Did you know Tahoe/Truckee has one of the liveliest small-town music scenes in the country? Check out our roundup of the some of the choicest concerts coming up this winter season. Trust us — there’s something for everyone.
Lil Wayne and Diplo
Turn It Up at Tahoe Live
Palisades Tahoe is celebrating its 75th year with a party for the ages as Lil Wayne and Diplo join forces for Tahoe Live, with two nights of blow-out concerts in the heart of Olympic Valley on Dec. 14 and 15. When it comes to hip hop, multi-platinum superstar Lil Wayne rewrote the entire game in his image and left an indelible tattoo on world culture. He performs in all his unadulterated glory on Saturday night in the Village at Palisades Tahoe.
On Sunday, Diplo will spin tracks from a two-decade career that began with the legendary Hollertronix club nights in Philadelphia. He’s subsequently collaborated with some of the world’s biggest acts, from Justin Bieber to Dua Lipa, and is a member of musical supergroups Major Lazer and Silk City. Tahoe Live opens its gates at 3 p.m. on both days. Concerts end at 10 p.m. Info: tahoelive.net
The Inappropriators Get
Wild for New Year’s Eve
It’s almost as if Weird Al Yankovic joined Gogol Bordello in South Park for a psychedelic mariachi convention. The Inappropriators are Tahoe’s weirdest and most, well … inappropriate band. But they also put on one heck of a live show that will have you alternatively belly-laughing and booty-dancing all night long to a hilarious fusion of reggae, punk, bluegrass, Latin, and funk. This local supergroup features members of Horsemouth and No Deal singing songs about circumcision, risky foreplay, transgender bathrooms, cold-water masturbation, and sister swapping. Need I say more? It’s not just a band — it’s an experience. The Inappropriators perform at Alibi Ale Works in Truckee on Dec. 31 at 9 p.m. Info: alibialeworks.com
Hippie Sabotage Trips
on a Dreamy Musical Voyage
Sacramento brothers Kevin and Jeff Saurer have always danced to their own beat, ever since recording original music to accompany homemade skateboarding videos as kids. As EDM and rap duo Hippie Sabotage, they blend trap, trance, and psych rock into a rare sound that’s been categorized as chillwave, glo-fi, and dream beat. This hypnagogic — somewhere between dreaming and waking — pop is a modern recreation of ’70s retro with an emphasis on memory, nostalgia and vintage instrumentation. Hippie Sabotage play at South Shore Room at Harrah’s Lake Tahoe in Stateline on Jan. 2 at 8 p.m.
Info: hippiesabotage.com
Atmosphere, the Twin Cities’
Emo Rap Icons
When underground hip hop duo Atmosphere surfaced in Minneapolis in 1997, who knew they’d forever change the course of everyman rap. A fixture on the Midwest scene, rapper Slug and producer Ant have served up over two dozen albums of compelling narratives, introspective evisceration, and a pioneering mix of soul, funk, and rock. With effortlessly raw charm, they bring honesty, humility, and vulnerability to catchy songs about life, love, and stress. Their 2023 LP, So Many Other Realities Exist Simultaneously, captures their most personal work to date, excavating the paranoia of a weary society full of civil unrest. Through seismic shifts in music and culture, they’ve stayed rooted in an ethos of innovation, truth and feel-good beats. Atmosphere performs at Bally’s Lake Tahoe on Jan. 17 at 7:30 p.m. Info: atmospheresucks.com
Hillfolk Noir Plays
Everything but the Kitchen Sink
Since forming 16 years ago in Boise, Idaho, Hillfolk Noir have applied an “anything you can find at the hardware store” approach to making music. With driving drums, upright bass and acoustic guitar, this trio’s soi-disant junkerdash style blends traditional folk, gutter punk, and swamp blues with frontman Travis Ward’s back-alley narratives and front-porch anthems. From his ragged, spiral-bound notebooks come the hard, tender, and earnest stories of heroic lovers, outcast lawbreakers, and the lion-hearted saints. Hillfolk Noir performs at Moody’s Bistro, Bar & Beats in Truckee on Jan. 30 and Feb. 1 at
8 p.m. Info: hillfolknoir.com
Glitterfox and ALO
Light Up Crystal Bay
Glitterfox front-couple Solange Igoa and Andrea Walker channel their personal struggles and experiences as queer, neurodivergent individuals into charming, likeable songs. Last year, the Portland, Oregon, indie rockers released five singles in six months after joining upstart record label Kill Rock Stars. Expect a love of Americana, grunge, dance, and alt-culture to saturate their performance at the Crown Room at Crystal Bay Casino in Crystal Bay on Feb. 8 at 9 p.m. when they open for homegrown Cali indie jam darlings, ALO, as part of Tour D’Amour XVIII. Info: glitterfoxband.com
