Music
▼ Interview
Localized – Top Dead Celebrity, Døne and Despite Despair
Saturday, Nov. 10, you’d better be thankful you live in a land where Zion’s rock n’ roll forefathers worked their asses off to give you the shows you have today. Localized will feature two of Uncle Andy Patterson’s outfits, Top Dead Celebrity and Døne, oozing heavy gravy all over you turkeys at Urban. Openers Despite Despair will prep the big kids’ table with some electric-knife hardcore to kick off a raucous night of rock for you 21-plus music junkies for a small morsel of $5. … read more
Worshiping A Place to Bury Strangers
“We don’t try to be loud at all, we just play at a volume that feels good to us,” says Oliver Ackermann of New York noise-rockers A Place To Bury Strangers. Ackermann supplies the reverb-saturated baritone vocals to the group, who have been labeled as the “loudest band in New York” by various music critics since their formation in 2003. Over time, the label of loudness has become a bit of a nuisance for the band. “We play music, and I don’t think music should really be described.” … read more
Deftones Interview
Surviving the “nu metal” press tags, a fatal car accident, which put longtime bassist Chi Cheng out of commission, and a slew of studio problems, Deftones have emerged triumphant, confident and, since the 2010 release of Diamond Eyes, wholly invigorated. SLUG chatted with Deftones Keyboardist and DJ Frank Delgado about the upcoming album, their new approach to recording and his own musical genesis. … read more
Crystal Castles: Catharsis Incarnate
Crystal Castles came out of nowhere. The music alternates between despondent and fierce, often finding a middle ground between the two. Lead singer Alice Glass growls and shrieks over Ethan Kath’s instrumentals (which are generally somewhere between 8-bit Nintendo music and a car commercial), and the result is incredible. The live show is tempestuous and infinitely stimulating—imagine Iggy Pop as the hypeman at a Justice show. They strive for abrasive and bleak, but neither is overdone. … read more
Inky Hands and Pacific Sands: Socal Zinesters and the Development...
Incubated in the Pacific Coast and awakened by California sunshine, the ’80s L.A. punk scene birthed swarms of influential and notorious bands, and inspired youngsters Dave Markey and Jordan Schwartz to document the happenings in the xeroxed annals of their acclaimed fanzine, We Got Power. Recently, a compilation of photos, essays and reprints of the zine was published as the book We Got Power: Hardcore Punk Scenes from 1980s Southern California. SLUG got in touch with Markey to chat about the heady days of ’80s punk. … read more
Mommy’s Little Monsters on Punk Rock Halloween
Three years ago, Minor Threat, Black Flag and the Misfits played in the basement of an abandoned building somewhere in Salt Lake City. Of course, it was actually Utah’s xCOMMUNICATEDx, Pass-A-Fist and Youth Descent, impersonating and playing cover sets of some of their favorite punk bands in a Salt Lake tradition: Punk Rock Halloween. “It’s the idea of dressing up and being someone else for Halloween, but, instead, bands are doing it,” says Robin Banks, the local artist and SLUG Mag contributor who helps organize the event. … read more
Localized – The Folka Dots and Triggers & Slips
For those of you who hold onto antiquated ideas regarding country music, this month’s edition of Localized will make you rethink your assumptions. Both The Folka Dots and Triggers & Slips have been around the Salt Lake scene for a couple of years now, and on Oct. 13, they’ll deliver a night of music filled with everything from country-rock to bluegrass, folk and blues. The music starts with the folk-informed doo-wop of Bullets & Belles at 9 p.m. at the Urban Lounge (21+), and just $5 gets you in. … read more
Converge: Honestly Aimed Arrows
“Every new record should be the best possible version of your band.” Jacob Bannon—artist, label owner and Converge vocalist—has taken time out of his day to talk to me about his band’s new album, All We Love We Leave Behind. “I’ve always held the idea that if you’re making art, then the next thing you do should be a new step forward for you. I want to push things further and become a more cohesive artist and more successful in some way.” … read more
Mono
Having just released their sixth full-length album, For My Parents, and on the eve of the Salt Lake City stop of their current U.S. tour, Japan’s instrumental powerhouse MONO were kind enough to take a few minutes to talk to SLUG via email to give us some insight into the band, their new album, and everything in-between. … read more
Swagatha Christie: The Swagged-Out Mystery Interview
Swagatha Christie rolled through Salt Lake City for Mike Brown Fest at Urban Lounge on Thursday, Aug. 30. This Portland local legend made time out of her busy schedule to come rock some super progressive, dirty South swag. SLUG was able to sit down with her and ask her a little about herself, her music and her crew. … read more