On Tuesday evening, I pedaled my ass through a massive snowstorm towards Bar Deluxe to check out the Night Beats. By the time I got to the bar (a mere four blocks east of my house), I was cold and wet and I’d watched my boyfriend almost eat shit on his bike. Before I made it home that night, I was colder and had slid out on my bike and managed to smash both my knees and my chin against some ice. Thank god I didn’t break the record that I’d purchased—if that had happened, my tears probably would have lasted much longer. Fear that you’ve just lost your teeth to an icy sidewalk is scary, but destroying an awesome record, now, that would be devastating. … read more
Aquarium Drunkard Day Party @ The Hype Hotel 03.15
I stumbled into the Hype Hotel looking for a way to kill some time on Thursday afternoon. I didn’t know who was playing, but figured that entry to the Hype Hotel would likely come with a few free cocktails. I quickly realized that I was in for a pretty awesome SXSW surprise: Lee Fields and the Expressions and Bass Drum of Death were both scheduled to play. … read more
Daughter @ Red Eyed Fly 03.14
I heard about Daughter from my friend Nadia, who’s a talented singer/songwriter herself, so I knew I could trust they’d be good. My decision to check them out at SX was reaffirmed when I heard them on All Songs Considered. I’m not usually into that folky sentimental sound, but hearing a clip of Elena Tonra’s beautiful voice on “Landfill” sealed the deal. … read more
The Black Angels @ Empire Automotive 03.15
Although I’ve seen The Black Angels numerous times, and more than one of my SLUG cohorts pointed this out to me when I announced my plans, I’d have a difficult time turning down a chance to see them live—that’s how blown away I’ve consistently been by their performance. I’ll admit that I might be kind of a The Black Angels fanboy, but fuck it, I don’t care, it’s not like I have their name tattooed on my body or anything… … read more
The Ettes @ Wahoo’s 03.16
Nashville’s The Ettes played their final show of SXSW at a fish taco joint called Wahoo’s. The turnout was small, but the set was still epic. … read more
A Plea for Purging @ Foursquare Church 03.14
Alright cyber warriors, I’ll try to contain this behemoth of a show review—not because I’m lazy, but because I know you’ve got a solid-booked day of scoring Craigslist dates and pirating music, and this show featured no fewer than thirty six bands (OK, so like…seven) on the bill. It was a lot to take in—My brain may have been running on some frazzled fumes, and I’m not discounting the occasional hunger hallucination. … read more
Books Alive
Bookish events for you bookworms to attend this Spring. … read more
WRD Skater Smackdown: Black Diamond Divas vs. Hot Wheelers 03.10
Not only was this bout a rematch between Wasatch Roller Derby teams Hot Wheelers and Black Diamond Divas, but it was also a charity match. Forty-percent of the net ticket proceeds went to Camp Hobe, a summer camp designed for children with cancer and their siblings. … read more
Shipping Up To Layton: Junction City’s Saint Patrick’s Day Brawl
As anybody in the derby world will tell you, roller derby is 75% sport, 10% perspiration, and 15% beer. It’s what we drink to celebrate victories, to mourn losses, to wash down our ibuprofen, and it always tastes better in the shower before a game. Unfortunately, the rest of the world usually frowns upon our healthy drinking habit, with one exception: St. Patrick’s Day, when derby folks can go hard as fuck and face absolutely no repercussions. … read more
Cappadonna @ Bar Deluxe 03.10
Saturday, March 10 got weird in almost all the right ways. QuitXpectingFavors threw the party and no one was tardy. Bar Deluxe was the hip hop hot spot for SLC. It was one of the first nice nights of the summer party season, and it was right after the big full moon—things were sure to get wild. … read more
Napalm Flesh: Fester Interview
Spring is, well, springing this week, but don’t let the sun and bright colors fool you—things are still as black as ever. This week, Napalm Flesh has an interview with Bjorn “Tiger” Mathisen of the recently reunited Fester, a black/death metal band from the early ’90s Norwegian scene. Also we have our usual lowdown on the week’s concert events as well as reviews of the new Borknagar, Power Trip and Revel in Flesh. … read more
White Rabbits with Gull @ Urban Lounge 03.20
One thing I’ve learned about going to shows at the Urban Lounge is not to show up too early. The doors usually open around 9 p.m., but the music doesn’t start till somewhere around 10 p.m. If you’re not careful, you can easily down several drinks before the music even starts, just because you feel the need to do something besides standing around and glaring at the band’s equipment on stage. So I was pretty surprised when I opened the club’s door about ten minutes before 10 p.m. to find the place sparsely littered with only 30 or 40 people. … read more
