March 2010
Local Reviews: The .bLARE”
Every unpaid music critic dreams of writing a critical review of a band’s early release that prompts them to make prescribed changes and then go on to great glory. I know this is a mirage, but still …The .bLARE”, let’s chat. Like any first time director, you have a great first act, but have no clue how to follow that up. … read more
Local Reviews: Citizen Fate
Local CDs are always a mixed bag. 95 percent of the time they suck, and once in a while they 100 percent suck. Unfortunately for my ears, Citizen Fate fell immediately into the latter category. … read more
Local Reviews: The Fully Blown
How do I relate to you the greatness found on this record? In complicated words I could say, The Fully Blown is a heavy hard rock band with post-punk influences and lightly dusted with hardcore inflections, with touches of psychedelic guitar work. Simply put, they fucking rock. … read more
King Khan: Rock n’ Roll Soul
“I think this career choice was a lot smarter than boxing,” says Arish “King” Khan, frontman of the retro soul-punk outfit King Khan & the Shrines. “I definitely chose a better type of brain damage,” he says. Besides playing with the Shrines, King Khan also plays alongside good friend Mark Sultan (aka BBQ) in the two-piece, doo-wop punk band The King Khan & BBQ Show, and recently hooked up with Black Lips to record an album. … read more
SLUG Games: Prom Jam
This year The SLUG Games had a new twist: it was a Prom Jam filled with all the amenities you could ask for. It was high school all over again, except the gym was filled with snow, and instead of some strange middle aged dude with something to prove breathing down your neck, you were allowed and encouraged to get buck. Whether you prefer skis or a snowboard, the course was set up to shred up. … read more
Localized: Breaux, God’s Revolver and Maraloka – March 2010
Sure, you’ve been to SLUG Localized, but never before have you experienced the combined sadistic threat of Breaux, God’s Revolver, and openers Maraloka. It all goes down at the Urban Lounge on Friday, March 12. Five bones gets you in. Good luck getting out. … read more
Pentabike
“I’ve lied, bullshitted, exaggerated and fabricated some incredibly ridiculous stories about the creation of the Pentabike design in order to lend some sort of dark credibility to the question,” says Dave Strunk, “but the reality is that it started in about 1989 or so when I was working in a book warehouse here in Denver.” According to Strunk, the book warehouse afforded him the luxury to begin seditiously planting the good, old-fashioned pentagram in many popular book titles being shipped to what he refers to as “religious propaganda stores across this great land.” … read more
Derby Girls: Valkyries on Wheels
There is a strange primeval pleasure found in the company of a woman who is capable of beating my ass to a pulp. Last week I was watching tryouts for the Salt City Shakers—The Salt City Derby Girls All-Star team—and I heard a story about an unidentified Shaker nearly banned from the Women’s Flat Track Derby Association for hauling off and punching some high-falutin harpy from Los Angeles square in the face. Valkyries on wheels! Sleeve-tattooed Vixens! Be still my heart! … read more
Rhett Barney: Man With Balls will March in March
Total paralysis, deaths of lovers and painful memories have thwarted Utahn Rhett Barney’s step before, but he’s still here, feet tapping with impatience. When Barney leans over a coffee table to stare me dead in the eye and say that he’s going to Washington to “change this fucking law,” well, I believe him. Barney, a well-known Salt Lake City retail fixture for 40 years, is angry, and he wants us to know about it. … read more
Iris: Body Piercing Makes Amazing Happen
It was a week before President’s Day weekend, a weekend that means one thing to the owners of Iris—it’s time to gear up for SLC’s annual Tattoo Convention. “It’s pretty much like we’re opening a second shop for three days,” says Iris piercer and co-owner Nick Lott. For this one weekend Lott, Jessie Dobbs and Dustin Robbins, owners and piercers of Iris Body Piercing, transport their piercing jewelry, needles, gloves, back stock and their extensive collection of what Robbins refers to as “fancy jewelry” to the Salt Palace. … read more
Food Review: Bayleaf Cafe – March 2010
Months ago, I started hearing whisperings of a local soul food restaurant that served chicken and waffles. Where the pairing of fried chicken and a syrup-covered breakfast waffle may seem a little strange to the uninitiated, this eclectic comfort food combination has been standard fare on the menus of traditional African-American restaurants for decades. To experience chicken and waffles in all of its glory, I had to consider the context, I would have to try the dish in the middle of the night, after an evening of dancing and soul music. … read more
How I’m Accidentally Stalking Tim Barry
For the past three years, I’ve had a number of awkward encounters with former Avail frontman Tim Barry. This is the story of how I’m secretly stalking him. … read more
