Real Villains @ Aces High Saloon 08.21.2026

Aces has become a safe place for Salt Lake's punks, metalheads and alternative community alike, and on Aug. 21, that community came together for a lineup packed with some of the city's local heavy hitters.

Image: Sarah Clark

Concert

There are few better examples of what a local show should be than a locals-only night at Aces High Saloon. Aces has become a safe place for Salt Lake’s punks, metalheads and alternative community alike, and on Aug. 21, that community came together for a lineup packed with some of the city’s local heavy hitters: Real Villains, Filth Lords, RIBBONS and PoGoStiX.

Real Villains may be a new band, but the musicians behind it are anything but new to Salt Lake’s music scene. Playing only their third show, the band brings together musicians from some well-known local acts, including guitarist Jamison Palmer of Visigoth and Blood Star, drummer Tyler Barrani of Blood Star, Endless Struggle and The Monarchs, bassist Travis Nelson of All Systems Fail, and vocalist Skunk of Scary Uncle Steve.

For a band only three shows in, Real Villains already know how to put on a performance. Their set was only about 15 minutes long, but it was easily one of the liveliest performances of the night. They were high energy, talented and, most importantly, fun to watch. 15 minutes went by way too fast, and by the end, they had you begging for more.

PoGoStiX brought another newer name to the lineup. The Salt Lake City pogo punk band has quickly started getting attention from locals and, like Real Villains, shares members with other bands in the scene, including Power Beer, The Adjusters and Repeller. They’re another reminder of just how interconnected Salt Lake’s punk community really is.

RIBBONS brought a different kind of intensity. The Salt Lake hardcore punk band’s set was powerful and emotional, with songs dedicated to loved ones who have passed. In a night full of fast, loud music, their performance was a reminder that punk can carry just as much emotion as aggression.

Then there are Filth Lords. The Salt Lake street punk band has been a staple of the local community for more than a decade, and their performance showed exactly why they’ve earned that reputation. On a lineup filled with newer projects, longtime bands and familiar faces from across the scene, Filth Lords helped bring the night full circle.

That’s what made this show stand out. It wasn’t just four local bands sharing a stage. It was newer bands, longtime musicians and familiar faces from across Salt Lake’s punk and metal scenes all packed into one room. Nights like this are what make local music feel like a community rather than just a collection of bands, and Aces High continues to give that community a place to be loud, weird and completely at home. —Sarah Clark

Click on each photo to view the full image.

Photos by Sarah Clark | @kawai1potato