January 2014 National Music Reviews
Localized: Gnawing Suspicion
This month’s Localized is a meeting of veterans of Salt Lake’s original punk scene and the new breed of local soundsters creating their own musical voice—the experimental, dub-influenced Muzzle Tung open. The Guard Cats have existed barely a year, but they display a diverse sonic palette. On the other end of the continuum, Gnawing Suspicion was one of the first Salt Lake punk bands coming out of the mid-’80s. This inter-generational insurrection will take place Feb. 14 at Urban Lounge at 9 p.m., emceed by Ischa B. and sponsored by Bohemian Brewery and KRCL. It’s $5 to get in if you’re 21+. … read more
Feldman’s Deli: A Chagigah to the Big Beehive
Eating for the public eye comes with an alert subjectivity, which demands accuracy pinpointed precisely to the better-or-worse longitudes of a Richter scale. The restaurant proprietor, unexpectedly awaiting such a guest, can only hope their ship is tight enough before the Devil throws a curveball. This particular morning, I surprisingly found myself not alone, nor the first, but the second person in line at Feldman’s New York Jewish Deli, 10 minutes before the doors were set to open that business day. … read more
SLUG Licks the Cat!
Anyone following the world of snowboarding over the past few seasons knows Lick the Cat. Those who haven’t figure it’s got something to do with new, somewhat painful advances in bestiality trends, but we’ll call ’em a tight-knit group of friends who enjoy shenanigans, making snowboard films, and who have Crash Bandicoot on N64 hooked to the TV in front of their toilet. … read more
Skate Photo Feature: Garrison Conklin
Some people just have unbelievable power and finesse in their ollies. Garrison is one of those guys. I would have been happy with an ollie from curb cut to curb cut here, but Garrison saw the challenge to clear the whole driveway to the flat on the other side, and went for it. … read more
Parker Cook: Badass Skier
How do you become a professional skier? Well, for Parker Cook, it sure helped that he started shredding at the age of 2. While you and I were crapping our pants and cramming fingers in our noses, he was pizza and French frying down the slopes with his dad at ParkWest (now The Canyons). The turning point for Cook happened a handful of years later when he was badgering his pro-skier friend, the late Billy Poole, for a pair of free skis. … read more
I Dream of Wires: Modular Synthesis with Solvent
Modular synthesizers have played an integral role in both the popularization of electronic music and avant-garde sonic experimentation, and are now, more than ever appreciated among musicians. In the independent documentary film I Dream of Wires, Canadian-based electronic musician Solvent (Jason Amm) traces the history, demise and resurgence of this modular mindset with its peculiar subculture’s leading artists and manufacturers. … read more
Nitro Circus: a Family Business
When describing the way to my house to people when I was younger, I would give landmarks just like anybody else. I’d say, “after the sharp curve,” or “just before the big tree.” For the Godfrey household, just keep your eyes peeled for the mini Mega Ramp—you can’t miss it. Gregg Godfrey is the co-creator and producer of MTV’s Nitro Circus. Gregg and the Nitro crew are best known for insane stunts, tricks and contraptions that they dream up and make a reality within their TV shows. … read more
The Dying Art of Light
Walking up the steps to the projection booths of the Salt Lake Film Society’s Broadway Theatre, I imagine what it would’ve been like, watching that scene from Fight Club when it showed in theaters in 1999, from a projection booth—like looking at a reflection, perhaps. Lance Walker, SLFS Head Projectionist, has been working in the booth since 2001, just before the Salt Lake Film Society came into fruition to save the Tower Theatre from demise … … read more