston, according to NPR. Ten years later, the indie/electronic band has released its fourth album, “Tremendous Sea of Love,” and will be bringing its catchy music to The Depot on Jan. 23.
Earlier this year, Angelakos also founded the Wishart Group, which aims to provide support services for musicians, including improving mental health services — something Angelakos, who has bipolar disorder, has found especially lacking in the music industry throughout his career, NPR reported. In the NPR interview, Angelakos shared how his struggles with bipolar disorder are woven into Passion Pit’s music.
Jan. 23 — The Wombats
The three members of The Wombats met in 2003 at the Liverpool Institute of Performing Arts, and in 2007, the English rock band released its debut album, “A Guide to Love, Loss & Desperation.” The band, which plans to release its fifth album next month, is currently on tour celebrating the 10-year anniversary of its first record and will make a stop at The Complex Jan. 23.
Jan. 24 — Suzanne Santo
Best known as one-half of the Americana duo HoneyHoney, violinist/singer Suzanne Santo is now striking out on her own with her debut solo album, “Ruby Red,” which was released August 2017. January marks the start of Santo’s first solo headline tour, which makes a stop in Salt Lake City at The State Room on Jan. 24.
In a recent interview with All Access Music, Santo talked about the album’s first single, “Ghost in My Bed,” expressing that “it came to be when I was in a fairly dark place and felt like I was haunted. As most things go, I figured out that it was from my own doing. This song, like most of the songs on the record, is about accountability and recognizing my responsibility to my demons and making sure I’m aware of who/what they are and how to manage them.”
Jan. 26— I Don’t Know How But They Found Me and Noble Bodies
In December 2017, Dallon Weekes, longtime bassist for Panic! at the Disco, announced he would be leaving the band in order to work fulltime on his project, I Don’t Know How But They Found Me. Weekes, who is a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, will be bringing his new music to Provo’s Velour Jan. 26. Also headlining that evening is Noble Bodies, a group featuring Neon Trees’ drummer Elaine Bradley and Brigham Young University religion professor Bryce Taylor, who met while serving LDS missions in Germany, according to The Daily Universe.
Jan. 27 — Silverstein
Since its start in 2000, the Canadian screamo band Silverstein has consistently produced music throughout the 21st century, including hits “My Heroine” and “Smile in Your Sleep.” The group released its ninth album, “Dead Reflection,” July 2017, and will headline The Depot with Australian rock band Tonight Alive on Jan. 27.
Jan. 27 — Mary Lambert
Before delving into the music industry, Seattle native Mary Lambert was actively involved in slam poetry, and today, the singer-songwriter frequently incorporates poetry and spoken word about traumas from her childhood into her music and performances. Her big break as a musician came in 2012 when she received a phone call from a friend who was working with hip hop duo Ryan Lewis and Macklemore on their debut album, “The Heist,” according to thestateroom.com. Lambert wrote and sings the chorus of Lewis’ and Macklemore’s song, “Same Love,” which gave her the platform and exposure to break out on her own as a singer-songwriter. She released her debut album in 2014, which includes the hit single, “Secrets.” Lambert will headline the State Room Jan. 27.
Jan. 30 — ZZ Ward
Blues/rock singer ZZ Ward emerged on the music scene in 2012 and gained prominence with her single, “Put the Gun Down.” Ward, whose bluesy voice resembles a healthy mixture of Adele and Amy Winehouse, was featured on violinist/dancer Lindsey Stirling’s album, “Brave Enough,” in 2016 for the track “Hold My Heart.” Most recently, Ward released her second album, “The Storm,” last June and will be visiting The Depot in support of that album on Jan. 30. Check out one of Ward’s latest songs, “Help Me Mama,” in the video below.
Jan. 30 — Turnpike Troubadours
As an Oklahoma-based country group, the Turnpike Troubadours have stuck to their “red dirt” roots ever since forming in 2005. Lead singer/songwriter Evan Felker told Rolling Stone magazine, “I grew up in a town of 400 people. I worked in a paper mill. My dad's a cowboy. I'm from the country, and you just can't fool me with that pop stuff. … I'm happy to be a country band. Somebody's gotta do it!" The six-piece band released its fifth album earlier this year, and will be bringing its Steve Earle-esque country-rock to Metro Music Hall Jan. 30.