Month: April 2014
![FanX 2014: Day One—The Calm Before the Storm](/uploads/exclusives/7540-2-crop-396x288.jpg)
FanX 2014: Day One—The Calm Before the Storm
As FanX opened its doors to the many-headed beast of Utah’s geek culture for day one of the three-day event, there was a subdued feeling in the air—not unlike the kind that settles in just before a storm rips through town, leaving nothing but smears of grease paint and empty Mountain Dew cans in its wake. … read more
![Katie Herzig @ Urban Lounge 04.15 with Mideau, Mindy Gledhill](/uploads/exclusives/7541-8-crop-396x288.jpeg)
Katie Herzig @ Urban Lounge 04.15 with Mideau, Mindy Gledhill
Mideau is on the rise. Fresh off South by Southwest, with an EP just released, a full length on its heels and armed with a thoughtful brand of indie pop, the duo is looking to follow the recent trend of commercially successful acts coming out of the Beehive State. … read more
![FanX 2014: Day Two–A Little Bit Louder Now](/uploads/exclusives/7542-master%20chief-crop-396x288.jpg)
FanX 2014: Day Two–A Little Bit Louder Now
As I watched the crowd billow and swell throughout the avenues and boulevards of the FanX exhibition hall on day two, I wasn’t thinking about how many of them had driven from out of state to behold our fair convention. I wasn’t thinking about how wonderful it is to see so many geeks converge and let their freak flags fly. Instead, I couldn’t shake the thought that if just one of these people was bitten by a zombie, we would all be righteously screwed. … read more
![FanX 2014: Day 2 Adventures](/uploads/exclusives/7544-untitled-crop-396x288.jpg)
FanX 2014: Day 2 Adventures
Salt Lake City lit up again today as roughly 14 quadrillion (that’s a real number) people descended upon the Salt Palace for day 2 of FanX. The beautiful thing about this con is the incredible range of activities available for everybody attending. No matter your cup of tea, it is still entirely possible to get lost in a sea of incredible cosplay and vendors offering everything under the sun. … read more
![FanX 2014: Starcraft II Midwest Pro Am](/uploads/exclusives/7545-untitled-crop-396x288.jpg)
FanX 2014: Starcraft II Midwest Pro Am
After six hours of intense combat, Polt became the Midwest Pro Am champion, and the audience funneled out into the crowded convention hall. It is a rare occasion that Salt Lake is graced with gaming royalty, and an even better moment when our locals get to take a shot at beating them live. … read more
![FanX 2014: Day Three–Gaining Closure](/uploads/exclusives/7546-patrick%20stewart-crop-396x288.jpg)
FanX 2014: Day Three–Gaining Closure
The third and final day of FanX brought with it a sense of bittersweet excitement. Fans knew that today was the day that the convention was planning on bringing out the big guns, but they also knew that after the doors of the Salt Palace closed for the evening, they would have to make the long, somber journey back to the real world—at least until September’s convention rolls around, that is. … read more
![FanX 2014: Chris Hoffman talks Salt City Strangers](/uploads/exclusives/7547-salt%20city-crop-396x288.jpg)
FanX 2014: Chris Hoffman talks Salt City Strangers
Unbeknownst to many comic book fans, the city of Salt Lake has its own band of superheroes who strive to defend our unique, Utahan way of life. Created by Chris Hoffman, Josh Butterfield and Jeremy Gates, the Salt City Strangers is a comic book series that chronicles the adventures of Utah’s own super-powered team of do-gooders. … read more
![FanX 2014: Nilbog is Goblin Spelled Backwards — Darren Ewing, Deborah Reed, Jason Steadman on Troll 2](/uploads/exclusives/7548-troll%202-crop-396x288.jpg)
FanX 2014: Nilbog is Goblin Spelled Backwards — Darren Ewing,...
In 1990, a ragtag Italian production team came to Utah to make a horror movie about a family that gets in over its head when their wholesome vacation plans get ruined by a pack of vegetarian goblins. The result was one of the most fantastic celluloid train wrecks in cinematic history. Despite the fact that Troll 2 has one of the lowest ratings on both Rotten Tomatoes and IMDB, it continues to unite movie fans all over the world with its unique brand of awesome awfulness. … read more
![The Blue Aces @ Velour 04.18 with June Cat, Ocean Commotion](/uploads/exclusives/7549-20140418_221158_lls-crop-396x288.jpg)
The Blue Aces @ Velour 04.18 with June Cat, Ocean...
Finally, it was time for the show’s centerpiece. Let’s get something straight, right off the bat. The Blue Aces are what rock and roll is about. No joke. They are, to borrow a term from the streets, “Da Truth!” After a few minutes of set up, the lights went down and drummer, Alisa Ramirez, started into the opening beats of “Heartbreaker” as the crowd went crazy. … read more
![Until The Violence Stops: Rape Recovery Benefit Show 04.18](/uploads/exclusives/7550-img23021-crop-396x288.jpg)
Until The Violence Stops: Rape Recovery Benefit Show 04.18
In light of April being sexual assault awareness month, the best of Salt Lake City came together to help raise money for the Rape Recovery Center. Westminster College partly produced and financed the event, which was held at their the newly built dorm building, Westminster on the Draw, while organizations like Westminster’s V-Day Club and local businesses such as Raunch and Diabolical Records were sponsors. Local bands Barbaloot Suitz, Genre Zero, Bombshell Academy, Wildcat Strike and Juana Ghani took to the stage for the concert portion of the event. … read more