I would have to say it was easily one of the best rock n’ roll gigs I have ever been to. The music was solid and superbly well done. It’s going to be hard to beat this one. … read more
Mastering Martinis: Shaken, Not Stirred
I saw the Mastering Martinis class listed on the website for the University of Utah’s Lifelong Learning Classes and knew I had to be there. You’re not supposed to drink the fist martini—they expected you to sample it and put it back in the shaker with varying degrees of vermouth. Baffling. If you put a drink in front of me, I’m going to drink it. With that hiccup behind me, the rest of the class went smoothly. … read more
An Open Letter of Gratitude to Jon Batiste and the Stay Human Band
It was Sundance 2012 in Park City, and I was running like a chicken with its head cut off trying to get A-listers and Very Important People to their parties and premieres. I was beginning to lose faith in humans as a whole, and was dangling on a fine thread of losing it when I met Jon Batiste. … read more
Touché Amoré @ In The Venue 02.07 with Drug Church, Seahaven, mewithoutYou
While Seahaven may be given the swoon award for the evening, true showmanship goes to mewithoutYou. Their opening song “My Exit” started with lead singer Aaron Weiss contorting like a schoolgirl singing aloud to Shakira in the mirror. Tugging at his jacket, eventually taking it off and putting it on several times through out their set further conveyed the eccentric mindset. Then there was Touché Amoré. … read more
Youth Code @ The Shred Shed 02.07 with Coming, Baby Gurl, Null, Pelicant’s
Last Friday, L.A.-based industrial duo Youth Code and avant-punk band Coming, both fresh off of a stint supporting AFI on a cross-country tour, played passionate, frenetic sets with a small audience at The Shred Shed. … read more
SIA Denver or Bust
Just imagining all of the boring shit the world needs people to buy is enough to make a person want to puke—there is a tradeshow for nearly everything. Luckily for SIA (SnowSports Industries of America), the industry is winter sports, the people are fun to talk to and the product is even better. This was SLUG’s 2014 trip to The SIA Snow Show in Denver, Colorado. … read more
Ring Rats Anonymous: UCW Zero Live TV Taping @ UCW Arena 02.08
A few new faces, a few old ones, a ton of surprises and a rope match? It’s all inside Utah’s best pro wrestling promotion! The evening began with Derrick Jannetty announcing the dissolution of his tag team partnership with Martin Casaus and issuing a challenge to the self-proclaimed UCW-Zero superhero, Kid Kade. … read more
SUITE: Women Defining Space 02.13
Four years in, SUITE continues to be one of a handful of places where emerging dance artists can get a foothold and start work in our city. … read more
Our Vinyl Weighs a Ton: An Interview with Stones Throw Peanut Butter Wolf
Last year, director Jeff Broadway released a documentary called Our Vinyl Weighs A Ton: This is Stones Throw. Having received a lot of positive feedback at festivals, the film is going on a North American tour this year, stopping at SXSW. … read more
Kingsbury Hall Presents Gallim’s BLUSH and a New Model for Touring to Utah
Whatever judgement one makes of Gallim’s 2009 work “BLUSH,” this is clearly an historic moment in the development of new models for presenting live performance in the state of Utah–– if Kingsbury keeps partnering with the College of Fine Arts departments in this way, their offerings might get a whole lot more interesting. … read more
Enslaved, Amon Amarth @ Murray Theater 02.12
The enigma that is Utah’s metal scene/crowd/fanbase resulted in the sold-out Amon Amarth, Enslaved and Skeletonwitch concert on Wednesday, Feb. 12. I say enigma because, when it comes to metal and metal-type shows in Utah/Salt Lake City, turnouts are always hit and miss. All in all, it was a night for fun to be had and bands to deliver their metal to the fans, and in return, the fans paid the bands back in massive merch sales. … read more
Dirt First Crew: Gravy.Tron, Tetris Fingers, Mr. Vandal, Grimblee @ Urban 01.31
Dirt First, a self-described “producers collective,” started at the end of 2011 in Salt Lake City by mascot and namesake Derek “Dirt” Wheeler bringing together a group of his friends. Their ski masked logo was unexpectedly adopted by their fans following a show one night when the whole crew wore the woolen face wear, making a one night shenanigan into an intrinsic part of the crew and their fanbase. The four members of Dirt First Crew playing the show at Urban Lounge on Jan. 31 were … … read more
