Music
Our Vinyl Weighs a Ton: An Interview with Stones Throw...
Last year, director Jeff Broadway released a documentary called Our Vinyl Weighs A Ton: This is Stones Throw. Having received a lot of positive feedback at festivals, the film is going on a North American tour this year, stopping at SXSW. … read more
An Open Letter of Gratitude to Jon Batiste and the...
It was Sundance 2012 in Park City, and I was running like a chicken with its head cut off trying to get A-listers and Very Important People to their parties and premieres. I was beginning to lose faith in humans as a whole, and was dangling on a fine thread of losing it when I met Jon Batiste. … read more
Enslaved: The Rites of Man
We all indulge in rituals. Some can be day to day—others might be subconscious. Regarding Norwegian metal stalwarts Enslaved’s latest album, RIITIIR, founding member, guitarist, vocalist and songwriter Ivar Bjørnson says, during an interview with SLUG, that the title is an “Enslaved-ified” derivative of the word “rite” or “ritual.” Join them in the ritual of a live concert when Enslaved play the Murray Theater on Feb. 12. … 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
Jupiter Suit: Playing for Change
Zach Marquez, 18 years old, is just the right mix of confident and cautious, ambitious and humble. He doesn’t want to be famous for the reasons you think. You see, last November, while I was watching these beautiful women from around the world compete in a fucking swimsuit competition, Marquez was thinking of any way he could possibly help the devastated people of the Philippines. Marquez is not most of America. … read more
Kid Congo Powers: The Rock n’ Roll Beat
Still an avid collector, Powers cites record collecting as essential to forming a band. He says, “I think you need some weight behind what you are doing—in a rock n’ roll band, that is.” He points out that by knowing the linage, one can see where other groups get their inspiration and how their language is created, like how The Stooges’ “Shake Appeal” is inspired by Little Richard. … read more
Taking a Break During Winter Blackout with Ryan Demars of...
I started this interview expecting responses based around catch phrases from Keanu Reeves movies and was almost upset when I found Demars to be intelligent (apparently he took the blue pill), fun, light-hearted and, well … you’ll see. Don’t miss them at Park City Live in Salt Lake, January 30. … read more
The Night Contains the Day: An Evening of Rumi’s Poetry...
For those who attended last year, don’t expect a rerun of the same pieces. According to Klerk, “They never do the same performance twice.” Barks chooses the poems spontaneously the day of, and Darling improvises in response. This reflects the essence of Rumi’s philosophy, which revels in the impulses that happen on the spur of the moment. By playing on their personal friendship, the duo makes manifest the love shared in every relationship, whether it be personal, professional, romantic, friendly or spiritual. … read more
Quit Shaking and Get Dirty with the Dirt Daubers
“I grew up watching TV and being influenced by pop culture like everyone else, but over time, I found that to be hollow, and eventually all you do is become a commodity to be bought and sold. But there is that undercurrent of culture that lives in every one of us—it’s indigenous, and we lose more and more over time. I love feeling connected to that history.” … read more
Thunder and Doom: Grand Magus Triumphs with Power
Striding forward with their own breed of doom-filled heavy metal, Grand Magus have proven that they are still dedicated disciples of the riff with the release of Triumph and Power. This most recent offering from the trio of hard-rocking Swedes shows a surprising level of focus and maturity in their sound, and shows just how much this band has grown in the last 15 years. … read more