Month: June 2013
Camera Obscura @ Urban Lounge 06.26 with Marissa Nadler
Camera Obscura began with “Do It Again” and “Break It To You Gently,” two new pop tunes that prove that they’ve still got a vitality to their songbook, a feeling that evolved with confidence as they delivered half of their newest album. … read more
Miss May I, Killswitch Engage, Darkest Hour, The Word Alive,...
I love shows at Saltair. Even the drive, which would normally be an inconvenience, can be a wonderful relaxation if you take the right route. So it was Friday evening as my friends and I piled into a few cars and chased the sun out to the Great Salt Lake, ready to have our earholes sweetly penetrated by Killswitch Engage and their tour brethren Miss May I, Darkest Hour, The Word Alive and Affiance. My last show out here was the Coheed and Cambria tour, and memories of that show and its massive swarm of humanity were still fresh. The night was warm, the lake wasn’t stinking too much, and in between sets, you could enjoy a beer on the back porch and watch the sun set. Only a heartless fool wouldn’t have enjoyed himself here. … read more
Battle of the Bands @ Velour 06.15
I arrived at Velour about 30 minutes before show time on Saturday night. A week earlier, the venue’s Number Two, the lovely Kaneischa Johnson, had asked me to help out with judging the competition. Kaneischa briefed us, the esteemed judges, on the judging criteria and what she expected from us. I looked at the paper with the criteria that she had given us all, appended to a clipboard: Musicianship, Songwriting, Crowd Response, Stage Presence and Vocal Performance, all out of 10. … read more
Up in Palms: Palms Interview with Aaron Harris
When Deftones singer Chino Moreno’s name becomes attached to your band, the level of anticipation jumps the scale from a niche genre to many worlds of music lovers. Moreno isn’t backed by just any musicians in Palms, though: Three members of the now-defunct ISIS (drummer Aaron Harris, guitarist Cliff Meyer and bassist Jeff Caxide) have the musical chops and experience to make any musical project stand out, and are far from a backdrop to let Moreno’s well-known croon or scream play the keynote. Palms’ self-titled debut album drops on June 25 via Ipecac Recordings, with tour dates in the wings. SLUG caught up on all things Palms with drummer Harris. … read more
Forrest Does Downtown
For this article, Forrest Huber, Jovi Bathemess, Sam Milianta, Gabe Dusserre and I met up near the library Downtown. The friendly dynamic and atmosphere that was created helped some of these tricks come to life. These photos were all shot on two Saturdays in downtown Salt Lake City. We didn’t get all the photos we wanted to––sometimes a spot gets the best of you, sometimes you get kicked out before you even get a chance to skate––but we had fun, and that is all that really matters.
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5 Exciting Movie Reviews
Reviews for the films Black Rock, Dirty Wars, Last Shop Standing, Star Trek: Into Darkness and Stories We Tell. … read more
Eighties Fan: A Conversation With Camera Obscura’s Tracyanne Campbell
“I think I’m always optimistic,” says Tracyanne Campbell from her flat in Glasgow. “It might not seem like that, but I think I’m always, ultimately, trying to look on the bright side.” As the leader of the Scottish group Camera Obscura, Tracyanne Campbell needs hardly any introduction at all—she’s one of the brightest-shining indie stars of the last decade. From a diverse body of influences, ranging from classic country to melancholic British indie-pop, Campbell and her bandmates have built a stellar body of work, replete with catchy tunes and supremely bittersweet, sardonic lyrics. … read more
Beer Reviews
You’ve gotten to know barley (and wheat–based) beers, amber ales and hefeweizens—now I want you to experience rye beers. Rye malt has a slight herbal spiciness that sets it apart from other grains. I beg you to step out and try some of these locally available examples. … read more
SLUG Holiday Comix – June 2013
B.C. Sterrett brings us the tale of a Father’s Day Fail. … read more
Contributor Limelight: Weston Colton
Weston Colton has been a trusted skate photographer for SLUG Magazine since 2007. … read more