The Demo, the newly redesigned venue where the Fox Hole has long lived at the Atomic Cowboy, started to fill particularly early on Saturday night for a rare appearance by Wax Tailor.

Despite a half-empty room, the chatter filled Jazz at the Bistro with an energy thick enough to feel as patrons moved slowly to their seats.

"January has officially arrived because the Bad Plus is in St. Louis," remarked Jazz at the Bistro's Bob Bennett as he introduced the trio on this, their seventh annual stay at the prized listening room.

Joined by a well-crafted quartet, Gregory Porter has been dropping jaws around the world since his well-received debut album "Water" was released in 2010.

Some people claim that the art of the music video is dead, but I believe it's simply moved from the industry-controlled cable stations to the nearly limitless world of the Internet.

This was my first full calendar year attending concerts for KDHX as a photographer and journalist, and it certainly helped keep me regularly attending shows.

On the show "Elevated Rhymestate" I feature the latest and greatest in hip-hop and urban music. To my ears, 2012 was a great year for music.

On Saturday night Lola was bustling and full of life long before the music started. People came in dressed to impress with nostalgic late '90s style and quickly scattered around the club, filling every available seat shortly after doors opened at nine.

Perhaps it was simply an early show on a Tuesday or perhaps there just wasn't enough exposure and promotion, but St. Louis did not show up to support Spose and the others from Preposterously Dank Entertainment. The low turnout was certainly not for a lack of talented performers.

The Deleted Scenes tour joined up with Indyground Entertainment's Always Support Locals series to serve the crowd at the Firebird a night of innovative and original hip-hop.