S L U G Jim Jarmusch

MAG SUNDANCE VOL. 24 • ISSUE 301 • JANUARY 2014 • slugmag.com • ALWAYS FREE SLAMDANCE UTAH WOMEN IN FILM slugmag.com 1 2 SaltLakeUnderGround slugmag.com 3 SaltLakeUnderGround • Vol. 24 • Issue #301 • January 2014 • slugmag.com

@SLUGMag youtube.com/user/SLUGMagazine Publisher: Eighteen Percent Gray Action Sports Sponsorship Sales: Editor: Angela H. Brown Jake Vivori, Tim Kronenberg Managing Editor: Esther Meroño Marketing Manager: Editorial Assistant: Alexander Ortega Karamea Puriri Office Coordinator:Gavin Sheehan Marketing Team: Ischa B., Sabrina Costello, Digital Content Coordinator: Cody Kirkland Kristina Sandi, Brooklyn Ottens, Angella Copy Editing Team: Esther Meroño, Alexan- Lucisano, Nicole Roccanova, Raffi Shahinian, der Ortega, Mary E. Duncan, Cody Kirkland, Victoria Loveless, Zac Freeman, Cassie Ander- Johnathan Ford, Alex Cragun, Katie Bald, Liz son, Cassie Loveless, Shley Kinser, Matt Brunk, Phillips, Allison Shephard, Laikwan Waigwa- Robin Sessions, Carl Acheson, Chandler Hunt, Stone, Shawn Soward, Traci Grant, Jeff Dixon, Anna Johnson, Kate Clark, Rachel Roller, Janie Maria Valenzuela, Angela Sunny Oliver, Julia Greenberg, Matt Brunk, Megan Kennedy Sachs Social Media Coordinator: Catie Weimer Fact Checker: Katie Bald Distribution Manager: Eric Granato Cover Photo: Sara Driver Distro: Eric Granato, Tommy Dolph, Tony Lead Designer: Joshua Joye Bassett, Nancy Burkhart, Adam Okeefe, Ryan Design Team: Eleanor Scholz, Lenny Riccardi, Worwood, John Ford, Matt Pothier, Phil Cannon, Chad Pinckney, Mason Rodrickc Tim Kronenberg, Justin Nelson-Carruth, Xkot Ad Designers: Sumerset Bivens, Christian Toxsik, Nancy Perkins, Nate Abbott Broadbent, Kelli Tompkins, Brad Barker, Paden Senior Staff Writers: Mariah Mann-Mellus, Bischoff, Maggie Zukowski, Thy Doan, KJ James Orme, Bryer Wharton, Peter Fryer, James Jackett, Nicholas Dowd, Nick Ketterer, Devin Bennett, Esther Meroño, Rebecca Vernon, Mike Wakefield Brown, Jimmy Martin, Ben Trentelman, Princess Website Developer: Kate Colgan Kennedy, Sean Zimmerman-Wall, Cody Hudson, Office Interns: Carl Acheson, Robin Sessions Shawn Mayer, Dean O. Hillis, Alexander Ilustrators: Ryan Perkins, Phil Cannon, Benji Ortega, Gavin Sheehan, Megan Kennedy, John Pierson, Maggie Zukowski, Sean Hennefer, Ford, Cody Kirkland, Ryan Hall, Ischa B., Ricky Robin Banks, Timm Paxton, Dylan Chadwick, Vigil, Dylan Chadwick, Thomas Winkley, Henry Eleanor Scholz, Jared Smith, Steve Thueson, Glasheen, Lauren Slaughter Paul Frame, D. Bradford Gambles, Selma Ortiz, Monkeys with Computers: Brian Kubarycz, Natalie Edwards, Manuel Aguilar Some Cop Dude, Nate Housley, Mame Wallace, Photographers: Katie Panzer, Dave Brewer, Kia McGinnis, Timo H., Alex Cragun, Kendal Barrett Doran, Jesse Anderson, John Barkiple, Gillett, Alex Springer, Brinley Froelich, Justin Gal- Chad Kirkland, Melissa Cohn, Megan Kennedy, legos, Scott Farley, Steve Richardson, LeAundra Michael Schwartz, Weston Colton, Jake Vivori, Jeffs, Steve Goemaat, Christian Schultz, Matt Andy Wright, Gilbert Garcia, Paul Duane, Talyn Brunk, Trevor Hale, Jordan Deveraux, Rebecca Sherer, Robin Sessions, Ceza Dzawala, Ben Frost, Mike Riedel, Tim Kronenberg, Amanda Melini, Martín Rivero, Logan Sorenson, Austin Rock, Randy Dankievitch, Michael Sanchez, Boyd, Helen Leeson, Jocelyn Bowman, Gilbert Adam Fratto, Julia Sachs, Jamie Stott, CJ Cisneros, Russel Daniels, Matthew Windsor, Paul Morgan, Allison Shephard, Blake Leszczynski, Johns, Garrett Allen Ashlee Mason, Eric Norris, Nick Kuzmack, Videographers: Slugger, Brian Baade, Brock Nancy Perkins, Samuel Hanson, Karamea Puriri, Grossl, Candida Duran, Matthew Pothier, Per- Katie Bald, Kamryn Feigel, Rheanna Sonnichsen, rylayne Deker-Tate, Andrew Schummer, Mitchell Ben Tilton, Darcy Russell, Taylor Hale, Lizz Cor- Richmond, Lexie Floor rigan, Stakerized!, Seeth McGavien, Billy Ditzig, Community Development Executives Carl Acheson, Ashley Lippert, Arnold Hsu, Josh SLUG HQ 801.487.9221 [email protected] Allam, Allie Russell John Ford: SLUG Magazine’s Official Podcast: [email protected] SLUG Soundwaves Nate Abbott: Host: Dan Nailen [email protected] Producer: Gavin Sheehan Tim Kronenberg: Executive Producer: Angela H. Brown [email protected] Associate Producers: Esther Meroño, Alexander Ortega, Dan Nailen About the Cover: Jim Jarmusch told us in our interview that he’s a fan of SLUG, and wasn’t affording any mainstream media press. It was flattering, to say the least. The portrait of him on our cover was shot by his longtime partner, Sara Driver. Read more on the iconic filmmaker and his latest release on pgs. 36-37. DISCLAIMER: SLUG Magazine does not necessarily maintain the same opinions as those found in our articles, interviews or advertisements. If you are easily offended, please do not blame us. We are a carrier for the voice of the people, and it is not our fault if you don’t like people. Content is property of SLUG Magazine. Please do not use without permission, or we will hunt you down and make you pay for your sins. Now that’s a promise. Contributor Limelight: Carl Acheson – Intern/Writer When it comes to SLUG staples, Intern/Writer Carl Acheson is damn near perfect. Whether it’s heavy lifting or meticulously cataloguing digital information, Acheson’s stalwart work ethic has helped keep the gears oiled at SLUG since September of 2012. Acheson enjoys everything he does for SLUG and our sister organization, Craft Lake City, but especially relishes reviewing live music like that of Bonobo. He gets his groove going with producer-oriented music from anyone like Purity Ring to Danny Brown, but isn’t too proud to get down with “bullshit rap” like 2 Chainz every once in a while either—and his favorite band is Interpol! Acheson is a man about town—you may have seen him riding his green fixie, Lucille, in cathartic bliss, solo, or at Urban Outfitters, carrying out his duties as Shipment Receiver. You can catch him at local food proprietors such as Eva and Washington Square, likely enjoying a good read, but don’t hesitate to say hello. He also writes for The Reaches, and holds the writing experience he gets from SLUG in high regard. Hopefully, Acheson knows how highly we think of him, too! 4 SaltLakeUnderGround slugmag.com 5 Dear Dickheads, Arctic Circle (who are locally-based, by the way). If BP or Walmart opened a corporate What’s up with all these 5k runs for office in Salt Lake, would you cover them diseases? I’m looking at the November as well? I mean, I know that if Apple issue of SlugMag and I see this atrocious established a branch here you sheeply “Jingle Bell Run for Arthritis.” Am I the only hipsters would be all over that shit, but EA one that thinks they’re throwing it in the doesn’t exactly have the same cred among faces of those with arthritis? Hey, look at self-hating young people. If you’re gonna us run, with ease, through the streets while write about EA, then you might as well write your deprecated body can’t even wipe an article heralding the arrival of Dunkin’ its own ass without searing pain. Don’t Donuts into the Salt Lake Valley. Seriously, worry though, we’re running FOR you, my old roommate knows the manager of since you can’t. It seems heartless, it seems the one across from the library, I can totally thoughtless, it seems like an excuse for hook you up with that corporate donut SLC’s fitizens to fit it up in our streets while sweetness. making fun of the handicapped.

They should be ashamed and so should Larry the Looter SlugMag for allowing its advertising. Larry, Shoutout to Topo in Red Orchestra, you shoot like a blind 3 year old. I’ll let this one slide because I know that your girlfriend made you write ifytbairz this at gunpoint because she’s mad at you for your gaming habits. Hi Daniel, What you need to do is spend some quality time with her and take If you knew anything about her somewhere nice, rather than arthritis, you would know that feeding her the Cheetos-cheese movement actually decreases pain. buildup off your fingers between Go ahead and WebMD that shit COD sessions. Of course EA Games while you’re at your computer is a corporation. However, games typing “anonymous” letters like The Sims and GTA5 propagate criticizing organizations that help little experiments and hypothetical people in need. situations that reflect the conscience and consciousness of Western XOXO, SLUG society. It’s big developers who provide these virtual experiences, so Dear Dickheads, we don’t feel sorry for investigating this cultural phenomenon, since Look. I love you guys/gals/guygals, but it’s developed locally. Feel free to I take issue with the fact that you ran a develop an “indie game” of the profile on EA Games in November. EA same interactive caliber, and we’ll is the largest video game publisher in the feature you (we know you’re just world. It’s a multi-billion dollar corporation. pining for attention anyway). Until Frankly, there isn’t anything even close to then, stick to what you know: weird “underground” about it. Yeah, I guess it’s cyber-punk sex with your annoying cool that they have a branch in Salt Lake girlfriend. and it’s giving local people jobs, but ya know, so are Adobe and eBay and fucking XOXO, SLUG

FAX, SNAIL MAIL OR EMAIL US YOUR LETTERS! Fax: 801.487.1359 • Mailing Address: Dear Dickheads c/o SLUG Mag • 351 Pierpont Ave. Ste. 4B SLC, UT 84101 or [email protected]

6 SaltLakeUnderGround slugmag.com 7 8 SaltLakeUnderGround slugmag.com 9 aby Gurl share their Downtown Music was a gay hookup app, pretty much … and it’s of sounds dark to me,” says Wadsworth. “… practice space with Yaktooth, and called GROWLr … All he said about himself That’s not what we’re trying to do live—we’re B there’s somethin’ in the wat—er—Natty was, ‘I’m all about the music.’” The two started just trying to be happy and stupid!” Light around those parts. The best way to fully jamming out a confluence of “riffs, drums, riffs, grasp what Chris Wadsworth (bass, vocals) drums,” says Fairbanks. They initially tried out Baby Gurl have plans for a follow-up full-length and Jordan Fairbanks (drums, vocals) do West to play guitar. Wadsworth says, “He to ANAAB along with a split with some friends as a duo in Baby Gurl is to see them perform. played with us for, like, an hour or something, in California. “We have a million ideas that we Their between-song “banter”—if one could call and stopped, and he was just like, ‘I’m done.’” just have to work on,” Fairbanks says. The main it that—is reminiscent of cavemen grunting To their taken-aback responses, West said, “You conceit behind their upcoming releases, they before they switch back to grooving bass- guys don’t need a guitar player.” say, would be to spend more time in the studio, and-drum tracks riddled with odd vocals with since they recorded their debut in a mere six effects, spacey keys and other quirky sounds. What has resulted is, at its core, music that hours and spent just another six hours adding The closest thing to their hilarious and slightly traverses funky rhythms and collapses into stoner the sound effects, although Wadsworth clarifies unsettling stage persona is to listen to “Tweaker metal breakdowns with Wadsworth’s fuzzy scale and says, “I’m not saying we’re going to stop Time,” where bouts of crying interrupt the song’s noodling accompanied by Fairbanks’ on-point, having fun. It’s just that—when it comes to trajectory. Though it may sound dark on their rhythmic drumming. Wadsworth considers Baby recording—it’s going to take a little more time.” record, A Name And A Blessing, Baby Gurl Gurl’s sound as “definitely heavy,” he says, but, For the time being, A Name And A Blessing is have one prerogative when it comes to fully “… it’s not heavy like metal, ‘We’re just there available for download for a suggested price at manifesting their music live: “What am I gonna to rip heads off,’ and shit [though] it’s just a lot babygurl.bandcamp.com. do to make this asshole laugh onstage while louder and heavier than people would expect.” we’re playing to [where] he fucks up?” says The two acknowledge that their “heavy” sound The band accompanied Yaktooth on their tour Wadsworth of playing with Fairbanks. “We do is fused with a groove-based approach to of the West Coast, having also made friends not try to take ourselves seriously onstage.” songwriting. Fairbanks says, “I’ve heard two with Gaytheist during their SLC stop and descriptions that I really like. One is: ‘Tim and reconnecting with them for a show in Portland, Baby Gurl formed in April of 2012. Previously, Eric playing Kyuss songs,’ and the other one which, they report, went amazingly. Baby Fairbanks became interested in hardcore via is ‘Frank Zappa meets Primus.’” Baby Gurl Gurl continue to play out of state: “We do Matt Wiley (currently of Eons) and played in recorded their album with The Dark Wizard, weekend warriors. Since June, we’ve done one Medea. He expatriated to Maryland to play too, which they released in February of 2013. weekend warrior where went to Denver,” which, noise music for a spell, and even played in Eons The two initially included the sparse lyrics that Wadsworth says, included two shows in Denver prior to Taylor Orton. Fairbanks’ first band appear on A Name And A Blessing as jokes in and one in Laramie, Wyo. They also plan to was Medicine Circus, and he would go on to terms of the subject matter—sometimes just to make use of their West Coast hookups to play a play in the inimitable Heathen Ass Worship provide verbal percussion, so to speak. “James,” Central California tour. with Josh West, then Long Distance for instance, includes the words, “Watch out, Operator with motherfucker. I’m gonna roll you over in my Regarding their local niche, Wadsworth finds West and Whil electric wheelchair,” a first-person narration that Baby Gurl and Yaktooth don’t necessarily Though Yaktooth are a “heavy” McCutchan of from a paraplegic thug. Additionally, the fit into the Salt Lake music scene, which spurs Localized band, their sound initially derived possessed by the spirits of North Yaktooth. “I actually “shit” and “fuck” of “Neanderthal” Fairbanks’ dichotomization of SLC’s sound from jam output. “It was the worst Dakotan truckers—kind of scary. McCutchan met Jordan on a functions as a count-off to the next in general: He says, “I feel like we do in the By Alexander Ortega struggle at first—it was so awkward and says, “It kind of makes you uncomfortable, but social fucking app song part that Fairbanks had sense that we’re kind of doing our own thing. [email protected] uncomfortable,” West says. “We’ve all been you’re OK with it.” Yaktooth have diluted this on a goddamned trouble transferring to. Amid Everyone in the Salt Lake scene is doing [that], Photos: Gilbert Cisneros fans of heavy music and everything, [but] we aspect, but still maintain an appropriate amount phone,” says the zany, “tongue in cheek” and they’re pulling new influences that they find didn’t plan on that; it just turned out that way— of eccentricity to keep it interesting. Wadsworth. “It gibberish, though, “it kind out about into their own projects, and it just escalates the music scene in Salt Lake City [to Urban Lounge is gonna get weird on Jan. 10. it’s just what came out of us.” What has resulted be] greater and greater all the time.” This month’s Localized features headliners is a “heavy” amalgamation: Consensual Healing Another element that adds to Yaktooth’s Yaktooth, who are prepared to deliver their features math-y, slightly dissonant guitar noodling weirdness is their approach to lyrics: “Lyrics were In terms of headlining with Yaktooth, Wadsworth heavy-rock goulash, and Baby Gurl, a drums/ that punctuates sludgy riffs, with screechy vocals never important to us ’cause no one in Salt Lake says, “Those guys suck. I hate their lives.” bass two-piece bent on slamming out a grooving flashing at irregular intervals. Their math-informed can understand what you’re saying when you’re Brotherly love aside, you don’t want to miss this assault. Chaotic hardcore openers Die Off instrumentation calls to mind the corybantic guitar onstage in your heavy band playing at fuckin’ month’s Localized—think “Tooth Gurl.” will pummel you, starting at 9 p.m. Localized, work of Form of Rocket, but it’s tempered Burt’s,” West says. “It’s just how it comes across.” brought to you by Bohemian Brewery, by a stoner metal sensibility with the grooving Yaktooth grafted nonsensical, almost-gibberish is just $5 and is hosted by Ischa B. If you’re propulsion of Tolchock Trio. West says, “Local lyrics—sometimes in Spanish—onto the songs on not 21+, or if you’re sick/immobile, be sure to music in general is a huge inspiration for us.” Consensual Healing. For a new album they are stream the show at gigviz.com. Indeed, Yaktooth embody a Salt Lake sound writing, they will still steep its language in arcane carved from Kilby Court’s aughts days, yet stand symbolism, where “what’s going on” won’t be Yaktooth are completely in their element ’round out as being fresh due to their experimental clear—however, it will contain a narrative arc. a truck in the parking lot of their practice-space nature: “We’re way bigger fans of the stuff that West says, “I don’t want to call it a concept building, Downtown Music, swilling Natty Lights. isn’t ‘tr00 metal’ ’cause we’re too fuckin’ weird record—it’s a story record. It’s a story about They are earnest and unpretentious musicians for the metal kids and we’re too heavy for the something that really happened mixed with some who founded and discovered this musical niche indie kids, so we have a weird place, but I mythology. We have taken [lyrics] a lot more together in January 2012, and released their feel like that’s where we belong,” says West, seriously lately, if only for the fact that we have debut album, Consensual Healing, on Feb. 7 who cites Iceburn and Smashy Smashy as to tell a story …” Expect this album’s release in of last year (recorded and mastered by Andy personal influences. February or March. Patterson). Drummer Whil McCutchan says, “A lot of those songs were written while Yaktooth mainly include the core rock instruments Yaktooth recently toured the West Coast to we were trying to cut loose from being super of guitar, bass, drums and vocals, but enhance enthusiastic crowd responses, sharing bills with concerned about what we were doing and their sound with a vocal-effects processor: the likes of Gaytheist and Teeph, and formed making enjoyable music for other people.” He “Wrustle,” the final track on Consensual Healing, friendships with touring bands for whom they’ve was previously in Long Distance Operator exhibits wheezing, alien-sounding vocals and, opened in SLC to form a good footing for said with guitarist Josh West, both of whom also later, droning vocals that sound akin to kargyraa- tour. “We’ll definitely go on the road again,” played in Lazy Billy and the Pillows style throat-singing. West says, “I can sing, but says West. They are judicious about the number with bassist Evan Anderson. “Both of those I’m better at yelling, but we don’t want to yell all of local shows they play in order to uphold their bands just ended up dissolving randomly and the time. It got to the point where [we were] like, drawing power, but when they do play, you can uncomfortably,” says West, “so the three of us left ‘What can we do to really twist up the vocals and catch them at The Boys’ House, Salt Haus, Shred to vamp together.” After being what Anderson make them weird?’ So, we bought a vocal-effects Shed and (maybe) Willie’s. Listen to Consensual (also of Dead Horse Point) calls “band processor, and that’s what we use!” This addition Healing at yaktooth.bandcamp.com. supporters,” playing “other people’s music,” underpins some of the zany characteristics of these founding three members feel liberated with Yaktooth’s sound, and their live persona furthers Regarding Localized, Yaktooth couldn’t be the music they now play in Yaktooth. Anderson their quirkiness: They initially played in “teeny” happier. West says of Baby Gurl, “They’re our says, “When we started this, it was finally like, white shorts only, and their opening performance fuckin’ brothers,” and of Die Off: “We love Die ‘Alright! I’m doing whatever the HELL I want.’” at Localized last April could be described as being Off—those kids are fuckin’ awesome!” 10 SaltLakeUnderGround slugmag.com 11 he history of social and religious conservatism in Birmingham, Ala. Truns deep, but even down in the heart of the South, there are pockets of open- mindedness and tolerance. Much like how the Mormon atmosphere here in Salt Lake City has constructed a much stronger-than- normal LGBT community within the state of Utah, the Christian and Evangelical influence in Birmingham has bonded together the gay community in Alabama in a way that strengthens them and makes them even more visible against their conservative background.

Theatre Downtown, a community theater that operates inside an antique store on Birmingham’s Fifth Avenue, is one of the forces working to increase that pocket of open-mindedness and tolerance in the South through innovative and often original plays and musicals. Founded in 2006 by Billy Ray Brewton and Cindy DeSa, Theatre Downtown churns out fabulous productions all year round. Documentary filmmaker David McMahon grew up in Birmingham—and it was only a matter of time before he came across one of Brewton’s plays. “I went to see [Theatre Downtown’s] production of a previous play, an original play called We Three Queens, which Billy Ray wrote, and I was struck by how irreverent and really hilarious it was, and I admired that Billy Ray seemed to have no respect for the conventions of theater and just basically did whatever the hell he wanted to do,” McMahon says. David McMahon’s documentary Luckily, McMahon grew up in one of those By John Ford [email protected] Photos: Kim Hatfield pockets of open-mindedness and tolerance. follows the “It was a real lifesaver for me, growing up production there. I got exposed to like-minded people night performance, and includes plenty The controversial material within the of the and supportive people,” he says. So when of in-depth looks into the lives of the cast musical is certainly entertaining, but controversial he found out Brewton was going to do an members. “When I started shooting it, I knew it’s the characters behind the scenes and drag- original musical called Skanks In A One Horse that it was a dirty, controversial musical— who truly make this film come together fabulous play, Town, he decided to give it a shot and turn the ridiculous, certainly, but definitely dirty—with on a much larger scale. As a main cast Skanks In A drag queens in it, in a conservative Southern member, Chuck Duck is one of those experience into a documentary, premiering One Horse state,” McMahon says. standout characters. “When we found at the Slamdance Film Festival this month. Town.

Filming Skanks was a bit of a 180 from McMahon’s previous film work, which includes co-directing Bayou Blue, a documentary about a serial killer in Southeastern Louisiana, with director Alix Lambert. McMahon says, “I learned so much from Alix. She’s a wonderful friend and a wonderful director, and really sort of a mentor for me through that process [of directing Bayou Blue]. She thought of things that I never would have thought of on my own … It was a great experience.” When he started looking for his next project, McMahon wanted something a little more lighthearted—something that wasn’t quite as bleak as Bayou Blue, and he ended up with Skanks. The musical, Skanks In A One Horse Town, follows three “skanks” from Studio 54 in 1978 as they travel back in time—with some help from a magic, time-traveling disco ball— to the Old West of 1878, where they, Meat Loaf, Conway Twitty and a cyborg version of Anita Bryant, must stop a railroad baron from building his rail line straight through the town of—wait for it—Deep Hole, and turning it into a ghost town. The musical is raunchy, vulgar and beautifully explicit. McMahon’s documentary follows the production of the show from early rehearsals to the opening- 12 SaltLakeUnderGround slugmag.com 13 out David was doing a documentary on the and Juan Carlos Batlle (another actor and many members of the Skanks musical show, [we were] super psyched, but nothing in the play) and their fathers. McMahon production will be joining McMahon in could’ve prepared me for the experience of says, “[While filming Skanks] the stories that attending the festival, including Hooks and having cameras following us around at every unfolded were a surprise to me. Definitely, Duck. “Getting accepted into Slamdance rehearsal. It was so much fun. I loved the the father/son dynamic was a surprise to me. was something I never expected. When I whole experience. David and his crew were It became important to show … how they heard and it really sunk in, I had a real good such sweethearts,” says Duck, who plays really formed this surrogate family [within cry. The fact that my little story is gonna be Oklahoma Jackson—the main skank within Theatre Downtown]—that what they may not told on the big screen is more than I could’ve Skanks In A One Horse Town. be getting from home or from their childhood ever imagined,” says Duck. or youth, they’re getting from this company of Duck did his first play when he was 17, and friends.” The exposure of Duck’s and Batlle’s The way this documentary has come together even performed as Prince during a high family dynamics magnifies those friendships has surpassed all of McMahon’s expectations school assembly—the footage of which is formed between the Theatre Downtown cast from when he first decided to make the included in Skanks—but he didn’t get started members, and encourages viewers to connect film. As with Bayou Blue, he went into the doing drag until he was in his mid-20s. “I’ve with this film on many levels. production of the documentary agenda-less, always loved makeup—loved watching my but was amazed at every turn as the piece mom and aunts put it on. Any chance I could Another personal characteristic from Skanks came together. “[Skanks] sort of captured sneak and put it on, I would,” says Duck. comes from the original music in Skanks In A what community theater is meant to be—and His first drag experience was at an amateur One Horse Town. Brewton wrote this musical community theatre in the sense that it’s really night at a local gay bar, where he performed with songs about three-ways, sticking “it” about forming a community … and it’s really as a nun with a dark side to Madonna’s up the ass and skanks—a good portion of funny,” McMahon says. And funny it is. If “Erotica/The Beast Within” mix. He didn’t which are sung by men in drag playing the you’ve ever been involved behind the scenes continue doing much drag in bars, but he “skanks” within the production. Assisting of any type of production, you’re sure to get a loved doing it, so he started doing drag in with lyrics, but especially with composition, kick out of McMahon’s documentary—and to theater productions. Duck says, “In drag, were Christoph and Flannery Hooks. be smitten by the incredible cast who put this I don’t have to worry if I’m sashaying too Flannery’s talents especially shine throughout musical together. much. I was always picked on for my swish Skanks. McMahon says, “Flannery is one of when I walk—I became quite self-conscious those people who has no clue how gifted You can see the world premiere of Skanks, and about it—[but] when I’m in drag, I don’t have she is … ’cause she sits down and just writes probably several of the skanks themselves, at The over-the- to hide it. I can flaunt it.” And flaunt it he songs—like in 10 minutes—just plucks the this year’s Slamdance Film Festival, which runs top characters does—on- and off-stage. melody out of the sky.” The catchy tunes and Jan. 17–23, 2014, in Park City at the Treasure behind the naughty lyrics will surely cause viewers to Mountain Inn. Go to slamdance.com for more scenes of One of the most personal aspects of the have these songs stuck in their heads for a details, and check skanksthedocumentary.com Skanks provide documentary comes from a focus on father/ good, long time. and the Skanks Facebook page for more info congruency to son relationships—particularly with Duck about the film itself. the film. McMahon thought that Slamdance would be a great place for Skanks to premiere. “Just Screening Times: the mission statement of the festival has a Sunday, Jan. 19 — 10:20 a.m. — Treasure purity to it that is pretty great,” he says. Once Mountain Inn: Main Screening Room it was announced that the documentary had Tuesday, Jan. 21 — 8:10 p.m. — Treasure been accepted, McMahon says, “I was Mountain Inn: Gallery thrilled! … [and I’m] really excited about coming out to Park City.” Playwright Brewton

Skanks will premiere at the Slamdance Film Festival in Park City, with David McMahon present along with some of the cast.

14 SaltLakeUnderGround slugmag.com 15 Kitchen & Bar: Where Flavor Comes to Dance ZESTZEST By Amanda Rock • [email protected]

here are few places in Salt Lake forward to plenty of these to battle my City as unique as Zest Kitchen & Seasonal Affective Disorder this winter. T Bar, an intimate bar serving spot- The Cello Driver also pairs well with on, downright craveable food with lively Zest’s delightful raw dishes. flavor. Contributing to Salt Lake City’s reputation as an up-and-coming vegan A raw dish I find myself craving is the hot spot, the menu boasts intriguing Zucchini Noodles with Fresh Tomato cocktails and sustainable vegetarian Sauce, Pesto and Pine Nuts ($13). The (mostly vegan) fare as well as live music, thin, curly noodles made from zucchini DJs and dancing on the weekend. hold their shape against the tomato sauce and absorb the tangy, bold fla- Casey Staker, of the popular W vors. A scoop of fresh, creamy pesto Lounge, is the owner and operator of and pine nuts elevate the dish, adding Zest Kitchen & Bar, which has been exquisite texture and flavor. I was a bit gaining a steady following since they shocked that a raw dish would be sub- opened over a year ago, appealing to stantial enough for a proper meal at first, the vegetarian and gluten-free crowd as but now this is one of my favorites! well as hardcore foodies. This can only be attributed to Staker’s mad food skills. If you’re looking for an entrée served He is well trained in both raw and “regu- warm to keep the chilly winter at bay, lar” food. The menu is unprecedented I’d suggest the Lemon Risotto Cake ($13). in downtown Salt Lake: Raw, gluten-free It’s as comforting a dish as you would and vegan have never been so good. imagine. Another delicious option is the You won’t find vegetarian food masquer- Eggplant Parmesan ($13), served with ading as the Standard American Diet. traditional parmesan cheese, or their There are no veggie burgers or imposter mouth-watering cashew cheese. You chicken fingers here, only an emphasis can’t go wrong with either. on real, local food, bright flavors and unique combinations. Out of everyone I’ve talked to, the unani- mous appeal of Zest Kitchen & Bar is des- Among the small plates offered, I adore sert—more specifically, the Chocolate Photo: Talyn Sherer the Brussels Sprouts and Slivered Al- Beet Cake with Avocado Mousse ($6). monds with Masala Almond Sauce ($7). This cake is a revelation in two sumptu- Tender, crunchy Brussels sprouts mingle ous layers. Each bite contains rich choc- with a rich, spicy vegan cream sauce olate, studded with sweet beets, topped with hints of curry and pepper. I’d put with light-yet-creamy chocolate avocado this in the ring with Salt Lake’s other mousse. The beets add sweetness and a popular Brussels sprouts from Eva and gorgeous silky texture. The end result is Copper Onion. It’s also worth mention- the kind of cake you want to be alone ing that, as leftovers go, this dish rivals with. You can buy the entire cake for cold pizza when eaten out of the fridge $40, and someday soon, I might just do Zest’s Zucchini Noodles is a raw, healthful the next day. that. dish you’ll find yourself craving. Other small plates to indulge in are Another impressive dessert is the Rose- the delectable Hot Stuffed Mushrooms mary Infused Tart topped with Honey with Cashew Cheese ($8) and the Lo- Whipped Goat Cheese and Fresh Straw- cal Cheese Plate with House Marinated berries ($6). In the few bites I stole from Olives, Nut Crackers and Raw Honey my husband’s plate, I fell in love with Salt Lake City ($13). Tempting dishes like these are in- the tang of goat cheese with the sweet cluded in the daily special, Appy Hour. strawberries and perfectly crumbly crust. 275 S. 200 W. Every day from 4–6 p.m., diners can Next time, I’ll be ordering my own slice enjoy $2 off each of these small plates. with a cup of black Charming Beard It’s a great time to get acquainted with Coffee. T. 801.433.0589 the menu, enjoy a cocktail or two and unwind from a day of work. Zest Kitchen & Bar has established itself zestslc.com as part of Salt Lake City’s dining and Speaking of unwinding, Zest’s cocktails nightclub scene. Minimalist and modern are impeccable. My favorite in decor, Zest is a comfortable spot for is the Cello Driver ($8). In drinks. Daily specials, including free Kitchen: a world of pretentious corkage on Tuesday nights and Vine cocktails, I appreciate Wednesday, where the entire array of Tue.–Thur. 4 p.m.–11 p.m. how straightforward organic, biodynamic and sustainable and tasty it is. Fresh- wine is $2 off, are also a draw. The squeezed orange juice, a staff is always welcoming and friendly. bit of basil for depth and Whether you’re stopping in for a drink Bar: organic lemon vodka tastes and dinner after work or a night on the like a bright, sunny day in town, Zest Kitchen & Bar fills in a niche Fri.–Sat. 4 p.m.–1 a.m. an ice-cold glass. I’m looking in Salt Lake. 16 SaltLakeUnderGround slugmag.com 17 Empowering the Female Voice in FIlm By Brinley Froelich / [email protected] Illustration: NatalieIllustration: Edwards

The Utah Women in Film boast a strong membership of talented women who span every position in the film industry.

With projects in the works that include a reminding them.” Excuses for not being a part with each other. We can help each other get onto roller-derby horror film, Westerns and sci-fis of a group of strong female voices are officially the set.” with strong female roles, commercials, music obsolete. videos and comedies, the Utah Women in The biggest task is increasing the visibility of Film boast a strong membership of talented Utah Women in Film have three tiers of female crewmembers who are willing and able to women, including directors, actresses, costume membership: student, or novice members, work in Utah. As Utah grows in the film industry, and makeup artists, photographers and more, general members and professional members more and more people are coming here to shoot all with tenacious creative vision. What started (people currently working in the industry). and find people to work with, and UWIF wants three years ago as a support network for female If you’re curious, the group recommends to be a resource that connects available talent filmmakers in Utah has grown into a solidified joining the Facebook page and attending to appropriate projects. Brandon says, “Women non-profit that connects women to resources and the schmoozes before deciding to become are so underrepresented in film in general, just mentorship, providing a wide range of expertise a member. The hesitations for being a part of having a woman in film (or on set) makes me go, along the way. UWIF are common, and, what I imagine, shared ‘Oh, that’s where the women are!’ Because when among many women. Actor, writer and director I talk to men, they’re not opposed to working with The UWIF holds monthly “schmoozes”—meet- Shelly Brandon, a new member, says, “I kind women—they just don’t know how to find us.” and-greet events to introduce members to people of watched them for about six months before with similar artistic visions—along with hosting [I joined] because I wasn’t really sure if it was As UWIF grows, members and board members classes, seminars and workshops throughout for someone of my skill level because I consider hope to be able to not only connect women each month. While membership is focused myself very new … I found out that they were to each other in Utah, but want to be able to on being female-only, anyone is welcome to doing really excellent workshops and that it was offer benefits on par with other Women in Film attend the schmoozes or classes. According to for anyone, at any skill level, to come and get groups throughout the nation. “My hope for the Valerie Cameron-Walker, a board member questions answered and seek mentorship, so I group is to continue that forward momentum, responsible for marketing and branding, “The joined and I’ve been going to as many workshops growing in members and firming up as an cool thing about Utah Women in Film is that it fills as I can get to. I find them very valuable.” established non-profit. We’ve gone through the void of that mentorship, the classes, of people some growing pains, and now that the board that are wanting to come in and learn, and they is really solidifying, they’re really movers and don’t have to feel like they don’t know enough— Aside from feeling too novice to join, many shakers, and that’s what it’s going to take to they’re welcomed by everyone.” Women often women may feel a competitive edge with other get this from a grassroots, small-time non-profit go under-represented not only in film, but on the women in the film industry. Cameron-Walker to something where we will hopefully be able crews as well. As Jenny Krompel, Director says, “I was a little bit hesitant to come to the to offer grants and scholarships for filmmakers of Resources and voice-over artist, says, “We’re group because I’ve actually had bad experiences to make features and to do documentaries. working in a very male-dominated industry, and working with women and better experiences I’m excited for that,” Krompel says. Currently, sometimes it’s nice to be able to network and working with men. For me, and a lot of other members can reap the rewards of a broadened connect with other filmmakers who are going women that come into this field, we’re treated like network of supportive women, as well as being through some of these circumstances that you one of the guys at some point. When you get into connected to studios, education, resources and face.” But that shouldn’t deter the guys from the entertainment business as women, we almost mentors who are available and happy to guide going. As Emily Ann Roth, photographer are taught to see each other as automatically filmmakers through any rough or confusing and networking extraordinaire (currently serving conflicting because we are competing for that patches in the journey. Go “Like” their page on on the marketing team) says, “Even guys can one spot that the women is going to get on the set Facebook to be up-to-date on events, and be on get a little intimidated and feel like they’re not … for us to share those stories has really helped the lookout for them at Sundance as well! invited, but they’re always invited—we’re always because now, we don’t have to be in competition

18 SaltLakeUnderGround slugmag.com 19 Ethen roberts rides Ethen the trasnfer as Roberts, tyler roberts airs backflip. over him on bmx.

By Steven Goemaat • [email protected] • Photos: Panzer Photography

hen describing the way to my Godfrey Clan: They are the sons and nephews jump course in the back corner of the yard. The house to people when I was of Gregg Godfrey and they are quite the talented facility is a dream place as far as I am concerned, younger, I would give landmarks bunch. Made up of Ethen Roberts, Josh just as long as you’ve got the marbles to hang. just like anybody else. I’d say, Roberts, Tyler Roberts, Chanler Godfrey, I personally don’t see myself going off of any W“after the sharp curve,” or “just before the big Gavin Godfrey, Preston Godfrey and Mega Ramps anytime soon, but around this crew, tree.” For the Godfrey household, just keep your Colton Brockbank, they are the guys following anything is possible. eyes peeled for the mini Mega Ramp—you can’t in the footsteps of Gregg and the people they miss it. Gregg Godfrey is the co-creator and grew up around. As genetics would have it, these Gregg Godfrey, the captain of the chaos, producer of MTV’s Nitro Circus. Gregg and the guys are equally willing to throw themselves in gathered up the Godfrey Clan, and we talked Nitro crew are best known for insane stunts, tricks any different way to push their sport—or whatever about the aspects of the group: strong points, and contraptions that they dream up and make you call it—to all new levels. weak points, who the guinea pigs are and who a reality within their TV shows. Dating back to has gained some wisdom throughout the years. the early days of Travis Pastrana and Gregg Following in the footsteps of guys like Gregg First up was Colton, described not as a guinea doing stunts on dirt bikes and mountain bikes, the and Pastrana is no easy task. To keep these guys pig, but as the gerbil of the bunch by Gregg. show has evolved to a proportion where nothing at the top of their game, the backyard of the Colton enjoys skateboarding, wakeboarding and is out of the question. Godfrey residence in Sandy, Utah is an absolute jumping around on all of the other contraptions, training facility for all things that are awesome. even the snowboard on wheels. Next up was Over the years of reality TV shows, DVDs and A miniature version (which is still pretty big) of Ethen, who claimed to be, “not really good at a Fuel TV mini series, the show has grown to a the Mega Ramp that they use in the Nitro Circus anything, but above average at most things.” I live-performance event, which is making its North Live shows is the focal point to the four-acre can tell you from my short, firsthand experience American debut this January. On tour with Nitro compound. A double-wide skate ramp with that Ethen is one talented kid. In a matter of Circus Live is a star-studded cast and some new, transitions modified on all sides is the next in a couple minutes, Ethen had gone from back- blood-related additions. They call themselves the line, with a roll-in that drops into the bike and dirt flipping his mountain bike to catching midair

20 SaltLakeUnderGround slugmag.com 21 (L-R) Josh Roberts, Ethen Roberts, Colton Brockbank, Chanler Godfrey, Gavin Godfrey, Preston Godfrey and Tyler Roberts with (below) Gregg Godfrey make up the Nitro Circus Godfrey Clan.

touchdown passes from Colton. As far as energy Gavin, who is the “most competitive of the group,” but it is the constant push toward progression that goes, these dudes put the Energizer Bunny to says Gregg. Gavin is up for anything and prides keeps them going. Among these highlights were shame. Down the line, we go to Tyler, who, himself on his bathtub–jumping abilities as well as such things as Tyler nearly learning double back as his clan told me, was a “job-stealer.” Bikes, many other things. Competitiveness is definitely flips on his BMX bike at the ripe age of 15 in the snowmobiles, tricycles and pretty much everything prevalent with these guys, and to say whether it is Vegas show and Chanler attempting a front flip in else-—Tyler is up for it. Gregg chimed in on the friendly or not is a call that I can’t make. They’re an Australia that ended in what Gregg calls “one of issue and clarified that, “Tyler isn’t necessarily a eclectic group to say the least, and I think the title the worst crashes I had ever seen.” As these guys job stealer—he is just the dumb one to try it first. of “circus” fits these guys just fine. say, though, it is all part of the game. He is a guinea pig, just like all of these guys.” As far as contraptions go, this team has quite a With their first-ever North American Tour kicking Josh was next, the oldest and calmest of the bunch few that they have taken off the Mega or Gigant- off this month, the clan is excited to be in the States and the “special one” of the group. Josh described A-Ramp. Most notably among these contraptions and is especially excited to perform for their home himself as, “The one to do the things that no one is the tricycle. A big-kids tricycle is, of course, crowd. The closest the clan has come to this was else wants to do.” That said, Josh proceeded to equipped to take an impact, and these guys push a Las Vegas show a couple years back that only tell me about how he has knocked several front the limits that have only been imagined by 7-year- included about half of them. Josh gave me a little teeth out multiple times within the last year. He also olds. “No matter what you do on the trike, you spoiler alert to some tricks that may be going showed how he has gained some wisdom through are going to get jacked up. Either a wheel falls down this trip around. “I’d say Ethen and Gavin his experience and upgraded to a full-face helmet off or you hit your back on the seat—it is different both have triple back flips on hard-tail mountain to keep those pearly whites, or plastics, right where every time. It is just so fun to throw it around,” says bikes pretty much dialed in,” he says. Whatever they need to be. Chanler was next around the Chanler. Obviously, being able to say that you happens, witnessing these guys in action will horn. Chanler is the guy behind the camera when belong to the world’s most talented group of tricycle definitely be a treat. the cameras are not around, as well as a builder, riders comes with a price to pay. Practicing for caregiver and is even described as the “landlord” such stunts can only be done by sticking it first try As far as the future goes, the Godfrey Clan plans by his clan. When it comes to stunts, Gregg or jumping into things like foam pits and reservoir to keep it going with Nitro Circus Live and to keep described his son, Chanler, as being the safe guy. mats, which are padded mats that soften the blow having fun with their family. “The uprising of the “Chanler is a guy who waits back to jump into and provide a smooth surface to aid in sliding out Godfrey Clan!” says Josh. Nitro Circus Live is something. He’ll always do it, but he likes to make when a stunt starts going south. Tyler says that the touring North America beginning Jan. 3 and hitting The SLUG sure it’s doable first. I don’t know if he is smarter or mat “feels a lot better than hitting dirt.” No matter Salt Lake at the Energy Solutions Arena on Jan. 17. Games.com just a pussy,” says Gregg. Can you feel the love? what these guys are landing on, the great moments Come have some fun and see a great bunch of Because I know I can. are littered with thrills and spills, but that is what athletes doing some of the most insane stunts you’ll keeps the show genuine and keeps these guys ever see while having the time of their lives. Until Next up was Preston, the youngest of the group, pushing their limits along with the rest of their Nitro then, catch up on all of the fun with Nitro Circus TV who, in Gregg’s opinion, is “the most talented of Circus team. episodes and tour videos. Also, hit these guys with the whole bunch, but he just doesn’t give a shit.” a follow on Instagram, Twitter and all of your other Preston’s niches include the tricycle, bike and High points and low points are just part of the social media sites @nitrocircus to keep your mouth being a full-time ladies man. Last but not least was game when you take the risks that these guys do, watering. Free Event • Must Have Lift Ticket To Enter • Kids Under 18 Must Have Parent or Guardian Present to Sign Waiver 22 SaltLakeUnderGround slugmag.com 23 PHO TO FEA TURE

By Andy Wright andywrightphoto.com the whole Fat Tire craze in the ’90s. I wanted no part part no I wanted ’90s. the in craze Tire Fat whole the with beer.” bike started “mountain it as to I think referred I once beer of style the appreciate and love to I’ve come way same the in much aversion, this over day, get I will one silly. Maybe damn so didn’t bikes look the if into get I could it’s I think something fact, biking—in mountain against Nothing unmoved. I am shorts, Spandex padded their creaming gearheads of plenty left has I’m this sure While parks. own their get to starting are bikers mountain decade, last the in state our in up popped have that parks skate of bombardment the by outdone be to Not Jordan Mendenhall—Stalefish—Park City, UT City, Mendenhall—Stalefish—Park Jordan on. shred to obstacles biking mountain utilizing funds, public of use good making Mendenhall Jordan see to it’s good meantime, the In bikes. motocross wannabe crazy-looking those with something to on they’re Maybe biker’s suds. mountain the appreciate to come I’ve really decade. last the in rounder a little beer), to (thanks Well,Pabst. up, and I’ve grown more no was there when only was pinch that but pinch, in do would it Sure, with. celebrated crowd carabiner fleece/ polar the that swill hoppy, over-priced that of

24 SaltLakeUnderGround slugmag.com 25 New Year’s Resolution: PARTY LIKE A PIG! GREENPIG.COM

my dick three times. It’s one thing if one of my buddies They had an elaborate formula for such heists. We gives me a hearty, good-natured dick slap in the name would start by casing the place, looking for the nearest House Party! of fun, but goosing guys and girls you don’t know is exits and stash points, such as bushes and whatnot. grounds for a smack in the mouth. We would place two people at the doors, and then By Mike Brown create a distraction—usually using a girl to flirt with Starting fights at house parties is totally non- the host. Then someone had to grab the alcohol. @Fagatron triumphant, though. It doesn’t impress the girls and, Sometimes the getaway consisted of just running like to make matters worse, I knew the host. Left hooks hell, but, most of the time, we were smooth enough to I’m not a big fan of house parties these days—I are disrespectful to the house and the host, and the get out of there unscathed. Now that I look back, those prefer my drinking on the idle comfort of a barstool problem with being drunk is you think you can fight were good times. or in the cozy confines of my couch. Maybe that’s way better than you actually can. Being too old to $3 Tequila why I usually end up acting like such a jackass when fistfight anyway, I let the mild sexual assault slide and Really, though, the best thing to do when showing up to I go to a house party. Whether it’s peeing off a walked home alone with a road soda. a house party is to be the guy who shows up with a 30 $3 Whiskey roof onto the partygoers or stealing all the alcohol rack, a beer bong and a pizza. You will be amazed at because I didn’t like the host—both of which I am There are a lot of things you should and shouldn’t do how many friends you will make. Or, be the guy who $3 Tall Boys guilty of—I have oftentimes been simply known as when you go to a house party. One thing you shouldn’t dances first. Starting the dance party is a sign of bravery, “That Guy” at house parties. do, as I mentioned earlier, is pee on people. I learned and girls will salute your shorts for such behavior. $3 Pints this the hard way. Although the consequences for my You don’t want to be “That Guy.” You shouldn’t be “That actions weren’t initially enforced at the party, I did get Whether you choose to be “That Guy” or pizza- Guy.” But get enough booze in me and throw me in a hit by a car that night—instant karma that should warm and-30-rack guy is up to you. But some things you storm of idiots, and I transform into “That Guy.” the hearts of anyone who felt my warm piss that night. always should do are: drink as much free booze as you can, be nice to the host and leave when they ask For research on this article, I decided it would be a Also, don’t be the guy who steals the booze, unless the you to, and leave before the cops show up or you good idea to crash a house party, but house parties party really, really sucks. Back when I was younger, are asked to help clean up. seem to cater more toward booze bingers a bit under I hung out with these dudes from Baltimore who my age demographic. So, I didn’t really have any specialized in this. We would go to shitty parties on leads on where one would be. Luckily, I live near a purpose because, well, the liquor store was closed. college campus, so finding one wasn’t a problem, but being the weird, old guy at the house party is just another version of “That Guy.”

House parties usually seem to fall into two categories: ragers or duds. How many times do you show up on someone’s porch and it’s like visiting a rest home with fewer sedatives? There’s nothing worse than showing up to a party you are obligated to go to with a shitty guy/girl ratio, empty liquor bottles and no music. Photo: Jake Vivori New Menu Showing up at a proper rager, however, can make for Coming in a great Friday night. There’s nothing like showing up to January a party where it doesn’t matter if you are invited or not, kids are puking and shots are falling. This is the kind of shindig where, if the cops don’t shut it down, it’s not a success. One such rager I attended was equipped with a full DJ and PA, and when the cops came to shut it down, doormen quickly organized and locked everyone in, all while the DJ turned the volume up and played NWA’s “Fuck The Police.” I tried to step out to smoke and the doorman kindly told me that no one could leave until the fuzz were gone. I commended his dedication to keeping everyone safe, and shotgunned another beer. 31 East 400 South Salt Lake City, UT This weekend, I found a proper rager to attend: loud music, people dancing, still plenty of liquor at 801-532-PIG1(7441) *Open Daily 11am-2am 11:30 p.m.—all great ingredients for a rager recipe. Live Music Almost Every Night* Find us on Facebook Photo: Jake Vivori Unfortunately, there was a total “That Guy” at this party and, for once, it wasn’t me. What made this guy “That General Trivia Wed @7pm Adult* Trivia Sun @7pm Guy?” Well, I didn’t know him at all, and he grabbed Mike Brown’s advice for house party ragers: Don’t be “That Guy.” *

26 SaltLakeUnderGround slugmag.com 27 Photo: John Barkiple By Princess Kennedy [email protected] Photo Edit: Maggie Zukowski

I have a motto: “If I don’t love me, nobody will.” Without trying to sound like a total angle the shot should be taken. The photo is just as important as the words, and on douche, I have acquired a certain amount of notoriety. It doesn’t just come to you— some level, even more. I have people tell me they get SLUG to see what my photo is you have to work for it. I am truly grateful for whatever fame I have. I’ve worked first and then read the writing. SLUG and the troupe of photographers are bitchin’ at really hard in my life to be a “personality,” and with hard work has come reward helping me with this monthly art project. and opportunity that I can’t even begin to thank the universe for throwing my way. I want to publicly say, especially to you and my close friends, that I love you way With the celebrity comes the awesomeness of opened doors with red carpets and all more than you love me. those bells and whistles, but behind the velvet ropes, there are dark sides. I’ve had two boyfriends who, I later found out, were in it for the social climbing. It hurt so bad At one point in my life, I was bouncing from one metropolitan city to another, all that, to this day, I can’t have a relationship without questioning over the world, and there wasn’t one club I couldn’t get into. I was the clubbing motives. tranny rocker—I was super young and wild and crazy. I was Lindsay Lohan and Anna Nicole Smith (who also was a dear friend) rolled into one. I sang in bands, Princess Kennedy’s storytelling talents will be performed in rock operas, acted in independent films, lip-synced at the hottest night etched into history—and bathroom stalls. clubs around the world, flew on private jets full of cocaine, and go-go danced in music videos in Germany. I was on TV in Iceland, and I did ecstasy with a real princess (I’ll tell you who if you ask me). I’ve been to the Oscars, sat on Hugh Heffner’s lap and walked down runways—none of which means anything, really, ‘cause like they say, At times, I also wish I had invisibility super powers. If I could be you’re only as hot as your latest endeavor. invisible to go to the grocery store and run errands, that would be awesome— ‘cause there is nothing worse than getting hangover food with day-old bar hair and I’m a party girl, a socialite, a celebrity. I am an attention-seeking whore. There bloodshot eyes and having a fellow shopper recognize you. The last thing I hate are no tutorials on how to be celebrity, so it’s not like I was able to read up. Be about fame is that it really can be a bit lonely. People think you always have some present and show up is the first lesson. I make sure that I walk into a room with a fabulous thing planned at all times, so you don’t get a lot of calls and you worry presence, and trust me, everyone knows when I’ve arrived. Confidence is a must. about stupid shit, like how it looks to show up places alone. However, you have to live with everyone assuming that you’re a cunt. Even though I practice catching flies with sugar, I won’t hesitate to put you in your place if I feel I guess the only thing I care about is that I’m able to leave a mark posthumously. disrespected. I have heard rumors that I was run out of SLC in the ’90s, that I have a I hope there is one thing I do in this life that I get recognized for and that lives on drug problem, that I have AIDS and, my fave, that I’m a trust fund kid—rumors are forever, like Marilyn Monroe, for example. She has that phenomenal legend status fun! But the moment I knew I was loved was after a show in front of 1,500 people that makes her more famous as the years go by. She’s been dead some 50 years, in a large venue in SF. I was dying inside! I’d never performed in front of that many and still appears on T-shirts and posters, but has been given an update with designer people. When I was done, the crowd went insane with applause—I swear I nearly skinny jeans and tattoos. That’s fame! blacked out. From that moment, I was addicted and willing to not only do what I had to do to keep it coming, but I could also live with the backlash. I have no delusions that I am or ever will be Marilyn Monroe—I don’t really think I’m a celebrity, but I am recognizable, and there’s nothing I love more than people As of late, I’ve been getting recognized a lot from my column. This is largely due to coming up and saying, “Hey, you’re Princess Kennedy, huh? I love and never miss the photo attached to each one. It’s my “thing”—you gotta have a thing. I couldn’t your column in SLUG.” just be anonymous—I like to be recognized for my work, literally. I have spent my life having my photo taken. I know what is good, how it should be lit and from which Thank you—you’re the reason I do it. 28 SaltLakeUnderGround slugmag.com 29 Kids Like You & Me Directed by Richard England (who nology, yet shock us with the possibili- es of this particular story, Orlando produced Oil City Confidential) and ties. Theodore (Joaquin Phoenix) Bloom’s Legolas and Evangeline MVDvisual told from the perspectives of Mick works as an author to other people’s Lilly’s Tauriel lead the majority of On DVD: 12.03.13 (Stinky Turner) and Jeff Geggus intimate letters while unable to keep the well-crafted action sequences that This documentary surprises with its (Cockney Rejects), this essential rock his own marriage intact. After purchas- have them performing feats with a bow abundance of information and humil- n’ roll documentary is a must-see for ing the latest operating system with and arrow one would never think possi- ity. What I thought might be a 75-min- any music lover. Mick and Jeff cite that artificial intelligence, our lonely writer ble. Seriously, The Avengers’ Hawkeye ute video of Black Lips’ illegal antics for them, there were only three ways is introduced to Samantha (voiced by and The Hunger Games’ Katniss Ever- on- and offstage (probably still worth to deal with living in the infamous East Scarlett Johansson) and the two deen could only dream of having these watching) turned out to have more End of London’s Canning Town: foot- form an unconventional, passionate types of skills. This rendition is certainly political information than it did illegal ball (soccer), boxing and rock n’ roll. relationship that will test their limits on a better execution than last year’s ad- activities. The story follows Black Lips Formed in 1978, the Cockney Rejects fully sharing themselves with someone venture, and the cliffhanger ending across a “revolutionary” Middle East cut a swath through the London punk else. Spike Jonze is a master at simpli- leaves audiences craving for the “pre- tour. Revolutionary, because places scene. They conned their way into their fying the extraordinary and making cious” follow-up. –Jimmy Martin like Egypt don’t have much of a ga- first demo, went to Top of the Pops, then you believe the impossible. As he did rage or punk scene, and they rarely headlong into brutal fights with rival with Being John Malkovich and Adapta- The Secret Life of see U.S. bands. If your band has the football fans due to their undying al- tion., Jonze mesmerizes audiences with Walter Mitty legiance to West Ham. Something a twisted sense of reality. Besides the means to tour anywhere, are you going th to pick one of the most unstable parts they more than publicized through phenomenal acting from Phoenix and 20 Century Fox of the world? Sure, Mexico is insane their hit cover of West Ham’s anthem, an astonishing voice-only performance In Theater: 12.25.13 and Africa is tragic in many ways, “I’m Forever Blowing Bubbles.” This im- from Johansson, Jonze succeeds in Just when you thought your case of but the Middle East seems to be con- pressive documentary utilizes historical developing an environment where the diabetes was cured after viewing the stantly on the verge of imploding. This footage alongside impressive accounts likelihood of humans dating machines sweetest film on the planet, Forrest documentary shows that tension and from members of the band. They tell the is not only not absurd, but believable. Gump, almost two decades ago, along how the Black Lips’ music provides the dramatic history of London’s East End Think about what the masses thought comes Ben Stiller and his remake of youth a break from the constant stress through entertaining tales of the tough- about online dating 10 years ago, the 1947 tale of a daydreamer who of life in the cities they tour. This isn’t ness and resilience of one of England’s and what the perception is now. With envisions personal heroics with wild, because the Black Lips are special, but most notorious punk/Oi! bands. One gaming consoles recognizing its users’ imaginative sequences. In this modern- because they’re willing. They’re willing word of warning: If you’re not well identity by their physical appearance day interpretation, Walter Mitty (Still- to share their music where many other acquainted with the cockney dialect, and modifying its behavior to their er), a daydreamer who longs for love American bands can’t or won’t, and use subtitles when digesting this film. preferences, who knows how long un- and heroism, works for Life Magazine, to show those in the Middle East that, Otherwise, grab a pint and enjoy. til we all have a Samantha in our own but when the photo negative for the in many ways, we are just like them. –Nick Kuzmack lives? –Jimmy Martin publication’s final cover goes missing, –Justin Gallegos a global manhunt for the renowned Her The Hobbit: The photographer is set in motion. Stiller East End Babylon: The Warner Bros. Desolation of Smaug sheds all the embarrassing roles of late Story Of The Cockney In Theaters: 01.10 Warner Bros. to genuinely take on the actions of a kindhearted shut-in who decides to In Theaters: 12.13.13 Rejects live life to the fullest. As our lead es- Cadiz Music It’s been 12 years and four feature films capes volcanic eruptions, man-eating On DVD: 11.12.13 since we were first introduced to Peter sharks and oxygen-deprived altitudes, Jackson’s vision of J.R.R. Tolkien’s his fascination for his co-worker crush Middle Earth. In The Hobbit: The Deso- (Kristen Wiig) keeps him yearning to lation of Smaug (or what I am calling be a better man who refuses to waste “Walking: The Prequel: Part 2 of 3”), another breath of life. Stiller, who also we are reconnected with the company directs, captures the essence of the hu- of dwarves who are journeying to re- man condition with a heartfelt tale of claim their kingdom and golden trea- courage, bravery and sensitivity. Stiller sure from the legendary and deadly has not been this alluring and enjoy- dragon, Smaug (voiced by Benedict able since 2010’s Greenberg, and Cumberbatch). In tow is everyone’s Wiig’s authentic sincerity only adds to favorite hairy-footed hobbit, Bilbo Bag- the film’s charm. A personal favorite gins (Martin Freeman), and charis- comes with the inclusion of comedian matic sorcerer, Gandalf (Ian McKel- Patton Oswalt as an inquisitive and len). It’s clear that Jackson is stretching concerned eHarmony employee who Tolkien’s words as much as humanly continuously offers our protagonist ad- possible in terms of length, but the lib- vice on his online dating profile. Stiller erties that he’s taking by adding char- has turned this old tale of wonderment Leave it to Spike Jonze to take us acters to the story is actually one of the into a present-day journey of affection into the not-too-distant future and ex- better elements. While their characters and excitement. –Jimmy Martin cite us with the advancement of tech- are nowhere to be found in the pag- 30 SaltLakeUnderGround slugmag.com 31 The Dying Art

BRUNCHON SUNDAYS FROM 10-3 of Light New menu items - biscuits & gravy, Dutch pancake, more! By Esther Meroño

[email protected] • Photos: Russel Daniels

Over 100 years after Cinématographe was invented and used by a decade—I realize that, though most projectionists aren’t using the Lumiére brothers in France to show the first paying audience their position to terrorize children, there’s a certain character trait a projected film, Edward Norton looks directly into the cam- needed to draw someone to the booth: those who find solace in era as he explains the solitude. Walker tells me he’s not much of a film fanatic, citing The job of a projectionist Shining as a favorite, and admitting he prefers B movies he can in a scene from Fight watch and be done with in the comfort of his own home. “ ... I can Club. “Why would pause [the movie], get food or drink, go to the bathroom and never anyone want this miss any of it. I can have the lights on or off. I don’t have to come shit job?” he asks as into work or any of the other movie theaters, now very demanding his alter-ego Tyler of you knowing exactly where you want to sit. I’m not into that,” he Durden splices por- says. “I guess I might be a control freak.” nography into family cartoons. “Because A few days later, Scott Farley of Brewvies Cinema Pub, and I sit it affords them other in a booth at Juniors discussing his own film interests: “I think I have interesting opportuni- a fairly deep knowledge of film for a pedestrian, but not for a film ties.” buff,” he says. “I would say that I am an autodidact and there were times when it was necessary for me to know film … I sort of tried to SMALL PLATES & DRINKS Walking up the steps surround myself with people who were real cinema heads and try to the projection to get them to educate me, but … I am pretty absent from my own 317 SOUTH MAIN, SLC booths of the Salt personality, and what people tell me to think, I’m pretty easily con- WWW.EVASLC.COM Lake Film Soci- vinced of … ” Having spent a few years’ worth of Friday nights with ety’s Broadway The- Farley closing up Brewvies when I worked there, I can personally atre, I imagine what attest to his above-average knowledge and understanding of film, it would’ve been like, having benefitted from a number of his recommendations—and watching that scene anyone can call the Brewvies Movieline at 801-355-5500 to hear from Fight Club when his forcibly optimistic and concise reviews for the current lineup. it showed in theaters in 1999, from a pro- Farley’s history in the booth starts in Logan, when he was attending jection booth—like Utah State University in 1985. “You try to have jobs, and since you looking at a reflec- can’t make a lot of money because there isn’t a lot of money to be tion, perhaps. Lance made unless you’re having a Walker, SLFS Head miserable life, you come up with Projectionist, has jobs where your perks also been working in the fill your social needs,” he booth since 2001, says, explaining what just before the Salt led him to start working Lake Film Society at a movie theater. came into fruition to “Dates were free, Lance Walker, save the Tower The- and I could hook atre from demise. “There really wasn’t anyone else who could up friends on any Head Projectionist come here and do it, so they trained me and the other guy who number of levels, was working the concession stand at the time … They showed me so I had entrées of for the Salt Lake Film really fast how to do it, and everything else I’ve had to learn on social significance my own,” he says. Walker speaks slowly and affirmatively—he greater than just Society, has survived reminds me of a more subdued version of Wallace Shawn’s my charming per- character in The Princess Bride—a little bored, a little cynical, sonality.” Farley the digital conversion, and his rare smile reveals an endearing gap in his teeth behind eventually ended a full beard. up at the Tower The- though his job has atre, working under We walk through the hallway to the projection booths and Greg Tanner before considerably Walker apologizes for the smell, but the overwhelming aroma the SLFS took over, mak- of popcorn that fills the lobby below doesn’t seem to penetrate ing his way to Brewvies in changed. the dark upstairs. Instead, the winding hallways contain a light 1997. “I kind of left being scent of dust among the organized clutter of boxes, tables and a projectionist when I came to machines—very few people come up here, which is part of the Brewvies,” he says, admitting that magic. “I like the projection booth because it’s like a dark hole the years he’s been at the cinema pub that no one really wants to go into,” says Walker. “It’s loud and have been more fruitful as a bartender. Though it’s true that the job dark and it’s not a place for people to go.” is now predominantly accomplished by the bussers, they’re trained at a very surface level, making Farley’s nearly three decades of Tyler Durden defines the employment opportunities of a pro- projection experience crucial when it comes to troubleshooting im- jectionist as creative mischief, but speaking with Walker—and pending film disasters—soon to be antiquated memories. having worked in the movie theater business myself for nearly

32 SaltLakeUnderGround slugmag.com 33 In his 2011 documentary series, The Story of Film: An Odys to make sure that they’re connecting. So it just takes a lot more sey—consequently another Farley recommendation—Irish film time to get the day started, but other than that, you just put in critic Mark Cousins describes film as “the art of light.” He says, the schedule and it goes. Then someone complains about it—the “[Thomas] Edison and the many other manic, ideas-y inventors cleaning lights have been left on—and you’re like, ‘That’s not my of cinema realized that beyond the equipment and machines, deal—the machine left the cleaning lights on.’ When automation what you needed most for movies was light”—essentially making is going, it just makes people think it’s taken care of—‘I don’t have the role of the projectionist somewhat of a poetic intermediary to worry about it.’ Digital is a fickle thing.” between the art and the audience. According to the first episode of the series, and confirmed by Walker’s extensive knowledge of At Brewvies, the two back-to-back 35mm projectors have not been traditional movie projectors, the actual machine is an amalgama- converted as of writing this article, though they’ll be switched out tion of varying components from other inventions, including the soon, but Farley sees the change as a positive one. “The idea sewing machine and the vacuum, slowly tweaked by new innova- of not having to use resources which are largely slandered, and tions, but not as quickly evolving as one would expect compared to the technological advances surrounding it. Perhaps this is why, a year after Tyler Durden explains the basics of projector mechan- ics, the first digital projectors are installed and tested in a few movie theaters across the country.

Nearly 14 years later, the labs producing celluloid film are shut- ting down and movie studios big and small have finally caught up with the digital, economical and eco-friendly age, sending notices to theaters, independent and commercial, that they’ll no longer be producing 35mm prints. Instead of heavy, metal can- isters of film, briefcases are arriving on theater doorsteps full of hard drives about the size of a paperback—compressed movie files. Large chain theaters, like the Megaplex at the Gateway, completed their conversion to digital a couple of years ago, but a quick search on Google reveals that independent theaters across the country are struggling to purchase the expensive new pro- jectors in time to meet the studio deadlines—a story of its own. Salt Lake’s independent theaters have survived the changing of the guard, and at the Broadway, aside from two running 35mm projectors, the outdated machines have been pushed into even darker corners to make room for whirring blocks—looking a bit like oversized window units—topped with glowing touch screens. In one day, Walker laments, a century’s worth of invention and innovation was replaced. “Film” is a vestigial word now.

The job of the projectionist, though, is still very much alive, how- ship items across the country that burn carbon—it’s going to be ever changed. “I was led to believe that the digitals would take a great efficiency and a great good in a deep ecological sense care of themselves, which they haven’t to not have film,” he says. “The projection will always be signifi- done yet, so I still have a job,” says cantly improved, because it’s really easy to flub a film and ruin Walker. “They never implied it, and digital looks good now.” Walker agrees, saying, “I really that I would be fired, but that think that whoever did the digitals went around and figured out all I would have less to do. of the awful things that happen, and they did a really good job in It’s all the same amount putting their thing together.” Scott Farley of work—it’s just differ- ent work.” Walker is There’s no romanticizing 35mm film when you’re the one spend- of Brewvies now part DJ, part IT ing a whole night in the booth, putting together two miles of film tech. His day begins after dropping a print—which Farley admits to having suffered on Cinema Pub boasts by uploading or “in- a couple of occasions in his early days as a projectionist. “That gesting” the movie will never happen anymore—I will never have to look at a projec- over three decades into the digital tor and think, ‘How do I fix this?” he says, pausing with what I projector, inserting read as a hint of poignance. of experience in the special keys sent via email to decode the For myself, threading the film through the projector was a medita- projection booth. encrypted informa- tive respite from the rush of working as a barback. It was detail- tion, and then, essen- oriented, mechanical work that satiated a compulsive urge. It was tially making a playlist a small piece of art that I mitigated to an audience through a that includes a schedule machine whose parts contain the genealogy of industrious and of showings, trailers, cred- romantic ideas. The digital conversion has changed the mechan- its, etc. “When it was all ics of cinema, evolved the projectionist from a torchbearer wait- 35mm, you would come in and ing in the shadows to a button pusher glowing in the dark, but no turn on the power, thread up the one’s really crying about it. “It is, after all, just an aesthetic end movies, and you were ready to go,” says you’re searching for,” says Farley. “There’s no quantity of truth Walker. “Now, you have to make sure the machines are actually you’re trying to get out of it because it’s a lie anyway—you’re just networked, and sometimes you have to restart them several times trying to get a really great lie.”

34 SaltLakeUnderGround slugmag.com 35 Photo: Gordon A. Timpen, Courtesy of Sony Pictures Classics Photo: Gordon A. Timpen, Courtesy Tilda Swinton and Tom Hiddleston were collected along the way. Only Lovers Left Alive started with a full script, but veered Like everything else, the music in the film is a carefully selected detail with a touch of play altruistic vampire lovers in Only from it often. “I have this one chance in my life to be in this place, shooting this thing, meaning beyond its surface appeal—especially with one of the main characters (Adam) with these people, so I’m going to shoot as much as I can think up,” says Jarmusch. “I being a musician. “[Adam and Eve] have been alive a long time, so they appreciate Lovers Left Alive. have to do that because I don’t know what I’m doing—I know that I will figure it out things from all of human history, and they’re also not hierarchical about high culture/ in the editing room … You have to listen to the film, and that’s just my way to capture low culture—they appreciate it all,” says Jarmusch. “So having lute music, which is everything I can … ” particularly associated with Baroque and Renaissance periods, mixed with sludgy, molten drone rock, is a kind of nice way to reflect that mixture of their interests as well He describes a scene in the film where Adam and Eve have a sort of quarrel, saying … They like good stuff—they don’t care if it’s Franz Schubert or Charlie Feathers’ that in preparation, he asked Hiddleston and Swinton to write out their own lengthy rockabilly—if it’s good, it’s good, and they don’t differentiate that way. speeches, venting to the other character. Though Jarmusch cut out most of the dialogue, he was able to capture the feeling needed for the scene. “I’m always playing like that, It’s very Jarmuschian to write a love story about vampires free of the lustful violence trying to think of another angle for something. If we’re standing outside to do a shot and usually associated with the genre. Jarmusch’s style has been criticized in the past as dull it starts to rain, most films will say, ‘OK, shut down, it’s raining, it’s not in the script,’” and contrived, but to appreciate his films, one must lose all expectations of Hollywood says Jarmusch. “Well, my first reaction is, ‘Mmm, what would this scene be like in the allure and watch them in the same way one would read a poem, or look at a painting: rain?’ … I don’t like to follow the map too closely, because in life, when you take the making connections, finding pleasure in the weighted details and minute brush strokes, detour, that might be where you meet your lover! Or that might be the place you learned and accepting the incomprehensible. “These poetic structures are much more inspiring something you never expected.” to me in the form of my films, in a way, than prosaic structure because poetry leaves spaces around things. Poetry doesn’t have to connect everything syntactically or even Of course, no Jarmusch film is complete without an exceptional, personally curated logically,” says Jarmusch. “Someone said—I think it was e e cummings—that you score and soundtrack. Only Lovers’ composer is Dutch lutist Jozef van Wissem, can understand a poem without knowing what it means—which I love so much … A lot with whom Jarmusch released two albums in 2012, supplemented by Jarmusch’s latest of people don’t get it or they may not like it, but the hell with ‘em.” It can be important musical project, SQÜRL, a trio including Carter Logan and Shane Stoneback. to have waited at least a moment to see what was already there. SQÜRL released two EPs in 2013, consequently with vampiric squirrel cover art and track names that undoubtedly relate to the new film. SLUG music writer Ryan Hall Only Lovers Left Alive has been screening at film festivals around the world, including describes them as “no wave destruction paired with the lethargic and caustic wail of the New York Film Festival and Cannes, and will make an appearance at Sundance in major-chord stoner riffs and a warped, warbled approximation of the music of the the Spotlight category. If you don’t catch it there, it’s set for theatrical release in April American West.” With a rich and varied musical background himself, Jarmusch’s track of this year. selections are always a special gift for music aficionados. “There’s a kind of cowardly nature in the corporate film world where the suits want everyone to get what they expect, and what a drag. What kind of life is that where you just get what you expect? Screening Times: One Train May Hide Another: So I find it so disappointing when there are these incredible genres of music around the world, and then it always sounds like the same thing.” Musical cameos in Only Monday, Jan. 20 — 11:30 a.m. • Library Center Theatre, Park City Lovers include Lebanese singer Yasmine Hamdan, who wrote the song she’s seen Tuesday, Jan. 21 — 11:59 p.m. • Egyptian Theatre, Park City An Interview with Jim Jarmusch performing specifically for the film, New York psychedelic space rockers White Hills in a quick scene, and the soundtrack features Zola Jesus, ’60s soul singer Denise Friday, Jan. 24 — 9:00 p.m. • Broadway Cinema 6, Salt Lake City By Esther Meroño • [email protected] LaSalle and rockabilly musician Charlie Feathers. Saturday, Jan. 25 — 8:45 p.m. • Egyptian Theatre, Park City

“I love getting lost in a place I don’t really know—it’s something very freeing. Instead considered retro and obscene. He describes his characters eloquently, calling them both of anxiety, like some people have, I feel so free to be lost,” says Jim Jarmusch. “I wild, but saying, “ … [Adam’s] the guiding sunlight of the film, [Eve] the golden light like to follow instincts, and oddly enough, it’s a kind of discipline. My little game of of reason and intelligence … She’s very happy to have the gift of her consciousness— ‘get lost and don’t know where you are’ is a process for me that is very helpful for it’s something very fragile and beautiful to her—and he is too, but he’s a little more my imagination.” Most know Jarmusch as an influential writer-director of American romantic in a way, tortured a little, somehow.” independent cinema, boasting an interlacing filmography of artistic, counter-culture films likeDead Man, Ghost Dog and The Limits of Control since the release of his debut The filmmaker is known for being somewhat incestuous in his use of cast and crew full-length, Permanent Vacation, in 1980 as a 27-year-old grad student at NYU. The members, and Swinton is quite obviously a favorite actor, and a good friend. According man is a sub-cultural icon, eschewing the mainstream to create rewarding works of art to Jarmusch, Only Lovers Left Alive might have remained in the shadows had she not that long to be close read. Raised on Jean-Luc Godard and New Wave cinema, kept the project going despite the film’s languid start and precarious financing. The part nurtured through adolescence by Kenneth Koch and the New York School poets, of Eve was written with her in mind from the beginning. “It’s good to work with people and slow diving into the future with the support of ATP Recordings and a handful of you know, but you’ve always gotta remember there’s people you don’t know who are relevant musicians, Jarmusch’s intellectual repertoire is expansive and continuing. Much amazing that you might get a chance to meet and work with, too,” says Jarmusch, like his films, the man has the ability to lose himself in the present details, while retaining who also gushed over French cinematographer Yorick Le Saux, production designer an impressive understanding of the past. Perhaps it was subconscious self-reflection that Marco Bittner Rosser and editor Affonso Gonçalves, all of whom he worked materialized the filmmaker’s latest character creations: a couple of incisive, decades-old with for the first time on this film. Jim Jarmusch’s take on the vampires in his upcoming release, Only Lovers Left Alive. vampire genre is an intellectual Other than using children’s digital cameras from Toys “R” Us for The Raconteurs’ love story. “My interest was, ‘Wow, if you could be alive that long, imagine what your perceptions “Steady, As She Goes” music video in 2006, Only Lovers Left Alive also marks would be like and all the experiences you’d have.’ Your knowledge of things would be Jarmusch’s introduction to shooting digitally. “I’m a film person. I love the magical thing incredible, if you could remember it all … Just having an overview of history that way of film, which is, first of all, light affecting chemistry on the surface of the film material, was very attractive to me,” says Jarmusch. Only Lovers Left Alive is the filmmaker’s and then light passing through the print when you project it that creates this magical addition to a long history of vampire mythology in both literature and film, and he’s world of light and shadow,” says Jarmusch. “Now, digital is a different kind of magic: versed on the great and obscure. Jarmusch links his characters’ British roots to “The It’s numbers being translated. So, my first thing is that I don’t like digital, and I don’t Vampyre,” a poem written by Lord Byron’s physician, John Polidori, in 1819, the like MP3 sound, and I like analogue sound and vinyl and cassettes … but at the same first time vampires appear in literature. Film-wise, he citesCarl Dreyer’s Vampyr, first time, I believe in these things as tools, and I love technology—I just love the old stuff, and foremost, claiming it’s more of a poem than a monster movie. “I like the ones that too.” However, all of his qualms about digital, including the neverending depth of field walk outside the margins, that follow the genre in a way, but they’re not just following and unnatural skin tones in daylight, didn’t end up applying when shooting Only Lovers the Bram Stoker Dracula idea,” he says. “Of course, Nosferatu is an incredibly great because it was mostly shot at night. Shooting digital ended up being more efficient, film as is the universal Dracula with Bela Lugosi as well, but those are the ones that as the desired effect in a scene could be achieved with very minimal lighting, among meet the expectation, and I like the ones that are traveling outside the mainstream.” other benefits. “I found great strength in [digital] even against my own prejudice,” says Jarmusch. “So it turned out to be quite a magical tool for what we were doing and very Only Lovers Left Alive, before anything else, is a love story between Adam (Tom helpful. It changed my preset dinosaur obsession with film, and now I’m more open.” Hiddleton) and Eve (Tilda Swinton). “Ours isn’t a horror movie … they just happen CourtesyPhoto: Gordon A. Timpen, of Sony Pictures Classics to be vampires. The thing I love about vampires, too, is that they’re not monsters, Jarmusch’s creative process is incredibly free-flowing, reflective of his self-proclaimed they’re humans that have been transformed,” says Jarmusch. “Even Nosferatu is not motto: “It’s hard to get lost if you don’t know where you’re going”—which is one of purely a monster—there’s a sophistication to him.” Adam and Eve are such altruistic the many reasons why his films stand out. When beginning production for 2009’s The vampires, in fact, that acquiring blood the more traditional and fatally seductive way is Limits of Control, for example, he didn’t even have a script—just a lot of ideas that

36 SaltLakeUnderGround slugmag.com 37 By Tim Kronenberg • [email protected] Photos: Panzer Photography

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 beastiality trends, or a reason for your girl to break up with you after she hears those words and her name at a New Year’s party. That second answer is actually closer to accurate because it all started with the Yelawolf song, “Lick the Cat,” playing at a ski resort. But still, what exactly is a Lick the Cat? In short, 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.

“Lick the Cat is just a group of homies that love to board and hopefully remind people to keep the fun in snowboarding when it gets way too serious. That’s the reason everyone started boarding anyways … to have fun,” says cat licker, Milosport shop employee, U of U student and Nitro team rider Griffin Siebert. “It started with Sam [Taxwood] Ben [Bilodeau] and the Big Jerm [filmer Jeremy Thornburg] making a handycam edit, when the Yelawolf song was just released. One thing led to a next, and the dumb name stuck.” Thus, Lick the Cat pawed its way into the loving heart of snowboard culture in 2011. Since then, LTC have nuzzled in deeper with their full Spring Break snowboard coverage at Park City last year and their free snowboard movie, dubbed Project LTC after the movie Project-X: a compilation of the previous season’s work, poking fun at frat-surfer culture, backed by the all-time finest house club mixes and featuring plenty of shirtless to buck-ass-nude shred excursions.

The group originated in Utah, including locals like Siebert, Taxwood and Bilodeau, but has made room in its furry underbelly for in- and out-of-state boarders. “It’s just whoever boards with us every day; it’s a big group of [10–20] people frothing out,” says cat licker Michael Wick. He’s talking about amateur- to pro-snowboarder friends like Evan Drage, Spencer Schubert, Blaze and Sage Kotsenburg, Nils Mindnich, Zander Blackmon and too many more to keep Sam Taxwood track of. “Yeah, everybody just kind of does their own thing, and then we all pressing out the just come back together and froth out, edgy look on his and then everybody leaves, and then new pro-model we all meet up [again]. We’re all always kind of together, [at least] a few of us,” snowboard. says Wick.

That sort of networking is impressive, considering how much these dudes like to travel. Throughout any winter, the

38 SaltLakeUnderGround slugmag.com 39 goal for every sponsored snowboarder is to at least get together enough usable video footage in order to make a three- to five-minute video part. Those who are lucky enough to have a budget from sponsors part ways from LTC and travel all over the U.S., Canada, Europe or Asia to search out and ride the most innovative and unknown urban features. Benjamin Bilodeau Those stuck solely with their snowboard leaning patriotically friends and gumption get to hunt for new adventure within as much territory as to the right with his they can physically cover out of their own goofy self. wallet—but that’s not even counting resort riding, special events or contests. The proud few will get invitations to places like the X-Games, where you’ll find Sage, or other events, like last year’s Holy Bowly contest in Japan, where Taxwood competed. “It was cool because I’d never been to Japan. I got to meet guys like Jamie Lynn, Wes Makepeace and just the best group of snowboarders to be around in general. I’d never experienced anything like it before,” says Taxwood. As the summer creeps ever closer, showcase opportunities like The Launch, also known as the younger man’s Superpark, will come around. Add some more spoice, and then a majority of these gents make their way to Mt. Hood, Ore., working needed slots at summer snowboard camps like the famous Windells or High Cascade.

Matter o’ fact, Michael Wick was there last summer to document the first and only LTC tattoo ever done to date. “So we were at the Ark [Mt. Hood’s finest employee housing compound—so musty that employees would rather sleep outside in tents] in Johnny [Lazz] and Riley [Nickerson]’s tent, aka The Club, and we’d been drinking Fireball all day, and Staxx [Sam Taxwood] got a tattoo—it was tight. I mighta poured a little bit of tequila on the needle before it went in—you know, get a little more buzz in there for him,” says Wick.

If I had to pick a favorite about Lick the Cat, it’d be their carefree attitude in all things. More recently and most notably, the group released their first full-length movie,Project LTC, created by Jeremy Thornberg in the style of laidback fun. What sets this stuff apart from just about everything since maybe Team Thunder or DOPE ll is, well … the fun. Not to say that everyone else isn’t having fun doing what they’re doing, but with LTC, no one’s worried about that 15-second lifestyle intro shot of them sucking the man’s dick, fish-eye lenses, “the perfect song,” or trying to please while trying to making it look natural. These guys started with themselves, underdeveloped frontal lobes and some shitty filming before they upgraded their camera and kept the same routine, and that’s goddamn admirable. “Last year, we all just made the movie out of our own pocket,” says Siebert.

As for video coverage this year, a good secret handful of cat lickers will be headed toward the Snowboarder Mag season compilation, while the underdogs will lick their own destinies into forever and all eternity. Just about every one of these riders is busy configuring parts for their individual industry movie edits this winter, and a Project LTC Vol. ll is still up in the air based on how much video footage Thornberg can contribute the recipe to their own Hotsnake Hotdog Pizza every Sunday at the Spedelli’s lounge on pool together for LTC use. Regardless, most of the fun happens in between Foothill Drive, where LTC like to hang out. the mega bangers, and LTC web edits have enough entertainment to keep the public asking what will be next. As the season continues to build momentum, Lick the Cat live on. With a new year of snow come endless opportunities for the crew to find new adventures that are sure to find their ends in While street rails are where most of the real work is done, the consensus for Fireball, frat parties, Sheilas and bleached hair. For those in the neighborhood on any given winter favorite resorts seems to be “Brighton when it snows, Park City [Mountain Wednesday, try Willies Lounge for DJ Matty Mo nights to spot yourself an original cat licker. Resort] when you want to ride the obstacles or get in the air,” says Siebert. To those not fortunate enough to witness the coolin’ wrath of Michael Wick in person, make your Bilodeau adds, “I really like Pioneer Peak [at Brighton].” That’s not too way to snowboardermag.com for the newest of the new video edits, like the November recap of surprising, in light of the variety of terrain up both of the canyons—LTC opening day at Park City Mountain Resort. You can also stalk them down on Instagram by following have local options for the amateurs and the pros. Lick the Cat also like them @LICKTHECAT, and especially @mtn_babes or #girlsthatdip. Oh yeah, Sam Taxwood is to give love to the locals who love them back, including businesses like getting a pro-model snowboard. their main board shop, Milosport and Oregon-based Cobra Dogs, who

40 SaltLakeUnderGround slugmag.com 41 Garrison Conklin—Ollie From Bump To Flat—SLC, UT

The ollie is the foundation have unbelievable power of almost every trick on and finesse in their ollies. a skateboard. When you Garrison is one of those are just learning to skate, guys. I would have been you practice ollie-ing up happy with an ollie from curbs, over soda cans, a curb cut to curb cut here, but deck on its side, a manhole Garrison saw the challenge cover, off a picnic table to clear the whole driveway and down stairs. You are to the flat on the other side, always trying to go higher, and went for it. I’m sure it longer, faster—and it feels felt just as great as the first amazing. Some people just time he ollied up a curb. By Weston Colton • westoncolton.com

42 SaltLakeUnderGround slugmag.com 43 DC Snowboard Boots out there. The Utah-based company in black with a pearl pick guard and like a futuristic bracelet made for sci-fi has become fully invested in creating it was fucking beautiful. Modeled television, but is actually a visual code Travis Rice Pro Model a unique set of products that give after a Telecaster, the craftsmanship that displays numbers. The watch itself dcshoes.com skiers the ability to hone their skills was there. It boasts an advanced is simplistic, giving you the date, time At $400, this is DC’s priciest albeit and enjoy the next level of snow Polymer Fretboard, Stratabond birch and an alarm—allowing you to set most innovative buy on the market—no sliding. The Wailer 112RPC is their neck and two vintage coil pickups— everything including the display color wonder they made it for one of the best latest all-mountain ski, and it delivers all components aiding in its vintage to customize it to whatever you’re snowboarders on the planet. I ordered on its promises of being stiff and light. sound. The spec list continues with wearing. To be blunt, like any piece these half a size bigger than I usually At 186 cm in length, its dimensions three-way pickup, selector switch, two- of jewelry, it’s meant to be shown off do, which proved wise. What shocked are 141/112/128. This equates to way truss rod, fully adjustable bridge, and talked about, which you won’t the hell out of me was that there was a longer turn radius (15–18m), but a Stratabond neck and of course, the have much issue with because the no breaking-in process, so my feet were it is a surprisingly nimble ski in tight LED fret lights. Easy-to-install Fretlight sleek, black metal appearance (or silver in heaven from Run One. The minimal terrain. When it comes to a powder Studio software was included and a steel, if you prefer) fits with practically profile and lightness are unmatched. ski, these things float like a dream. USB cable connects the guitar to a PC any ensemble, casual or formal. The It’s stiff enough for the 100-day park or It is nearly impossible to sink the tips or Mac. Once I plugged it in, I was only real issue is the price, coming big-mountain rider, yet the amount of in deep snow. In open terrain, they hooked! The Fretlight Studio is packed in at $179, which is actually quite flex you get out of the toe box when like to run and the stiff tail makes with numerous ways to improve one’s reasonable if you look at any pimp hiking is comfortably unreal. I didn’t cliff-stomping as easy as stepping off ability. MIDI versions of popular songs watches on the market today. If you even mind the fact that these are a curb. A lower-profile tip and tail by The Beatles, Nirvana and want to stun the present while feeling BOA laced because they locked my with minimal camber also allows the numerous others were available to like you live in the future, definitely take feet where they needed to be. Then, ski to be predictable on hard pack. play along with. Tempos and speeds a look at this item from Tokyo Flash. I tried to take a boot off. The lower The model tested featured the Pure3 are easily manipulated according to –Gavin Sheehan tightening BOA system jammed up and construction. Manufactured in Utah, skill level. As the computer tracked my authorized dealer had to snip the this generation uses prepreg carbon the song, chords lit up on the FG-531, Ultimate Ears wires in order to get one of the boots laminate and nanotech resins that keep showing me where to place my fingers. off my foot. He told me that he’d seen the ski light and give it a consistent flex As a visual learner, this took my guitar UE Boom the problem on this model before and pattern. Its aspen core is specifically lessons to a whole new level, making ultimateears.com that it was so jammed that the part engineered to work in conjunction them carefree while increasing my For being almost as tall as a wine couldn’t be removed or replaced. I with the carbon build to increase its performance immediately. The Hal glass, the UE Boom pours out a wear snowboarding boots for a living, torsional stiffness and dampening. Leonard play-along videos were also lush cascade of sound. Its Bluetooth and I’ve avoided BOAs for that very This is evident in the chunder when surprisingly cool. I loved the chord capabilities are perfect for quickly reason. Someday, BOA will dominate most ski tips would chatter and deflect. and scales section, where I could throwing on Hooded Menace while the industry simply because it tightens It is an overall impressive ski that read lessons on music theory. Overall, cooking dinner—after the initial sync where laces can’t, but until the kinks are lives up to its all-mountain moniker. the Fretlight Guitar and its software with a phone, the only other step is to worked out, I stay skeptical: warranty@ –Sean Zimmerman-Wall programs are incredible resources for turn it on, and presto: I’m getting my dcshoes.com. –Tim Kronenberg guitarists of all levels. I implore skeptics death metal on while stirring noodles! Fretlight Guitars of the Fretlight to try it out at a local The most impressive aspect of the UE DPS Skis authorized retailer—you may find Boom is its balance of different tonal Special Edition FG-531 yourself changing your tune. –Ann Eliza registers. The bass is well rounded and Wailer 112RPC Pure3 Vintage Electric Fretlight Guitar the speakers distinguish it enough to dpsskis.com fretlight.com Tokyo Flash let those sweet grooves shine through. The mids and highs sound crisp and Kasai Adjust bright, but not blaring or blown out. tokyoflash.com Now, I know that merely having this technology and being able to enjoy music in this manner are nothing short of wizardry, but I do have one gripe: The Bluetooth connection starts to cut out at about 30 feet. I know—this is totally #whitegirlproblems, but it would be nice to keep my phone in my pocket when I go into the kitchen while the speaker functions as the hearth of my When I first heard about this concept, party in the living room. That aside, I laughed and joked with skepticism: a the UE Boom is a solid product that has guitar with lights in the fret board? How served as a speaker that I’ve directly are lights in a guitar neck really going connected with a quarter-inch cord to to help my guitar-playing skills? I wrote replace my shitty MacBook speakers; off the Fretlight as more of a toy than I’d say $199 is a fair price point, an actual instrument, figuring I could at Wearing a watch used to be a given how new the speaker is on the least use it to entertain drunken party necessity, until almost everyone on market—it helps that the battery lasts guests. Then it arrived. Instantly, I knew Earth got a cell phone, and then it for a couple hours, too. Overall, the UE Born from the desire to make durable, I had misjudged this six-string electric became an accessory. If you want a Boom typifies a quality-focused product. high performance skis, DPS (Drakes axe. I ordered the Special Edition FG- watch that makes a statement, the Kasai –Alexander Ortega PowderworkS) has engineered some 531 Vintage Electric Fretlight guitar Adjust is a perfect addition to your of the most interesting shred sticks wardrobe. The LED display appears 44 SaltLakeUnderGround slugmag.com 45 Illustration: Ryan Perkins

Reel To Steel The Stars and The Water Carriers: The 1973 Giro d’Italia (suggested by Ryan By Esther Meroño Wade McCalmon): OK, I totally un- [email protected] derstand why Ryan genuinely digs this movie—available in its entire 1.5 hours on YouTube—because he’s the most Holy shit it’s cold! Of course, I’m still hardcore, die-hard cyclist I know. I’m biking in this abomination—they’d sure a bunch of other people would probably take my column away if I raise their hands and tell me they liked didn’t show up to work with a scarf this film, too, if I asked. However, unlike tied around my head, crying icy tears Ryan, it would only be for hipster points, through the fabric—but what’s motivat- and guaranteed, if given the chance to ing me to keep pedaling is the thought watch it, they’d talk through the whole of thawing out with a nice cup of tea thing as they sipped PBR. I got through a few clips, and woke up half an hour and a bike movie! So, for those of you later, only to be lulled to sleep again. who have opted for rollers this winter, If watching a bike race isn’t already a I’ve compiled a list of some entertain- total snoozefest for you, by all means, ment options that don’t include frostbite try it out. For the rest of us, it’s a great or icy asphalt scrapes. We all know cure for insomnia! I’ll give this one a 50 the classics—American Flyers, RAD, percent on the Crankometer, purely for Breaking Away, Quicksilver, Pee-Wee’s vintage charm. Big Adventure—but I reached out to Rising From Ashes (suggested by Davey the trusty ole SaltCycle community for Davis): I cannot believe I missed the some of their favorites, which turned up Salt Lake screening of this documentary. an eclectic list of titles I’d missed. It’s about the first Rwandan National Cycling Team, and not only does it look With film festival season just around the like a beautifully shot, tear-jerking doc, corner, I decided to prep by watching it’s narrated by Forest Whitaker, the trailer and/or bike scene for each who’s the next Morgan Freeman, in of the following, and am providing my humble opinion. The only thing that you with a short review and my very bugs me is the whole “white man saves own version of a Tomatometer: The Africa” motif, but someone’s gotta pay Crankometer. Personally, I don’t watch for all those expensive bikes. There’s no anything under 70 percent, so you can release date on this yet, so we’ll all just definitely trust my opinion, at least as have to watch the trailer over and over much as that of renowned film critic again. This one gets an anticipated 90 Jebidiah Atkinson. percent on the Crankometer.

Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid The Triplets of Belleville (suggested by (suggested by Joshua W McCar- Shanna Ford): Who doesn’t like an rel—who is apparently the leader of animated film with a killer soundtrack? “Team Clammy Chamois,” so you know This one’s a far cry from Frozen—though this guy enjoys the small things in life): the latter seems more fitting for the This movie’s been in my Netflix queue weather. The Triplets has been on my for, literally, years. I don’t think you can watch list for some time now, but it keeps call yourself a Utahn until you’ve seen it, getting passed up ‘cause it seems like but I finally got around to watching the the kind of artsy film you’ve gotta be in bike scene. First thoughts: Oh my god, the right mood for, especially since the someone put shoes on that girl! Riding animation looks a little vintage (which a bike, whether you’re pedaling or not, isn’t a bad thing, but I’ve been spoiled without something covering your fragile by CGI). Still, it’s a fun concept and I’ve little toes, is absolute insanity—I’m talk- been conditioned to love musicals— ing to all of you Twilight cyclists wearing thanks, Disney—so it gets a 75 percent flip flops in the summer. Once I got past on the Crankometer. that, and the fact that she looked way too comfortable sitting on the handle- There were a number of other films sug- bars for such a long and bumpy ride, I gested to me, if none of these strike your was faced with another moral dilemma: fancy: With My Own Two Wheels, Bi- the show-off trope. There’s one in Quick- cycle Thieves, Return of the Scorcher, Still silver, too, but that includes some danc- We Ride, The Road From Karakol, Dead ing, and it’s indoors, so I give it a pass. Fucking Last, Ride The Divide, Jour de Guys doing dumb tricks to prove their Fête, A Sunday in Hell, Le Vélo de Ghis- machismo in front of girls is getting old, lain Lambert, The Paper Brigade. Sounds and it hits too close to home in a male- like someone needs to host a few movie dominated bike scene. I give this one a nights this winter! I’ll bring the popcorn 20 percent on the Crankometer. and my Crankometer.

46 SaltLakeUnderGround slugmag.com 47 By Mike Riedel Description: Pours a crystal-clear [email protected] amber color. The nose is malty with a bready, biscuity character For the last decade, I’ve had to listen to and a touch of floral hops in the people along the Wasatch Front (hell, background. The flavor mostly across the fucking state!) piss and moan follows the nose—again biscuity, that they couldn’t get New Belgium bready malt with a few subtle, beers in the Beehive State. It was almost secondary floral hoppy notes. as if there was some kind of JFK con- spiracy surrounding the demand. It was Overview: Many consider this to a bit odd. be one of the more famous entry- level craft beers. It didn’t become In 2012, if you were to look at New this popular because it sucks. Belgium’s distribution map, you’d see a huge Utah-shaped hole in the western Accumulation White United States that penetrated down to the Earth’s core. Our roads were good IPA enough to ship their beer across the New Belgium west, but our state’s totalitarian form of ABV: 6.2% liquor control was not. Serving Size: 12 oz. Bottle Description: Pours a cloudy, Then, one thing changed: Utah’s de- somewhat hazy straw color with a mand for high-point beer (beer above nice, foamy cap on top. The nose 4% alcohol by volume) went through the is a hoppy blend of grass, grape- fucking roof. The state’s unrefrigerated fruit and lemon with a touch of warehouse was too small and they need- earthiness. The taste is similar—tart ed space. Enter the beer distributors: They had plenty of refrigerated space and grassy, but more earthy and and a willingness to get in the (money) with a pleasant spiciness as the game. Legislation was passed, the beer flavor lingers on the tongue. was stored cold and New Belgium’s big Overview: White IPAs are refrigerated storage concerns were a fairly new in the beer world. This thing of the past. is better than most white IPAs, but still not better than the Wasatch So now, New Belgium’s beers are finally Ghostrider. in Utah! Here are some insights on the few that are available. More labels will definitely follow. Rampant Imperial IPA Fat Tire Amber Ale New Belgium ABV: 8.5% New Belgium Serving Size: 12 oz. Bottle ABV: 5.2% Description: Light, amber/orange Serving Size: 12 oz. Bottle in color, this beer is great to look at! The nose is primarily citrusy hops followed by some sweet, grainy malts. The taste also starts with citrusy hops along with some bready caramel malts. Caramel and toasted malt tend to dominate in the middle. The end has hints of lemon and pine. Overview: If you’re not quite sure if imperial IPAs are for you, this is an easy option that’s not too complex. The malts tend to dominate over the hops, making it not overly bitter. Cheers!

Follow more of Mike’s musings on beer at utahbeer.blogspot.com.

48 SaltLakeUnderGround slugmag.com 49 Avengers, assemble! No, seriously, this set has 16 billion pieces!

Batman: get in a video game. This game went all out by creating a massive LEGO NYC to Arkham Origins play in with every hotspot in the Marvel Warner Bros. canon, allowing you to visit and fight everything from the Fantastic 4 build- Montreal/Warner ing to Asteroid M. The game’s 150-plus Bros. Interactive characters are a who’s who of Marvel Reviewed on: Xbox 360 history. (Hardcore fans will question Also on: PS3, Wii U, PC the glaring omissions of certain char- Street: 10.25.13 acters, given that random henchmen are included.) There are, however, Arkham City manages to hold its own several downsides. Flying is a bitch as a solid—but not perfect—entry. and, in some respects, is clunkier than The most notable improvement is the the last Batman game that introduced inclusion of more specialized thugs it. The race challenges are frustrating for Batman to pummel. In addition to even for experienced gamers, loading the common ne’er-do-wells that plague times can take forever or even stall the Gotham, Batman now faces martial art- game, and don’t get me started on the ists who can counter his basic attacks fact that you can’t play as Deadpool and steroid-powered Bane groupies until you’re nearly at 75 percent of who can grab our hero and smash his completion. Even those flaws can be face into a wall. Combat gets pretty overlooked,with help from the sheer fan- tricky when confronted with a mob boy joy you’ll receive every time you fly that mixes these archetypes together, through the city as Iron Man, crush cars which often requires a more creative as The Hulk, and save Manhattan from use of Batman’s gadgets. And let’s not danger several times. –Gavin Sheehan overlook the boss fights. Batman’s con- frontations with the myriad assassins The Sims 3: Into who have descended upon Gotham are some of the game’s best moments. The Future Its inherent prequel-ness raises a few EA nitpicky questions—why didn’t Batman Reviewed on: PC break out electric gloves in Arkham Also on: OSX City?—but it’s cool to see Batman’s first encounters with some famous villains. Street: 10.22.13 The real success with Arkham Origins EA has given the Dicks the chance to revolves around a storyline that unfolds escape Hell and head into the future, like a mixtape of some of Batman’s fin- also known as Oasis! Tim Dick has est comic book moments, leaving the since been spending his days riding the player with a deeper perspective on the Wind Carver (Hoverboard is copyright- characters of Batman and the Joker. ed) and ignoring his wife, Debbie Dick. –Alex Springer Into the Future gave me the opportunity to mistreat the residents of the game LEGO Marvel in an entirely new way. Sure, I did the quests and leveled up my robot-building Super Heroes ability, but all the while, I focused on TT Games/Warner waging war on the citizens of Oasis. Bros. Interactive This proves that the new Sims expansion is their best yet because it allows jerks Reviewed on: Xbox 360 like me to thrive with the rest of civiliza- Also on: DS, 3DS, PC, Vita, tion. I realize my actions aren’t in the PS3, Wii U, PC, PS4, spirit of the game, but it’s the fact that Xbox One it lets me do these things that makes it Street: 10.22.13 so incredible. If you haven’t moved your Sims into the future, then you’re miss- This is about as inclusive of an all-in-one ing the best expansion they’ve done. Marvel experience as you’re going to –Thomas Winkley 50 SaltLakeUnderGround slugmag.com 51 Illustration: Steve Thueson

Dear Cop, Yes, almost all Utah drivers What can be done to address the are assholes. Hence, Utah has absolute collapse of traffic light achieved the driving hallmark observation by Utah drivers? I witness of “Douche Driver.” I think Utah at EVERY intersection EVERYDAY, possessing this classification cars running red lights. Every fucking is an effect of the dominant intersection in this grid planned city. belief that Douche Driving is Where do I go to get this fixed? City celestial and right, and if your Council meetings? Do I start a petition driving style isn’t similar, or to get you retards fired for criminal “acceptable,” well, you’re negligence? Because I also routinely wrong and not worthy of witness this occuring within the driving. Other states know that vicinity of nearby patrol cars. Do we diverse conveyors exist, with need traffic cops? different ways of maneuvering— or they might have learned to I have a simple solution. It’s not the drive in another environment— best, but I believe it would be most and that doesn’t make their effective. SLC needs traffic cameras. “way” wrong, bad or evil, The amount money they would regardless of whether they act generate alone in fines, would pay off on an alternative driving desire. our national debt! Imagine what that money could be used for in Salt Lake. So, Utah drivers believe it’s their I’d also bet the cost of buying and driving way or hit the highway. installing them throughout Salt Lake I believe that driver doctrine is would be paid back within 5 minutes. exactly why there’s no traffic Rising insurance rates and ticket cost surveillance recording in this would fix the problem on the “drivers” state. No Douche Driver actually side of the equation. wants a chance at being busted on camera. There used to be I’m not a fan of Big Brother at all and recording traffic cameras in this I haven’t done significant research to state called Photocop, but a state see if my traffic camera solution is the Senator got one of those tickets answer. Please do not answer me with and boom, it was gone. The DMV rules of the road or tell me that government wanted to install I’m wrong, because I see you assholes plate readers on the major illicit run red lights too! drug interstate thoroughfares to bust meth traffickers, but Sincere thanks for your time! Utah said no. I think some of The Intern George Jung. the predominant Douche Drivers were afraid they’d be stopped Dear George: and then have to explain why they had 900 Roxis in their car. Yes, we run them, and hopefully you see the courtesy flash of George, know this: Basically, the overheads as we “blow” every cop in this state is the intersection. That’s our becoming a walking and driving way of letting the public know surveillance platform. Currently, that we’re on something not many cops (soon all) carry yet officially declared an constant audio/video recording “emergency” (Code 3), but your devices that capture all family member, or our brother encounters, including traffic, on officer, would really appreciate their person. The predominants it if we got there faster than fast. in Utah haven’t figured this That’s all—nothing nefarious. out yet. Until they do, and rule against them, you’ll see a lot Your pro-increased-surveillance of your desire for increased stance in this “anti-NSA/ surveillance fulfilled. big government is watching” environment is interesting. Send the cop an email: [email protected]. 52 SaltLakeUnderGround slugmag.com 53 “The Business of Decentralization” by Steven Stradley.

Turning the Corner Stradley, a Utah native, attended Utah State University for his Bachelor of Fine By Mariah Mann Mellus Arts in Painting. He currently resides [email protected] in Michigan while he finishes his master’s degree in the same discipline In my mind’s eye, the months of a year at Michigan State University. His work lay out like an oval. January begins at has been seen in numerous group the far left, then February and March shows in Salt Lake and Michigan. His make the turn, then a straightaway past solo exhibits in SLC include Kayo for April and May, June starts to Gallery, Palmers Gallery, Baxter’s Cafe round another corner to July, the polar and Tanner Frames. His work continues opposite of January, and the oval to find its way back to Salt Lake as he continues. I refer to this oval often when is a participant in the annual 300 Plates planning out events, tracking seasons or show for Art Access. Stradley’s impact referencing memories. I’ve created this on the Utah art scene reaches beyond calendar using basic shapes and dates, his personal career achievements; yet it’s uniquely mine. It’s funny, one’s before moving to Michigan, he taught connection to shapes: a square with a at Mountain Ridge Junior High School triangle on top is universal for a house, in Highland, Utah and formally held and an octagon is synonymous with a art talks and critiques from his Salt Lake stop sign. A contemporary artist will home for aspiring artists and art patrons. flip that triangle, open up that octagon, dissect a line and recreate and redefine Stradley is currently working with your basic views on shape, space and CUAC to highlight its transition and perspective. under-appreciated spaces, such as the storage cubby and hallway between the Utah is home to some amazing gallery’s two exhibition spaces. Plans contemporary art venues and artists. include using the floor space, which Take, for example, Central Utah Art might not initially sound super avant- Center’s (CUAC) featured artist for the garde, but how often do you go into a month of January, Steven Stradley. gallery and walk on the artwork?

Stradley marries painting, sculpture As you can imagine, working within a and architecture, using the stark, white particular gallery, using their walls as a gallery walls as his canvas. Likened to canvas, each piece is very site specific modernist architecture, Stradley uses and temporal. No two shows are alike, well-defined planes with horizontal and and after the show ends, the walls go vertical lines, juxtaposed alongside back to their nondescript, uniform look. functional or operational elements for dramatic effect. The process engages Stop by to see CUAC as you’ve never angles, corners, floors and doorframes, seen it before, and show this Utah artist

putting the whole gallery on display. some Utah love on Friday, Jan. 17, from Dana Hernandez, gallery manager 6–9 p.m. CUAC is located at 175 E. at CUAC, is thrilled to have Stradley’s 200 S. The show will remain on display work on display. She says, “He came through March 15. Regular gallery into the gallery one day with some hours are Wednesday through Friday, friends and family during one of our 12–7 p.m. and Saturday, 12–4 p.m. For gallery strolls. He mentioned he was more information, you can visit them at an artist and how he loved the space. I cuartcenter.org. looked him up later, and his work blew my mind. I thought, ‘Wow, he’s really Take time to appreciate local art—slow good, and it would be amazing to see down and enjoy the stroll. what he could do with our space.’”

54 SaltLakeUnderGround slugmag.com 55 Alternative Movie The high places of the world attract characters from various walks of life. Posters: Film Art from Ed Viesturs happened to be a veterinar- the Underground ian with a penchant for climbing. By Matthew Chojnacki 2009, he had been on Mount Everest Schiffer Publishing 11 times and reached the summit on Street: 10.28.13 seven of those occasions. In his latest memoir, The Mountain, Viesturs recounts Everest’s fabled past and the characters who succumb to “the irresistible lure of the world’s highest peak.” The book bril- liantly chronicles expeditions to Everest since it was first deemed the planet’s tallest summit. From the Brits to the Japa- nese, to harrowing ascents by American and French climbers, the book illustrates the triumphs and tragedies that have taken place on the mountain. Co-author David Roberts does a terrific job of seg- ueing from historical accounts to some of Viesturs’ more intriguing expeditions. Borrowing from journal entries made by Viesturs, the stories of his trips to Everest and other 8,000-meter (~26,000 feet) peaks come to life in stunning detail. A colorful collection of photos adds to the realism. The book also shows the “Film posters aren’t quite what they use intensity with which Viesturs has pur- to be,” Matthew Chojnacki says it all in sued a life in the mountains and how he the book’s introduction. Film posters, at continues to come home safe. This is a one time, were the primary source for must-read for any adventure enthusiast. promotion. They had to be original. They –Sean Zimmerman-Wall had to be eye-catching. Over the last 20 years, however, that has changed. Under Your Skin Whether it’s due to the Internet, or other Sabine Durrant avenues of promotion, movie posters as Emily Bestler Books/Atria of late aren’t so much of an art as they Books are heavily Photoshopped, airbrushed Street: 01.01.13 celebrity headshots. Chojnacki took it During an early morning run, TV news upon himself to create an awesome cof- anchor Gaby Mortimer stumbles across fee table book comprised of hundreds the corpse of a young woman in the of interpretations from contemporary park near her home. The book takes independent artists. This 207-page on the perspective of Gaby’s thoughts, hardcover book features over 100 art- detailing her experience, as the police ists (most of whom contribute multiple seem to focus increasingly on the idea prints), each with their own unique style. that she is the killer. From the moment The film selection is just as impressive as I began reading, I only put the book the art, with a nice mixture of cult mov- down when I unwillingly passed out ies and Hollywood blockbusters. The mid-sentence. From the psychology minimalistic interpretations of classics of her failing marriage to the intense • • 1 THEME 2 COLORS 20 ARTISTS like Wizard of Oz and Zombieland fit anxiety following such a disturbing “Nothing Goes According to Plan” perfectly alongside the cartoony Teen discovery, not one thought is missed. Wolf and Evil Dead posters, as well as This provides a remarkable look into ★★★ A letterpress printed art show ★★★ the comic-book style Anchorman piece. the mind of the character, making the FRIDAY JANUARY 17, 2014 Alternative Movie Posters: Film Art from story seem so real that, a few times, the Underground is the first book to docu- I was too terrified to walk around my ment these visionary designers and is a house in the dark. A proper collage must-have for any film buff and/or fan of of constant metaphors, combined with contemporary art. –Nate Abbott the unique angle of Durrant’s writing, creates a story unlike any other I have The Mountain: My read. This is supported by the fact that Time on Everest Durrant is a journalist. Snatch a copy Ed Viesturs w/ David as soon as the opportunity arises. This novel will seamlessly complement the Roberts imminent freeze over and abundance Simon & Schuster of blankets Salt Lake City winters Street: 10.08.13 bring. –LeAundra Jeffs

56 SaltLakeUnderGround slugmag.com 57 A Lily Gray tapping in a pop format. Every once Rusty Axe?” is astounding. This is fuck- rails. The peeks at headbang-worthy in a while, those musicians find each ing art. CBZ, quit your jobs and tour. grooves and the strong vocal delivery Waiting Room other and the racket is beautiful. While –Alexander Ortega indicate a band with something to say Self-Released less jazz-oriented than their Mid- in the future, but Hazardous feels like Street: 11.29.13 western antecedents (and not heavy Decibel Trust a document of a band going through A Lily Gray = Ashes Divide + enough to be, you know, mathcore), Self-Titled growing pains. –Peter Fryer Karnivool Anthropology often find some kind Self-Released of demented groove and stay in the Polished, local alt-rock group A Lily Street: 11.05.13 Float the Boat Gray returns with another teaser of an pocket for a few seconds before an- Basement Tsunami other knee-jerk tempo change will rip Decibel Trust = Barenaked EP that will get you salivating for a full Self-Released them out. Anthology is an infectious, Ladies + American Idiot–era album from this quintet. I am a huge Street: 10.16.13 relentlessly positive album full of dizzy- Green Day fan of the melodies this band is able Float the Boat = Wolf ing highs and brainy, muscular rhythms After I listened to this, I put on old-school to build on tracks like “Gone Away” Parade + Vivian Girls that are simultaneously uplifting and and melodies. –Ryan Hall They Might be Giants. Why? One, sorrowful. The track “Velvet Letter” is, because they’re fuckin’ rad, and two, A disclaimer: I must admit to being overall, the weakest of the four (a sub- Cornered By Zombies because Decibel Trust sound like what partial to the zeitgeist of the ’80s and jective measurement, certainly), sound- Hurry Up and Wait you’d get if you heard John Flans- ’90s utopic visions of the future, with ing somewhat repetitive aside from Self-Released burgh singing New Found Glory visions of cyborgs, space colonies the sweet ripping guitar solo bridge. Street: 11.16.13 songs at a karaoke bar. Decibel make and virtual realities. With that being said, this album, heavy on the synths David Lynn’s vocals continue to im- Cornered By Zombies = decent use of chunky power chords à la every pop-punk band ever, along and afrobeats, came across as a sci- press with his clear and passionate de- [(The Fucking Champs + At livery, made all the more powerful by with somewhat catchy melodies let fi-funkadelic album to rock your way to The Gates) – vocals – bass his band’s ability to construct thought- loose in a geeky and nasally voice, space. “Merge” is what initially pulled guitar] + Kill ‘Em All–era ful composition around him. These but instead of getting fun tunes about me in, with a swaying melody to get guys just flat-out know how to make Metallica incandescent gas like with TMBG, you lost in, where “Funky Freaky Fresh” a beautiful, self-aware rock album. get “Heroin Heather,” which isn’t quite gets you off your ass and shaking your –Megan Kennedy as dark as you’d think, and “Hookers thang. The album balances the weird Give Lousy Backrubs,” which isn’t as (“Ignoramus Bonanza”) with sincere Anthropology funny as you’d think (plus it’s a lie— (“Regret”), all the while avoiding a dull these guys should speak with their moment. Buckle up! –Brinley Froelich Anthology pimp). The band is upbeat and proba- Self-Released bly great if you’re not picky about your Gravecode Nebula Street: 10.21.13 alt-pop, but there’s plenty of room for Anthropology = Don Sempiternal Void growth and experimentation. For now, Baneful Genesis Caballero + Pele + Ghosts toss on TMBG’s Lincoln and pretend this Street: 11.01.13 and Vodka never happened. –CJ Morgan Gravecode Nebula = DiseNgaged Esoteric + Ved Buens Ende + Virus Hazardous Self-Released This massive debut album from Grave- Finally. Baz Eisenman and Jason Street: 11.09.13 code Nebula is the stuff nightmares, Denney are a metal duo of prodigies or what those really weird dreams that DiseNgaged = DevilDriver + whose musicianship eats away at your don’t make any sense are made of. Jungle Rot + Soulfly insides, simultaneously vicious and Ultimately, it’s all just beyond heavy— wistful. Eisenman makes his skill known Hazardous is the debut effort from doom/dirge gravel on gravel riffs that from the get-go in “Survival of the fit- Salt Lake’s DiseNgaged, and, while overflow in slow portions of songs fol- test, And we’re out of Shape.” exhibit- uneven, many of the tracks show po- lowed by some ripping black metal– ing his axe prowess à la melodic death tential for the band. DiseNgaged deal type riffs which seamlessly morph into metal guitar technique. His melodies in groove-oriented death metal and dark, psychedelic–like oddities. All of are the most emotive in “Derek Joined clearly have hardcore undertones. it is not an easy listening experience— the Air Force,” where his hammer-on, Lyrically, things often navigate toward it’s more akin to flesh being ripped It is exciting to hear a young band with pull-off guitar navigation infests his juvenile (see “Smash The Baby” and from your skull only to have a strange such obvious musical talents being put pedal-tone, rhythmic compositions. “The Mad House”) or feature an abun- ectoplasm of healing applied by extra- to good use. This type of Midwestern Also: Denney is a machine. In “Simon dance of swearing, but the vocal style terrestrial microorganisms. There are math-pop made by and for music egg- Says,” he deftly transfers from snare- itself is spot on. There’s a good debut more reasons to listen to this than min- heads often goes unexplored by musi- to-kick beats and double-kick trills to EP in here, but Hazardous suffers from utes on the album. Stare into the void, cians shoehorned into bands who don’t solidify the song’s trajectory—don’t a lack of editing and feels like a band contemplate the meaning of life, think have the same penchant for shredding get me started on his blast beats. His still trying to figure out what it wants to of Bob Ross happy trees in conjunc- in some perversely weird time signa- rolls in “It Was Like That When I Got be. There are drum fills that needn’t be tion with humanity consuming itself. ture or really appreciate near–blast Here” add contour to this record, and there, and guitar lines that have poten- All of those reasons make just as much beat double kick drum or two-handed the duo’s synergy in “Will you take the tial, but barely keep from going off the sense as this album makes you actually

58 SaltLakeUnderGround slugmag.com 59 feel. This is a feel. This is a feast The Moth & the Flame OK Ikumi miliar, for sure—with acoustic guitars for carrion for decades to come. playing behind a heartbroken Robert –Bryer Wharton & 10/13 Carroll singing, “If you need a man Hidden Records Self-Released to hate, I’ll fill that place,” but also Intra-Venus & the Street: 10.29.13 Street: 10.21.13 something very new—Miss Brooke TM&TF = Beck + Snow Pa- OK Ikumi = Kraftwerk + Cosmonauts LeBaron, with her cello and beautiful trol + Radiohead Chrome Sparks harmonies, brings the whole track to- Launch Karl Jørgensen, you rat bastard, gether and makes it something special. Self-Released what have you done with my brain? I All in all, this effort can be placed on Street: 03.12.13 have fallen in love with this album and the upper end of the never-ending pile- Intra-Venus & the refuse to take it off repeat. OK Ikumi‘s up of similar music. –Blake Leszczynski Cosmonauts = The Velvet aqueous album, 10/13, has been flow- Underground + The Clash + ing through my head the past few Vile Blue Shades Night Beats weeks now, and I can’t seem to shake Live! in Salt Lake -or- Live! Intra-Venus & the Cosmonauts play the sounds from out of my ears. “Red in Denver (I Don’t Remem- Air” and “Fading” are the most crucial raw, psychedelic punk rock. Their EP ber) Launch, recorded and engineered elements that make this album the per- 8ctopus Records by the band DIY-style, reflects their fect reflection of astral ambiance. Jør- experimental punk mentality. It’s not gensen’s builds are effortless and defy Street: 10.31.13 polished—it’s rebellious. The record- gravity, and his drops are so subtle, Vile Blue Shades = Red ing makes me imagine a thrashy live yet satisfying. Throughout each track, Bennies + The Corleones – show—guitars being broken, beers be- Jørgensen skillfully brings out certain The Wolfs Producer Joey Waronker (drum- elements (a resounding note or kick), ing spilled. Ya know, a good ol’ fash- Red state, blue state, now that both mer for Beck) has melded together building the volume until your uncon- ioned mind-fuck punk show! The EP the Red Bennies and Vile Blue Shades this artistic vision with unconventional scious mind can barely take it anymore includes four songs to give you a taste allegedly are no more, Utah is much and wonderfully complex rhythms. before slowly releasing it to fade back of the experience, so listen up and then less a punk rock state. This live release This EP thumps in its catchy haunt and in place. The album’s sound is amaz- see ‘em live! –Ischa B. celebrates the sheer musical mess, the one can’t help but to close their eyes ingly polished and clean, and I honest- utter chaotic clusterfuck that was the and listen. Brandon Robbins’ lyr- ly haven’t felt this inspired by a release La Verkin Vile Blue Shades. It starts off with “All ics and guitar strums desire the kind of in a long, long while. –Kamryn Feigel Our Favorite Songs Are Red Bennies Judge the Judger sadness that can only make you hope Songs,” acknowledging what they, and Self-Released for more. Mark Garbett’s keyboard Riksha many local punk bands from the late Street: 08.31.13 paints the atmosphere with an echo- Dream Drops Red ’90s, owed the Bennies, including bor- La Verkin = Daughters + Hot ing melody that drummer Andrew Dark Harvest Records rowing members. Both bands laid down Snakes Tolman marches you through. The Street: 09.27.13 a kind of groove to fuel their raw power. album’s lead single, “Sorry,” welcomes “Creature of Natural Beauty” and “Ex- you to this world, but “How We Woke Riksha = Soulfly + Tool + ceptional Whore” are two songs that Up” defines it. This is a solid follow-up Killswitch Engage demonstrate the dichotomy of VBS’ hyp- from a band that is clever enough to Riksha plays heavy, hard, shiny metal, notic attraction. One of the coolest local be experimental in a head-nodding and their new release, Dream Drops CD packages ever includes three differ- sort of way. I look forward to more. Red, is a neatly executed album of ex- ent covers, including art by Sri Whip- –Benjamin J. Tilton actly that. The music is loud, mean and ple and others. The limited edition CD beautiful. The growling vocals range release of 300 sold out, but you can get No Sleep from creative to devastating. The band the digital version at vileblueshades666. is comprised of talented local musi- Self-Titled bandcamp.com. –Stakerized! Self-Released cians who have been rocking out for Street: 06.19.13 a long time, so it’s no surprise that they are finding success with sponsorships The Wasatch Fault No Sleep = SunShade ‘n and making tour plans. If you love met- Self-Titled Southern Flair Food Made from Scratch! Rain + Stephen Malkmus al, you will love Riksha, so hop on and Self-Released Happy Valley pop rock is alive and enjoy the ride! –Ischa B. Street: 10.24.13 Sunday Supper: 3 courses for $20 La Verkin’s freshman album is some- well with the Provo band No Sleep’s The Wasatch Fault = Phish thing to admire. Meaty chunks of self-titled full-length. Guitarist Mat- Robert & The Carrolls + Modest Mouse – Trey Featuring only the freshest ingredients Form of Rocket, cubed and diced thias Hammon’s shimmering, fin- Everybody’s Famous EP Anastasio gerpicked arpeggios dominate the bits of Accidente boiled in a mild Self-Released and a unique twist on comfort food somewhat spare production with the The actual Wasatch Fault lies dor- Ian MacKaye–based stock—this al- Street: 11.09.13 mant— the effects when it finally moves • Housemade Sausage and Jams • bum is a stewy mess that gets better sweet-without-saccharine vocals of Shelby Crawley, who shares vocal Robert & The Carrolls = are anybody’s guess. The band from the following day. Judge the Judger (Rooney + Of Monsters and Logan and Salt Lake City, Utah veers • PBR "Cocktails" • House-blended Coffee • has hot, fast guitar riffs stumbling over duties with Hammon. It’s a happy event indeed to have this release on the local Men) + Phillip Phillips between something like a jam-band sour-crimson bass lines and pithy drum- groove and indie rock angst. Vocalist listening landscape, with the astutely The first time I pressed play on Every- thrumming—dissonant chords being Tyler Gilvarry, in his existential me- written chord changes that at times veer body’s Famous, with its opener “Vin- OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK the binding ingredient. What’s with the anderings, resembles a much less tor- (not too far) into jazz territory. There is tage,” I was transported to the PCH, soup comparison? It sounds smooth, tured Isaac Brock of Modest Mouse. a spiritual side to Hammon’s lyrics, like driving fast no doubt, but still taking well thought-out, all six songs have It’s a slightly odd combination, but it “People, come outside/Feel the rain it all in around me—the smells, the been cared for, and the flavors accom- really works. Produced by Robert from on high/Sing out loud and see/ sounds, the sun soaking into my skin. 401 East 900 South, Suite A pany each other well. The album is still LeCheminant of local folk combo Serving Breakfast What the Lord has done for thee” from This is comfortable music, indie’s an- as hard as a day-old roll, but I wouldn’t L’anarchiste, the sound is much Salt Lake City “Raincloud,” and the album’s closer, an swer to meatloaf. Over the five-song and Lunch: have it any other way. The strongest more raucous than that band’s. They ode to the Book of Mormon character offering, the Carrolls rarely make any two songs are “Locomotive” and “The claim that during their show on Oct. Monday - Sunday 385.202.7366 Abinadi. But it doesn’t ever get really missteps, mostly treading through Road”—I can hear Narrows or Peli- 18, 2013 at the Shred Shed in SLC, a preachy—it’s just a really well-written themes of love and love lost—painted 7:30 am - 3:30 pm can potentially playing these songs. 3.8 earthquake was occurring in Lo- and played, addictively listenable set against the backdrop of their original Pick this album up and don’t let it sit in gan. Coincidence? At times, the sound Sunday Suppers: of original ballads. –Stakerized! home of California. For me, “Sow and the fridge too long. –Alex Cragun they create is nothing less than seismic. Sleep” is the EP’s high point. It’s fa- 5 pm - 8 pm pigandajellyjar.com –Stakerized! 60 SaltLakeUnderGround slugmag.com 61 Aloa Input nearly identical. If this album had come smoky pub in Camden. Weird-as-fuck Listening to Animale(s) is not enjoyable. out 10 years ago, it would’ve been an lyrics, like “Yesterday falls on sword/ It’s a tough, thick, oppressive listen, Anysome incredible ‘60s/’70s rock revival al- Is today’s paper tiger/But tomorrow sung in French, with few moments of Morr Music bum, but today it’s quite the familiar will cower backwards in slow motion respite from what sounds like 100 Street: 10.18.13 sound. That’s not to say I won’t be (“Ave, Quixote”) and strange, swirling guitar tracks crunching over relent- Aloa Input = The Notwist + playing it over and over again, but it effects tie the hallucinogenic theme to- less drumming. Animale(s) made me Architecture in Helsinki will be much more interesting to hear gether nicely. But on the other hand, feel like I was on a city bus on a cold, The styles the trio of Aloa Input (Cico Asbury’s work in the future with a dif- not much original style or material is cloudy day, nausea creeping up on Beck, Florian Kreier and Marcus ferent producer and a different sound. covered. If you’re a fan of classic psy- me because all that I’d inhaled for the Grassl) play with are multifaceted That being said, it’s an impressive de- chedelic rock, like myself, and aren’t past 30 minutes was diesel fumes and in their variations, but despite such a but. –Justin Gallegos necessarily looking for a new twist, this stale air. Singled out, there are areas wide variety between the songs, the album is sufficient. –LeAundra Jeffs on Animale(s) that are excellent, like common thread throughout Anysome Big Star when the band breaks into a hardcore remains positively tropical. The surfer Playlist: The Very Best of Big Candy Warpop groove, the tremolo picking switches rock in “Another Green World” turns Transdecadence keys for two bars, or the pair of much- Star needed instrumental tracks. All of this into an old-school bossa nova islander Self-Released Sony Music Entertainment isn’t to say that Animale(s) isn’t worthy jam in “This Must Be The Age,” while Street: 08.01.13 “Clouds So Far’’ features some lo-fi rap Street: 11.26.13 of a listen—it’s packaged beautifully Big Star = The Replacements Candy Warpop = Hole + and is appropriately claustrophobic, reminiscent of early acts associated Mazzy Star + PJ Harvey with Yoni Wolf. The jams stay fresh + R.E.M. + Flamin’ Groovies and may very well be on year-end lists. Celeste’s latest is relentless, which can and vibrant, with a welcome variety In the latest catalog of the preeminent Candy Warpop is sugary-sweet, pop be exhilarating, but in this case, it’s fa- of instrumentation that places you as power pop group Big Star, Playlist out- punk goodness, with a delicious and tiguing. –Peter Fryer a tourist in the listening experience, as lines all the incarnations of this influen- flexible female vocal and a musical you relax and take a sip in a beachy tial band. Indeed, this is the first compi- sensibility that suggests a variety of paradise. –Brinley Froelich lation to chronicle all eras of Big Star. top-notch influences. Tool, The Meat Chuck Inglish It features five tracks from the jangle- Puppets and Veruca Salt all come Easily EP Axxas/Abraxas rock of their first two records, as well to mind, and even Mogwai, as dem- Federal Prism as two tracks from the proto–dream onstrated in my favorite on the album, Street: 10.15.13 Self-Titled a whispery track called “Afterlife in Captured Tracks pop record, 3rd/Sister Lovers. In addi- Chuck Inglish = ½ of The tion, there are seven live tracks taken Dreams.” The band isn’t just talented Street: 03.04 at putting together a quality release— Cool Kids + Curren$y Axxas/Abraxas = Crystal from their performance at Missouri University and a rehearsal take from they are highly connected with their Good ol’ Chuck has always been a Stilts / Tame Impala Nobody Can Dance. The album serves fanbase as well, with two successfully beast of collaboration, and this lat- as a good introduction to the band, as funded Kickstarters under their belt. est serving of tracks is a testament. well as being methodically arranged to They’re based out of Las Vegas, but “Swervin,” which features Sir Michael give the listener a complete and stellar with the new album out, I’m hoping Rocks and Polyster the Saint, (pun serendipitous) listening experi- they’ll add SLC to any tour plans they showcases classic Inglish/Rocks. The ence. –Jordan Deveraux might have and treat us to the real-deal Cool Kids flow over a quick, snappy experience. Yummy. –Ischa B. beat backed up with synth and funky Bipolaroid basslines. You could hear a single like Celeste this on any Cool Kids album. My fa- Twin Language Animale(s) vorite track, “Tangerine,” which is the Get Hip Recordings! bassiest off the EP, features A$ton Denovali Records Street: 11.13.13 Matthews and Kashflow da God, Street: 11.22.13 Bipolaroid = Pink Floyd + who take turns with Inglish spitting bars Strangers Family Band Celeste = Aosoth + Amenra about cash, women, drugs, guns and + Cult of Luna fashion. It’s just one of those songs you I haven’t heard an album with this turn up in your friend’s car so you can same perfection of vintage sound in pretend you’re in a music video while a long time. Songs such as “Tonight mean-mugging the elderly and home- Ben Asbury is the man behind Axx- We Paint the Town Our Favorite Co- less. Chuck’s only indiscretion was as/Abraxas and the newest addition to lour” and “Efflorescent Adolescent” featuring Mac Miller on the EP’s title the Captured Tracks roster. Producer (plus basically every other song on the track because that dude just sucks, but Jarvis Taveniere, of Brooklyn psych album) sound like they could be miss- because the other four songs are pretty band Woods, lends his skills but un- ing tracks from The Piper at the Gates solid, his sin is forgiven. –Carl Acheson intentionally casts his shadow over of Dawn. Slurred vocals paired with the album. Asbury’s affinity for jangly psychedelic lo-fi create music that can rhythms and ‘60s guitar experimenta- weird you out while simultaneously The Crystal Method tion showcases his talent, but the album forcing you to dance, albeit strangely. Self-Titled sounds too much like an amped-up ver- The whole album almost sounds like it Tiny e Records sion of Woods’ songs. The vocals are was recorded at a live show in some Street: 01.14

62 SaltLakeUnderGround slugmag.com 63 The Crystal Method = Daft New West and production setup, but that feeling Bella Union/PIAS concept has been done many times, it synth work and locked-in kraut bass this album does. This shocks the system The Rebel Set Punk – inflated egos + The Street: 10.29.13 is present. At its best, Interval Signals re- Street: 01.21 doesn’t necessarily have to suck. Keep- lines, but without all the piss and vit- so much more than anything Napalm How To Make A Monster Chemical Brothers + Infected Devil Makes Three = Blind calls another time and place, distant or I Break Horses = Tamaryn + ing its bubblegum sweetness simple riol that made Mogwai’s sonic attacks Death has done in over a decade, and Burger Records Mushroom + Beats Antique Willie Mctell + The Pine Hill perhaps imagined—but the music and Sigur Rós + Poliça and fairly clichéd, her lyrics relatively such refined masterpieces. With that I fucking love Napalm Death. As far Street: 01.21 Haints + Roscoe Holcomb sensation it creates are consistently transparent and its composition up- said, this is a Mogwai album, and as “comebacks” go, this gets two big unique. –T.H. Although it feels like I’ve heard this beat, this album is good for a fun, Mogwai at their most flat is better than thumbs up right in the eyeballs of the The Rebel Set = The Fuzz- album a hundred times before, per- easy listen, but not much else. –Allison 90 percent of the often hackneyed scene. –Bryer Wharton tones + The Oblivians formed by different artists throughout Ensemble Economique Shephard post-rock genre. By changing up their The ultra-quick single-string picking that the years, I Break Horses deliver a sound, Mogwai don’t really break any The Pack A.D. opens How To Make A Monster drowns Light That Comes, Light That skillful synth-pop performance of epic Mode Moderne new ground, but still sound better than in wet reverb the way The Ventures Goes proportions. Chiaroscuro is filled with Do Not Engage most of their crescendo-core imitators. did it. But as soon as the budget-tone of Denovali Records reverb and drawn-out chords that echo Occult Delight Nettwerk Music Group –Ryan Hall the synth organ and lo-fi drums come off the vocals of Maria Lindén and Light Organ Records Street: 01.28 Street: 12.13.13 in, it sounds so close to The Mum- her partner, Fredrik Black. Lindén Street: 01.21 The Pack A.D. = Garbage + Ensemble Economique = Motörhead mies that the grainy footage (easily is a proficient acoustic ecologist and Mode Moderne = Morrissey Deap Vally + The Cranber- Starving Weirdos + Jefre accessible on YouTube) of them stum- hauntingly uses her music to transform + Joy Division + Help Stamp Aftershock ries Cantu-Ledesma bling over their own tattered mummy- her audience from the physical to meta- Out Loneliness UDR Music The follow-up to 2011’s Unpersons, rags fills my mind. Frontman Joe Zim- My first thought upon hearing the famil- physical world. There are some pretty Street: 10.22.13 For their third LP, Vancouver outfit Mode Do Not Engage again finds The Pack merman chants his vocals through iar “if you need help, please hang up epic power ballads on the album, but Motörhead = Motörhead Moderne have embraced their goth deep inside the blues-rock universe fuzz like you’d expect from Tyvek— and try again…” recording in Light That I’m partial to favor some of the milder pop style wholeheartedly and created with some sharp, tight guitar riffs and straying from The Mummies enough to Comes, Light That Goes’ opening track, tunes, such as “Heart To Know”—an their most confident album to date. As soulful, rough-spun vocals from Becky avoid rip-off status. Plus, you wouldn’t For their fifth studio album, The Crystal “If You Need Help,” was that it may eight-minute-long experience that’s on 2010’s Ghosts Emerging and 2012’s Black and driving rhythms from get the texture of female harmonies like Method created a refreshing twist on Few bands can capture the imagi- be a bit too ubiquitous of a sample to actually worth losing yourself in. Strange Bruises, Phillip Intile croons Maya Miller. By now, many of us those in “Bubblegum” from The Mum- what most electronic artists are current- nation like Devil Makes Three. They be effective in another context. Upon Overall, I didn’t feel that Chiaroscuro melancholy over “real goth” post-punk have heard every incarnation of blues- mies. Even though I don’t dislike any ly producing, using heavy synth and invoke deep-woods medicine shows, further consideration, however, I real- has done anything radically new or with subdued glimpses of cheery me- acid-rock-fuckin’-something-or-other of the tracks, I’d recommend the album rock elements to blow the minds and jumping blues juke joints and midnight ized that may not be the case for much inventive, but aesthetically, they pulled lodic pop, but here, Joshua Steven- so we might find ourselves a little dis- just for the instrumental (aside from the speakers of its listeners. The opening hootenannies by moonlight. They’ve longer. The number of homes with land- off something worth giving a listen to. son’s production polishes the band’s criminating. Sure, The Pack A.D. don’t occasional female, horror-film-scream), song, “Emulator,” a loud, synthesized sold their souls at the crossroads of lines has diminished greatly just within –Kamryn Feigel sound for a greater balance of dark redefine the genre, but they cover a lot “Planet Katey,” that’s slid into the al- instrumental rock track, begins the al- blues, hot jazz and old timey acoustic the last several years. Each piece on and light. Alongside brooding tunes more ground than a lot of their contem- bum’s center. –Steve bum with a bang before going into its folk music, and when the outcome is the this record carries a sense of isolation Juan Wauters like “She, Untamed,” “Severed Heads” poraries with plenty of cutting lines, Richardson fast-paced, yet easy-on-the-ears follow- material found on I’m a Stranger Here, or solitude. They are not tonally bright, N.A.P North American and “Thieving Babies’ Breath” there’s high-pressure drum kicks, and even er, “Over It,” featuring Dia Framp- no preacher in the land could condemn nor do they necessarily communicate the genteel jangle fade-in of “Strangle some mellow tracks to keep the pace ton. Although the album was good as them. Devil Makes Three have always the feeling of someone reaching out Poetry Rosie Lowe the Shadows,” The Chameleons– varied. Highlights are “Loser,” which a whole, the back and forth between used simplicity as a strength, but this to be heard. However, they are not Captured Tracks like chime of “Dirty Dream #3” and the has an almost Cobain-meets-Moris- Right Thing EP heavily synthesized electric guitar riffs record has the broadest scope from weightless or without presence, and Street: 02.04 female harmonies on the upbeat “Un- In an age when most of the great clas- sette self-loathing feel, “Battering 37 Adventures and chiptune style (perfectly exempli- the band yet. Even when other musi- by the final track, “Radiate Through Juan Wauters = The Beets + burden Yourself.” The fruit of this effort sic hard rock bands are slowing down Ram,” which has a simple riff and tur- Street: 12.02.13 fied in the track “110 to the 101”) made cians add their playing to the dynamic, ME,” the direction of the album has Sleater-Kinney is “Baby Bunny,” one of the finest indie and approaching their twilight years, bo-potent melody reminiscent of tracks Rosie Lowe = Beth Gibbons the album seem a bit all over the place, at the center is still DMT doing what changed—with drums and vocal har- N.A.P North American Poetry is filled pop songs that I’ve heard in the past Motörhead keeps charging ahead, from Black Keys’ Thickfreakness and + Lamb but that’s what the group is known for. we’re used to. I’ve always been taken monies introduced into the album’s with beat poetry, combined with the year. The aptly named Occult Delight playing the hardest and truest rock n’ “Rocket” with a great off-kilter chorus Some album highlights were “Storm aback by how well these guys blend instrumentation. I’m interested to hear Fresh from her recent guest stint on Lil radiant attraction of pop, dunked in is filled with such repeat elegance. – roll ever recorded. Aftershock sounds that’s both disorienting and charming. The Castle,” “110 to the 101,” “Over It” different styles of Americana music. where this project goes next. The afore- Silva’s “No Doubt,” UK vocalist Lowe’s folk. For the most part, this is a very Christian Schultz like it was written in the back of a It might not be anything fresh, but it’s a and the final track on the album, “After They deconstruct American genres mentioned track and “Glass On the debut EP showcases a new and striking passive album, with the exception of speeding getaway car, and the lyrics good listen. –CJ Morgan Hours.” –Julia Sachs and show its genealogical lines. This Horizon” are album highlights. –T.H. talent. While musically, the EP’s tunes an occasionally upbeat poppy num- read like a dusty tome of long-forgot- is acoustic roots music at its very best. Mogwai sound as though they could have been ber, like “Sanity Or Not.” Lyrically, the ten outlaw poetry. “Dust and Glass” –James Orme Evan Ønly Rave Tapes PEP created in the early 2000s—think Cymbals songs are somewhat simplistic (“Goo”). rips your guts out with all the grit and Sub Pop/Rock Action My Baby and Me Portishead’s drone and Lamb’s pop The Age of Fracture No Matter What EP Numbers like “All Tall Man Will Fall” swagger of the blues, while “Going to Street: 01.21 Self-Released catchiness merging together—vocally, Tough Love Records Ensemble Economique Underwater Peoples offer fun, social critiques of consumer Mexico” rockets down the road with- Mogwai = Neu! + Maserati Street: 02.14 these four tracks are elevated by her Street: 01.27 Interval Signals Records conformity, while “Breathing,” featur- out a care. Listen close, because this dramatic flair and experimentation at + Explosions in the Sky PEP = The Shangri-Las + Cymbals = Empire of the Denovali Records Street: 02.01 ing Carmelle Safdie (Beachniks), is what real rock n’ roll sounds like. play, especially on the title track and “Summer Nights” from Sun + The Cure + David Street: 12.13.13 Evan Ønly = Soft Cell + Pet offers reflections on human relation- –Henry Glasheen the seductive “Me & Your Ghost.” The Grease Bowie Ensemble Economique = Shop Boys ship interaction. Despite such enlight- more acoustic-based “10K Balloons” Starving Weirdos + Jefre ening topics that partially make up this Nausea Not sure if this is parody or homage, initially sounds like a ballad, until the Care was taken with each track on the In his debut solo EP, Evan Brody album, I must admit that overall, it isn’t as My Baby and Me is clearly indebted dub and reverb kick in. The pleasant Cymbals’ progressive new album. From Cantu-Ledesma takes an old sound and makes it new Condemned to the System a terribly exciting listen. Though, to be to girl pop groups like The Ronettes “Games” has a jazz-tinged suavity start to finish, Jack Cleverly’s (sing- Interval Signals, one of two record- again. Most of No Matter What could Willowtip fair to folky type people, if you like The and The Shangri-Las, but it brings to it and is the most upbeat sounding er/guitarist) thought process can be ings from Brian Pyle’s Ensemble easily be mistaken for classic ’80s Street: 01.07 Beets, you might dig this, so have at absolutely nothing new or modern of the four tunes. Co-produced by felt in this non-concept-like album. The Economique solo project released in music, which, as far as this writer is Nausea = Repulsion + it. –Nick Kuzmack to add anything fresh to what those Kwes (Eliza Doolittle, Damon Al- songs on this record stand as individu- December, is a 40-minute pastiche of concerned, the world needs more of. Napalm Death + Majesty groups started. Instead of being a natu- barn) and Dave Okumu (The In- als, each one unique with no connec- field recordings, radio sounds, and “Take Me Back” is arguably the stron- Maggie McClure It’s a given that January is going to start ral progression and evolution inspired visible), the duo’s draping of Lowe’s tion to its surroundings. On tracks like as the album’s title implies—interval gest track from the EP—the beat might with a lot of nausea, but this Nausea is by these groups, PEP seems content backgrounds may initially sound a tad “The Natural World” (from the prior signals. There is a comforting sense be slow, but the song is powerful and Time Moves On a different kind. It’s the band of grind- to be a hollow amalgamation of the dated, but in today’s retro-obsessed EP), the band really shows off its indie- of familiarity in the sort of noise fea- gets your head rocking—though the Self-Released core (not the crust punk band) legend greatest hits of the ’60s. The sound is scene, maybe that’s not such a bad disco roots, and you get the feel that tured in this recording—broadcast title track, “No Matter What,” cer- Street: 02.11 Oscar Garcia, who did the vocals on too polished, the harmonies too reflex- thing. –Dean O Hillis this eclectic sound comes very easy signals, rain, conversational voice, tainly earns its spot as the album’s first Maggie McClure = Meg & Terrorizer’s World Downfall album. ive, and the lyricism safe and boring. to them. The Age of Fracture comes and what sounds like traffic. Instru- single. Fans of Family Portrait, a Dia + Michelle Branch + If I would have bet you 10 years ago Nausea is back with a new full-length In fact, most of these songs sound like from academic Daniel Rodgers’ mental sounds, such as a stray organ band fronted by Brody and made up of Veda Sharon Jones & The that Mogwai would return to its synth with Garcia handling vocal and guitar they would fit very well on a Kohls idea that collective meanings have or piano melody, layer into elements Underwater Peoples’ founders, will ap- Dap-Kings Filled to the brim with cutesy pop con- explorations on 2003’s Happy Songs duties along with original drummer holiday commercial. As a huge fan of become uncertain. The album flows of musique concrete. When creating a preciate how much more Brody’s voice fessionals and whimsical, dreamy in- for Happy People and turn into a kinda Eric Castro and some new blood. Un- the groups PEP seems to be imitating, I Give the People What They exceedingly well, despite its unique tape edit or loop—I use tape as a spe- stands out on this solo EP compared to strumentals, Maggie McClure masters boring post-rock band that locked itself like Terrorizer’s new material, Nausea thought My Baby and Me might grow format, and is enjoyable in its entirety. cific example, because there are very previous EP releases. No Matter What Want the small-town-girl-meets-big-city vibe. into a relentless kraut groove, I would retain all the raw glory they did on on me, but after about a dozen listens –Benjamin J. Tilton few opportunities for revision with that is fun to listen to, and Brody is certainly Street: 01.14 With tracks like “Central Time” and be $12.69 richer (adjusted for infla- their Crime Against Humanity record. (the thing is a short 11 minutes long), format, in the event of a mistake—there an artist to keep an eye on. –John Ford Daptone Records “Reset,” which detail her move from tion). On the back of 2011’s technically Condemned to the System is balls-out the only thing I want to do is listen to is a feeling of unpredictability and Sharon Jones = James The Devil Makes Three Oklahoma to Los Angeles, combined excellent, but well-worn, Hardcore Will grind: The drumming is beyond mag- “Leader of the Pack” on repeat and potential magic that occurs. I am not I Break Horses Brown + Alabama Shakes I’m a Stranger Here with her sugary sweet vocals, Mc- Never Die, But You Will, Rave Tapes nificent—there are so many grind forget this ever happened. –Taylor Hale aware of Pyle’s specific composition Chiaroscuro Clure demonstrates that just because a finds its muse in John Carpenter records that would love to sound like After a battle with cancer this past 64 SaltLakeUnderGround slugmag.com 65 summer and the subsequent delayed things. He uses less instrumental varia- tive lyrics and bangin’ rock n’ roll, is little variance in the beats. I do see release of the album, Sharon Jones tion on this album, but still manages to tempos varying from anxiously quick artistic progression in the instrumental returns with her Dap-Kings, more produce a cool, indie-folk sound. Bros- to mournfully slow. Mixing woodwinds “Aeroscope,” with its escalating four- powerful than ever, with the appro- seau keeps it acoustic, even titling one and strings in songs like “In Your on-the-floor beat. I also love the thrill of priately titled Give the People What of his tracks “I Love To Play Guitar.” Grace” and “Lies” add a nice reprieve the hunt with the story of “‘Retaliate”— They Want—the follow-up to 2010’s I He accompanies his calming melodies from the abundance of minor chords it shows a bit more aggression than Learned the Hard Way. Give the Peo- with contemplative librettos—the kind and vocal trills. Overall, the album what we have become accustomed to. ple What They Want isn’t just a subtle of lyrics his fans relate to, in a haunting conveys a sense of darkness and emo- This release is compacted with medita- throwback to ’60s soul music—it is the kind of way. Grass Punks is a Sunday tion without being too emo or clichéd. tive, upbeat, inspiring lyrics you can resurrection of soul music. “Retreat” morning or late-night kind of album. –Allison Shephard connect to personally. If you are one revives a crisp ‘60s psych sound with –Lizz Corrigan who truly loves their older sound, you stabbing guitar that is softened by a Ultra Bidé will enjoy this one. –Mistress Nancy super funky bass line, warm horns and TOY DNA vs DNA-c Jones’ smoky voice. “Now I See” is the Join the Dots Alternative Tentacles Xiu Xiu anti-love anthem that has you jumping Heavenly Recordings Street: 10.15.13 Nina around your living room and forgetting Street: 12.10.13 Graveface all your bad relationships, and the al- Ultra Bidé = UNSANE + Halo Street: 12.02.13 bum ends with a sweet and soft, horn- TOY = Tame Impala + of Flies + Sonic Youth Xiu Xiu = This Song Is a heavy love song, “Slow Down Love,” Ultra Bidé have long been a source Mess But So Am I + Former which leaves you lamenting the good of aggressive music that could be de- ones. Jones & The Dap-Kings only get scribed as noise rock mixed with artsy Ghosts stronger with every release and every post-hardcore. They’re a first wave obstacle, making this one of their most punk band, having surfaced in Japan solid albums of the past decade. –D. in the late ’70s. It’s been over a decade Russell since their last full-length record, so this 11-track disc is a welcomed treat— Throwing Muses and they come out swinging. The title Purgatory/Paradise track showcases the group’s dual bass It Books and drums combination beautifully. At Street: 11.11.13 times, the record has a bit of a 1980s radio feel to it—but only if you were Throwing Muses = The listening to skull-shattering music in Breeders + Kristin Hersh - the 1980s. Other tracks, like “Phase is Frank Black Massive Power Attack Weapon,” give Holograms + Pulp As one of the more rocking acts on the off the vibe that the world is coming to initial 4AD Records lineup, Throwing London’s TOY have already kicked up an end and that mechanized, modulat- Muses combine hummable melodies a stir across the pond, getting them- ing bass notes are our only defense. with jagged guitar lines and punkish selves on a number of high-ranking The only drawback is that all 11 songs This is obviously a work of love. This rhythms. The band was 4AD’s first “Best Of” lists with their 2012 self-titled barely break the half-hour mark. I homage to the late, great soulstress American signing, and expanded the debut. Join the Dots furthers the idea of was sad that it ended so quickly, but Nina Simone is beautiful and stark. label’s “brand” to include “college “psyche-meets-Kraut” by throwing out I enjoyed the ride. [02.04 @ Burt’s] I would probably never compliment www.tempestcouture.com rock.” The group played at the U of U’s huge, psych-y dollops of fuzz-tone and –James Bennett Jamie Stewart’s vocal ability, but Mayfest in 1991. Now, 10 years after synth warbling and then, through long its breathy awkwardness set to the their last release (and 25 years after and spacey mid-sections, peeling back VNV Nation abstract, minimalist pseudo-jazz is fit- their landmark album, House Tornado, the gazey veneer to reveal a churning Transnational ting. For me, the highlight of the album in 1988), they’ve come out with Purga- and mechanic underbelly. It’s in the Anachron Sounds is the more upbeat and familiar “See tory/Paradise—32 songs that balance persistent thrum of the title track, the Street: 10.15.13 Line Woman,” in which Stewart finally the delicate confessionals of Kristin “spaceship landing” sequence in “Con- VNV Nation = Bruderschaft raises his voice above a whispering Hersh’s vocals with the dynamism of ductor,” the plaintive, melting qual- + Angels and Agony + whimper, as the instrumentals seem to their instrumental drive. They still have ity of “Endlessly,” “Left to Wander”’s Imperative Reaction slither and screech. I think that jazz is the same spirit on songs like “Sunray New Order–esque composition. It’s very suiting of Stewart’s vocal style and Venus”—both embodying the muse, a captivating result, drawing listeners allows for a more palatable form of ab- Artisan the source of inspiration and the punk- into something that’s explosive and stract expression. –Cody Hudson ish urge to throw away, and cast the persistent that ebbs and meanders muse to the wayside. This CD was fol- with a metronomic conviction. It’s all- Young Turks Fashion lowed up with a version released Dec. encompassing. It’s danceable. It’s got Where I Rise 3 of an art book of photographs, lyrics hooks for days. What more can you Animal Style Records and writing by Hersh and CD insert. really ask for? It’s sure to make more Street: 11.05.13 It’s a great way to immerse yourself in critical lists in the future—this is space- & the band, its visual images and lyrical post-punk done right. –Dylan Chadwick Young Turks = Modern Life energy. –Stakerized! Is War + Casey Jones Accessories Trentalange “I don’t give a shit, your music means Tom Brosseau Same Illusion nothing! Your actions speak even less,” Men & Women Grass Punks Trentalange yells Matt Koenig at the beginning Crossbill Records Street: 01.28 of “Territo(royally) Pissed.” Grumpy, unsatisfied, furious yelling backed by Street: 01.21 Trentalange = Karen O * PJ Remaining true to their sound, VNV 801.486.1188 breakdown-heavy and fast-paced gui- Tom Brosseau = Port Harvey Nation have stuck with their trendy, al- tar and groovy drums. It’s the finest O’Brien + M. Craft most mainstream, future pop style that Opening with slow drums and an of Northwest hardcore punk, full of created their popularity. If you put this 1305 South 900 East North Dakota prodigy, Tom Brosseau, upper-register metronomic piano, Tren- rebellion and self-assurances. Fans of release on shuffle with their last three is soaring into the New Year with his talange keeps it simple and dark, yet Comeback Kid in particular will feel Salt Lake City, albums, you would only slightly be newest album, Grass Punks. Compared still poppy. Channeling fellow female quite at home with Young Turks. Just Utah 84105 able to distinguish the new songs from to prior albums like What I Mean To Say rock singers, vocalist Barbara Tren- make sure you turn your stereo up all the old. The vocals sound the same— Is Goodbye and Posthumous Success, talange manages to find the perfect the way—these guys deserve the vol- the only difference is the lyrics. There Grass Punks falls on the simpler side of balance between mellow, contempla- ume. –Matt Brunk 66 SaltLakeUnderGround slugmag.com 67 Quen Nanes - Kilby Thursday, January 23 Monday, January 27 Mideau, Polytype, Richie Kissinger - Velour Speed Of Sound In Seawater, And I The The Danger Kids - Kilby Isabelle Faust - Kingsbury Lion, Eidola, Red Bennies - Shred Shed Mike Birbiglia - Kingsbury 3 Doors Down Acoustic - Park City Live Saturday, February 1 T Bird & The Breaks - State Room Page-To-Stage Festival 2014 - Rose Wagner Wrath Of Vesuvius, Uroboric Deity, The High Desert Blues Band - City Limits Salt 9: Jillian Mayer - UMFA Its Awake, Of Ivy & Ash, The Infernal Lament Configuration, Cries Of The Captive Dwight Slade, Vince Morris - Egyptian Saga Party - Urban - Shred Shed - Shred Shed Theatre 2014 Sundance Film Festival Intro To Beadwork - Necklaces The Watches, Big Wild Wings, Birthquake, Pure Bathing Culture Bright Whistles, The - Various Venues - Silverschmidt Design Jawwzz - Urban Wild War - Kilby Steff & The Articles - Velour Orgone, Salem - State Room Burn the Gallows, Ilios - Muse Music Corey Christiansen - Why Sound gLAdiator, NightFreq, Flash & Flare - Urban Tuesday, January 28 Farmboy - Outlaw Saloon The Autumn Defense - Velour Happy Birthday, Kendal Gillett! Sara Davis Buechner - Rose Wagner Friday, January 17 Agnes Of God - Westminster College Happy Birthday, Talyn Sherer! The Pentagraham Crackers, The Future Of Happy Birthday, Shawn Soward! The Freeway Revival Band - Bar Deluxe The Ghost, The Circulars - Urban Cloche, Kristina Lenzi, Sue Henich Friday, January 24 L.S.D.O., Victims Willing, Drazie Method, Adam Miller - Why Sound Get your event listed for free in print, online and on our iPhone app! Sign up for a free SLUG calendar account at slugmag.com/calendar. - Art Access Gallery Zodiac Empire, ESX - ABG’s Maimed For Life - Burt’s Smoke Season, Charles Ellsworth Anthony B, Tribe of I, Bludgeon Muffin STS9 - Depot Sunday, February 2 Friday, January 3 Tuesday, January 7 West Elm & Craft Lake City The A-Okay’s, The Anchorage, Super Hero - Bar Deluxe - Bar Deluxe Swollen Members, Madchild, Slaine, Leggy Meggy’s Va Va Voom - Bar Deluxe Happy Birthday, Cody Kirkland! Happy Birthday, Christian Schultz! Workshop: Cake Decorating with - Kilby Red Shot Pony - Brewskis Deathblow, Bloodpurge - Burt’s Supreme Villain, DJ Juggy - Urban Nightmare Alley Film Series - Brewvies 7th Street Blues Band - ABG’s Whitney Morgan & The 78s - Garage Megan Whittaker - West Elm SLC Tainted Halos, Change To Fire, Life Has A Irony Man - Video Shoot - Burt’s Leddfoot - City Limits Pixar In Concert - Abravanel O’Kingdom, A Faylene Sky, The Words We Cat Fever, Marny Lion Proudfit - Why Sound Way, Bastard John, Attack The Sunset, The Euphoria Again - Diabolical Records Tribal Seeds, Mystic Roots, Wakane - Depot Wednesday, January 29 Monday, February 3 Fox Street - Brewskis Use, Stories Of Ambition - Shred Shed Avenues - Murray Theater Nitro Circus - Energy Solutions Arena Jawwzz - Diabolical Records Happy Birthday, Selma Ortiz! Silver Antlers, High Counsel, Conquer Simian Greed - Burt’s Maria Taylor, PJ Bond - Urban Friday, January 10 Colt 46 - Outlaw Saloon Billy Shaddox, Honey Pine - Garage Lady Antebellum, Kip Moore, Jana Kramer Soulfly - Complex Monster, Stag Hare Band - Urban Reverend Horton Heat, Jello Biafra, Old Irony Man - ABG’s BT - Park City Live Panic At The Disco, The Colourist, - Energy Solutions Arena Dizzy Wright - Murray Theater Man Markley - Depot Wednesday, January 8 Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No.4 Ring Around The Rose - Rose Wagner X Ambassadors - In The Venue Marinade - Hog Wallow Mad Conductor, Storming Stages & Stereos, Tuesday, February 4 Gut Wrought - Diabolical Records Happy Birthday, Angela Brown! - Abravanel Tony Holiday, The Highway Thieves, Tom Murs, Jabee, Marley B, Cash Lansky - Kilby Stubeeee, Arrows Inward - Kilby The Departure, New Truth - Music Garage Kid Congo Powers, The Pink Monkey Birds Jane Rose & The Dead End Boy - Garage Happy Birthday, Jordan Deveraux! T-Bird & The Breaks - Brewskis Bennett - Sand Trap Dirt Road Devils - Outlaw Saloon Colt 46 - Outlaw Saloon A Lot Like Birds, Sianvar, The Venetian Fair, - Bar Deluxe Tony Holiday - Hog Wallow Kung-Fu Theater - Brewvies Randy Rogers Band, Wade Bowen - Depot The Fission Breakers, Mermaid Baby, Color Worst Friends - Shred Shed Page-To-Stage Festival 2014 - Rose Wagner Stolas, Visitors, Eidola - Shred Shed Ultra Bidé - Burt’s Kill Your Darlings - Jim Santy Auditorium Skellum, Malev Da Shinobi, Dine Chalk, Fossil Arms - Diabolical Records Animal, The Wild War - Shred Shed Pickwick, Rose Windows - Urban Babylon - Shred Shed St. Lucia, Sir Sly - Urban Parkway Drive, Upon A Burning Body, Tennis, Poor Moon - Kilby Krew - Kilby Craig Chaquico - Egyptian Theatre SLUG Games: Battle At Basin Salt Lake Gallery Stroll - Various Galleries Hell’s Belles - State Room Betrayal - Murray Theater Wild Country - Outlaw Saloon Tom Bennett - Metro Bipolar Bears - Hog Wallow presented by Scion - Snowbasin 2014 Slamdance Film Festival Tacita Dean - UMFA Thursday, January 30 Unthinkable Thoughts, Dipped In Whiskey, Pucks for Possibilities - Park City Ice Arena Trebuchet, The Circulars, Jesus Christ & The The Armstrong Lie - Jim Santy Auditorium The Dusty 45s, Honey Pine - State Room - Various Venues The Autumn Defense, The Hollering Pines Mark Chaney & The Garage Jazz Allstars Uroboric Diety, Delusion Of Godhood Road Show - Rose Wagner Goddams, And I The Lion, Trey The Ruler The North Valley, Golden Sun - Kilby The North Valley, Holy Water Buffalo, Dark 8 Year Anniversary - Velour - Urban - Garage - Shred Shed The Horse I Rode, Sights, Wearing Thin, - Shred Shed Colt 46 - Outlaw Saloon Seas - Urban The Wild War - Why Sound Agnes Of God - Westminster College Kris Lager - Hog Wallow North Mississippi Allstars, Lightnin Malcolm Rocky Mountain District - Shred Shed Cornered By Zombies, Grass, Jesus Or BBoy Federation: They Reminisce Mad Max & The Wild Ones - Velour Tony Holiday, The Pour House - Woodshed Once The Lion - Why Sound Chocolate Desserts For Valentines - State Room Photo Courtesy The North Valley The North Photo Courtesy Dubwise - Urban Josh Sales - Why Sound Funk & Gonzo - Woodshed - Les Madeleines Provo Gallery Stroll - Various Galleries Green Leafs - Woodshed Saturday, January 18 Mad Conductor, Chance Lewis - Muse Music Wednesday, February 5 Ogden’s First Friday Art Stroll Decible Trust - Burt’s Saturday, January 25 The Expendables, Stick Figure, Seedless Grant & Twain - Salt Lake Acting Company - Various Galleries Sunday, January 12 La Traviata - Capitol Theatre Fetish Ball - Area 51 - Park City Live The Greenery, Call Of The Void - Shred Velour Slumber Party 5: Book On Happy Birthday, Tony Bassett!

Autumn Eclipse, Life Has A Photo: Alternative Tentacles Shed Tape Worm, Jay William Henderson The Armstrong Lie - Jim Santy Auditorium Way, Alien Landslide - City North Mississippi - Velour Fry Street Quartet - Libby Gardner Limits Allstars, Lightnin MiNX, Bombshell Academy Adam WarRock, Schaffer The Darklord, Spindrift - Garage Malcolm - State Room - Woodshed Tribe One, Mark Dago - Shred Shed The Fellows, Wandering Workshop for Nipsey Hussle, Yazzi, Zigga, Ortega The Woods, Echo Dog - Muse Teachers: Trade and Saturday, January 4 Omega - Urban Music Travel on the Silk Road Zombiecock, Knuckledragger - Burt’s Dirt Road Devils - Outlaw - UMFA Brazilian Nights - Capitol Theatre Monday, January 13 Saloon High Desert Blues Band - City Limits Outline In Color, Neurotic November, The Sinisters - Shred Shed Thursday, Nellie McKay, Turtle Island Quartet Consumed By Silence, No Safe Way Home Andy Frasco & The U.N. February 6 - Eccles Center - Shred Shed - State Room Happy Birthday, Wisebird - Hog Wallow Textured Disc Pendant Class - Silverschmidt Hard-Edge Paintings Sunny Oliver! Kill Your Darlings, Clifford’s Really Big Design - UMFA Ultra Bidé @ Burt’s 02.04 Jeff Ross - Egyptian Movi - Jim Santy Auditorium Palace Of Buddies, Koala Temple, Joshua James, Armon Theatre Atlast, Krewmika, New Truth, MC Beachmen, Skellum - Urban Jay - Urban The Toasters, Bombshell Academy, Fat A Bernstein Celebration - Rose Wagner Reggie & The Full Effect, Dads, Pentimento Untytled & Khalel - Kilby Yogi’s Give Back - Various Venues Candace - Bar Deluxe JD. WIlkes & The Dirt Daubers, Ugly Valley - Kilby Wild Country - Outlaw Saloon Tuesday, January 14 8 Year Anniversary - Velour Kid Slim, Spektators - Burt’s Boys - Urban Mountain Standard Time - State Room Pucks for Possibilities Happy Birthday, Katie Bald! Double Down Band - City Limits - Park City Ice Arena Jayke Orvis & The Broken Band, James Sunday, January 19 Deseret Drifters - Hog Wallow Friday, January 31 Friday, February 7 In Her Own Words, For The Win, The North Valley @ Urban Lounge 01.11 with Holy Water Buffalo, Dark Seas Hunnicutt - Burt’s Happy Birthday, Matt Brunk! Colt 46 - Outlaw Saloon Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 4 - Abravanel Pick up the new issue of SLUG - Seasons Change, In The Making, I Front Bottoms - Club Sound Robert DeLong, Audio Treats - Kilby Page-To-Stage Festival 2014 - Rose Wagner Smoke In The Tavern, Tim Daniels Band Anyplace cool! Call Captain, Wired For Havoc Genome - Urban - Rose Wagner The Front Bottoms, You Blew It!, Delusions Of Godhood - Shred Shed The (little) BEaST of SB Dance - Brewskis Mozart & Shostakovich - Abravanel - Shred Shed The Glass Gentleman, The Paper Guns, 100 Winters Iris, Alice Once Again - Shred Shed The Wild - In The Venue - Rose Wagner Ririe-Woodbury: Flabbergast - Capitol Bombshell Academy, Sturgeon General Bad Blood II - Uprok Mile House - Velour SLUG Localized: Yaktooth, Baby Calmosa, Bobby Meader - Shred Shed Monday, January 20 Mr. Smith, Burnell Washburn, Jesus Or Theatre - Bar Deluxe DJ Matty Mo - Urban Roy & Pat - Zest Gurl, Die Off - Urban Waka Flocka Flame, Concise Kilgore, DJ Pink - Energy Solutions Arena Genome, Black Lion - Shred Shed The Delphic Quorum, Citizen Noise The Eagle Fan Jam - Depot Velour Slumber Party 5: Book On Tape Sugar House Art Walk - Various Galleries Juggy - Urban Max Pain & The Groovies, Breakers, Dark Hell’s Belles - State Room Exchange - City Limits Jeff Ross - Egyptian Theatre Worm, Bat Manors - Velour Thursday, January 9 Robert & The Carrolls - Velour Seas, Super 78s - Urban Saga Outerwear Outdoor Retailers Party Toad The Wet Sprocket - Depot Touche Amore, MeWithoutYou, Seahaven, Unhinged Paradise, Jordan Duncan QDOT, Goreilla, The YGS, Flight Crew The Fission Breakers, Dummy Up Wednesday, January 15 - Urban Dwight Slade, Vince Morris - Egyptian Drug Church - In The Venue - Why Sound - Burt’s - Why Sound Writer’s Edge - City Library Tuesday, January 21 Agnes Of God - Westminster College Theatre Yonas - Kilby Brave Miss World - Jim Santy Auditorium The Saintanne, Greg Nielsen - Woodshed Raccoon Dog - Kilby Happy Birthday, Ben Tilton! The Rompstompers - Why Sound Stonefed - Hog Wallow Wild Country - Outlaw Saloon Sunday, January 5 Roots Of Arcatia - Kilby Anna Deavere Smith - Kingsbury Sphynx - Burt’s Carnage - Woodshed Dent May, Jack Name, Gothen - Kilby Keller Williams - Park City Live Nightmare Alley Film Series - Brewvies My New Mistress - Muse Music Saturday, January 11 Reel Big Fish, Suburban Legends, Mighty Roe V. Wade Anniversary Party - The Hotel When The Fight Started, Bombshell Paul Cardall, Josh Wright - Rose Wagner Kill Your Darlings - Jim Santy Auditorium BBoy Federation: They Reminisce Happy Birthday, Nick Kuzmack! Mongo, The Maxies - Murray Theater Sunday, January 26 Academy - Metro Dubwise - Urban Stelth Ulvang, The Hollering Pines, The - Rose Wagner Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No.4 The Contras, Creature Double Feature, In Wednesday, January 22 Happy Birthday, Tommy Dolph! Blood On The Dance Floor, Davey Suicide, Provo Gallery Stroll - Various Galleries Bully - Urban Decibel Trust, Neptunus, The Paper Rockets - Abravanel Transit - Shred Shed Devil Makes Three, The Brothers Comatose Happy Birthday, Rheanna Haley Rose - Murray Theater Ogden’s First Friday Art Stroll - Various - Shred Shed Sam Slam 2 - Bar Deluxe Lorin Walker Madsen, Lebaron, Nathan - Depot Sonnichsen! Farmboy - Outlaw Saloon Galleries Monday, January 6 Naive Melodies, The No-Nation Orchestra Penalty Of Treason, Visions Of Decay, Reap Spenser Revue - Urban West Water Outlaws - Hog Wallow Geek Show Movie Night - Brewvies Red City Radio, Elway, Direct Hit, Problem Will Shamberger, The Red Light Copper & Gemstone Earrings Class - State Room The Whirlwind, Hypernova Holocaust Rye Rye, Blake Lewis, D. Woods, Eryn Into It Over It, Heartless Breakers, A Great Daughter - Shred Shed Commandos, Unhinged Paradise - - Silverschmidt Design Planet Asia, Bayliens, ZMan, Black Lion, - City Limits Thursday, January 16 Woods, Lakeview Drive - In The Venue Big Pile Of Leaves, TWIABP - Shred Shed Mr. Vandal, Gravytron, Grimblee, Tetris Why Sound Red Telephone, Coyote Vision Group, The Burnell Washburn, Melvin Junko, Craig Chaquico - Egyptian Theatre Spindrift, Mortigi Tempo - ABG’s The Guard Cats, Gravital, Parchment - Kilby Into it. Over it, The World Is A Beautiful Fingers - Urban Wasatch Fault, The Pentagraham Crackers DJ Battleship, True Justice - Urban Chicago Mike Beck - Hog Wallow Nick Hexum Quintet - Depot Pepper - Lo-Fi Cafe Place & I Am No Longer Afraid To Die Park City’s Last Friday Gallery Stroll - Urban Fight to Win, Hollow Bodies, Static & Sound The Armstrong Lie - Jim Santy Auditorium Talia Keys, Gemini Mind - Hog Wallow Outdoor Retailers Party - Urban - Uprok - Various Galleries - Velour Show Me Island, Be Like Max, Matt Pryor, The Glass Gentleman, Matthew 68 SaltLakeUnderGround slugmag.com 69 70 SaltLakeUnderGround slugmag.com 71 72 SaltLakeUnderGround