For over a decade now, Animal Collective have consistently delivered to their fans high-energy, intensely weird music, with occasional, equally weird visuals to accompany their sounds. SLUG spoke with Brian Weitz, aka “Geologist,” about their new album and what life is like outside of the band. … read more
Bellator: the Gladiators of the 21st Century
The crowd at the Maverick Center is on their feet, chanting “U-S-A” in unison, spotlights circle the room, and the tension is palpable. Then with a collective gasp and a wave of the referee’s hand, it’s all over. Countless hours, mentally and physically preparing for this fight and it’s over, two minutes and 45 seconds into the second round. Fighters, bull riders and Olympians recognize this fleeting moment when history claims the winners and the losers. In this case the winner is … … read more
2013 Banff Mountain Film Festival @ Kingsbury Hall 02.19-21
Twenty-two years ago, the Banff Mountain Film Festival made its debut at the University of Utah. The inaugural year attracted only 125 viewers. For this year, the venue was sold out. … read more
Toro y Moi @ Urban Lounge 02.24 with Dog Bite, Sinkane
I have wanted to see Chaz Bundick aka Toro Y Moi perform for a long time, and I must say, my expectations were fully met. … read more
Radical Reels World Tour @ Kingsbury Hall
The fast-paced and action-packed extension of the Banff Mountain Film Festival flew through SLC to close out February. Playing to a sold out crowd at the University of Utah’s Kingsbury Hall, Radical Reels showcased a variety of movies aimed at the heart of the adrenaline junkie. The Outdoor Recreation Program at the U has brought the film festival here for many years and is responsible for keeping the stoke levels at an all time high. Here are a few films that struck a chord. … read more
Upcoming Screening of The 10 x 10 Film: Girl Rising
At the Sundance Film Festival in January, we witnessed a distinct shift in the filmmaking that is celebrated and rewarded. Since its opening in 1978, the festival has showcased predominantly the work of male directors. This year, however, for the first time in the festival’s history, 50 percent of the directors were women. One of these films that cast women not as sex objects or as silent companions in a male-dominated world is Girl Rising. … read more
Coleman Barks with David Darling performing the poetry of Rumi
When I first read Rumi, the universe as I knew it exploded. Suddenly, I started realizing that the connections I share with others are bound by spontaneity, and I was opened to new levels of love. Reading Rumi is a transformative experience, and it’s something that I owe to Coleman Barks, a scholar who is well known for his translations of the Sufi poet. Although Coleman Barks doesn’t actually speak or read Farsi, what he’s done for the accessibility of this Sufi mystic—by re-translating the translations from AJ Arberry and Reynold A Nicholson—is something worthwhile to note. … read more
Paul Vigil: Utah’s Second Magic Prophet
Paul Vigil’s weekly parlor performances are up close, casual and feature tinges of the supernatural, or as Vigil says, “It will make you go home and wonder what the hell just happened.” … read more
Youth Lagoon @ Kilby Court 02.28 with Night Sweats
When I first saw Trevor Powers aka Youth Lagoon play, it was last year at the Urban Lounge. At the time, he was a quiet performer with only his drum machine and keyboard and one guitarist. That was a beautiful performance. … read more
Joey Arias and Kristian Hoffman @ Urban Lounge 02.28 with the Bad Kids
Called the “demigod of the demimonde” by Time Out New York, Joey Arias has made a career out of following the twists and turns of drag and performance culture since 1976, when he drove from L.A. to New York with dreams of performing. … read more
Matt & Kim @ The Complex with Passion Pit
Matt & Kim pounded onto the stage to “Harlem Shake” as the horde of witnesses released a guttural snarl, and commenced grinding their asses on the floor. Matt Johnson flailed a water bottle into the the scuffle while he and Kim Schifino (his “partner in crime and in sex”) thrashed their appendages to and fro. … read more
Inspirit Utah: Reviving Our Spaces, Communities and Ourselves
On Wednesday, Louisa Carter of Inspirit Utah, in conjunction with The Women’s Resource Center at the University of Utah, hosted a lovely afternoon filled with inspiring speakers about the ways that we can connect our social bodies with wild, natural processes. … read more
