Issue 259 - July 2010

The Alternative Press Collection

On the second floor of the Salt Lake City Library near the fiction reference desk and the periodical section, a handful of shelves hold approximately 2,500 zines––one of the largest public alternative press collections in the country. Unfortunately, if you weren’t looking for it … it’s unlikely that you’d ever know it was there.

True to Form: Sofa King

When considering the symbolic nature of the rat in parallel with Willy Nevins, it becomes obvious why his alias is “Ratchild.” His art, music, skateboarding and writings are the proverbial foods for you to devour. Infected with the disease of creation, he rapidly spreads it through the streets he scurries through.

Localized

Menlo’s intricately orchestrated indie-pop and Theta Naught’s improvised post-rock will be politely taking the stage July 9 at the Urban Lounge for only $5 with openers The Eden Express.

Swingin' Utters

Though the Swingin’ Utters haven’t released a studio album since 2003, they’ve released a live album, a b-sides/rarities compilation, and earlier this year a tribute record was released. With news that the band will be releasing a new 7” entitled Brand New Lungs on June 22, a new album coming this Fall and extensive touring in the near future, I felt the need to get an interview with Utters’ guitarist/multi-instrumentalist/songwriter Darius Koski and to get his thoughts.

Frosty Darling's Cupcake Social

Nothing is worse than a cocktail party.  After squeezing into some spanks to get that slinky dress on, you sit around sipping martinis and trying not to make a pig out of yourself at the snack bar as you casually converse with a bunch of pretentious yuppies. Gentry Blackburn, owner of Frosty Darling, is getting you out of that yuppy mess on July 30 from 5 to 9 p.m. for the Frosty Darling Cupcake Social. A cocktail party gone cupcake, this is an event you won’t want to miss.

Copper Palate Press

Create a design, apply photo emulsifier onto a screen, attach the design, shoot super-powered light at it, rinse the screen off and start applying paint through the holes the photo emulsifier made: that’s the most basic story of screen printing. But there’s more to the tale for a local woodcut and screenprint artists’ studio: “The goal of art, with all of us, is to communicate with an audience and to make an impression on people,” Cameron Bentley says.

Metal of the Mountains

I walk into Burt’s Tiki Lounge with Deavy Metal, the wicked bard of Killbot. After cracking open some tall boys and ascertaining that the reason Devin’s hair is so shiny is because he uses Dove, I have one thing on my mind: Deavy Metal Productions Presents S.L.C. METAL Volume #1 - FREE.

Spy Hop Records

When I got a hold of a free CD sampler of local youth artists produced by a local youth record label, I was surprised. Actually, I was in disbelief. The first time I popped the CD into my stereo, I did a double take. I checked the CD and the sleeve to make sure that this was, in fact, the music of teen musicians as produced by other teens. It’s not just that the musicians themselves are talented and original, but the production quality itself is so good that I couldn’t help but wonder if some mistake had been made. My apologies to the talented folks over at Spy Hop Records.

10 Years of Stoneground

At this point, the location of Stoneground really shouldn’t be a secret.  But since it’s tucked away downtown on the second floor of an older building, one that overlooks the Salt Lake Library and a Trax station, it is easy to drive straight by without ever seeing the large rust-colored sign.  In June, Stoneground celebrated its tenth anniversary.  And while this is an incredible feat for any restaurant, it is even more impressive when you consider the eatery’s humble beginnings and the adversity it has faced over the past decade.