For our Local Beer & Spirits Issue, tattoo artist Caroline Wallace, also known as “Candy Queen,” translated her classic tattoo style into a magnificent, retro pinup-inspired cover. Check out her work on both paper and skin on Instagram at @candyqueen_tattoos.
Bitter Lemon leaves the audience with the same lingering, acrid taste in their mouth that will continue to haunt both Finlay and Helen in perpetuity. … read more
"I really love art from people who aren’t formally trained. You just see something that's so different than what you're going to see anywhere else.” … read more
Passion, independence and commitment to the hardcore community are what keep GVC going, a refreshing change in ethos in the era of mega-festivals and entertainment giants. … read more
Standing out in the scene can be tricky, yet Nancy Raygun has accomplished that in spades, not merely for their cheeky and rather topical moniker. … read more
You may remember the lace and leather, spandex pants, teased hair and showgirl makeup, as well as the gallons of booze, kilos of blow and all the debauchery that ensued,...
In just the last year, the Rape Recovery Center has provided service to over 2,000 survivors and victims, 575 hotline callers and 1.6 million people via outreach. … read more
The younger generation of Indigenous people … we are aware of what our grandparents couldn’t build for themselves, we are our ancestors greatest dreams. … read more
Seth Gonzales is it when it comes to Salt Lake’s underground hip-hop dance scene, recently placing third at the Red Bull Dance Your Style Qualifier. … read more
Twin Temple ensures that returning witnesses to their magic can prepare themselves for “more pink, more rhinestones, shorter skirts [and] more blasphemy.” … read more
SLC's artistic pioneers are reclaiming their narratives and identities while fostering a sense of belonging in a landscape often overshadowed by the echoes of the past. … read more
SLUG recently sat down with the leaders and organizers of the Fashion in Business program at the University of Utah Union Building to discuss their second annual student-run fashion show,...
This desire to provoke and connect is emblematic of the exhibit’s inspiration—Lunares’ realization of how tears may give us better insight and help us grow. … read more
The 35th Anniversary Party proved that there’s a space for everyone in the SLC music scene and that SLUG Mag maintains its commitment to covering and supporting it. … read more
SLUG’s 35th Anniversary Party is probably the most convincing way to get across that Salt Lake’s music scene has been—and continues to be—vibrant, diverse, inventive and always-growing. … read more
When Baby J was 19 years old, he convinced his older sister to go pole dancing for her birthday. He never expected it would lead him to a fulfilling career...
The Kills will be playing with The Paranoyds at The Union Event Center on February 9. Don’t miss your chance to come out and see them live for the first...
Local 14-piece swing band Hot House West is taking the next step to become a nonprofit organization called the Swing Collective that promotes the culture of jazz and swing in...
MICA's third art exhibit, Love Letters to the West Side, is a heartfelt homage to the often-overlooked Salt Lake City neighborhoods and communities. … read more
Despite their self-described "mean girl energy," Robin D'Banc's personal journey and performances have inspired their community to be authentic. … read more
As a nonbinary filmmaker, artist, educator, director, editor and community organizer, Amanda Madden’s style is influenced by their art and communtiy. … read more
Monday Night Magic is for everyone, from passionate fans of Magic: The Gathering to curious spectators. It’s for people to come together, have some drinks and play a game they...
Celebrating its fifth year, Holiday Market provided plenty of opportunities for fun and finding the perfect gifts to complete attendees' holiday shopping. … read more
Growing up watching drag reality with her mother, the Why Kiki legend Sally Cone Slopes started practicing and began her drag journey during 2020. … read more
Drusky’s growth and transformation that came from their two year gap between In Transit and Cake & Absinthe is clearly evident when listening to the two back-to-back. … read more
Ultimately, this is a solid project, and I hope that we’re getting a decadent taste of what the duo has in store for their next full length studio album. … read more
At first listen of frick.’s debut album, I asked myself, “What are these cats so angry at?,” before I quickly realized I'm angry at the exact same things, too. … read more
In a concise seven tracks, Lewis and Bonelli pull the spectators of the Salt Lake music scene into their idea of a modern, metropolitan, and material world. … read more
IDKHOW is captivating the scene with their mix of versatility of sound, which is well-achieved by tying in sounds from the ‘70s and ‘80s, making one almost feel as if...
SLUG recently had the opportunity to chat with local musician Brandon Callahan, one of Salt Lake City’s movers and shakers in the industrial genre. … read more
With their glitzy space opera of a second album, The Plastic Cherries set you spinning in Major Tom’s tin can and show you a phenomenal time while doing it. … read more
Dreamy is the name for this album, though don’t mistake that for subdued. Each lyricist brings his A-game, but the surrounding tracks feel cozy and smooth. … read more
Keepers of the Earth Vol. 2 proves Whisperhawk is a masterful storyteller as well as musician— the kind of soulful street performer that stops you in your tracks. … read more
Bad Bunny’s Most Wanted Tour kickoff on Wednesday, February 21 in Salt Lake City was a historic event, representing the Delta Center’s highest-grossing show ever. … read more
With resources they are provided—and only seeing the tip of its full potential—AN EXERCISE IN HUMAN ERROR feels like it’s been reduced to a 4-bit Game & Watch. … read more
Portals is made to throw on a record player with some old-school cartoons playing in the background. Will Salt Lake City be the home of a psychedelic rock revival? … read more
Gothic artist Lilly E. Gray “did what all good goth artists do … stole it off a headstone” at the Salt Lake Cemetery, where a mysterious grave reads “Lilly E....
Listening to Snailhorse II is like putting on your most-loved, most-comfortable sweater—the one that may be unflattering but that you know looks cute from just the right angle. … read more
January's Local Music Singles Roundup is the perfect selection to hammer out those New Year’s resolutions or curl up on the couch and mourn your youth—whatever you’re in the mood...
Ambedo’s Polyresin makes me feel young again. The album’s story arc is a little less a coming-of-age than it is a questioning-of-age, an anxiety of purpose and place. … read more
Pop open a stolen Veuve Clicquot, sit on the steps of Capitol Hill and drone out the vaporizing mushroom clouds with five of the best rock albums from this year....
Finding new, worthwhile roots music can be tedious. But while these artists definitely have vintage characteristics, each of them is finding new, original ways to use these elements. … read more
Grab your favorite pair of Doc Martens, a baseball bat and a pack of American Spirits and tune in to SLUG’s top 5 post-punk albums of 2023. … read more
As 2023 makes its way into history, war seems to be everywhere you look (again). Amidst the greatest pain, the mamas of the world offer unprecedented perspectives of love. … read more
As the holidays come around, blast all of these albums at your family dinner. ‘Tis the season to be jolly, but fuck that—here are the top five violence-invoking metal releases...
Bring on the bad bitch energy because these five ladies are drenched in it. Get ready to jump, dance, sing, cry and move on from that shitty ex or toxic...
Bodaget’s debut record, Still At Home, proves that pop-punk isn’t dead. It has loud, rage-filled bursts alongside soft, sentimental moments, which balances out the album. … read more
California-based gothic rock band Ashes Fallen not only satisfies those that like darker post-punk styles of music, but it transcends genres and dips into both EBM and rock. … read more
As is always the case with Snyder, Rebel Moon - Part Two: The Scargiver features intricate and striking visuals, and as always, the divisive director deftly paints pretty pictures with...
Ritchie really wants to follow in the footsteps of Tarantino. I'd suggest making one more film and then retiring. I don't mind if he skip the first part. … read more
Whether or not you’re ready to get in the robot, The End of Evangelion will endure for another 27 years and be waiting for you when you’re ready to face...
With so many charming kid performances, good vibes and slices of blueberry pie to go around, it's disappointing that the ending leaves a bittersweet taste. … read more
A remarkably absorbing and smartly-paced film that mixes silly comedy with surprisingly heavy drama that ranges from touching to genuinely unsettling. … read more
Kung Fu Panda 4 is better than can be reasonably expected from the fourth movie in any series and is likely to be one of the most enjoyable family films...
Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire is the third time we've returned to this particular well since 2017, and this time, the water is more than a little bit icy. … read more
This is one hell of a ride, with performances that will be staples for each cast member, a demonically dark and satirical look at the dark side of ‘70s late-night...
If you can embrace Immaculate as pure camp, you may find Immaculate to be just what you're looking for, especially if you're a big fan of extreme gore. … read more
Shirley is a good film that is ultimately too by-the-numbers to be be called a great one, and it definitely left me wanting in terms of character development. … read more
While Riddle of Fire borrows a lot of its themes and ideas from the retro action adventures of the ‘80s and ‘90s, its antiquity is offset by its modern setting....
It's a well-acted film that tells a worthy story about courage in face of evil. It's unfortunate their own protagonist and the filmmakers play things safely. … read more
Ultimately, Orion and the Dark is a fine movie with some great moments but suffers from playing it too safe—ironic for a story about facing your fears. … read more
The prospect of sharing this lonely journey with an interesting character on a mission into the unknown is tantalizing for cerebral science fiction fans. … read more
Schulman is still following the advice of his most iconic character, John Keating, so memorably portrayed by Robin Williams, and seizing the day. … read more
The Christian movie market has been thriving at the box office, which is impressive when you consider that it arguably has yet to produce a single good movie. … read more
It’s an insightful piece of filmmaking that is unlikely to find the wide audience deserved, though it’s going to leave a mark on nearly everyone who sees it. … read more
Bob Marley: One Love is an entertaining, if disjointed, snapshot into the life and achievements of a complex and important figure in music, spiritualism, and politics. … read more
If you’re ready to laugh and have a great time with an unapologetically indulgent thrill ride, Argylle is just the ticket for a weekend diversion. … read more
British Writer-Director Molly Manning Walker brought her narrative feature debut, How To Have Sex, to Park City this year, where—despite the chilly weather—it received a warm reception. … read more
Presence is less a movie than it is a gimmick, and while I'm all for Soderbergh making smaller films, this is the latest frustrating example of his tendency to go...
Ponyboi is a bold and transcendent performance that is screaming out to be seen, and if Hollywood is willing to look at Gallo, it could be a game changer. … read more
Agent of Happiness is a film that poses many questions, though the only answer it can give is that happiness is reliable only in its elusiveness. … read more
What a vibrant debut this is, feverish with ideas and energy. Whatever Lin’s next project is, he’s got no shortage of infectious ingenuity to pull it off. … read more
Ejiofor capably tells a tragic tale that is worthy of the Bard in Rob Peace—if he can hone is instincts a bit, he has the potential to be great storyteller....
Overall, Hell of Se has elements of interesting characters and a classic plot, but the film lacks proper development to capitalize on those unique traits. … read more
In the case of Suncoast, it feels a bit too much like writer/director Laura Chinn was meeting with her therapist and was told “just write a screenplay about your teenage...
After learning that she is over $300,000 in debt, Darla discovers a sentient kombucha scoby named Mother that can communicate with her telepathically and give people psychedelic orgasms. … read more
In Anna's Feelings, a Russian factory worker becomes an unlikely savior as she begins to hear the voices of extraterrestrial civilizations. … read more
Will Ferrell and Harper Steele star in Will & Harper, where two lifelong friends embark on a cross-country road trip after one comes out as a trans woman. … read more
Bad Luck Brigade is a five-member band from Logan, Utah. In this episode, they define their jazzy hip-hop sound and discuss some of the technicalities they’ve discovered together. … read more
The Mellons are a four-piece baroque pop band residing in Salt Lake City and Provo Utah. The band formed in 2020, and was signed by the label Earth Libraries in...
Goldmyth is a harpist and singer-songwriter in Provo who crafts dreamy, indie-pop melodies. She chats about balancing motherhood with a successful music career and debuts some unreleased music. … read more
Worlds Worst talks about their first time recording in a studio, what they call the “slacker ethos” and how it’s actually crucial to their band’s sonic fingerprint. … read more
Tyler Harris and Ian Kirby from psych-pop group future.exboyfriend sit down with SLUG Soundwaves to chat about breakups, playing Kilby Block Party and getting high at the gym. … read more
Western surf-rock outfit Casio Ghost chat about the authenticity of playing actual instruments and existential inspirations in their music, such as the writings of Albert Camus. … read more
In an exclusive interview with SLUG Soundwaves, psychedelic singer-songwriter Elowyn debuts never-before-heard songs from her upcoming album release. … read more
SLUG Soundwaves sat down with not one, not two, but all four members of The Apathetics! The band chats about the intersection between pop-punk, emo-punk and skate-punk. … read more
Mark Dressman of RIP Cassette chats about quarter life crises, wrestling with dissonance and "looking back on this phase of [your] life as if they were polaroid pictures." … read more
Multi-instrumentalist Lindsay Heath chats about the landscapes she visualizes when composing songs and the addition of heavier metal elements to her eight-piece orchestra. … read more
Rachael Jenkins talks about their lyrics-first approach to songwriting, struggles with identity after leaving the LDS church and signing with a record label after posting songs on TikTok. … read more
VanDyke chats about transitioning from playing in a classical orchestra to improvising as both a solo singer-songwriter and half of nu metal band DOOMCUPCAKE. … read more
Electronic musician Andrew Aguilera talks about his various projects, including Angel Magic and Mooninite, as well as his recent forays into ambient music. … read more
In an interview with SLUG Soundwaves, Joe Phillips (aka Anode) discusses his obsession with rhythm and the lack of rules in creating electronic music. … read more
Ambient electronic artist Dante Lerae reflects on his diverse range of musical influences from classical jazz to Daft Punk in this meditative, transcendental episode. … read more
Ahead of their set at SLUG Picnic on Saturday, July 22, Isaac and Bryson from Sleep Cult chat with SLUG Soundwaves about their musical journey. … read more
Before performing at SLUG Picnic on July 22, Jade Whitlock from Assisted Living talks to SLUG Soundwaves about the "grungegaze" genre and their recent self-titled EP. … read more
Before he performs at our first SLUG Picnic of the summer, tvlen comes to SLUG Soundwaves and details his recently released album, the house is drowning. … read more
Ahead of his performance at our first SLUG Picnic of the summer, unclassifiable local artist HXSTAGE comes to SLUG Soundwaves to tell his musical story. … read more
In between a string of festival dates and tours around the country, The Moss come to SLUG Soundwaves to talk about the origins of their alternative, beachy sound. … read more
Musician Josh Doss of Josh Doss & The Cancers joins this episode of SLUG Soundwaves to discuss the origins of The Cancers, his musical influences and the band’s upcoming performance...
Ogden musician Igama hops on SLUG Soundwaves fresh off of his new album, Slow Steady Road, and discusses the origins of his quasi-ambient, instrumental sound. … read more
Jyothsna Sainath and Wachira Waigwa-Stone discuss Sangam, which combines classical Indian dance with musical influences from around the globe. … read more