By Zoe Gottlieb
September 19, 2020
Yamile Saied Méndez is nothing short of a trailblazer in the growing community of diverse female writers, with previous publications including multiple grade-school books such as "Shaking Up the House" and "Wish Upon a Stray." "Furia" is her first Young Adult novel, a story she says was the manifestation of an idea that came to her no less than 12 years ago. "Furia" is a powerful tale of, in Méndez’s words, “overcoming all odds.” Take Méndez’s female heroine Camila “Furia” Hassan, a high-spirited, rebellious and self-aware teenager who possesses a momentous secret with the potential to change everything — she, alongside her idolized fútbol-playing brother, has maintained a covert career of her own as a striker on the Eva María team in Rosarina, Argentina. For Méndez, there is a surprising message that underlies the story. Growing up with girls “only allowed to play volleyball and field hockey,” Argentina was a very different world in terms of...
By Kate Button, Arts Writer, Copy Editor
September 13, 2020
On Oct. 11, 2020, the Utah Pride Center plans to host the first annual Utah Pride Road Rally. In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, the majority of pride celebrations that usually take place in June were canceled. Kevin Randall, the director of Public Relations for the Utah Pride Center, said, “We felt a huge loss not being able to put on the Pride Festival and Parade this year, but just like many other organizations dealing with this pandemic, we're adjusting to this new normal and making the best of it. The Utah Pride Road Rally, also known as PRIDE 2.0, can be just as loud, colorful and fun as other Pride celebrations and we invite everyone to participate.” PRIDE 2.0 coincides with National Coming Out Day, and this event will serve as a way for people to come together and provide a safe place for the LGBTQ+ community. PRIDE 2.0 will also raise funds for the Utah Pride Center to keep its lifesaving programs operational. Typically, pride celebrations feature huge...
By Cade Anderson, Arts Writer
September 12, 2020
A laid-back Sven Gamsky, wearing a purple T-shirt and resting against some pillows on his bed for a virtual press conference hosted by Universal Music Group last week, confessed that he still “doesn’t really fully understand” the process of sending his singles “down the line” to get approved and released by his new record label Interscope Records. Gamsky — who, until recently, has been known to create songs independently and even publish them immediately after they're completed — is now adapting not only within the atmosphere of quarantine and a cancelled summer 2020 tour, but also within the workflow of a major label that boasts artists like Kendrick Lamar, Lady Gaga and Billie Eilish. The Oakland, California native has explained that his namesake “Still Woozy” stems from his aloof, spaced-out, “tunnel-vision” nature that he likes to recreate through music, and his new single, “BS,” released Sept. 10, 2020, is no exception. Like iconic Still...
By Zoe Gottlieb
September 10, 2020
During normal operations, the Salt Lake City Twilight Concert Series allows community members to rejoice in the last days of Summer. Balmy weather, resplendent colors, quirky food trucks, and festival nostalgia normally come to mind for Twilight Concert attendees, but this year, things will play out a little differently. This is because of widespread closures beginning in March that have contributed to an inordinate number of canceled shows, having a profound, negative impact on local musicians all over Salt Lake County. Enter "Light Up Locals," a virtual benefit concert launched by the collaborative efforts of S&S Presents and the Salt Lake City Arts Council, working simultaneously to ease the burden placed on musicians and re-energize a largely disheartened community. The concert presents as one of the many opportunities for people across Salt Lake to give back to their local artists while experiencing live entertainment from the safety of their homes. Starting at...
By Oakley Burt, Arts Editor
September 9, 2020
The first trailer for Denis Villeneuve’s highly anticipated science-fiction epic “Dune” has been released, and it’s full of gorgeous set designs, intense action sequences and a close-up look at the iconic and infamous sandworms. Inspired by Frank Herbert’s classic 1965 novel, Villeneuve has been wanting to make a film adaptation of “Dune” ever since he became a filmmaker. Luckily, Warner Bros. and global entertainment company Legendary have allowed him to do so, slating “Dune” as their tentpole film for 2020. “Dune” stars Timothée Chalamet in his first leading blockbuster role as Paul Atreides, whose family leaves their planet of Caladan after getting ownership of a desert planet named Arrakis. The planet is the home of the world’s most valuable resource, a drug called spice that extends human life and gives its users superhuman abilities. Paul’s father, Duke Leto Atreides (Oscar Isaac), is tasked with overseeing the spice mining on Arrakis. By...