To me, “songwriting” usually evokes an image of deadbeat longhairs dinkin’ around on their instruments and crushing PBR cans one after the other, as any vestiges of the “creative process” dissipate into trite stereotypes of punk or indie musicians. Parquet Courts, however, generate images of notebooks and struggle. Guitarist and vocalist Austin Brown says, “[Andrew Savage (guitar/vocals) and I] both just write a lot … Through the practice of writing, sometimes, on those good days, I can sit down and a song will come out or a lyric will come out that I can feel inspired by later.” … read more
Urban Flea Market: Salt Lake’s Sunday Gem
If you’re guilty of spending glaze-eyed hours perusing Etsy and Pinterest, the time has come to attend the real-life, local version of online shopping—and you won’t even have to hashtag vintage. The Urban Flea Market—held one Sunday a month, May through October from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m.—has everything from antique goods to bohemian clothing,
R&R Barbecue: Award-Winning Eats
Barbecue has always played by its own rules, which don’t usually coincide with those of most restaurants. It takes no shame in its finger-licking messiness, its closely guarded recipe secrets or its proclivity for gigantic portions. Be that as it may, I was present at KUER’s Savory Salt Lake event last June when R&R Barbecue took home both the Celebrity Judge and the People’s Choice awards—it was a moment that made me stop and take notice. … read more
SLUG Holiday Comix – May 2013
Jess Smart Smiley shows us the fun of biking in Utah. … read more
Dear Dickheads – May 2013
Dear Adam,
Goddammit, I just wanna rip your idealistic little heart out, chew on it, spit it on the ground, light it on fire, then flip it off as I laugh and watch pieces of you burn into oblivion … but I can’t. … read more
Jed’s: The Friendly Neighborhood Barber Shop
People have been going to the barber to keep up with their hygiene as well as to fraternize with their neighbors. The act of getting one’s hair cut is so personal and intimate that it is not uncommon for a barber to become a person’s confidant. The barber shop as a place for neighbors and camaraderie is an ideal that Jed Beal holds close to his heart. He opened Jed’s Barbershop not only for himself, but to also give back to his community. … read more
Full of Hell: Beautiful Mutilators
Rudiments of Mutilation, the sophomore album by Full of Hell, to be released on June 11, is not an easy listen. It begins with harsh, piercing noise, slowly followed by wails from vocalist Dylan Walker and shambling, rumbling drums. An explosion of crusty blastbeats and hardcore riffs break the tension before the band delves deep into a downtrodden doom sound, with Walker’s voice channeling chaos all the while. This is intentionally ugly music—music that is designed to make you feel the worst of humanity. “We want to make really harsh, negative music that induces pain,” Walker said in a recent phone interview with SLUG. “It’s kind of beautiful in a way.” … read more
Somebody Else’s Baby: Understanding the Mechanics of Andy Farnsworth
Andy wanted to do a show here in SLC that granted comics the same opportunity to perform a set-list style of comedy. Since the idea is actually somebody else’s baby, he named the show just that: Somebody Else’s Baby. Farnsworth says, “Each time, we feature a picture of a new baby on the screen. Sometimes I steal the pictures from the photography studio on South Temple, the giant babies with the hoods.” … read more
Studios Among Us
Have you noticed that giant EA logo at the corner of 300 South and State? EA Salt Lake, formerly Headgate Studios, began producing software in 1992 and moved from its original home in Bountiful to downtown SLC in July of 2010. Originally strictly developing for Sierra Entertainment, they went on to produce Tiger Woods Golf for PC before being purchased and rolled into the fold of EA. I had one simple mission: to play the new Sims 3: Into the Future Expansion and make it my bitch. … read more
Product Reviews
Reviews of new products from Jelly Belly, 1:Face, Trail Barts, Omega-3 and Tarina Tarantino. … read more
Dig This: The Pyrate Punx
Keeping the spirit of punk alive and well, the Pyrate Punx are a force to be reckoned with. Fed up with a lack of decent, underground gigs coming through Utah, local punk rockers saw the potential to start the Salt Lake Pyrate Punx chapter. The SLC chapter formed, drawing from a wealth of experience and influences from other Pyrate Punx chapters around the globe, and has gained quite a reputation. … read more
Contributor Limelight: Cody Hudson
Cody started in the SLUG office as an intern five years ago in 2008, when he was 17, downing cans of Red Bull while he responded to prison mail and writing music reviews of indie albums during his spare time. … read more
