SLUG Contributor Limelight
September 11, 2010
Contributor Limelight: Esther Meroño
Despite the fact that we spent a few months pronouncing her first name incorrectly and half the time we're leaving letters off of her last name, SLUG Magazine still has mad love for this resident word nerd and member of the copy editing team. Hell, if it wasn't for Meroño chances are we'd spell Salt Lake Underground incorrectly. SLUG recently put this feisty-fixie rider's extreme attention to detail to use and decided to let her revamp our extremely outdated SLUG Writer's Bible. Meroño graduated last May with a BA from the University of Utah and just landed a paying gig writing copy for a beauty company. At SLUG we let her write about tall bike jousting, cupcake socials and her favorite band Thrice - which she claims makes SLUG the "coolest thing" she does. If you happen to see this lady rolling around town on her fix gear don't embarrass yourself like we did. "Esther" is Spanish and her first name is pronounced like the famous tap dancer Fred Astaire, not like the unglamorous material polyester.
Articles by contributor
Review: This Will Destroy You – Live In Reykjavik, Iceland
This album, when listened to in a good pair of headphones, gives a taste of TWDY’s live presence in a perfect setlist comprised of the best of the band’s discography. I’m seething with jealousy over the lucky audience that witnessed this performance in Iceland, but grateful the band thought to record and share it with the rest of us. … read more
Review: The Coathangers/Audacity – Split 7 in.
The Coathangers are vinyl addicts, releasing a series of 7″ splits every six months through Suicide Squeeze with a variety of punk peers the past couple years. … read more
SLUG Does SXSW
For five days in mid-March, SLUG Magazine invaded Austin, Texas for the 26th annual SXSW music festival. Throughout our week, excessive Lonestar beer and delicious street cart food were consumed and our minds and eardrums will never be the same again after witnessing the array of musical acts. Here are some of our favorites. … read more
Salt Lake Till I Die
“Olé, olé olé olé, ReAL, Salt Lake!” repeats, increasing in volume on the south end of the Rio Tinto Stadium on a Saturday night. The stands are full—red, gold and blue are the colors of choice—except in Section 9 at ground level behind the south goal, where a menacing row of black-clad hooligans wave flags and lead chants over a banner printed “Salt Lake’s Finest.” … read more
Pastry Cat: A Tasty Alternative to Bicycle Races
Alley scat, pussy cat, alley kitten… no, these aren’t possible names for the next MTV produced “reality” band. In fact, they’re quite the opposite: former SLC bicycle race titles. Generally known as alley cats, these aren’t your every day Race for the Cure-type bike events. … read more
Thursday @ Club Sound
Arriving at In The Venue, I found the entrance locked and the distinct vocals of La Dispute’s Jordan Dreyer blaring from the doors of Club Sound to the north. Walking through the sparsely filled venue, I looked over at the tiny (and I really mean tiny) stage in bewilderment. “Is this the stage Thursday’s playing on?” I asked the kid next to me. Oooh yeeeah. … read more
Bicycle Film Festival in SLC
On October 2-3, Salt Lake City was fortunate enough to host a stop of the first annual Bicycle Film Festival. Featuring films to satisfy every style of cyclist out there, the festival screenings ranged from bmx shorts to full-length mountain bike documentaries. … read more
Thrice: Dustin Kensrue Interview
I’m often asked what kind of music I listen to. For the past few years, my response has simply been “Thrice.” My answer envelops a variety of genres, an evolving discography, an impressive live show and consistently high quality music. I caught up with vocalist/guitarist Dustin Kensrue while to talk about everything from their new album to the band’s future plans. … read more
RJD2 w/ DJ Steez @ Urban Lounge 01.28.11
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Underoath @ In the Venue
I’m not the type to attend high school reunions or reminisce about the “good times” passed, but when I saw that two of my favorite bands from back in the day were playing on the same bill, I couldn’t help but don my undersized black band tee and Macbeths for a night of nostalgia. … read more
This Will Destroy You – Extended Interview
Perhaps it’s blasphemy, but Texas-based This Will Destroy You are what I imagine god would sound like if he were real and in an instrumental rock quartet. Their name may be just as pretentious as that statement, but once you hear any of the powerful tracks off their upcoming album Tunnel Blanket, to be released May 10 on Suicide Squeeze, it’s clear This Will Destroy You are not feigning ambition. Read on for an extended version of the interview with drummer Alex Bhore running the May 2011 issue of SLUG. … read more
This Will Destroy You with Pure X and Sleep Over...
Words don’t hold enough meaning to describe my experience seeing This Will Destroy You live at Kilby. … read more
The Used @ Dew Tour 09.09
When I found out The Used was playing at Dew Tour on Friday, I squealed in delight. Well … the 16-year-old scene girl buried inside of me squealed, that is. … read more
Wuthering Heights
I imagine that a few people strayed away from this film simply because it is a Victorian novel adaptation from the UK. Perhaps they expected a theater full of 20- to 40-something-year-olds hoping to catch a glimpse of Colin Firth. However, this “adaptation” couldn’t be further from that demographic if it had brought in transforming robots and an electro soundtrack. … read more
Where Do We Go Now?
Reading the short synopsis of this film, I thought I was walking into a political war narrative. Instead, Where Do We Go Now? greeted me with comedy, creativity and even song! In a small, secluded village in Lebanon, a group of women mourning their fallen husbands and sons due to the constant Christian vs. Muslim conflict tearing the world apart decide that they will not lose any more of their loved ones this way. … read more
Marina Abramovic The Artist is Present
Following performance artist Marina Abramovic during her three-month 2010 MoMA exhibition, this beautifully executed documentary gives the audience an intimate look into the life of one of the most influential artists of the 20th Century. … read more
Filly Brown
An LA-bred Latina with some attitude and musical talent, “Mojo” Tonorio, aka Filly Brown (Gina Rodriguez), aspires to be a hip hop artist while dealing with various familial conflicts, including an imprisoned mother and a father struggling to keep his job. … read more
mr. Gnome @ Burt’s 10.26
I arrived a week early to mr. Gnome’s show at Burt’s … That’s how excited I was to see this band from Cleveland play live. … read more
Böikzmöind Film Premiere @ SL Art Center 10.27
The audience at the Böikzmöind (pronounced Bikes-Mind) movie premiere, held in the Salt Lake Art Center’s auditorium, were welcomed with letter-pressed posters at the door and a glossy set of printed cards on their arm rests designed by the film’s director, Gavin Strange. … read more
An Oversimplification of Her Beauty
If a man like first-time director/screenwriter Terence Nance was as fascinated by me as he is by actress Namik Minter, my love-struck gaze would’ve been penetrating out of the silver screen rather than staring longingly into it from my seat amongst the audience of An Oversimplification of Her Beauty. … read more
Middle of Nowhere
In her directorial debut, director and screenwriter Ava DuVernay tells the story of a young woman whose husband is sentenced to eight years in prison. Choosing to drop out of med school to stay close to him and have more time for visits and phone calls, Ruby (Emayatzy Corinealdi) supports her husband 100-percent through this hardship. … read more
Thrice and a Bazillion Other Bands @ Saltair 11.1
Thrice is my favorite band. If I was allowed to post a video of me just saying that, it’d probably be a sufficient review—that’s how much love would exude from me. Alas, my job isn’t to make creepy videos of myself, so I must describe it all to you with words. … read more
About The Pink Sky
The story is undoubtedly a unique one, as is the execution. Filmed in black and white and completely void of a musical soundtrack, About The PInk Sky might seem to deceive with its title, but upon completion of the film, I found that it was a conscientious and poetic decision. … read more
Sleepwalk With Me
First spawned as an off-Broadway one-man show, Sleepwalk With Me is a translation of Birbiglia’s comedy act adapted for the silver screen, polished to perfection with the help of Ira Glass. … read more
The Last Elvis
Part of the World Dramatic Competition, this Argentinian film was beautiful and complex. Set in Buenos Aires, “Elvis” Gutierrez (John McInerny) is a spot-on Elvis impersonator. … read more
Grabbers
Erin Island, a quaint little fishing village off the coast of Ireland, is a quiet place where everyone knows everyone and the cops have so little to do, they can get away with drinking on the job. … read more
Safety Not Guaranteed
“WANTED: Someone to go back in time with me. This is not a joke. P.O. Box 91, Ocean view, WA. You’ll get paid after we get back. must bring your own weapons. SAFETY NOT GUARANTEED. I have only done this once before.” … read more
Bear
I’m not one to interject during movies, especially when I’m watching them alone, but I gasped a loud “Holy shit!” to the strangers in the audience as I watched Bear, the short film that preceded the screening of Safety Not Guaranteed at Sundance. … read more
Goats
In this coming-of-age story based on the novel Smart People by Mark Jude Poirier, Ellis Whitman (Graham Phillips) is a 15-year-old with a strange family dynamic. … read more
Cursive, Ume, Mount Moriah @ Urban 02.14
When I heard Cursive was playing in Salt Lake on Valentine’s Day, I immediately called my boyfriend and told him we were going. How perfect would it be to stand within gazing distance of Tim Kasher, holding my lover’s hand and singing along to the melodramatic lyrics that summed up all of my deep rooted adolescent sensitivities in celebration of our romance? … read more
It’s a Rough Life Party @ Yellow Jacket Social Club...
I pedaled down from my perch near UT-Austin to the city’s own “Rough Side of Da TRAX” quite literally on Monday afternoon for the premiere party of “It’s a Rough Life” Season 2. … read more
Ume @ The Bat Bar 03.13
The stage at The Bat Bar was set up right against the front window, which was as big as the entire wall and completely open to the outside. The crowd inside was instantly mirrored on the other end of the stage outside the window, and though they could’ve easily grabbed the drummer around the waist and pulled her out with her entire kit, they were up close and personal with what makes Ume a band you’re not gonna want to miss: front woman Lauren Larson. … read more
Beautiful Godzilla: SXSW Edition
As part of my SXSW experience, I participated in SXcycles, the new (as of this year) bike share program provided by the festival and Tern bikes. They opened it up to those with badges and wristbands during the Interactive portion of SXSW, and I was lucky enough to catch the tail end of it on Monday and Tuesday. … read more
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
Duck Beach To Eternity @ Tower 09.22
Hitting close to home, the screening of Duck Beach To Eternity was definitely the most interesting of the films I saw at the festival over the weekend. The documentary follows four Mormon singles who travel to Duck Beach, North Carolina for the annual “Mormon Spring Break” … read more
Matt and Kim @ In the Venue 11.01 with Oberhofer
The duo came onstage after a lengthy stage setup in a burst of energy that included digital fireworks on a giant screen behind them. From that moment, the party didn’t stop until the lights came on at the end of the night. … read more
Magic Camp Film Review
The image of a career magician has somewhat conflicting connotations in our society. From the faux glamor and extravagance of Vegas staples like David Copperfield and David Blaine, to the depressing depictions of socially awkward teens doing parlor tricks in front of heckling 5-year-olds and Gob Bluth––regardless of their success, they all started somewhere: As magic-obsessed kids. … read more
Beautiful Godzilla: I Don’t Wanna Grow Up
Bicycles became this representation of youth and freedom from authority that seemed impossible to attain when I was a dependent little kid––and I think that’s what brings some of us back as adults. … read more
Sundance Film Review: When I Walk
When I Walk self-documents DaSilva’s entire journey with multiple sclerosis over the past 8 years in one of the most honest and sincere films ever to grace the Sundance silver screen. … read more
Sundance Film Review: Fallen City
In May of 2008, the Sichuan earthquake completely demolished the small mountain town of Beichuan, China, killing 20,000 of its citizens. Director Qi Zhao puts a magnifying glass on the lives of three Chinese families affected by loss after the earthquake in her directorial debut, Fallen City. … read more
Sundance Film Review: Austenland
Directed by BYU grad, SLC local and the co-writer of Napoleon Dynamite, Austenland is big. The jokes are over-the-top, the costumes and set are gaudy, Jennifer Coolidge is practically bursting at the seams in both hilarity and bosom, and the flops, well, they’re pretty big, too. … read more
Sundance Film Review: Stories We Tell
In this unique and introspective documentary, Canadian actress/director Sarah Polley (Away From Her, Take This Waltz) compiles a narrative around the life of her mother, actress Diane Polley, who died when Sarah was 11 years old, and the mystery surrounding a specific time period, which leads to a surprising discovery. … read more
Sundance Film Festival: Cutie and the Boxer
Cutie and the Boxer, more than anything, is a beautiful love story. In this fantastic directorial debut, Zachary Heinzerling captures the tumultuous and oftentimes dissatisfying relationship between Japanese artists Ushio and Noriko Shinohara. … read more
Sundance Film Review: Fruitvale
Directed by a 26-year-old, first-time feature filmmaker, Fruitvale is a near-perfect, emotionally driven drama with a strong-hitting political agenda. … read more
Sundance Film Festival: C.O.G.
Adapted from an essay of the same name in Sedaris’ 1997 autobiographical book, Naked, the film couldn’t have been more in-line with Sedaris’ dry wit and humorous yet terrifying experiences. … read more
Sundance Film Review: Touchy Feely
In this hip, light drama, Lynn Shelton returns from last year’s Sundance success (Your Sister’s Sister) with Rosemarie DeWitt as her leading lady once again, this time, in a quiet and, well, touchy feely kinda flick. … read more
Cutthroat Racing Fundraiser: Bicycle Dreams Screening @ Brewvies 01.23
Serving as a fundraiser for the fun-focused cycling team, this screening of 2009’s Bicycle Dreams was one of the stops on its resurfaced 2013 tour. … read more
SXSW 2013: Mitzi @ Red 7 – Terrorbird Showcase 03.12
I can’t remember where I came across Mitzi, but they were the very first to go on my list of SXSW “must-sees,” which was fitting, because they were the first show I saw at the festival. … read more
SXSW 2013: The Very Best @ Club de Ville –...
From the minute a tall, lanky African American man wearing a top hat and Mardi Gras beads stepped onto the stage to put some blow-up palm trees in the corner, I knew I was going to like The Very Best. … read more
SXSW 2013: Drunk History Panel @ The Next Stage 03.13
I’ve been watching Drunk History since I came across it on Funny or Die a few years ago, so when I saw that the creators were part of a panel to promote their upcoming series on Comedy Central, I immediately wanted to be there. … read more
SXSW 2013: Foxygen @ The Stages on Sixth 03.13
Foxygen played a great mix of energetic, offbeat tracks with soulful guitars that wouldn’t be out of place in the Rocky Horror Picture Show and made me want to move my feet . … read more
SXSW 2013: Bleeding Rainbow @ Valhalla – Kanine Records Showcase...
About three-fourths into Bleeding Rainbow’s set, front woman Sarah Everton swapped her bass for Rob Garcia’s guitar and they even traded spaces onstage. The set got a lot livelier then, and for their last song, just as my ears were about to start bleeding (because I was standing next to a speaker without protection), guitarist Al Creedon rammed into Everton with his guitar until she playfully pushed him away. … read more
SXSW 2013: Blue Hawaii @ Elysium – RA Showcase 3.13
Raph Standell-Preston’s vocals and stage presence are sugary sweet, and the music manipulated behind them is crisp and chilled, like fresh strawberries with a dusting of sugar and a dollop of whipped cream. … read more
SXSW 2013: Bonobo @ Elysium 03.14
Bonobo is a super chill tropical animal, like a neon-colored frog bobbing his head up and down in the rainforest. Bonobo’s music feels … wet, in a sweet, sweaty, sloppy, lip-smacking kiss kind of way. … read more
SXSW 2013: Fuck It, Let’s Dance @ Salvage Vanguard Theater...
Regardless of the totally stiff, American vibes we were putting off, FALD didn’t let it affect their energy level. Singer Nico Cham danced enough for all of us, jumped off the bass drum and even came into the stands to kick up his heels. Europeans––gotta love ’em. … read more
SXSW 2013: Wavves @ Easy Tiger – SPIN House 03.15
Watching Wavves for the first time made me wish someone had sat me down and said, “Esther, you gotta listen to Wavves, RIGHT NOW, because it’s going to become your summer soundtrack, I just KNOW it.” … read more
SXSW 2013: Imam Baildi @ International Day Stage 03.15
I was immediately drawn in by their “fusion” sound: a mix between traditional Greek music, which sounds a little bit like samba, Flamenco and Arabic pop jumbled together, hip hop and a ’60s Bollywood musical. … read more
SXSW 2013: Desert Noises @ Javelina – New Frontier Touring...
There was not a moment that Desert Noises wasn’t giving their all, and the sound was as flawless as if they were playing Velour. … read more
OMD @ The Depot 04.10 with Diamond Rings
After seeing Diamond Rings, aka John O’Regan play an acoustic set at SXSW, I anticipated a good show with all the bells and whistles at The Depot on April 10, where he was opening for Orchestral Manoeveures In The Dark (OMD). … read more
alt-J @ The Complex 04.22 with Wildcat! Wildcat!
alt-J’s music is what I imagine extraterrestrials would compose in response to the music they’ve been listening to our satellites spew for the past couple of decades, as a gift and an offer to communicate. … read more
Painting Soundscapes: Sound Mass Headlines the Utah Arts Festival
“No song is ever played the exact same. Sometimes we’ll name a piece and recreate it at another performance, but there’s always a change, however subtle as it may be,” says Stanfield of Sound Mass. … read more
Italian Vegan with Amanda Eats SLC
For the past few of years, Amanda Rock has been Salt Lake’s hype-lady for all things vegan and vegetarian in Salt Lake City. … read more
FYF Fest: My Bloody Valentine Fairy Tale 08.24-25
My Bloody Valentine’s most critically acclaimed album may be called “Loveless,” but there is a tangible romance inside the static and reverb, which is why we’re here together, arms wrapped around each other. … read more
F Words and Guerrilla Girls
For nearly three decades, since 1985, the Guerrilla Girls have been fighting their damnedest for women of foundational caliber to be seen and heard by women in desperate need of strong, artistic role models. … read more
Baths @ Urban Lounge with Jerome LOL 09.19
Baths was energetic and imbued all of the dramatic air of a frontman, which I honestly wasn’t expecting from an electronic artist who likes to make music in the bathtub. … read more
A Punk Rocker’s Tale: Tall Bike Jousting in SLC
The Tall Bike Joust held on May 15 is Salt Lake’s third joust and most popular freak bike event. Attracting citizens and cyclists from all walks of life—including hobos and cops—it can’t be described as less than epic. There’s just one question: What the fuck is tall bike jousting?! … read more
The Artists of Craft Lake City
The alternative craft scene in SLC is alive and kicking. 70 artists will be featured in SLUG Magazine’s first annual Craft Lake City festival. Here is a sneak peak of some of the talented people who will be there. … read more
Craft Lake City Artist: Chelsea Stephenson
t’s a bird! It’s a plane! It’s … Chelsea Stephenson with Soaperhero! She’s here to get you clean and smelling good with—dog poop soap? That’s right, one of Stephenson’s made-from-scratch, melt and pour soaps is shaped like a piece of dog shit, but don’t worry, it smells like apple cinnamon coffee. … read more
Themselves
SLUG caught up with themselves while on their European tour for an interview reflective of their eccentric style and personality. … read more
The Platte: Local Music’s Little Brother Pays Homage to SLC...
“Independent record stores are important because they care about the music, and they care about little music. I feel like little music’s where it’s at,” says Andrew Shaw, the musician behind local music project The Platte. His newest creative endeavor, a collection of local music covers called Bantam Brother, is set to release on April 17, the third annual Record Store Day. Founded in 2007, RSD is a nationwide celebration of independent record stores and the local music scenes that encircle them. … read more
Candy Cranks: Global Feminine Bike Recon
In a world (wide web) where typing “girls on bikes” into Google gives you boobs straddling top tubes, Candy Cranks is redirecting your search options. Founded by Meg Lofts in March of 2009, CandyCranks.com is where women from all over the globe come together to share all things bike-related from the female perspective. Why is such a place needed, a man might ask? Attend any sausage fest … I mean, bicycle event in Salt Lake City and it will be quite obvious that’s not where you go to meet the ladies. … read more
Frosty Darling’s Frosting Fix: The Fourth Annual Cupcake Social
Nothing is worse than a cocktail party. After squeezing into some spanks to get that slinky dress on, you sit around sipping martinis and trying not to make a pig out of yourself at the snack bar as you casually converse with a bunch of pretentious yuppies. Gentry Blackburn, owner of Frosty Darling, is getting you out of that yuppy mess on July 30 from 5 to 9 p.m. for the Frosty Darling Cupcake Social. A cocktail party gone cupcake, this is an event you won’t want to miss. … read more
CLC Artist: Whitney Shaw
It’s difficult to imagine the petite Whitney Shaw working over her 900 lb. 1901 Golding Pearl press, but the unique artwork produced under her brand name Easy Keeper with that iron workhorse is quite tangible. From coasters and cards to notebooks and decorative pillows, this new Craft Lake City artist gives your everyday accessories classy details with a subtle sense of humor. … read more
Must Come Down: Guiding You Through Your Quarter-Life Crisis
Quarter-life crisis: Based on SLUG Mag’s demographics, there’s a good chance a lot of you are experiencing one, especially in this economy. Local artist, curator, filmmaker and screenwriter Kenny Riches sends the main character of his upcoming indie feature film, Must Come Down, back to his roots. Going home usually means a plate of cookies and a chat with mom, not trying to break into a house where someone else currently lives. … read more
The Ching Holiday Haven
This is the story of Ching Farm Rescue & Sanctuary and its 12th annual Vegan Thanksgiving Dinner. In 1998, Faith and Mike Ching bought five acres in Herriman, Utah to provide a safe haven for animals headed to the slaughterhouse and, eventually, your dinner plate. Executive Director Faith Ching explains, “We try to educate people on how farm animals have exactly the same emotional needs as cats and dogs.” … read more
The Walking Battleground of Rape: Voices of Survivors
Shocking, emotional, heartbreaking, but most of all, empowering, Jane tells her story of being sexually abused from the age of two in the recent community art project, Voices: Stories From Survivors of Sexual Violence. This unique audio/visual installation created by sisters Liz and Sarah Coleman in partnership with The Rape Recovery Center features recorded stories of ten survivors of sexual violence compiled in a beautiful work of art. … read more
Blue Plate Diner
Since 2000, Blue Plate Diner has been a favorite of local scenesters of every age. Owners John Bouzek and Tamrika Khvtisiashvili attribute the unique diner’s style to falling in love with an old 1940s soda fountain in Salina, Utah while they were passing through on a road trip. Inspired, the two combined their fondness of mom-and-pop cafés and appetite for authentic American cuisine with Bouzek’s cooking skills, and Blue Plate was realized. … read more
Fresh
Adding a little plaid and pizzazz to the yuppy Ninth and Ninth district, Helen Wade-Joice and her brother, Ian Wade, are the proud owners of Salt Lake City lifestyle-inspired clothing boutique, Fresh. Having opened up shop in July 2009, Fresh offers a perfect blend of your favorite modern apparel brands with a sprinkling of local flavor. Fresh defines Salt Lake City style—bet you didn’t even know there was such a thing. … read more
Salt Lake Bicycle Collective
Part of the Salt Lake City Bicycle Collective’s mission is to create good memories for every child. Jonathan Morrison, the Collective’s Executive Director, is dedicated to this cause and sees his role as a dot connector in the process. Though the Collective’s pedal pushing programs and volunteer-based bike shop have become integral to the local community, Morrison attributes the community’s influence as the driving force behind its creation and development. … read more
This Will Destroy You
Perhaps it’s blasphemy, but Texas-based This Will Destroy You are what I imagine god would sound like if he were real and in an instrumental rock quartet. Their name may be just as pretentious as that statement, but once you hear any of the powerful tracks off their upcoming album Tunnel Blanket, to be released May 10 on Suicide Squeeze, it’s clear This Will Destroy You are not feigning ambition. … read more
The Rise, Fall and Rebirth of SaltCycle
Neglected in dark closets, rusting alongside chain link fences and perhaps even torn apart and piled into boxes, the bicycles in this city have suffered a long, lonely winter as their owners set them aside. As cuffs slowly rise with the temperature, so do thoughts of smooth saddles, glistening cranks and spinning spokes. Like lovers reunited, the fair-weather cyclists mount their steeds and hit the salty streets in droves. Here to organize the enamored masses and spread the love is SaltCycle. … read more
Bikes & Booze
Whatever your preference, it can’t be denied that bicycles and booze make quite the pairing, and it just so happens that this salty city of ours knows how to keep the beer brewing and the pedals pumping in harmony. Whether you’re a hard-core pedal pusher or just a fun-lover looking to add a little endorphin rush to your weekend boozing, read on. … read more
Put on Your Birthday Suit: Fresh Turns Two
Operated by the lovely sibling duo of Helen Wade-Joice and Ian Wade, Fresh calls the bustling 9th & 9th district home and offers Salt Lake’s young men and women an affordable, local alternative to the corporate cookie-cutter clothes you find at the *gag* mall. Fresh has survived in this cutthroat economic state to see two years worth of clothing walk in and off their racks due to the owners’ dedication and insight. … read more
Fuckin’ Fixies: Sam Allgood FGFS Profile
Get off the road. Get some gears. Get a brake. Sam Allgood hears it all as he rides his fixed gear bike, and what does he have to say about it? “Brakes will just slow you down.” So without further ado, here’s SLUG Mag’s first interview with a fixed gear freestyle rider. … read more
Beautiful Godzilla: Feminine Bike Recon
There’s a definite lack of female representation in the bicycle community. I’m not going to pretend that it hasn’t been advantageous when it comes to dating—the male to female ratio is absolutely in my favor and there are some real babes on bikes riding about—but there are times when a gal just needs the kind of bonding only her fellow lady bitches can provide. … read more
CLC Artist: Bekah Long
Bekah Long sold unique vinyl chalkboard decals at the previous Craft Lake City festivals, but this year she’s moving forward with a new crafting venture called Whim. A clever acronym for “Wheels In Motion,” Whim features handmade bicycle seat covers and tool rolls designed by Long with the help of her boyfriend, Jon Glover. … read more
Beautiful Godzilla: Baby Got Back
This month’s blog is brought to you by Sir Mix-A-Lot and his appreciation of fine, fat bottomed girls. Unfortunately, being an FBG isn’t all limo back seats and baked goods. Aside from finding a pair of jeans to go over my voluptuous assets (thank the fashion gods for jeggings, right?), finding the right saddle on which to rest those back pockets has become a real … well … pain in the ass. … read more
Calling You Out: An Interview with Thrice
Though it may seem to some an identity crisis, Thrice have been widening their musical berth with every new release over the last decade, earning the respect and admiration of true music fans. The West Coast four-piece continue to develop their talents and taste with their latest studio album, Major/Minor. With the same rawness as 2009’s Beggars, but with added weight and conviction, Major/Minor is sure to strike a chord with Thrice fans new and old. … read more
Beautiful Godzilla: Street Stereotypes
My strawberry pink cruiser is very obviously feminine—people expect to see a girl straddling its star-embroidered saddle and creamy white fenders. I think my fixie is pretty cute, too, but it’s a fixie: It’s fast, it’s dangerous, it’s more spice than sugar and, apparently, that’s not what some boys in twenty-first century Salt Lake think women should be made of. … read more
Beautiful Godzilla: The New Woman
I’ll be completely honest here and admit that I’d never heard of Annie Kopchovsky until a few weeks ago when I found out Salt Lake’s second ever women-only alleycat was in the works and dubbed the “Kopchovsky Cat.” Guaranteed you’ve never heard of her either, and some of you are probably wondering what the fuck an alleycat is, too. I’ll get to that in a minute. … read more
Watch Out Barbie, It’s Girl In a Coma
In a world where bleached blondes in heels singing high-fructose garbage are rapidly polluting the airwaves, Girl in a Coma is here to save us with a healthy dose of rock n’ roll. Though Girl in a Coma have the talent and drive to gain rock star success without a fairy godmother, the band’s propulsion into stardom is a true Cinderella story—a brown-eyed, guitar-clad Cinderella with an attitude, that is. … read more
Beautiful Godzilla
Instead of listening to my slow ass whine about boys and bicycles this month, you have the pleasure of reading my interview with one of Salt Lake’s most badass babes on a bicycle—scratch that—most badass HUMAN pedaling in the Rocky Mountain West: Jessica Gilmore. ’Nuf said. … read more
Top 5: Mr. Gnome
It’s hard to believe this album is the product of a duo rather than a full band, but having seen them live, I can testify that Cleveland-based singer/guitarist Nicole Barille and drummer/pianist Sam Meister are the only two musicians behind mr. Gnome—and with a box of pedals and a heap of talent, they’ve figured out how to execute their layered chaos on the road … read more
Beautiful Godzilla: My Invisible Bubble Burst
It was a beautiful day in early October. I flew down 200 South with a grin on my face and my legs pumping just fast enough to get me to work with a few minutes to spare. Turning left onto 300 West, I was taking in the aroma of Café Trang’s lunch special when the door of a parked car opened up to my right. My brain processed this almost at the same time as some part of me or my bicycle hit the open door. … read more
Yellowcard @ The Complex with Geoff Rickly 09.30
When I heard that Yellowcard would be in town, playing all the way through Ocean Avenue, I rounded up my high school besties and added it to our schedule to fit around babies, husbands, classes and full-time jobs––a lot has happened in a decade. … read more
Judith Hill @ Energy Solutions Arena 10.11 with Josh Groban
It was a Friday night, and while everyone in Salt Lake City of my demographic was preparing to spend the night out dancing at Urban or sipping cocktails at Bodega, I was headed to the long lines that branched out from the entrances to the Energy Solutions Arena—with my mom—to see Josh Groban. … read more
Sundance Film Review: Lilting
Director Hong Khaou beautifully captures the unique story of Junn, a woman whose son—her only connection to the world around her—dies tragically, leaving her in discomfort and suspension in a rest home as her deceased son’s boyfriend, Richard, struggles to help her while coming to terms with his own loss and guilt. … read more
Sundance Film Review: Only Lovers Left Alive
Only Lovers Left Alive is Jarmusch’s take on the vampire genre, and the Jarmuschian way of underplaying the “mainstream” draw is the film’s strength. Any violence and seduction that usually defines the myth is all implied. … read more
Sundance Film Review: What We Do In The Shadows
Have you ever wondered what a vampire’s life is really like? Where they like to sleep? How they get along with their roommates? What kinds of clubs they go to on weekends? From sunset to sunrise, the camera crew (RIP Camera One) of What We Do In The Shadows tails blood-sucking friends and roomies Viago, Vladislav, Deacon, Peter and their eclectic group of living and undead pals through their daily, complicated lives in Wellington, New Zealand. … read more
Sundance Film Review: Love Is Strange
Love Is Strange is a much-needed breath of fresh air blowing away the cobwebs of a tired romantic dramedy genre. In this truly unique story, partners of 39 years, Ben (John Lithgow) and George (Alfred Molina) lose a coveted Manhattan apartment after their official marriage results in George’s termination from his job as a music teacher at a Catholic school, forcing them to temporarily move in with separate family members. … read more
Sundance Film Review: Private Violence
Sundance is known for its quality, life-altering documentaries, but Private Violence is not one of them. Interviews, B-roll and evidential photographs make up the film, which lacks a clear, linear line of thought and regurgitates the question, “Why do they keep going back?” without giving an intelligible answer. … read more
Sundance Film Review: Fishing Without Nets
Fishing Without Nets reflects the new generation of filmmakers who think outside the box in terms of perspective, focusing on characters Hollywood keeps on the sidelines and revealing rich stories where the white guy doesn’t swoop in to save the day. … read more
Sundance Film Review: To Kill A Man
Opening with a promising still shot of a forest scene and aggressive baritone horn music as the lead character Jorge (Daniel Candia) appears in the light, To Kill a Man is a unique and artistic addition to the revenge movie catalog. … read more
Sundance Film Review: Blue Ruin
Refn and Tarantino can fuck off now that Jeremy Saulnier has joined their ranks with his genre-defying revenge flick. Saulnier manages to keep the audience on the edge of their seats throughout with a main character who remains expressionless and silent for nearly the entire film—yet draws us in better than Ryan Gosling’s pretty pout ever did. This is top-notch cult classic material. … read more
Sundance Film Review: God Help The Girl
Belle & Sebastian’s Scottish frontman Stuart Murdoch takes us to his hometown for a musical narrative that has all the quirks and melodrama of an indie pop song wrapped up in the most stylish movie you’ll see at Sundance this year. … read more
Sundance Film Review: Song One
Remember Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist? How about nearly anything that Michael Cera or Audrey Plaza have been in the past five years? Well, what the Hollywood indie scene is to those films, Brooklyn’s folky singer/songwriter scene is to Song One. With Oscar winner Anne Hathaway at the helm, one would expect this to be a level above those quirky indie pop romance flicks, but it doesn’t even reach there. … read more
Sundance Film Review: War Story
I’ve seen some really beautiful, underrated films in the NEXT category at Sundance: where most of the experimental films that only the most open and artsy minded audiences gravitate towards (which means less crowded theaters!). War Story was not one of them. … read more
Sundance Film Review: Ping Pong Summer
From the goofy, ’80s-themed opening credits, this film doesn’t pretend it’s going to be anything other than what it is, and that I can respect. It’s a nod to the campy (in both the cinematic and genre definitions of the word) teen movies of the ’80s and ’90s, the underdog championship dramedies of the early aughts, with a dry, Napoleon Dynamite–styled deadpan sheen—and at times, it succeeded in coaxing a sincere smile of nostalgia or a light chuckle from a good joke, but it’s not quite enough. … read more
Localized – Wake Up Nebula, OK Ikumi and The Moth...
It’s going to be an unforgettable night of local music at the Urban Lounge on March 9. Localized, this month, features Provo darlings and indie art rockers The Moth & The Flame, and the mellow electro samplings of OK Ikumi. Get there early to catch the ethereal soundscapes of electro-pop band Wake Up Nebula for only $5. … read more
Beautiful Godzilla: Bike Love
Once upon a time, there lived a beautiful powder blue converted fixie. One day, the bicycle’s owner got super wasted at a local bar and, too drunk to bike home, decided to hail a cab instead. Left alone, its frame hugging the cold black curve of the bike rack, the bicycle cowered under the shadow of the night sky. … read more
Waging W.A.R. on Inequality
Over 40 years ago, in the mid-’60s, a young artist named Lynn Hershman Leeson borrowed a camera to document the Feminist Art Movement, now dubbed by historians as one of the most significant art movements of the 20th century. Hershman Leeson captured their voices and took their stories straight to the silver screen with her documentary film, !Women Art Revolution, which made its debut at the 2011 Sundance Film Festival. … read more
Beautiful Godzilla: Ice Ice Baby
Riding a bicycle from October through March doesn’t even cross most of your minds. I know this because your bikes look shiny and new, and you look fat and slow come springtime. I’m just messing with you … This month I’m giving you some tips on how to make it through the “Greatest Snow on Earth” via bicycle—hobo style. … read more
Beautiful Godzilla: Night Riders
As the weather warms up—Ok, who are we kidding, it never really got cold—my favorite kind of bicycle rides, night rides, become more comfortable and, thus, more frequent. Riding a bike at night is awesome for various reasons: There’s less traffic, the inversion clears out in the winter and it’s cooler in the summer. The number one reason? A lot of fucked up shit goes down with the sun, and your bicycle’s the best saddle in the house to see it all. … read more
Beautiful Godzilla: Ladies, Leave Your Man at Home
Bike shops intimidate me. I don’t think it’s so much that I walk into a shop and there’s a whole bunch of dudes who know way more about bikes than I ever will throwing around bike mechanic gibberish—I’ve got mad respect for people who can do things I can’t (yet) do. I guess I just feel a little sheepish walking in there and asking them to switch out my pedals when I purchased a fixed gear primarily for its low maintenance. This is why the Salt Lake Bicycle Collective is one of the greatest places in all of Salt Lake. … read more
Beautiful Godzilla: Will You Go To Prom With Me? Check...
Last year fellow lady cyclist Agnes Robl and a handful of others decided Salt Lake City needed a bike prom. Jonathan Morrison of the Bicycle Collective, along with a bunch of help from some more dedicated cyclists, made it a reality. Wouldn’t you know it, the hands-down most fun dance I’ve ever been to, I attended stag. I said no to all of my suitors, matched my dress to my pink bike chain and danced the night away with friends and strangers after going on one of the best-dressed group rides in the history of Western bike civilization. … read more
Wrenching It Out: Local Bike Mechanics
In honor of National Bike Month, SLUG interviewed some of our favorite local bike mechanics to give us the scoop on their respective shops, and inspire you to pull out your own set of wheels and join them on the road. Read on for interviews with Jace Burbidge of the Bicycle Collective, Mark Polichette of Sport Chalet, Chris Ginzton of Cyclesmith and Lindsey Howard of Saturday Cycles. … read more
Beautiful Godzilla: Yeah, Prolly
John Watson, aka Prolly, has documented everything from epic alleycats and up-and-coming fixed-gear freestyle riders, to the latest in urban cycling trends since 2006, wrenching it all together on his blog: Prolly Is Not Probably. Prolly has pedaled into a successful career on the blogosphere over the past five years, traveling around the globe from San Francisco to Australia, providing us with a taste of what those greasy bike meccas have to offer. I met up with the “#fixiefamous” cycle god himself where he now resides in Austin, Tejas to juice his brain. … read more
Top 5: Purity Ring
Shrines is a beautiful contradiction of icy, synthetic start-and-stops created by Corin Roddick, and the sugar-dipped ghost vocals of Megan James dissecting through the cold mass of chimes with awkward, gut-wrenching lyrics. Though the choppy hip hop beats, dubstep wobbles and breathy witch house elements initially draw the listener in with exterior superficiality, a few more close listens reveal a poetic push-and-pull between the instrumentals and songwriting that beg for deconstruction. … read more
Beautiful Godzilla: Spooky Spokes
Cyclists love costumes––especially when worn on themed group rides. The reasoning behind this is pretty simple––cyclists are also total attention whores. Seriously, think about it: Take the lane campaigns, Critical Mass, spandex shorts … You think it’s about activism and awareness? Of course not. We just want all eyes on us in our two-wheeled fabulosity. That being said, costume rides are heavy, and Halloween costume rides are even heavier. … read more
Beautiful Godzilla: I Don’t Wanna Grow Up
There was a period of time when I was growing up, from about 3 to 11, when bicycles were cool and coveted for something other than their hipster/hippy appeal. From my first purple-tassled princess bike with glittery training wheels, to that shiny green 10-speed with thick, black tires, few things could give me greater joy upon entering the garage on Christmas day––except maybe not to walk in on my uncle with my mom’s old breast pump. So, what is it about bikes that’s so cool at that age? My theory has to do with the silver screen. … read more
Beautiful Godzilla: Giving Cranks: Pedalin’ Away The Holiday Blues
Every year around November, cyclists across the nation group together for their own two-wheeled holiday tradition, Cranksgiving: the alleycat that gives back. Traditionally, Cranksgiving is a scavenger-hunt-style bike race where you ride to different grocery stores and buy food, which is donated at the end. Salt Lake has served as host to this event annually since I joined the scene a few years ago, organized by a variety of individuals, but it was Christy Jens who stepped up to take charge for 2012.
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Beautiful Godzilla: My Chain Hits My Frame When I’m Bangin’...
I know that, as a cyclist, I’m supposed to love nature and spend the daylight hours outside mountain biking and hugging trees, but give me a fat stack of Tom Hanks movies and every season of 30 Rock on Netflix, and I’ll be happy never seeing the light of day. I only ride bikes ‘cause I hate walking, remember? That being said, movies ABOUT bikes are the cat’s pajamas, the bee’s knees, the fixie’s wooly pubes. … read more
Evan Service: Fixie Fiend
Like many cyclists, Evan Service boasts a lifetime of rollin’ rough: “I’ve been riding two-wheelers since before I was three,” he says. What sets him apart is exactly what reeled him into the world of fixed-gear freestyle, though. “I always thought it was cool, something different,” he says. “No one did it at the time that we all started doing it.” … read more
Beautiful Godzilla: Gucci Gucci, Louis Louis, Fendi Fendi, Wal-Mart
I was once pretty fashion forward: putting lots of thought into my outfits, makin’ my hair all fancy and even smearing on eyeliner every day––but my entire look changed when I started cycling. When your main transportation is a bicycle, that cute sundress you pull from storage that highlights your supple winter boobies, and the matching sandals that showcase your fresh pedicure … Well … their story won’t end as happily as The Brave Little Toaster’s. … read more
Beautiful Godzilla: Rebel Grrrls—Ovarian Psycos
Ovarian Psycos’ Maryann Aguirre, aka La Fingers, answers a phone somewhere in East LA with unrestrained enthusiasm as I state my name on the other end at the SLUG Headquarters in Salt Lake. Ovarian Psycos claim to organize and cycle “for the purpose of healing our communities physically, emotionally and spiritually, by addressing pertinent issues through cycling. ”As she explains her nickname, La Fingers, a result of being caught wagging her middle-finger on more than one occasion, I know I’m talking to the right person. … read more
Narco Cultura: Bullets, Borders and Ballads
“Out of poverty, poetry; out of suffering, song.” This old Mexican saying has proven its merit throughout history. World-renowned photojournalist and filmmaker Shaul Schwarz came across this cultural connection in one of the most controversial yet underground conflicts currently marring our continent: the drug war. Schwarz makes his Sundance debut this January with Narco Cultura, a unique and engrossing film documenting the plague of cartel violence and the subculture that has sprouted from the bloodbath, making its way onto U.S. stages and airwaves. … read more
Beautiful Godzila: Down Here, It’s Our Time—It’s Our Time, Down...
A cloud of warm air forces its way through the loose loops of yarn on the crocheted scarf covering my mouth as I pull my bike out of the shed. What doesn’t make it past my mom’s needlework fills in pockets of moist heat around my face, providing a comforting sensation in contrast to the dry freeze that’s stinging my uncovered eyes. I’m wearing enough layers to regret the extra hoodie after the first hill, but if I’d tensed from a single shiver walking out the door, I might’ve changed my mind and stayed in. Besides, the only humans awake at this hour to witness my pit stains and matted hair are busy with someone’s hand up their skirt in the back of a cab. … read more
Beautiful Godzilla: Home Sweet Home
Every winter, but especially after a particularly wet one like this year, I promise myself it’ll be my last in Salt Lake. I really love this city––I just can’t handle pedaling or driving through all this extremity-numbing precipitation. What inevitably keeps me here is the fact that I can navigate my way around this godforsaken desert without Siri holding my hand. A city doesn’t become home until you can confidently give a stranger accurate directions to the nearest, local strip club. … read more
Beautiful Godzilla: Maudlin Bikes
Type “girls on bikes” into Google Image Search. Seriously, pick up your iPhone and do it right now—just keep in mind it’s NSFW unless you’re employed at SLUG … read more
Mashin’ and Thrashin’ with FOAD Fixed
I interviewed Sam in 2011 for SLUG—our first FGFS rider profile. Sam was the first of the crew to start riding fixed about seven years ago, when most of them were sophomores in high school. Jackson started the blog on foadfixed.com nearly two years ago as a way to post their edits and connect with the FGFS community outside of Salt Lake, beginning with a video of Evan. That’s when FOAD became official. … read more
Audrey Patten: Midwest Meets West
“I tend to pull from things that resonate with me because they represent a part of my childhood, or a specific moment in my life that I know other people will feel a connection to,” says CLC DIY Fest artist Audrey Patten, speaking of her artwork. The subjective nature of visual art often renders it introverted and inaccessible, but Patten has managed to transcend the self in her work and illustrate an emotion that has become the defining keystone of our generation: nostalgia. … read more
Beautiful Godzilla: I Am Not an Athlete
Yes, people, I signed up for OKCupid, the online-dating website. Since I spend a decent amount of time on a bicycle and/or organizing bicycle events (and writing a column about bicycles), that’s obviously something I added to the interests portion of my profile. After getting a handful of messages from “granola” types whose profiles lauded cringe-inducing key words like “hiking,” “climbing,” “camping” and “outdoors,” I realized I was inaccurately marketing myself as athletic. … read more
Beautiful Godzilla: Take a Look, It’s In a Book
It all began with the Bike Snob NYC blog. I was working as the door girl at Brewvies––which essentially meant I’d stare down my nose at kids my age and demand to see their IDs in between writing college papers––and picked up on reading the latest Bike Snob post during my shift. He was the main influence of this column, obviously, though I only chose “Beautiful Godzilla” as the title because “Feminist Bicycle Rants” was already taken by some anarchists in Brooklyn. … read more
Beautiful Godzilla: Alleycat Power
Alleycats were thought up by ADHD bike messengers in urban areas as a way to earn some extra cash, test their skillz and ride their bikes some more, because, apparently, no one but me just wants to go home and massage their butt cheeks after riding their bike all day. … read more
Beautiful Godzilla: Livin’ The Daydream
It’s taken over a decade, but all my daydreams came true a couple of months ago at the Monthly Mystery Ride. … read more
Beautiful Godzilla: Highway Haikus
For better or worse, I’ve accepted that being a human with breasts, long hair and a voluptuous backside automatically subjects me to a barrage of verbal assaults the moment I step outside. … read more
Beautiful Godzilla: Burn The Bra, Not The Panties!
A company based out of Austin called Urbanist, dedicated to “saving the world from spandex,” has more than successfully funded a Kickstarter campaign (doubling their goal) to create sexy, padded women’s cycling underwear. … read more
Beautiful Godzilla: Cycling Behind-The-Scenes with Debbie Larsen
There are a lot of over-the-top personalities in the cycling world––myself included. These people often get recognized because a) they lead a lot of group rides or have some kind of bike-related job; b) they are always out on their bike, rain or shine; c) they’re incredibly loud and obnoxious cyclists. Then there are people like my friend, Debbie Larsen. … read more
Top 5: my bloody valentine
Twenty years of rumors, side projects and silence after my bloody valentine’s Kevin Shields announced the band’s progress on a follow-up to their shoegaze genesis, Loveless, my bloody valentine self-released m b v along with a deep sigh of relief. Though the band is the brainchild of Irish teenagers in the ’90s, my bloody valentine’s m b v stands out as an organic output incubated into perfection and birthed at just the right moment to head our generation’s reclamation of ’90s attitude and aesthetic. … read more
Beautiful Godzilla: Davey Davis For President!
About six years ago, the urban cycling scene in Salt Lake City was at the height of its glory, with Davey Davis at the helm … er, handlebars. … read more
Kathleen Hanna Just Wants To Be In a Band
“I don’t want to be an icon, I just want to be in a band!” says Kathleen Hanna of her latest musical project, The Julie Ruin. … read more
Beautiful Godzilla
Hey guys, this is my last Beautiful Godzilla column. I’m moving to New York City to dedicate my life to pizza. … read more
SLC Bicycle Co.
In 2008, on the corner of 2nd and 2nd in Downtown Salt Lake, a beautiful bike shop opened up alongside the booming bicycle community with a definitive name: Salt Lake Bicycle Company. The shop was a little intimidating at first for a newbie cyclist like me, with fancy, expensive-looking road bikes hanging in the big windows and a sprawl of gear I knew nothing about, but its staff immediately jumped into the community to prove they were there to serve us little guys, too. … read more
Rolling with Mayor Ralph Becker
Salt Lake City has seen a sizable increase in bike-friendly programs and infrastructures the past few years, thanks to pedal pusher Mayor Ralph Becker and his team of cycling enthusiasts. You won’t see Mayor Becker preaching the bicycle’s many benefits to our city and its residents, and then riding off into the sunset in a Hummer like you’d expect from most politicians, though. Salt Lake’s Mayor lives his word as a dedicated bike commuter himself, riding 2.5 miles to work every day! … read more
Beautiful Godzilla: Cyclofemme, An Interview with Sarai Snyder
There aren’t a whole lot of female bicycle activists out there, so the moment I found out Sarai Snyder, founder of the website Girl Bike Love (girlbikelove.com) and the worldwide Cyclofemme ride (cyclofemme.com), was due to speak at the Utah Bike Summit on April 25, I knew I had to pick her brain. Snyder’s figured out, like many of us, that bicycles are a tool for female empowerment, but unlike many of us, she’s made herself a leader in the community so that others can benefit from her knowledge and slowly change the world, one lady cyclist at a time. … read more
Beautiful Godzilla: Flying the Coup
I haven’t been to a bike event since last summer, I haven’t ridden my bike in three months, and the only time I get on SaltCycle is to hound its brainstorming capabilities for what to write this goddamn column about. … read more
The Coathangers: Suck My Shirt!
“Sometimes I wish I could play drums way more technically better from a drummer’s standpoint, but I don’t think that would help me in The Coathangers. We have our own styles because we kind of just winged it—we just made it up,” says Rusty Coathanger (Stephanie Luke), drummer and vocalist for The Coathangers. “I think that’s what rock n’ roll is all about: It’s not necessarily conforming to this idea of rock n’ roll—it’s actually just who you are, presented in a musical fashion.” … read more
Beautiful Godzilla: Reel To Steel
For those of you who have opted for rollers this winter, I’ve compiled a list of some entertainment options that don’t include frostbite or icy asphalt scrapes. We all know the classics—American Flyers, RAD, Breaking Away, Quicksilver, Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure—but I reached out to the trusty ole SaltCycle community for some of their favorites, which turned up an eclectic list of titles I’d missed. … read more
The Dying Art of Light
Walking up the steps to the projection booths of the Salt Lake Film Society’s Broadway Theatre, I imagine what it would’ve been like, watching that scene from Fight Club when it showed in theaters in 1999, from a projection booth—like looking at a reflection, perhaps. Lance Walker, SLFS Head Projectionist, has been working in the booth since 2001, just before the Salt Lake Film Society came into fruition to save the Tower Theatre from demise … … read more
One Train May Hide Another: an Interview with Jim Jarmusch
Director Jim Jarmusch’s intellectual repertoire is expansive and continuing. Much like his films, the man has the ability to lose himself in the present details, while retaining an impressive understanding of the past. Perhaps it was subconscious self-reflection that materialized the filmmaker’s latest character creations: a couple of incisive, decades-old vampires in his upcoming release, Only Lovers Left Alive. … read more
Beautiful Godzilla
The Collective has always been a welcoming place—it’s where I got my (already 90-percent assembled) little green Kilo up and running, and she hasn’t needed much maintenance since—but walking into a room full of guys rubbing greasy elbows and talking shop can be intimidating. So, I was thrilled when I heard that the Collective had decided to make Women’s Night a weekly event and hired Meara McClenahan to head it. … read more