When organizers set out to program three evenings of art and entertainment for the Salt Lake City community, they wanted to invite all factions of this town, including urban youth. And nothing says urban youth more than the thump of hiphop, DJs manipulating their weapon of choice— turntables—and mad amounts of graffiti. That’s where Eve Underground comes in to play.
“We tried to include aspects of our culture that might not regularly get attention,” says Eve’s entertainment director Chris Condie. “Basically, we wanted to provide a space for urban youth to feel comfortable coming down and hanging out. We felt like creating something special but at the same time similar to where they would go on any Friday night. Let’s bring it to them. ... That’s also why we turned to Uprok, because they have a pulse on what’s happening in our local urban culture.”
So, the plan: DJs will spin the hippest records in a club-like environment on Gallivan Avenue as fire dancers wander around the locale, all while two, 24-foot-long by 8-foot-tall murals will be created live by a slew of local graffiti artists. One of the murals will take all three nights to complete, providing a space for more intricate and detail-oriented designs while the other will be more temporary, getting erased each night of Eve Underground to allow for a fresh new sphere of expression. (Jacob Stringer)
Eve Underground with Live Graffiti Painting presented by Uprok Records @ Gallivan Avenue (160 S. State), nightly at 6:30 pm, EveSLC.com