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Publisher: Eighteen Percent GrayEditor: Angela H. BrownManaging Editor:Andrew GlassettEditorial Assistant:Jeanette MosesAction Sports Coordinator:Adam DorobialaCopy Editing Team: Jeanette Moses,Rebecca Vernon, Blake McGillis,Nick Parker, Ricky Vigil, Mary Enge,Andrew Glassett.Daily Calendar Editor:Jeanette MosesCover Painting:Sri WhippleIssue Design: Joshua Joye,Chris SwainstonDesigners: Todd Powelson,Kent Farrington, Sumerset Bevans,Cristina Gunn, Jaleh Afshar,Lionel WIlliams.Website Design: Kate O’ConnorIllustrator: Craig Secrist, ManuelAguilar.Photographers: Chris Swainston,Ruby Johnson, David Newkirk, KatiePanzer, Mitch Allen, Kealan Shilling,Dave Brewer, Sam Milianta.Ad Sales:Angela Brown:sales@slugmag.comMeghann Griggs:meg@slugmag.comRobin Brownrobin@slugmag.comMike Brownmikebrown@slugmag.comIscha Buchananischa@slugmag.comMarketing & Sales Manager:Meghann GriggsMarketing: Robin Brown, IschaBuchanan, Jeanette Moses,Lyuba Basin, Britta Carlson,Jessica Davis.vol.19 • issue # 237• Sept. 08Death By Salt 4 Design:Cein Watson, Jen SourensonSummer of Death Coordinators:Mike Brown, Adam Dorobiala, JeanetteMoses, Chris Swainston, SamMilianta, Peter Panhandler, IschaBuchanan.Distro: Eric Granato, Tony Bassett,Jeanette Moses, Alexis Hall, AndrewGlassett, Stephanie Smith, MichaelHarris.Office Interns: Lyuba Basin, AlexHarris, Cody Hudson-PetersonMonkeys with Computers: MariahMann-Mellus, Mike Brown, JamesOrme, Ryan Powers, Lance Saunders,Jeremy Wilkins, Jeanette Moses, DaveMadden, Bryer Wharton, Laura Hadar,Peter Fryer, Tom Carbone, Jon Robertson,James Bennett, Ricky Vigil, JonPaxton, Ben West, Brian Kubarycz,Gavin Hoffman, Sam Milianta, JennNeilsen, Conor Dow, Collin Smith, PeterPanhandler, Kybir, Kat Kellemeyer,Astara, Chelsea Babbish, AaronDay, Shawn Mayer,JR Boyce, JimmyMartin, Adam Palcher, Lyuba Basin,Mike Reff, Helen Wade, Jeff Guay,Ben Trentelman, Andrew Glassett,Chris Swainston, Nate Martin, CodyHudson-Peterson, Jesse Hawlish,Nicole Dumas, Fred Worbon, PatriciaBateman, Tyler Makmell.SLUG Alumni: Alan Steed, Laura “Lars”Swensen, Bill Frost, Jeff Vice, Jon Shuman,Chuck Berrett, Ryan Workman, Jeff Fogt,Shannon Froh, Camilla Taylor, Mark Scheering,Cindi Patterson, Stacey Adams, Tyler Froburn,MC Welk, Emily Allen, Shane Farver, JohnForgach, Rachel Thompson, Katie Maloney,Kevlar7, William Athey, Brian Staker, MonicaBorschel, Packard, Pbut, oneamyseven, BobPlumb, Ryan Michael Painter, AndreanneStevens, Bucket.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 ofthe people and it is not our fault if you don’t like people. Content is property of SLUG Magazine. Please do notuse without permission or we will hunt you down and make you pay for your sins. Now, that’s a promise.Contributor Limelight(4) SLUGSRI WHIPPLE • ArtistSri Whipple is one of Salt Lake’s most progressive visual artists. TheWolfs, Accidente, Vile Blue Shades and many other local musicianshave sought out Whipple for his transgendered themes and phallicillustrations. Sri was one of the many local artists to legally cover the 337Project with their own take on street art. This fall shows in San Franciscoand Berlin will display his work as part of The Oyster Pirate Group,an art collaboration Whipple participates. Checkout Sri and his artistbrethren at: captaincaptain.org. September’s issue is the third SLUGMagazine cover Whipple has designed.

(6) SLUGDear Dckheads,You guys are a badassmagazine. Youre chock full oflocally-produce literary goodnessand local ads that help keep SLCmore like afarmer’s market and less like aWal-Mart.But I have a bone to pick withyou... You say the word Fuck toomuch.Admittedly, no other wordexpresses so well the angstand frustration that normalpeople like you and I feel frombeing repressed by a theocraticsociety. But in the Ska issue(#235), it looked like the wordwas being tossed around withsuch carelessness that it wasin danger of losing its preciousmeaning.It’s a sad day when you build upa tolerance to Fuck, and thenhave to fucking use it in-befucking-tweenevery other fuckingwordfuck just for shock value.Therefore, I present to you achallenge: to go an entire issuewithout dropping one F-bomb.You can call it the No-Fuck issue.So how about it, SLUG?Let’s take a Fuck detox and letour precious word regain someof itsglorious meaning, and only use itwhen it’s absolutely necessary.-Nick MostertDear Noobie Nick,Have you ever read a bookby anyone besides HenryRollins? Since when did theword fuck ever hold “preciousmeaning” as you call it? Tosay fuck is more like a grunt,a reflex, that’s uncalculatedand reactionary. It is likespitting on the pavement. Doyou follow people around andcensor them for spitting onthe pavement and soiling thedelicate message of a wad ofsnot and saliva pervading thepavement? Read a fuckingbook man. There are plentyof overused, worthy words tosave, like shit, bitch and cunt.Dear Dickheads,Thank you so much for mags.I owe ya big time! At this time Imust ask that you send no more.I am being released and will mostlikely be heading to Reno N.V. (Itseems they want a piece of myass as well.) But I will be back tothe Great Salt City. (“The Lake”as known by us cons.) And backon the scene.I would be willing to repay yourkindness in any way. Such asvolunteering for any grunt workyou might have. Or just payingthe $15 subscription price.Whatever. I love this city and Ilove your mag. Way to keep itreal! Anyway, I just wanted to letyou know not to send anymore.Now, to all you dickheads outthere. You know who you are! I’vepayed my debt to this great statefor possession of a controlledsubstance and felony fleeing. Soget off my ass! Remember, judgenot lest ye be judged. Blah, blah,blah! And so forth, and so on.Peace out!The Utah OutlawP.S. Thanx again! And FuckU.D.C!Dear Utah Outlaw,No grunt work needed, justtell your friends, cell matesand enemies about SLUG Magand that they can get theirown year long subscriptionto the mag for a measly $15.And unlike the book AmericanHardcore, we have yet tobe banned from any prisonsystem for objectionablematerial––the prison guardsmust not be reading MikeBrown’s column eh? Goodluck in Reno dude. Stayaway from those controlledsubstances.Love,SLUG Magazinexo


letter-from-the-editor-letter-from-theLETTER FROMletter-from-the-editor-letter-fromTHE EDITOR(8) SLUGI first met Sean Heneferwhen he was playing guitar inlegendary SLC punk band, TheCorleones. It was Februaryof 2003 and I had recentlybooked the band to play SLUGMagazine’s 14th anniversaryparty. After the event, I followedhis local music career over thenext few years with longtimecollaborator and singer, RyanJensen. The two friendseventually quit the Corleonesand began a new Salt Lakemusic project called Vile BlueShades.Soon after Vile’s musicalconception, Sean walked outon the project—leaving theSLC music scene to pursuea college degree. Over theyears I lost track of Sean untillast month, when I receivedan email from a mutual friendexplaining that he had cancer.His medical bills had topped$30,000I decided it was time to payhim a visit and see how hewas coping. I met Sean at hishouse and began interviewinghim for a new podcast seriesSLUG is working on withUtahFreeMedia.org. Our firstepisode is themed aroundSean, his past role in SLC’smusic scene, his new visual artprojects and current fight withcancer.Sean Henefer has follicularlymphoma cancer. The averageage of a person with this typeof cancer is 65 years old. Seanis 31. His oncologist told himthat only 10% of people withthis particular type of cancersurvive. Since his initialdiagnosis in May, Sean hasundergone numerous tests,radiation therapy and majorsurgery to remove the cancer inhis neck lymph nodes.The second Friday of eachmonth is SLUG Magazine’slocal music showcase,Localized. We interview twoestablished bands, pair themwith an up-and-coming act asthe opener and book the gig ata club. This month’s Localizedis a benefit show for SeanHenefer. Comedian TravisBird, Fuck the Informer andVile Blue Shades will play.Over the next two months,friends and local businessesare pulling together resourcesto raise money for Sean’splight. If you or someone youknow would like to get involved,please email:Contact@KeepSeanAlive.September Benefit Showsfor Sean Henefer:September 12thSLUG’s Localized BenefitShow: Travis Bird, Fuck TheInformer and Vile Blue Shadesat The Urban Lounge. Allproceeds from the evening godirectly to Sean.September 19th“Portraits” by Sean Heneferat Café Niché (300 South 800East), Gallery Stroll, 6-9p.m.September 27thBBQ fundraiser. RSVP requiredContact@KeepSeanAlivewww.KeepSeanAlive.comwww.SeanHennefer.com


(12) SLUGBy Jeanette Mosesjeanette@slugmag.comThe hardcore movement may have ended over two decades ago, but it’s stilldoing what it initially set out to do––piss off the authorities. Steven Blush’sbook, American Hardcore, was banned fromthe Colorado Prison System on June 25, 2008for “advocating hatred of law enforcement andother races,” depicting violence and anarchyand for having the potential to “antagonize andrile up the general population.” This isn’t the firsttime that those in charge have tried to censorthe history of hardcore. Blush took the time todiscuss hardcore and how it feels to join theranks of the banned.SLUG: What motivated you to write AmericanHardcore?Blush: I was very heavily involved in the DChardcore punk explosion. As a teenager, Ibooked bands like Black Flag, Minor Threat,Circle Jerks and the DKs––most of themcrashed on my couch. It was a self-sufficientuniverse that changed the [music] world.Fast-forward ten years, to the indie-rockexplosion and new punk revival. Everyone’stalking DIY and name-dropping about whathardcore was all about. I was astounded at howwrong people had the story. I was so infuriatedfrom what I saw, that I decided to take thesituation into my own hands. Five years latercame the American Hardcore book. Five yearsafter that came the film. Finally, the historyhas been told properly, and the pioneers havereceived their due.SLUG: Were you surprised to hear that yourbook was banned from the Colorado Prisonsystems?Blush: I know that I wrote an intense book, butyes, I was a bit surprised by the ban. You’dthink that within a culture of prison gangsand mass murderers that my book would be the least of their worries. Havingsaid that, I’m stoked to see establishment types still upset by hardcore. TheHC scene was all about pushing boundaries, and now it’s been reduced toanother fashion statement. Hardcore was never about fashion, it was all aboutintensity—and the fierce reaction by the Colorado authorities reminds me ofwhy I got into this stuff in the first place.SLUG: The majority of the banned content was illustrations taken from recordcovers––do you think that these “violent images” were taken out of context?Blush: I don’t believe the images were taken out of context because in theirday, all of these photos, drawings and graphics were intended to provoke andhorrify. That was the whole point of hardcore, to shake upmainstream complacency––musically, visually and socially. Twenty-five yearslater, the world has changed, but not that much. Not nearly enough.SLUG: According to the official evaluation & appeal form posted on http://feralhouse.com/fh_blog/ the portion of the book that was banned due to“advocating hatred of law enforcement” corresponded with the chapter aboutMillions of Dead Cops––what is your opinion on this?Blush: I feel that “hatred of law enforcement”was a big part of the hardcore mindset. Asa hardcore show promoter, I can’t tell youhow many times the cops fucked with us justbecause of the way we looked. In retrospect, itseems as if the cops were out to shut down thisyouth movement before it started. Thankfullythey failed because you can’t kill an idea. Myfeeling is that MDC was a zeitgeist personifiedby a band.SLUG: Do you feel that the chapter regardingpolice brutality in the early 80s was a realisticportrayal of what was going on?Blush: Yes I do. When it came to hardcore inthe early 80s, the cops were assholes. Today,cops have tattoos and mohawks and go toSocial D concerts. From working on the bookand film, I can comfortably state that mostpeople involved in the early hardcore scenestill maintain a healthy disrespect for authorityfigures. That’s a major difference betweentoday’s scene and the original pioneers. Whenwas the last time the cops stormed an all-agesshow?SLUG: Do you think prisoners should have theright to continue to read American Hardcore?Blush: Prisoners do not deserve full equalrights. It’s something they forfeit whenconvicted for their crimes. But as the prisonauthorities do allow Saudi-funded, virulentlyanti-American, Black Muslim reading materialinto prisons––I’d submit that AmericanHardcore is low on their list of concerns.SLUG: What is your opinion about peoplewho want to censor historical information like the history contained in AmericanHardcore?Blush: The rock world censored this information for 20 years. Hardcore wasalways too ugly and [contained too much] male-energy for the politically correcttypes at Rolling Stone, Spin, et al. Now they all act like they were onto it all along.Do you really wanna know what I think of these people? I don’t have enoughtime to vent.An expanded second edition of American Hardcore will be released in Fall 2009from Feral House Publishing. While the boys in the big house in Colorado won’tget the chance to read it, hopefully you will.


(14) SLUGThe Record CollectorUprokRed Light BooksNobrowKen SandersFrosty DarlingHeavy Metal ShopPositively 4th StreetPipe DreamsSlowtrainRandy’s RecordsBlitz SalonGraywhale


Themes of a RecurringMusical Event(16) SLUGBy Andrew Glassettandrew@slugmag.comIt makes sense that the members of Pattern Is Movement areobsessed with burritos. There are several different elements that go intomaking a burrito special, but a good tortilla is top priority. A traditionalburrito contains rice, beans and some kind of meat. What happenswhen other cultural influences are added? Is it still a burrito? Burritosare also the food of choice for many chronic culture seekers. All ofthese things might be related to the sound of the band, but drummerChris Ward doesn’t seem too concerned about the implications ofquantities or cultural line crossing. For a group of Christian-raised, hiphopinspired book nerds, Pattern Is Movement’s sound is somewhatinexplicable. Their influences range from mid-western religiousmysticism to complex and prolific classical music to barbershopquartets in a sea of gypsies. Their music is masterfully arranged andperformed—and in the exact quantities necessary for a deliciousauditory experience.SLUG: What is the significance of the name Pattern Is Movement?Also, what moves you?CW: We lifted the name from a T.S. Elliot poem. Everyone in theband liked it and thought it helped describe what we going after at thetime (this would be 2002).I would agree that it related to our math-like tendencies when wehad three guitarists, but we left some of those math-like tendenciesbehind and when employed, we try to disguise them. Maybe weshould be called Pattern was Movement?What moves me is any song by Otis Redding. My question is,why aren’t there more bands listening to him as their number oneinfluence? He is a genius.SLUG: Your previous album was recorded at John Vanderslice’sTiny Telephone studio in San Francisco. What was that like?CW: We recorded Stowaway in 2005 at Tiny Telephone. It was sucha great experience for the whole band. It was the first time we hadever recorded in a professional studio and it really taught us somuch in such a short amount of time. We also loved recording arecord in San Francisco. The weather was amazing as well as theburritos.SLUG: How did the recording process differ on your newest albumAll Together?CW: We used the same engineer from Stowaway, but we did it athis studio in Monroe, NC. That was a much different experiencethan Stowawaybecause we were out in the woods and we lackedthe accoutrement that San Francisco afforded, namely, burritos.We also recorded onto the same medium, analog tape, and wethink the results were stellar. Our engineer, Scott [Solter], isamazing with tape and he makes you feel like your using pro-toolswith his ease of skill with editing tape and such.SLUG: How does your hip-hop background influence your music?CW: Both Andrew [Thiboldeaux, vocals and keys] and I becamefriends at the tender age of around 13 and 14. We both were raisedin very religious households (see: Jesus Camp) and we would goon religious retreats. On this one retreat, we both got talking andreleased we loved Dr. Dre’s The Chronic. We discussed it a bit anddecided to form a hip-hop group. Our goal was to create a Christianhip-hop record that would be inspired by The Chronic without thechronic. We have since moved on from Christ inspired records, butwe still love hip-hop.SLUG: How has the band’s dynamic changed since losing one ofyour members? What changes have you had to make to perform live?CW: It was tough when our guitarist, Corey Duncan, left the band.We were not sure how to approach Pattern is Movement as a twopiece.However, when Andrew came to me with new tunes (sansguitar arrangement), I was very motivated by them and he made itvery apparent that a two-piece could work. At first, it was a bit shakylive, but just a couple of shows in, friends were telling us that it was thebest version they had seen. We feel like the dynamic of two peopleis easily translated to a crowd and furthermore, our long history asfriends and musicians really comes out when it’s just the two of us.SLUG: Describe some your non-musical influences. Why is rhythm soappealing to you?CW: I have never answered the question with this answer, but here itgoes: I really enjoy comedy. From early on, my dad impressed uponme that comedy was king. I listened to comedy albums while I went tosleep. My favorites were Flip Wilson and Bill Cosby. I also watcheda lot of SNL as well anything Mel Brooks was associated with. WhileI was making Christian hip-hop, we as a family, would watch theSimpsons and In Living Color 0with one caveat: when the fly girls cameon to dance the channel had to be changed.Prepare to be moved on Sept. 24 when Chris and Andrew bring theirversion of cerebral and spiritual indie rock to Kilby Court. A burrito stopon the way will only heighten your experience.


Sugar and Spice and Everything Twice:Centro-Matic vs. South San Gabriel(18) SLUGBy Lyuba Basinlyuba@slugmag.comDisagreements in bands occur often––this is undeniable. Some disagreementsend with the band splitting up. But in the case of Centro-Matic, a commonargument about the direction they were going spawned an additional projectcalled South San Gabriel. Will Johnson––singer/songwriter of both bands,gave me the insight as to how and why it works for these Texas Natives.The core members of Centro-Matic include Johnson, Matt Pence, MarkHedman and Scott Danbom—they have been together for over a decade.Eight years ago the band started playing tug o’ war with different musical styles.Some members, such as Pence, were pulling for the rock n’ roll sets, whileJohnson wanted a more spacious and subdued sound. The decision didn’t endwith black eyes and broken guitars though, as Centro-Matic rounded up a fewmore members to create the laid back, mellow sound of South San Gabriel. SSGbecame the separate, collective band with a revolving door membership in place.These days, SSG includes the four core members of Centro-Matic with theaddition of Matt Stoessel, Bryan VanDivier, Jeffrey Barnes, Robert Gomez,Buffi Jacobs, Tamara Cauble, David Pierce and James Driscoll. It variesfrom three members to sometimes nine, depending on who is around at the time.“It takes a lot less people to make a lot more noise,” Johnson says whencomparing the two. The four members of Centro-Matic create a sound that getspeople energized. It’s got faster drumbeats and louder guitar made specifically toget the crowd dancing and clapping along. But that all changes when they are inSSG mode. The larger posse attracts attention equally, but with a subtle, hypnoticmethod. Johnson’s simple, lyrically focused melodies come out more fluently inSSG, accompanied by a variety of instruments such as clarinet, saxophone, flute,cello, violin and trombone.Fitting all of SSG and their instruments on a big stage would be difficult, fittingthem on a small stage would be almost impossible…almost. At one pointduring a SSG set at SXSW, the stage wasn’t big enough for all the membersto fit. Johnson had a friend from Brooklyn playing that night and a friend fromDenton. “Neither of them had met each other. They looked up half way throughthe set and didn’t even realize they were in the band together. It’s that kind ofspontaneous risk that keeps things interesting,” Johnson says.The risk taking ideology comes from their roots in Texas. Johnson gets hisinspiration from the diverse geography and culture of what the locals call TheGolden Triangle, the area in between Denton, Dallas and Fort Worth. Theregion is a cool college town that is independent business friendly with a strongmusic community. The bands there are unpretentious instead of competitive.They all work together and learn from each other by collaboration and support.Risk in The Golden Triangle is encouraged and celebrated.Inspiration for creating music also comes from traveling. Johnson refers to thisas “soaking up the life juice and refueling.” Whether it’s the small, solitary tripshe takes where he writes for four days straight, or on tour with the band, he findsideas for his two bands in other cities, and other cultures. When not on tour, themembers reside all over the state––some live in Denton, some in Dallas andothers in Austin. Johnson believes the distance between the members has a lotto do with their ability to work as a team. Without the pressure of constantly beingtogether, practicing and recording, there are less disagreements that could sparkanother project or end the current two. “When we’re on, we’re truly on. Whenwe’re off, everyone kind of scatters…it keeps it good, it seems to streamline theefficiency,” he says.The efficient work comes out of Pence’s studio, The Echo Lab. Unlike someother studios in the middle of giant cities, The Echo Lab is located in the woodsof Denton, just 10 minutes away from the city. According to Johnson the studiois equipped with a band apartment, back porch, BBQ grill and a BB gun––forpersonal therapy use only. He describes it as a rustic scene where the band canreally put their attention on recording with no distractions.For Johnson and crew, recording is something they have mastered. Decisionsabout which band should should develop each song is democratic. For the mostpart, Johnson writes the song with a direction in mind and if a track feels on thefence, the band members cast a vote on where that song will fall. The recordingprocess is very focused and no one gets confused on which group is doing thework. When it comes to performing, however, it takes a little bit more time toadjust.Although veterans to the music business, Centro-Matic and South San Gabrielhad never been on tour together until just a few months ago in Europe. The threeand-half-weekEuropean escapade helped the group reach their extremes. It tookabout a week for the group to get adjusted to performing together. South SanGabriel opens and after a 15-20 minute break, Centro-Matic hits the stage. Theprocess between sets is more complicated than in most acts. They have to “reallyshift gears emotionally and sonically,” says Johnson. “At first, I was worried thecrowd might feel we were putting them on…it made us work harder to illustratethe difference,” he says.With no roadies on call, the band has to do a lot within those 15 minutes.Loading, unloading, sound check, taking down a cold one, changing the mood,losing some members and turning up the rock. Not only does the band refocus,the crowd seems to get more rambunctious as well.After warming up in Europe, Centro-Matic and South San Gabriel are ready toshow the states what they’ve got. Their first double tour in the states comes handin hand with their first double album, Dual Hawks, which features both bands. Thetour starts Aug. 29 and comes to Salt Lake City on Sept. 8 at Urban Lounge.


By Mike Brownmikebrown@slugmag.comIt had been a while since I’ve been on a legit band tour. My last band, TheFucktards, was pretty much incapable of touring due to a lack of a descentchild molester van. We also pretty much started that band as an excuse toget free booze at local bars and to see how many girls we could make cry.I personally made seven different girls cry on lyrical content alone. Missionaccomplished, Fucktards!So when I got the opportunity to go on tour with local punk posers FuckThe Informer, I jumped in the van faster than humming birds can fuck.Boy, was I excited!The last tour I went on was with dirty skateboard boys. But touring with aband is not too much different. I definitely have a ritual for when I go on anysort of tour. My ritual starts with what I call the Pre-Tour Beat-Off … andit’s exactly what you think it is.Oh, how cute! The Fuck the Informer bass player, Tea Cup,and the Guitar Player Abu, about to enjoy a passionate Frenchkiss. They love each other.When you are on the road, you never know when and where your nextMasturbatorium is going to present itself, so it’s important to release thedemons at the last possible moment before you hit the road. Ask anyheterosexual man that has been trapped in a hot white capsule (aka thetour van), and if they are being honest they will tell you that going 70 mphthrough a desert has a strange way of giving you a massive boner.Also, don’t ever count on getting laid on tour. A lot of bands recruit aresident tour slayer, and his job is to hump a grenade so the rest of theband can crash for free on the chick’s kitchen floor. The tour slayer mightas well be a motel key with a heartbeat, and isn’t always a safe guarantee.We had none such slayer on the Fuck The Informer tour.Even if there was some tour trim on this particular adventure, I shall refrainfrom publishing it in SLUG. Not because it might be embarrassing (I relishembarrassing this particular band), but more because of the golden rule ofany tour: WHAT HAPPENS ON TOUR STAYS ON TOUR. Except for the shitI’m about to write about.Allow me to digress to my pre-tour rituals. After my pre-tour beat-off, Ipack my bags. I always travel way too lightly. One time I went to Seattlefor a week with two pairs of socks, one pair of undies, a skateboard and ablanket (not Kidding). Packing light makes for a better adventure.Or if you are like Abu, the lead singer of Fuck The Informer, you can do thealternative of packing light, which is to just lose all your shit on the tour. Likeyour key to the van, your drivers license, your credit cards. At numerouspoints in the tour, Abu was so fucked up he just kept saying, “You guys justthink for me, K?” As we were sneaking him in and out of different bars thatwouldn’t card us, I kept thinking that the only thing Abu didn’t lose on thistour was his virginity. He left that long ago in Salt Lake.Side note: I left my virginity in a motel in Boise, Idaho. I’m bringing this upbecause we drove past the motel on our way to Portland, and I was like,“Hey guys check out that Best Western!”Anyway, we officially started tour in Portland, Ore. I’ve been to Portlanda couple times and man, if you think the hipsters and hippies here areannoying, just spend the weekend in that shit hole and get back to me.I’ve never seen so many fixed-gear fucks swerving in and out of tie-dyedretards. That whole city is truly one huge cultural disaster.(20) SLUGPhotos: Mike BrownBut the show FTI (they hate that acronym) played there was awesome. Itwas at this super seedy bar called the Jolly Inn that had no stage and wasfilled with bums milking the happy hour when we pulled up. One particularbum offered me and Tea Cup (FTI’s bassist) LSD as soon as we walkedin. I instantly knew this was our kind of place.The show was with legendary hardcore band MDC, which stands forMillions of Dead Cops, probably the best band name ever. And if you don’tknow who these guys are, then fuck you in your face. I have no idea whyMDC resides in the city of losers known as Portland, but they are by far thecoolest thing this town has to offer.After being asked for a spare cigarette and a dollar by hippies one to many

Dick Snot layen down the law, right before he lays down a bunch ofhis own piss all over his cell phone rendering it useless.times, we packed the hot white travel capsule and headed south to SanFrancisco. The show there was at some local hotspot called The Bottomof the Hill. FTI played last and the band that played before them, Farticus,made everyone in the crowd who wasn’t affiliated with FTI leave. I kindaliked that because it was a classic Fucktards move, but not too cool for thetouring band. Oh well, FTI rocked it anyway, like they were playing CBGB’sin 1979.After the show, we had an off day in SF so we decided to test our intoxicationthresholds for the night. My threshold testing started by me ditching theband to hang out with my buddy, Jake. He’s my one friend I have left fromdrug rehab and now he’s a lawyer. But he still throws down drugs everynow and then like the criminals he defends.This was one of those nights. Jake and I left the bar smashed and stumbledour way back to his apartment. We met up with Jake’s roommate who isa graphic designer by day and an amateur pharmacist. He gave us someAdderall to snort so we chopped that shit up and turned our boogers blue.Funny thing about legal speed, the people who actually need it don’t liketaking it and the people who don’t need it, like me and Jake, end up lovingit.I don’t know if the Adderal had any effect, but we killed a 12-pack whilesitting atop a hill in SF talking about guy stuff. Jake also lives on the mostghetto block of the mission, so on the way back I asked him if we couldbuy some crack to make for a better tour story. Jake said, “Fuck just buyingcrack, lets SMOKE some crack!”On the walk back to his apartment we came up with our game plan onhow to score some rock. We had to find just the right street pusher and weweren’t going to spend more than $5. Unfortunately everyone we askedwanted $40 for some rocks and I was on a tour budget. Oh well, maybenext time.While I was snorting Adderall and trying to buy crack, Dick Snot, the FTIdrummer was busy pissing his pants. Dick Snot has one of the most deadlyblackout/pass out combos of any drunk I’ve ever met. And when the bandgot to the apartment they were staying at, the host, Matty, specificallyasked Dick Snot to not piss his pants and not drink so much.Matty jokingly said that he would break Dick Snot’s arm if he crackedanother one of his beers, to which Dick Snot replied, “Why don’t you goahead and try,” while cracking another one of Matty’s beers.Matty then woke up around 6:30 a.m. to get a drink of water only to findDick Snot encompassed in the odor of his own urine flipping over the guestfuton, surrounded in a pile of his own beers. Matty then tried to hand DickSnot a towel and asked him to just clean up the mess. Dick Snot respondedby cracking the last of Matty’s beers while aiming a dark, sinister laugh athim.Jokes on Dick Snot though, when he pissed his pants his phone absorbeda certain amount of not-so-mellow yellow and rendered itself useless. Ha!Other shit happened on tour as well, but I don’t have the word count towrite about it. So I’ll end it by going over my last tour ritual—the Post-TourBeat-Off. And let me tell you, nothing beats a good tour except for a goodPost-Tour Beat-Off. The End.Fuck The Informer play SLUG’s Localized Friday Sept.,12 at the UrbanLounge. All proceeds benefit Sean Henefer.(21) SLUG



(24) SLUGThe Chain ReactionBy Chelsea Babbishcbabbish@gmail.comWhen it comes to the freak bike/mutantbike/franken bike genre, tall bikes areking. A freak bike is any bicycle thatisn’t a normal bicycle and was built forfun. Most commonly they are madefrom recycled bicycle parts and includeswing bikes, tall bikes and choppers toname just a few. Lately tallbike sightings in Salt LakeCity are becoming morefrequent.Tall bikes date back tothe late 1800s. The mostfamous model, the GiraffeLamplighter’s bicycle, wasbuilt in 1898 by RecordManufacturing Company.Its seat was over seven feettall, and was used daily bylamplighters to light gasstreet lamps in Chicagoand New York City. Fromthe early 1900s up to theearly 1970s, tall bikeswere common in manylarge cities in the USA andEurope. In these placesthe tall bike was used inparades, circuses and evenfor casual uses and speed.The actual production on tallbikes seemed to fizzle outshortly after gas lamps werereplaced with electric onesand the smaller modernbicycle started to becomemore practical. In the 70sand 80s, tall bikes became somethingmade at home for fun. As sleek newtechnology in bicycles became thenorm, the tall bike became less commoneventually to the point of practicalextinction.Photos: Sam MiliantaThe tall bike’s recent popularity,however, was kick-started by the BlackLabel Bike Club in Minneapolis, Minn.Black Label, started by Jacob Houleand Per Hanson in 1992, was the firstofficial outlaw bicycle club with theirbest known chapter in New York City.Their DIY tall bikes were an immediatehit with industrious and light-heartedcyclists around the country and spurredmany other freak-bike clubs such asSCUL in Massachusetts, Rat Patrol in Chicago,Dead Baby Bikes in Seattle and C.h.u.n.k. 666in Portland and New York City. This summer agroup of freak-bike enthusiasts have been ridingin organized rides right here in Salt Lake City.Currently without a name of their own, but ridingwith others from the Salt Lake City BicycleBrigade, this SLC group of freak bikers are justin it for the DIY fun. Kemmer Evans, a Sandyresident and pioneer of the SLC tall bike group,started building tall bikes for just that reason.“I think that something that is that much funand doesn’t really cost anything will just keepcatching on. The bikes are recycled and thewelder is borrowed,” he says. Reasons for gettinginto tall bikes are similar across the board. “I hadto be a part of it,” says Mark Polichette, whomoved to SLC for work and school. Polichettebuilt his tall bike after meeting Evans and ridinghis. “After riding Kemmer’s bike and seeing thebikes he built I had to build one to show himup,” he says. Emeliniano Hidalgo, a SLC localand more recent tall bike convert, got into ridingtall bikes after Polichette let him ride his. “I wasscared to ride it at first, but once I got it I didn’twant to stop,” says Hidalgo. Earlier this summerthey built a new tall bike together for Hidalgo and he hasn’tlooked back. The chain reaction has just continued with Hidalgo.“When I let other people ride it they have fun and that’s the mainthing. That’s what we do,” he says.For Evans and the others, the DIY spirit involved in building tallbikes is a party all on its own. “There are so many ways you canpull from waste: exercise bikes, furniture… almost anything canwork,” says Evans. The basic tall bike is made by welding twoor more bike frames together. “I used two mountain bike framesand kept most of the mountain bike components,” says Hidalgo.Once the frames areattached, the drivetrain is extendedto meet it’s newelevated demands.Hidalgo explains:“The chain is fixed toone gear, but it stillhas a free wheel.”One of the greatestchallenges of ridinga tall bike is the factthat you can’t justput your foot downand stop for a periodof time. Hidalgo hasbecome a pro in thefew months he’s hada tall bike. “To stopI just hop off, but toslow down I do havea front break.” Oncemounted, the tall bikerides remarkably likea normal bicycle, butthe general publicdoes not treat it likeone.“When I rode my tenspeedaround peoplewould honk at me, yell at me to get out of the way or tell me toride on the sidewalk. When I’m riding my tall bike people actuallycheer me on and give me the right of way,” Hidalgo says. He,along with Polichette and many of the others, actually commuteto work (sometimes over two miles daily) on tall bikes. They alsoride in SLC cycling events and Hidalgo even entered an ally catstyle bike race on his and didn’t come in last!When he’s out riding, many people ask about Hidalgo’s bikeand he enjoys explaining it. “When people ask about it and ifthey can ride it I completely stop and help them ride it. They’realways totally amazed.” Evans says: “Sometimes people wanta practical reason for riding a tall bike. I mean, there really isn’tone. It’s just about fun.”To ride with other freak bike enthusiasts and join in on the fun,keep an eye on http://www.saltcycle.com where most of theplanned rides are posted.


(26) SLUGHandmade Limited Edition of 200

PrincessKennedyHello SLUG readers. I am your Princess Kennedy. I have recently relocatedto SLC from California where I’ve devoted the last 12 years of my life to theever-evolving club scene. I was involved in not only the San Francisco and L.A.scenes, but also in most of the large cities in the U.S. and Europe. Once, whileat a Dutch hot spot, shortly after dropping a tab of X, my host informed me thatthe Princess of Japan wanted an introduction. As she came closer I couldfeel the drug making me nauseous. My only escape was to turn and throw upin my purse. Most nights in Amsterdam were like that, and my Dutch clubbingexperience became kind of a blur.It tickles me absolutely fuchsia to be given the chance by SLUG to lend my voiceof experience and share a little night culture, both hither and yon, as seen throughmy heavily lashed eyes. My purpose is to expose the darker side, the underbelly,the backstage, the DJ booth and that swirling pulsating mosh we politely call thedance floor––as told by me, a ferocious, hot, tranny mess.On a recent trip to San Francisco I found myself reflecting on the differencesbetween big city nightlife and our own social standing. In such a diverse and chaoticworld, where do we stand? What do we need in order to grow? And finally where arewe going? Can we justify tolerating our peers that say they hate Utah and wish theywere somewhere else? I say, grow a set already and get away from your mommythen. Does bitching every week about the liquor laws get you through the day? It’sa moot point. We’ve been living with it for years. Nothing is going to change soon.Unless you’re in NYC or Las Vegas, liquor laws, last calls and alcohol content arevery similar throughout the county. Unless you plan on joining the coalition to changeit, SHUT THE FUCK UP and have a drink! Pour me one while you’re at it. What I writeis simply an observation. It’s for the bar patron, owner, promoter and DJ alike. Justmy opinion of what I observe. Take it at face value.The most common thing my friends say when visiting me here is how “cute” itis. Cute, huh? Not fierce or amazing, but I’ll take it. They see shops, galleries,fagadasheries and most creature comforts you’d find in any other metropolitan city.What surprises them most are the unfiltered freaks walking the streets. With sucha strong conservative set you’re bound to have the extreme opposite. SLC has thelargest number of tattooed and pierced people than any other city I’ve been to.We’re a defiant culture that refuses to be defined by worldly perception. We go at itwith a sledgehammer approach. Not only will I tat my body, but my face too! I won’tbe happy until I can get my fists thru my earlobes. “Very creative and artsy set,” my80 year-old Mormon mother would say. There are a lot of people marching to thebeat of a different DJ.Salt Lake has an unusually large amount of artisticyoung people. A trip down the TV dial reveals thatevery reality dance, singing, sewing or cookingshow is sporting the latest Mormon inspiration.We must face the fact that no matter how muchwe may hate our upbringing, it has made us whatwe are today––a large group of talented freaks withsomething to prove to the world, or at least to our stupidfriends in a dark bar.We literally have a handful of dance clubs to choose from here,albeit more than we’ve had to choose from inthe past. The megahosand bros sceneat the Ho-tel (Bro-tel?) and none ofus would go there anyway, so enough about them. Thenthere is the houseariffic/hipster clan at the W. The “lounge” is a surpriseany night of the week, but still has the house music edge and sadly we’re one ofthe last cities to have people still attending. If you’re still DJing house music, thenyou are like my sister who has had the same haircut since 1982 and still thinks it’shot. There is also the underage and goth damage set at Area 51. Cute as it maybe, Area 51 has two––count them two ––80s parties in one week. Is it still that coolor somehow even cooler again? 90s parties started five years ago in NY. Theconstantly changing and schizophrenic Trapp Door has the biggest party in townthrown by the fabulously arrogant DJ/DC. The clique and drag party “Gossip” atSound grows cliquier week after week. The boys at Bliss are trying very hard tobring you what no one else has: VIP tables, bottle service and the hottest staffaround. Come to their party conference Sodom and Gomorrah weekend tosee what the hubbub is about. The person throwing the hands-down best partyin town is Justin Strange and his filth-fest, Gutter Butter. Best music, bestcrowd and by far the best attitude. He does it for the right reason, the people...and it shows.Let’s talk about what club owner/promoters need to do to advance the scene.I challenge all promoters to raise the bar. Make your club better than the rest.If you’ve always wanted to have a “night” then by all means get out thereand do it. And remember to be nice on your way up because you’ll run intothe same people on your way back down. Some of the hottest things goingon in the club scene today are clubs within clubs, roving clubs, monthlyclubs in small spaces and cyber clubbing (which will be my next article).We need club royalty, go-go dancers and drink tickets. I don’t fucking careif it’s illegal, I spend too much time being hot to have to buy drinks. Weneed less drag queen lip-synchers and more performance artists. Hell,I’ll come to your club and fart in a mic and guarantee a better response.Think outside the box. Bubble-blowing midgets. Sod your dance floor. Geta trapeze artist. Do anything other then the obvious tiredness of a manin a dress giving you fierce Kelly Clarkson. Lastly… get online. Paris,Berlin and LA have the best nightlife in the world right now. See whatthey’re doing and steal every idea you can. We’re in a significant time ofchange. Tomorrow, Salt Lake will be the mecca of nightlife. Do you wantto help the change, or stay five years behind everyone else? Come onpeople––join the club revolution!(27) SLUG



ecause there was a dearth of venues for local bands to play and be heard.He recognized that if great musicians were going to come out of Provo, theyhad to have somewhere to cut their teeth and get their first break. Countlessbands have already held their first shows at Velour. Local Provo artist RyanNeely says, “Velour is a breeding ground for creativity; artists musicians,people who want a good city.”What Fox has done (and continues to do) for Provo’s live music scene, Pauloshopes to do for the art community. Using his desire to showcase Provo’sartistic and musical talent, Paulos and Matt Gifford put together the first SegoFestival in the summer of 2006.The keyword for the third annual Sego Festival is “cohesion.” As director ofthe festival, Amalia Smith is committed to making this an integrated art event.Planned as backdrops for the six music stages are five 12x6 canvases, eachpainted by a different local artist. Once night falls, video art created specificallyfor the event will be projected onto the stages and performers. Turrets andsmall rooms dot the grounds, each planned for a collaboration of art andmusic. For example, one room will be specifically designated for electronic/noise/dance music.Signaling a huge advancement in the prominence of this year’s festival,artists and musicians had to apply and were selected by a jury. There will be50 local vendors participating alongside booths of political and non-profitorganizations. There are a number of invited participants including Salt Lakebased art collective Project 337, headed by Adam Price. Graphic designerswill display posters of the performing bands—each designed individually forthem. Artists will make dioramas of their favorite bands to be placed at localbusinesses. Video artists will create 30-second footage that, as a unique artpiece, will be a commercial for the festival and then screened at the event.Advertising will combine traditional posters with a guerilla art marketingcampaign to increase visibility throughout the area.There have been many obstacles in creating and generating contemporaryart and music in Utah Valley. In response to the setbacks, Paulos and cohortshave found opportunities to push the envelope and build what others deemedperiphery. There is a growing trend throughout the valley to create a scenethat is closer to home. The Sego Festival is the apex of this movement and theturning point for music and culture in Utah County. The struggle to remain localis hard in any market as larger cities lure away many of the truly talented. A stillsmall voice has been whispering to these committed valley-ites, “if you build it,they will come.”(31) SLUGPhoto: Drew Taylor

(32) SLUGBy Fred Worbonworbon@slugmag.comJust so youknow, I hateOktoberfestat Snowbird.EverySeptember,possibly whilehigh, I get thisidiotic idea thatit might be funto drive up thecanyon, walka mile througha parkinglot, pass ahandful of crap-ass craft booths that I seeevery week at the Farmer’s Market, stand inline for an hour to pay $5 for a pint of the sameUinta or Squatters beer I have sitting in the fridgeat home, and then stand in another hour-long line forsome cafeteria-style knock-off of German food. By the time Isee the error I’ve made heading up there, I am too tipsy to botherwith any hiking, too drunk to buy any more beer, and ready to put agun to my head if I hear “THE FUCKING CHICKEN DANCE ONE MORETIME!!!!”And to top it all off, I have to get behind the wheel of a car andnavigate it down the hill with 5000 other assholes who have had twicewhat I had to drink. A big white tent, hash browns smashed flat as anattempt to make potato pancakes, a bad alpine slide, and booths sellinghemp bracelets is not a way to pay our respects to our Eastern Europeanancestors and friends.With the upcoming Oktoberfest celebration, I decided I would do mybest to point people to a place that served true Eastern European fairand beer that would please even the pickiest of German immigrants. TheBohemian Brewery occupies a log cabin-style building that has houseda number of restaurants and a ski rental place. I was convinced that thelocation was cursed because nothing seemed to last more than a yearor so there. It’s kind of an awkward location, being just off State Streeton 7200 South, surrounded by other dining gems like Hooters and ArcticCircle. Whenthey opened in2002, I figuredthis would justbe another lostcause … untilI went there forthe first time andrealized I hadfound a place runby people with analmost fanaticalapproach tobrewing beer.I figured theywould be so analand stubbornthat they wouldrefuse to fail. Ithelped that thefood was good,too. Six yearslater, it’s still onmy list of onethe few placesin the south endof the valley thatI like to frequent. For all you old mod kids out there,the Bohemian also has an amazing collection ofvintage scooters on their second floor for the publicto peruse. The people at the Bohemian take theirbeer seriously.They are one of ahandful of breweriesin the US that brewonly lagered beer tothe standard of theGerman purity law,which means it’s trueGerman beer. Theykeep their selectionslim but delicious,offering only fourbrews: The CzechPilsner, crisp andrefreshing; TheViennese Lager, rich and hoppy with a full body andclean finish; The Bavarian Weis, a traditional Germanwheat beer that is fruity and smooth; and my favorite, TheCherny Bock, a dark lager that is both malty and slightly bitter,but still lively with a hint of cocoa.The menu is a mix of pub-style food and traditional Czechoslovakiandishes. It has a decent selection of starters including chicken wings ($8),pub-style calamari ($9), and a roasted garlic bulb ($6) with toast pointsand a tomato basil tapenade. There are a handful of soups and salads($4-$10) a number of sandwiches including a garlic burger ($8) and whatcould be the best B.L.T ($7) I’ve ever had on homemade rye with a houseaioli. Entreés include pilsner-battered halibut and chips ($14), a goulash($11) with beef chunks in a sweet paprika sauce served with breaddumplings, a good selection of brick-oven pizza ($12-14), andschnitzel ($14).On my most recent visit, we opted for a seat on the patio—a shady spoton the west side of the building with a pergola overgrown with hops.We started with an order of garlic fries ($5). I ordered the pirogies andbratwurst ($13) with a pint of the Viennese Lager, as the menu suggested.My dinner was a behemoth plate of two large brats, succulent and rich,with pastry pockets stuffed with dill-seasoned potatoes and cheese andsweet sauerkraut with smoked bacon. My wife opted for the Provencal($12), a pizza withfresh tomato, goatcheese, olives,roasted garlic, freshbasil, onions andmushrooms and apint of The Weis.For dessert, we gotthe fresh raspberrydumplings ($5) with avanilla cream sauce.We left feeling full andcontent, our bellieswarmed by greatbeer and good food.Photos: Mitch AllenBohemian Brewery,94 E. 7200South, Midvale,801.566.5474,bohemianbrewery.com


WalkAll Over You:(34) SLUGThe New Pedestrian In TownBy Brian KubaryczIf you have attended recent gallery strolls, you mayhave been an unwitting—and perhaps unwilling—participant in modern dance. Since February, CorinneCappelletti has been leading a team of investigatorsknown as the New Pedestrian on monthly tours ofSalt Lake City. Clad in white union suits and equippedwith individual headlamps, these free-rangingresearchers make downtown their laboratory.A graduate student in modern dance, Cappelletti alsostudied anthropology and was trained in film, design,narrative theory and installation design. She alsodances and choreographs with local performancegroup GoGo Vertigoat. Through multiple disciplines,she examines not only human bodily movement, butalso its ritual significance and its engagement withsocial contexts. The New Pedestrian apprehends SaltLake City as a quasi-archeological dig site composedof multiple layers of cultural memory. “My interestis in place-formation andplace-identity,” Cappellettisays. “Main Street is asetting where we continuallyconstruct a public self.”Cappelletti’s statesthat she is inspired byanthropologists CliffordGeertz and VictorTurner. Turner’s notion of“liminality” shifts attentionaway from the presumedcenters of cultural life,directing it instead ontopoints of contact betweengroups, borders betweenthe inside and outside ofsocial spaces, momentsof communication and rolereversal between performerand audience. “Turneremphasizes the role of theparticipant-observer, thatthere must be empathybetween observer andobserved,” Cappelletti says.All of the dancing is “site-specific” for Cappelletti. Eachpiece is a singular individual, a “third space”—neitherours nor theirs—which comes into being only whenperformed in a unique location. Cappelletti’s work istheoretical and experimental, not merely because itlooks different, but because it manipulates and studiesemergent situations. “Theory for me means planningand practice is what happens when planning intersectswith lived life,” she says.Downtown Salt Lake (especially in its current disarray)first appealed to Cappelletti because it was a citywith an identify crisis. “It seemed to be an ‘empty city’without pedestrian traffic,” she says. Cappelletti’swork emerged as a reaction to this crisis. The NewPedestrian began because the community needed toreflect in a moment of major transition.Is the New Pedestian a family, a tribe, a clan, a bandor a pack? “We are a breed,” Cappelleti says, whichrhymes well her sense that the New Pedestrian is infact Salt Lake City’s creature. Demographically diverse,the group seems bound by the very question of itsown identity. Once a month their presence announcesto the community, “We are here. But why have yousummoned us?” And it asks, “Who do you need usto be?”Before each performance, the New Pedestrian worksout an “improvisation score.” This includes mappingmovements between bodies, plotting the generaldirection of total movement, setting up limitations andcontrols and allotting space for improvisation andchance. “Each site on our route involves a new score,a new set of directions and expectations created by adifferent dancer,” Cappelletti says, “We use a lot of if/then situations: someone stares at us while on a cellphone, we all pretend to talk back.” Scores include setresponses to cat calls and other unplannables, as wellas walking movements designed to hold together the“flock.” The dancers chain these elements into longersets, though the constant “scrambling” and “shuffling”of elements inevitably lead to chaos and requires theleader to “call flock” (bring the group to order again).Sidewalk culture is a two-way street, and the NewPedestrian’s provocationof unforeseeable eventshas elicited a wide varietyof responses. Cappellettienthuses when describing theNew Pedestrian’s popularitywith kids on Library Square.In the business district,however, reactions havebeen more hostile. Once,a corporate type, infuriatedat being taken over by theNew Pedestrian, lashed outat the dancers, striking onein the chest with his briefcase. “Yet we never set out tooffend anyone,” Cappellettiinsists. Certain dancersare even trained in conflictmanagement. Apparently, notall of Salt Lake has learnedthat being “called out” doesn’tneed to lead to fighting. Itcan also lead to dance. Godwilling, the New Pedestriancan teach us how.

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THE COMPLETE AND UTTER HISTORY OFBy Nate Martinnathancmartin@gmail.com“If it’s a sample of John Thursday she’s after, hishead is already up. I lay her skirt up to her belly andslip her pants down ...”~Under the Roofs of Paris, Henry MillerAround the time the U.S. army dragged a Unibomber-esqueSaddam Hussein mumbling from his rat hole in central Iraq,one would occasionally encounter Ryan Jensen wandering thewintry streets of downtown Salt Lake City wearing a solid blue T-shirtwith the word “VILE” embroidered in stark black letters where aminiature polo player might otherwise go. Jensen was often drunk,but a common theme among many of his distracted conversations inlate 2003 was a new project he was planning—something as epic inscope as it would be baffling in content—called Vile Blue Shades.His initial idea was to create a doppelganger band of his then-currentproject, The Corleones, which would consist of the same membersbut play art rock instead of punk. When none of the other Corleoneswere interested and the band seemed to be twitching out the last nervespasms of its generally self-destructive lifespan, Jensen elicited thehelp of Joe Guile and Dan Rose, whose schedules had been recentlyfreed by the break-up of their band, The Cronies. The germ began togrow, but slowly.If not for Jensen’s fortitude, the project would have been stillborn. He,Rose and Guile had grand aspirations and wanted more peopleto take part, but soliciting membership proved difficult. “We’dsensationalize it,” said Guile. “We’d be drunk at the bar andbe like, ‘Hey, we’re starting something new that no one’s everheard,’ and everybody was like, ‘Yeah, great, cool.Good luck.’”The earliest Shades demos, which the original memberspresented to prospective players, were not exactly accessible.Eli Morrison, an occasional Shades guitarist and integralbehind-the-scenes man, said, “On the original tracks, Ryanplayed all the instruments, sung, and done everythinghimself. It was cool, except he doesn’t know how toplay any instruments at all, except for tambourine. Sohe played drums and guitars and everything, and justbecause he didn’t know what he was doing, it madefor some really odd, crazy, strange stuff.”But the believers came. Jensen, Guile and Roserecorded a demo that would later become theband’s first official release, Dark Wizard. Theyused it to recruit guitarist Shane Asbridge (I AmElectric, Lazerfang) bassist Chris Murphy,and guitarist Justin Wyatt (The Corleones). Atthis point, the group was less of a band thanan idea—one that involved an open-doorpolicy under which anyone who wanted tocould play, and the conceptualization ofthree records: a Dungeons and Dragonsrecord (Dark Wizard), a drinking record(Bottle of Pain), and a sex record (JohnThursday’s California Adventure).The band obeyed a demandingpractice schedule—9 a.m.on Sunday mornings atthe Moroccan—andmembershipbegan to boom.“We’d make recordingsand demos, and we’d invitepeople in on them,” Asbridge said.“People were coming in and out while wepracticed—they’d come in and get their guitar,and maybe if we were doing something they wouldsit and make some noise, and then before you knew it,they started showing up on a regular basis.”Asbridge invited Dan Thomas, drummer for the Red Bennies andTolchock Trio, to join the band in 2005. “I don’t think Shane had toldanyone that he had asked me to play,” Thomas said. “I showed up atthe Moroccan one day and a few of the guys were wondering what Iwas doing there.”Morrison, who also plays guitar in The Wolfs and Ether, experienceda similarly casual initiation into the band: “I told them, ‘I’m totallyhooked on Dark Wizard. You guys have to let me play with you.’ I wasblown away because their answer was ‘That’s fine. We don’t care.’That really took me aback, because I was used to an answer to aquestion like that being ‘yes’ or ‘no.’ So I was like, ‘Well, that’s cool. Iguess if you guys don’t care, I guess I’ll be there.’”A slew of members accumulated. Jensen’s open-door policy, whichhe intended to encourage people to come and go, only workedhalf way.“Nobody left,” he said. “The revolving door just sort of stopped andeverybody piled in.”The group topped out at 13 musicians before they began firingpeople. Today, it consists of eight permanent players and twoalternates, all of whom are men, and dancer Meg Charlier—whose estrogen, according to Jensen, is potent enough tocounterbalance 10 times the testosterone.With a lineup larger than a manageable orgy, Vile Blue Shadesrumbled onto the scene. Writer Coleman Motley of the nowdefunctGray Matter Magazine reported in April 2005 that “VileBlue Shades have got scenesters, shut-ins, pansies, hard-asses,girls, boys, transsexuals, and everyone else who knows theirass from their elbow paying attention, whether they want toor not.” By this time, the Shades had officially released DarkWizard and recorded Bottle of Pain and Obleaske of the Orb,which came out in spring and summer 2005, respectively. Theyaccepted invitations to play live from any promoter or oddballcharity event that approached them, provided music for thesoundtrack to the 2005 documentary This Divided State, andinfected the western US with mini-tours whenever a dozenseparate work schedules permitted. In May 2006, they putout We’re Here, We’re High, the band’s first proper fullscalerelease.“The problem,” Morrison said,“was that the band had putout these records, but theyhad only issued them inreally, really low numbersof copies: 30, 20,a dozen. Theeditionswere(40) SLUG

preposterously low on those early titles. Like the Dark Wizard thing—itwas awesome. It came with this 28-page book and all this stuff, butthey only made somewhere between 25 and 30 of those records.”Morrison, a venerable veteran of facilitating local releases, took itupon himself to gather and combine the Shades’ three early albums,have them remastered, and re-release them in conjunction withPseudo Recordings in fall 2007. That disc, called Triple Threat, wasthe last anyone had seen of a Vile Blue Shades record … until now.Sometime in October, depending upon an array of confoundingfactors, Missoula, Mont., -based record label Wäntage USA willrelease a vinyl LP (with digital downloads) of the long-awaited VileBlue Shades sex record, John Thursday: California Adventure.The majority of the album’s music is imbued with funky dancegrooves. Eerie, airy ditties are interspersed throughout the A-side,but the second half consists almost entirely of tracks that will sexifythe listenership as much as freak people out.Jensen said composing the lyrics for an entire album aboutsex forced him out of his comfort zone—the realm of personal,debauched experience from which he has drawn material for theentirety of his vocalist career. For John Thursday, he had to create.“When I wrote Bottle of Pain,” he said, “I wasn’t trying to make upsomething. It was almost like diary writing. But when I was doingJohn Thursday, I was seriously trying to come up with fiction. I don’thave enough sexual experience to fill a fucking record. Are youkidding me? I’d have herpes by now.”For coital inspiration, Jensen turned to one of the most intenselypornographic pieces of literature from the 20th century: HenryMiller’s Under the Roofs of Paris. The novel is essentially one longjaunt through brothels and bars in the French capital. It’s guidedby “John Thursday,” the name by which the book’s narratorrefers to his own penis as he describes the vulgar and abnormalpenetration of dozens of Parisian women and their daughters.Jensen said his choice to portray sex in his lyrics as somethingprofane was the result of a familiar Utah upbringing under whicheverything sexual is unspeakable and downright dirty.“If it’s dirty, why exclude the dirt?” he said. “Sex is bad? Guess whatelse is bad: I’m going to stick it in your asshole. But don’t worry. I’mgoing to take it real slow. Oh. My. God.”The process of creating John Thursday accorded to the all-toocommonSalt Lake City trend of taking forever. Initial recording beganin early 2007 with former Shades guitarist and longtime Shadesproducer Jeremy Smith. It came to an abrupt halt, however, whenSmith, according to several band members, chucked his audiorecordingequipment out a three-story window. The band regroupedand approached local producer extraordinaire Jud Powell, whosemeticulous methods delayed the record’s release dramatically, butalso made it the best-sounding Shades effort to date.Enemies of the Shades complain that the group is a glorified hippiejam band in denial. While the concept behind John Thursday’s musicinvolved funky grooviliciousness from the get-go, members scoff atclaims that its sound defines them, and are planning a full-frontalonslaught of weirdness in their new material to silence the naysayers.“The whole idea for John Thursday was that it would be a dancealbum,” Asbridge said. “Now we have to get our weird back. We will.That’s in our nature. It was more out of our nature to do more funkystuff.”The band’s proclivity for the bizarre is a natural sum of its parts. Itsfounding fathers are all outcasts—addicted, as Jensen would say,to chaos. These tormented-poet types have attracted establishedmusicians who lend their considerable talents to the Vile vision, butlead otherwise normal lives. This dichotomy—between the freaksand the players—fuels the Vile Blue Shades machine.“Even when [the original members] are not as in control as theycould be, everybody else in the group is loyal to them,” Thomassaid. “It’s almost like working for a president’s administration—you’re going to be in some department doing something, andyou may not have oversight directly from the Oval Office, butyou’re going to adhere to a certain set of principles and ideas thatwould be consistent with what they want to do.”Armed with a new album, a new record deal, and under thebanner of “Bringing back the weird,” Vile Blue Shades marchesinto the future. One part concept, one part chaos, the swarthy 11-part apparatus will storm the experimental frontier and vanquishits foes: the normal, the boring, the benign. The secret to victory,however, lies not in grand designs or ideals, but in the quirkylittle nuggets that exist inside all of us.“The only way to create original art is to just be yourself,” Jensensaid. “There’s no one else like you, ever in existence. You areyou. That’s what I mean by bringing back the weird—just doingsomething your own. There’s nothing more weird than beingyourself.”Vile Blue Shades will headline SLUG Magazine’s Localized on Friday,September 12th at the Urban Lounge. Fuck The Informer andcomedian Travis Bird open the show. All proceeds benefitSean Henefer.VBS, Utah Art’s Festival June 2008.Photo: Ryan Powers(41) SLUG


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FreebordHaze 83www.freebord.comSweet SeptemberBoard Give AwayMuchrespect goes out to the newest type ofride out in the streets. The Freebord is exactly that. This skateboard-type deviceis exactly like a snowboard, but runs on cement instead. It has two customizablecaster wheels that pivot side to side, as well as gigantic trucks on theoutside of those that are used like the edges of a snowboard during a sweetlymade slash through pow (technical gnar gnar term, meaning soft snow or powder).What a coincidence that Freebord is based out of San Francisco wherethere are hills everywhere, but no snow. So forget your $700 lift pass and moveto San Francisco to get your swerve on. – Adam DorobialaVolcom ClothingButton Fly Chinoswww.volcom.comPhotos: Adam DorobialaI awoke. Slowly my eyes focus. I take inventory: two shoes, one sock, tornoff-white underwear, and Volcom Button Fly Chinos. These polyester/cottonblend pants are really comfortable. As soon as I put them on I want to skate inthem. They come in all sorts of colors, plaids and stripes. As I ollied over thepotholes in front of my eyes I wondered how pants so wonderful and comfortablecould even exist. They’re just that good. – Brodie Sampson5Boro SkateboardsCinco Barrios Skateboard Deckwww.5boro.comBy Dave Amadorpeterpanhandler@slugmag.comMark White and our friends over at DwindleDistribution have shitloads (boxes) of love forSalt Lake City. They decided one of you pissants should have a new Almost board anda DARKSTAR t-shirt. All you have to do is bethe first one to correctly answer these threequestions:1. Who is the former Powell Peraltaprodigy and pro-skater who runsDARKSTAR? Hint: He can do switch540s on mini-ramps no problem(backside and frontside) he also hasthe same first name as Wyatt’s bigbrother in the movie Weird Science.2. Should Adam Dyet cut off all of hishair? Hint: That shit takes like a halfbottle of shampoo to clean.Photos: Sam MiliantaLet’s start by admitting I’m very biased in writing this review. 5boro is, in myopinion, one of the few successful “grass roots” skateboard companies outthere. I’ve always liked 5boro and this board is no exception. This board hasit all: nice, clean shape, just the right amount of concave and a great graphic.It’s a bit on the wide side, but still flips great too. I took this board for a spin inmy neighborhood as soon as I set it up and had a great time. My dog lovesthis board almost as much as I do. – Sam Milianta3. Who is the newest DARKSTARprofessional rider? Hint: He is fromCompton, Calif. and has been shotin a drive-by shooting (he was aninnocent bystander of course)Send your answers to my e-mail address abovewith your name and telephone number. Winnerwill be announced in next month’s issue. Losersand those with incorrect answers will be shot onsight. Peace fools!(45) SLUG

(46) SLUGWords by Chris SwainstonBW photos by Adam DorobialaColor photos by Chris Swainstonchris@slugmag.comFirst things first––crack a beer. When skatinga mini ramp, having a frosty beverage in handis almost as essential as a board. The sessiondoesn’t feel right without one, it keeps you looseand smooth. Just sip it and rip it, then grabanother.Salt Lake City has always been riddled with miniramps. They’re just as much a part of the skatescene as street skating. You have to search themout just the same as any street spot, it isn’t alwaysyour best friend who builds one. Sometimesthere is security to deal with. However, you won’tneed to plead and bribe the guy for one more try.A simple 12 pack will keep you skating all night.Equitable to a good street spot, once word of aproper mini gets out, everyone wants to skate it.The owner becomes the skate world’s best friend.Everyone around them turns into a slobbery doeeyed-puppybegging for a turn on the ramp. I’vebeen daydreaming of having a backyard mini rampsince grade school, when all I did was hide TWSbehind my biology book and play Tech-Deck skatein English class. It’s the ultimate in limitless funsitting right outside your door.The best part about a mini is that no two rampsare ever the same. Some have kinks in thetranny, extensions, channel gaps, wall rides orlittle sections of pool coping. Each ramp offersa unique ride. Andrew Wilson used to havea three-foot mini sitting in his front room (nowthat’s what I call a home entertainment center)and nestled into a small Sandy garage therewas another three-foot mini with barely enoughroom to crouch from hitting your head. I thinkJason Gianchetta has had three mini ramps inPerfectly poised Ben Gustefson, frontside rocks

his skate lifetime, one of which was actuallyan eight-foot half pipe covered in plywoodonly, no masonite. Needless to say, thatramp didn’t see much shralping from me. JPWalker has a precious five-foot gem sittingin his backyard. I’ve been fortunate enoughto shralp it, but I’ve never even met the guy.That’s some serious generosity, letting peopleunknowingly skate your ramp when you’reprobably not even in the country. One of theall-time best mini ramps the Salt Lake Valleyhas ever had was the Binary ramp. Eventhough the ramp was a part of a skate park,for many of us (especially for those living downsouth) it was like a backyard mini where thedoors were always open for a skate session. Ifthey weren’t, we just unlocked them ourselvesand threw a party. Some damn fine after hourssessions went down at that place by leavingthe back door ajar. Brock Harris is a goodman for putting up with all of our breaking andentering just to get a couple extra hours ofshredding in.Enjoy it while you got it because nothinglasts forever. Ramps come and go as oftenas spots around the city get capped. Utah’sfierce weather conditions are murder to anyramp. Brutal desert sun bakes the wood allsummer long. When winter comes aroundsnow, sleet, ice and rain will penetrate deep intothe skeletal structure, warping and rotting thewood. Resurfacing a ramp and patching holescosts a pretty penny and takes precious time. Alarge tarp will help protect the ramp through theharsh winter season and surfacing a ramp withSkatelite rather than masonite, is probably thebest protection for an outdoor ramp. But atCaleb Orton gets a bean plant at 2a.m.after 10 hours of skating the trash pitand enough beer to drown an elephant.(above) King of the castle TullyFlynn, aka Ramp Monster, sits atophis throne awainting his next victim.(left) Very few have the skills tomake back rocks look this good.Dave gets tricky on the extension ofthis black pearl.(47) SLUG

Crack a beer...just sip itand rip it,then grabanother.Hession session, fs melon slashKordel Black splashingin from the high divetunesaround $150 a sheet, Skatelite isn’t exactly the most cost effectiveoption. The cheapest way around repairs is to just skate the ramp asis. If there is a blow out in the tranny you can crack front-side olliesover it, you might as well turn the hole into a bonus feature right? Afriend of mine once had the sketchiest mini of all time crammed intohis backyard. Coming in at about 12 feet wide, three feet tall and 10feet across, it was more like two Jersey barriers sitting face-to-facethan a mini ramp. There where huge holes in the transition and halfthe deck never got finished, so it was nice and treacherous whenyou slipped out and fell inside the ramp. Nevertheless, we alwaysskated the thing and had a damn fun time doing it.(48) SLUGBackyard thugs, Isaiah Behtail pops from the tin roof overEric Hesscool dudeC. Com fs boardWhen it comes down to it, having a mini ramp is the ultimate pipedream. From the very beginning when you can barely tic-tac and kickturn you start dreaming about having your own mini ramp. Every timeyou step foot into a new backyard that imagination skate brain takesover. Staring blankly at a wide open space only results in visionsof building a mini from the ground up … put it next to the garageand roll in off the roof, nose pick the fence, wall ride the tree, fuck itturn the entire yard into a mini ramp snake run. Everyone fantasizesabout building one, but few ever make that fantasy a reality. For thosedetermined few their backyard sessions are what dreams are madeof. If you haven’t had the chance to drop in on one of Salt Lake City’smany exceptional mini ramps, maybe its time to start building yourown.


Heikki Sorsa (Above) and Drew Fuller (Below), demonstrate theirsteeze on PCMR’s well-manicured jumps durring the filming of I RidePark City. Photos courtesy of PCMR.I Ride Park City FIlm Premier ReviewBy Helen Wade hwade1981@hotmail.comI Ride Park City had its world debut Tuesday, Aug. 26 at the bottom ofPark City’s town lift. It was a gathering of pros, bros, some hos, kids,parents, the rest of the snowboard community plus one drunken twostepping river dancer. I arrived to the screening area around 8p.m. withmy friends Chris Swainston and Cody Comrie, aka Lil’ Coco. Wefound a spot in the back and avoided the monotonous conversationsabout how the summer has been going and where we will be ridingthis season. If we had arrived a little earlier we could have stood in lineand gotten some autographs from some of the Park City All-Stars –unfortunately we didn’t. Saddened that we couldn’t get our t-shirts signedby Shaun White, Drew Fuller, Heikki Sorsa, Erin Comstock, ScottyArnold, Stevie Bell and some of the other pros we went to the back anddrank our sadness away. Around 9:30p.m. the flick started, I had to standon my chair to get a view. The opening shot was Shaun White slaying thehalf pipe.(50) SLUGI Ride Park City is a film by Jim Mangan and features some of the world’stop riders. There were some of the biggest boosts out of the pipe byShaun White, creative and on point rail tricks from Stevie Bell and AaronBittner and one foot and no foot tricks by Heikki Sorsa. The filming andediting was amazing—Mangan was able to get helicopter shots, followcams, pocket shots, poacher shots, sniper shots and about nine otherangles of all the riders. The riding was impressive, but not innovative. IRide Park City is a park video, so after about the tenth shot on the samejump it gets a little tiresome. With the resources that Park City has, Iwished they would have been a bit more creative with their jump set up.There were some interesting set ups in the movie, but nothing that Ihaven’t seen before. I really liked the quarter pipe transfer set up and thejump over the cabin, but I feel that there could have been more. Therewere a few ‘pow’ shots, but we all know Park City is not known for theiramazing backcountry. Ultimately, I Ride Park City is a great park video,but it just wasn’t unique.


Summer DetentionBy Adam Dorobialaadam@slugmag.comSo many stories could (and will) be told about what happened on this fine day, butwhat matters most is truth. If you were there, you got to see miracles unfold beforeyour eyes. If you weren’t, then I guess you should have entered. We all had fun – weall skated smart-wise and all are definitely part of the revolution. The captions willtell you everything you need to know. Talk to the guides. Recognize that this is howwe do it in SLC and right here is why we went back to school, back to detention,but most importantly, back to what skateboarding is all about: the only opponent iswithin. Welcome to the future … now.Skate it how you see it. A youngMoses Sanchez look-a-like front 180sover the 8-rail. -C.Swainst photo-Five guides (Isaiah Beh, Tully Flynn, KendallJohnson, Eric Hess, Dave Law) each tookseven kids on a downhill journey through the Uof U, sessioning three undisclosed spots. Thisflat gap was the first stop. Hopefully everyonegot some high-speed warm up ‘cause this is noshort leap. Check the dirt scattered across thelanding from those who needed one extra push.Justin Wallace (above) had the speed, flyinghigh with a kickflip melon. Brody Penrod (left)reaches out for the catch on a 360 flip and KevinHutson (below) gets a N.B.D. (never been done)nollie inward heelflip. -Weston Colton photo-The last stopturned into quitethe spectacle.Some 40+ peoplegathered aroundto watch kidscarcass-huck the8-rail. -Sullivanphoto-Its just not street skating if the cops don’t showup. Mid bench session, everyone scatters toevade campus police. -Sean Sullivan photo-(52) SLUGKevin did some amazingtricks without much thoughtat all. This is about as casualas you can get for switch F/Sheelflip. -Sam Milianta-

Brody Penrod gotbeastly on this handrail.I heard somebody askhim later what he didand he said he didn’treally land anything.Pictures don’t lie.-Sam Milianta-Skateboarding has alwaysbeen about progression andpushing boundaries; that’swhy we took it to the streets– keeping it rugged and raw.No permits, no permission,just skateboarding. (below)this little homie pushes hisown limits, boardslidingthe biggest rail he’s everjumped. -C. Swainst photo-After all the groupsfinished skating all thespots, their guidesrolled them over to2nd south for a hillbomb into the city andthe afterparty at Fice.Product flew high,the BBQ sizzled andgame after game ofskate flicked awayto the beats of DJSUPerb. -AdamDorobiala photos-nollie flip back 50 the benchnollie inward heel the gapnollie 5.0 the rail3rd place?All the spots were thoroughly sessioned, everyonescattered like roaches in the light when the bopperstried to roll on us, blood was shed, bones werebroken, new tricks were stomped. We pushed thelimits in all directions. Keep shredding the streets,SLC. We’ll see you next summer for anotherSummer of Death.Golden Boy: Kevin FedersonSteely Dan: Brodie PenrodSnake Rider: Kevin HutsonTrickster: Kevin HutsonBone Crusher: Jon HogansonAnyone who witnessed the technical skills of Kevin Federson at the benchlineknows he’s on the gravy train to success. -Sean Sullivan photo-Spill the blood – a judge and a guide reptheir scars and road rash with passion.-Sam Milianta photo-(53) SLUG

An Extended Stay Inthe Subconscious:A Week Long Deja VuBy Adam Dorobialaadam@slugmag.comSan Francisco is one of the meccas of the skateboarding world. I was luckyenough to stay in the Mission District for a week with some good family andgot to skate some of the most amazing spots the city has to offer. It’s a placewhere good things are always happening and is filled with some of the kindesthearts ever (which is probably why Bob Marley called it Rainbow Country).It was worth every moment, even with the nineteen-hour train ride to get there.Seriously, Amtrak knows how to have a good time while traveling. Anywho,here are some photos of experiences I got to see while I was lapsed outastral-wise from Salt Lake.Mellow Jay, BluntedPhotos: Adam DorobialaJimmie, Danny and Billy entranced by the Widelux(54) SLUGJimmie cold chillin between spots


Photos: Courtesy of JamillaBellyography: JAMILLABy AstaraThe red rocks of Moab are alive with the sounds of Middle Eastern drums,dancing, zils and zagarheets. It’s all because of one amazing, energeticand creative woman, Jamilla. The fourth annual Tribal Sands, Belly Danceand Drum Festival runs September 19-23, in Moab, and it is rapidly becomingthe belly dancing event of the summer! This year’s performers includeKami Liddle, Anita of Fat Chance, Amy Sigel of Unmata, Fvorboda ofDragomi, and music from What It Is from Texas and Azul Salvaje fromCanada.“I want Tribal Sands to be more than just performances and workshops. Iwant it to be an opportunity for dancers to get together and talk, laugh andrelax. A retreat. I want it to be a retreat where everyone has fun,” Jamillasays.The granddaughter of a Spanish Basque gypsy, Jamilla’s love of organicdance comes naturally and genetically. Originally trained in classical ballet,she was hooked on Middle Eastern dance after watching her sister bellydance. Jamilla moved to San Francisco to study with Jamila Salimpour,and later saw Fat Chance and studied with Carolena Nerricchio.“I love the cues and transitions of Fat Chance. I like to fuse it with otherdance style moves. I have things to say through my dancing. I expressmyself through dance. Dancing is my form of prayer.”While going to school and living in Logan in 1997, she started a troupecalled Mountain Veils. Jamilla moved to Moab and started Desert Veilsin 1999. Today they are a very successful and popular dance troupethroughout Utah and Colorado. Jamilla is the director, choreographer,costume designer and seamstress of Desert Veils.“I started Desert Veils in 1999, and I still have my original members, likeJana Wilson. You know who is going to take their dancing seriously, becausewhen you are dancing at this level, you have to be serious. I teachtwo classes a week, and I have mothers, daughters and grandmothers alltogether as students,” she says.Jamilla is truly a child of nature. She responds instinctively to the naturalforms and energy of the desert, where she creates most of her choreography.She is inspired and creatively energized by the landscape aroundMoab. It isn’t unusual to see her dancing amongst the red rocks at sunset.“Some of us don’t write or sing, but through our bodies we can tell the truthof our lives. Belly dancing is a way to tell our stories and the stories of ourancestors. Even if you are in a troupe with 20 other women, you can still tellyour own story. Every undulation, every body wave is a new page to passon to daughters and granddaughters. I want to make people think andfeel. I want them to feel the ancient sisters dancing through us. I want myaudience to know that we are all in this together,” she says.Find out more about Desert Veils and Jamilla at www.desertveils.org.For information regarding Tribal Sands, visit http://www.desertveils.org/2008festival.htm.(57) SLUG

September Gallery StrollBy Mariah Mann Mellusmariah@slugmag.comIt’s funny how you can feel summer ending––the temperature cools, aswift breeze reminds us that leaves are changing and will soon fall to theground and fall and winter ale goes on sale. In Utah we host Oktoberfestin August––another reminder that if you blink you can miss a wholeseason.This month’s Gallery Stroll picks are inspired by the past, present andfuture.Artist Garrett Loesch looks to the future and leaves all his formal trainingbehind in search of lost things waiting to be found on his daily journeys.“It’s hard to pinpoint what inspires someone to do something––I’ve beendoing a lot more walking lately, which has been a real eye opener. I havealways embraced the unknown, and wandering is a little extension ofthat,” he says. On his daily walk-a-about, random objects whose capacityand purpose do not unfold until further inspection and contemplationinspire Loesch. Leaving inspirational materials up to fate can make fora synergetic experience. “My thoughts have been focused on beinghumble and listening for my brain to realize the moment.” Look forsomething old, something new, something…you know what I mean. Inmore general terms, look for a new purpose in everything with Loesch’sfound object assemblages at nobrow Coffee (311 E Broadway) onSeptember 19th.Somewhere between the past and present, in the corners of my dustyand sometimes rambling mind, I have realized why fall is so excitingduring Gallery Stroll. I can now enter some of my favorite galleries withouta sweat rag, but even more importantly, it’s the biannual Equinox Showat Poor Yorick. Local artists and Poor Yorick landlords Brad and TracySlaugh have been sweeping out the dust bunnies and challenging artiststo put down the brush, clean up the paint and invite the public to viewthe fruit of their summer labor. With live music, hearty refreshments, openaccess to over thirty local artists and no cover charge, there is absolutelyno reason to miss it. The studio will open on Friday, September 26 from6pm – 10pm and Saturday, September 27 from 1pm -5pm. Poor Yorick islocated on 126 W Crystal Ave. (2550 S).Now to the present––Present Tense that is. If you haven’t already seen thePresent Tense: Post 337 Project show featuring the work of over 25 of theoriginal 140 artists who worked on the 337 building, then you are missinga piece of Salt Lake history. Building owners Adam and Dessi Price’sgift of temporary space to local artists hosted nearly 10,000 people in itsoriginal six days. It united 140 artists, arranged the post 337 show andmade the name 337 Project synonymous with Utah’s urban art scene.It is inspiring and I haven’t even touched on the video documenting theoriginal building and its demolition. Come and feel the energy first hand.The show is hosted at the Salt Lake Arts Center (20 West Temple) andcloses on September 27th. For more information about the show andcorresponding film times visit slartscenter.org.For you artists waiting to be discovered in the future, The Utah ArtsCouncil is accepting applications for the 2009 Visual Arts FellowshipProgram until Thursday, September 18, 2008. This competition annuallyawards two $10,000 fellowships to Utah artists in order to encourageartistic development and the advancement of their careers. Artists workingin crafts, drawing, mixed media, painting, photography, printmaking andsculpture are eligible. Artists working in media outside the above listedcategories may still be eligible and are encouraged to consult the UtahArts Council Visual Arts program. For application materials and questionsregarding the fellowship program, contact Lila Abersold at 801-533-3581or labersold@utah.gov. Information can also be found online at:arts.utah.gov.(58) SLUGDon’t wait for art to find you, go out and find it!

BEER-BEER-BEER-REVIEWS-REVIEWS-REVIEWS-REBy Tyler Makmelltyler@slugmag.comIt’s already Septemberand slowlygetting colder. I’mnot about to breakinto a full, stoutdrinkingfrenzy, butI will drink its closelyrelated brother, theporter. Historically,the stout and theporter were knownas the same thing.The darker versionwas thought as a“stout porter,” whichhas slowly beenbastardized overstime to be knownjust as a stout. But inthat bastardization,we have been ableto develop some unique variations tothe style––giving us some pretty gnarlybeers. The standard porter is a lightbrown to dark brown in color, often withruby highlights. Much like the flavor,the aroma is malt-forward with roast,chocolate and some caramel, nutty,toffee-like characteristics.King’s Peak PorterBrewery: UintaAbv: 4%Average Price: $7.99 / Six-PackServing Style: 12 oz BottleRating: ****½Description: Kings Peak pours a deepbrown with amber highlights and athin, off-white head. There is a deeplyroasted taste with hints of chocolate,coffee and soft hop bitterness. Thisbrew finishes quite dry.Overview: Named after King’s Peak(the highest point in the state of Utah),this beer has stood its ground innumerous competitions. Although it’sbeen entered as a schwarzbier, thisbrew is versatile and good for almostany occasion. For those of you whoenjoy drinking beer while eating, let merecommend that this guy goes greatwith most grilled meals and Germancuisine.Where to Find: It’s commonly foundat most grocery stores in sixers, on tapat The Bayou and is proudly served atSLC Derby events.Polygamy PorterBrewery: Utah Brewers Cooperative/ Wasatch BeersAbv: 4%Average Price: $7.99 / Six-PackServing Style: 12 oz BottleRating: *** ½Description: A dark pour with rubyhints, this guy puts off a decent, pillowlikehead with some soft lacing aroundyour glass. The aroma is ample in yourtypical roast with a touch of coffee andcaramel/chocolate poking their waythrough. The taste supplies a prominentamount of roasted malts coupled withlight chocolate and caramel. This beerhas a lighter body and dry finish.Overview: I don’t think it would be appropriateto do a porter review withoutincluding Polygamy Porter. This flagshipbeer for Wasatch Beers has beentime-tested and people keep askingfor more. Not to go unnoticed, thisbrew recently took two major awards.It received silver medals in the brownporter category by the World Beer Cupand the North American Brewers Association.All in all, I suggest giving thisclassic brew a shot.Where to Find: It’s found at almostevery grocery store and has made itsway into The Bayou and Wasatch Pub.Rockwell PorterBrewery: Hoppers Bar &GrillAbv: 4%Average Price: $ 3.75/PintServing Style: On TapRating: ***Description: This brew pours a deepbrownish color and puts off a softcreamy head. Aromatics of roast with ablend of toffee and chocolate ease youinto a mouthful of a pretty decent brew.With a malty backbone, this guy has thequalities of your standard porter—roast,chocolate and toffee. It finishes dryand is a touch stronger in body than Iexpected.Overview: This beer is another decentbrew from the fellas at Hoppers. Thisbeer is a quality prospect if you arelooking for something true to thestyle. This guy would go killer with anybarbeque dish or a dessert if you arefeelin’ crazy. I wish I had one in myhand right now.Where to Find: This beer can only befound on tap at Hoppers Bar & Grill.Here’s a little tip for you craft brewdrinkers that enjoy supporting the localbeer scene. In the upcoming months,breweries will be getting prepped fortheir entrances in the Great AmericanBeer Festival. What that means for youis that you need to get your ass downto all of our finest breweries and catch asampling of limited release brews onlyavailable to us Utahns.(59) SLUG

(60) SLUGAsk For The FutureAnother Love EPSelf-ReleasedStreet: 07.11Ask For The Future = Fountains OfWayne + The Starting LineSure it might sound like anotherradio-rock album that is not worth yourtime, but hear me out on this one––it’sgood. Ask For The Future may be apop/rock band, but they’re a damnfine pop/rock band. Former Larussofront man Sam Sorenson founded theband and has really found his nichein this new project. The group has amuch more mature sound and evenfinds time to poke fun at their emocounter-parts when they sing “Oy, oy,sensitive boys!” They’re fun, catchyand—something becoming increasinglyrare in the genre—smart. This EP is ablast. I can’t wait to get my hands on afull-length album. –Kat KellermeyerChaz PrymekBicycles & BreakfastSelf-ReleasedStreet: 08.01Chaz Prymek = Iron & Wine - vocals+ Andres SegoviaBicycles and Breakfast is a followupto Prymek’s Everything Is Wrong,Everything Is Fine, and is music to myears. Prymek could not have chosena better title to describe the pleasantfeeling that overcame me when I leanedback, closed my eyes and listened. It’sthe little things that make this albumreally tick, like the shattering glass inthe background of “To Kill A Man WithTwo J’s In His Name” intermingled withtrumpets and of course, the prominentguitar that sweeps over everythingtoward the end of the song. Like theformer album, Bicycles and Breakfastis mainly instrumental, except for the“secret” track of the album. Another bonusis that each album cover is uniqueand hand-drawn, so no two covers arealike. Bicycles & Breakfast enters a newrealm of experimentation and beautythat’s not easy to find these days. –ErinKelleherElizabethan ReportHola MaySelf-ReleasedStreet: 03.08Elizabethan Report = The ChiliPeppers’ Guitar + The StrokesWhen I first hunted down ElizabethanReport on the Internet, I was impressedby the band’s uninhibited and energeticstage presence. Even when I wasn’tsure their sound was really my bag,I knew I’d have a blast at one of theirshows. On their five-track EP, themixture of fast funk, stand-up-and-jumprock and various noise-making devices(think trashcan lids and toy pianos)could have easily yielded a discordantmish-mash. But these Provo nativesaren’t sneezing all these soundstogether at random. The various influencesare tightly wound together andproduce an intentional feeling of somethingloose and hectic. I make it soundcomplicated, but it’s not. It’s feverish,protean stuff done well. Guitarist SpencerPetersen cites Primus and TheStrokes among his musical influences,but I say his riffs smack of older, lessmelodic Chili Peppers. Either way, theband’s melodies are great – lively andcatchy without drowning out the lyricsor percussion elements. They’re committedto the sound, and their energyand enthusiasm definitely grows onyou. Elizabethan Report was recentlyselected to play at the NAMU Festival inPittsburgh, alongside Bob Dylan andThe Roots. This is a big deal for anylocal band, and I wish them the best ofluck. –Jesse HawlishJosh WaldronThe Night I DiedSelf-ReleasedStreet: Fall 2008Josh Waldron = Goo Goo Dolls+ Keith Urban + DDT + Ringside+ Nickleback + Garth Brooks +Steven SegalI’m no psychologist, but it seems thatJosh Waldron may suffer from multiplepersonality disorder. This album flipflopsmore times than Cybil. First hethinks he’s in a mariachi band andbefore you know it, he’s part of the GooGoo Dolls. I leave the room for oneminute, come back, and he’s GarthBrooks. Am I still listening to the samealbum? I think I even heard a little froman 80s Russian band my dad used toplay. I ran out of room trying to list andkeep track of the many sounds (andpersonalities) Waldron threw at me.It’s good to have variety, but for God’ssake, keep it consistent. Okay, somaybe there is one consistent aspectof this album. It’s Waldron’s whispy,harsh, “I’m trying to sound deep andpassionate” voice. –Lyuba BasinKill Everyone NowNovember 2007 RecordingsSelf-ReleasedStreet: 11.26.07Kill Everyone Now = Eugene Hütz +The SonicsI enjoy the occasional garage recordingas much as the next SLUG staffer, andlistening to Kill Everyone Now’s tracksremind me of just why I appreciatemost start-out rock bands and theirgrowth that occurs early on. This duotakes the DIY ethic seriously, and itshows. They also use a bit of Portuguesein their lyrics, which is notable,and their lyricist, Felipe Bueno hasan accent that transfers well to audio.When dealing with garage recordings,we ultimately face the nastiness andimportance of a click track. Note to thislocal band’s drummer––unless you’reNeil Peart, you need a click. Note tothis local band’s singer––ultimately,there is only so much protesting about“art” that can be made when your mediumis constricted by vocals peakingout with every other word. Book somestudio time, dudes. –JPMadraso/BlackholeSplit 7”Pseudo RecordingsStreet: 07.08Madraso + Blackhole = Just pickthe damned thing up, already.Now this is a welcome listening experience.SLC’s Blackhole and Portland’sMadraso each offer up one song onthis bit of vinyl heaven (the one theysent me was on clear orange wax).Reviewing 7”s kind of sucks becausethey’re so short, so I’ll keep this reviewthe same. A perfect pairing of awesomeno-bullshit rock bands, Madraso’s“Daisy Cutter” harkens back to heavyrock offerings of the late 80s and early90s, but without being even remotelyclose to a ripoff. Plus, they bring theirown brand of “heavy.” Blackhole’s“81s” is an awesome two-bass attack,heavy enough to give you a bangover,but groovy enough to hit the bong. Allin all, a worthwhile release. –GavinHoffmanMonorchistDQ’DSelf-ReleasedStreet: 09.03Monorchist = The Gits + SkintYou have to give respect to Monorchist.This band drops straight-up garagerock that is so unpretentious andunpolished that it sounds like you’reright in the middle of one of their bandpractices. Hating on it is next to impossible.The female vocals provided byKourtney Farnsworth are (handsdown) the most impressive part of theband’s radical sound. This recordingis raw. The album artwork featurescolorful illustrations by Tony Poulsen.The dog show entry form included inthe CD booklet is a nice touch. Hadthis band existed back in the early 90s,they would have ruled the world. –JonRobertsonNegative ChargeSelf-TitledSelf-ReleasedStreet: 04.01Negative Charge = EndlessStruggle + The Fictions + TheUnseenAlthough Negative Charge have beentogether (in some form or another)since 2005, it’s probably a good thingthat they waited until now to releasetheir debut album. After opening formany decent punk bands here in SLC(Street Brats, Lower Class Brats, FuneralDress, GBH, The Casualties,etc.) and a plethora of lineup changes,

Negative Charge finally seem to haveperfected their sound. Not bad for aband who was resurrected from theashes of other SLC street punk bandsthat are long gone. Andy Pattersonrecorded the band’s debut release andthe sound quality is superb. However,like many punk bands, the realpower of the music is found in the liveperformance. That being said, out-ofstatefans should rejoice for their abilityto pick up a street punk album thatdoesn’t suffer from the pitfalls of DIYrecording. (In the Venue 09.17, Burt’s09.25) –Jeanette MosesSheeprizerMy Big House100 Zero RecordsStreet: April 2008Sheeprizer = Bob Log – slide guitar& vocals + Pelican – all soundproduction + Stevie VaiI will always have a deep admiration formulti-instrument musicians. Sheeprizeris a pretty standard hard rock setupby a man known as Butt Socrates,consisting of basic distorted guitars,drums and no vocals. Therein is myproblem. After the first few tracks, youget the general idea and can probablyfigure out how the rest of the album willflow. Aside from the last song, whichdeviates greatly from the formula, therearen’t any surprises or, frankly, any interestingmoments. The song structuresare fairly standard, and all of the songsdesperately need something more thanwhat is delivered here, whether it isvocals, or just some actual exploration.DIY releases at their core are endearingand exactly what rock and roll shouldbe—that is why I love them. Unfortunately,this really feels like a set ofraw guitar tracks for a drummer to laydown the beats for a recording exceptthe drum tracks are there too. Mr. ButtSocrates, you have the potential to domuch, much better. –Conor DowSome BeastsSelf-TitledSelf-releasedStreet: 04.01Some Beasts = Caspian + Akron/Family — vocalists + organicsoundsA nostalgic tinkering oxf an orchestralkind, this album is bursting withdelectable sounds. From tambourinesto pots and pans to castanets todelayed acoustic guitars, the musicis extremely varied and colorful. Theenergy that is channeled throughout thealbum is of such a marvelous kind thatit’s almost hard to believe. Although itis an instrumental work, each song’stitle gives the listener just enough of anidea to make each track a picturesquelittle world of its own. From the damp,rainy perception that “Some Days AreWet And Green” produces to the feelingof lounging near the French Riviera in“In Tangier,” the listener is taken ona mindful journey that encompassesmore senses than just that of hearing.This album seems to have appearedout of nowhere one early-springafternoon when Some Beasts’ onlymember, Jordan Badger, decidedto self-release this splashy whirlwindbefore jetting off to unknown territories.–Erin KelleherThe Tenants of Balthazar’sCastle3 DreamsAmerican West Freedom SocietyPressStreet: 06.03The Tenants of Balthazar’s Castle =Eliane Radigue + Zeljko McMullenThe Smash BrothasBout Damn TimeSelf-ReleasedStreet: 08.07The Smash Brothas = SwollenMembers + Jedi Mind Tricks +Aquemini-era OutkastHip Hop is not dead in Utah. Reports ofits death have been greatly exaggerated.The crews around here should startpaying attention, or at least start buyingbeats from the laundry list of producersand DJs that The Smash Brothas utilizeon their latest release. These songs arenot only varied in their style (rangingfrom slow, down tempo jams to excitedsample-heavy bangers), but they havecompetent rhymes as well. Insightfultracks like “More Moes,” a trackabout people who eat “green Jell-Owith carrots” and who “control theschools, control the media, business orreligion cuz it’s getting much greedier”delivers some scathing criticism of thepopular culture in the area. “Rappers”is another notable track that educatesby breaking down the nomenclaturebehind “rappers” and “MCs.” And if youdon’t know the difference, perhaps theBrothas can school you. —JPMichael Biggs’(aka The Tenants of Balthazar’s Castle)music requires patience, but thatpatience is rewarded with intrigue.Divided into three movements, Biggsstarts the set with “Room (Dream),” afairly grumbling, sometimes explosive,sub-frequency driven mix of oscillatedgestures and reedy snippets. As thepiece progresses, Biggs guides hisbass tones into a solemn, yet surging,ostinato (sounding much like a gearshiftingvehicle) before pulling the floorout and exposing even lower rumbles.Softer still, “City Dream” just occasionallywiggles, tremolo guitars striking atintervals to break up the stirring roomnoise. For the aptly named “ValleyDream,” Biggs creates a pastoral blendof just-before-the-dawn, field-recordedambience with his clarinet set onfeedback delay, carefully calling hisensemble home in the distance as thedisc dies out. It’s a terrific balance oforganics and mechanics.–Dave Maddenseanhennefer.comIn May 23rd 2008, Sean Hennefer wasdiagnosed with Follicular LymphomaCancer shortly after his 31st birthday.Sean has spent most of his life helpingothers in need, working with the elderly,and as a private aide for those that couldnot afford other means of health care.Due to this fact, his employers were unableto provide Health Insurance. NowSean is the one in need.contact@KeepSeanAlive.comkeepseanalive.com(61) SLUG

(62) SLUGGuitar Hero MobileActivision/Hands-on Mobile12.20.07We love rhythm games, don’t we? Whether it’sRock Band or Guitar Hero, we’ve got it on everysystem it comes on, every sequel and everyavailable song downloadable online. Life is good.But wouldn’t it be better if you could take it withyou? All the glory of Guitar Hero available at yourfingertips, anytime, anywhere, on your cell phone?Sounds too good to be true? Well, you’d be right.The game boasts that it has fifteen tracks, all takenfrom the game, and will continue to add threesongs to your phone each month! It boasts thatthis newest port has stayed true to the sourcematerial and brings you the best mobile experienceyet. So I finish the download, settle into my chairand get ready to rock out on my phone. That’swhere everything goes south. I pick my character,but unlike Guitar Hero, this version of Judy Nails isa single animation that just repeats itself over andover. That’s okay, I can overlook this. I decide toplay through on easy, get the feel for the game onmy Blackberry. I select a track by Santana, andget ready for the song to start. Then the musicstarts to play.Then it dawns on me: I’m listening to a poorly contrivedmidi version of “Black Magic Woman,” andplaying notes that barely go along with the rhythmof the annoying beeping coming out of my phone.Whatever. Medium difficulty will at least be fun.Wrong. Even on the billion-keyed phones of theday, the game is tied down to a three-key set thata monkey could master within two minutes. Buteven with all these flaws, you won’t be able to putit down. If you can stomach all the short-comingshere, you’ll probably end up liking this game. Evenif you don’t like it, you’ll still play it. I mean, it isGuitar Hero. –Kat Kellermeyer2 out of 5 poorly-placed “Star Power” buttonsLost: Via DomusUbisoft MontrealPC, Xbox 360, PS302.26.2008Anyone addicted to the television equivalent ofmeth known as Lost is going through some seriousoff-season withdrawals. Fortunately for you, theproducers decided to develop the video gameLost: Via Domus instead of getting a head start ona script for season five. Finally you can fill that voidin your life. Well, sort of.For all its good intentions, Via Domus goes theway of most movie/TV game translations. Anygamer knows this never ends well. You play as an815 crash survivor who has lost his memory, andwhat’s worse, he’s being harassed by some guywho wants him dead. All your favorite charactersfrom the show are here, but as pretty as they look,you might as well be talking to a cardboard cutout.The gameplay and controls are clearly designed tobe accessible to non-gamers, which is what makesthis so damn frustrating: it’s not accessible. Mostof the time you’ll want to hit something with yourcontroller. The gameplay is static and repetitiveto boot.On the plus side, Losties can visit all their favoriteplaces from the show, from the Black Rock tothe Hatch. You’ll even get to face off against thesmoke monster and a ghost girl from our namelesshero’s past, both of which deliver more than theirshare of “Oh, shit!” moments. Additionally, thestoryline is everything you’d expect from the series.While it won’t tell you where they moved the island,you’ll get some interesting information. If you’rereally paying attention, you might even end up withsome answers. And, of course, it wouldn’t be Lostwithout an ending that makes you feel like someonejust raped your brain. Definitely worth a playif you’re a Lost fan with a lot of patience, but non-Losties won’t be missing much. –Kat Kellermeyer2 out of 5 time-traveling bunniesS.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow ofChernobylGSC Game WorldPC03.20.2007My interest in S.T.A.L.K.E.R. was sparked by mylove of post-apocalyptic scenarios and becausethe game takes place in the urban explorer’s wetdream, Chernobyl. Here you have the opportunityto explore 30 square kilometers of the famed northernUkrainian zone where the Chernobyl NuclearPower Plant famously exploded in April of 1986.The city of Prypiat remains dilapidated and abandoned,the Red Forest is still thriving with radiation,resulting in dangerous mutants who lurk about,and it is up to you to explore the area, discoveryour identity and survive. The game has severaltypes of enemies to be wary of, the aforementionedmutants and zombies, as well as the Ukrainianmilitary and several factions of treasure hunters,bandits and mercenaries. You can befriend andwork with some factions, while others will be yoursworn enemies until the end.The combat is fairly standard for FPS, and thoughit starts off rather slowly, eventually you’ll find asemi-automatic weapon and can be just as deadlyas your foes. Later, you can also fight along whicheverfaction you befriend, and go toe-to-toe againstthe opposition, which makes for good play aswell as a high potential to find fantastic weaponryand armor. Though this game is a “sandbox” FirstPerson Shooter, it has many RPG elements aswell. As mentioned earlier, you can explore a largeportion of the Chernobyl area, and with explorationcomes item gathering, weapon upgrading andartifact finding. Artifacts and items can be tradedfor money or other items.This game has some minor bugs, and is a bit ofa diamond in the rough until you install the patchupdates. If you’re a fan of FPS games with RPGelements such as Deus Ex, System Shock or evenBioshock, S.T.A.L.K.E.R. just may be right up youralley. Since the developing group is from Ukrainethemselves, you’ll be hard pressed to find anotherChernobyl experience that is at all comparable.The follow up, S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Clear Sky comes outthis fall and promises to be just as fantastic as theoriginal. –Conor Dow4.5 out of 5 radiated mutants


(64) SLUG31KnotsWorried WellPolyvinyl RecordsStreet: 08.1931Knots = Portugal. The Man +Of Montreal + DragonForce - thefantasy metalThis album possesses a few goodaspects, but as a whole, it falls short.The songs start off quite well but driftinto uneven chaos by the time they’refinished. Even if you’re a fan of theband and their former albums, thisone doesn’t live up to them. It seemslike 31Knots worry more about theirimage than the music they’re trying toplay. The piano pieces and guitar riffstrickled throughout this album do makeit an interesting listen, and sometimesthe off-key vocals really work (“StrangeKicks” is a perfect example of that),but for the most part, the album is jerkyand lacking in overall elements. –ErinKelleherThe Acacia StrainContinentProsthetic RecordsStreet: 08.19The Acacia Strain = Bloodhasbeenshed+ The Red Chord + MeshuggahThe Acacia Strain is one of those bandsthat I’ve known is out there, but neverreally gave a shot—kind of like thefascination with Battlestar Galactica.I gave Battlestar a shot last year andI’m currently making my way throughseason three. So, did the Acacia Strainhave the same effect? For playing astyle of music that is overdone thesedays (the much maligned deathcore),they aren’t bad. The downtuned guitarsare bass-ment heavy and their tonguein-cheeklyrical content is worth theread. What’s funnier than a dead babyjoke? How about a metaphorical onelike, “I want the world to have my rapebaby so when it’s born I can strangle itto death.” I’m going to have to try thatone out at Thanksgiving dinner. As itstands, The Acacia Strain distinguishthemselves from the rest of the deathcorepack, if not by much. It’s not asviolently stirring as I had hoped, but it’lldo for a tough-guy arms-crossed slownod/headbang. –Peter FryerAliasResurgamAnticonStreet: 08.26Alias = Boards of Canada + OddNosdam + Four TetAlias’s work follows the sample-heavy,drum-machined (note the title “I HeartDrum Machines”), bit-reduced formulaof hip-hop, and though he’s also knownfor producing harder stuff for the likesof Sage Francis, here he prefers topackage it all with a lighter, sometimesfey (á là his work with Tarsier) approach,dropping tripped-out folk guitarand softer sounds as well as crunchysnares into his MPC. He counterposesevery big-beat (“New to a Few”) andspry “dance” track (“Well Water” withWhy?) with pulpy pieces such as thespacious, piano-driven “Weathering”(Featuring The One AM Radio) and adroning, otherworldly radio transmissionon “Place of No More Choices.”For all the Public Enemy and Wu-Tang you listen to all week, it’s nice toput on something that incorporates thesame elements but does so at a languidpace, just to refuel or take a breakon a foggy morning. –Dave MaddenAnathemaHindsightPeacevilleStreet: 08.19Anathema = acoustic doomAnathema started out as one heavydoom metal band 18 years ago. TheUK act morphed their sound probablyin the biggest direction to a moremelodic yet still gloom-filled materialwith 1998’s Alternative 4. The fact thatthe band is coming out with Hindsight,a semi-acoustic album utilizing materialfrom a good portion of Anathema’scareer, is a bit strange, since theband’s last two records, A Fine Day toExit and A Natural Disaster, used plentyof acoustic guitars and orchestral andpiano arrangements. Hindsight is moreof a restructuring of some of the newersongs, but then again, the older songsthat did have fair portions of electricsounds have morphed into somethingdifferent and astonishingly beautiful.There is one exclusive original track,“Unchained (Tales of the Unexpected),”which breathes life into the album andoffers something refreshingly differentand wondrously woven and full ofstrong emotions. There is also theclassic “Fragile Dreams,” “Angelica,”and “Inner Silence.” We’ve all heardbands go acoustic or semi-acousticand fail miserably; i.e., The Gathering,but the sound fits Anathema’s currentstyle—the Cavanagh brothers thatmake up the majority of the band cameto bat with this record and hit a grandslam. Daniel’s voice continues to beone of the most prolific in the melodicrock realm. The UK band showed longago that they were more than a heavyguitar-based doom-metal band andwere full of depth; Hindsight just reinforcesthe fact. Tans and newcomerswill undoubtedly love this record thesame as the rest. I know if I ever needa moment to relax and wallow in mydoubt and despair, Anathema will bethere. –Bryer WhartonAnimaThe Daily GrindMetal BladeStreet: 09.02Anima = Dead to Fall + DespisedIcon + With Blood Comes CleansingWhen it comes to Anima, you’ve heardthis one before—many, many timesbefore. Anima is metal with a tingeof hardcore, with that super low-endbass boom before the breakdown, thegrowled and screamed vocals and thedeath-metal-inspired guitar lines. Howdo you describe mediocrity? How doyou describe the feeling of driving aFord Taurus? Anima is decent at whatthey do, especially for all of them beingabout high-school age, but that’sprobably the most unique characteristicof this release. This CD will get youto that place where death metal andkarate-kick breakdowns meet, but isn’tgoing to do much else. The songs allfollow a pretty standard formula, withlittle in the way of innovation. There wasno lyric sheet, and obviously, the lyricswere nigh impossible to make out, savetwo words: “Expensive Jeeeeaaans.”Not often can one laugh in the face ofdeath, but now I have. –Peter FryerBahimironSouthern NihilizmMoribund RecordsStreet: 08.12Bahimiron = Corpus Christii + ToScale the ThroneTexas gave birth to David Koresh,Charles Whitman, and hosted theassassination of John F. Kennedy.Out among this bleak, unforgiving landscapelies a little town known as Houston,which is home to Bahimiron.Though this is their first release on a“major” black metal label, the bandhas been putting out limited releasesregularly for nearly seven years––mostnotably, a split with Finland’s Sargeistin 2006. The music in this release isyour fairly standard hateful black metal,which apparently was recorded live.The writing is adept, but truthfully, themost memorable thing about this bandis their semi-apparent fascination withwhiskey and violent American culture.While this may not be a terrible release,it really doesn’t do anything but fillvarious stereotypes that have beenpounded into black and pink gut-shitfor the past many, many years––sort oflike Texas. –Conor DowBlessed by a BrokenHeartPedal to the MetalCentury MediaStreet: 09.02Blessed by a Broken Heart =Avenged Sevenfold + JourneyIn an honorable reference to HomerSimpson, I’ve heard bands suckbefore, but Blessed by a Broken Heartare the suckiest bunch of sucks thatever sucked. My friends and I sufferedthrough multiple listens of this albumjust for you and now I’m not quite surewhat to do with the disc––it’s not evena worthy coaster for a frosty brew. Iam not really quite sure what the bandis trying to do with their sound, butit comes off as highly annoying. TheMontreal act tries to create some funmetal anthems, mixing in really bad80s style keyboards, then tossing insome hardcore moments, then—ohyes, it gets worse—clean singing thatmakes you want to take the singer outin the street and hang him from a treeby his toenails, and finally, tons andtons of lavish guitar soloing that doesn’tfit anything going on with the musicat all. The mix is terrible as well, therhythm section is virtually unnoticeableat times and when you can hear what’sgoing on, it’s completely pointless. Ohyeah, the lyrics—you’ll laugh, you’ll cry,you’ll want to ram a Q-tip in your ear.“Move Your Body,” boasts the chorus,of “Throw your hands up like you justdon’t care/Move your body to the beat”;“Show Me What You Got” screams out,“So take your best shot/Show me whatyou got/Is that all you got?” I heardwhat you got, Blessed by a BrokenHeart, and I pray that the music worldwill ignore it and not find it camp or funlike you’re trying to be. I know somebands that would gladly show you whatthey’ve got and bash a guitar over yourhead. –Bryer WhartonBumtechBeware of D-GSelf-ReleaseStreet: 09.09Bumtech = New Wave circa 2006While I wish I could tell you thatBumtech were able to channel Devoand the B-52’s effectively, the truth isthat they come off as the opening bandthat think they’re far more clever thanthey really are. Surely geek-rock fansdeserve something more intelligent,subversive or blindly fun than thiscollection of mindless drivel. But wait!At least there’s “1000 Days” and “Waiting,”which sounds like a Lush outtakeand “Out of Range,” which throws insome R.E.M., but hey, that’s progress.If they jettisoned the unwitty witticismsand set their sights on dream pop, theymight actually have something. –ryanmichael painterChrome DivisionBooze, Broads and BeelzebubNuclear BlastStreet: 08.05Chrome Division = Motorhead + ZZTop + Clutch + Norwegian flairWhen I first came across Chrome Divisionwith their 2006 debut, DoomsdayRock N’ Roll, I was pleasantly sur-

prised. The band consists of Shagrathplaying the rhythm guitar and contributingsome vocals. Shagrath is bestknown for being the vocalist of one ofNorway’s biggest metal bands, DimmuBorgir. The surprise was the fact thatShagrath was a part of the reason theband came to be; out of his and hisbuddies’ love for old-school rock á làMotörhead, ZZ Top and AC/DC. WhileI enjoyed Doomsday Rock N’ Roll, thisrecord puts that one to bed and themsome. The thing is basically just plainfun; not really intended to be all thatserious; there are a ton of “biker rock”bands that wish they could come upwith songs this raucous and fun. Theguitars shred through you like an oldcleaver hacking and hacking away ona cutting board with a broken whiskeybottle, until you’re bloodied, bruisedand running around doing things youwould only do when you’re inebriatedbeyond all perception. Every track hearis worth a sing-along, and the vocalistEddie Guz of The Carburetorssounds like he’s swallowed a bunch ofrazor blades. Production is slick withoutlosing any of that gritty down-and-dirtystuff that a rock n’ roll band shouldportray. This piece of music is filledwith groove where guitar riffs and basslines go hand in hand, and a wealth ofhowl-at-the-moon type guitar solos. Thealbum title describes it all; I’m ready tohop on my bicycle with “Raven BlackCadillac” blaring from a boom box andpretend I’m a leather-clad big-beardedbiker dude. – Bryer WhartonCock SparrerTrue To Yourself 7”TKO RecordsStreet: 08.19Cock Sparrer = The Clash + CockneyRejectsAlthough it has been 30 years sinceCock Sparrer crashed onto the punkscene and became some of the firstsin the oi! movement, they’ve still gotit. Side A of this 7” features “True toYourself,” a teaser from their upcomingalbum Here We Stand, which will be releasedlater this year by TKO. The songis a catchy anthem that sounds as if itcould have been written in the same eraas many of the tracks on Shock Troops.Side B––a live version of the classic“Chip On My Shoulder”––is the realtreat of this 7”, though. The recordingquality on this one is crisp and no bandmember overpowers the rest. Fingerscrossed that Cock Sparrer can maintaintheir classic sound on their upcomingrelease without sounding like they’resimply going through the same motionsover and over again –Jeanette MosesThe Dark RomanticsHeartbreakerLujoStreet: 09.09The Dark Romantics = dark-soundingdance poop!!The Dark Romantics sound exactly likeevery middle-aged dance glam-gothrock band. I’s crap! Just because youmake it dark and moody still doesn’tmake it good. There are way too manybands that have a sound exactly likethe sound of the Dark Romantics. Thisshit was cool in, like, 2004—get overit, ya losers. I wonder how long it isgoing to take for this whole dance-glamelectro-rock fad to die out. Between thiskind of music and emocore, it’s enoughto make me lose faith in music all together.A pointer to bands like the DarkRomantics—incorporate some differentinfluences, original sounds and quiteacting like cookie-cutting sheep. Playedout!! –Jon RobertsonDeerhunterMicrocastleKrankyStreet: 09.02Deerhunter = The nicest, dirtiest,sleaziest, most gentle person youwill ever meetDeerhunter are currently on tour openingup for Nine Inch Nails and on firstfinding this out, I looked the band upexpecting to hear some gnarliness;instead I was pleasantly surprised tofind some filthy-sounding pop music.This band is so drenched in reverbthey sound like they’re hanging outin the sewer. Deerhunter’s musicalcompositions are mixed with cottoncandychoruses and sing-along vocalmelodies while simultaneously containingdirty industrial noise and distortion.Microcastle sounds like bubblegum thatyou picked up off the street and startedchewing. The band is opening up forNine Inch Nails Sept. 3 at the E-Centerand I hope they are as cool live as theyare on CD. –Jon RobertsonDethboxOofdal!!!Self-ReleasedStreet: 09.08Dethbox = Some Girls + GorillaBiscuitsLittleton, Col., locals Dethbox appearto be a musically educated bunchfueled by punk-rock roots. They have acomedy-esque play on grind hardcore/punk, which you wouldn’t unmaskunless you did some research. Titleslike “slumpadump” and “xcatfartsx” areof their 19 songs. Between Dethbox’strack names and Myspace page, it’sclear these dudes are all about beingzany. The goofy metal/punk commodityusually bothers me; I usually just don’tthink it’s funny. However, Dethbox hasplanned their small amount of timewell and the comedy is not overbearingbecause it doesn’t come throughin the music itself. With speedy drumsand crunchy guitars, Dethbox’s soundhas a Black Flag punk-era feel toit intersected by hardcore. The totaltime on the album is 8.3 minutes, withthe longest song in at one minute sixseconds. In the age of “thinking green,”use Dethbox for your body-friendlychemical fix. –Nicole DumasDuchess SaysAnthologie des 3 PerchoirsAlien8Street: 09.02Duchess Says = DNA + early Devo+ The VanishingNow that the circa 2000 generation ofso-called no-wavers found favor withmajor labels and can afford slickerproduction, you might ask “who willfill these shoes?” Taking it back to thebeginning; Montréal’s Duchess Saysis here now, spitting on your trust fundand in your Pro Tools rig, bouncingand sweating like East Village kidscirca 1980. DS begins “Ccut Up” with asubtle imitation of Rush’s “Tom Sawyer,”then slinks into overdriven bassguitar, analog stabs, sci-fi leads andsinger Annie-C’s fusion of shouts andsynthesized Mariah Carey high notes(the cool ones); “A Century Old” groansunder how-low-can-you-go bass, achugging backbeat, echoey vocals,shrieks and organ lines eviler thananything in the early-middle Siouxsieoeuvre. Nodding to their influenceswhile adding enough of their owndynamic flavor, Duchess Says takestheir music (and careers, hopefully) farbeyond the usual disposable spasticityof the genre. –Dave MaddenThe Empty MirrorOverwhelmLandownerStreet: 09.09The Empty Mirror = Kayo Dot + TheWhite Strips + Marcy PlaygroundOK, here is the deal with the EmptyMirrors. If Nirvana was really lame andcontrived and played directionless,non-driving grunge pop, you wouldhave half the songs on Overwhelm.For the other half, you would haveto imagine a completely bland TobyDriver acting like a complete putz andwriting some cheeseball lyrics. This istwo crappy albums all rolled up intoone sweet-ass piece of shit. This albumis so inconsistent I feel like all five membersspecialize in being bi-polar all thetime. So I totally recommend picking upthis album if you would like to tortureyourself with passionless, contrivedpsychedelic mood music or if you’reinto your 40-year-old uncle’s grungeband. Either way, you’re in for someserious musical abuse. –Jon RobertsonGrowingAll the WayThe Social RegistryStreet: 09.09Growing = Black Dice + Panda BearThis sounds exactly like Black Dice.Surely you’ve heard Black Dice’s recentcollection of B-sides, Load Blown.Don’t file the previous declaratives asnegative; I’m simply stating a fact. Thissounds like the essence of Black Dice.The real story here is how they thinkthey can get away with it. All the Way isa solid collection of atmospheric growlingelectronics sounds. It is much morefocused than their previous release,Vision Swim. I can say that their musicis much more meditative and lessabrupt than Black Dice, slowly revealingitself in six-minute segments. Maybethis album is more focused because itis the first without a proper drummer. Itreminds me of another band that cameinto its own once they went without adrum kit—I’ll give you one guess onwhat band that could be. –AndrewGlassettH20CBGB OMFUG Masters: LiveMVD AudioStreet: 07.08H20 = Bouncing Souls + Strung OutThis live CD exploded through my stereoa few moments into “Family Tree”and the next 44 minutes were as closeas one can get to experiencing anactual show. Recorded live at CBGB’son August 19, 2002, and not sufferingfrom the pitfalls of many live CDs, thisrelease’s sound quality is stellar andthe rowdy crowd rarely overpowersthe members of the band. However,the feedback, small talk betweensongs and handful of times you hearmembers of the crowd singing into themic recreates a live H20 performance.“Thicker than Water” and “Guilty byAssociation” were some of my favoritetracks on the album. The release endsalmost as suddenly as it began and leftme wanting more. Ultimately, this liveCD was the perfect tease to get readyfor the band’s performance with Rancidlater this month. (In the Venue: 09.17)–Jeanette MosesHead on CollisionRitual SacrificeBeer City RecordsStreet: 08.05Head on Collision = Slayer +ExodusHead on Collision’s debut album camea few decades too late; I can see thatif this album was released in say, ’84,it might be considered classic. Now itcomes off as complete Slayer worship;funny how things change with time. Somany bands have come and gone thatplay music that sound the exact sameas Slayer. If you don’t mind that factand like music played really fast, withwailing guitar solos and a vocalist thatsings as fast as he can about nothingother than violence, then by all meansmeet this collision head-on. The wholething has an almost bad cover-bandfeel to it; yeah, the songs are originalmaterial, but the riff structure and prettymuch everything else sounds like somuch I’ve heard before from the thrashworld. Admittedly, sometimes that actuallyworks if the songwriting is decent,but this is not the case with RitualSacrifice; everything just melds into onebig festering pot of stinky cabbage, notto mention some of the solos soundlike they could’ve come from a group of15-year olds’ garage heavy-metal band.–Bryer WhartonHuman HostExploding DemonMT6Street: 09.26Human Host = Monster MashPicture a costumed Halloween danceparty under the sea with the majorityof the patrons being evil sea creaturesand sea monsters similar to themonster from The Creature from theBlack Lagoon. Everyone at the partyis buggin’ out to a live band frontedby Aquaman, who is dressed up asCedric Bixlar-Zavala from Mars Voltaand backed by SpongeBob and otherBikini Bottom characters who aredressed up as Ministry and SonicYouth. Someone has spiked the punchwith LSD. The party is doing fine andeverybody’s acid trip is being goodto them until Aquaman and The BikiniBottom Band play a cover of the fifthtrack off this album, “Alien Fire/BirthCycle,” and everybody goes fuckingbananas and tears each other apart.Imagine this and you might have anidea of what Human Host sounds like.–Jon Robertson(65) SLUG

Into EternityThe Incurable TragedyCentury MediaStreet: 09.02Into Eternity = “extreme progressivemetal”Into Eternity is one of those bandsthat have received critical acclaimworldwide, but have never reallygained as much respect in the metalcommunity. It may be because they’retoo progressive for extreme metal fansand too extreme for the progressivefans; but if you’ve heard Into Eternityand that is the case, get off your metalrocker and open up your ears becausethe band is hands-down amazing. Withone listen of The Incurable Tragedy,you’ll have cold steel running throughyour veins; this sucker is metal throughand through. Be it the classic influencewith falsetto vocals screaming to theirutmost glory, or the blasting riffs full ofgroove and violent speed with growledvocals, or the melodic guitar work andwicked soloing and clean singing, it’sall so damned great. Whereas pastalbums came off as a bit disjointedand kind of threw listeners around in astupor, this one is balanced within thestyles infused together. The technicalprowess displayed on this record justbuilds and builds. One of the mainsongwriters and founding membersTim Roth wrote the record as an outletto deal with his grief of losing closefamily members to cancer. Those emotionsand feelings push through in themusic; it’s a metal album about deathand tragedy, but it’s in no way emo,and it’s not morbid. Tt times it’s justpissed the hell off and at times it’s as ifthe band is screaming “why?” over andover again. –Bryer WhartonKarl BlauNature’s Got AwayK RecordsStreet: 09.23Karl Blau = Mt. Eerie + The MicrophonesKarl Blau, an integral part of the collectivebased in Olympia, WA has releasedanother full-length that sticks to what hedoes best—unconventional songwriting.The first few tracks are basic littlejams with guitars and drums. Blau’slyrics are, as usual, stunning and thedelivery is spectacular. The last half ofthe album is equally great. “2 Becomes1” is one of the best tracks I’ve heardthis year, and I’m constantly humming ithours after I listen. If you haven’t heardBlau before, think of someone thatwould collaborate with Phil Elevrumand, and you’ll get a pretty good ideaof this guy. Definitely check him out.–Tom Carbone Jr.second track, “Back To Your Ways,”which has a sound that is chill yetawesome, kind of like those big yellow,red and orange popsicles that thecreepy ice-cream man used to sell toyou. If the Makeout Party asked me tomake out with them, I would seriouslyconsider it, as long as they promised tosign my chest. –Jon RobertsonThe May FireThe ListRock Whores RecordingsStreet: 08.05The May Fire= Patti Smith + ThePixies + Sonic Youth + DonitaSparks and the Stellar MomentsAs third in a trilogy of self-releasedand self-recorded EPs over the spaceof a year or so, The May Fire’s TheList, is proof that in this time of instantsuperstardom, there are still DIY bandsthat start from the ground up and workhard to reach their goals. These threeEPs come after already releasing thefull-length debut Right and Wrong inthe not-so-distant 2006, once moreshowing their valiant work ethic. Isit all worth it, though? Well … thatdepends on what stance you take. Istheir work on The List groundbreakingand new? No, it’s not. Is it good?Yes, it is. Just because there’s nothingoverwhelmingly original about The MayFire’s sound doesn’t mean that theydon’t create their noise in a way thatis original to them. Make sense? Theirindie-laced rock n’ roll is catchy andfamiliar-sounding enough to keep youwanting more … enough said. –JeremyC. WilkinsMotörheadMotorizerSPVStreet: 08.26Motörhead = iconic godly metal!Everyone’s favorite metal band (ifthey’re not one of your favorites, youhave problems) have another classicalbum on their hands with Motorizer.The record is the 24th album recordedby Lemmy & Co. and it’s straightupMotörhead. The album actuallyreminds me a lot of one of my favoriteMotörhead records, Bastards––thesongs embody that classic feel withmany that are extremely catchy. WhileMotörhead have always stayed true totheir sound, they’ve always left room totry out new things and different sounds.I loved the last two albums, Kiss ofDeath and Inferno, but Motorizer topsthem both in pure infectious nature.Many fair-weather fans think of Motörheadas just output by Lemmy, but thewith this album, each playing at theirbest. Lemmy’s bass seems a bit moreprevalent than on the last records andhis lyrics are fantastic. “RunaroundMan,” and “Rock Out” are surefireclassics musically and lyrically for themighty Motörhead. If there was anyquestion as to Motörhead’s integrityand the respect they’ve gained, thisrecord will only answer it further thatMotörhead are far beyond legendary.–Bryer WhartonOl’ Cheeky BastardsBag O’ TricksVagrant RecordsStreet: 08.03Ol’ Cheeky Bastards = The Pogues+ Filthy Thieving Bastards + JoeStrummerOl’ Cheeky Bastards, although kindof an obvious name for a Celtic punkinfluencedrock band, is a perfect namefor this group of mainly two men whoplay this wonderfully interesting music.Celtic punk is nothing new and plentyof bands like The Tossers or the verypopular Flogging Molly are alreadyout there, but OCB aren’t content tojust churn out some watered-downversion of what’s already worked––theyexpand on the idea and bring in someinteresting ideas … like two instrumentalsthat show these boys can play theirinstruments, and the song “Church ofthe Holy Spook,” which uses elementof gospel music to make it jump. Theseguys have a winner here because theydidn’t worry about the right mix of punkand Celtic folk, they just worry aboutusing whatever they could to make agood record. –James OrmeThe Psyke ProjectApneaLifeforce RecordsStreet: 08.08The Psyke Project = Boring mishmashripoff of decent bandsAs soon as I saw this fucking thing wason Lifeforce, I immediately wanted totrash it. I am so goddamned sick ofthe kind of cookie-cutter “metal” thislabel seems to excel in vomiting up thatbefore I even listened to this release,I was trying to think up new and excitingways to utterly destroy it. Then Iread the release sheet: these guysapparently are trying to mix Neurosis,Will Haven, Converge, and early Isis“while applying their own unique approach.”Mission. Fucking. Failed. Sorryguys, but detuning your guitars andtrying to figure out how to meld D-Beatpunk rock and metalcore just doesn’twork for you. Can someone please giveme something interesting to review?–Gavin Hoffmanand dichotomy between the electronicaand singer-songwriter vocals that arewell written and sung. Take a lessonfrom Rafter kids––although we all likethose neat sound effects and glitches,they work even better if you can actuallywrite a song around them.–Ryan PowersSerena-ManeeshS-M BackwardsSmalltown SupersoundStreet 09.23Serena-Maneesh = My BloodyValentine + Spacemen 3The other side of the world has a lot tooffer––for example, this double albumfrom Norway’s Serena-Maneesh. Twofor one! I wish I could get that typeof deal every time I bought a pack ofsmokes. These re-released tracks arethe perfect blend of mystery and shoegaze.There is something super alluringabout the hardly understandable vocalsthat seem to be one with the instruments.Even with melodic harmonies,Serena-Maneesh is a band that is astough as nails—not something forswoopy bangs and Nightmare BeforeChristmas tees. Both albums stay balanced,with a combination of mellowtracks and ones filled with heavy-dutynoise. With that kind of variety, thisdouble-whammy has a life span in thestereo far larger than most. You cancount on S-M Backwards to not fall intoearly retirement. –Lyuba BasinShogu TokumaruExitAlmost Gold RecordingStreet: 09.02Shogu Tokumaru = Cornelius + M.Ward + Hayao MiyazakiHe wears his influences on his sleevebut doesn’t seem to mind. Tokumaruis a home studio musician, performingand tracking everything himself.Although this is not a new concept,he was very successful in making themusic sound like it was recorded notonly in a proper studio, but possibly astudio buried within an enchanted forest.On the outset, this may appear tobe predictable modern folk music, butit is put through the prism of Japaneseoneirology and anime. The result issomething unexpected and wonderful.Lyrically, Tokumaru draws heavilyfrom his dream journal and sings about“Green Rain” and “Future Umbrellas.”There is a lot of tricky guitar pluckingweaving its way through familiarchord progressions and interpretationsheavily influenced by the Beatles andthe Beach Boys. Sonically, this isan album of tremendous variety andharmony. –Andrew Glassett(66) SLUGMakeout PartyLenghts and LimitsMake Music CollectiveStreet: 09.16Makeout Party = Sigur Rós andMinus the Bear doing it while BraidwatchesNot to be confused with the fruit-bowlaction of Anaheim’s Thee MakeoutParty, this is the New Jersey versionknown just as Makeout Party, whichis definitely the better of the two. Thiswhole album has a very complex yetorganic vibe, at times sounding likeThe Get Up Kids trying to math rockout and at other times sounding likea younger hipper version of Built ToSpill. The highlight of the album is theband has been a solid three-piece forquite a while now, with Mikkey Deeon drums and Phil Campbell playingguitar. The guys definitely hit a grooveRafterSweaty MagicAsthmatic Kitty RecordsStreet: 09.09Rafter = Presets + Michael Jackson+ !!!Sweaty Magic kicks off with glitchyJock Jams equally cheesy and experimental—confusinglymixed to focus onbleeps and orchestra hits instead of thebeat or bass line. Shortly thereafter, thismix starts to make sense—Rafter isn’tout to make the next big dance album.In all courts, this is one of the first legitimateindie-pop albums, with catchyhooks, straightforward song builds, andperfectly simple lyrics. Sweaty Magicjustifies itself with its exciting diversitySic FucksCBGB OMFUG Masters:Live October 13, 2006 TheBowery CollectionMVDStreet: 08.05Sic Fucks = Fear + The Dictators -anything good about those bandsFor a label that tends to half-ass everythingthey do, MVD’s CBGB Mastersseries was actually going pretty well.Releases from The Queers, H2O andThe Toasters may not have beenincredible, but they were at least entertainingcollections for die-hard fans. So,how could MVD fuck up this no-brainerof a series? Enter the Sic Fucks: a band

more known in the late 70s for sellinghair dye (Manic Panic in particular) thanfor making music. As far as I can tell,this is the only official release by theband, and I’m not exactly clamoring formore. Predictable crappy tunes like “St.Louis Sucks” and “Fags on Acid” arebad enough, but where the band trulyfails is on their nightmarish, summercampsing-along version of “BlitzkriegBop.” Seriously, how do you fuck up aRamones song? This one should’vestayed in the vault. –Ricky VigilStatic ThoughtThe Motive for MovementHellcatStreet: 09.09Static Thought = The Unseen +Societys Parasites + Black FlagFor a while, Hellcat was nothing morethan a Rancid clone factory (I’mlooking at you, Time Again and LeftAlone!) and it transformed from oneof my favorite labels to one I just didn’tcare about. However, it seems thosedays have passed, and though StaticThought may not be the harbinger forthe second coming of Hellcat’s glorydays, they’ve definitely put out a solidstreet-punk record with The Motive forMovement. The Unseen’s influence onthis band is apparent, especially on“Vindication,” with its anthemic chorusand wailing guitar, and “The Reason IBreathe” sounds more than a little likeBlack Flag. Album closer “Conquest ofSaints” is the standout track, featuringa creepy acoustic intro that gives wayto the album’s most explosive andexciting track. This album’s no masterpiece,but it’s loud, fast and fun, andsometimes that’s all punk rock needs tobe. (Avalon: 09.23) –Ricky VigilThe StillsOceans Will RiseCanvas Media / Arts & CraftsStreet: 08.19The Stills = The Postal Service +Placebo + The Police in their earlyyearsExperimental pop music has neverbeen a favorite of mine, but then again,I’ve never heard it turn out this well.Oceans Will Rise is a multi-dimensionalalbum with many layers. Some of thesongs, specifically the first track, “Don’tTalk Down,” are impossible to listento without swaying back and forth andhaving the urge to get up and dance.Others, like the last song, “Statue ofSirens,” are slower, more contemplativepieces that are perfect for listening toon your iPod when you’re riding on thesubway (or Trax) or while you’re doingthings around home on a rainy afternoon.The lyrics are thoughtful throughoutand, although the instrumentalstend to be a bit repetitive, the vocalsare always fresh and varied. Oceans isa big step up from the band’s previous,less innovative albums. Have a listenand you just might find yourself longingfor another couple of rounds. –ErinKelleherTAB the BandLong WeekendNorth Street RecordsStreet: 08.12TAB the Band = Aerosmith + DeepPurple + The KinksTAB the Band’s sound immediatelybrings an early Aerosmith to mind. Infact, I hear a lot of classic rock in theseguys, and surprising, it’s pretty enjoyablefor what it is. Their debut albumwas highly acclaimed by critics all overthe place, and I’m pretty sure LongWeekend will follow suit, appealing tomodern rock fans and classic rock fansalike. These guys are noisy, but notso much to turn away novice listeners.Catchy riffs abound, and my favoritetrack, “Where She Was on Monday,”actually lays off the heavy guitars andplaces a bit more emphasis on vocalsand bass. Pick this up if you’re anAerosmith fanboy, or if you’re a littledisappointed with the modern rockscene today. These guys are sure toplease. –Tom Carbone Jr.TemplarsOut of the Darkness 7”TKO RecordsStreet: 08.19Templars = Cockney Rejects + TheClash + Agent OrangeAlthough neither song on this 7” isparticularly infectious, this release didgive me a craving to hear more from aband that I never properly took the timeto investigate when I was younger. Bothsongs featured on this 7” are brandnew efforts from the band. “WeighedDown,” featured on the B-side, wasby far my favorite track, even with itsabrupt ending. It’s hard to imagine kidsthat have never heard of the Templarseating this one up, but longtime fanswill probably take interest in the newmaterial. And now it’s time to play thewaiting game to see if either of thesebrand new songs will end up on anupcoming alum. –Jeanette MosesThis or the ApocalypseMonumentsLifeforceStreet: 09.16This or the Apocalypse = AugustBurns Red + Shai Hulud + MiserySignalsI call for a widespread organic musicmovement similar to the organic foodsmovement (if one can call it that). I callfor recordings by bands that haven’tPro-Tooled and compressed the hellout of their sound until it becomes aprocessed music product. Until thatday comes, we will end up with themusical equivalent of Jimmy DeanSausage. This or the Apocalypsewill need to drastically change if theyare going to get the organic seal ofapproval. While they are technicallyproficient recorded, it’s so canned thatall of the feeling and rawness affordedby a more natural recording is lost. Thisis another in a long string of passionatemetalcore releases that ape the soundsof Shai Hulud but contain little of theinteresting song structure or passion.The vocals on this album are good andare one aspect that does stand out.This should satisfy anyone looking for atechnical emotional metalcore record.But, as with Jimmy Dean Sausage, alittle goes a long way. (09.27 Studio600) –Peter FryerTindersticksThe Hungry SawConstellation RecordsStreet 09.16Tindersticks = Tchaikovsky + NickCave & The Bad SeedsI learn over and over again you can’tjudge a book by its cover, or a bandby its band name or an album by thesilly little picture of a saw going througha heart. I was expecting nothing morethan a sad little boy crying abouthow high school is rough and howhis heart is broken (the saw throughheart, maybe?). I have never in my lifebeen so happy to be mistaken. To mysurprise, a deep voice came boltingout of the speakers, accompanied bywhat seemed to be a whole orchestrafilled with strings, wings and all sortsof things. Though it wouldn’t be a personalpick, I was easily impressed withthe romanticism that came from thisalbum. Like the saying goes, you don’thave to agree to appreciate. Plus it’salways good to freshen your ears withsomething on a whole different plane.–Lyuba BasinTrigger the BloodshedPurgationMetal BladeStreet: 08.19Trigger the Bloodshed = Six FeetUnder + Deicide + DismemberSeventeen songs in less than 40minutes—that’s what Trigger the Bloodsheddeliver with their debut originallyreleased on Rising Records nowgetting a bigger release treatment withMetal Blade. The band has a simplistictone to their gritty death metal, basedmostly in blasting than anything else,although moments of technicality andgroove step in on occasion. Thereare also filler moments, at least somewould consider them such, thoughthey do set a nice dark, forebodingatmosphere for the hate-spewingtracks. Trigger the Bloodshed aren’t outto deliver something new, though theydo like to carry forth some old-schoolsounds: a mix of European and Americandeath metal. The UK band doeswhat they do quite well and when theleads or strange guitar tones are going,they really excel. There is great promisein this simplistic yet brutal band; itmay take some time to wander in thebloody waters the band has crafted,but once you adjust, you’ll be feelingnice and comfy in a violent sort of way.–Bryer WhartonTussleCream CutsSmalltown SupersoundStreet: 08.26Tussle = Outhud + ChromaticsIf a gigantic robot ate me and there wasa party in its cavernous pre-digestionchamber, there’s a good chance thatCream Cuts would be the last music Iheard before the metal beast’s syntheticstomach acids dissolved my bodyinto energy and waste. High-pitchedtones swirl atop straightforward dancebeats and kitschy synths at irregular intervals— they swell and flux, dissipateinto what sound like echo chambers,and drop off until all one hears is whatmight be a mechanical heartbeatbefore a steady, stylish buildup bringsthe whole song back to a pinnacle ofgastro-intensity. Tussle is on the wayup—the four-piece amalgam of electronicand traditional players has touredwith YACHT and Hot Chip, and thelatter’s singer collaborated on one ofCream Cuts’ tracks. Watch for Tussle tobegin to infiltrate SLC hipster parties assoon as those fools learn what’s goodfor them. –Nate MartinVarghkoghargasmalDrowned in LakestUMULTStreet: 07.01Varghkohargasmal = Burzum (postimprisonment)+ Ulver (the folkalbum) + Super Mario BrothersI’ll make you a guarantee: If you’veever cracked the covers of any issue ofGuitar Player magazine, downloaded aSteve Vai tablature, or even noddedyour head along to a Dream Theatersong, you will absolutely despiseVarghkoghargasmal with every fiber ofyour guitar-choad soul. Shit, if you’veeven raved about the start-stop technicalityof Terrorizer or the grandeurof Deathspell Omega, you might bewise to avoid this marvelous slab ofjaw-droppingly clumsy folkish metal.Although “Drowned In Lakes” is decoratedwith all the trappings appropriateto a black metal album (misty naturescape,aggressively jagged band logo,scaly dragon whose fiery breath becomesan ouroboros), what awaits thelistener is much more akin to Burzum’sDaudi Baldrs or Ulver’s Kveldssanger.Meaning that those expecting musicappropriate to beer-swilling and teethgnashingwill be sorely disappointedby Drowned in Lakes. Varghkoghargasmalis bound to be despised bymetal purists and defended by ironichipster retards like myself. Step outsideyourself for a minute and take a chanceon a charming and blissfully clumsynovelty. –Ben WestYoung WidowsOld WoundsTemporary ResidenceStreet: 09.01Young Widows = Fugazi + RabbitEarsDespite the thoughtful craftsmanship,varied song structures, and top-notchproduction on Young Widows’ secondrelease, it sounds about as fresh as …well, an old, crusted-over wound. Widows,which is three-quarters of formerLouisville hot-shot noise four-pieceBreather Resist, has taken a turn tothe stoney side, and Old Wounds willmost likely appeal to thirtysomethingswho took enough acid during the 90sthat their brains stopped developing atthe apex of their Jesus Lizard phase.Even the drums sound fuzzed out, andthe often-repetitive lyrics cover drugsand rock n’ roll with none of the poeticsof Craig Finn or Nick Cave. Widows’up-tempo tracks succeed most andresemble something like a muddledMurder City Devils, but these allinevitably descend into reverb jam sessions.It’s surprising such a progressivelabel as Temporary Residence wouldrelease something that sounds so tired.–Nate Martin(67) SLUG

(68) SLUG99 Ways to Cut, Sew, Tie &Rock Your ScarfFaith Blakeney, JustinaBlakeney and Ellen SchultzPotter Craft [Street: 03.04]Welcome to episode three of creativeways to recycle your old clothing intosomething fresh and fun. From thethree crafty ladies who brought theworld 99 Ways to Cut, Sew, Trim andTie Your T-shirt into Something Specialand 99 Ways to Cut, Sew, and Deck OutYour Denim comes a book with 99 differentways to do something with an oldscarf. Although some of the patternscontained in this series of books are alittle hit or miss, the scarf book missesmore often than not. As always, thedirections are easy enough that anyonecould follow them, but the real bummeris that many of the included ways torock your scarf just aren’t that innovativeor cute. There are a few hits – I wasa big fan of the winter handkerchief skirt– but I think the reconstruction of clothingmay be better suited for heartierfabrics like t-shirts and denim. Call meold-fashioned, but ultimately, I’d ratherrock my scarves in my hair or aroundmy neck than as an ill-fitting dress or aflimsy bikini bottom. –Jeanette MosesAll That’s LeftJack HirschmanCity Lights Foundation[Street: 04.15]Political poet and revolutionary, JackHirschman is from an older school ofdissent. The poems collected in AllThat’s Left showcase his tenure as poetlaureate of San Francisco, with a smallselection pulled from a few of his fiftyoddvolumes of political street-verse.Hirschman’s reputation aside, enjoymentof this book of poetry dependslargely on the reader’s relationshipwith headline issues of the past fewyears. But to be fair, enjoyment isn’texactly the point here. Subjects spanKatrina and Virginia Tech, our war, ourparents’ war and their parents’ war, andthe verse is deliberately blatant andunflinching. The majority of the poemsare invested in the truth of things, muchmore than their beauty. I’ve alwaysbeen pretty bad at current events, andthese poems were either too simplystated to affect me, or they referencednames and details I didn’t understand.If you’re poorly informed or a little apatheticabout today’s global humanitarianissues (be honest now), then do notexpect All That’s Left to generate muchinspiration. However, if you’ve picketedin the last week, or you’re an informedand compassionate individual, thenHirschman is your man. The first chapteris an interesting transcription of anautobiographical inauguration speech,but all in all this volume of lyrical streetcorner politics is most readily appreciatedby the previously involved.–Jesse HawlishArchitecture of AuthorityJohn MacArthur and RichardRossAperture [Street: 09.01]Richard Ross moves the readerthrough socializing environments,from the kindergarten classroom toconfessional. I was reminded of theanxious feelings waiting on the hardfiberglass chairs to see the principle inthe linoleum clad hallway and of longingto be the line-leader. Ross’s imagesplay to our suspicion that authoritativearchitecture is used to dominate andcontrol. However, he mixes in shots ofthe United Nations General AssemblyRoom, which made me reconsider theidea that authority is inherently negative.What Ross presents is a narrativeof unchecked control. His few shots ofreligious and court buildings are ambiguous– much good is done throughconstitutional rule of law and religiousorganizations. Once Ross gets to AbuGhraib, however, we understand thatthere is nothing ambiguous in the useof control to break down the potentiallyinnocent. This is not what governmentor religion intends to do, but architecturereinforces authority, which toooften controls and subordinates.–Collin SmithThe Fashion BookEditors of Phaidon PressPhaidon [Street: 06.03]Jared Gold once said, “Fashion isa dangerous mistress.” My questionwould be, is she a whore too? Checkout your local Kohl’s department storeand you can find something made byVera Wang. Or maybe even somethingdesigned by Zac Posen at Target?Like most great art forms – it eventuallybecomes available to the masses.Thereis a trickle-down effect on all sides ofa prostitute of this nature, includingthe books that catalogue the art inquestion. Many fashion books havebeen released that are very similar tothis one. They try to be all-inclusiveencyclopedias of the history of fashion.An obvious coffee table book, theselected articles are very well notatedand informational. My complaint is thepressing of the book as a paperbackdoes not carry the weight of the originalhardbound edition. I can’t help butfeel this is a shoddy knock-off of theoriginal. –Andrew GlassettTokyoTakashi HommaAperture [Street: 05.2008]Placid, detached and isolated –Takashi Homma’s pictures of Tokyoseem sterile and distant as they showbooming industry and steady growth.His collection of photographs (takenover a 10-year span) shows a city thathe seems to hate but can’t get enoughof. Opening with pictures of Denny’s,McDonalds and other “American”institutions, Homma’s pictures show aJapan that could just as easily be Minnesota.Is this a critique of globalization?Tokyo starts to resemble the sadlyfamiliar, hegemonic and self-destructivecommercial system. Homma allows theviewer to be perplexed by these unanchoredlocations. But he is captivatedby the youth culture that embracesthese global companies. The imagesof condo developments stand stark,naked. The youth wear the clothes thatevery television program tells themthey should. Everything that Hommacaptures looks more “American” thanany place I have visited in these UnitedStates. Turning the camera on hishome, himself and his daughter, Hommaseems to offer hope in this dull dystopia.The intimacy of these final shotscontrast sharply with his images of theexterior world. But there is a small jokehere, it’s not his daughter or his home.So what is he hoping for? Is artificial thenew real? I think he is showing that tohave any sense of purpose or place inthis franchised life, we have to embracethe artificial world, make it our own anddefine ourselves with the tools we have.–Collin SmithTwilight of the SuperheroesDeborah EisenbergPicador [Street: 02.01.07]In terms of pure aesthetic, DeborahEisenberg is probably one of the finestprose writers currently at work. Her bestsentences feel like baskets of carefullyhand-picked words, modestly wrappedaround the most oddly captivatingnotions and left on your front porch,as if to say “Here. Ponder whether ornot dogs have to fight sadness as tirelesslyas humans. Enjoy!” On that level,Eisenberg’s collection of short stories,Twilight of the Superheroes, is an ultimatesuccess. However, it must also besaid that if a flaw exists in the work, it ischaracter development. Apatheticallynavigating their way through very unassumingplots, Eisenberg’s protagonistsseem more like props than people,blank canvases on which to paintpretty pictures. But both her acumenwith words and the concepts thosewords explore more than redeem theflatness of her heroes, making Twilightultimately enjoyable and worth readingat least twice. (Hard Boiled Book Club,Sam Weller’s Sept. 30) – JR BoyceBeer in the Beehive: AHistory of Brewing in Utah[Second Edition]Del VanceDream Garden Press [Street: 08.01]With a surprising amount of sales ofthe original Beer in the Beehive, thisnew edition is only a complement onVances’s original. Much like the firstedition, this book introduces you to theprolific history of brewing in Utah, thesheer ridiculous nature of Utah’s liquorlaws and the church that is controllingthem. Moreover, the second edition ofBeer in the Beehive has provided moreemphasis on the status of the ongoingbattle of prohibition still present in theU.S. and the religious zealots that arepromoting it. Also included are morephotographs of artifacts and informationthat Vance has obtained since therelease of the first edition. The secondedition even mentions of Vance’s forthcomingpub, The Beerhive Pub. Withthe in depth knowledge of quality beersand breweries that we’ve produced inthe bee(r)hive state, this book is killerfor any beer lover, Utahan anarchistor veteran of the Utah beer drinkingscene. Cheers. –Tyler Makmell


(70) SLUGThe Dali Dimension:Decoding The Mind Of AGeniusDalinetStreet: 08.05Anyone who enjoys art, be it modern,post modern, pop art, fauvism, or anyother of the many “ism’s” out thereknows how much of an influenceSalvador Dali has been on the worldof art, but not many people know whata positive influence he has also madein the world of science. This DVDgoes even deeper into the man’s mindwith interviews with close friends andacquaintances, accompanied by clipsof Dali speaking about all the randomthoughts that would leak from his mindonto the canvas. Most people thoughthe was just eccentric, but he was quitelearned in science. In the interviewswith scientists who had the privilege tomeet and discuss things with Dali, itseems as if they are taken aback by hisknowledge of new concepts and ideasin the scientific world. This is just onemore example that art is the way to allunderstanding. –Adam DorobialaHigh Times Presents: The20th Anniversary CannabisCupMVD VisualStreet: 09.05The Stoner Superbowl. Marijuana fantasycamp. It started 20 years ago with adozen or so people gathering in Amsterdamto share their most recent strainof cannabis. Still held in Amsterdam, ithas recently exploded into a five-dayevent celebrating one of the most talkedabout substances in the world. Thereare 3,000 judges and several thousandspectators who converge to experiencethe brotherhood of the bud. The movieexplains the “pot-litics” of the event andhow the bigger companies give out themost pot for free and in turn get themost votes. Luckily, there is somewhatof a check and balance system in theblind judging of the Seed CompanyCup, in which a small group of thecup’s organizers decide who has thebest pot. This is the most coveted prize,and smaller companies often steal thewin from the larger conglomerates. Thejudges vote in the categories of appearance,smell, taste and the high. They sitin a room and smoke continuously for24 hours until there is a clear winner.Redman was there to perform, and didhis best to out-smoke everyone (whichhe quite possibly did). In the end, thehype for this event is probably fueledmore by the fact that this is one of theonly places in the world where this kindof thing is possible. Nonetheless, itreally is a Mecca that religious stonersshould aspire to visit at least once intheir lives. –Andrew GlassettIggy & the Stooges: EscapedManiacsMVD VisualStreet: 07.08Close your eyes and you might befooled into thinking this show is an early‘70s Stooges set. The performancequality is as raw as ever – Iggy howlingover the treble-heavy explosions andshrieks behind him. Open up youreyes and you see a few more pounds,minimal stage violence and even the replacementbassist, the legendary MikeWatt (who knows these songs by workingfor years with brothers Scott andRon Asheton), looking old. Thoughadmittedly a “for the money” show, youwon’t notice the bad blood just underthe surface of this shaky reunion asthe band tears through their compactyet-fabulousrepertoire (minus “Searchand Destroy,” sadly). More interesting,however, is the hour-long, uneditedinterview with Pop by a nervous TracyLandecker. An amiable Iggy discussesthe early days, quotes Marshall McLuhan,dishes dirt on Velvet Goldmineproducer Michael Stipe and stands upmidway to pop his back, shout a curseword and ask “how much time do wehave left?” Badass. –Dave MaddenLower Class Brats: Thisis RealTKO RecordsStreet: 07.22This DVD is a far cry from what I expected.This is Real promises a glimpseinto the life of a touring punk-rock bandand that the film was 13-years in themaking. Unfortunately, this “documentary”should be labeled as what itactually is: a concert DVD that featurescandid moments of band membersbetween every song or two. All of thelive footage appears to have been shotduring the same show and the briefband interviews between songs areabout what you could expect from fourpunk rock dudes. As far as a live concertDVD goes, it’s not bad. The bandplays many crowd favorites like “SafetyPinned and Sick,” “Who Writes YourRules” and “PSYCHO.” Fortunately, thevideo footage and sound quality doesn’tdetract from the performance. The DVDcomes with a bunch of extras and aCD that features a handful of demos.My favorite was a short excerpt froman actual documentary called Just LikeClockwork. Ultimately, this DVD isn’tbad, but it’s not as good as it makesitself out to be. (09.23 Avalon)–Jeanette MosesPunk’s Not DeadAberration Films andRed Rover FilmsStreet: 08.11One of the most cliché phrases is“Punk’s not dead.” When uttered themajority of the time, it starts argumentsof different social classes of punk:past, present and future (if there is afuture, right?). After the first 10 minutesof Susan Dynner’s documentary, it isevident that not only is she a talentedfilmmaker, but in many ways punkisn’t dead and never will be. Sure,the underground isn’t what is was inthe early days, but so what? Throughinnumerable interviews and footagefrom an incalculable amount of peopleand bands, including but not limited toThe Adicts, The Damned, UK Subs,Rancid, Social Distortion, GreenDay, Minor Threat, Black Flag, andThe Ramones, Dynner creates ajourney from past to present and makesher audience a believer in the punk rockethos of DIY and the true spirit of punkrock, regardless of who’s bringing it.–Jeremy C. WilkinsSatantangoFacets VideoStreet: 07.22Holy shit! Why would anyone initiallythink that making a seven-and-a-halfhourfilm is a good idea? I don’t think I’llever gain the feeling back in my left asscheek. Bela Tarr’s Satantango ranks#20 on the all-time longest movies list(#1 is Zhang Shichuan’s The Burningof the Red Lotus Temple at 27 hoursin length). Based on László Krasznahorkai’snovel – which you couldprobably read in the same amount oftime it takes to watch the film – Satantangosurveys the inhabitants of a smallvillage as they are tricked into leavingtheir settlement by former locals whowere once thought to be dead. Granted,the humdrum plot isn’t what drivesthe strength of this film. The tone andcinematography make it stand out asa striking artistic achievement. There’sa recent study on the average shotlengths (ASL) in current films and howthey continue to decline as the attentionspans of young viewers dwindles –thanks, MTV. While several recent filmshave an ASL of 2-3 seconds, Tarr isknown for shots lasting several minutes.Instead of attempting to register 20 imagesper minute, Tarr forces the viewerto register, analyze and remember oneillustration at a time. It’s an experienceyou won’t soon forget. –Jimmy MartinThe Witman BoysFacets VideoStreet: 08.26When I think of the pacing and dialogueof János Szász’s The Witman Boys, thefirst words that come to mind are “monotonous”and “lethargic.” However,there is much more than meets the eyein this 1997 tale of two boys coping withthe loss of their father. CinematographerTibor Máthé captures an eerilyelegant turn-of-the-century Hungarywith a significant use of firelight andnatural resources, which in turn createsthe greatest reason for viewing the film.While witnessing the disturbing actionsof János (Alpár Fogarasi) and Ernö(Szabolcs Gergely), one may questionwhat their own reaction would be to thedeath of a parent. Would you sit in a balland cry? Murder defenseless animalsin your attic? Make out with prostitutesat the local brothel? In the case of theWitmans, it’s a big “yes”…well, minusthe crying like a bitch part. Szász’sfilm blends the worlds of childhoodsimplicity and adult wisdom through theeyes of adolescents who walk a fine linebetween both. –Jimmy MartinThe Work Series:MusicianFacetsStreet: 2007Long before Michael Moore madedocumentary films by taking an oversizedcheck into a corporate headquartersto protest wages, documentarieslooked more like this one—slow, honestand without many voice-overs. Thoughmany prefer the MTV-style of documentaryfilmmaking, there’s somethingto be said about a film with a storycompelling enough to be told withoutbells or whistles. Part of a series aboutpeople and their jobs, Musician followsKen Vandermark, a man who makeshis living playing avant-garde improvjazz. And while this seems a little thinon the surface, the hour-long film isfascinating. We are shown how manyensembles Vandermark records with,how many deplorable club dates andtours he has to do and how much timehe has to spend practicing to remainon the top of his game. The film can behard to watch, as it strips away the mystiquethat surrounds a career in music.But at the same time, it is mesmerizing,as we are shown how hard someonehas to work if they want to earn a livingdoing what they enjoy. It is entertainingand empowering, spectacular andmundane, amusing and redemptive.This movie is required viewing for thosewanting a career in music.–James Bennett




(74) SLUGFriday, September 5Brokencyde, School Boy Humor,CoVendetta, Lets Get It, Vogue in theMovement, Lexi SayOK – AvalonInverse, The Beginning at Last,Sidedish, Confidence the Killer– X RoomTyrone Wells, Jason Reeves – VelourBlueroot – The FifthMean Molly’s Trio – BrewskiesRenee Broderick – Tin AngelDarker My Love, The Furs, Laserfang– KilbyThe Ides O’ Soul – Pat’sOutside Society, Scripted Apology,Buddha Pie – Outer RimSabotage, Stereotype, Funk &Gonzo – Liquid Joe’sTolchock Trio CD Release, TedDancin’ – UrbanDue West, Hot Country Nights– Harry O’sCunninLynguists – ApertureRattlesnake Shake, The Krypled,Truce, Grim Prophecy, Ediphonic– Club VegasIrony Man, Nurse Sherry – Burt’sFrom Factory to Forest –Contemporary Design and Art GallerySonya Dinsdale Art Show – Utah ArtsAllianceIllegal Beagle, Talking Bombs, TheDead City Dregs, The Play DeadMovement – ArtopiaHappy Birthday James BennettSaturday, September 6Doomstock: Iota, Deer Creek, WorkHorse, Old Timer – Burt’sTolchock Trio CD Release,Patterstats, The Lionelle – KilbyJessy Jamze’s Bday Party– Trapp DoorBrunch: Derek Wright – Tin AngelJeremiah Maxey – Pat’sAvenues Street Fair – AvenuesDarren Thornley and the Bergs– Johnny’sDuffy Kane Jazz & Bleus Band– SandtrapKate Ledeuce, The Soul Terminators– Bar DeluxeUprok Night – OrangeDinner: Pioneer Playboyz – Tin AngelBlues on First – BayouThe Kap Bros Band – AmericanLegionRoller Derby: Bomber Babes vs.Sisters of No Mercy – Olympic OvalRoller Derby After Party – Point AfterForm of Rocket, The Future of theGhost, Red Bennies – UrbanRoyal Bliss, Drop Dead Julio, ThreeReasons – Club VegasAdam Freeland, Brian Blurr, Loki– In the VenueRed Rock Rondo’s Zion Canyon SongCycle CD Release – Rose WagnerSLUG Magazine Farmers MarketBooth – Pioneer ParkThe Royal Tees – WoodshedA Cassandra Utterance, Calm Beforethe Crash, Kristian Heald Project– AvalonSunday, September 7Inked in Blood, Take It Back, My Epic– Why SoundEat Local Food Swap– People’s MarketLegendary Porch Pounders– SandtrapLAHPAH Fest – GallivanJucifer, Top Dead Celebrity– Bar DeluxeThe Dirty Hearts, The Hotness, Sex onthe Run – UrbanMonday, September 8Centro-Matic. South San Gabriel, CubCountry – UrbanThe Contra, Hard Luck, Ryun – Burt’sMatt Pless, Joey Taylor – AddictedThe Blues Devils Blues Reveue & Jam– ZanzibarColour Revolt, Atherton, PaulJacobsen, The Madison Arm– Solid GroundCritical Condition in Spanish– Sorenson Unity CenterUprok Night – Kristauf’sWomen in Cages: Black Momma,White Momma and the Big DollHouse – Red Light BooksTuesday, September 9Night Marchers, Danger Hailstorm– Burt’sFor Today, Dr. Acula, With DeadHands Rising – Why SoundMean Molly’s Trio, Fake Problems,Look Mexico, Cobra Skulls – KilbyBernicious Knid – WoodshedBroken Silence – UrbanWednesday, September 10Happy Birthday Dave MaddenTerror, Death Before Dishonor, TheWarriors, CDC, Trapped Under Ice –Club SoundFlash Cabbage, Lionfish, Ediphonic– Burt’sFundraiser for Cary Wichmann– Area 51Rose Funeral, The Breathing Process,Red I Fight, Years Spent Cold– Why SoundSeriously Evan – Outer RimTaxi to the Dark Side – City LibraryRootz Underground, The Body, BluesDart – UrbanThe Hellfire Villainy, Grimmway, KissMe Kill Me, ODS – Liquid Joe’sBody of War – Post TheatreSLUG Night w/ DJ Radar – Area 51Thursday, September 11Under the Drone, Such Vengeance,SKINT – Burt’sDJ/DC vs Master Shredder Battle– Trapp DoorTerri Clark – PaladiumUprok Night – HotelKnow Ur Roots – Piper DownPaul Thorn – Pat’sDew Tour – fuel.tvLion Fish Trio – Tin AngelThree Reasons, Megatank, Nova Burn– UrbanNick Jaina, Blitzen Trapper, The BlackHens – Kilby4-Play Concert Series: PostcardsHome, Elizabethan Report, FromEden, Mury – AvalonFriday, September 12The Rosewood Thieves, ViciousStarfish, The Craving – Burt’sA Flatline Tragedy, The Beginning atLast – Why SoundThe Kap Bros – Pat’sDrew Danburry CD Release, WillSartain, Seve vs, Evan, Michael Gross& the Statuettes – KilbyFunk Schwa – WoodshedThe Heyday, Mesa Drive, Ask for theFuture – Solid GroundDew Tour – fuel.tvVinyl Williams, Discourse, ScriptedApology, Ask the Dust, I Am YouFrom the Future, Fox Van Cleef,Gloves For a Tiger – AvalonSabotage, Send No Flowers,Megatank – Liquid Joe’sSuper So Far CD Release, Monarch,The Street – Club VegasAudra Connelly – Tin AngelSLUG Localized benefit for SeanHennefer: Vile Blue Shades, Fuckthe Informer and Travis Bird– UrbanThe Ting Tings – W LoungeNumbskull – Trapp DoorBT – Harry O’sHermione – Outer RimCringe Open Mic – Sam Weller’sSaturday, September 13TV on the Radio, Miles BenjaminAnthony Robinson – In the VenueSweatshop Union, Sinthesis, ScenicByway – UrbanInto the Storm, Loom, Top DeadCelebrity, Collin Creek – Burt’sSuper Diamond – PaladiumDew Tour – fuel.tvUprok Night – OrangeRVCA after party – W LoungeBlueroot – Pat’sSuch Vengeance, Six, Walking CorpsSyndrome, Ixxion, Fluck’s Capacitor –Club VegasLabcoat – Johnny’sBrighten, A Novel From, Larusso, Theis Anfield – Solid GroundArsenic Addition – Outer RimGaylen Young – Tin AngelE for Explosion, The Send, Pompeii– Boom VaDrive A, Thunder Mistress, Geppetto– AvalonGood Times Tattoo CustomerAppreciation Party – Trapp DoorPoint Juncture WA, The Dutchess &the Duke – KilbyDrop Dead Julio – Club AllurePagan Pride Festival – Murray ParkMonolith Festival – Red RocksAmpitheaterUtah Youth Service Marathon Kick offEvent – Utah State CapitolDrew Danbury, RuRu, Seve vs Evan,The Alligators – Muse MusicSunday, September 14Foals – KilbyDew Tour – fuel.tvEat Local Food Swap – People’sMarketCoyote Hoods, Ether Orchestra,Glinting Gems – UrbanRoller Derby Tryouts – HollywoodConnectionMonolith Festival – Red RocksAmpitheaterMonday, September 15CSS, Tilly & the Wall, SSION – In theVenueNinjas Wit’ Attitude: Revenge of theNinja and Ninja III The Dominate –Red Light BooksPeople’s Market Closing Potluck &Food Exchange – TBATokyo Police Club – Urban OutfittersGit Some, Gods Revolver, XUR,Bloodworm – Burt’sEek A Mouse, Miles BenjaminAnthony Robinson – UrbanIron Ladies of Liberia – City LibraryUprok Night – Kristauf’sSkinworks Daytime Classes Start –SkinworksTuesday, September 16Rancid, Less Than Jake, ThePlaydead Movement – In the VenueStaci Grimm, Trashy and the Kid,Corvid, Tragic Black – Burt’sEverlast, The Lordz – PaladiumSaviours, Xur – Club VegasSpecially Designed for CommercialRadio, Headpeace – ArtopiaCameron McGill, The Devil Whale,The Platte – KilbyCritical Condition – City LibraryMotif Onyx, All Time Ending, Triggers& Slips – UrbanBleed the Sky, Gigan, The Destro– X RoomHappy Birthday Jessica DavisWednesday, September 17SLUG Night w/ DJ Radar – Area 51Rancid, H20, Negative Charge – Inthe VenueSLAJO – UrbanImpaled, Phobia, Kill the Client,Illogicist, Maruta, Pazatzu, IconoclastContra – Club VegasReel Rock Film Tour – Tower TheaterPray the Devil Back to Hell –WestminsterSubrosa, Spork – Burt’sRa Ra Riot, Walter Meego, TheAlligators, Ben Johnson – KilbyImpaled, Phobia, Kill the Client,Illogicist, Maruta – Why Sound

Thursday, September 18Neon Trees, The Hotness, LocationLocation – Burt’sGag Wear Debut Clothing Showcase– Trapp DoorRoney and Hall – Tin AngelMatisyahu, Brother Ali – U of UThe Devil Whale, Black Hens, DeadHorse Point – UrbanKatharine Coles – Ken Sander’sGeoff Tate – DepotAcoustic Open Mic Night w/ JeremiahMaxey – Pat’sEx Machina, Mary May – KilbyUprok Night – HotelDave’s Birthday Party – Piper DownFriday, September 19The Rocket Summer – In the VenueSpindrift, Furs, Tiny Lights, TheComedown – Burt’sSay Hi, Jukebox the Ghost, TheLionelle, Lord Mandrake – KilbyLion Fish Trio – Tin AngelGreen Desert Festival – Eureka UTPagan Dead, The Boomsticks, TragicBlack – UrbanHalfway to St. Paddy’s Day Party– Piper DownSean Hennefer Art Show: “Portraits”– Café NicheBlues 66 – Pat’sFashion Stroll – BroadwayGallery Stroll – Downtown SLCDeath of Field… Greeting from LosAngeles – Signed and NumberedIrony Man, Rattlesnake Shake, KissThis – Club VegasKiss Me Kill Me – AvalonGreen Desert Festival – Eureka UTHemicuda featuring Karen Cuda,Thunderfist, Top Dead Celebrity– Bar DeluxeBoomsnake, Snuffalufagus, Asher inthe Rye, Scarlet Lace – Solid GroundManik Push Project – FiceSaturday, September 20The Dead Science – KilbyVoodoo Darlings Burlesque– PaladiumScreaming Condors, Killbot – Burt’sFall into Autumn Party – Trapp DoorMike Sartain CD Release – UrbanErin Haley – Tin AngelThe Legendary Porch Pounders– Pat’sMaim Corps, Prosthetic Heads,Drown Out the Stars, My Own Time,Vinia,Stonecreep – Club VegasGreen Desert Festival – Eureka UTTaxt – Johnny’sUprok Night – OrangeRadiothon – KRCLSunday, September 21The Donkeys – KilbyGreen Desert Festival – Eureka UTPeople Under the Stairs, Mindstate,Blue Collar Theory – UrbanRadiothon – KRCLMonday, September 22Elase Elias – SheratonLiving Legends, The Bayliens,Grayskul – UrbanRuss Meyer Night: Faster PussycatKill! Kill! And Common Log Cabin– Red Light BooksThe Reign of Kindo, Jet Lag Gemini,Buffalo Milk, The Water’s Deep Here– Burt’sLindsey Buckingham – DepotLove Like Fire – KilbyThrowrag 9/23 AvalonRadiothon – KRCLUprok Night – Kristauf’sTuesday, September 23The Dirty Devil Race to Hell Tour:Throw Rag, Lower Class Brats, RogerMiret and the Disasters, The HeartAttacks, Viva Hate – AvalonTaxi to the Dark Side – City LibraryAugust Burns Red, A Skylit Drive,Greeley Estates, Sky Eats Airplane,This or the Apocalypse – Studio 600Paxtin, Cromwell, The Anix– Solid GroundThe Naked Eyes, The Auto Pirates,Hotel le Motel – KilbyPaper Mache – Why SoundBeatlejuiced, Wrong Around, SlimChance & His Playboys – Burt’sForeigner – DepotShearing Pinx, Agape, Trouble on thePrairie – UrbanRadiothon – KRCLWednesday, September 24We Shot the Moon, The Summer Set,Mercy Mercedes, Just for the Record,Season’s Extreme – AvalonPattern is Movement – KilbyMr. Gnome, The Good Bites,Birthquake – UrbanPaper Mache – Muse MusicSteve Aoki – W LoungeEdmushi, Fuck the Informer, AllSystems Fail – Burt’sSLUG Night w/ DJ Radar – Area 51Radiothon – KRCLThursday, September 25TSOL, The Hollow Points, NegativeCharge – Burt’sDavid Allen Coe – PaladiumUprok Night – HotelAcoustic Open Mic Night withJeremiah Maxey – Pat’sWater in the Southwest – Post TheaterCash – Tin AngelTower – Rose WagnerMartini Jazz Party – PiperDownMason’s Birthday withthe Neon Trees – TrappDoorMystical Spatuala,Drodna, La Farsa– UrbanUp Beat Screening withStretch Armstrong, MyMan Friday – MusicSchoolAmerican Me, CDC,Ambush, Blood StandsStill – Why SoundRadiothon – KRCLFriday, September 26Dr. Dog, Hacienda,Marcus Bentley & theDesert Drifters, Hacienda– UrbanDie Monster Die – Burt’sLagwagon, MXPX, OnlyCrime and Tat – In the VenueKris Zeman – Tin AngelTower – Rose WagnerCatherine, Sever Your Ties, Athens– Solid GroundSego Festival – 100 N. UniversityAvenue, ProvoRadiothon – KRCLWarewolf Afro – Club VegasDeadbolt, Pink Lighnin – Bar DeluxeBlackhounds, The Tangerines,Standing Solo, All Time Ending, BurntOrange – AvalonDanger Hailstorm, Tolchock Trio –Trapp DoorTeton Gravity Research MoviePremiere Party – Harry O’sSaturday, September 27X96 Big Ass Show – USANABad Weather California, Future of theGhost – KilbyBrunch: Derek Wright – Tin AngelSego Festival – Rock CastleAmpitheaterNineTail, My Last Breath, Balance ofPower, Massacre at the Wake,Separation of Self – Club VegasTower – Rose WagnerUprok Night – OrangeDinner: Vapor Trails – Tin AngelThe Radio Rhythm Makers, Oh! WildBirds – Burt’sMing and Ping – FiceSean Hennefer Fundraiser BBQ– contact@keepseanalive.comVicious Starfish, The Craving, Twain &Wynn – UrbanBleeding Through & Black Tide –SaltairMusic Trivia Quiz show – Trapp DoorHoodoo Blues – Pat’sRadiothon – KRCLSunday, September 28Stephen Kellogg & the Sixers, DonnyBonelli & the Kites – UrbanRadiothon – KRCLNight of the Immortals, TheCruxshadows, Ayria, Iscintilla– Area 51Monday, September 29The Bop Kings – Burt’sUprok Night – Kristauf’sI Wrestled a Bear Once, A HorribleNight to Have a Curse, Dead WifeBy Knife, Bring on the Night, SeaSwallowed Us Whole, Kalinne– AvalonHigh Places, Ponytail – KilbyChicago 10 – City LibraryBluesapalooza – Pat’sSamurai Sinema: Shogun Assassinand Honzo the Razor– Red Light BooksTuesday, September 30Bermondsey Joyriders, TheInsurgency – Burt’sWhy?, Restiform Bodies – KilbyKillola, The Action Design – PaladiumHard Boiled Book Club– Sam Weller’sRobert Cray – DepotWhy?, Bart Davenport – UrbanEat Skull, Kidneys and Half HongKong – Red Light BooksWednesday, October 1Supervillians, Melon Robotics, Funk &Gonzo – Burt’sHyper Crush – W LoungeTesla – DepotSLUG Night w/ DJ Radar – Area 51Thursday, October 2Cold War Kids – In the VenueFlow – Post TheaterWe Are Every Day – Rose WagnerWarsaw Poland Brothers– Piper DownThe Ed Forman Show, Levi Rounds– Burt’sLaughter CD Release, Subrosa– UrbanUprok Night – HotelFriday, October 3Margot and the Nuclear So & So’s,David Vandervelde – KilbyAwesome Color – UrbanArmin Van Buuren – Harry O’sThe Naked Eyes – Burt’sWe Are Every Day – Rose Wagner(75) SLUG

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