Tegan and Sara didn't let old or new fans down while on their LY2D tour.
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“It’s always better live,” purred Con Brio frontman Ziek McCarter from the stage at The State Room on Thursday night. And while I’d argue that in the age of auto-tune and lip-synching that’s not always true, in the case of Con Brio, he’s exactly right. I’d heard legend of the band’s electric performances—like their set at Austin City Limits that set the internet on fire and locally, their opening set for Grace Potter at Red Butte just a month ago—but this was my first time seeing them.
Wow.
McCarter came onto the stage after the rest of his band had assembled there and as the six of them played intro music. And as he approached the microphone, onto which a scarf was tied—hello, Steven Tyler—it was clear that he was a force of nature. He wore satin pants, a jaunty fedora with a feather sticking out top and a three-quarter sleeved sequined jacket that looked like something Betty White may have worn to an awards show in 1986. And somehow it worked.
And though Trumpeter Brendan Liu was charismatic in his own right, and sax player Marcus Stephens brought charm in his role on the stage, and though McCarter gave every man in his band their due at different points in the nearly two-hour set, none of them came close to matching the stage presence of the front-man. He belted out songs—sometimes in falsetto—while also strutting around the stage, shaking his behind, doing the splits, and gyrating his hips in a way that made this middle-aged woman exhausted just watching.
Indeed, the young man with the golden voice seems to have harnessed his sexuality. At one point he told the crowd about a slower jam, “Let it percolate. Some things take time. We call that foreplay.” Although, he also told a pointless story about seeing a dog at a hotel and told the crowd that he knew Mercury was retrograde (ed note: it is not.).
Con Brio blew through soulful song after soulful, funky, R&B song, some of their own and some covers, with enthusiasm and boundless energy without hardly taking a break to breathe—showing that they are an incredible band with an extraordinary lead singer. And though thier gig at The State Room did not sell out this time, it’s clear that they’ll be outgrowing the venue very, very soon—because, with Con Brio, it’s definitely better live.
The Park City Area Restaurant Association’s “Dine About” returns for its fourth year this fall, offering a nine-day extravaganza of affordable and delicious two-course lunches and three-course dinners from favorite…
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“Welcoming Salt Lake Week” continues this week until September 25, encouraging Utah residents to support the city’s diverse population. The campaign, supported by Salt Lake City and Salt Lake County and Chamber, brings attention to the cultural, social and economic contributions of new Americans. This year, Salt Lake residents are encouraged to participate in the “7 Days, 7 Ways” challenge by doing volunteer work, attending cultural events and reading and discussing about the experiences of refugees and immigrants.
“The 7 Days, 7 Ways challenge is one way to recognize the values and contributions of our newest residents, and there are many more,” said Fatima Dire, Refugee Community Liaison with the Salt Lake City Office of Diversity and Human Rights. “Our community is well-known for its welcoming spirit and for embracing diversity. It’s a source of community strength.”
“Serve Refugees,” another effort by the Salt Lake City Office of Diversity and Human Rights, is a free smart-phone app, which provides information to users on ways to get involved in refugee assistance. The “Know Your Neighbor” volunteer program is another opportunity supported by Salt Lake City that connects a refugee family to a strong contact in the community. The program has connected over 45 volunteers with refugee families, who help them integrate into the Utah community. The next orientation for “Know Your Neighbor” will be Thursday, October 6 from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Salt Lake City and Country Building, Room 306. If interested, send a RSVP to Fatima Dire at fatima.dire@slcgov.com.
Census and resettlement organization data says that over 60,000 refugees now live in Utah, with most residing in Salt Lake County. Each year about 1,100 new refugees seek safety in the state of Utah.
For more information on Salt Lake City Office of Diversity and Human Rights programs click here.
-Brieanna Olds
Celebrate this year’s Free Night of Theater by entering to win free tickets to your choice of performance from theaters across the valley. NowPlayingUtah.com has organized the event, which gives participants the opportunity to enter the contest September 23 through October 7. With shows performed by some of Utah’s best acting companies at locations like Pioneer Theatre Company, Hale Centre Theatre and Utah universities, selections can be made from classic favorites and new standouts. Choose from “The Importance of Being Earnest,” “Willy Wonka,” “Little Shop of Horrors,” “Arcadia,” “Winter,” or a number of other stellar productions. Winners will be notified on October 14 and performances will be held October 20 through November 13.
“We are excited to be able to again offer the Free Night of Theater to open the world of live performance to new audience members in Utah,” said Pat Holmes of NowPlayingUtah.com. “We have some pretty amazing theater productions this year with 11 generous theaters providing free tickets to 12 different productions.”
Created to inspire more people to attend theater performances, Free Night of Theater hopes to bring out first-time attendees, whether they are new to specific companies or theater in general. This year they have expanded the event to a month long opportunity. Instead of being restricted to selecting a theater performance on a specific night, patrons are now able to fit the performances around their schedules.
To enter, all that is necessary is to create a profile here, select two performances you wish to see, and submit your entry. For more information on the Free Night of Theater event, click here.
-Brieanna Olds
Fun fact: Con Brio is a musical direction that means “with spirit” or “with vigor.”
Another fun fact: Con Brio is a musical group playing The State Room on Thursday night.
These two things are not unrelated.
Photo by Amy Price
Young and with relentless energy, Con Brio is a soul-funk-R&B band that answers the question you never asked about what would happen if someone combined James Brown, Michael Jackson and Prince (may they rest in peace).
After taking Austin City Limits by storm last year and generating headlines like, “The Best New Live Band In America?” and “Soulful Powerhouse Con Brio Proves ACL’s Value.” Whoa, right? No pressure, guys.
Here’s where it gets really interesting. Frontman Ziek McCarter, an aerobic force on stage, lost his father in 2011 at the hands of a police officer in East Texas. And as a result the band’s debut album Paradise, which they started recording right after McCarter had a vision of his father, has a social conscious—especially “Brave and Free,” which name drops Dr. King and Travon Martin in its opening lines. It should be #blacklivesmatter’s theme song.
Thursday September 22, doors at 7 and the music starts at 8, Morgan Whitney Opens. Tickets still available here.
Hey, it’s the autumnal equinox, the first official day of fall. A nip in the air, a bite of an apple.
Maybe I read too much Robert Frost at an impressionable age, but the fruit and the season are linked in my brain. The only thing is, I am hardly ever inclined to eat a whole apple out of hand. It’s not that we’re confined to Granny Smith and Red Delicious anymore—you can choose from an ever-expanding menu of apple varieties, from heirloom to recently hybridized. But like so many foods in America, most apples have gotten too large. You can’t really commit to an apple the size of a grapefruit either. I was afraid I was done with apple-eating now.
So I was pleased to receive a gift of apples called Lil Snappers this week—apples grown to be right size for a snack or a child’s lunch sack. An apple you can eat right down to the core.
Is this the beginning of right-sizing American food? Probably not. But it made my day.
Dig out your sneakers and dog leashes and get ready for this year’s Strut Your Mutt event. The fundraising festival begins October 22 at 8:30 a.m. with a walk and activities lasting throughout the day until 2 p.m. Bring your pup and play catch on the lawn, make dog toys, buy a treat from a vendor and find out what your dog is thinking at the pet psychic. Located at Liberty Park, this is the 21st annual Strut your Mutt event put on by Best Friends Animal Society.
This year, the organization hopes to raise $290,000 through donations and registration for the event. For individuals, registration costs $35 for adults and $18 for children. The money raised will go directly to participating Utah shelter and rescue groups or to the animals at Best Friends shelters.
The event also features many activities for families including cookie decorating for the kids and a beer garden for the adults, as well as, the opportunity to meet “Modern Family” star Reid Ewing.
Sponsor BOBS from Sketchers is also supporting the ongoing #9000Steps Challenge, presenting prizes on the 9th day of each month to those who post a picture of the #9000Steps they have walked with their four-legged friend.
Best Friends Society has grown since 1984 from the Best Friends Animal Sanctuary to a state-wide presence with multiple shelters, programs, events, and advocacy programs. Hosting the first Strut Your Mutt event in 1995, Best Friends Animal Society is the leading pet adoption and fundraising organization in Utah. Their adoption center located in Sugar House hosts a kitten nursery, a spay/neuter clinic and a boutique-style pet adoption experience in partnership with the No Kill Utah Coalition.
For more information on Strut Your Mutt and to register for the event, click here.
-Brieanna Olds
The end times are near or, at least, so is NOW-ID’s Second Annual House of Apocalypse Gala. On Saturday, September 24 at 6:30 p.m., Addictive Behavior Motorworks will open its doors to the Queen of Gasoline and all her vampy friends. The bazaar will feature live musicians, dancers, fortune tellers, video projections, an auction and a dance party. This is a 21 and over event with beer and spirits donated from Squatters/Wasatch Breweries and Dented Brick Distillery. Taking place during the upcoming quarter blood moon, the gala is an “excuse to say hell yes!”
Dance Company and host NOW-ID is known for challenging and explosive performances, showcasing local, national and international artists. With a focus on social change, the company focuses much of their work on engagement with the community. This year’s funds will go toward artistic and educational programming and the development of future performances in the fields of dance, design and architecture.
If in attendance, dress dangerously. One of the gala’s best features is the unique fashion answering the question, “what would you wear if if was your last day on earth?” Become part of the experience with hypnotic vibes carrying participants into the night or watch as talented and disciplined performers change current perceptions of art. A few highlights of the Apocalypse include “Whiptress” Melissa Blazen as the “metronome of the Apocalypse” and former Ballet West dancer Kate Linsley.
Tickets are $125 and can be purchased here. The NOW-ID Gala will be held at Addictive Behavior Motorworks at 454 S. 500 W. For more information click here.
-Brieanna Olds
