Authors: Esther Merono
Tycho @ Mohawk 03.13
“Stare at the ceiling and think” kinda music. I don’t smoke weed or eat mushrooms, so that’s what Tycho does for me––provides a nice soundtrack to dive deep into my brain and untangle the kinks. … read more
Mr. Gnome @ Treasure Island 03.16
I’m always in complete awe of how much sound comes out of this duo. It’s all thanks to the crazy pedal work Nicole Barille does while singing and wailing on her guitar, looping both vocals and chords to create this crazy layered sound while Sam Meister pounds on that bass drum in his bare feet like an animal. … read more
Daughter @ Red Eyed Fly 03.14
I heard about Daughter from my friend Nadia, who’s a talented singer/songwriter herself, so I knew I could trust they’d be good. My decision to check them out at SX was reaffirmed when I heard them on All Songs Considered. I’m not usually into that folky sentimental sound, but hearing a clip of Elena Tonra’s beautiful voice on “Landfill” sealed the deal. … read more
We Don’t Want To Look Pretty, We Want To Melt...
I walked into the white, ballroom-like room as the gravelly vocals of Rusty Coathanger rang out from the silk tasseled drapes at the back of the stage, her thrashy drum beats backing the garage-rock style guitar played by Crook Kid Coathanger as she yelped into her own mic. Minnie Coathanger had center stage, rocking back and forth on the bass with her back turned to the audience, and BeBe Coathanger tilted her head to the music as she chewed gum and cast spells over her keyboard. I immediately asked the chick next to me for the name of the band and thought I heard “The Coathangers.” THE COATHANGERS?!?! … read more
RJD2, New Body Electric, Burnell Washburn @ The Depot 04.14
RJD2 started doing his thing: grabbing records from his collection and throwing them onto the tables while he scratched and pressed and flicked at his setup like a porn star at an orgy. … read more
This Will Destroy You @ Urban 06.14
The band sets up quickly, and we all congregate to the front of the stage. Without a word, Jeremy Galindo (guitar, effects), Chris King (guitar), Alex Bhore (drums) and Donovan Jones (bass) begin to play their heavy, otherworldly brand of ambient noise-rock. … read more
Wicked @ Capitol Theatre 07.20
The moment I sat down, I knew this production wasn’t going to be anything like the many low-budget plays I’ve sat through at the University of Utah. A large, animatronic dragon perched above the stage, eyes glowing and head shaking, and a map of Oz and its provinces was projected on the red velvet curtain, the Emerald City shimmering in green. The curtains opened soon after, and I became mesmerized by the beautifully constructed set, dark but colorful, like an apocalyptic sunset. I was taking in the details, mechanical cogs and cranks lining the sides, when I finally gave the characters onstage a good look, only to be completely blown away by their costumes. … read more
FYF Fest: Esther Meroño Recap
The GPS on my phone tells me we’ve arrived in Los Angeles long before Dylan Chadwick and I finally park on Sunset Boulevard to pick up our FYF media passes on Friday afternoon. “I could never live here,” I say out loud, and that sentiment will echo five days later as we fight our way out of the city, but goddamn, Los Angeles, little do I know you’re about to give me five of the most magical days of my existence thus far. … read more
Cartoon College @ Tower 09.21
Following a group of aspiring artists who make their way through the intense MFA program at The Center For Cartoon Studies in White River Junction, Vermont, filmmakers Josh Melrod and Tera Wray spent three years shooting the failure and success of these students in an interesting and emotional documentary. … read more
Off Label @ Tower Theatre 09.21
What made this film so unique were the characters whose stories were presented. From a homeless, volunteer test lab “guinea pig” to a young Iraq War veteran struggling with PTSD, each person has a very different relationship with prescription medication, able to articulate why they condemn or rely on the meds. … read more