Buzz Blog

Hello to all you set-checking, amp-cranking, guitar-tuning, drum-pounding, ticket-buying, CWMA enthusiasts! --- This week kicked off our annual music awards showcases, from what I understand The Hotel did very well on Thursday, but tonight is the first of the two rock showcases over at The Complex where you'll see five awesome bands for a mere $6, total all-ages show. Come on out and hear some of the best music Utah has to offer. In lieu of a 337 update, here's a poster to remind you about tonight!

Just a heads up and a shameless plug, this is the last week of voting for the Best Of Utah awards, voting will end on February 28 at Midnight, all you need to do is register an email with a password and vote for at least ten valid (and local) nominees. If you enjoy reading this blog and all the content it provides throughout the year, I would very much appreciate a vote for the Best Local Blog category. And hey, that's one of nine filled out right there. Submit your ballot soon!

Onto events, the Geek Show Podcast takes over Brewvies yet again for their monthly movie night. This month, we celebrate the birthday of film critic and panelist Jeff Vice with two of his favorite comedies from the '80s: Airplane and UHF. The films are totally free but the services aren't, so be prepared to tip your very underpaid waitstaff.

The following night, Weller Books Works plays host to the monthly Salt City Slam. There actually aren't many details behind this month’s slam or the lineup they'll be going with beyond the headliner, which is the Women of the World Poetry Slam representative, DeAnn Emmet. The event is totally free to attend and kicks off at 8 p.m. at the Trolley Square atrium.

Moving to Thursday, The Sugar Space will present Causing A Decision at their Sugar House location, running until March 1. This dance performance will feature seven brand new works from local choreographers with members of co•da performing throughout the evening. But descriptions of what you'll see afterward are a tad hazy, mainly because they want you to get your ass out of the house and enjoy the unexpected. I say trust in the people behind it and take a chance, tickets are $12 ($10 for students) and $2 off with a can of non-perishable food for the food bank.

Skipping to Saturday, Spring Fest 2014 takes over the Utah State Fairgrounds, bringing you the finest in local troupes and styles from across the state. There's so many troupes and individual dancers spread across eight hours, that only listing a few would be a great disservice, check out the Facebook event listing for the complete details of the entire day's events. And after you've seen all that, remember that all that is just $7. Go check it out.

For those of you not quite into dancing, the Happy Valley Derby Darlins season opener will be next Saturday down in Spanish Fork. The league has expanded to the magical number of four teams, which now means you can pick one and boo the rest for fun until the game is over. This Saturday will see the Daughters Of Anarchy vs. The Rollin' Rebellion. Tickets are a mere $5 at The Hive (784 E. Chappel Drive), head out an catch an awesome bout as roller derby season kicks off around the state.

On Sunday, March 2, Craft Sabbath returns to the Salt Lake City Main Library, as their wise array of artists take over the main promenade to display their crafts for you to purchase. Shop for Easter and Mother's Day early, or just snag something cool for yourself. The event runs from 1-5 and is totally free to check out.

The majority of that week is concerts and showcases, which includes this event we're going to talk about, but the size and location give it a slight exception. Dixie Fest will be happening down in St. George on March 7, out at the Old Airport because... Well, the city officials hate venues, and what else are they gonna do with it? Aside from having American Authors playing a super cheap show, Uprising: The Paint Fight will be throwing their high adrenalin rush of a multicolored paint war to participate in. Take my advice, dress all in white and keep a spare set of clothes in the trunk.

Meanwhile up north, the annual Submerged In Art fundraiser. This year they moved out of the Sugarhood and into downtown as they two-day event will take place at the SLC Photo Collective. This is an opprotunity to see dozens of artists and musical performances, all to raise money for The Road Home. These events have done a lot of good in the past and have had some of the biggest turnouts of the year for small-venue setups. You should go check it out, donate, perhaps purchase and enjoy the evening.

And then finally, remember a few paragraphs up where I said roller derby season was kicking off? It is in full swing at the Wasatch Roller Derby who in two weeks will have their next bout. At this moment, the other team hasn't been decided, but it will feature the Uinta Madness, which is the all-male team that WRD hosts. It'll be good to get out and cheer for the men for a change.

As for the blog... we're going to visit Gallery Stroll, check in with another roller derby league, look into local fashion, chat with a local comedian, explore a locally made zine and preview the next play from Pygmalion. At least that's the plan, who the hell knows how things will shape up. As always, we'll see what happens.

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