April 3Daniel Johnston$157 p.m.In the Venue (579 West 200 South)
The Sundance Film Festival’s 2005 Directors Award went to Jeff Feuerzeig for his documentary on tragic indie icon Daniel Johnston. “The Devil and Daniel Johnston” portrays the musician as a self-educated and as yet unsung musical icon who has been crafting his Beatles-styled ballads since the late ’70s with only a Sanyo Boombox as a recording studio. Under these initial and primitive recording conditions, Johnston would record entire records anew with every different cassette in addition to decorating them with his own comic-book-styled illustrations. This simple, DIY approach to music-making, coupled with the questionable brilliance of his songs, has garnered Johnston a wide following — avowed fans include David Bowie, Yo La Tengo, The Flaming Lips, Sonic Youth and the late Kurt Cobain, among others.
April 3Kid Madusa$78 p.m.Kilby Court (741 South 330 West)
Salt Lake City’s own Kid Madusa is poised to make some serious noise. With a sound that ranges from Minus the Bear math rock to Regina Spektor punk pastiche (with maybe a little local inspiration from Future of The Ghost in there as well), Madusa has a strong and unique voice — one she’s going to take to the Old World after the kickoff of a European tour to support the new full-length, We Are Drodna. You can’t afford to sleep on this.
April 4Musee Mecanique$77 p.m.Kilby Court (741 South 330 West)
Musee Mecanique is a maker of the fine folk musics via electronica. The derivation of its moniker is an old-tyme arcade located in San Francisco, which functions as a museum for mechanically operated musical instruments and antique arcade machines. The name choice fits well with the group’s aesthetic: gypsy-folk melodies complemented by electronic drums and synth patterns.
April 7 KRS-One$159 p.m.The Hotel (155 West 200 South)
KRS-One, aka “Kris Parker,” aka “The Blastmaster,” aka “The Teacha,” was born in Brooklyn, N.Y., and reached adolescence during the peak of the so-called “golden age” of hip-hop. Notorious for his political and socially conscientious lyrics — as well as a long-time (now squashed) beef with Marley Marl and his protégé MC Shan — his numerous names have since become synonymous with the essence of hip-hop. His collaboration with DJ Scott La Rock in 1987 on Boogie Down Production’s seminal debut, Criminal Minded, set the tone for the imminent rise of the gangsta rap subgenre, along with rap icons NWA and Ice T. This is a long introduction for an emcee who needs none.