SLCene Suggests: Justin Townes Earle at The State Room

JUSTIN TOWNES EARLE, THE STATE ROOM, Friday, Dec. 20  and Saturday, Dec. 21, 9 p.m., $30

Let’s hope this is a new holiday tradition in the making for Salt Lake City. For the second year in a row, Justin Townes Earle is stopping by our fair city to deliver a solo show of his excellent songwriting, intricate guitar-picking and magnetic stage presence. Earle hasn’t released any new music since 2012’s excellent Nothing’s Gonna Change the Way You Feel About Me Now, but that shouldn’t matter a bit. He’ll draw from that set and his other albums to create an excellent show–he always does. Here’s hoping his between-song banter and attitude is in fighting form, as it was earlier this year when he played a bluegrass festival at Gallivan Center. Jay William Henderson opens the sold-out show Friday night. Morgan Snow opens on Saturday.