All Aboard for Fun Times: St. Louis show highlights for 5/4-5/6

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If you missed the chance to witness Chuck Prophet when he visited in March (or just need another dose), mark you calendars for July 7, when he’ll be playing the Taste of Springfield (Ill.) festival, along with Amy LaVere, John Paul Keith and the One Four Fives, the Sadies and more TBA. Road trip!
  
The tragic hit-and-run death of a young woman in the wee hours last Friday occurred near the Broadway Oyster Bar and Beale on Broadway — not Off Broadway, as reported erroneously by at least one news source.
 
In a town where suppressing traffic flow on arterials seems to be the prevailing philosophy, the lack of any control at Broadway and Cerre has baffled me for a long time — making a left onto the former from the latter is always daunting.
 
An early check of the Schlafly Tap Room calendar for May didn’t show any bands playing 9-12 slots on the weekends — I was afraid my days of enjoying a band and a Tap Room Burger together might be over!
 
On that topic: What I’ve long felt is an over-saturated venue scene has experienced a culling over the last few months; in addition to the end of shows at the Billiken Club, Koken Art Factory ended their attempt at a less-than-infrequent schedule, Cicero’s is now Fri-Sun only, Ten Mile House appears to have quit booking altogether, Jefferson Warehouse has been very quiet (nothing on the calendar right now), and the live shows on Wednesdays at Smash Bar died a quick death.
 
Somebody lacking money to burn might want to think long and hard before deciding that our metro area — especially the city and inner-ring ‘burbs — needs another music venue (or micro-brew joint, for that matter, or combination thereof).

Plush hosts a bill of Tennis and Vacationer on May 11. At 100/2, this is the current frontrunner for the Show with the Highest Percentage/Number of Lame Band Names category of the 2012 AAfFT Awards.
 
May is starting off kind of nice and easy, but, like Proud Mary, it’s gonna get rough:
 
Friday, May 4
 
André Williams / The Ransom Note
Off Broadway  3509 Lemp  8-12  $10 advance/12 door (+3 under 21)  Smoke-free  

 
This special show offers both a performance by profane R&B cult legend AW and a screening of Agile Mobile Hostile: A Year with André Williams, a 2007 documentary on his fascinating life. Smooth soul sounds from TRN open the evening.
 
Devil Baby Freakshow / Quaaludes / Giants in the Sky
Plush  3224 Locust  9:30-12:30  $6 (18+)  Smoke-free
 
DBF deliver solid rock with a punk edge. Similar sounds from Q. GitS play hard-ish/prog-ish alternative rock. 
 
Saturday, May 5
 
The annual Cherokee Street Cinco de Mayo festival runs 11-9:30. Lots to eat, do, see and hear, with a parade (that will include a large number of El Caminos — providing that Johnny Vega$ can pull the thing together).
 
The music is on three stages and includes YHS-approved acts Old Lights, Kentucky Knife Fight, Ellen the Felon and the Mattronome and Fire Dog, along with many others. Check out the schedule.
 
Prairie Rehab / Melody Den / Fred Friction
Schlafly Tap Room  2100 Locust  9-12  Free (All ages — minors must be accompanied)  Smoke-free

 
Tasty mellow country sounds from PR. MD offer rock with a little twang — and a lot of tasty licks from two talented guitarists. FF gives you ballads that are heartfelt and booze-soaked.
 
Pretty Little Empire / Scarlet Tanager / Thankful Tree
Off Broadway  3509 Lemp  9-12:30  $10 (+3 under 21)  Smoke-free  

 
Folk-rock sounds that run from mellow to manic from PLE, who’ve been off the scene for a while the drummer rehabbed an injury. Proceeds from the show are targeted for financing their upcoming release.
 
ST offer folk- and pop-tinged rock. I haven’t heard TT — probably a safe bet it’s not death metal.
 
Sunday, May 6
 
The Gramophone (4243 Manchester) hosts Hep Cat Carnival — a benefit for Tenth Life, an organization that rescues and cares for stray cats. Food trucks, games, and other fun accompany live music, which includes Karate Bikini, Rough Shop and Miss Jubilee and the Humdingers.
 
This runs 3-9 p.m. with a $10 admission ($5 for kids 4-12) that includes some tickets for games (held on the adjacent parking lot).
 
Your humble servant,

Dick Caveat

Posted by | May 4, 2012 | Local, Music | Comment 

All Aboard for Fun Times: St. Louis show highlights for 4/20-4/21

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Sorry for the lateness — putting this together took quite a while…
 
Please note that some of the bands listed below are also playing Record Store Day events (designated below with an *); if times and/or prices for the regular gigs don’t work for you, consider sampling them during the day.
 
All opportunities considered, this Saturday is quite the exercise in overkill; you may decide to not see live music this weekend, but it shouldn’t be due to not seeing anything that’s appealing! To wit:
 
Friday, April 20
 
Mucca Pazza * / The Mad Titans
Firebird  2706 Olive  9-12  $15 (+2 18-20)  Smoke-free
 
Chicago’s MP is a huge circus-punk marching band; I didn’t catch them at their previous appearances here, but heard lots of raves about them — and the videos are pretty crazy/fun. Christian Schaeffer offers an opinion on them for the RFT.
 
TMT, who (to my knowledge) have only played a few shows in many years, play surf/instrumental rock, with an occasional vocal song thrown in. 
 
If a drive to Edwardsville sounds fun, John Paul Keith & the One Four Fives — a Memphis group with appeal for fans of varied roots-rock sounds offered by acts like Webb Wilder and the Morells/Skeletons — play at the Stagger Inn Again (104 E. Vandalia St.).
 
A 9 start is listed, but I can’t find any info on cover/age restrictions/possible other acts. Smoke free.
 
Alt-country rocker Cree Rider, a local who has resided elsewhere for some time, has decided to move back, and he’s celebrating by tonight and tomorrow at the Gramophone (4243 Manchester), joined by different guests each night.
 
Tonight’s the best bet, when the Cree Rider Family Band teams with Brothers Lazaroff, who add their soulful roots rock, while the Feed * bring powerful rock with a slight blues feel. This starts at 9, with a $10 cover (2 more for 18-20). Smoke-free.
 
Cursive / Cymbals Eat Guitars / Conduits
Off Broadway  3509 Lemp  9-12:30  $10 advance/12 door (+2 under 21)  Smoke-free 
 
Omaha’s Cu offer melodic,energetic rock. Ryan Wasoba interviews Cu frontman Tim Kasher for the RFT.
 
I didn’t have time to assess NYC’s CEG or Co, who are also from Omaha.

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Posted by | April 20, 2012 | Local, Music | Comment 

All Aboard for Fun Times: St. Louis show highlights for 4/13-4/15

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Looking ahead on the calendar, the local music scene will be saturated with good things, including the big Record Store Day celebration next weekend and a stretch in mid-May when there’ll be a shouldn’t-miss show nearly every night for over a week — and that’s at a single venue!

Hopefully, this musical flood will be in place of a literal one…

If you didn’t get a chance to hit the Kentucky Knife Fight show last Friday, you missed the debut of their slick taxi-themed video for “Love the Lonely,” a song that drives home (pun intended) my impression of them as a cornmeal-dusted cousin of Blue Oyster Cult.

If you want to see how many faces/places you can recognize, check it out, courtesy of the RFT.

Here’s this weekend’s loaded list of picks — with recurring themes of swing sounds and impressive female vocal talent:

Friday, April 13

Three Bad Jacks / Hot Club / Bible Belt Sinners / Atomic Betty
Plush 3224 Locust 8:30-1 $8 (18+) Smoke-free

LA’s TBJ mix traditional rockabilly with harder psychobilly sounds.

HC is the former Johnny Saint & the Princes of Hell (should’ve done a little research on the new name, fellas – a cease and desist letter may be headed your way…), who’ve moved away from rockabilly and in a swing/jump blues direction — I haven’t heard them yet. Rockabilly sounds, fronted by the powerful growl of Miss Molly Sims, from BBS. I haven’t seen or heard AB yet.

Caroline Smith & the Good Night Sleeps / April Smith & the Great Picture Show / The Jump Starts
Off Broadway 3509 Lemp 9-12:30 $10 advance/12 door (+3 under 21) Smoke-free

Upbeat folk-pop from Minneapolis, courtesy of CS&tGNS. Brooklyn’s AS&tGPS offer pop with a cabaret vibe to it, featuring her very stellar vocal talents.TJS are a folk-pop guitar/drums duo of Justin Johnson (Pretty Little Empire) and Sarah Ross (ex-Paper Dolls).

Bruiser Queen / The Concrete Rivals / Tok
Schlafly Tap Room 2100 Locust 9-12 Free (minors only with an adult) Smoke-free

BQ is a fun punk-ish rock duo, featuring the strong vocals of guitarist Morgan Nussbaum (ex-The 75s) and muscular drumming of Jason Potter (ex-Left Arm). Montpelier, VT’s TCR offer garage/surf sounds with a metal-ish twist. T rock hard, but with a more melodic sensibility than many bands of their ilk.

Colonel Ford
Schlafly Bottleworks 7260 Southwest 9-12 Free (minors only with an adult) Smoke-free

Vintage-styled honky-tonk and country sounds from CF, with a nebulous – but very skilled – roster.

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Posted by | April 13, 2012 | Local, Music | Comment 

All Aboard for Fun Times: St. Louis show highlights for 3/23

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The 2012 RFT Music Awards nominees were announced last week, and I finally got a chance to look at ‘em.
 
A lot of AAfFT-approved acts are present, and I don’t have much to quibble with in categories relevant to me; I’d swap the ones for the Union Electric and Tenement Ruth, and — while I think Lonesome Cowboy Ryan and his Dried-Up Teardrops are really good — they’re an infrequent-to-date side project that doesn’t yet merit nomination to the exclusion of country mainstays like Trigger 5 or Dock Ellis Band, in my opinion.
 
The annual showcase on Washington occurs June 2, hopefully a day with cooler weather than the last two years, when it felt like we were hurtling towards the sun.
 
Time got away from me; I’ll have to get the rest of the weekend to you later:
 
Friday, March 23

Butcher Holler
Stone Spiral Coffee & Curios   2500 Sutton   8-10:30   Donation (all ages)   Smoke-free
 
A lively mix of rock, country and rockabilly sounds from BH. No hard liquor here, but beer, wine and a variety of non-alcoholic choices are offered, and a small menu is available.
 
Box of Nerves
Maya Café   2726 Sutton   8-11   Free (I think)   Smoke-free
 
A wide variety of popular music styles from BoN, offered in both original and cover vehicles.

The Vondrukes / Trigger 5 / Royal Smokestacks / Beth Bombara & The Ebanjolist
Plush   3224 Locust   8-12:30   $7 (18+ only)   Smoke-free
 
A twangy array of sounds with a potent three-guitar attack from TV. Classic country and rockabilly sounds from T5. RS are fronted by Pat Eagan (Monads), and offer a energetic style of folk-ish rock. I haven’t heard BB&TE; I’ll guess it’s a different take on her mix of folk/pop/country solo sounds. 
 
Colonel Ford
Schlafly Bottleworks   7260 Southwest   9-12   Free   Smoke-free
 
Vintage-styled honky-tonk and country sounds from CF, with a nebulous, but very skilled, roster.
 
If you want to do some banging instead of twanging, Lemmons (5800 Gravois) offers a bill with heavy sounds from Tok, Death of Yeti, the Many-Colored Death and Langoliers.
 
This starts at 8 with a $5 cover (21+).  Smoke-free.

Your humble servant,

Dick Caveat

Posted by | March 23, 2012 | Local, Music | Comment 

All Aboard for Fun Times: St. Louis show highlights for 3/9-3/10

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The Polyphonic Spree plan to somehow squeeze their 20-odd members onto the stage at Blueberry Hill Duck Room on May 11 (unfortunate timing for me; I’ll be in a class until midnight all week; knew I’d miss at least one good thing due to it).
 
Tickets ($20) go on sale March 9 at 5 p.m., and I recommend a prompt purchase if interested (claustrophobics should think twice about attending…). I’m thinking there may be a reduced floor capacity to accomodate the group.
 
Plush held their first big show last week (headlined by Blind Pilot) to mixed reviews; apparently things were pretty disorganized, with getting in, getting tickets and getting drinks posing dilemmas and significant delays. I figure some growing pains have to be expected. I still haven’t been there, but folks who have said that parking is the challenge many anticipated, and the room has some columns that inhibit sight lines — can’t fix that, I suppose.
 
For the near future, I’d say that advance tickets and early arrival (I’ve heard good things about the food — dinner and a show?) are prudent moves for any shows on the main stage.
 
Here’s your weekend forecast:
 
Friday, March 9
 
Atomic Cowboy (4140 Manchester) is the surprising location for a first-ever visit by the Spits, a Seattle group that plays punk (very) loud, snotty, short and fast. Tour-mates TV Ghost come from Lafayette, IN with a more sophisticated, yet still primal, sound – kind of like Gang of Four and The Damned had a baby. Humanoids and Shaved Women provide some local punk flavor as openers.
 
This costs $12 (no age info posted), and is listed as starting at 8; if true, this may be over in time to check out another of the choices tonight (and may create an interesting atmosphere for diners in the room adjacent to the Fox Hole, where this is happening). Earplugs are recommended. Smoke-free. Daniel Hill offers a preview of TS for the RFT.

For a very different vibe, Off Broadway (3509 Lemp) hosts KC’s The Rainmakers, who have been playing slick, jangly, roots-/pop-tinged rock together (off and on – with 3/4 of the original lineup) for nearly 30 years. This starts at 8, with no opener. Cover is $15, with 3 more for 20-under. Smoke-free.
 
The monthly Subversion! event at the Crack Fox (1114 Olive) is Caligula’s Last Toga Party, offering all manner of decadent activities — and music by KDHX’s Al Swacker and the Romans, a Ramones tribute. This runs 9-3, with a $7 cover (21+ – this is a smoking venue).
 
El Leñador (3124 Cherokee) offers Los Vigilantes, coming all the way from Puerto Rico with a driving blend of garage/surf/punk sounds. Demon Lover, the former Theodore line-up sans Justin Kinkel-Shuster, will play a shambolic, noisy folk/rock blend, while Pink Socks offer manic, distorted thrash-rock. This starts between 9 and 10, with a $5 cover (21+). Smoke-free.
 
Saturday, March 10
 
You can help KDHX fill their coffers, while you fill your stomach, by attending the monthly brunch benefit this morning at Black Bear Bakery (2639 Cherokee), running 9-2, for $10. There’s a set of swing jazz-styled music by Wack-A-Doo from 10 to 12.

JC Brooks & the Uptown Sound / Company of Thieves / Sleepy Kitty
Off Broadway  3509 Lemp  8-12  $12 advance/14 door (+3 under 21)  Smoke-free
 
Chicago’s JCB&tUS meld funky soul with hints of garage and punk rock – and a dramatic stage presence by their leader. City-mates CoT have a muscular, pop-tinged rock sound that reminds me a bit of the Cranberries.Crafty duo (and Windy City ex-pats) SK offer a pop-rock base melded with improvisation via loops and effects. Jason Rosenbaum does a Q&A with JCB for the RFT.
 
Via Dove offer their muscular rock with a touch of blues at Cicero’s (6691 Delmar) on a diverse bill that also offers the piano-centric pop of Middle Class Fashion and Ladybirds, a Louisville outfit that plays jaunty, early-era rock with plenty of rockabilly and doo-wop touches; they remind me of the Revillos. This starts at 9, with a $5 cover (17+). Smoke-free.
 
Your humble servant,

Dick Caveat

Posted by | March 9, 2012 | Local, Music | Comment 

All Aboard for Fun Times: St. Louis show highlights for 3/7-3/8

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March started lamb-like, but it’s going full-blown now — in both the figurative and literal senses as I compose this! The winds are apparently out of the north; they’re pushing several Chicago acts here over the next four days:

Wednesday, March 7

The onslaught of Japanese Action Comic Punk continues unabated when colorful kooks Peelander-Z head a bill at Firebird (2706 Olive). Fellow Japanese act Electric Eel Shock offer metal-ish punk, with Dicegrinder starting things off with straight-up hardcore punk. This starts at 8, with a $12 cover (3 more for 20-under). Smoke-free.

Tonight’s Stag Nite at El Leñador (3124 Cherokee) is jam-packed with four acts, headlined by the potent three-guitar twang attack of The Vondrukes.

Chicago’s Ornery Little Darlings play effects-laden rock that frequently sounds like Pixies crossed with Black Diamond Heavies – maybe it’s the overdriven electric piano making me think of the latter. Netherfriends, aka Shawn Rosenblatt, is a Chicago-based performer using an array of instruments and gadgets to create electro-pop sounds.

Irene Allen-Sullivan, Jennifer Roques and Maureen Sullivan will reprise their tribute to the Emmylou Harris/Dolly Parton/Linda Ronstadt album Trio to start the show, which I’m told will start promptly at 9. This costs $5 (21+) and (as always) there’s $1 Stag cans until midnight. Smoke-free.

Thursday, March 8

Kim Lenz and the Jaguars / Nikki Hill Band / Reverend Matt
Off Broadway 3509 Lemp 8-11:30 $10 (+3 under 21) Smoke-free

LA’s KLatJ offer up rockabilly and vintage R&B sounds with vocals as fiery as her bright-red mane. I haven’t heard NHB, but it appears she’s also into a sassy vocal style – from a more blues/R&B angle. I also haven’t witnessed RM – I think he’s a solo country/folk performer.

More vintage sounds occur at the Gramophone (4243 Manchester), where Bloomington, IN’s Davy Jay Sparrow & His Well-Known Famous Drovers (whew!) bring their take on honky-tonk and western swing styles, supported by the old-school jazz/blues of Rum Drum Ramblers. This starts at 9, with a $6 cover (2 more for 18-20). Smoke-free.

Former Black Crowes guitarist/co-leader Rich Robinson brings his band to Old Rock House (1200 S. 7th) for a healthy dose of bluesy rock. Opening the show is Memphis’ Amy LaVere, who transitions smoothly among several roots styles with a sensual vocal delivery – she strikes me as akin to a female Chris Isaak. This starts at 8, with a $15 cover. Smoke-free

Your humble servant,

Dick Caveat

Posted by | March 7, 2012 | Local, Music | Comment 

All Aboard for Fun Times: St. Louis show highlights for 3/2-3/3

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It was another entertaining visit from the David Mayfield Parade at the Heavy Anchor last night. I strongly recommend you catch them on their next visit; the corny jokes and stage antics are worth the price of admission, and the music is great. Any fan of Robbie Fulks would likely enjoy them immensely. 
 
As for the venue, I’m afraid it just doesn’t work as a setting for quiet acts. During many songs by them and Robert Sarazin Blake, recorded music bleeding from the bar side was a constant distraction, as were the subset of bar patrons accessing the restrooms or smoking area who rudely chatted aloud or stomped their way up/down the wooden ramp that leads to them.
 
For shows like this Saturday’s hard/punk rock bill headlined by the Reebs, it will probably function fine. I hope they concentrate on acts that don’t require a quiet, attentive vibe, as it’s an enjoyable place to visit in several other respects.  
 
Show-wise, the start of March isn’t frenetic enough for in-like-a-lion status, but there are a reasonable number of worthwhile options:
 
Friday, March 2
 
Off Broadway (3509 Lemp) hosts a Phil Ochs Tribute tonight, pretty fresh on the heels of an American Experience feature about him on PBS, nice timing.
 
Scheduled performers include Corey Saathoff, David Feldmann, Josh Lucker, Accelerando, Michael Berg, Ray Gude, Edward Burch and Alley Ghost (who are some busy fellows of late!). This show is free (21+) and starts around 7. Smoke-free 
 
Portland, OR’s Blind Pilot bring their lush ensemble folk-pop sound to Plush (3224 Locust), joined by Seattle’s Cataldo (aka Eric Anderson; he does have others with him on tour, though), who offers quiet, atmospheric folk. This starts at 9, with a $15 cover (all-ages, but 16-under must be accompanied by 18-up). Smoke-free. Roy Kasten interviewed BP co-founder Israel Nebeker for the RFT.
 
The distinctive pop-rock sounds of Karate Bikini headline a bill at the Firebird (2706 Olive), starting at 9. Joining them are Jackknife Powerbomb, who seem to be into a heavy thrash-punk sound, and the unknown offerings of Blackwell, who I couldn’t find anything about online. Cover is $7, with 3 more for the 20-under set.  
 
Saturday, March 3
 
The Blind Eyes / Union Tree Review / Volcanoes / Scarlet Tanager
Off Broadway 3509 Lemp 8-12:30 $8 (+3 under 21) Smoke-free
 
Thoughtful pop-rockers TBE celebrate the 3rd anniversary of their initial release, Modernity, by performing the entire album. AG offers the songs of Bob Reuter with a passionate, rough-at-the-edges mix of rock, blues and folk. V are a local duo I haven’t heard yet. Folk-pop sounds from ST.  
 
The Hackensaw Boys / Lydia Loveless / Rum Drum Ramblers
Blueberry Hill Duck Room 6504 Delmar 9-12:30 $12 advance/15 door (21+) Smoke-free

Charlottesville, VA’s THB are a large, oft-changed (once counting Pokey LaFarge among their ranks) ensemble of players passionate about vintage folk, blues, country and bluegrass sounds.  Columbus, OH’s LL is a young woman with an old, world-weary one’s perspective in her songs, which blend traditional country sounds with a brash rock attitude. High-energy sounds that evoke ’30s-’40s jazz and blues from RDR. 
 
Swing DeVille

Schlafly Bottleworks 7260 Southwest 9-12 Free Smoke-free
 
Fans of western swing or jazz artists like Django Rinehardt and Stephane Grappelli will dig SDV, sweet sounds from players with serious chops.
 
Bellingham, WA’s Robert Sarazin Blake wraps up his visit with a set at Mangia Italiano (3145 S. Grand), sharing a bill with upbeat folk act the Griddle Kids. This is free (21+) and starts after 11.

Your humble servant,

Dick Caveat
 

Posted by | March 2, 2012 | Local, Music | Comment 

All Aboard for Fun Times: St. Louis show highlights for February 27-29

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The shortest month wraps up, and our bonus day is quite busy.
 
Monday, February 27
 
Due to a scheduling issue, the Cowboy Ryan show at El Leñador (3124 Cherokee) has morphed into Monday Night Raw where musicians who haven’t practiced together will play songs they can agree on. Appearing will be bluegrass/folk act the Lulus, folkies the Griddle Kids and Chris Baricevic (Alley Ghost) along with whoever joins the jam.

This is free (21+) and starts after 9. Smoke-free.
 
Tuesday, February 28

Tuesday’s Drag the River and Trigger 5 show at Firebird was cancelled. DtR got a $$$ gig as openers for Big Head Todd and the Monsters.
 
Wednesday, February 29
 
Tonight’s Stag Nite at El Leñador offers a full roster. Country and country/folk/rock sounds from the Red-Headed Strangers. Bellingham, WA’s Robert Sarazin Blake plays an energetic style of folk that has a punk ethos (he’s once again doing several shows around town in the next few days – more on those later). Fuzzed-out, folk-ish rock from the Union Electric. Acoustic country/folk sounds from the powerfully-voiced Irene Allen-Sullivan.
 
I assume this’ll start more 9-ish than the frequent 10-ish, so plan accordingly. $5 gets you in (21+), with $1 Stag cans until midnight. Smoke-free.
 
Brooklyn folk trio Pearl and the Beard play at the Gramophone (4243 Manchester), with support from indie-pop acts Palace and Bo and the Locomotive, starting at 9. Cover is $5, with 3 more for 18-20. Smoke-free. 
 
Tonight’s Live Music with Fred Friction at Smash Bar (1405 Washington) features the long-absent Miles of Wire. It’s hard to say what they’ll be like, sound- or personnel-wise, but they had an intriguing rock style before they faded from the scene. Opening are the Hobosexuals, a side project of some members of the Campfire Club; I haven’t heard them.
 
This starts around 10, with no cover (21+). There is food available. I’ve been told that smoking is allowed here, so I probably won’t be hitting these shows unless I’m off the next day. The late start means a late end and bedtime, which doesn’t need to be exacerbated by a late shower…
 
Your humble servant,

Dick Caveat

Posted by | February 27, 2012 | Local, Music | Comment 

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