Music
Diego’s Umbrella, Vokab Company @ State Room 10.09
I was lubed up just enough for San Francisco gem Diego’s Umbrella. Bejeweled gloves ablaze under the disco ball, Vaughn Lindstrom lifted his arms toward the ceiling in a slow arc. Benjamin Leon took his place at the makeshift snare set, looking severe, and Jake Wood tromped over to the full drum-set, also intimidating. … read more
Rob Zombie & Marilyn Manson @ USANA 10.01
Monday night’s adventure into evil with Rob Zombie and Marilyn Manson at West Valley’s USANA Amphitheater was a good way to kick off the cooling temperatures of fall and celebrate a month that is already obsessed with horror and devilry. If you judge the crowd’s fun level at the show on Monday night, it was in maximum overdrive. It was a visual spectacle, and I doubt any folks who spent hard-earned cash walked out of the show disappointed. … read more
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X96 Big Ass Show @ Gallivan Center 09.29.12
One my favorite things about Shrink the Giant’s performance was how lead singer Stefania Barr’s smile got wider and wider as the crowd began to fill in. By the end of their short set, she was beaming and most of the crowd was, too. It was hard not to like them and a lot of it had to do with Barr’s demeanor. … read more
Battle of the Bands Benefit @ Food & Care Coalition,...
Friday’s Battle was organized and hosted by the Food & Care Coalition to benefit their Provo facility that not only feeds over 100,000 people every year, but also provides those in need with showers, laundry, haircuts, job-seeking services and even chiropractic care. An organization that started as a group of local public officials, religious leaders and regular citizens who were concerned about the lack of services for Utah County’s homeless and low-income populations, the Coalition’s main focus is not only to feed these individuals, but to help them get on their feet with a myriad of services. This was the Center’s second year putting on such an event, following the success of last year’s edition. … read more
Hatebreed, Whitechapel, All Shall Perish @ In the Venue 09.22
Saturday night, In The Venue hosted the “10 Years of Perseverance” tour, celebrating a decade in the big business by hardcore kings Hatebreed. Support came in the form of the newer generation of death metal: Oakland-born All Shall Perish, and Tennessee boys Whitechapel, who are still riding the wave of good will and new fans from this year’s well received self-titled release. … read more
Henry Rollins @ The State Room 09.16
Rollins’ two-and-half-hour speech about whatever willed from his mouth—politics, reunion shows, being drug-free, iPod playlists, the smell of cow piss and more—was pretty bitchin’. With a sold-out crowd, Uncle Rollins proceeded to put the audience on his lap and tell them what the world is really like. No stone was left unturned, no ass cheek awake. For those of you who skipped this show, I shame you. … read more
Audio Circus @ Saltair with Krewella, Infected Mushroom, Nicky Romero...
Incredible light shows, crazy stilt performers and LED walls the size of the venue itself—it was a wondrous sight to behold. Did I mention the swagged-out fireworks display? Plus, with DJs like Pretty Lights, Nicky Romero, Andy C, Krewella, Infected Mushroom and countless others, how could Audio Circus simply not be phenomenal? … read more
Desert Noises @ Velour with The Young Electric, Timmy TheTeeth...
“You don’t seem impressed,” Jacob, my brother-in-law, said midway through Desert Noises’ set, “Do you not like them?” The thing is, I did. I was actually quite impressed with their skill and their songs—it was a much-better-than-average performance. The issue was not how good the band was, and they were quite good—the issue was who performed before them. “That’s not it at all, it’s just hard to have this,” I said, motioning toward the stage, “Follow that,” I point to the back of the room. … read more
Mercies @ Kilby with Daisy & the Moonshines, Your Meteor,...
Connecticut foursome, Mercies, looked endearing when the tambourine began to ring, initiating the intro into their opening number. Ambient rhythm guitar blanketed rolling drums in an unsteady and beautiful crescendo that would cut off just when you needed it most for a split second, then continue and pull you swiftly back in like breakers at high tide. … read more
Fictionist @ Rooftop Concert Series 09.07
This installment of Provo’s Rooftop Concert Series provided an interesting juxtaposition of coming and leaving in the Provo music scene. The show featured the scene’s most recent success story of breaking into the national eye, Fictionist. In contrast, The New Electric Sound is a rising force in Provo and is here to stay (for a little while, anyway). … read more