Issues: Exclusive
Circle Takes The Square @ Shred Shed 04.18 with Visitors,...
Nothing is better than the month of April—the weather is warm, the patio furniture is out and the bands roll in. Friday was no exception to this situation, as Circle Takes the Square stomped into Utah that evening. … read more
4th Annual High Times US Cannabis Cup in Denver, Colorado
Away from the enticements of “FREE DABS!” in the recreational smoking area and the allure of glowing marijuana buds, bathed under a vivid purple grow light in the indoor industry section, I found myself standing in the doorway of Forum 1 at the Denver Mart—a poorly lit reception hall. A small riser sat at the front—upon it a folding table with matching chairs—and in front of that there were several rows of chairs to accommodate the attendees of the seminars for High Times Cannabis Cup weekend. … read more
PAX East 2014 @ Boston Convention and Exhibition Center 04.11-04.13
I’ve been a big fan of Penny Arcade for years, but I didn’t fall in love with it until my first PAX in 2011. Penny Arcade creators Mike Krahulik and Jerry Holkins (Gabe and Tycho in the comics, respectively) created the Penny Arcade Expo (PAX) in 2004 to be a gaming convention for gamers, by gamers. It’s grown from 3,300 attendees to well over 60,0000. It’s a utopia for every type of gamer. … read more
CHVRCHES @ The Depot 04.22 with The Range
Glasgow-based synthpop trio Chvrches are a bombastic, bleedin’ indie-at-heart spectacle. Their hooks and heart soar song after song on their 2013 debut album, The Bones of What You Believe, and they’re not stopping short in any part of their global pop ascendancy. They passed through Salt Lake City on their U.S. tour to played a sold-out show at The Depot last Tuesday. … read more
Callow @ Bar Deluxe 04.19 with Ike Fonseca, Aaron Walcott,...
Bar Deluxe is the little big bar in Salt Lake—they don’t seem to get the same press as other clubs or the same caliber bands coming through, but it’s a great space–open and inviting–and has a great view of the stage from all sides. … read more
Natturday Neff Beach Bash @ Brighton Resort 04.19
As the snow starts to melt and the season winds down, Brighton Resort always ends up getting extra wild for its closing weekend. DJ Velvet was on the ones and twos, spinning a mix of todays hits along with a sick collection of ‘80s classics. The weather, despite ominous speculation by weathermen, ended up being perfect, with temperatures in the mid fifties and low sixties, and the snow stayed consistently slushy with maximum spray-ability. … read more
War Horse @ Capitol Theater 04.22
The performances in the play were solid, but considering the emotional content of the film, it would be hard to be anything less. The story is so strong that it carries the actors through it. A half hour into the performance I was completely zoned in. … read more
Combichrist @ In The Venue 04.19 with Stich, New Year’s...
Salt Lake City Concerts had brought the We Love You Tour to town for a stop at my favorite place, In The Venue. The powerful line up consisted of Stich, New Year’s Day, William Control and Combichrist. I was given a few moments to sit down and pick the brain of the headliner’s front man Andy LaPlegua before the show and reached a new level of inspiration by what he had to say. … read more
Temples @ Urban Lounge 04.21 with Drowners
Very few times in my career have I had my expectations blown out of the water. Usually I’m happy if they are met because they are quite lofty in the first place. Temples owned Urban Lounge that evening in a way those walls could barely hold them. … read more
Ring Rats Anonymous: UCW-Zero TV Taping @ UCW Arena 04.19
I’ll dispense with the pleasantries and distill my opener to this one thought: you should have been at this taping. Why? Because it was everything a wrestling show should be. Great character-based storylines, splintering partnerships and culminating feuds, a great talent roster that keeps getting deeper and the best fan-driven wrestling in Utah. Do you need any more reasons? Read on then. … read more