MUSIC PICKS: OCT 21 - 27 

• Norman Seeff

James Taylor and Jackson Browne at Maverik Center
Sometimes it's hard to imagine certain artists playing a big arena; how does the gentle voice of James Taylor fill the Maverik Center? But the artist has been selling them out for decades, since he found fame in the '70s with his feel-good classic albums, an era from which songs like "Fire and Rain," "Carolina in my Mind," "How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You)" and "You've Got a Friend" all came. He's found success even outside his initial hits era, though, earning a number one spot on US charts with his 2015 album Before This World, and proving that his songwriting prowess and creativity are as strong as ever. His greatness will be joined on stage by Jackson Browne, another artist who made his name and fame in the '70s with enduringly catchy songs like "Stay" and "Running on Empty," sharing in common with Taylor a playful earnestness that obviously resonated with audiences then, and still resonates now. Both artists have recently released albums, for Taylor's part with his 2020 album American Standard (what an apt name for his work) and for Browne's, his 2021 release Downhill From Everywhere. See both artists play the new hits and old alike at their upcoming all-ages Maverik Center show on Oct. 22. Doors are at 6 p.m. and tickets range from $64.50 - $130.

Buzzards & Bees Returns to Downtown Provo
One of Provo's most spooktacular events is back this Halloween season, and the lineup is one that best not be missed. Taking up more than 10 venues in Downtown Provo and featuring more than 80 bands, Buzzards & Bees is not just a Halloween music fest, but an immersive, delightful Halloween event. While everyone loves Halloween, anyone who knows music in Northern Utah knows that Provo has a distinct penchant for the excessive, the dramatic and all things quirky, odd or over-the-top—just look at the inside of Velour. So, the community is well-built to pull off this city-wide celebration of all things scary, spooky and costume-y. Come dressed in your goth kid best for the Friday night kick-off Goth Prom dance party and see what I mean. The party will be DJed by KiD MACHiNE, and there will be a crowning of the Goth King & Queen at the end of it. Besides Goth Prom, Buzzards & Bees attendees can spend the weekend wandering historic Provo, catching tons of our best local bands and artists, like Brother., Michael Barrow & The Tourists, Little Moon, Mmend, The Solarists, Roadie, Drusky, Jenn Blosil, Sunfish, Bly Wallentine, Cherish DeGraaf, Future.Exboyfriend and Angie Petty, plus a ton more. There's also secret shows, though one has to watch @buzzardsandbees on Instagram to find out how to win tickets to those. The whole Oct. 22-23 event is a whopping $15, all-ages, and $10 for Goth Prom-only tickets. Visit buzzardsandbees.com for tickets, info and updates on venues, maps and schedules.

• Mckenna Frandsen

Skalloween with The Anchorage
Ska fans delight! There's a Halloween event for you, and it's packed with locals. Of course, real local ska fans will already have been anticipating this Skalloween, as it's the 10th that favorite ska acts like The Anchorage have been part of. For this year's Skalloween, they'll play on Friday, Oct. 22 alongside acts The Makeways and The Avenues at Kilby Court, where in addition to vaccines, negative tests and masks, they're also requesting something a little more light-hearted—costumes! For those who decide to mask up and suit up in a scary Skalloween fit, expect some of The Anchorage's convulsing ska takes, pulled from recent releases like the EP What We Go Through, which follows their 2015 album Regrow and their 2011 album Bridges, both holy little ska gems in their own right. For their part, The Makeways just released their second EP Feelin' Good last year, which delivers a, well, "feel good" island swing to contrast old school ska punk like that from The Avenues. The show is all-ages, doors are at 6 p.m. and tickets are $8 at kilbycourt.com.

• Steven Conlin

Miss Great Beehive State 2021 is On
Among all the fun things to do and see in October, there's now also some pageantry, thanks to a postponement of the Miss Great Beehive State competition earlier this fall. It's now time for the tradition, though, and it all goes down on Sunday, Oct. 24 at Metro Music Hall. Miss Great Beehive State celebrates the rich culture and tradition of drag artistry in Utah, and also creates an opportunity for local queens to gain some recognition and lasting titles for their efforts in the local drag world. While surely just as fun as any drag show, Miss Great Beehive State uniquely divides contestants and parts of the show out into categories, like any beauty pageant does. The categories in 2020's pageant included "creative presentation," "talent," "evening gown" and an "on-stage question," and the local queen Rose Nylon ended up taking home the title, joining a colorful cast of Miss Great Beehive State's past. There is no sneak-preview of who will be competing this year, but that surprise can be part of the fun. The 21+ show starts early at 5 p.m. and tickets are $15.

Lloyd Banks at Soundwell
Legendary co-founder of G-Unit, Lloyd Banks, is coming through to Salt Lake City on Saturday, Oct. 23 when he stops in at Soundwell for a night of contemporary rap classics. Banks made a name for himself even as G-Unit itself was still making a name for itself, releasing his own solo work among the stops and starts that his group was experiencing throughout the early 2000s. After the release of G-Unit's successful 2003 debut album Beg for Mercy, he released his own album that same year in the hard and edgy Mo Money in the Bank, following it up with 2004's The Hunger For More, famous for hits like "Karma" and "On Fire." His work with G-Unit and his solo projects were part of a defining moment in early 2000s hip hop and rap, where they mainstreamed a style of noirish grit and a thrumming backbone of guitar and bass samples that lent intensity to their stone-cold raps. While Banks and the other consistent half of G-Unit, 50 Cent, have since parted ways due to a mysterious feud, Banks has stayed busy with his own work, releasing just this year a new album, The Course of the Inevitable, his first solo work since 2010's H.F.M. 2. The album has found favorable response in hip hop circles, which are probably happy to see the legacy rapper back with such a lengthy album after such a long time. The show is 21+, starts at 8:30 p.m. and tickets are $30 - $35. Visit soundwellslc.com for tickets and more info.