SLCene Suggests: 5 Tips for Your Week

Deer Tick, The Urban Lounge, Thursday, May 10, 9 p.m., $20

John McCauley, the leader of Deer Tick, has a knack for crafting rock and roll that has all the grit you could ask for, while retaining some pop sensibility that makes the band’s some of the most appealing of the past few years. Following up their excellent recent full-length, Divine Providence, Deer Tick put out an EP, Tim, that is well worth a listen. And the band’s reputation as a thrilling live act is certainly well-deserved; this gig will likely sell out, so grab a ticket early if you can. Sallie Ford & the Sound Outside and the Turbo Fruits open the show.

Deer Tick headlines Thursday, May 10, at The Urban Lounge

UniteSLC! Festival, Liberty Park, Saturday, May 12, 11 a.m.-9:30 p.m., free

A brand-new festival dedicated to “celebrating life, diversity and acceptance,” this all-day thrown-down at Liberty Park has a lot to offer–and all of it local. There’s a ton of Utah-based bands playing through the day, including the Suicycles, I Am the Ocean, SuperSoFar and many more; local food venders and arts & crafts booths, information from human-rights organizations and activities for kids. A perfect way to spend a spring day, doncha think?

The Suicycles, one of the bands playing Saturday, May 12, at the  UniteSLC Festival at Liberty Park

Inkathon for the Arts, Art On You Studios, Magna, Saturday, May 10, 1o a.m. to 6 p.m., $20

Talk about a great way to support the arts–get a little new ink! Everyone who stops by the Art On You Studios tattoo shop and spends $20 for one of the below arts-related silhouettes will see 100% of that money go to the state’s Division of Arts and Museums, earmarked specifically for youth arts programs. With arts programs across the state being slashed due to budgetary belt-tightening, kids in schools need all the help than can get to make sure they have access to arts programs. Here’s an easy way for you to help–and get a cool tattoo in the process. Art On You Studios is located at 8971 W. 2700 South in Magna.

Plan-B Theatre’s SLAM, Rose Wagner Performing Arts Center, Saturday, May 12, 8 p.m., $25/$10 for students

Plan-B Theatre Company’s annual SLAM benefit is one of the cooler bits of stunt-programming you’ll find among local arts groups. A small group of writers, actors and directors get together and create five short plays from scratch over 23 hours–and the audience gets to see the results during the 24th hour. This year’s crop of playwrights includes local faves Matthew Ivan Bennett, Elaine Jarvik, Julie Jensen, Jenifer Nii and Eric Samuelsen.

The Ninth Annual SLAM benefit for Plan-B Theatre Company is Saturday, May 12, at the Rose Wagner Performing Arts Center

Katie Herzig, The State Room, Saturday, May 12, 9 p.m., $17

Katie Herzig is a talented Colorado-born and Nashville-based singer/songwriter who makes regular stops in Utah, as a headliner, part of the Ten Out of Tenn tour, and opening for acts like Brandi Carlile and Over the Rhine. Her music has struck a chord with all manner of TV and film producers, who hear something universal in her work. Herzig’s most recent album, The Waking Sleep, is a lushly produced set that finds her lyrics addressing “big picture” issues beyond personal relationships, and it’s another in a long line of strong albums she’s released in the last decade. Matthew Perryman Jones opens the show.

Katiz Herzig plays Saturday, May 12, at The State Room.