Music
Velour
Years ago, traveling to Provo to see a touring band would have seemed unthinkable. When Corey Fox opened Velour, however, that all began to change. Fox began the all-ages venue almost five years ago with little more than a dream and some elbow grease. Fox’s hard work has paid huge dividends for Provo’s surprisingly diverse musical community by providing a cultural hub deep in the heart of Utah County. … read more
State Room
Darin Piccoli and Chris Mautz moved to Utah in the late ‘90s and both quickly fell into the roles of local concert promoters, booking for events like the Red Butte and Snowbird concert series as well as the Utah Arts Festival. Both were “avid concert-goers” when they moved to Utah and turned their growing expertise into a physical reality with The State Room’s grand opening on April 1, 2009. … read more
Raunch Records
Raunch Records first opened its doors in 1984. Over the last decade, the yuppies have seemingly said, “Jump,” to which Sugarhouse has said, “How high?” So Brad Collins and company couldn’t have picked a better time to re-launch—or, re-Raunch. Look no further for punk/hardcore CDs, vinyl, apparel and skateboards. No Top 40, no Entertainment Weekly subscription offers at checkout, and no phonies—that’s Raunch, “a fucked up place to get some shit.” … read more
Gaza
Jon Parkin, Tino Lucero, Mike Mason and Casey Hanson are four of the nicest guys you’ll meet in an anti-Jesus setting. Gaza is one of the most notorious bands to come out of Utah in years. While Gaza hoodies are keeping people all over the world warm, their albums are keeping parents all over the world scared. They are a band with a message, and they’ve stepped onto a platform in the Utah music scene which had been empty for years. … read more
Localized: Speitre
SLUG Magazine celebrates 22 years at this month’s Localized music showcase! When I first lay mine eyes upon the music video for Speitre’s “Eternal Konkwest,” I mused: How many legions of warriors hath Speitre smote in one battle? “It’s hard to say a precise number … There’s so damned many, it’s hard to count,” says Hölger, the band’s lead guitar player. “We can’t say how many, but we can say, ‘It was a lot.’” … read more
Localized: Max Pain and the Groovies
SLUG Magazine celebrates 22 years at this month’s Localized music showcase! “People like to let out a lot of emotion at our shows. There are people throwing each other around and couples dancing super close to each other,” bass player Jake Brimley says when describing a typical Max Pain show. The description is spot on. … read more
Localized: DJ Knucklz
SLUG Magazine celebrates 22 years at this month’s Localized music showcase! It’s not unusual to find DJ Knucklz behind the tables on any given night of the week. The Salt Lake City based DJ holds residencies in Salt Lake City and in Park City and often plays snowboarding competition after-parties. When he’s not rocking crowds of skiers and snowboarders, he’s often teaching kids in afterschool skateboard and music producing programs. … read more
Napalm Flesh: Local Band Spotlight: Shadowseer
This week’s blog features a local band spotlight on Shadowseer, an exclusive CD review from Rise Above Record’s Swedish doom/stoner crew Ghost and some metal CD review goodies that didn’t make the print issue for January. … read more
Across the Wire: An Interview with Colin Newman and Graham...
Over three decades ago, the legendary art-punk band Wire released their debut album Pink Flag. By the mid-90s, the band once consisting of frontman Colin Newman, bassist Graham Lewis, drummer Robert Grey and guitarist Bruce Gilbert had broken up, pursued solo projects and reunited, only to break up again. Eventually, they faded into obscurity. Their music, however, left a mark inspiring a whole new generation of bands In 1999 the band reformed for good—and with a vengeance. … read more
A Portrait of a Punk Rock Powerhouse
The early ‘90s in Berkeley, California has become a special time in music history. For Marian Anderson, lead singer of The Insaints and the subject of Lilly Scourtis Ayers’ upcoming documentary, Last Fast Ride, the community of 924 Gilman Street offered temporary comfort, support and a place to play. “Marian was the most extreme example of a troubled kid who found a family through music. The band’s sound was definitely a product of its place and time,” says Ayers. … read more