A Taste of Mexique with Chef Carlos Gaytan

Chef Carlos Gaytan poses as he plates some delicious food.

You might recognize Chef Carlos Gaytan from his stint on Top Chef. Trained in French cuisine, he used that skill to revitalize Mexican gastronomy. His restaurant in Chicago, Mexique, has recently earned a prestigious star from the Michelin Guide, the only Mexican restaurant to do so. It was a once in a lifetime treat to have Gaytan cook for us, since my husband has sworn to never leave the West. … read more

Ex-Cult @ Kilby Court 08.16 with Zig Zags, Swamp Ravens, The Nods

After the first number is concluded, he comes off stage, and approaches an audience member who has a joint in hand. Taking the little doobie, he glares at the spectator while taking a hit. Returning to the stage, Shaw shares his prize with the band. Very cool and charismatic with no fucks given, Ex-Cult jumps right back into where they left off. … read more

FanasyCon 2014: Larping, Simon Pegg, The Hall of Heroes & How It All Shaped Up

The final day of Fantasy Con got off to a bit of a quiet start. The holiday hangover was in full effect, and the crowds on the convention floor were a bit thinner than expected, but that just made the aisles and halls easier to navigate and made everything more accessible. … read more

Courtney Barnett @ Urban Lounge 07.02 with Your Friend

It’s true she owes a lot to the slacker rock martyrs of the ’90s like Lou Barlow and J Mascis. Nobody writes a song with the chorus, “I don’t want no nine to five, telling me that I’m alive!” without having at least listened to You’re Living all Over Me once. But, just as you pigeonhole Barnett as some slacker rock disciple, she rips the roof off the joint with hostile sounding version of “Avant Gardener,” giving me chills like I’d just heard Joe Cocker for the first time. … read more

Battle at the Rez: Death Pitts Skate Competition 07.05

Rezolution skateboards and a copy of SLUG Magazine's 15 Year Anniversary Issue.

Over the fourth of July holiday weekend in Salt Lake, I could have seen a hobbit on turntables, LARPing at the Salt Palace or even the new Jonah Hill movie. Instead, I jumped at the chance to help support a cause that is close to my heart—substance abuse prevention. The Ute Tribe Alcohol/Substance Abuse Prevention Center held the Death Pitts Skate Competition at the Fort Duchesne skate park in order to get people off their couches and doing something productive.  … read more

Gravytrain on Biscuit Wheels: Blue Plate Diner Video Premiere 08.17 @ Urban Lounge

A restaurant producing a skate video is a strange idea to wrap your head around, but it totally makes sense when you look at the crew that works there. “Every skater who has a full part in the video also works at the diner,” Joe Mandl, co-owner of Blue Plate Diner let me know at the beginning of the night. … read more

Genre Zero @ Kilby Court 06.26 with Flashbulb Fires, L’Anarchiste

Rainy days are the best for concerts. The atmosphere flashes with lightening that almost seems to blend and highlight the most fantastic of musical notes. The splattering drops plodded away the evening of June 26 at Kilby Court, and the bands were more than willing to lend themselves to the polite, contemplative brooding of a nice little storm.  … read more

Born to Shred: Shred Fest in Fort Duchesne

Toagle Maza of Ṫogkté yelling into a microphone.

This past Fourth of July, SLUG Lead Designer Joshua Joye, Managing Editor Alexander Ortega and Junior Editor Genevieve Smith traveled to Ft. Duchesne on the Ute & Ouray Indian Reservation for Shred Fest 2014. Organized and sponsored by the Ute Indian Tribe Center for Alcohol/Substance Abuse Prevention and DJ LA of 90.3 FM Native Voltage Rez Radio, Shred Fest featured six bands, Native and non-Native.   … read more