I’ve known Sam and Conrad for almost five years—well before they delved into the abyss of recording and releasing music (theirs and others’) via their somewhat understated label, City of Dis. As Sam explains, “‘City of Dis is a reference to Dante’s Inferno … and the fact that we like ‘Dis’ music.” For the unfamiliar,
This album reminds me of the best band you heard at a college party in the late ’90s and could never remember the name of—but I mean that in the best way. The instrumentation is softer rock, all shining guitars and thoughtful and adept rhythm-section backups. … read more
Bully, The Cabin in the Woods, The Raven, Three Stooges and Undefeated are reviewed. … read more
For our fifth annual beer issue, SLUG Mag invited local brewers from around the state to take some sultry and playful photos. Seek no further to see which bad boys let it all out and which nice guys still have a secret to share. We suggest you enjoy these sexy n’ sassy shots by cracking open your favorite, local brew that was handcrafted by one of these fine gentlemen while you relax in a bubble bath. … read more
This month we review Bear Bones by Gary Bueno, Down the Drain: A Commentary on Society’s Shift by Vincent Mancino, and Dirty Deeds: My Life Inside/Outside AC/DC. … read more
This month’s Localized showcase is going to be a night of real hip hop. Linus Stubbs is an accomplished DJ and producer who lets his beats do the talking. Burnell Washburn is young, but his career is on the upswing and his ambition is undeniable. Opener YZE is a top-shelf emcee/producer who puts on a show you won’t want to miss. Catch them all at the Urban Lounge (21+) on May 11 at 10 p.m. As always, $5 gets you in. … read more
If you’ve ever been to a SLUG-sponsored event, you’ve seen our marketing minions handing out free mags and convincing you to buy our cool merch. Espo, however, has gone above and beyond his SLUG tabling duties on a number of occasions. … read more
Since the inception of Velo City Bags in 2008, owner and creator Nathan Larsen has adorned cyclists and others with handmade, colorful and well built messenger bags and backpacks as they cruise around the city. As his bags have caught on, he made the long-awaited move into his first storefront in downtown Salt Lake in mid-February. I sat down with Larsen in his new shop to pick his brain on the new location and the high-quality goods within. … read more
This self-titled indie rock EP is fierce as fuck, paving the way for a full-fledged album in the future and establishing an above-average, awesome sound. A casual listener might not realize that these dudes are young—both in age and in their time together as a band, releasing their first album in July 2011. … read more
For over 30 years, Social Distortion has built a loyal following wherever their music has reached, Salt Lake being no exception. Mike Ness and the boys have never had any trouble selling out shows in our fair city, which is why SLUG reached out to you, our readers, via Facebook and Twitter, to submit the questions you’ve always wanted Ness to answer. Never ones to let us down, you came up with some terrific inquiries that evoked some interesting responses from Mr. Ness. … read more
Early Years, Austin Joseph’s first album, has an intriguing duality to it—whether it was a conscious effort is left to the listener to decide. To start, Mr. Joseph looks pretty clean cut: all smiles, hair gel and jeans. His musicality reflects this clean-cut image: uplifting keys and inspirational guitar. It’s clear that Joseph has extensively studied the catalogs of Pete Seeger, Gordon Lightfoot and other guitar-wielding good guys. … read more
This 14-song, 13-and-a-half-minute album is a sweet little treat indeed. S.L.F.M., the brainchild of SLC musician Jessica Davis, is one our cities finest projects. With buttery vocals reminiscent of Pink Martini’s China Forbes, frenetic strumming not unlike Dead Kennedys, and the unique use of distorted ukulele to set the mood, these tunes are ridiculously original and fun. … read more
