52nd City: Festivals & Events

Vonnegut in STL

That'd be Dr. Mark Vonnegut, compliments of STLAS.

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ST. LOUIS ACTORS’ STUDIO PROUDLY PRESENTs
AN EVENING WITH DR. MARK VONNEGUT
Kurt Vonnegut, Jr.’s son to speak about his late father for one night only

WHAT: St. Louis Actors’ Studio is honored to bring Dr. Mark Vonnegut to St. Louis to present “Kurt Vonnegut, Jr.: His Life, Art & Politics” for one night only—Friday, Dec. 5, 2008, 8 p.m.—at The Ethical Society. Dr. Vonnegut will read pieces of his father’s writings, present his fine art and discuss his ideologies and political viewpoints.

“Kurt Vonnegut has had a life-long impact on me. Not since Mark Twain, have we had an American writer and humorist care so much about this country and our place in history. Kurt Vonnegut, Jr. fought for us in WWII and every time he sat behind the typewriter. We are very proud to present this evening as part of our “Power and Politics” season” says William Roth, founder and producing director of the St. Louis Actors’ Studio.

Dr. Vonnegut, notable on his own merits for having written “The Eden Express” in 1975 about this own battle with mental illness that went on to help others understand the disease, is currently a pediatrician practicing in Massachusetts.

St. Louis Actors' Studio (STLAS), founded by William Roth, Milton Zoth and David Wassilak, strives to bring a fresh vision to theatre in St. Louis. Housed in The Gaslight Theater, a new venue in historic Gaslight Square, STLAS is committed to bringing engaging theatrical experiences to our community of actors, writers, producers, filmmakers and all patrons of the arts; and to provide a strong ensemble environment to foster learning and artistic expression.

WHEN: Friday, Dec. 5
8 p.m.

WHERE: The Ethical Society
Main Auditorium
9001 Clayton Ave.
St. Louis, MO 63117

TICKETS: Adults - $15
Students (with a valid ID) and seniors (65+) - $10

Tickets are available for purchase through Ticketmaster.com, all Ticketmaster Ticket Centers or Charge by Phone at 314.421.4400. Tickets will also be available at the Venue box office one hour prior to performances.

For more information on St. Louis Actors’ Studio, please visit www.stlas.org .

Cooper-Moore redux

Went to Joe's Cafe last night, for its first show in six months. The acts were Zimbabwe Nkenya and Cooper-Moore, a gig which wound up selling more than 100 tickets, with generous number of additional people topping that attendance number. Having sat in the back of the room - at a table inc. 19th century Presidential enthusiast Thom Fletcher, among other - it was obvious that the 7 p.m. ticket time meant little to folks, as they arrived all the time up until the 10 p.m. close of the show.

Cooper-Moore is a part of a long tradition of heavy-touring, African-American storyteller/musicians, and his stay in St. Louis inc. two gigs yesterday: Joe's and at the season-ending Tower Grove Farmer's Market. Received a note yesterday from one of the two prime organizers of his visit, Brett Underwood, which indicates that Cooper-Moore is on tap for two more gigs today: one in person, at the Scott Joplin House (7-9 p.m.) and one the radio (10:30).

Here are some notes from Underwood, penned yesterday:

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It's true!

We sold-out this incredible show in ADVANCE!

There are atleast 100 people in town that are going home with sweet dreams tonight.

I just saw the man perform in Tower Grove Park and you are all in for a treat!
See Cooper-Moore tomorrow night at the Scott Joplin House (Beaumont at Delmar, one block west of Jefferson and Delmar). Donations are encouraged.
7 p.m.

If you can't rip yourselves away from another riveting episode of 60 Minutes, turn on All Soul, No Borders at 10:30 p.m., www.kdhx.org, 88.1 FM.

Yowza!

Nukes & Celery

'Tis the season of reunions.

The Nukes return to the St. Louis stage on December 29, opening for Pale Divine at the Pageant. (Much more on their Blueberry Hill show during tomorrow's blogging.)

Celery is set for a show at Maplewood's Deluxe on November 16.

Rumored is an Unconscious gig during the holidays.

Happy, happy, happy.

Fall Along the River

A mix of fall happenings going on up and down the Great River Road over the next couple of months. I am not much of a 'quaint fall festival' type, but whenever I have gone to some such thing on the eastside along the river I have ended up digging it.

The events are of course not all in an apple-butter sort of vein (not that there is anything wrong with apple butter or events that involve it, but variety is nice). I loved the Tow-Boat Festival in Grafton last year. The re-enactments of 18th Century war activities at Fort Des Chartres and other spots are not something you see everyday. Today the Alton Area Landmarks Association is having a house tour from noon-6pm that I might hit.

Here is a calendar of events to check out if you find yourself in the mood for a ride. http://www.greatriverroad.com/all/allcalendar.htm

Ed Begley Jr. Hits Town Tomorrow to Talk Green

Ed Begley Jr., star of numerous television shows and movies (including one of my secret favorite movies She-Devil), hits town tomorrow for Living and Building Green. Mr. Begley, Jr. has long been an advocate for and practitioner of green living, and tomorrow at Forest Park Community College he will be on hand at this event to discuss "residential green building strategies for new and remodeled homes". Also on hand will be architects, builders, and designers who can answer questions and offer guidance.

For more information about Living and Building Green, go to www.mygreencottagestl.com

SBAC in NYT

The South Broadway Athletic Club's monthly wrestling promotion is featured in today's New York Times. A tipster sends along a link to the piece, written by former RFT reporter Malcolm Gay.

I've seen it all now. I'm speechless.

Not Quite the Moonlight Ramble

Thom Fletcher, he who almost convinced me there was a zebra park in Alton where the children don hay-beards to be nibbled off by baby zebras, informed me today that there will be a naked bike ride in Tower Grove Park next weekend. Naturally, I was a bit skeptical, but it's true! The World St. Louis Naked Bike Ride, organized to protest oil depenency while promoting body acceptance, is part of a worldwide movement; CAMP's screening a doc on the subject tonight at 9pm. Though I salute both causes, I can tell you right now that I'm probably too Utah-ish to attend such a thing, though Mr. Fletcher suggested shaving a cat and sending it in my stead. Of course, teaching a cat to ride a bicycle (and it can be done - I've seen exactly that at the Circus Circus Casino floor show in Vegas!) is probably easier than shaving it, unless you relish the idea of losing an eye.

Maplewood : Friday : Organized Fun

Amy VanDonsel was kind enough to send along word of Friday's "Let Them Eat Art" event, taking place throughout the Maplewood business district. We enjoy what's going on over there and like to support our friends and supporters, so here's the note (which does mention "dream interpretation" for the confused sleepers among you):

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This Friday, July 11, I'll be painting "live" and selling work at Maplewood's "Let Them Eat Art" event from 6PM to 11PM.

You can find me at the Well Body Clinic at 2716 Sutton Blvd.

Check in locations for a map of artists and entertainment located at various Maplewood businesses are:

Schlafly Bottleworks, 7260 Manchester
Downtown Maplewood, 7300 Manchester
Studio Altius, 3518 Greenwood Blvd.

Attractions include belly dancing, dream interpretation, spinning tops, face painting, live music, DJs, gallery openings, a fire-shooting ice cream truck, silent auctions and who knows what else.

Gumbohead (7PM) and New Punk Hippies (9PM) will play at the Mill on Sutton, with Scott Kaye and the Continentals at Schlafly Bottleworks and Harvest Band at Studio Altius. Also: Terri Langerak, Jane Godfrey, Maple Jam, and Elliot Ranney.

The Firecracker Press will printing at Schlafly and Ben Goeke will be making t-shirts at Bugaloo. Other featured artists include Charlie Houska, Fern Taylor, Jaxon Noon, Emily Hemeyer, Jeffery Sass, Kate Duncan, Carmelita Nunez, St Louis Craft Mafia, Michael Bolton, Jeff Kapfer, Jessi Cerutii, Henryk Ptasiewicz, and Solomon Thurman.

A shark bite tattoo'ed on your ankle

As part of its Outdoor Cinema Series, Movies Around Missouri will screen Steven Spielberg's Jaws at the Heman Park Pool (at 7200 Olive Boulevard, University City) at 8:30 p.m. June 28. The event is free and attendees are allowed to bring food and beverages.

Face it, watching the opening sequence of Jaws from the deep end is better than the drive-in anyday.

Jazz Improv with Kids

Last year’s appearance of Hamiet Bluiett at Ivory Perry Park’s concert series was a true highlight of the many free outdoor activities St. Louis offers every summer. (Recap) We really are a lucky town.

This Sunday, June 22nd, Hamiet fulfills his dream of creating an Improvising Youth Orchestra. Thirty-five students from twenty schools throughout the metropolitan area started rehearsing Bluiett’s Suite Children on Monday and will play this Sunday. The promotional material I received claim this type of event has not been done before. So I encourage you to enjoy this world premiere. I have no doubts it will be spectacular. Stanley Coleman will conduct the youth orchestra. Time is 6-8pm and more information and directions can be found at the Ivory Perry Park Concert Series website.

The World of Bill Boll

Walking past South Grand's Urban last night, I was reminded that Bill Boll is hosting a Tuesday night open mic session at the li'l club, which doubles as a songwriting workshop. The reminder was simple: Bill was standing in the window, after huddling over an amp. Ah!

Mere hours later, lo!, an e-mail from the one-and-same Bill Boll, this time about a gig tonight at the Way Out:

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Just one nagging final reminder... I'll be at the Way Out tonight. I'm going on at 11, but as usual, I'll be there early, er, uh, "preparing" for the show.

Tonight's motif is: The Big Eighties!

OTSL SEASON 32

I am the last person you’d expect to like opera. I like theater but am not partial to musicals. I don’t like heavy drama or lavish sets. Usually.

But as I soon discovered the work done by Opera Theatre of St. Louis is so interesting and of such quality that it was difficult to not be lured in.

Although it may make me a savage in some eyes to admit it, I prefer the opera in English. It’s just easier to follow and it takes a lot of the stuffy, hoity toity air out of the genre.

There are a few things I DO love about OTSL productions.

For starters the repertoire is different and diverse each season. Each seasonal program offers a very bold blend of popular favorites with daring and new pieces. Second, the on stage quality is par excellent. The performance, musical scoring, staging and costuming are fascinating. The end result is that watching it all work in syncopation is marvelous.

Before you read on you should know that OTSL makes every effort to keep their art affordable and snob free to the average Joe or Jane. The company often offers discounts, special presentations and affordable pricing in an effort to get their operas seen by as many different types of people as possible.

This of course leads me to the current (32nd) season of Opera Theatre St. Louis.

MADAME BUTTERFLY

Madame Butterfly’s standing as one of the most beloved operas stands as a testament to the resolve and tenacity of Giacomo Puccini

Puccini was a wild man. He loved fast boats, good booze and fast cars. It was his love of speed that did him in but brought him success in a roundabout way. Puccini wrote Madame Butterfly while recuperating from a nasty auto accident in 1902. This accident gave him a permanent nasty limp physically and a confidently edgy swagger artistically.

When it was first performed at La Scala in February of 1904, people hated it. Really hated it. Undaunted he tried his luck again that May for a revamped production in Brescia, Italy. In this version he tightened up the second half, creating a sleeker opera.

Madame Butterfly is based on actual events in Turn of the Century Japan. During this time it was perfectly normal for Western men to enter into temporary marriages that could easily be nullified after a 30-day absence form the male.

Out of this historical background steps a fifteen-year-old Geisha named Cio-cio-san. Cio-cio-sen, a Nagasaki girl who hails from a once wealthy family, enters into an arrangement with Benjamin Franklin Pinkerton, a US Naval officer. Pinkerton has everything on his mind but a long marriage. During Act One he cunningly beguiles the young geisha for his own interests.

In an attempt to pacify her new husband Madame Butterfly renounces her religion and is eventually shunned by her family and village.

Act Two opens three years later with Pinkerton nowhere in sight. In fact he has returned to the US and taken on a ‘real’ wife named Kate. Madame Butterfly meanwhile has been left with a child and a stipend form her ‘husband.'

But despite banishment, poverty and abandonment Madame Butterfly remains resolute that her husband will come back for her and take her off to America.

Her fortunes could all change but don’t when she repeatedly refuses the hand of the wealthy Prince Yamadori. Yamadori is a persistant fellow who goes home tme after time disappointed. This sets the stage for Pinkerton’s return to Japan.

Pinkerton returns to Japan but wants nothing to do with Madame Butterfly until the American consul brings him word of her steadfast waiting. Pinkerton finally wakes up and realizes the level of devotion his geisha wife has to him and Goes to see her.

To say that she is waiting for him would be an understatement. Her aching and waiting for Pinkerton borders on the neurotic.

In the second scene of Act Two they meet again, bringing the percolating tension of the opera to a close with potent emotional resonance.

Madame Butterfly tugs on so many emotions because of the riveting turn from soprano Kelly Kaduce. Kaduce debuted in 2004’s Sister Angelica and has knocked over OTSL audiences ever since. Here she takes every small gesture and word and turns it into a powerful and intense performance. Known as a performer who inhabits her roles. With Madame Butterfly she completely cocoons herself in the part and transforms the opera.

David Pomeray is a more than suitable accomplice as Pinkerton. The duo spends most of the first act engaged in a long duet that sets the stage for the tragic events of Act Two. Pomeray helps fill in the gaps by making Pinkerton so enjoyably loathsome that you can’t help but feel affected by his equally intense performance.

Rounding out this fine ensemble are powerhouse performances from Lester Lynch as Sharpless, the American consul, and Jamie Barton as Suzuki, Cio-cio San’s loyal servant.

OTSL’s production of Madame Butterfly never tires or becomes played out because the cast never relinquishes emotional control to the audience. They clearly call the shots and deal the emotions. Thus freeing the audience from a world of night by the end of the production.

Simply put, this version of Madame Butterfly is marvelous stuff indeed.

Upcoming performances of Madame Butterfly at Opera Theatre of St. Louis

June 11, 1pm
June 13, 8pm
June 18, 1pm
June 22, 7pm
June 24, 8pm
June 28, 1pm

All performances are at the Loretto-Hilton Center on the campus of Webster University.

For more information visit www.expereinceopera.org
-Rob Levy

How do you tune a taco?

Ugh, I just learned that this year's Rock 'n' Roll Craft Show will not be until Nov. 28. I was really hoping for another summer festival. I mean, what if between now and November, I find myself in desperate need of a guitar pick made out of an old Visa card or a pin cushion shaped like a chicken? At least, with the craft show five months away, I'll have time to give my willpower a workout and save some cash.

Tomorrow on Delmar Blvd.

Our main man at Vintage Vinyl, Jim Utz, sends along word of an event on Delmar tomorrow. I would describe this as "fresh," "fly" or "ill," but have no sense of the current hip-hop vocabulary to summarize this. (Help an old person, please.) But we digress...

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June 7th
2:00 - 5:00PM
Saturday

DJ Needles brings the beat back to the street Delmar style with special guest DJ Alejan!

For those that visited us on Record Store Day, chances are you felt the good vibes before you got in our doors as Soulition's DJ Needles rocked a mini-block party in front of Vintage Vinyl outside underneath our marquee. The spin which featured guest breakers and MCing from Lifestyles and Nato Caliph was a breakout success at Record Store Day so we've partnered up with DJ Needles to keep the beat alive on Delmar with a monthly party on the sidewalk outside Vintage Vinyl.

The monthly jam will be the first Saturday of each month, starts at 2:00 p.m. and will feature DJ Needles along with various MCs, breakers and guest DJs dropping in and out of his sets. Launching the series in a BIG way for June's installment DJ Needles has secured a special guest DJ set with St. Louis turntablist legend, DJ Alejan!!! Yes, DJ Alejan is dusting off his gear and will be coming out of retirement to spin with DJ Needles while promoting the recent reissue of his classic mixtape, "Originality Iz A Must."

Beat Street with DJ Needles kicks off on June 7th at 2:00 p.m..

Best of Idaho Avenue Film Fest

Looks like it's tonight, according to organizer Brian Spath. By the by, he's looking for short films for the next round of showings this fall. Here's the info on tonight's Feasting Fox screening:

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I just wanted to send a quick note to let you know that the Idaho Avenue Film Festival is holding a best of screening tonight at the Feasting Fox in conjunction with FrontYard Features. The screening will start closer to 9 pm (since it will be darker then) and the weather should be perfect! Remember to bring a lawn chair with you and be prepared to laugh!

Firecracker Officially Open

Our main man, Eric Woods at Firecracker Press, sends along word that his already up-and-running new location will be given the official baptism in early June. We'd encourage you to go and to drop into Apop Records, just across the street, while on the block.

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GRAND OPENING - Show and Sale
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FRIDAY - JUNE 6th from 6-10pm
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The Firecracker Press recently moved! We've expanded our letterpress print studio and added a spacious retail shop. Please join us for our Grand Opening show and sale.

- Press demos
- New posters and artwork for sale
- Music by MAID RITE
- and tons more.

Make a night of it! There are shows and openings at Fort Gondo, Snowflake, Typo, PHD, and Boots not to mention all the great food and funky good times that Cherokee Street has to offer.

The Firecracker Press
2838 Cherokee St.
STLMO 63118

Gondolfi : Champaign : Sunday!

Galen Gondolfi tipped us to an amazing show in Champaign this weekend. For those who remember these sorts of things, Champaign cranked out an inordinate amount of quality rock bands in the early/mid-'90s and a bunch of them are reuniting this holiday weekend. More than a few of these groups were regulars at Cicero's, the Side Door and other great rock clubs of STL lore. I am sorely tempted by this one!

The details, compliments of G-squared:

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In short, this Sunday, May 25, various bands on Champaign's Mud/Parasol label will be reuniting with their original line-ups. Tix are $10 and the show is expected to sell out. Ticket purchasers are pilgrimaging from NYC, Boston, LA and London. Some of the bands have myspace pages; Parasol also has a website as does The Highdive - the club hosting the show.

Bands:

Driver Has No Cash

Corndolly (has members residing in Brooklyn and SF; Matt Friedberger of the Fiery Furnaces was their sole male member)

Dick Justice (I drummed for this band, the bass player Rob Arrol now also resides in St. Louis. The myspace page is very embarrassing - a bit over the top. We were named after the Dick Justice of the University of Illinois' Senate Committee on Judiciary Affairs - no joke. He will actually introduce us that night. The last time we played St. Louis was at the Gargoyle with Arcwelder in 1992 or so. We opened for Pavement, Yo La Tengo and Joan Jett back in the day. We later put material out on Thick Records out of Chicago).

Moon Seven Times (released material on Roadrunner)

Mother/Menthol (eventually signed to Capitol Records)

Honcho Overload (included members of Hum who eventually signed to MCA)

Showtime is 8:00 pm.

Sorry, no Judge Nothing.

Geriatrics in the Hall

On Tuesday night, I took a break from making nonfat lattes for ungrateful Claytonites and trekked to The Pageant to see Canadian comedy troupe Kids in the Hall. I’ve been a Kids in the Hall enthusiast since middle school — a time when the group’s eponymously titled show was in syndication on Comedy Central and teenagers swathed their legs in generous folds of denim bearing names like JNCO and KikWear. Today, Comedy Central airs four hour-long blocks of “Mind of Mencia,” a show as banal as original-flavored oatmeal, and all the hip kids have traded their ultra wide-legged JNCOs for skinny jeans. What with the shifts in Comedy Central’s programming and the circumference of pant legs, I wondered if the Kids in the Hall had changed too. For one thing, the Kids in the Hall aren’t really kids anymore. In fact, their composite age is 235, and they have been on hiatus since 2002. I had my misgivings, but that didn’t keep me form requesting off work, plunking down $25 for a ticket and attempting to sneak into The Pageant’s VIP section. (I was booted from the VIP area when a flashlight-toting usher reviewed my row’s tickets and discovered mine was standing room-only. I could appreciate the irony of being made to leave the section the same way an unruly kid is asked to leave class and sit in the hall.) In the end, it didn’t matter if I sat, stood or maintained a painful stress position. Showing no signs of their age, the Kids in the Hall delivered a spirited, two-hour sketch comedy routine, with Bruce McCullough and Scott Thompson reprising their roles as the Cathys (two white collar women who prattle about inconsequentials, like their most recent diets and favorite Yankee Candle scents, while performing clerical work) and Mark McKinney redeeming himself for that awful cameo in “Spice World.” Okay, Kevin McDonald’s knee did give out during the first skit, but otherwise, the Kids performed tirelessly. Filing out of The Pageant, humming the Kids in the Hall theme song under my breath, my face ached from smiling widely.

Crunchy Cool is Back

Jim Ousley reminds of us of an event coming up next week, in which we're a name sponsor. Win some 52nd City's! And get yourself cast in the next Crunchy Cool film.

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We're holding a benefit concert and scouting talent for a walk-on role in our upcoming feature film, "The Bloodfest Club,” at the Lucas School House on Friday, May 23. The horror/comedy is the next exciting project from Crunchy Cool Films, the creators of the award-winning mockumentary, "Hooch & Daddy-O.” Actors and non-actors alike will be encouraged to pose for headshots at the event which will be used to make a casting

selection. Doors open at 7 p.m. and music begins promptly at 8 p.m. Tickets are $8 and can be purchased online at: http://www.lucasevents.com or in person at the Lucas School House box office (314-621-6565). The event will be hosted by the legendary Beatle Bob and include performances from
local bands Cavo, Jonathan Cour, Vijoy Rao and the Removers, and Willow. A raffle including CDs, DVDs, and Cardinals tickets will be awarded at the benefit. The event is sponsored by 52nd City, Jupiter Studios, PlaybackSTL, Slackers, St. Louis Actors’ Studio, West End Grill & Pub, and West Model & Talent Management. A portion of the proceeds will benefit the American Red Cross.

"The Bloodfest Club" is the sophomore effort from the St. Louis-based film production company, Crunchy Cool Films. Their first film, "Hooch & Daddy-O" attained nation-wide distribution from Echelon Studios and is available through Netflix, Amazon.com, and AT&T Video-On-Demand. In "The Bloodfest Club," a Chuck Norris-obsessed janitor leads a brat pack of prep school students in a
battle against alien zombies on the eve of graduation.

Previous honors for "Hooch & Daddy-O" include:
'Best Comedy' - Planet Ant Film & Video Festival (2006 – Detroit, MI), 'Audience Award' - Faux Film Festival (2006 – Portland, OR) and 'Outstanding Original Story/Screenplay' - Dixie Film Festival (2005 – Atlanta, GA).

What the critics are saying about "Hooch & Daddy-O":

"Wild! Funny! An excellent multi-purpose parody." - Film Threat
"Smart. Irreverent. A Scream!" - CBS Radio
"A wholly original, delightfully edgy debut." - Riverfront Times
"Laugh out loud funny!" - PlaybackSTL

Learn more about The Bloodfest Club at: http://www.bloodfestclub.com
Learn more about Hooch & Daddy-O at: http://www.myspace.com/hoochanddaddyo
Learn more about Crunchy Cool Films at: http://www.myspace.com/crunchycoolfilms

Free Candy: now with details

Via co-founder Amanda Doyle:

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Remember last week, when I said to clear your calendar? Well, if you've been waiting to exhale, here are all the pertinent details to make you wish away the days until Sunday arrives...

Sunday, May 4
6 p.m.
Free Candy Baby Shower and Last Show Before Maternity Leave!
Hartford Coffee Company, 3974 Hartford (@ Roger) in Tower Grove South

First, the baby shower part: well, I'm pregnant to bustin', so you're going to have to endure a little pregnancy talk. I'll try to avoid the gorier parts of the childbirth class, but I can't make any promises on behalf of my guest co-host, Maddie Earnest.

No gifts for me, please, BUT: we'd love you to bring a little something to donate to Nurses for Newborns, a fabulous nonprofit here in town (and known nationwide) that sends trained nurses on home visits to the most vulnerable babies (like those born to teens and the mentally and physically challenged.) We will have a collection bin and hope you'll consider donating things like: diapers (ONLY size Newborns, 4, 5 & 6); baby wipes; baby sunscreen; receiving blankets; baby towels; etc. See the list here for their needs: http://www.nfnf.org/mo_wishlist.php

Once you've helped out, your rewards will overflow: guests on Sunday's show include Cupcake Stef (she of cupcakeproject.blogspot.com fame, natch...and yeah, she's packin' cakes) and Post-Dispatch columnist Sylvester Brown. Bring your questions! Bring your appetite! Bring some diapers, for Pete's sake!

And don't worry. We won't let you get outta there without a healthy dose of Town Talk.

How About Some Soul Yoga

Toby Hicks is the DJ. Beyond that, I'll just go to the tale of the tape, as there's nothing else I can add to this event posting:

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Soul Yoga: A DJ Yoga Experience. Come and let your soul dance!

We'll move through a flow of lively sun salutations and fun yoga postures and have the chance to creatively explore movement.

All with the background of a live DJ playing a mix of funky and spirited beats!

After this high-energy event, you'll feel invigorated, liberated, and maybe a little more in touch with your soul!

Join us for this unique experience!

Saturday, May 10th from: 7-9pm cost: $20

With Laurie Brockhaus & DJ Toby Hicks
Urban Breath: Dogtown Location
1220 Tamm Ave.
Phone:421-9642
www.urbanbreath.com

Free Candy Returneth

A note from Free Candy HQ. Whoa. My thougth is that this will be a baby-themed edition:

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People:

Make no plans, cancel any you already have. Free Candy returns....

Sunday, May 4, 2008
6 p.m.
Hartford Coffee Company, 3974 Hartford (@ Roger)

So much more detail to come, but for now, clear your calendar.

That is all.

Free Candy HQ

Books for kids - always a good cause

There are many reasons to appreciate Left Bank Books. On April 5th they give us another one when they kick off a partnership with CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates for Children) that will both raise money for the organization, and give customers opportunities to purchase books for children in the foster care system. Below are details about the initiative which begins on Saturday with a visit from author Ashley Rhodes-Courter, a former foster care kid, who recounts her experiences in her memoir Three Little Words.

From the West End Word ...“Beginning with Rhodes-Courter’s visit at 4 p.m. April 5, Left Bank Books is partnering with the Court Appointed Special Advocates for Children in St. Louis County — volunteers who act in the best interest of foster kids in court and elsewhere — to create a list of books that Left Bank customers can purchase for local foster kids. The permanent program will help kids own their own books, another rarity for kids in foster care.

Left Bank will also donate 10 percent of its sales of Rhodes-Courter’s book through the end of April to CASA, and on April 5, following Rhodes-Courter’s visit to the bookstore, Duff’s, Sapphire Pan Asian and Dressel’s Pub will donate 10 percent of their sales to CASA of St. Louis County.

“It’s not just Left Bank Books doing an event, it’s the whole neighborhood coming together for this cause,” said Lisa Greening, co-owner of Left Bank.”

So if you are looking for a place to go to dinner on Saturday night, perhaps consider one of the spots above. If you are looking for a gift for someone, consider buying a book for a foster child in the name of the gift recipient. Seems like a nice idea for Mother's Day...

www.casastlcounty.org/three-little-words.htm
www.left-bank.com/

AES Summit #2

The audio department of the School of Communications is sort of low on my list of priorities. I am sorry! This is late notice, but it deserves notice nonetheless.

The Audio Engineering Society at Webster is throwing their second annual Student Summit. There will be panels, displays, exhibitors with audio equipment (complete with fancy buttons and knobs, I hope) and a few guest speakers, featuring two Bobs of the Katz and Heil type.

The events are held all around campus, but thankfully the majority of them are in the University Center and Sverdrup (a very long building), which are very close to each other, separated only by a short sidewalk or a very soggy field we call the Quad.

The WU AES website has everything.

Here's what I got in my inbox today:

The Second Annual Central Region AES Student Summit is coming up soon, from Friday April 4th - Sunday, April 6th at Webster University in St. Louis, Missouri. We are expecting Bob Katz, Bob Heil, John Storyk and more as guest speakers. There will be panels and tutorials on loads of events -

Go to the schedule to see all the proposed tutorials, panels and demos, along with our guest speakers and presenters!

We will be holding a Recording Competition with great prizes. We are modeling it on the AES conventions, on a small scale.

Students have been approaching audio businesses and organizations of all types as exhibitors and sponsors, and many have already confirmed, including:

Shure, Ozark Pro Audio, AVA Audio, Solid State Logic, Sweetwater, Meyer Sound, Silent pc review, Roland, Genelec, Gotham Audio, Neutrik, Bag End, Grammy U, AEA, Audio-Technica, Martin Audio, AES, Stanco, Ironman Sound, Webster University

Did we mention that award-winning band Illphonics will be playing on Saturday night? http://www.myspace.com/illphonics
And did we mention that event, along with the Friday night Welcome Mixer is included in your $20 early registration fee? Did we mention that we’ll even throw in lunch on Saturday?

This will be a great opportunity for students from the Central Region, some of whom cannot attend the conventions in New York or California, to mingle with their peers from other educational institutions as well as professionals. It will give you the same opportunity to put your hands on gear and network with the pros, just like on the exhibition floor at the Javits or the Moscone Center.

We hope you will attend. We also hope you will spread the word to everyone you know in the audio community: students, educators, pros, AES members and non-members alike.

To Do

An assortment of happenings happening in the next week or so....

Today 1:30-4pm
Family Farm Lobby Day
State Capitol Building – Jefferson City
Citizens concerned about legislation that affects small farmers and locally grown food will be gathering to speak with legislators at the Capitol about these issues today. If you would like to learn more about what is going on, please refer to
www.slowfoodstl.org/2008/03/17/family-farm-lobby-day

The Washington University Assembly Series presents...
(free and open to the public)

April 2, 4pm @ Graham Chapel
Ken Paulson
“In 2004 the veteran newspaper executive became editor of USA TODAY. Prior to that position, he ran the Freedom Forum’s First Amendment Center, a nonpartisan foundation dedicated to free press and free speech for all.”

April 3, 4pm @ Steinberg Hall Auditorium
Calvin Trillin
“Combining a reporter’s eye with a wicked sense of humor, Trillin turns every subject into masterful pieces. With more than 30 years of writing books, essays, columns, articles, novels and poetry on an astounding array of topics, he is an extraordinary chronicler of American culture.”

Over the past 50 years The Assembly Series ( http://assemblyseries.wustl.edu/ ) has presented a number of tremendously interesting people to St. Louis including: Shirley Chisolm, Studs Terkel, Cornel West, BF Skinner, Margaret Mead, Gwendolyn Brooks, Elie Wiesel, Edward Albee, Ed Muskie, Harold Ramis, Nikki Giovanni, Uta Hagen, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Coretta Scott King, Saul Williams, and Susan Sontag, to name a few. The full list of past speakers can be found here - (http://assemblyseries.wustl.edu/biglist/speakerindex.html )

April 4-6
Les Pays des Illinois Colonial Trade Faire & Musket and Rifle Frolic
Fort des Chartres
Prairie du Rocher, IL
Cool fort over in southern Illinois. A piece of our French heritage lovingly restored. Every so often they put on 18th Century period/reenactment type events. Period-dressed people doing period things. Not my usual bag, but I dig the fort and the drive over is beautiful. Something out-of-the-ordinary to do on a spring afternoon.
http://chasseurs.homestead.com/TradeFaire.html

April 4–6
St. Louis Marathon
Runners impress me. Particularly marathon runners. How can a non-bionic, regular person possibly run 26+ miles? At The St. Louis Marathon next weekend people will be gathering to accomplish that great feat and I salute them. For info on the marathon, and the many other events that make up marathon weekend, please go to http://www.gostlouis.org/

April 4 – 19
Italian Film Festival
Brown Hall 100
George Warren Brown School of Social Work on Washington University's Danforth Campus.
“Screenings are free and open to the general public. In Italian with English subtitles. All films in 35mm.” Another interesting thing in St. Louis that is free and open to the public. For film schedules and descriptions please go to http://www.italianfilmfestivalstlouis.com/

April 6
The Black Artists Group (BAG) Presents..
“Rivers of Women, a National Poetry
Month Tribute to Women featuring Shirley Bradley
LeFlore, Marsha Cann, Blue-Mashibini and more!
BAG honors women and the spoken word in what promises
to be a lively and diverse offering of spoken word and
poetry in performance on Sunday from 7-9pm, in the Rosebud Café
at Scott Joplin House State Historic Site, 2658 Delmar Blvd. This free event
will feature original BAG poet Shirley Bradley LeFlore
whose mark on the St. Louis and East Coast creative
scenes spans five decades.”

April 16
Dr. Peter Raven, renown Director of the Missouri Botanical Garden, will be the final speaker of the season in the Social Justice Speaker Series at Manchester United Methodist Church. From the series' website...“In its debut season, from September to April, the Social Justice Speakers Series invites you to expand your understanding of our global impact through five free evenings of intellect, wit, insight, experience and discussion with internationally recognized leaders, trail blazers, and authors. At the end of each evening the audience will have the opportunity to ask questions and sign up for further discussion and action opportunities related to the evening's topic.” For directions and other series info, please visit http://www.manchesterumc.org/article93992.htm

Please refer to event websites to confirm all details. Have a great week!

Missed it.

I knew I was missing something this weekend. Friday it seemed like I had places to be... and so today I check on Anime St. Louis. It goes from the 28-30...

Well then, fine then! Maybe next year. I missed all the events I was interested in. But, uh, what exactly is Anime St. Louis?

It's a fine, fine weekend of anime, video games, comic books and gaming all put into one place for a few days. San Diego Comic Con, New York Comic Con and Otakon are the biggest conventions of them all, but I'm probably missing a few.

Anime St. Louis has been around for a couple years, and will hopefully go on. It's a joint venture between the Webster University Anime Society and the Maryville University Anime Club. And maybe it will get bigger? There's no large anime conventions in the midwest remotely close to St. Louis, so Anime St. Louis seems to have the market cornered.

So the "anime" part of the convention doesn't appeal to me that much. I liked Japanese cartoons and movies, but the interest died as soon as I discovered good manga (Japanese comics). Although it made sense for me to watch them, since I studied the language for three years. (Still not sure why.) Anime, however, is not the only thing present at the conventions, but it is rather prominent and colorful and sometimes extremely confusing/annoying/just plain weird -- it depends on its presentation.

Perhaps around this time next year you can catch me at Anime St. Louis. I'm sorry I missed this year, but I had to work today anyway.

Early in the Morning

If forced to pick a favorite DJ in town - please don't make me, it can only yield trouble!!! - Mark Early'd be high on the list. He's involved with a few musical projects outside of the strict realm of the ones-and-two. Some of those different spins and things will be on display in the coming week:

========

Friday March 28th - Post-Punk Funk-Junk - 10pm til 1:30ish am - The Royale

Mark Early will be joined by special guest Jamie Hayes from Chicago. You may remember Jamie from when she worked at the old Zeizo and Meshuga Coffee locations.

**************************************************************************************************************************************
Tuesday April 1st - Modulation Monthly Edition 3 - 10 pm til 3 am - Upstairs Lounge

The long delayed third edition hits at the Upstairs Lounge next Tuesday. Join your editors Matty Coonfield and Mark Early as they bring the best shit they own for you to dance and get drunk to. PBR specials. Josh behind the bar.

****************************************************************************************************************************************
Thursday April 3rd - Nerve Parade/Glass Teeth - 10ish til 3ish - Mangia

Free show featuring your two favorite bands featuring members of way too many other bands. Come out and connect the dots to virtually every other band who has played in the St. Louis scene.

******************************************************************************************************************************************
Friday April 4th - Macro Meltdown/.e/Broken Letters/Shiny Around the Edges - 8pm - Camp Concentration under APOP

Mark, Liz, Ben, Joe and Matt bring their version of lo-fi analog/digital to the confines of Camp Concentration.

******************************************************************************************************************************************
Saturday April 5th - Wall Ball & Wall Ball After Party - 7 til 11 pm & 10 pm til 3 am - Third Degree Glass Factory & Atomic Cowboy

Wall Ball 2008
When: 7-11 pm on Saturday, April 5, 2008
Where: Third Degree Glass Factory, 5200 Delmar, St. Louis
Cost: $30 per ticket

Pulsating. Hypnotic. Electrifying. Wall Ball is arguably one of St. Louis' most notorious annual events, engaging an eclectic mix of artists, patrons and admirers. The cornerstone fundraiser for St. Louis City Open Studio and Gallery (SCOSAG),
Wall Ball 08 will be from 7-11pm on Saturday, April 5, 2008
at Third Degree Glass Factory, located at 5200 Delmar.

Wall Ball is an interactive event that features more than 40 artists working live on pieces of artwork that guests bid on throughout the evening's festivities. In its fifth year, Wall Ball will overtake Third Degree Glass Factory for one night. Expect energizing DJ mixes by DJ INNOVATION, Barbara Cliffe, Mark Early and KDHX's Doug Morgan, savory appetizers courtesy of L'Ecole Culinaire and satiating cocktails from Cooranbong Vodka. All proceeds benefit SCOSAG, including the cash bar, so show your support by sharing the news or buying tickets today.

Join The After Party
Where: Atomic Cowboy
What: More cocktails, art and music!
Cost: $3 after 10pm or FREE with your Wall Ball wrist band

Mark Early and Barbara Cliffe will be spinning. Jumbling Towers will be playing.

Drinks and Mortar : Thursday : Duff's

Details here.

One Ring Zero: 2 STL Shows

Sent by a New York reader, this note. Thanks!

If ever I read a band description and thought, "Hmm, this is up the alley of Thom Fletcher and/or Brett Underwood," well, this'd be the one:

========

Thursday, March 27th, 2008 (7:00pm)
One Ring Zero
at
VINTAGE VINYL
6610 Delmar Blvd
St. Louis, MO

Friday, March 28th, 2008 (7:00pm)
One Ring Zero
at
ST. LOUIS ART MUSEUM
1 Fine Arts Dr
St. Louis, MO

Also, we still have a few copies of the limited edition "One Ring Zero - Ten Years Of Extra Stuff" cdr.
*****ONLY 300 COPIES MADE, EACH COPY NUMBERED*****
Only $7 … or free with any other CD you purchase from www.oneringzero.com ... while supplies last!

John Doe At Vintage Vinyl Tonight

John Doe of X, and movie fame (Roadhouse, Boogie Nights), will be "in-store" at Vintage Vinyl tonight performing selections from his body of solo work. 7pm. X plays over at Pop's later in the evening.

Here is the info from Vintage Vinyl - "St. Patrick's Day is always a day filled with massive celebrations and Vintage Vinyl wants to add to your joy that day by hosting an instore with punk rock legend John Doe. Founder of the seminal Los Angeles punk rock band X, John Doe has also had a substantial solo career and will be stopping in at Vintage Vinyl on Monday, March 17th at 7:00PM to perform some tracks from that live before his show later that evening at Pop's with X. After his instore performance he will be hanging out and signing records including his latest Yep Roc Records release "A Year in the Wilderness"."

Perfect for a rainy Monday.

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

http://www.vintagevinyl.com/instores.asp
http://www.popsrocks.com/calendar/x.php

Q-Fest

I type up Webster University's calendar page every week that there's a newspaper. It's really boring work, but sometimes I find some interesting things going on. The St. Louis LGBTQ (mouthful!) Film Festival is going on from March 12-16.

QFest, as it has been dubbed, starts out at the Mad Art Gallery in Soulard, but from the 13th-16th the films will be screened at the Winifred Moore Auditorium at WU.

All the information: Walk this way.

I have the bad habit of judging a film by its title, or its IMDB page, whichever I come across first. Jamie Babbit's (The L Word, Gilmore Girls, Ugly Betty, The Riches, etc) film "Itty Bitty Titty Committee" caught my attention. Fun title, sounds like a fun movie. It's being screened at 6 and 8 p.m. on the last day of the festival.

"QFest, a new Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgendered, and Queer themed film festival, launches in St. Louis March 12-16, 2008. QFest is a cooperative project founded by members of Metropolis St. Louis' Out & Urban committee, Cinema St. Louis, and The Lesbian Gay Bi Transgender Community Center of Metropolitan St.Louis. The primary mission of this new film festival is to utilize the art of contemporary gay cinema to spotlight the diversity and inherent complexities of living an alternative lifestyle in today’s society. This inaugural five day event will feature a variety of short subjects and narrative feature films, plus a powerfully moving documentary on gay marriage. The participating filmmakers represent a wide variety of new voices in queer cinema including Jamie Babbit (But I’m a Cheerleader, The Gilmore Girls) and the out-rageous Minneapolis-based Lesbian filmmaker and punk rock musician Lisa Ganser."

www.stlouisgreen.com Launch Party Tonight

As we all take on the important challenge of trying to lead lives with greater sensitivity to our environment, we are bombarded with “green” this and “green” that. All sorts of things we should or shouldn't do, buy, consume. Various ways we should dispose of the things we use, etc. I am pleased and anxious to do all of the things I can, but sometimes I am unsure of what to do or I don't know where to start.

Many times I have thought to myself how nice it would be to have a central resource or starting point for finding green information, and www.stlouisgreen.com has come along to provide just that.

In their own words - “STLOUISGREEN.COM is Your Online Source for Everything Green in the St. Louis Area. STLOUISGREEN.COM connects you to: green companies and products, green events and activites, green jobs and opportunities, green education, and what ifs."

www.stlouisgreen.com is already up and running, but officially launches tonight with a party from 5:30-9:00pm at Tarlton's extremely green St. Louis Headquarters (5500 West Park Avenue - one block east of the intersection of Manchester and Macklind). The building alone is worth the trip!

For further information about the event, please go to http://www.stlouisgreen.com/WebLaunchParty08.php.

Treeweasels, You Say?

A note for local music fans of a certain vintage only: the Treeweasels may be back in June, for a reunion show. Even if no one else digs this news the same way, I am excited to NO END. Details to follow, as they become public.

In the meantime, here's a video, from that YouTube site I keep hearing about.

Hat Design Contest for a Cause

Friends of the late Marti Frumhoff are organizing another fundraiser for Marti's memorial garden (which will be located on Utah and Morgan Ford Road in Tower Grove South). The fundraiser will take place at The Royale on Sunday, March 30 at 3 PM.

It's a hat design contest with three categories:
Most Outrageous Hat
Hard Hat
Movie theme Hat

First prize is 100.00
Second prize is 75.00
Third place is 50.00

Donation entry fee is 30.00. Please email Christian Herman if you would like to enter.
xianherman(at)cs(dot)com

The judges are from area theater costume shops. One is Betsy Krausnick
from the St. Louis Rep and two more will be announced on the Contest
Website.

Here are the plans for the site that the city is working on. Money raised from this event will fund planting and maintenance of the site.

Marti received a posthumous Kick Ass Award in 2007 from 52nd City.

Aviation Club: Monday

I was fired up about an Aviation Club reunion a few weeks back at Off Broadway, and must say that's it's good news that the group's returning for another show, this coming Monday at the Bluebird. Danny Hommes sends along the word, and I'll note there's a reference to yours truly here, as I sorta/kinda suggested the opening groups for A.K.A.C.O.D., the Club and Bill Boll.

If you like clean, honest pop/rock, this is a show for you - and pack a few extra bones, since Jet Lag's will probably be for sale. That's just a guess.

========

Hello to all,

Well the last gig (which was supposed to be "the last gig") was loads of fun. We actually pulled it off to the degree that we can pull it off. Our apparent friend, music scribe Thomas Crone referred us to what some say is the new hot spot for live music in town "The Bluebird" and so it goes, we're booked for another show. Its funny how that works out. The rest of the band is really busy preparing for a huge Lettuceheads show in March and we promised to not let Aviation Club interfere with that effort, but alas, it looks like we've got to go have another evening of great fun playing music almost everyone has forgotten or never knew in the first place.

I've been New Year purging the crap laying around my house and came across this collection of actual press quotes about Aviation Club. (full disclosure; I wasn't in the band when these were written, just coattail ridin' as it were)

"They're from the Midwest? Too bad they're stuck here where probably no one will notice them" referring to an opening slot for Violent Femmes

"Aviation Club may be top original band in town" circa 1983

"It's no secret they're great"

"Aviation Club bears watching like no other band in St. Louis"

But enough about "them", if you missed the last show, you should make it to this one, it might just be our second to last.....

Aviation Club
@
The Bluebird
2706 Olive
Monday, February 11
9:00 p.m. (two other bands on the bill, we're probably first)

LucaBrasi on Saturday

Any day now - any day! - we'll going to roll some delightful new flyers for 52nd City and the designer of those is going to be rocking this weekend. So we give Matt McInerney a nod of thanks for his design skills, while plugging the rock:

=========

LucaBrasi
With Extra Special Guests
STELLA MORA
PRINCETON
CLANKY’S NUB

Date: SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 9th
Venue: CICERO’S in the U City Loop
Time: Doors @ 8:30/Show @ 9
Cover: $7 over/$10 under

LucaBrasi’s self-titled debut is available at Vintage Vinyl, CD Warehouse, Euclid Records, Slackers, www.cdbaby.com and at all live shows!!

South City Karaoke

Two unlikely spots for South Side Karaoke now have... karaoke.

Okay, I suppose some would think that Monday night karaoke at Mangia Italiano isn't such a jump. Replacing the long-running open mic night at the South City club and restaurant, karaoke's the rule from 10 p.m.-close on Monday nights.

Now, with the quiet laptop brigade in attendance last night, it was surprising to see/hear karaoke at Hartford Coffee Company, where Wednesdays are now given over to "Sweet Child O' Mine" from 6:30 - 9:00 p.m. on the midweek.

Plan your life accordingly.

Typewriter Tim

Ordinarily, when posting up a little press release from folks, it's our tradition to add a pithy introduction. In this case, the text itself is so wow-worthy that there's not a whole lot else to say:

--------

Typewriter Tim Hits a St. Louis Return with "Typedelic"JGB
(January 7, 2008, St. Louis, MO.) He's the King of the Keys, The Shaman of the Shift, The Ringmaster of the Return: St. Louis' own Typewriter Tim Jordan returns to the stage with a whole new act: Typedelic. Known for his daring performance art and musical experimentation in the 1990s, Typewriter Tim was talked about in all the papers, radio, and on the street as 'the naked dude who paints wild, intense canvases, JGB onstage and makes some bitchin' rap-rock-pop music with a typewriter.'

Ten years later, after successful stints in Atlanta and LA, he's still all that. But he's put some clothes on and funked up the music a bit with a fresh new back-up band. Never fear, the typewriter—and Tim—remain up front, and they're kicking off this new carriage arrangement with a big DING! at the Lucas Schoolhouse on Wednesday, January 23rd.

The sound? "Think organic, anti-pop music," Tim says, interspersed with lots of music-backed readings from children's books and classical literature. "We're talking everything from Dr. Suess and Shel Silverstein to Plato, Burroughs, Keats and Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus. Tim says the productions have a very stream-of-consciousness vibe, and no two shows will be the same.

"However, it's done in a psychedelic/funkadelic 70s style and execution. This will be high energy—every song is designed so that it's impossible not to nod your head and dance. We’re talking sexual. Verrry sexual!" he says.

Despite the sexual vibes, it is an All-Ages show in a smoke-free venue. The party should start around nine and taping of the show is welcome and even encouraged. "We want to get the word out about Typedelic," Tim says. "We're not selling our music, we’re giving it all away and every live show will later be posted on YouTube." Typewriter Tim guarantees the audience will be keyed up enough to hit return again and again.

The Lucas Schoolhouse is located at 1220 Allen Avenue, at Allen and Gravois, in Soulard. Call 314.621.6565 for more information.

(Says Brett Underwood:) ...and I've got him down at the Schlafly Tap Room on Saturday, February 2nd with Illphonics.
http://www..myspace.com/schlaflybeer

Ska's the Limit Anniversary Show

Well, there's not a lot lacking in the release below, so we'll let it speak for itself, though we will note that the recent Ska-liday show at Off Broadway, featuring MU330 and the Murder City Players, was an SRO affair, with little room for stragglers; the show sold-out well before 10 p.m. We'd guess that this one may have a similar outcome, so if it's of interest, purchase tix early:

Seventeen cheers for Paul Stark!

--------

88.1 FM KDHX SKA'S THE LIMIT 17TH BIRTHDAY PARTY
Saturday February 23, 2008
Off Broadway
3509 Lemp Ave., St. Louis, MO 63118
Doors open at 6:30 pm – Music Begins at 7:00 pm
All Ages Admission : $15
Advance tickets available and encouraged at
www.offbroadwaystl.com
Proceeds to benefit KDHX St. Louis Community Media

"KDHX Ska's The Limit," the longest continuously running Ska radio show in the world is celebrating it's seventeenth anniversary. Since it's inception in 1991, "KDHX Ska's The Limit" has presented a weekly showcase of a variety of musical styles related to early 1960's Jamaican Ska music. The original Ska music, a precursor to Reggae, combined elements of Caribbean Island Mento and Calypso rhythms, big band, swing, jazz, boogie woogie, and R&B to create a unique musical style.

In the years since, contemporary Ska music has been influenced by Rock and Roll, Punk Rock, and many varied sources of international Pop music. "KDHX Ska's The Limit" host Paul Stark continues to highlight the history and modern innovations in Ska every Friday evening on 88.1 FM KDHX St. Louis Community Radio and world wide on the internet at www.kdhx.org.

On February 23rd, In celebration of it's seventeenth anniversary, "KDHX Ska's The Limit" is presenting an evening of performances by some of the leaders of
contemporary Ska music: The Toasters, formed in New York City in 1981, are
beginning their 27th year as an international touring band. The band has logged a staggering 4,000+ live concert appearances on stages all around the world,
and amassed a humongous catalog of music, including 15 albums and DVDs, countless videos, singles and EPs and innumerable compilation appearances. In 1997, Billboard Magazine's lead article dubbed them "New York's Ska Pioneers." With their eclectic, instantly recognizable and idiosyncratic sound the group has
been branded as the "Miles Davis of Ska" and the "Ramones of Ska" alike.

What do you get when you mix the chugging rhythms of Jamaica, the energy and emotion of American Motown, and the over-the-top pub/rock of the Pogues? Now in their 15th year, Chicago's Deal's Gone Bad draws its influences from classic Jamaican and American artists, to create a sound that is a uniquely modern combination, unlike anything else on the scene today. Deal's Gone Bad shows are a combination of soul rave-up and island dance party, with the force and energy of any punk band worth their salt.

Also appearing that evening in the non-smoking, all ages environment of Off Broadway Nighclub is the debut of a new band of St. Louis musical veterans dubbed Jesse Irwin and The West Memphis Country & Western Ska Destroyers and local Ska-Punk trio The Red Light Runners, as well as other surprise guests.

Proceeds from the show will benefit KDHX St. Louis Community Media, a non-profit organization dedicated to building community through media, with diverse and independent voices that enrich the perspectives of their audiences. KDHX promotes civic and cultural participation by providing the tools, technology, and training vital to informed, creative expression.

Ska-liday Reminder: Dec. 29th

Paul Stark of KDHX's long-running Ska's the Limit was kind enough to send along word of winter's biggest ska party - which happens to be a benefit for the station that broadcasts his show. Yup. It's next week. Looking forward to this.

--------

KDHX Ska's The Limit
Winter Ska-liday Party

Saturday, December 29, 2007
7:00 pm (doors at 6:30)
Off Broadway
3509 Lemp Ave.
St. Louis, Mo 63118

Santa will be skanking at the KDHX Ska's The Limit Winter Ska-liday Party, featuring MU330, Murder City Players, Zeda's Beat Box, The Kickbacks, Secret Cajun Band & surprise guests.

Admission is $12 in advance, $15 at the door, and proceeds will benefit KDHX Community Media.

Just like the 88.1 FM KDHX Ska's The Limit radio show, this benefit spotlights an exciting variety of ska-influenced music.

Murder City Players bring a 10 piece band, now in their 23rd year of performing Jamaican ska and rocksteady-styled music circa 1959-1965.

Combining ska rhythms with hard rock, MU330 are celebrating 18 years as internationally touring, third wave veterans.

The talented teenagers of Zeda's Beat Box met at Dave Simon's Rock School and now combine ancient Hebrew texts with bouncing ska and reggae music.

The Kickbacks, absent from Saint Louis stages for five years, return with their mod and 2-tone influenced sound for this special reunion show.

And, another reunion, just announced, by 1990's college party ska-rock regulars: The Secret Cajun Band.

This benefit party is an all-ages evening (with a $3 surcharge for minors) and families are welcome in the non-smoking environment of Off Broadway, 3509 Lemp Avenue in Saint Louis.

Discounted advance tickets available now at www.offbroadwaystl.com.

Bluiett

Is back. With CAPS!:

-----------------

WORLD PREMIER
BLUIETT'S IYO (IMPROVISINGYOUTHORCHESTRA)
Last Sunday of the Year
Dec. 30, 2007, 3-5pm
UNION AVENUE CHRISTIAN CHURCH
733 UNION, STL 63108

This program is supported in part by First Civilizations.

Please send this email to all of your family and friends and tell them about us.

Art Weekend #1: IAM, Tonight-Sunday

Just got a note from Eric Woods, reminding one-and-all of the Independent Art Market, kicking off Downtown tonight.

See you there on Sunday and, perhaps, tonight.

--------------------

THE INDEPENDENT ART MARKET HOLIDAY SALE IS HERE!

Great holiday gifts from local artists are YOURS this weekend!

This winter's Art Market event will take place at the corner of 10th and Locust in lovely Downtown St. Louis! There will be 20 artists selling their creations in a boutique style atmosphere.

Art, gifts, fun, music, holiday spirit and so much more!!!

Friday, December 7th 6p - 12a (opening reception!)
Saturday, December 8th 12p - 10p
Sunday, December 9th 12p - 6p

Happy Holidays! We hope to see you this weekend!!

The Independent Art Market

BioSonar on Sunday @ Mad Art

A number of folks who performed on the 52nd City CD "Sound" will be taking part in an event at Mad Art Gallery this Sunday afternoon-into-night.

Here are the details:

--------------

BioSonar: music and art festival / potluck / indoor picnic
4-11PM this Sunday, November 18, 2007
Mad Art (2727 S. 12th Street, St. Louis, Missouri 63118)
$7, or free if you bring a dish that can serve 10 or more

Echolocation Recordings inaugural festival featuring dozens of regional artists from the improv / experimental / electroacoustic / free / deep listening / eclectic / concrete / new music / avant garde / noise / drone / field recording / lowercase / uncategorizable circles, as well as regional literature, video art, and potluck.

The line-up so far includes Peanuts (Jeremy Brantlinger, Eric Hall, Nazeer Sadeeq Holmes), Ghost Ice, Mike Pitts, Y Toros, Andrew Hefner, Raglani, Ajay Khanna and Chris Smentkowski (of Brain Transplant), Mark Sarich, Worm Hands, Dave Stone, Joseph Potthoff, Tony Renner / Learn Artist!, James Weber jr. (of Julia Sets and Museum Mutters), Catholic Guilt, and more to be announced. These performers are encouraged to explore extended technique, long-form composition / improvisation, and collaboration.

This will be an afternoon / evening event designed as an indoor picnic, so bring a blanket or pillow to lay out on the floor as you enjoy the various approaches to non-traditional musics, food provided by the organizers and audience, video / film projections, books from local writers and publishers, and a mini-shop set up by Cherokee St.'s Apop Records (offering a hand picked selection of music to compliment the event).

The cover will be $7, or totally free if you bring any dish that can serve 10 or more people. Refrigeration will be available if needed, and be sure to mark any dishes you need back with your name. Per the liquor license at Mad Art, no outside liquor may be brought, but a full-service cash bar will be available. Smoking is allowed only in the fenced-in outdoor garden area. The all-ages event goes from 4-11 PM.

SLIFF @ PFA: Greenaway, Water

In the haze of SLIFF's various programming, I've forgotten one other thing over the past few mornings, namely posting a note about a Pulitzer event this coming weekend.

(EDIT: Minutes after posting this, I learned that Greenaway will not be coming to St. Louis for this SLIFF event. The event below will occur, with the caveat that Greenaway will not be attending. The films should still be an inducement for some to attend, but read the following the a different eye.)

----------------------

Films at the Pulitzer : Water Films with Peter Greenaway

St. Louis, MO – The Pulitzer Foundation for the Arts and Cinema St. Louis are pleased to present an evening with acclaimed filmmaker Peter Greenaway on Saturday, November 17th at 7:00pm.

Greenaway will present and discuss a selection of his water-related films, in conjunction with the Pulitzer’s current exhibition Water. This will be an exciting opportunity to not only view these rarely-seen films, but also to engage in discussion with the filmmaker himself.

Born in Wales and educated in London, Peter Greenaway trained as a painter for four years, and started making his own films in 1966. He now lives in Amsterdam. He has made 12 feature films and some 50 short-films and documentaries, been regularly nominated for the Film Festival Competitions of Cannes, Venice and Berlin. His first narrative feature film, The Draughtsman¹s Contract, completed in 1982, received great critical acclaim and established him internationally as an original filmmaker, a reputation consolidated by the films, The Cook, the Thief, his Wife & her Lover, The Pillow-book, and most recently The Tulse Luper Suitcases.

The event is free and open to the public. The program is a collaboration with Cinema St. Louis and a part of the AT&T St. Louis International Film Festival. In addition to the event at the Pulitzer, at 2:30pm November 18th at the Saint Louis Art Museum Greenaway will screen his film Drowning by Numbers, receive a Lifetime Achievement Award, and participate in a career-spanning Q&A with filmmaker and teacher RD Zurick.

Cinema St. Louis is a not-for-profit organization that emphasizes film as an art form. Its mission is to enhance cultural diversity by bringing American independent productions, horizon-expanding international films and high-quality studio films to audiences before their commercial release.

The Pulitzer aims to foster a deeper understanding and appreciation of art and architecture. With the works of art themselves, along with programs, collaborations and exchanges with other cultural and educational institutions, the Pulitzer is a resource for artists, architects, scholars, students and the general public. The Pulitzer is located at 3716 Washington Blvd., St. Louis, MO, 63108, Telephone 314.754.1850, www.pulitzerarts.org.

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Free Candy is Back

After the sometimes outrageous field trip to the Royale for the last installment, this month's Free Candy finds the two (two?) co-hosts of Free Candy returning for more fun and mirth at the old home of Hartford Coffee.

Not sure I can make this one, due to remaining SLIFF commitments, which breaks my callous heart. That doesn't mean you can't enjoy this wonderful stuff, even if the note about this week's show doesn't exactly give a sense of the identity of the guests and "bits." Gotta love the intrigue!

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Good people of Free Candyland:

We're back to the old skool ways, and you simply must join us for the next Free Candy, kickin' it at our old stomping grounds -- Hartford Coffee Company, 3974 Hartford -- next Sunday, Nov. 18, at the new, improved hour of 6 p.m.

Simply put, you don't want to miss this show. Guests include a local legend of independent retailing, holiday gift ideas (yes! we are just like Oprah, only with less schoolgirl abuse), Town Talk dramatic readings and so much more. Still reeling over the implications of cleanishappy.com? We're gonna blow you mind with our new web site selection.

Tom and Amanda will be holding it down, but without you, we're just a sad pair of clowns. With you, we're a sad pair of clowns with an audience! Please join us.

And big ups to our November Sugar Daddy/Candy Sponsor, Big Small Town Designs. You'll be able to buy the very latest in local greeting and Christmas cards, hot off the presses, so bring your checkbook! Check 'em out at bigsmalltown.com

Toodles, and see you Sunday,
Amanda & Tom

SLIFF Day 4

Before I jump into the fare for today a few quick things...

God bless Norman Mailer

Muchas gracias to the Tivoli staff and SLIFF posse who came to my DJ gig at The Royale last night!

Sunday Morning Coming Down
The wear and tear of seeing a lot of films has set in. Still, I knew what I was in for when I opened the program.

But I digress...
There are a lot of really great films lined up today. No Sunday blahs here!

Forget the Rams, there's a new team in town, the St. Louis Reels. They would be the awesome staff who assembled the program for SLIFF this year.

Documentary Abundance!
If you are more suited for documentaries then this is a big day for you. The doc programming this year is stellar and Sunday's lineup is amazing. You would be hard pressed to plan your film day without including a documentary.

A Walk Into The Sea
Danny Williams was Andy Warhol's lover. This film looks at his life and deconstructs The Factory scene that propelled Warhol to iconhood. 12:30pm, SLAM

A Walk To Beautiful
A powerfully moving doc about five women in Ethiopia who are struggling to overcome childbirth injuries. The film follows their trek to the hospital of
Dr. Catherine Hamlin, who was featured on Oprah. Just a warning that this is pretty bleak stuff! 2pm, Tivoli

We Are Together
This touching and award-winning documentary is about the AIDS crisis in South Africa and the orphanges it has left behind.
2pm, SLAM

First Saturday In May
So you want to see a doc without politics or international despair. This could the tonic for you. The film follows six Kentucky Derby hopefuls and their trainers, owners and caretakers as they run for the roses. 2:30pm, Tivoli

Hear & Now
Sponsored by the Central Institute for the Deaf, a daring film about deaf parents who get their hearing restored. A profound film.
4:30pm, Tivoli

Election Day
An examination of Election Day 2004, one which was as full of intrigue, wheeling and dealing and chicanery as any Hollywood blockbuster.
This is the forum on the Election Day crisis our country seems to have, but this film will certainly reopen the discussion just in time for 2008.
4:30pm, Tivoli

Banished
A film that confronts the racial injustice experienced by African Americans in 3 towns from the end of the Civil War through the Great Depression. Director Marco Willaims explores the social, cultural and politcal scars left on the fabric of these communities today. 7:15pm, Tivoli

Features Featured

Waiter
A Dutch co-worker of mine waxed poetic on the films of Alex Van Warmerdam. so much in fact that I got a ticket to see his new film. The screenplay won the 2006 Netherlands film Festival. 2pm, Plaza Frontenac.

Getting Home
I went on about this one earlier. A terrific film from China and a nice break from the heavy doc schedule. 4:30pm, Tivoli

A Year In My Life
The French are finally here at SLIFF. A charming film set in the 1950s about a family that takes in a hard luck kid. 5pm, SLAM

Before the Devil Knows You're Dead
A new suspense film from Sydney Lumet is nothing to miss. Destined for wide release, this Oscar Buzz film features Philip Seymour Hoffman and Marisa Tomei naked. EEAHH! 7pm, Plaza Frontenac

Children of Glory
I loved this Hungarian film set in Budapest in 1956 that mixes geopolitical tension with waterpolo. A sleeper to win best of the fest! There was a buzz about this film from those who saw it last night!
9:30pm Plaza Fronteanc.

Nina's Heavenly Delights
Yay! A film about curry set in Scotland! Part Bollywood, part Scottish black comedy, this film is sure to please viewers with an eye for quirky cinema. 7:30pm, Tivoli

On a final note, I encourage those wanting to see films in the next week to get tickets now. After today it gets heady and the slam of sellouts and long lines begins in greater intensity.

'Nuff Said!

SLIFF DAY 3

Sorry this is just a recap. Yesterday was excruciatingly busy.

A change of pace was in order as I ventured off to other SLIFF venues besides the Tivoli.

Enough!
I began the day with this gorgeously shot Djamilla Sahraoui film about two women searching for a missing husband in Algeria during the turbulent 1990s. The music was great and the picturesque seascapes and landscapes framed the onscreen drama. Great performances from a solid cast and an intense plot made the movie pretty powerful. Enough! screens again next Thursday at 12:30pm at Plaza Frontenac.

Mahek
Mahek is Hindi for 'smell' which has a little to do with the symbolism of the lead character in this film.

Mahek is a twelve-year-old girl with gifted intelligence and energy. The problem is that she is also a dreamer with delusions of grandeur. Her dreams aren't simple--she dreams of big stuff like becoming prime minister, winning awards and saving lives.

Unfortunately she does it at the worst possible moments, often with cataclysmic results. This creates a seemingly endless series of adolescent John Hughes-esque escapades as Mahek ends up a runner-up.

What Mahek needs is a good swift kick in the arse to get her going. This is provided by a visiting fairy who leads Mahek towards an inward journey in search of her best attributes.

I hate to use the words 'family comedy' but this film reminded me me of a Hindi Afterschool Special. It was charming and funny and the characters were very basic, but after a few days of searing intense films it was a nice reprieve.

I wish more Indian films were in the fest but I understand the complications of getting current titles brought over that a large segment of that community has not already seen. Still, with this film in particular, I wish the word had gotten out to the Indian community because it would make a fine afternoon trip to the cinema. Mahek screens again on Tuesday, November 13th at 12:30pm at Frontenac.

Jujiro
After a break I went to the St. Louis Art Museum to see Jujiro (Crossways)
a brilliant 1928 silent film from Teinosuke Kinugasa.

I'll save the rabid semantics on Japanses silent film for anojther time but all I can say is this: kudos to SLIFF and SLAM for brinigng this amazing film to our city.

Jujiro (Crossways) tells the story of a Ronin who runs the table on lust, anger, blindness, madness and obsession in pursuit of a geisha. When everything goes to shit he turns to his older sister for protection, which subsequently forces her down a path of misery, rape and humiliation.

This triumph of the silent era relies on Kinusaga's moving camera techniques, hallucinogenic shots and his adept usage of expressionistic costuming, lighting, makeup and set design.

New Music Circle provided a wonderful accompaniment for the film.
This was really something special!

A few final bits...

A quick word about the Frontenac films...
First, the volunteer staff was top notch. Sometimes this venue gets a bad rap because it isn't as heavily staffded as the Tivoli. But I have to say the staff there bent over backwards to be outgoing, recommend films and be generally helpful.

Second, the attendance at both films was woeful when held up against the quality of the material. My point is this, more people should have taken a chance on these films and come out to see them.

The St. Louis Art Museum has really stepped up to make its auditorium a good place to see a film. It still could use a bigger screen, but they have done a nice job with programming films on-site.

We cinephiles are responsible for getting people we know out to see some films that they wouldn't normally see. So why not bring a family member, co-worker or member of your crew to see a movie?!

SLIFF DAY 2

A quick program note....

Tickets for the November 15th 7pm screening of "Bill", the film with Aaron Eckhardt and Jessica Alba which had some location filming shot in St. Louis has sold out.

But fear not. There still are plenty of cinematic options for that time on that date. There is a great program about Walt Disney that same night at the Art Museum hosted by Neal Gabler.

I however am looking forward to "Orange Revolution" which also screens at that time at the Tivoli. This documentrary about the 2004 Orange Revolution in the Ukraine is important in light of Vlad Putin's recent power grab and the fact that the film was made by St. Louisan Steve York. This doc is a compelling option for history poli sci nerds like myself.

But back to today.....

A few ideas of stuff to see.

Global Shorts
Screening at 2:30pm today at Frontenac. I am excited about the offering but have to work and will miss it. Urgh! This means that you, intrepid reader, should go in my stead. The program features short films from places like India, Iran, Morocco and Brazil amongst others. The SLIFF shorts are always compelling and this one is a particulalry strong package.

The Collector
This Polish film screens at 4:30pm at Frontenac. A debt collector has a 'moral epiphany' with interesting results on his love life.

Getting Home
This Chinese film is terrific. I had an opportunity to see a screener of it and I highly recommend it for its warmth and humor. It's kind of like "Weekend At Bernie's" in a way. Zhao, a Chinese worker honors a promise made to his friend Liu and carries (literally) his dead body all the way across China to his family home in the 13 Gorges. What happens along the way is both a testament to the human spirit and a panoramic social commentary on contemporary China.

The 13 Gorges has been in the news recently because it forced the relocation of over 4 million people. Cities in the gorges were leveled brick by brick its citizens to make way for this super dam. Knowing this helps understand the film at the end a bit better but I digress...

Enough about hydraulics already. This funny, touching and powerful and funny film is one of the best offerings of the Fest!

Those wanting to see a great international film should scurry over to Plaza Frontenac and catch this 7pm screening.

The Melon Route
Screening at Frontenac at 9:30pm this Croation entry to SLIFF chronicles the tragic drowning of Chinese immigrants on the Bosnian/Croat border. The plot deals with the relationship between the one survivor of the incident and the smuggler who got her into Croatia.

The Sacred Family
Much has been said about the burgeoning South American film scene. Director Sebastian Campos' use of hand held cameras and improvised dialogue makes this film about the disintegration of family an interesting film to see.

Slither
SLIFF brings out zombie nation in full effect with a 7pm screening at Webster screening of James Gunn's 2006 B movie scaretacular. The onscreen presence of zombies and Firefly's Nathian Fillion means that this will be a geek fest of epic proportions. This clever film was grossly overlooked at the box office. Charles Guggenheim Cinema St. Louis Award winner Gunn will be in attendance to intro the film and conduct a Q&A afterwards.

Grace Is Gone
Hey it's John Cusack as a dad! This is a powerful film about childhood innocence war, love, marriage and tragedy. Not the most cuddly of films at this year's festival, but a pretty good one nonetheless. See this! It has contemporary themes that loudly resonate with us all and Cusack usually makes pretty decent movies. Shown at he Tivoli at 7pm.

Punk's Not Dead
Punk rock is 30! scary! As the Sex Pistols tour again and countelss old school punk bands reform to cash in comes this film about the halcyon days when wearing boots, ripped jeans, shredded shirts and lots of safety pins was a statement against authority.

I like many others cut my adolescent teeth through the music of The Sex Pistols, The Damned, Fear, Black Flag, Dead Kennedys, Minor Threat, the Vandals and the like, so this is an interesting trip down memory lane.

Susan Dynner loved this stuff too, except she knows all these people and got them to be in her film about Punk rock. Her film examines the culture of punk and explores how the DIY ethos of punk has been co-opped by crappy bands, MTV and Hot Topic.

Although there won't be a pit there'll be plentry of adrenaline and rage at 9:15 at the Tivoli!

SLIFF DAY 1

The 16th Annual AT&T St. Louis International Film Festival is now underway. What lay ahead is a long grueling ten days of cinematic darkenss fueled by reels and Red Bull.

By this time most of us die hard film lovers in the STL have gotten their SLIFF schedule books and feverishly planned out the next ten days and procured tickets.

For these intrepid souls mapping, planning and organizing the Festival is an arduous undertaking along the lines of D-Day or Live-AID.

Choosing a film can be difficult if you are not a big film person of if you are with someone who isn't and you are. I recommend you start with somethnig popular and work inward to the other stuff.

After all there is no better way to move out of the kiddie pool and into the big kid deep end of the pool then by taking a chance and dipping both feet in the deep end and watch something new and different.

But if you, or someone you know fears change or new things, then there is a film for you, "The Honeydripper" by John Sayles. "The Honeydripper" screens at 7pm tonight at the Tivoli Theater. Sayles will be on hand to get his Lifetime Achievement Award with his partner Maggie Renzi.

Sayles is one of nation's best filmakers. He alwasy gets the best from his actors and his use of narrative is terrific. The movie has a Bluesy theme as well so lovers of music can come and check it out with satisfaction as well.

While you are at the Tivoli tonight pick up advance tickets for other movies. If you love music take a chance on a great doc called "Punks Not Dead" which screens at 9:15 tomorrow.

All the films, events and miscellany can be found at and www.cinemastlouis.org

More Nader

Only a day after posting about Ralph Nader's upcoming STL appearance, I found a flyer detailing the bio-pic "An Unreasonable Man." The flick, which will debut on PBS on December 18, will be playing some select cities/events prior to its going live on PBS' "Independent Lens."

The STL info is:

Thursday, November 8 * 7 - 9 p.m.
Lee Auditorium at the Mo History Museum * Lindell & Debalivere
314-746-4599 * www.mohistory.org

A free event with guest speakers: Dr. Don Fitz; Dr. Art Silverblatt; and Ms. Liz Forrestal.

Big Friday

Don't know about you, but I wish I could doppelganger myself tonight. Thomas posted previously about Harvest For Art (The Black Diamond Heavies, Bob Reuter, Fire Dog, Jessica Butler and our town's art hoi polloi in one spot - the doors will blow off the Lucas Schoolhouse!) which takes place tonight. But also taking place this evening is Day of the Dead Beats, Brett Underwood's annual marathon reading of dead Beat poets, always a mind-bending experience. That'll be taking place at Schlafly Bottleworks (7260 Southwest) at 8pm. Usually I feel squeamish about posting stuff I'm involved with, but I'll only be reading a homeopathic dose of Ann Waldman (who, for the record, is NOT dead) but there's lots more than that: for one, Ann Haubrich reading Kerouac, backed by Dave Stone; the Get Born poets reading various spitfire poets like Herbert Huncke and Bukowski; and Mr. Underwood himself, who traditionally has read Bukowski, but has handed over those duties and will be channelling one of St. Louis' own, William S. Burroughs.

And if you're pleasantly exhausted and/or hung over after attending one or both of the above events, may I recommend a vicarious walking trip, via Claire Nowak-Boyd's new blog, Curious Feet, which is all about exploring our fair city on foot.

Fishbone @ City Museum

I never thought I'd get a digital press release announcing a Fishbone show at the City Museum, but that's just what my last few minutes have yielded.

Ah, Fishbone. So many memories for a gentleman of a certain age. Having the band "explained" to me by a fellow, teenaged drummer, on the way to a baseball game. Seeing that t-shirt on John Cusack every time that "Say Anything" is played on the ol' DVD player. Thinking back to getting swallowed up by the pit at a CMJ in New York in the early '90s. Watching a bouncer/local drug dealer rough up fans at the Firehouse, years later, with the band commercially on the wane, but still possessing a distinct, live snap.

Anyway, enough nostalgia for the moment. Here's that unexpected release:

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Fishbone CD Release Concert at City Museum

This November, City Museum is proud to present L.A. based band, Fishbone, featuring original members Angelo Moore (aka Dr. Madd Vibe), John Norwood Fisher, John McKnight (of Ben Harper’s Band), Rocky George (of Suicidal Tendencies), Dre Gipson, and John Steward. This will be the first time the band has returned to St. Louis since 2000.Opening for Fishbone will be a special performance by St. Louis’s own Alley Cat Revue. This is a 21-and-up show. Seating is limited, so purchase your tickets today!

WHO: Fishbone featuring Alley Cat Revue Burlesque Show

WHAT: Concert and CD Release Party

WHERE: City Museum, 701 North 15th Street, St. Louis, MO 63103

WHEN: Wednesday, November 21, Doors at 7:31pm

HOW MUCH: $10 in advance, $15 day of show. Advance tickets available by calling 314.231.2489

WHY: Part of a year-long series to let adults enjoy City Museum without stepping on six-year-olds

Dock Ellis @ Royale - tonight

I thought I had something special with the Dock Ellis Band. A few months ago, the band and I spent a morning together that I thought was meaningful for all involved, as I took snaps of them in the old Powell Square Building. Well, this morning, I checked Myspace and found that the band not only picked up another member, they took photos with someone else! And the kicker: they did so at the Carondelet Coke Plant! Oh! The horrors!

Through tears of rebuke and guilt, I have to note that the Docks are playing the Royale tonight, which might seem a strange place for a classic country band to be playing a Sunday night gig. But it only gets weirder, when you consider that a non-broadcast talk show and jackets-only coronation ball are also slated for the same evening, which should feature basically everyone I know in some form or another.

Wiping away tears, here's the bulletin from the Dock Ellis Myspace page:

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Sunday, 14 Oct 2007, 06:30 PM - The Royale
3132 Kingshighway
St. Louis, Missouri 63139

Cost: free

Description:
The Royale is presenting the third annual Free Candy show with the formal Royale Coronation. This exclusive party will be held on Sunday, October the 14th from 6:30 to 9 with a variety style show by Tom Weber and Amanda Doyle of Free Candy featuring the Dock Ellis Band, Clownvis Presley and many more fun acts. This is a look sharp event/dance, so please dress accordingly. They will be unveiling the Royale’s new neon and bejeweled crown which will sit atop the sign.

We hope to see you there!

Sunflower Cinema @ CAMP

Found a lovely yellow flyer for a continuing film series at the Community Arts and Media Project, CAMP, found at 3022 Cherokee. The film series, Sunflower Cinema, has two slated films, with a $4 donation accepted. (It took me a minute to sort out the NOTAFLOF phrase, but I beleive it to mean "no one turned away from lack of funds.")

The pair of films slated, with blurbs:

Thursday, Oct. 11: "Majados: Through the Night": "Mojados" is a revealing documentary that follows four men into the desperate world of illegal immigration on their 120-mile, cross-desert journey across the U.S./Mexico border.

Thursday, Oct. 25: "Paris is Burning": Filmed in the mid-to-late 1980s, "Paris is Burning" chronicles the ball culture of New York City and the poor, African American and Latino gay and transgendered community involved in it. Many consider it an invaluable documentary of the end of the "Golden Age" of the New York City drag balls as well as a thoughtful exploration of race, class and gender in America.

Blessing of the Animals

St. Louis being the Catholic town it is, it makes sense that a Blessing of the Animals would be announced via the Gateway Arts listserv as well as through liturgical channels. From what I hear, all of the mounted police have a tradition of taking their horses down to Christ Church Cathedral for this; and if ever there was a Catholic Saint for me, it's the animal-loving St. Francis, whose feast day falls this week (hence this event). It looks acutally looks somewhat secular, as the invitation is to "all people and their pets." Judging from the exotic creatures that show up for the Krewe of Barkus Pet Parade, arguably one of the most popular parts of Mardi Gras, I wouldn't be surprised if some alpacas, goats and chinchillas weren't part of the procession. Certainly there will be a parking lot full of waggy, sniffy happy dogs:

"All people and their pets are invited to 'The Blessing of the Animals.' This special prayer service features music, multimedia images of pets and a memorial to departed animal friends. There will be treats for dogs and cats as well as refreshments for their human companions. All animals must be on leashes or in carriers or cages. Free parking on the Cathedral lot and on the street.

Start Date: 10/7/2007
Start Time: 4:00:00 PM
End Date: 10/7/2007
End Time: 5:00:00 PM
This event is free.
Address: 1210 Locust Street
City: St. Louis
State: MO
Zip: 631032322
Phone: (314) 231-3454

Quirky Reading @ Mad Art, Friday

Having only just poked out my head from my new home under a rock, I got notice of an interesting reading at Mad Art tomorrow evening. Given some play in this week's mega-RFT, the event's a melange of reading and performance. Gotta be quick on the computer tonight, so I'll just pass along the blip from the Mad Art site, content that I'll fill in the blanks at the gallery tomorrow:

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Left Bank Books presents an evening of literature, comedy, and live music at 8:00 p.m. on Friday, September 28, 2007, at Mad Art Gallery. Jonathan Messinger, author of Hiding Out will perform original comic writing along with writer Jason Toon and photographer Nathan Keay.

Jonathan Messinger celebrates the release of his new short-story collection, Hiding Out, by bringing his long-running reading and comedy series, The Dollar Store, to St. Louis. The show invites participants create stories and other performance pieces from junk Messinger finds in dollar stores, what he likes to call "evocative crap." The show has run for three years in Chicago, selling out for the past two. For this special engagement, St. Louis native Nathan Keay will present a slideshow for various uses of a shoe horn, and local Woot.com creator and writer Jason Toon will explore the virtues of a trick golf ball.

Live music will be performed by Chicago's Stephanie Morris and John Huston. Also featuring live music from St. Louis' own Jason Toon's The Help.

This is an all ages event, free and open to the public. Cash bar available.

This event is also the kickoff of the "New and Improved" Left bank books reading group! Now dedicated to bringing you the finest in fresh, intelligent, culturally relevant, enjoyable, mentally invigorating, and unapologetic new literature, and giving you the chance to meet the authors! To be a part of Left Bank's kickoff event, buy the first selection, Hiding Out by Jonathan Messinger, by September 21 at Left Bank Books. All reading group picks are 20% OFF. Meet at 7:00 p.m. at Mad Art Gallery before the show for a reading group discussion (free snacks provided). Meet the author and receive your very own Dollar Store modern relic!

Art Outside: This Weekend

The reality is: I meant to post something about Art Outside coming up the weekend. The other reality is: I kept forgetting to do so. A quick reminder note from our boys at Firecracker Press has got me at the keys.

Here's hoping that the rains stay away (enough) for some fun to be had on the streets and parking lots of Maplewood.

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Please join us Friday night and all day Saturday for the 4th annual Art Outside Art Fair at the Schlafly Bottleworks in Maplewood. We'll be debuting new drink coasters, giant 40" posters, stationary, as well as new rock posters and greeting cards. It's always a good time!

Say hello when you stop by.

Go to www.schlafly.com/artoutside.shtml for more info and for direction.

Crafters United

The spate of craft-induced shows and fests continues unabated, but the original RnR Crafters will be back in December. (Personally, my kinitting is really coming around, so this is quite exciting.) A call for Crafters has been announced and here're the details:

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You may already be crafty, or you may be unknowingly craftier than you think!

Your town's favorite craft show beckons... check it out at www.rocknrollcraftshow.com, and submit your application today!

Fest, Fest, and Fest Some More

One of the things I love about St. Louis is the spazz-out at the end of August, where suddenly, there's a festival almost every day - it almost seems like a collective reluctance to let summer go. (Which as a person who never acclimated to the cold, even though I grew up in a climate with four distinct seasons, I can appreciate.) I was at the Festival of Nations on Sunday, and was really pleased to see the park crammed with people, eating tibs wat and burek and boat drinks (served in hollowed-out coconuts) and watching Farshid Etniko play Persian music. If you stood in the shade, the temperature was absolutely pleasant; I couldn't quite muster the fortitude to go last year because it was a skull-splitting 100 degrees. (Even us heat-loving maniacs have our thresholds.)

Now, the finale comes over Labor Day weekend, with the Japanese Festival at MoBot, the St. Nicholas Greek Festival in the West End and the Big Muddy Blues Festival on the Landing. There's probably a baseball game in there somewhere, too. I remember hitting every single one of these things the first summer I moved here, in '01, on the freakin' bus. I don't know how I did it, but I remember dashing across Forest Park to catch a MetroLink downtown and feeling a little dizzy because it was, once again, about 99 or 100 degrees outside. In fact, right before my last bus ride home, standing at the bus stop near the old Busch Stadium, I spied a hot and weary Fredbird, leaning over the balcony, trying to get some air in that beak as fireworks exploded and black smoke hung in the air. Ah, good times, good times. Well, maybe not for Fredbird on that particular day. Now that I'm a lazy girl with a car, it seems almost incomprehensible to me that I managed to do so much without wheels, but Father Time is a public-transit traveling festival-goer year-round; in fact, I have no doubts that he's probably on Metro's site, plotting his route for Labor Day weekend.

The Lot

While it's certainly late-notice, you're probably already booked and lord knows that the hits counts are smaller on the weekends... The Lot music festival is happening today at the parking lot of the Schlafly Tap Room. 52nd City will be sharing a tent with our pals from Firecracker Press, so if you come down to the event, do drop by and say hello. Buy 10 mags for the Christmas season. And check out the new FCP coasters, whydoncha?

Mad Music: Sunday, Aug. 19

A note from Brett Underwood reminded me to note this gig at Mad Art, coming up on Sunday evening. Attending this event would mean missing my weekly trip to the Casino Queen for Channel 11's "Fan Show," but I may have to succumb to the freakout sounds of this trio of acts:

Mad Art
9 pm Sunday August 19, 2007
$5 All Ages

Dylan Posa And Three Cheers For One Dead Man
(member of Cheer-Accident, Bobby Conn, The Flying Luttenbachers, Brise-Glace, etc.)
dylanposa.com

Skarekrauradio
(members of Quief Quota, Shed Shot, and Two Lips)
myspace.com/skarekrauradio

Peanuts
(Jeremy Brantlinger, Eric Hall, and Nazeer Sadeeq Holmes)
myspace.com/ehallstl

Mad Art
9 pm Sunday August 19, 2007
$5 All Ages

Artica Outing

Perhaps my West Coast roots show too much in my vast affection for Artica, which pulls its inspiration, somewhat, from the Burning Man festival that takes place each year in an alkalai lake bed in Nevada (but is populated by a goodly number of East Bay folk). The nice thing about having a Burn-type event in the Midwest is that St. Louis pragmatism prevents some of the sillier and more self-indulgent stuff (pink furry cowboy hats, glo-sticks, a psychedelic lack of irony) that seems to manifest when there's a critical mass of Californians about. If you haven't been to Artica, or aren't familiar with Burning Man, Artica's organizers describe the event as "an outdoor multi-media art festival, parade and workshops series developed to provide the people of the St. Louis metropolitan area with the opportunity to come together as a community through creative self-expression." It takes place down the road a piece from the Riverboat casinos, near the old power station, in "an area that has been polluted, neglected and abandoned for far too long. Although our audience is primarily all of the citizens of the St. Louis metropolitan area, the whole world is invited to attend and expected to participate as creators during the festival. Artica's development will be as fluid as the river it celebrates, and its scope will depend greatly upon the emotional involvement of the community."

I remember walking around down near the Riverfront a few years ago during Artica, and noting that it was infused with the same sparkly, magical atmosphere found in the best corners of Burning Man (and I swear I'm not clenching a glo-stick in my teeth as I write this). So it's with great happiness that I note that the organizers are working on breathing new life into their "urban wilderness festival." This Saturday they're inviting interested parties to come down to the Artica site to brainstorm about future events:

"Over the years, the Artica project and festival has manifested in different ways, large and small events throughout the years and seasons. It is time for grassroots resurgence. Come down to the site on Saturday, August 11th, observe the changes the space has experienced, and see how it inspires your creativity. We will be there to BBQ, play and make art. Come join us, plan to be self-sufficient, creative and ready to brainstorm about future events. Enjoy the heat of the day, and come as early as 2pm on Saturday August 11th. If you cannot make it, but are still interested in participating in future activities then e-mail us at artica2005@aol.com. Also, the web site will be undergoing an update and facelift, so perk up your ears and Internet browser with Artica in mind..."

Artica Outing
Saturday August 11th, 2-8pm
Near the Cotton Building
Dixon and Lewis streets
http://www.artica.org

Quickie Q'n'A w/ Steve Ewing

I'm somewhere between byside myself and over-the-moon about tonight's gig at the Old Rock House, featuring a ton of local bands of yore, in various forms. Steve Ewing, the organizer of the event took a few minutes of his day (on Tuesday, yikes!) to answer questions about this intriguing show.

How long has this show been coming together?

We have been talking about this for a long time and I got STL Sound to really help out on it and they thought is was really cool idea.

Who will take part?

We have various players from a lot of bands. Sinister Dane, Finn Bros., Unconscious, Orange Tree, Son of Starchild, Stranded Lads. I wanted to get the whole bands but it was impossible without a years notice on it.

Do you have a feeling that there will be a high school reunion feel to some of this?

I wanted it to have that high school feel to for sure. It will be a great networking tool for all those musicians who are still out playing these days. This is how bands get formed.

What's the Steve Ewing Band's role in the show?

Steve Ewing Band will do the host set first and the other acts will follow for a couple hours then we do a closing set.

Can you tell us anything about the Old Rock House?

The venue is beautiful: all the production is in-house and it’s in a good location. The bottom line is they cater to the musicians sort of like House Of Blues does.

Free Candy on Sunday

It vexes me greatly that my Free Candy attendance streak is going in reverse, with what looks like two straight misses following a dozen-or-so makes. Alas. My not being there might even be inducement for some to attend this uniuqe, non-broadcast talk show, starring my Wire co-host Amanda Doyle and the ever-excitable Tom Weber.

Here're some additional notes from Amanda re: this weekend's gig:

-----------------

Hi, friends:

Okay, just to reiterate, as there has been an unusual volume of, "Now, when is Free Candy, again?" this time around...

Free Candy is this coming Sunday.

Sunday, August 5
7 p.m.
At Hartford Coffee Company, 3974 Hartford (@ Roger)
Early arrival for those eating/drinking is always encouraged.

There will be lots of stuff to talk about, a brand spankin' new musical guest and plenty of surprises. I don't want to give too much away, so I'll say only this:

It ain't over between that fancy Japanese toilet and Free Candy.

See ya Sunday,
Amanda & Tom

Nostalgia Alert: Kennedy's Reunion Show

This event almost borders on the unbelievable for me, with a squadron of my favorite (or, at least, most-seen-and-heard) bands of the 1980s and 1990s all playing on one stage. Maybe it'll just be a player, or two, from each band, but some type of music from all these groups will be heard the Old Rock House on Friday, August 3: The Urge, The Unconscious, Pale Divine, The Nukes, Son of Starchyld and Sinister Dane.

The Old Rock House is another new venue for St. Louis, this one located at 1200 South Seventh. As you might expect, the place is represented on Myspace: www.myspace.com/theoldrockhouse.

It's actually getting kinda crowded in Club Land these days, but that's another posting for another day...

Doki-Doki Says: Saucy CWE Soiree Slated

I've only been to the Maryland House in the CWE one time, despite the fact that I absolutely loved the place. Maybe I felt that because I went just before the joint opened - and I had it feeling it was going to be a very hip, hot place soon after - I shied away.

Now, I'd probably be too shy to attend an event this Thursday at the venue, so it's just as well that I'll be out of town, taunting hipsters in Chicago. For those of you in-town, esp. you ladies in need of drawers, this must be considered the highlight of the week. I'm blushing even typing this, so let's get to the release from Urban Fox...

---

WHO: doki doki designs
WHAT: Urban Fox Release Party ~ Lingerie for the Knockout!
WHEN: Thursday, July 19, 2007
WHERE: Maryland House -- Upstairs from Brennan's, 4659-A Maryland Avenue, CWE ~ 314-361-9444
TIME: 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
COST: FREE! Complimentary Schafly Beer and Snacks (while supplies last)!
WEB: www.dokidokidesigns.com

I see England! I see France! I see a new line of underpants!

(Saint Louis) June 26, 2007. Recently featured as one of St. Louis's coolest residents in the June issue of St. Louis Magazine, Megan Power, founder of doki doki designs follows up with Urban Fox, a new line of undies and stockings.

Urban Fox is the result of the fate-kissed meeting of Midwest-natives Megan Power and Lizzie Cook. The two met in 2006 while working in St. Louis as wardrobe stylists on a movie set. They soon realized that together, they had the know-how and sass to create a new line of knock-out lingerie! With over seven years of movie-industry experience, Lizzie brings cinematic flair to the duo, while Megan's clothing line, doki-doki (begun in 2002) brings serious "cred" with its consistent press-coverage and praise.

Can your undies help protect the environment? They can if they're Urban Fox undies! Made from a sustainable bamboo and cotton blend, now you can feel virtuous while wearing these sassy undies and stockings. Urban Fox undies range in size from extra small to extra large-- yep, they're for everyone!

To get a peek at the "unmentionables" head down to one of Saint Louis's hottest venues: Maryland House at Brennan's Wine Shop at 4659-A Maryland Avenue in the Central West End from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. There will be complimentary munchies and live music by the Private Sector, not to mention foxy models wearing the new Urban Fox lingerie — guaranteed to knock you out!! See something you like? All the undies are up for grabs. Get them before they go to the stores!

Bluiett Jazz Sunday

The (free) Hamiet Bluiett concert at Ivory Perry Park last Sunday was jam packed with the kind of surprises that really make a night extra special. I looked over at Lindsey at one point and said, “If you aren’t here, you’re stupid.” Bluiett did a wonderful job of putting together a stellar two hour evening. Highlights included:

Eugene Redmond, Poet Laureate of East Saint Louis performed moving odes to both Miles Davis and Ivory Perry with jazz accompaniment. I’ve never seen Mr. Redmond perform and have wanted to for quite some time. A real treat.

New York’s Lady Cantrese had a wonderful voice—somewhat playful—and the moves too. Each time she performed I noticed that that the throng of male photographers grew a bit thicker.

But most impressive were the amazing youngsters that Bluiett presented over the evening; Zack Morrow (12) on drums and brothers Jo’el Williams (15) on saxophone and Joshua Williams (17) on trumpet. These little dudes were incredible and impressed everyone. Really polished considering their ages.

The atmosphere was laid back and friendly and after the show, Jo’el Williams handed out flyers announcing “The Willams Brothers” jazz breakfast at the Maplewood Applebees on July 7, 2007. 8am-10am and just $7 for adults.

These free concert series are a real treat. I encourage more folks to attend. Get the schedule online.

Free Candy Quickie

An update from co-founder Amanda Doyale on Sunday, this Sunday, the 24th. Of June: "Sunday’s guests include the student authors of StudioSTL, STL Chihuahua Rescue (even a microdog on display!) and musical stylings of Forbidden Fruit Snacks."

I'll be across town at the Hamiet Bluiett show at Ivory Perry Park, but my heart'll be at Hartford. (Ba-ding.)

Our Man in Bonnaroo

I've known Pablo Weiss since sometime in the early-'90s and he's still capable of making me laugh, often in a way that's suspiciously similar to the famed cartoon character of the era, Beavis. So, I was amused to get an e-mail from Pablo on his Bonnaroo experience. Feeling that the couple dozen folks who got the original note weren't enough, I asked if we could reprint it, which he agreed to, providing I cleaned up a few copy elements. The wacky, off-color stuff, though, could remain intact. Thanks, dude!

------------------------------

I had the opportunity to attend Boonaroo Music & Arts Festival in Manchester, Tennessee this last Thursday-Sunday. To say the least, it was quite an experience. I had some observations and since I am an over-opinionated loudmouth, I thought I would humor you with my thoughts, just for fun.

I would like to first off like to state that if the approximately 90,000 people that I camped with are the future of America, than we are in grave danger. It was like every slacker, fuck-up freak, and fruit and vegetable that I ever met were rolled into one. As our vehicle slowly inched onto the grounds (basically
huge fields)there were some cop cars lined up on the side. Handcuffed and sitting with his back against the front bumper was a pencil-neck hippie-type with about five pounds of mushrooms piled on the trunk of the car. I thought that the retail price in the mushroom market just went way up because the loss of supply. Little did I know, but it was not even a dent in the supply.

Everyone was, however, quite friendly and if I could live my life in such a consequence-free society with easy access to a plethora of recreational drugs, cool original music, with little sexual mores than I am in. Not that I was hooking up, or tripping (I retired after my last trip to A-Dam) but I did enjoy those who did partake, especially the young girls who frolicked around topless with their budding breasts and pert nipples decorated with a variety of body paintings and piercings. Before I start to go in another direction, I would like to give a review of the musical acts that I saw...

Top 10

1. Wolfmother - Talk about kicking ass and taking names later! Wow, these guys really rock! Sounded like Sabbath in their good days mixed in with some Triumph and the keyboards of Kansas.

2. Mute Math - These guys are so serious that the drummer duct taped his headphone around his head so they would not fall off as they ripped through a 90-minute set. One hippie got so worked up he charged the stage naked and danced like Beatle Bob for two-three minutes before being escorted out by
security. The music was quirky pop and the performance made it sound so much better. They smashed up their their stuff at the the end of the show which was a nice touch.

3. String Cheese Incident - I know what you are thinking - the guy who thinks that the Dead blow small dogs liked this? I'm not going to admit that I liked it, but G-D I had a blast! Keller Williams joined them and did the Bee Gees hit "Stayin' Alive" and brought the house down. One could not help but have a
great time with such wild freaked out crowd.

4. Jam Session with Ben Harper, John Paul Jones, and some drummer - When they played "Dazed and Confused" it made this middle-aged white boy's skin tingle. Rumors abounded about Zeppelin reuniting - of course.

5. Hot Chip - Like Mute Math, I did not know these guys before Bonnaroo. They got that appealing combofor me - the electronica fused with the traditional rock instruments. They are from London so they already are cooler than you and I but I would seriously recommend their CD.

6. North Mississippi All Stars - Saw these guys yesterday (Sunday) after drinking beer in the 95-degree sun for four hours and felt like expiring, then these guys really picked me up. Saw them in the '90s and might have booked them into the Side Door in it's day (my memory is not too good), but forgot what talented musicians these guys are. Wow, these guys have a tight, tight jam.

7. Kings of Leon - I don't exactly know why, but I really like these guys.

8. The Hold Steady - Another one of those over-the-top performances. Took better-than-okay material and just fucking rocked the house. The music is catchy and the band gives a fine performance.

9. Franz Ferdinand - A trendy pick, but they were good. Had good give and take with the audience and the songs other than their popular ones blended nicely with the set.

10. Brazilian Girls - Another electro-pop girl band which definitely has its angle. Another cool band that I only got to know at Bonnaroo

The worst four, starting from the worst.

1. Galactic - They added rappers to their entire show: and it was God Awful. Several years ago now, I saw Public Enemy at The Aragon Brawlroom and thought to myself if I don't dig these guys live, that maybe live rap shows are really not that good. It ruined the show so completely - there really were no synergies. The smell of the septic vacuum cleaning out the latrines 50-feet away was more enjoyable.

2. White Stripes - It started out bad where they booked them at a stage that was not big enough; there are open fields in fronts of all stages. The place
could probably accommodate 15-20,000 and there were probably 40-50,000 people there. It was a buzz kill after seeing the N. Miss. All Stars! Standing in the sun several hundred feet away I saw two people who were about as un-harmonic as you could get. It was so bad that I left early to get a nice spot for Widespread Panic; that's pretty bad. When I got to Widespread Panic, I did meet a nice young man with his hot young girlfriend (who claimed to be from Philly) who tried to sell me a drug that I had not heard of, but it came in white crystals. I politely declined further adding to my concerns that I am getting old and conservative.

3. The Decemberists - I know that these guys are hot and just sold out The Pagent, but I just did not get it. Maybe I am not sophisticated enough, but these guys left me limp and wilty.

4. Ween - What a cool band and a nothing set. Hardly played one song that I recognized from their fairly deep catalog. The LSU coeds behind me smoking a blunt were more entertaining.

Other bands of note...

The Police - Let's get something straight, Sting is a wanker that lives in a castle in the British Isles. He is pretentious and his solo career has done little else than give me a big soft-on. However, it's pretty cool going to a show that you know ever song from their tight career. The set started with "Message in a
Bottle," and stayed predominantly on their first three albums. Luckily "Every Breath you Take" was the encore so I could thankfully not hear it for 2,456th time.

Tool - I don't get it. It was not a bad concert, but I just don't get into it. A word of advice - don't tell a Tool fan that it just sounds like an updated
Metallica. They will be extremely insulted.

Widespread Panic - These guys are the most unimpressive looking sorts, however, they played a tight set from 8:30 Sunday night until just after midnight without a break of more than two-minutes. From what I understand they have a new guitarist; whoever this dinosaur is, he really, really could jam the guitar.

Junior Brown - Made his whole band wear coats and ties in sweltering heat. He, of course, had the Ten Gallon hat.

Marta Wainwright - Same whiny singer songwriter as her brother Rufus but less talented.

Clutch - About what you would expect that sounds more-and-more like Southern Rock.

Tea Leaf Green - Jam band from San Francisco; luckily, I was stoned when I saw them.

Tortoise - They were aw' right.

Dick Thompson Band - Made me feel young.

STS9 - A cool electronica project.

Damian Rice - Boring, but I did meet a young man with his first facial hair growth with a pentagram painted on his chest and 666 on his back. I, coincidental, was wearing a King Diamond shirt that I stole from Abbatista with some good devil stuff on it. I complimented his good sense, and recommended that he read "The Satanic Bible" by Anton LaVey.

Flaming Lips - Good set for a washed-up band.

Fountains Of Wayne - Fun pop band.

I made some nice friends there, mostly slackers than hung around the campsite because with had those little camping chairs and occasional food and booze. They, of course, had weed to barter. My favorite friend was a tie between Brent, the 19-year-old Domino's driver from Aurora, Illinois and Chris the 22-year-old, somewhat college student who just got a 0.9 GPA because he could not make it to his morning classes at Colorado State. He was tripping on Wednesday night and made his way to the festival and coincidentially set up his tent next to me.

I guess Burning Man is next on my Tour De Freak.

Pablo Out

Steve Ewing: CD Upcoming

It's still a bit odd to think of the firebrand vocalist of The Urge doing the singer-songwriter thing, but that's the mode he's found in for much of last year, playing smaller clubs, bars and cafes, rather than big shows with a big band. In a couple weeks, the 2006 Kick Ass Award winner will offer up his new CD. Complimetns of the artist's rep, here's the info:

----------

Steve Ewing Celebrating the release of his fourth solo CD! "Substance And Sound." This all-acoustic CD marks a new direction from The Urge
frontman featuring Adam Hansbrough on guitar.

June, 30 2007 at Crossings -
35 N. Gore, Webster Groves, Missouri 63119
Cost : NO COVER!

"Cheat Heat" Debuting Tonight

This band should be pretty good, made up of Gary Copeland (vocals, rhythm guitar), Ted Magos (drums), Chris Walker (bass) and Matty Coonfield (lead guitar). Cover's either $5 or $6, so affordable. If anyone goes, please let us know, as yours truly is committed, but very interested.

-------------

This Friday
June 15th @ the Lemmons
5800 Gravois, Ave.
21+

CHEAP HEAT (first STL show... featuring members of Lofreq, The Electric & Very Metal)
http://www.myspace.com/cheapheatmusic

PORN AGAIN CHRISTIANS (Charleston, IL.. Ex-Swampass)
http://www.myspace.com/thepornagainchristians

HOLY PYTHON (STL Bad Asses)
http://www.myspace.com/holypythonrock

Show starts at 9:30PM

Free Candy on Sunday, as in, Tomorrow

I just enjoyed a large sandwich and larger bit of malt with the co-host of Free Candy, Amanda Doyle. She and Tom Weber will be on the scene tomorrow, with the latest Free Candy, including visits from Paul Ha of the Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis, Patrick Horine of the Tower Grove Farmer's Market, Frontyard Features' Martin Casas and musical guest Bill Michalski.

This might be your first opportunity to step into Hartford Coffee Company, the FC venue, since the sale of the space last week. See why all of South City is a'twitter, or just enjoy the show, free of angst. Your call. All the same, see you there.

Goodbye to Kansas City

Our supporters at White Flag Projects note the departure of the most-recent exhibit, Truck, which is closing at WFP tomorrow. I needs to get me down to Manchester and Kingshighway. Perhaps you do, as well.

Details as follows:

LAST DAY FOR TRUCK: A KC/STL EXCHANGE EXHIBITION
SATURDAY MAY 19, 12-5 PM

WHITE FLAG PROJECTS
4568 MANCHESTER AVE. (JUST EAST OF KINGSHIGHWAY)

With the goal of opening an improved dialogue between the visual arts communities in Kansas City and St. Louis, White Flag Projects and Kansas City's Urban Culture Project are cooperating to organize TRUCK: A Kansas City/St. Louis Exchange Exhibition, a pair of exhibitions to be mounted in Kansas City and St. Louis, Missouri. The artists chosen to represent each city in the other were arrived at through gallery visits, studio visits, and an open call to artists. The artists from St. Louis to be exhibited in Kansas City were selected by new media artist and Urban Culture Project Curatorial Advisory Boardmember Barry Anderson. The artists from Kansas City to be exhibited in St. Louis were selected by White Flag Projects Director Matthew Strauss. The exhibition of Kansas City artists in St. Louis will open April 14 at White Flag Projects, and the exhibition of St. Louis artists in Kansas City will open the following Friday, April 20 at Urban Culture Project's brand new 2500 square foot La Esquina exhibition space.

The artists selected to represent St. Louis are: Brandon Anschultz (painting), Sarah Colby & Kim Humphries (installation/ sculpture) , Cameron Fuller (installation), Jamie Kreher (photographs) , Ron Leax (sculpture), Megan & Murray McMillan (video), Daniel Raedeke (sculpture), Ernest Trova (prints/collage) and Ann Yeager (painting).

The artists selected to represent Kansas City are: Callyann Casteel (sculpture), Archie Scott Gobber (sculpture), Anne Pearce (watercolors) , DeAnna Skedel (sculpture/installa tion), Jesse Small (sculpture), Sean Ward (painting), and James Woodfill (sculpture/installa tion).

Hobo Film at Hobo Bar

The Royale, a saloon known to attract a rotating cast of colorfully-named grifters and wandering train-hoppers is home to an event that clearly fits in with its itinerant, beareded clientele. "Who is Bozo Texino?" by Bill Daniel plays the patio of the venue on Wednesday, May 16.

Here's some info from the film's site:

Who is Bozo Texino?
by Bill Daniel
56 min. black and white, experimental/documentary

Who is Bozo Texino? chronicles the search for the source of a ubiquitous and mythic rail graffiti-- a simple sketch of a character with an infinity-shaped hat and the scrawled moniker, "Bozo Texino"-- a drawing seen on railcars for over 80 years. Daniel's gritty black and white film uncovers a secret society and it's underground universe of hobo and railworker graffiti, and includes interviews with legendary boxcar artists, Coaltrain, Herby, Colossus of Roads, and The Rambler. Shooting over a 16-year period, Daniel rode freights across the West carrying a Super-8 sound camera and a 16mm Bolex. During his quest he discovered the roots of a folkloric tradition that has gone mostly unnoticed for a century. Taking inspiration from Beat artists Robert Frank and Jack Kerouac, the film functions as both a sub-cultural documentary and a stylized fable on wanderlust and outsider identity.

Stuff: Friday-Tuesday

I'm a bit under the weather, but a number of things have hit my in-box that seem of interest to... well, someone other than my bored self. I'll just throw 'em out here and see if my theory holds true:

Tonight, 8-10 p.m., KDHX: I'll be pinch-hitting (and coughing) on Paul Stark's "Ska's the Limit" for pledge drive. Ring, ring!

Sunday, noon-3 p.m., Hartrford Coffee Co.: For three hours on the seventh day, Randy Grim and his stray rescue pals will take up residence in the backyard at HCC, with past efforts suggesting that every dog and cat brought by will be accounted for by the end of the day. If you do not wish to leave with a dog or cat, do not enter the yard.

Monday, 6:30, Magia Italiano: The occasional series of beer dinners happens again at Mangia, with a five-course meal set alongside a beer for each. This evening includes: tortilla soup with Sol Pilsner; mushroom goat cheese arancini with O'Fallon 5 Day Pilsner; blackened mahi with Blance de Chambly; braised lamb "en salmis" with Cooper Stout; and chocolate raspberry cake with Duchesse de Bourgogne. I'm puzzled by what some of this means (arancini? uh, how American am I?), but am delighted by the concept, esp. as vegetarian subs are available. Seatings begin at 6:30 and RSVPs are needed.

Through Tuesday: There's a canned food drive at the Shanti, 825 Allen in Soulard, for Katrina victims, with a couple cans per customer requested and a discount on drafts offered. This is live from tonight through open-mic night on Tuesday.

Davy's Bro

Davy Rothbart hasn't been in St. Louis all that recently, to "perform" with his Found Magazine project. But his brother Peter, a frequent guest on the Found tours, is coming through town on May 2, to play a Red Sea date under his band's name of The Poem Adept. Check the linked site for clips.

After, Saturday

There are at least two, high-quality events taking place on Saturday, in the early evening. We could suggest what you might want to do earlier in the evening, but that'd be risking harming that dead horse.

So:

Truck, an exhibit of work by Kansas City artists, will open up at White Flag Projects, with a 7-10 p.m. opening at the provocative midtown gallery. From White Flag's site: "With the goal of opening an improved dialogue between the visual arts communities in Kansas City and St. Louis, White Flag Projects and Kansas City’s Urban Culture Project are cooperating to organize TRUCK: A Kansas City/St. Louis Exchange Exhibition, a pair of exhibitions to be mounted in Kansas City and St. Louis, Missouri. The artists chosen to represent each city in the other were arrived at through gallery visits, studio visits, and an open call to artists. The artists from St. Louis to be exhibited in Kansas City were selected by new media artist and Urban Culture Project Curatorial Advisory Board member Barry Anderson. The artists from Kansas City to be exhibited in St. Louis were selected by White Flag Projects Director Matthew Strauss. The exhibition of Kansas City artists in St. Louis will open April 14 at White Flag Projects, and the exhibition of St. Louis artists in Kansas City will open the following Friday, April 20 at Urban Culture Project’s brand new 2500 square foot La Esquina exhibition space."

Meanwhile, at the Schlafly Bottleworks, a fundraiser for the Mullanphy Emigrant Home will happen from 5-7:30 p.m., with details available at: www.savemullanphy.org.

Warhol's "Chelsea Girls" at PFA

Wow. Talk about a treat.

As someone who's gone through an inexplicable interest on all things Warhol in the past three - ordering all three docs from Netflix, reading "Factory Girl," collecting and wearing outlandish wigs, wait... - I couldn't be more excited by the arrival of "Chelsea Girls," the seldom-seen film by Warhol that essentially launched the American career of Nico, while featuring a host of his Factory Superstars.

On Tuesday, May 1 @ 7:30, the film will be screening at the Pulitzer Foundation for the Arts, with the support of Cinema St. Louis. The film will be unspooling in its original, two-projector format in the PFA courtyard.

Damn. I'm nerding out already.

Fragile Porcelain Manatees

Snatched a little flyer off the Black Bear Bakery counter this past weekend while shopping for bread at Soulard:

DIY FESTIVAL
DIY Barter & Exchange Festival
Bring your favorite do-it-yourself stuff to exchange, barter or gift, from arts and crafts to 'zines and promises for help.

SATURDAY APRIL 7 10am-3pm
Black Bear Bakery
2639 Cherokee
If you like, you can reserve a table for your DIY: call 773-1985

I'm trying to think if I have anything to bring, objects or promises of help that would appeal to anyone but me. I make good mashed potatoes every third or fourth try, and I have an excess of tiny porcelain animals that I collected out of imported boxes of tea. I'm not sure what the exchange rate is these days for tiny porcelain manatees, though. I'm sure there are lots of folks out there who actually have valuable stuff, or even better, valuable skills. Maybe some method for eighty-sixing some of those tedious Boomer-friendly shows from Channel 9?

AARG's Second Season Announced

For some reason, I've not been to a bout. Perhaps that will change in 2007. Perhaps. Here's info from the AARGs.

St. Louis – March 20, 2007 - The Arch Rival Roller Girls announced today their 2007 season. Local league bouts (games) will again be held at All American Sports Mall in South St. Louis County.

Season Two, scheduled to kick off May 26th, will consist of 7 monthly events, concluding with league championships in November. The league is also excited to announce the expansion to 3 local teams, the M-80s, the Smashinistas, and the Stunt Devils.

Saturday May 26th - 7:30pm; M-80s vs. Stunt Devils
Saturday June 23rd - 7:30pm; Stunt Devils vs. Smashinistas
Saturday July 21st - 7:30pm; Smashinistas vs. M-80s
Saturday August 11th - 7:30pm; M-80s vs. Stunt Devils
Saturday September 8th - 7:30pm;Stunt Devils vs. Smashinistas
Saturday October 27th - 8:00pm; Smashinistas vs. M'80's
Saturday November 24th - 7:30 pm; Championship Bout

Tickets will go on sale April 16th at Fifi’s on Delmar in the Loop, Evermore Tattoo Gallery in Edwardsville, and online at www.archrivalrollergirls.com. Individual games can be purchased for $12 in advance or $15 at the door on the day of event. Season tickets can also be purchased for just $72 through May 25th.

After parties will follow each event upstairs in the bar at All American, allowing fans, friends and press to meet and mingle with the rollergirls.

Media requesting additional information, interviews, press access on game day or invites to selected private practices are asked to contact Michelle Cassidy (aka EnYa Nightmare) at 314-606-0298 or by email at publicity@archrivalrollergirls.com.

The Arch Rival Roller Girls, LLC (ARRG) is Saint Louis ' all-female flat-track roller derby league dedicated to promoting and fostering the sport of women's flat-track roller derby by facilitating the development of athletic ability, sportswomanship, and goodwill among the skaters and fans. Formed in Fall 2005, the league is skater owned and operated with 60 active skaters comprising 3 local teams. ARRG is one of almost 200 such leagues now in existence or in formation across the United States , Canada , Europe , and Australia .

For more information visit
www.archrivalrollergirls.com
www.myspace.com/archrivalrollergirls

For April Fool's Day: #1

We are going to be telling you about a fabulous, if not fantabulous, event sponsored and organized (and benefitting) 52nd City, oh, tomorrow, or so. But we also want to note that a pretty interesting event is taking place at White Flag Projects the same evening. Once we roll out the absolutely special details on the other event, you'll see that both can be hit the next evening.

But enough prefacing. Here're details on the WFP event:

Grandpa's Ghost with James Fotopoulos
Christabel followed by The Prairie Drone Refractions
April, 1 2007 at White Flag Projects
4568 Manchester, St. Louis, Missouri 63110
Cost : FREE
A unique audio/visual immersion featuring the premier St. Louis screening of Fotopoulos' film Christabel (based on the poem by Samuel Taylor Coleridge and previously seen only has part of his exhibit at the 2004 Whitney Biennial), followed by the first St. Louis performance in 3½ years from Grandpa's Ghost (whose line-up for this event features Bill Emerson, Jack Petracek, and Eric Hall; plus live telephone contributions from Ben Hanna calling in from NYC) joined by new video works from Fotopoulos created especially for this event. In The Prairie Drone Refractions, a performance/installation concept designed by Hall, the group will perform four 15 minute movements. Each will be recorded then played back during the following movements through a different pair of speakers. By the final movement, eight circularly-arranged speakers will broadcast all four layers simultaneously. Ultimately, this will construct an over-dubbed, multi-channel, surround-sound work exploring texture, harmonics, poly-rhythm, and the acoustic character of the space itself.

Christabel is now available on DVD as released by Phosphorus Recordings.

Checkout www.phosphorusrecordings.com for other releases by James Fotopolous, Grandpa's Ghost, Tobi Parks, & others.

www.whiteflagprojects.org
www.grandpasghost.com / www.jamesfotopoulos.com
www.phosphorusrecordings.com

DJs @ Pop's Blue Moon

For years, Pop's Blue Moon has been a haunt I enjoy hitting before the crowd actually rolls in for the evening. Since jam bands and bluegrass aren't my particular cups of tea, I tend to enjoy a sip at the Moon in late-afternoon, often driven to drink by another stellar class at WU. At that time, the sun's pouring through the glass block front walls and the whole room takes on a wonderful glow.

All that said, I wound up there on a recent Monday and a DJ going by J. Public was at a rig that included two turntables, a laptop, a mic and surely much more. The first set was chilled-out dub reggae, which completely works in the space; the second was a much harder, drum-and-bass set, which was odd in the DJ and his small crew enjoyed a breath of... fresh air, let's say, over a long, mid-set break. One would've thought the chill tracks would've come after, rather than before the... fresh air, but that's just me.

A long way of saying that Pop's Blue Moon now features DJs on Monday nights, after years of six-bands-a-week booking. Honestly, I enjoyed it.

Candles in the Sun: Tennesse Williams Comes Home

Right around Fat Tuesday, Channel 9 ran a special on New Orleans. I tuned in halfway, and was most curious to see that a huge chunk of the narrative was dedicated to St. Louis' own Tom Williams, better known to the world as Tennesse. I feel a bit of kinship with Mr. Williams, as he and I both spent some time clerking at a local shoe company which I'll leave unnamed; anyhow, I've always had a certain affection for his work, which has only been boosted by living here in St. Louis where he grew up. Though I don't know if I can ever go back and read "The Glass Menagerie" after getting married in the Jewel Box (I had much better luck with gentleman callers than poor Laura).

To celebrate the 70th anniversary of the first full-length production of a Williams play, the theatre department up at Urbana-Champaign is coming to town to do a staged reading of "Candles in the Sun" at the West End building, which was
known as the Wednesday club back in TW's day, where the play was first staged in 1937. The $10 admission goes to The Learning Center; you can get more info by dialing 314.361.1908. I should mention that this event was posted at the Left Bank Books site ... and that they have some other zingers coming up on their calendar, including appearances by Jonathan Lethem and Nikki Giovanni.

No Sysco Kid

Interesting article by Ulrich Boser on Slate's website underscoring the fact that we are all starting to eat the same foods, regardless of where we live or where the food is grown. I particularly liked the story of a restaurant, which has won numerous awards of excellence from Wine Spectator magazine, marketing an $8.95 piece of chocolate cake decorated with fresh raspberries. The cake is actually a pre-made defrosted cake from Sysco. What a rip.

If you are rankled by this kind of thing, attending Convivial Pursuit, a benefit for Slow Food St. Louis, could be a step towards food awareness and fun. This trivia night is all about food and includes categories where players get to taste and smell things as clues. Ticket prices include Schlafly beer, wine, and soda. Tables of 8-10 players cost $250.

Convivial Pursuit: A friendly game of food trivia to benefit Slow Food St. Louis
When: Sunday, March 25th
Time: 4pm-8pm
More information on their website.

A Jesse Irwin Weekend

From America's favorite boy-next-door:

I wanted to let you know (in case I didn't already call you and tell you in an excited way) that I am playing my first ever show at The Pageant on the Delmar Loop this Saturday night. I'll be opening for four other bands - Discount Firearm, Nothing Still, The Daybreak Boys and Our First Summer. I will also be the MC for the night, running a raffle and playing in between sets. Tickets are $5 at the door and $7 for minors. Miners are also $7 because they are dirty and stain the upholstery. The doors are going to open around 8pm. If you're not busy, drop by and say hello or heckel me or whatever.

For a good cause:

This Sunday night my band (Dock Ellis) is playing a benefit show for Bob Reuter from Bob's Scratchy Records With The Left Arm, The Forbidden Fruit Snacks and Thee Dirty South. It's a $15 all-you-can-drink freakout to help bob get out of some legal trouble (he's being sued) and it's at, get this, THE BEVO MILL. That's the big windmill on Morganford and Gravois. My friend Rich talked them into letting us use it for a concert venue. The show starts at 6pm and goes until 10.

Bob has been playing music in St. Louis forever and has helped a lot of young musicians, including myself, get started. It would be a shame to see him go down the tubes. If you're in a drinkin' or music listenin' mood on Sunday, the Bevo is a good place to go.

Snow & Chomsky

Brett Underwood notes that tonight's showing of a Noam Chomsky video lecture will be "on," despite the weather. Here're the details:

Kicking Away the Ladder: Corporate Economics Vs. Democracy. In this talk Chomsky focuses on the problems of democracy development. He discusses the so-called grand economy, as touted by Milton Friedman and others, which Chomsky describes as a great failure for the majority of the population.

Chomsky also details the history of the US trajectory, after WWII, towards becoming the most powerful state in history using military and economic policies that were anything but democratic. He looks in particular at the history of the US domination of Latin America, as well as at recent Latin American challenges to US neoliberal policies. He closes by encouraging solidarity work across the hemispheres to help build a global justice movement.

Talk 60 minutes; Q&A 25 minutes. Filmed December 1, 2006 at English High School in Jamaica Plain, Massachusetts.

This film will be shown by the Veterans for Peace on Tuesday, February 13th at 8 p.m. in the Eliot Room at the Saint Louis Brewery and Tap Room. There will be no charge for admission. 314.241.BEER. The Schlafly Tap Room is at 21st and Locust in downtown St. Louis, Missouri.

DJ Alert: Marko Meltdown

Marko Meltdown, aka Mark Early, is one of my DJ heroes and fine fellow, to boot. When he sends along an inimitable press release, it has to be passed along. Notable, too, is the fact that there's an event in the Big Club Hall this weekend, one of the most beautiful rooms in St. Louis and probably one that's only open to the public a couple times a year. What a classic!

Here's the release, yes?:

Tonight at the Royale, Marko Meltdown will throw down against the almighty Barbara Cliffe for supremacy of the decks in an all terror twin threat of obscure Disco, No-Wave, Hip Hop, New Wave deep cuts. Some hits will be played, too. Get ready to push tables out of the way and dance your face off. Making out is encouraged!

Saturday night, Marko Meltdown joins the special Creme Brulee to put you in a special mood for l'amore. Come out to More L'amore at the Big Club Hall at 5200 Shaw Avenue from 7 until 10 pm and buy something special for the special someone in your life from some of St. Louis's most special designers. Pierre Pierre, Red Anvil, Pindy Lindy, Doki Doki, Katie Dillon, Madi-Made, Squasht by Les and many more will be on hand selling their special wares. Meltdown and Brulee will play the special jams that make your special places shudder and convulse. It will be special!

Watch for the New Friday is the New Tuesday is the New Weekend at the Royale next Friday, February 16th!

Mexican Buffets for Gondolfi!

On many a Saturday evening, I've thought that... it would be great to be more involved in grassroots politics, while also enjoying a damned good combo of salsa and chips. This weekend, it's not a dream, but a reality:

Galen Gondolfi's
Aldermanic Campaign Fundraiser

Saturday, February 3

8 to 11 PM
@ La Tortuga
2817 Cherokee Street
$10 Suggested Door Donation
Includes Mexican Buffet & Music
Individual campaign donations may be made payable to

Citizens for Gondolfi
P.O. Box 19082
St. Louis, MO 63118

For more info, please call 314.772.3628

Free Candy: Sunday

Not on the topics list are a couple of interest: Amanda Doyle's concert recap of this week's Barry Manilow show at Madison Square Garden; and Tom Weber's discussion of his upcoming humanitarian pilgrammage to India. The following though has been listed at FreeCandy.net, pimping this weekend's show at Hartford Coffee:

Guests? Yeah, we got guests: like Catherine Neville, the editress-in-chief of Sauce Magazine, to do some restaurant dishing with us.

If that's not enough to sate your appetite, we'll also be joined by Bill Keaggy, who is, let us just say, a Renaissance man of a thousand obscure and delightful projects. Like, he collects and interprets grocery lists , for one thing...

Plus, hosts Amanda Doyle & Tom Weber will offer up all our regular features: chat, gossip, music, accusations, recriminations and making up. And it's all FREE! Be there early to get your seat.

Bookending yesterday's post...

Tonight's the last epiosde of Brett Underwood's "No Show" on KDHX, airing at midnight. He notes an appearance at the Bottleworks this evenng, as well, prior to it, namely the Observable Readings event. Here're some details on the broadcast:

Hope you got some sleep between New Year's Eve and this morning because you're gonna wanna be up late tonight to hear the final episode of The No Show as it airs live on KDHX and streams live for the last time.
See the blog for the explanation about my resignation, but listen for:
The tape-Beatles
Kyle Bruckmann
Robert M
Dead Kennedys
Grandpa's Ghost
Realistic
Kahil El' Zabar
Free Range Human
Butt
Mclusky
Jeff McLeod
Thavius Beck
Helix Resonator
National Lampoon (can you say, "Deteriorata"!!)
Chris Chandler (playing at the Schlafly Tap Room with David Roe and Bad Folk on Saturday night)
Critters Buggin'
Charles Bukowski
K. Curtis Lyle (from a live reading at the Contemporary Art Museum)
Sheila Chandra
and
On Fillmore
...all during the mess tonight, and of course, the weekly dosage of Jim Hightower Radio and Media Minutes from Free Press just after the first set break so we can be more informed than the average dolt. ...and if you want delicious beer and a variety of poets brought to you from all over the nation, come see us at the Schlafly Bottleworks tonight. I'll be bartending.

New Year's Celebrations

No lack of interesting New Year’s eve activities in St. Louis this year.

YOGA MARATHON
I blinked twice when I read it. Marbles Yoga Studio (1905 Park Avenue) is hosting its Third Annual 24 Hours of Yoga New Year’s Eve Celebration. Apparently there will be live music, movies, and a silent auction to benefit HOPE HAPPENS. Start the year off all limber instead of all hung-over.

HOT TUB PARTY
And I’m sure most of you have heard about The Kim Humphries New Year’s Eve Hot Tub Party at the schmancy new White Flag Projects gallery. Sure to be the scenester event of the night.

Personally I enjoy listening to Earth Wind and Fire, playing board games, and drinking whiskey sours with a few friends over. Now that’s a party.

Events!

Sometimes, flyers, e-mails and posters just find you. A nutty number just came into my life and who am I not to share?

Tonight: At White Flag Projects, "lively panel discussion with artists Brandon Anschultz, JeraldIeans, Eva Lundsager and Daniel Raedeke. The artists will discuss their workand ideas, all under the thoughtful moderation of gallerist Jim Schmidt. It's sure to be a provocative evening of conversation, and an active
audience makes these things so much better - so please come by and help stir it up."

Friday, Dec. 8: "Anthill" multi-artist show at 2016 Marconi, 6-9 p.m., w/ Daniel Axe, Emily Bax, Benjamin Beaury, Jenni De Suza, Genevieve Griffin, Regina Kearns, Larry Robinson, Camillo Spiegelfeld.

Friday, Dec. 8, 8-10 p.m.: 52nd City Variety Show @ the Independent Art Market, featuring DJ Play, Jesse Irwin and host Gavin Tartowski.

Sunday, Dec. 10: Arsenal vs. Chelsea, EPL soccer, broadcast live at 10 a.m. at O.B. Clark's in Brentwood. I am addicted. Ain't no denyin'.

Thursday, Dec. 14, 7 p.m., "Arty Movies by RD Zurick," Webster U. Film Series: from the filmmaker, "I want to share some piece of video beauty that I am proud to hav recently created. I am just as exicted about you being there as I am seeing them on the very big screen with the excellent Webster projection. I'd like to call my works visually abstract symphonies buy maybe they're just picture songs of places I love." Roy's a character. I cannot wait!

Saturday, Dec. 16: Cycling Photography Exhibit, Mesa Cycles, 1035 S. Big Bend: cycling photography by Matthew James, Kurt Jambretz, Eric Filcoff and Daniel Elavsky.

Shopping the way it ought to be

Let me get all sappy for a second. For over twenty years I’ve gone Christmas shopping the first weekend of December with my mom, three aunts, and two cousins. We gather together in St. Louis from across the Midwest and tear up the town. For me, the camaraderie of this event is way more important than the actual shopping. We laugh and cry more than we buy, but I haven’t missed a shopping weekend with my family yet.

I also never miss an Independent Art Market, and one takes place this weekend at Shaw’s Gallery. This is where I really seriously shop for the holiday season. I’ve bought pottery, stationery, and cookies for in-laws, a silk-screened t-shirt for my brother, jewelry for friends, and I confess—I’ve treated myself to some pretty swank silk-screened tea towels. If you prefer high-quality, hand-made, unique, affordable gifts, there is no better place to drop your hard earned dollars than with local hard-working artists.

And to enhance your shopping experience, this year the Art Market team is offering a sake, sushi and fashion cocktail reception, a broad range of musical performances, poetry readings organized by Observable Books, and a variety show organized by 52nd City. (Yes that’s us—we’ve attended Art Markets of the past, so we were delighted to be invited to be a part of it this year’s event.)

The Independent Art Market proves that holiday shopping can be fun.
Get out of the malls and into the galleries this season!

What: Independent Art Market
Where: Shaw’s Gallery, 2 blocks east of the Botanical Garden (4065 Shaw Blvd. 63110)
When: Friday (6pm-midnight), Saturday (noon to midnight), and Sunday (noon-6pm)
Schedule of Events
Participating Artists

Roberts at the Contemporary

I'm stealing the title of this post from the title of an e-mail I got earlier today dubbed, yes, "Roberts at the Contemporary." I've never been to one of these Select Nights, not because I have an issue against DJ's, beer, or contemporary art. In fact, I enjoy all three elements, singly or mixed. I think it has subconsciously has to do with a coughing fit I once had at the space, when I was shushed by Paul Ha. It was one of those scarring moments in life, really, though it has little, if anything, to do with "Roberts at the Contemporary" this Thursday night. I will note that this is an evening when I should break my away-from-CAMSL streak, as people have long asked me if I'm related to the artist Larry Krone, despite the fact that we spell our names differently. That, too, is of, at best, marginal relevance to Roberts' post. Please read:

=====

This Thursday I will be playing records at the Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis from 6-9 p.m. I am very excited about this for three reasons. First, I haven't played out very much of late, and am itching to provide nice background music for casual conversation while you enjoy your favorite Jay-Z-endorsed Anheuser-Busch product and examine the remarkable work of artists Larry Krone, Janaina Tschape and Michael Paul Britto.

Second, I just purchased a bunch of new records that I would like to share; many of them are quite funky. Third, the Contemporary is an absolutely beautiful space for music. The beats bounce off the walls -- which usually sucks, acoustically speaking. But in certain circumstances, like this one, the tracks (I'm thinking dub, oddball ambient techno, and Prince, Diplo, Missy Elliott and Talking Heads) will be bouncy, as well, so the result will be akin to, say, wearing those funny-looking Nike running shoes with springs in the heels and jumping on a mini-tramp which is placed on a regulation-sized trampoline. Music's gonna fly all over the dang place. Those prone to seizures
should take their medicine. All others should wear safety glasses.

Randall Roberts, aka DJ Li'l Edit, at the Contemporary this Thursday, December 7, 2006, from 6-9. No cover. Free food. Inexpensive beer.

2 to look forward to

Two events I'm looking forward to this week and I think are worth checking out...

Wednesday: Silver Spurs at the Tivoli / 5:15 pm
Kick Ass Award recipient Doug Whyte’s latest documentary follows the lives of the mentally ill and developmentally disabled residents of a Western-themed facility located in South St. Louis. The work in progress will be at this week's International Film Festival. See more about Whyte's films at Full Mind Films.

Wednesday, Thursday & Friday: Mad Art Radio Hour / 7:00pm
Sure, local painter, musician, and bartender Jaime Gartelos can be a handful at times. But you can’t argue—the guy’s got talent. The driving force behind the amazing Space Rock Opera at Mad Art in 2004, Gartelos now turns his attention to the old time radio plays of yesteryear presenting Johnny O’Casey (about a Martian hunter) and I Love Sylvia (a sitcom about the cheerful life of Sylvia Plath and Ted Hughes). The band Swing Set will perform musical interludes. Three performances this week (Wed, Thr, Fri) with Friday’s being recorded for broadcasting on KDHX. $5 at the door with cash bar. More details on the Mad Art site.

Live Pez Puppet Event

If Ann Haubrich says this event will be cool, then so shall it be:

Hello Friends and Neighbor

If you want to have some fun and can get out this Thursday evening, consider heading over to Joe's Cafe (Bill Christman’s studios) at 6014 Kingsbury (the corner of Kingsbury and Des Peres, just north of Forest Park) to witness a rare and wacky performance presented by my rare and wacky pal, Steve White, who is a folk artist currently living in New Mexico. (Steve made is home in St. Louis for several years, cooking at the Sunshine Inn and making a living as a darn good massage therapist. Since leaving St. Lou, Steve has made a name for himself with his artwork, even apprenticing with the late great Howard Finster.)

Steve's latest creations are enhanced pez dispensers-- and he's gone so far as to produce pez puppet shows, which are irreverent and outrageous and it seems, right on target... if you like what you see of the pez puppets (elvis, george bush, our lady of guadalupe.... the list goes on....) you'll be able to take one or more pez puppets home with you for a nominal price. After all, Steve needs gas money. Check out his website at www.thefolkfarm.com.

Joe’s Café will be the perfect intimate setting for a pez puppet show.

It all happens this Thursday evening, October 12 at 8:30 pm at Joe's Café.

$5.00 at the door gains you admission to the joint, for the puppet show and music, after that, by the Landes-Martin Trio and a bonfire in the found sculpture garden.

Be there or be square.

Take care. Hope fall is being good to you.

ann h.

p.s. and on Friday night, do yourself a favor and get over to Hoobellatoo's Blind Cat Black Listening Party and Art Invitational at Mad Art. After all, it is Friday the 13th. www.hoobellatoo.org.

St. Louis is jampacked with groovy and gratifying things to soak up.

Bloom Tour '06 - Kicks off in St. Louis

Okay, I'll admit I have KSHE preprogrammed into the car radio dial, but most of the time I'm a sucker for free jazz and the unclassifiable space jam. Which is why I'l be at the Tap Room tomorrow night. Superhero Brett Underwood of the No Show on KDHX (late, late Thursday nights) has lured Thollem McDonas back to the Tap Room, this time with pals (see squib below). If you were lucky enough to see McDonas the first time 'round you'll consider your Wednesday night plans already made, I'm sure. If not, I will tell you that seven dollars is a wee, wee sum for what you'll see tomorrow night ...

A descrip of the CD, to be performed as live show tomorrow night:

'Bloom', a spirited and colossal collaboration between pianist Thollem McDonas, multi-saxophonist and electronician Rent Romus, instrument builder Steven Baker, and drummer and found-object player Jon Brumit. The CD features free group improvisations as well as interpretations of numerous textual and graphical scores offered up by McDonas and Brumit. The entire album is an organic construction and expression of solos, duos, and trios combining disparate and divergent stylistic histories with a sense of refreshing immediacy, intensity, and spontaneous inventiveness.

On Wednesday, October 11, New Music Circle will co-sponsor, with the
No Show (KDHX, 88.1 FM), performances at 8 and 10 p.m, by THOLLEM
MCDONAS, RENT ROMUS, and JON BRUMIT. Shows will be at the Club Room
atop the Schlafly Tap Room
2100 Locust Street (at 21st)
(314)241-2337.

Also appearing will be Dave Stone/Aaron Smith & Peanuts Trio
(featuring Eric Hall, Sadeeq Holmes and Jeremy Brantlinger).

What to say? Hosanna, hosanna, hosanna.

ACC at the Royale

Not sure if it's a "closed" party, but the ACC is having a fete at The Royale tomorrow, after 6 p.m. This will be your best chance this week to throw eggs at Dave Drebes and Lucas Hudson. Or to give them hosannas on five years in the publishing business.

Cherokee This Weekend

An update from us's main man, David Early. (By the way, recently saw "How to Draw a Bunny" and it's fab.) Enjoy your time in our city:

friday night, 8pm, THE TIN CEILING (3159 cherokee)
will be screening "HOW TO DRAW A BUNNY". This feature
length documentary is a look into the hilarious and
sad life of correspondence/performance artist RAY
JOHNSON. q and a with filmmaker/producer JOHN WALTER
will follow. for more info on the SUNDANCE award
winning film check
www.metacritic.com/film/titles/howtodrawabunny
$5 with student i.d. $10 with out.
doors 7:30 film 8pm

pre screening? cross the street to SNOWFLAKE/CITY
STOCK (3156 cherokee)! S/CS features second hand
furniture ranging from contemporary modern design
(HELLER), to mid century blond. in addition, S/CS
features local and regional artists. currently on
display: mix media, 2-D work by GINA ALVAREZ and
c-prints by JAMIE KREHER.

wed.- sat 7am-5pm, stop into the newly opened TYPO
CAFE (3159 cherokee) the fine folks from the tin
ceiling bring you tasty free trade coffee, atmosphere,
and the true wireless, TYPEWRITERS.

More on Hi-Pointe: Penultimate Show is Comedy

Things to do after Friday

Tight Pants Syndrome, my favorite Bert Dax Xmas compilation band, will be playing at The Lot on Saturday, with many other excellent musicians, including "Baby Blues" winner, Marquise Knox. "Typewriter" Tim Jordan reports that he will be doing some sort of performance art thing between 4 p.m. and sundown. And on Sunday, Hoobellatoo (led by 52nd City contributor Chris King) will be doing an "experiential auction" at the Royale (3132 South Kingshighway). Entry is $10, which goes towards your first big on perhaps one of the following: a private lunch with Joe Edwards; a golf game with Virvus Jones; a private tour of "forlorn spots" with artist Bill Christman, followed by a trip to Crown Candy Kitchen; a private performance art piece for you & a guest, by Jason Wallace Triefenbach, at his studio; ice cream with Fire Chief Sherman George; an hour massage with St. Louis Rams massage therapist Mike Whalen; a mentoring session on how to compose and record contemporary gospel music by local hip-hop gospel star Praiz' in his home studio; and lots more. That is always what folks tack at the end of a list on a press release, but in this case, that's true; there's a LOT more. My fingers would go numb if I tried to type it all ... the full list is at www.hoobellatoo.org, should you want to take a peek. All the proceed go to produce a CD called "Blind Cat Black," a scored poem by Turkish poet, Ece Ayhan.

Things To Do Before Friday

One thing about earth-shaking art shows that sit in galleries for many months: You always think you'll have time to see it, and then suddenly it's gone. Well, that happens to me anyway. If that happens to you, too, there are two shows you should see before Friday, if you haven't already (well, they deserve a second go-'round even if you have): The Josephine Baker exhibit at the Sheldon and the "Remote Viewing" show at the Art Museum, which both fold up shop at the end of the week; Josephine's heading to the National Gallery in D.C. The art museum show is organized by the Whitney, so who knows where it's going, but probably someplace important.

Free Pizza, Free Films, Free Swag

Compliments of Bill "Thomas" Chott of "The Ringer" fame:

I'll be here in St. Louis at Lemmon's Monday Night the 21st for a screening of the number one selling DVD "The Ringer." Lemmon's has a free buffet and a drink ticket for your $3 admission. Plus two movies!!!!!

Get your chance to win a free "Ringer" T-shirt or signed "Ringer" poster. Lemmons is the home to the best Chicago Style Pizza in St. Louis and great drink specials.

Also, time is running out to register for the free improv class on September 17th. Reply to this e-mail to reserve your spot in my upcoming free class.

Please help spread the word.

Remember, improv isn't just for actors...it's about group creativity. And here's your free thought for the day, "Improv isn't about misunderstanding, it's about re-understanding."

Sincerely,

Bill Chott
www.theimprovtrick.com

Late Notice Burlesque

Found a flyer, hand-colored with pink crayon and green marker.

Bench Press Burlesque presents an all-night side show of high strikers and low culture.

It also promises tight ropes and bad jokes, bearded ladies, barkers and barbells.

Photos on the Bench Press Burlesque website show several familiar faces from around town.

If you want to check it out, tonight’s the night at the Lucas School House. 8:00 PM. It doesn't appear that there are other local shows in the near future.

Really, life is all about the side show.

That's Entertainment

On Saturday, September 9, 7:00-9:00 p.m., 52nd City will be sponsoring the 52nd City VARIETY SHOW at Art Outside, the weekend-long art fair held at the Schafly Bottleworks. We would like to extend an invitation to magazine subscribers, contributors, advertisers, readers, and supporters: if you, or someone you know, would like to put on an act during our two-hour slot, please let me know at your earliest convenience.

We would like to personally invite those with particular talents to express themselves in this family-friendly, yet artistic, environment. Can you spin a dog, on a plate, on a stick? Can you pop and/or lock? Perhaps that first novel needs to be dusted off for a chapter-one reading? If so, please let us know. Any/all type of spoken word, musical and eclectic acts will be entertained and I believe there's video capability, as well; collaborations and solo bits, all work for us. Your involvement, or that of friends, would be most welcome, lest Thomas be forced to stand up there and read Ernest Kirscthen's "Catfish and Crystal" for 120-minutes; don't make him!

Pass along to potentially interested, sane parties, as you please. And contact us, if interested.

Int'l Student Film Fest Coming to WUFS

Straight from da release:

-----------------------------

International Student Film Festival Debuts At The Webster Film Series
Eight Countries Represented By Student Filmmakers

St. Louis, Mo. (Aug. 1, 2006) – The first annual FilmGate International Student Film Festival will showcase a wide range of student films representing eight different countries from Aug. 18-20 at the Winifred-Moore Auditorium on Webster University’s campus. Over thirty short films in the categories of narrative, documentary, animation and experimental film will be featured during the three-day festival.

“FilmGate provides a venue for student filmmakers to showcase their talent without being overshadowed by professional filmmakers,” said Festival Director Christopher Abreu. “Unlike most popular films, these works were made uninhibited by studio limitations and mainstream expectations. Therefore, audiences will see and hear exactly what the filmmakers intend.”

Organized by two Webster University students in part with the Webster Film Series, the FilmGate International Student Film Festival curated the program from 120 entries from around the world. The festival serves to expose Midwestern audiences to a collection of international films as well as bring student filmmakers together to share thoughts with one another and the audiences. FilmGate organizers along with a jury of programmers and critics will award the student filmmakers responsible for the top two winning films of each category with donated prizes of production software and DVD films.

Admission is $2.50 for Film Series members and non-Webster students and $4 for the general public, with special 2-day and 3-day passes for increasingly discounted prices. On Fri., Aug. 18, a reception, open to the public, will begin at 7:00 p.m., followed by the opening night’s screening at 8:00 p.m. The next evening will feature a different variety of films beginning at 8:00 p.m., and Sunday’s final screening will begin at 2:00 p.m. Visit http://www.filmgateproductions.com for a detailed schedule and further information.

Slow Good

2005 Kick Ass Award Winners, Stephen & Sara Hale, are just two of many folks working on The Art of Food fundraiser, which happens Saturday, July 29th and is presented by Sauce Magazine, Mad Art Gallery, and Schlafly Beer. This event will include a silent auction with artwork by local artists and food stations with St. Louis's top chefs, who will create hors d'oeuvres from the products of local purveyors. The theme will be all things food, from music to video to fashion, and will draw St. Louis foodies and art fans alike. Admission is $10 ($5 for Slow Food Members) and proceeds benefit Slow Food St. Louis.

Last night, I dropped of my piece for the auction--I'm donating a fiber piece from the 2005 Potato Eaters show at the Contemporary Arts Collective of Las Vegas. I got a sneak peek at some of the other art and it looks like you are going to be able to bid on some really nice stuff. Don't miss the opportunity to get some food-inspired art and support a really wonderful cause at the same time. Many local artists are involved, and there will be lots of yum yums of which to partake, so I encourage you to check it out.

Slow Food, founded in 1986, is an international organization whose aim is to protect the pleasures of the table from the homogenization of modern fast food and life. Through a variety of initiatives, it promotes gastronomic culture, develops taste education, conserves agricultural biodiversity and protects traditional foods at risk of extinction.

The Ditty Bops

This summer The Ditty Bops, Abby DeWald (vocals, acoustic guitar) and Amanda Barrett (vocals, mandolin, dulcimer) bring their quirky folk pop tunes and luminous vocal harmonies to the masses via a cross country bicycle tour of America in support of cycling, clean air, and their new album "Moon Over the Freeway". Paste Magazine says, "They just might be the strangest, most unlikely musical duo since Hall and Oates." Their music is a blend of folk, bluegrass, jazz, western swing, ragtime and musical theater, with the duo's performances often highlighted by period costumes from the 1920s and puppet shows. NOT TO BE MISSED!

They'll be at Mad Art Gallery, on Friday, July 28th. Maid*Rite opens. Advance tickets are $12 at Mad Art or from MetroTix and $15 at the door. Doors open at 7pm and concert starts at 8pm.

Live Les Aaron

Just got this note from Matt @ KYMC radio:

"Les Aaron will be spinning every Friday at Frazers( 1811 Pestalozzi) 9pm-1am. Featuring music past and present from New Music Sunday."

Well, alright.

Free Candy & Art Opening @ HCC

On Sunday, July 9, the Hartford Community Cafe will host two events.

The first will be an art opening, featuring the works of Genevieve Esson and Craig Downs, who's shown there previously. Their large number of pieces (already hung and currently on display) will be the hook for the reception running from 3-6 on Sunday.

An hour later, Free Candy will be held, with Ann Arbor-bound host Julia Smillie and remaining co-creator Amanda Doyle. Among the guests: local improv kingpin Bill Chott; and Karen Tedesco, who is hailed on the Candy website as a cook of some repute. The event begins at 7 p.m. and early arrival is recommended for those wishing to actually, you know, sit.

Will Rock for Food

Last year, the following event took place at that cute, little, VFW Post over on Big Bend, you know, the one with the decommissioned cannon outside. I specifically remember three things: Father Mike Lydon of St. Pius introduced himself to me, though we'd met at least 15 times prior; the bass player of the band Fance was wearing a human-sized banana outfit, to tremendous comedic effect; and I brought cans of food purchased at Jay International, suggesting that someone eventually found a can of really weird beans at the St. Louis Foodbank.

Three things stand out for me from this year's event notice: there will not be a cannon outside of the venue; the drummer of Johnny O & the Jerks was in a writing class of mine at Webster this past semester, how awkward that will be for all of us; and everything in the world is happening this Saturday, June 24, one busy, busy night of activities.

Here's the word from Maplehood Rekkids:

SATURDAY, JUNE 24
@ the Focal Point in maplewood
WILL ROCK FOR FOOD III
this time, it's personal

Featuring performances by
The Aquatic Record
Corbeta Corbata
Gentleman Auction House
Johnny O & the Jerks
The Monads
doors at 7pm
all ages welcome
$5 w/2 cans, $9 w/none

THIS IS A BENEFIT SHOW FOR THE ST LOUIS AREA FOODBANK --
all proceeds from the door & from merch sales will go to the foodbank!
for more information, see www.maplehood-rekkids.com.

Cuban Food, Haircuts, Mixey-Mixey

I think it's fairly well-known by now that two topics that I feel passionately about are: Cuban food and progressive hair design. This almost goes without saying. So, it's intriguing that this e-mail (which includes the phrase "open bar") lands in my in-box, compliments of the one-and-only Dwight Carter:

Rockuniform, V-Vegaz and Mirasol join together to launch Stylin Industry Night.

Stylin' Industry night will be every Sunday starting with the Kickoff on June 4th! There will be an open bar from 9-10 sponsored by V-Vegaz. The rest of the night will be happy hour prices on beer and selected specialty drinks. There will be a small fashion show early in the night featuring a local designer. 'Stylin' was created to recognize the professionals who create style and glamour. Salons and stylist will get a chance to mingle with others in their industry. Salons, students, magazine stylists, product reps and make-up artists will be invited.

Dwight Carter, founder of Rockuniform, started his PR firm after organizing a designer contest for Fash-n-Bash at the Pageant in October, 2005. Since then, Dwight has been involved in Hairball and Venus Envy in addition to several trunk shows and charity events. Dwight signed on his first two clients, Mirasol and V-Vegaz, in March. You can also see him as a personal shopper at Ziezo in the U-City Loop!

V-Vegaz (6174 Delmar, St. Louis MO 63112), though best known for their skill with curly hair, have also mastered the art of cut, color and extensions. Their stylists have worked with local and national celebrities in the world of print, television and fashion design. Opened in August of 2005, V-Vegaz has been featured in several local magazines, as well as fashion and hair shows such as Fash n Bash and Hairball. V-Vegaz provides a progressive salon experience with vintage decor and energetic tunes to stimulate your senses. Future plans include a trip to Amsterdam for the World Hair Competition in November.

Mirasol (6144 Delmar, St. Louis, MO 63112) captures the unique flavors of Cuba, Central and South America with their fabulous dishes. This Loop restaurant also offers a tasty range of cocktails to compliment the exotic flavors delivered up by the kitchen. Mirasol has been featured in Sauce, The St. Louis Post Dispatch, and Alive Magazine. With their recent expansion, they now offer a private dining room that is perfect for parties, corporate events and rehearsal dinners.

Please RSVP your name and company to Dwight @ Dwight@rockuniform.com. Deadline is June 2nd.

New/experimental music events in May

Compliments of Eric Hall:

Wednesday, May 10th at 7:30 p.m.: St. Louis Symphony Orchestra Percussion Festival at the Touhill Performing Arts Center on the UMSL campus. $15-30.

In addition to the Symphony's percussion ensemble and Conductor David Robertson there are several featured guests including percussion master Colin Currie, The Juilliard School Percussion Ensemble, and myself. For my piece I was asked to do a solo interpretation of John Cage's First Construction (In Metal), which exists note-for-note in my re-creation, but then I process it with several real-time samplers so that patterns happen at various speeds and directions simultaneously according to the same palindrome patterns and fractal mathematics Cage used to compose the piece... live Cubism applied to sound. And, since it was scored for a six-piece percussion ensemble playing only metal, all of the samples I use are of metal (the Arch, that huge ugly red sculpture at Laumeier, sheet metal, gongs, singing bowls, glockenspiel, tingshaws, etc.); all of which are made even more "metal" by my using several guitar distortion pedals on several outputs. I can't wait to hear it in that huge room.

Thursdays, May 4th, 11th, 18th, and 25th from 8-10 p.m.: Ancora il Più Estinto III at Dunaway Books on S. Grand. Free.

Ancora il Più Estinto, which translates from Italian to “staying as soft as possible”, is an annual series of performance/installations. Over the course of the four evenings dozens of artists will perform from various parts of the space, thereby creating a unique sound-art event where what each listener hears depends on when, where, and how often they move about. This way the experiences are not about seeing specific collections of performers and, as much as possible, the audiences’ role as spectator and the performers’ sense of ego are diminished allowing for sound itself to be the focus. As the theme is quiet musics and the grids of bookshelves create several isolated performance spaces, these events aspire to encourage attentive explorations of the sonic environment.

Friday, May 19th at 8 p.m.: Jason Zeh with Raglani, Worm Hands, and myself at Dunaway Books on S. Grand. $5.

Jason Zeh (who has also performed as N-Tron) is a magnetic tape artist/composer/improvisor from Bowling Green, Ohio. He uses an arsenal of portable tape players, most of which are modified in unusual ways, to perform what I feel to be some of the most beautiful and interesting live music I've heard in a long time. You can also hear what Raglani and Worm Hands do with their assorted electronics and whatnot. This is a show I've been looking forward to for some time.

Friday, May 26th at 8 p.m.: Art Union Humanscape with Andrew Hefner, Mike Pitts, and myself at Dunaway Books on S. Grand $5.

Art Union Humanscape is a project led by Chicago bassist Jason Roebke (Tigersmilk, Valentine Trio, Terminal 4) and dancer Ayako Kato. For this show they will be joined by guest bassist Darin Gray (Grand Ulena, On Fillmore). Check out their website at artunionhumanscape.net. Also performing is bassist Andrew Hefner and electro-acoustic artist Mike Pitts (who also performs as Tango Dance Instruction Book). I love these shows in the bookstore and this will be a great finale to the Dunaway Music Series.

Yippee Yi Yay--Gay Rodeo!

I ventured to the SBAC for amateur wrestling last month, and it was well worth the $7 admission. But this month, I may pony up a few extra bucks and mosey out to the Gay Rodeo! The Gateway Gay Rodeo Association brings this event to the Equestrian Center in Lake St. Louis this weekend.

Traditional rodeo competition will take place, like roping and barrel racing, in addition to more non-traditional competition such as Goat Dressing and Steer Decor. (See The Vital Voice article for more details on this. I can’t possible do it justice.) Unlike mainstream rodeo, men and women will compete in the same events. Shuttle services are being offered from various bars. Visit the GWGRA site for shuttle and event schedule.

Bands will be performing and vendors on hand—it’s a real festival folks. And the rodeo will help raise funds for Food Outreach.

Sunday: Free Candy

Even if Free Candy wasn't being underwritten by the mad bankroll of us playas at 52nd City, we'd be singing the praises of this (mostly) monthly, non-broadcast talk show.

This Sunday evening, April 30, regular co-host Amanda Doyle will be joined by regular fill-in-co-host Tom Weber, as Julia Smillie is still enjoying the cool breezes and intellectual stimulation of Michigan's fairest town, Ann Arbor. There are some details about Sunday's gig at freecandy.net, but we can tell you that: the space is open already on Sundays, so arrive anytime; and that space, in question, is the Hartford Community Cafe.

It's possible that I'm simply overlooking the guest list - and I'm sure I am, so addled is my brain of late - but I'm guessing that it's a "what happened to former guests and associates of the show"-type gig and that we'll see:

Fred Hessel playing the songbook of Cyndi Lauper.

Jermaine Wilson charming a greenbacked Indian cobra with tunes from a tin-whistle.

Caroline Hackmeyer reading from her new work of Fibonacci poetry.

A five-round boxing match between Rob Thurman and the fake Rob Thurman.

Marijean Jaggers just going off on some poor schmuck's black Levi's.

I cannot wait! To see you there! So I can sell you a magazine!

Interview: Crispin H. Glover

So I talked to Crispin Glover. And the tape didn’t fire, the interview completely nixed. (Please: don’t ask, because, yes, I did test my machinery.) So I talked to Crispin Glover again, the next day. It’s impossible to relate some of the fun of the first conversation and even more impossible to give the sense of, well, what’s it’s like to talk to Crispin Glover, ever.

The inflections… yes, he does sound just like you’d think he sounds. The depth of comments… yes, every answer is detailed, nuanced, deep. The crazily nervous questions… yes, even the second time through I was a stammering buffoon. In fact, by the time I finished with the second round, I realized that four questions (nervous, crazy questions) had gleaned about 40-minutes of disarmingly direct, humorously honest chat.

Here’s the general run of our second talk, in anticipation of Crispin Glover’s appearance at Webster University on Thursday, May 4. The bulk of the interview is here, with minimal edits, only a few particularly filmic/technical moments excised.

Robert Duvall Does It

Although the tango has always been known as the most passionate of dances, it has recently come into vogue with younger audiences. Tom Cruise is responsible for this.

Tom Cruise marries Nicole Kidman while he is a big star and she’s starting out. After years of walking a pace behind him, she makes a little Baz Luhrman film called Moulin Rouge. During filming, it’s widely reported that she has a torrid affair with her costar and may even be pregnant with their love child. The rumors cause the collapse of the marriage and the gauche and gawking American public flocks to see the film. In an ultra-hot and breathtaking scene, members of the cast dance the tango to a gravelly, guttural cover of the Police’s Roxanne. Suddenly, people are interested in Argentine dance. It all goes back to Maverick.

May 19-21, the Tango Society of St. Louis will present Tango Weekend in St. Louis. Events taking place will include a welcome dance/party and tango workshops for all levels from beginner to advanced. To celebrate the weekend in grand style, the 7th Annual “Celebrities Tango Ball” will be held on Saturday night at the Sheldon ballroom. The elegant ball, candlelight dinner and floorshow will feature Maria and Carlos Rivarola, tango masters from Buenos Aries. *

The Tango Society teases: Imagine…ladies bejeweled and bedecked, attired in satin gloves, fishnet stockings, on the arm of their gent whirling and twirling while tangoing the night away!

Package prices vary and reservations are required. Fishnet stocking, I suspect are not.

Check out www.tangorosa.com for the complete flyer or ticket information.

* If your significant other has ever accused you of being romantically challenged, tickets to this one event are equivalent to a permanent Get Out of Jail Free card.

Bird Power

The last installment--part four--of David Attenborough's The Living Earth showed up in my mailbox on Saturday. BBC-style Moog soundtrack aside, it was nice to see one of those unabashedly brainy nature shows, with long edits so you can get a good look at the creature Attenborough is describing (the camera doesn't even turn away from close-ups of kimoto dragon jaws chewing up chunks of dead goat, etc.) Part Four's first episode examined island ecosystems, which tend to be very specialized because the plants and animals floating on them can't escape, so they evolve in a vacuum as it were. There was a parrot who lived like a rabbit, eating grass and hiding out in a hole during the day, and in the deep valleys in Hawaii, hundreds of what used to be finches, which now have beaks that've evolved to crack one specific type of nut or dip into a certain type of flower or burrow under a special kind of tree bark for a beetle that lives only in that part of the world.

My powers of observation are not as powerful as Attenborough's but I do try to do some lazy bird and animal watching in my backyard. We get bags of something called "Critter Crunch" from Schnuck's (once, when we were checking ourselves out, the guy lording over the auto-checkout stations saw that name pop up on his monitor. "Critter Crunch?" he said with some consternation, and ran over to see what exactly we had in the bag). We have a mockingbird who's learned to imitate car alarms and the crow population seems to be slowly recovering from that last bout of West Nile; if I were Jean Keene, maybe I'd have something more earth-shaking to report (Oh well. I can't boast of a career as a rodeo trick-pony rider, either).

But I'm still a bit amazed at the ecosystem here (I grew up with magpies and tiny scorpions, but no possums, and no crows) and am trying to learn more about the Mississippi River Valley. So a week from Saturday I'm going to try to get myself to the Migratory Bird Sanctuary, where they are having the Confluence Birding Festival. I don't really know where to look for birds, or how to interpret their behavior once I do see them, so this is perfect for me, because they drive your ass up to the good birding spots in a shuttle bus and then tell you where to to point your binoculars. I, too, am a bit of urban wildlife, just like the car-alarm mockingbird, so I am as excited about the kettle corn booth and the fact that free screenings of March of the Penguins and Fly Away Home are part of the weekend's attractions.

ARRG's Set for Debut

A bout between the Black Angels and the Pink Vixens is on-tap for the Empire Roller Rink in Columbia, MO, on Saturday, April 29, the first public, full-on skating experence of the Arch Rival Rollergirls. The venue's located at 1305 Business Loop East I-70, in the scenic home of the University of Missouri. Owing to a heavy contingent of STLers attending, the doors for the bout won't even open until 9:30 p.m., so there'll certainly be some early-evening, westbound traffic on the I-70 shuffle.

Also, here's a link to the roller team's recent photo. It's suggested that the weak of heart not peek at these snaps:

http://www.deweeseterry.com/arrg_poster.jpg

For full info, check: www.archrivalrollergirls.com.

Crispin Hellion Glover

Author, musician and actor Crispin Hellion Glover will be appearing at Webster University's Film Series on Thursday, May 4, at 9 p.m.

Merely typing these words is causing me both cardio and vascular agitation. Once inside the stately Winifred Moore Auditorium, I shall certainly be in a distressed state. At any rate...

Here's the info from WUFS:

Crispin Hellion Glover’s Big Slide Show & What Is It?
May 4 at 9:00 pm

One Night Only!
SPECIAL ADMISSION $10

Iconic actor Crispin Glover presents his weird and wonderful slide show presentation and a screening of his experimental film What Is It?, a controversial labor of love that took nearly nine years to complete.

What Is It? Crispin Glover, 2005, USA, 82 min.

In his directorial debut, Glover offers up a provocative assault on art and culture: a Dadaist deconstruction of the hero’s journey. A film that is by some accounts a masterpiece of experimental cinema (winning the prestigious Best Narrative Film Award at Ann Arbor) and, in Glover’s own words “…about the adventures of a young man whose principal interests are snails, salt, a pipe and how to get home. He's tormented by a hubristic, racist inner psyche…" What Is It? features a cast composed primarily of actors with Down syndrome, Fairuza Balk as the voice of the snail and Glover in a co-starring role. Leaving no taboo untouched in a battering of wild and weird images, as shocking as Bunuel's L'Age D'or or Jodorowsky's Holy Mountain, Glover has created a film that is sure to baffle as often as it provokes.

Q & A with the director will follow the screening. Mr. Glover will also sell and sign books and musical items at the end of the evening.

Due to the provocative nature of the film, no one under 18 will be admitted to the theater.

Advance tickets available now from the box office or the film series office (Webster Hall 223A).

Hit the Streets

PRINT ISSUE is here...
Where can you find ruminations on hookers, hair stylists, shoes, barges, wrestlers, running moonshine, DJs, opossums, and those who have left all this for the otherworld? In the debut print edition of 52nd City Magazine hitting the streets this week. Please join us at the Launch Party at Atomic Cowboy on Wednesday, April 12th from 7-9pm. You can get your copy, rub elbows with (or razz) the editors, mingle with some of the contributors, and enjoy the fine food and libation offered by our generous friends at Atomic Cowboy.

BOOK SALE is coming...
And speaking of uncovering the esoteric…where can you find a manual with illustrated calisthenic exercises to warm up your fingers before you start hitting the keyboard? At the 52nd City Book Sale, this Saturday, April 15th from 11:30am to 4:00pm at The Royale. We have plenty of non-fiction and civically-oriented texts, along with poetry, coffee table-worthy art books and even some comic stylings from Woody Allen. Subterranean Books in the Loop has even donated some titles. Proceeds help with print/production of our magazine.

So come out and visit with us—or check out the 52ndcity.com website, where we have preview articles from our “Work” themed issue, the list of contributors to our print edition, and more information on how to subscribe, advertise, or contribute.

A big thanks to all of our supporters!

The Eric Hall Invasion

Eric Hall, South City's most active catalyst for experimental music, has a few events coming up in coming weeks, including one this weekend. We'll reprint the this weekend's event first, then note a neat event coming up in May.

From Radio Cherokee:

ERIC HALL (beautiful electronic soundscapes) will open for VOLTAGE (chicago). VOLTAGE has been doing vocal-less rock numbers for the past few years. with only drums and guitar, home made electronics fill in the gaps. their most recent recording was released on flameshovel records. www.voltage.camp-gay.org headliners PARKERS BACK bring it with improvised toe tappers. drums, keys, guitar. of the improvised stuff, they're top of the heap!!!!

sat april 8 doors 9pm all ages
www.radiocherokee.net
radio cherokee is located at
3227 cherokee st. @ virgina
st. louis mo 63118

From Eric:

As some of you already know, I have been curating an annual performance/installation for the last few years at Dunaway Books on S. Grand
Ave. in St. Louis, Mo. This year's edition will be each Thursday in the month of May, from 8-10pm. We are adding another element to the series this year, but in case you are not familiar with the initial idea behind these events, I will give you a quick explanation: the series is called Ancora il Più Estinto, which roughly translates from Italian to "play as softly as possible", which is the only guideline for the performers. For each of the four nights there will be a different collection of musicians, typically about 10-20, scattered throughout the bookstore playing simultaneously and "as softly as possible". The store has a large ground floor with several isolated corners and nooks, as well as a mezzanine and large basement. With the performers all playing at especially low volumes while tucked away into their own spaces, it removes the idea of a singular audience
perspective and lets people roam the space freely to create their own unique
experience, all while looking at books if they choose. The acoustics of the space makes it fascinating to hear the shifts and blends of sounds as you change vantages. The performers are free to play for the entire two hours or only portions of the event so they can move around the store and check it out for
themselves. Some performers have participated in multiple evenings each year, which is great, but I do try to have a loose calendar for the month so we do not wind up with 35 performers one week and 3 the next. So, for those choosing to be involved, be prepared to casually commit to one or more nights. The instrumentation is always quite varied; acoustic and electric guitar
and bass often played using treatments and extended techniques, vocals and
field recordings being processed live, synths, bent electronics, samplers, trombones, toys, turntables, cellos, saxophones, bells, bowls, laptops...
you probably get the idea. In addition to the live performers, many
people have created sound-sculptures (Matt Harnish made an awesome automaton chime from a turntable and suspended metals, I have brought multiple cages of crickets set about to respond to the sounds), interactive environments (Robert Goetz used motion sensors to trigger quiet sounds as people walked past one area, Ben West placed contact mics on the duct work and Joseph Potthoff put them on the stairs, Jeremy Brantlinger performed
electronic sounds that were projected through PVC pipes atop the shelves), and
prepared CDs (Ben Hanna created a CD with sparse small talk which many people in the room actually thought was someone behind the shelves addressing them, Brett Underwood recorded a diatribe on literacy that played from small speakers hidden in one shelf). So long as they are quiet and do not overwhelm the other sounds, that is all very welcome. In fact, I have been contacted already by people with some very creative ideas for this year. Of
course, anyone would have to bare in mind that this is a store and we cannot do any permanent installation or modification to the space, so if you are
thinking of something like this think compact and mobile. The event is free, open to all ages (in fact, many toddlers have come by and been totally engaged by it), and the store will be open to continue selling books and CDs.

The Business of Fancy Dancing ... and Hashkali

This Sunday is the 16th Annual Kathryn M. Buder Pow Wow, held on the Wash U. Campus. Growing up in the Southwest I ended up going to a lot of of powwows, but usually the smaller ones held in community centers with sawdust floors; I'm looking forward to seeing a large-scale multi-tribal event. The same day, right in nearby Forest Park, Gitana Productions is holding their first annual Roma Music Festival. If you went to the Gogol Bordello show this week at the Creepy Crawl, you owe it to yourself to check out Eastern European music, from the source and unplugged. Most of the Roma musicians and dancers are St. Louis residents ... and they could probably use some encouragement in light of all this Republican campaign-stumping-in-disguise that is the "immigration debate."

Cinematic substitution for those who can't go: "Smoke Signals," and "Time of the Gypsies," with Goran Bregovich's amazing soundtrack.

Ruff Stuff

I don’t like dogs. Never have. Never will. Period. At least four of my neighbors own Labrador Retrievers. Some so full of love for the breed, they have two. If you live on a farm or have something that needs to be retrieved, owning a Labrador might make sense. But if you go to an office all day and leave your dog outside to bark at every passing leaf that blows or car horn that toots, maybe not. Every time I go outside to garden, get the mail, or take out trash, the Labs become a choral madness of barking that seemingly never ends. It is the single most annoying thing about living in the city. Not being able to enjoy my own yard is extremely depressing. Ultimately, the owners are to blame—but that doesn’t mean I forgive the dogs. Stop barking already.

With that said, Stray Rescue and Mad Art present the second annual Mad Arf event this Friday, April 7, 2006 from 7-11pm. If you enjoy dogs and art, don't miss this benefit for the organization whose sole purpose is to rescue stray animals in need of medical attention, restore them to health, and place them in loving adoptive homes. Over 30 local and national artists (my curmudgeon self included) have donated one-of-a-kind pieces of art using Stray Rescue dogs as their inspiration. The works will be displayed in the gallery for two weeks and will be for sale through silent auction bidding. Admission is free. Last year was packed, which just goes to prove (again) I’m in the minority.

DJ Battle @ Clubhouse

Been too long since I've dropped into the Clubhouse, that li'l shotgun of a bar at 3502 Papin, near the Complex. But it's not been long enough since Mardi Gras to really get back into the late-night swing. Such a conundrum. And tonight's a DJ battle amongst DJ Karizma, DJ Sinamin and Adrian Fox. Hmm. No cover. Hmm. Doors open at 8 p.m., but I can't imagine any needles hitting vinyl at that early hour. Not that I'll be there.

Medicine Show for the Smarting Ones

After our Time-Saver Trivia, for those of you still a-sorrowing over the demise of Freddy's Music Lounge, some succor. This from Paul Stark, via the nonoise list:

You are cordially invited to attend the first outing of
"The Chippewa Chapel Traveling Guitar Circle & Medicine Show"
Thursday 9 pm.
Feb 23, 2006
This week's stop:
Riley's Pub
3458 Arsenal
(Corner of Arsenal & Arkansas)
one block east of Grand
314-664-7474

Bring your acoustic guitar
(or spoons, or what-ever)
no amps, no mics.
Check in with Tommy Halloran when you get there.

Riley's is just a stone's throw from Hartford (well, okay, maybe if you're the Hulk) so maybe if there's still a crowd gathered later into the night, I'll stop in, Friday morning be damned. I won't be bringing my jaw-harp, though - I get stage fright something awful & I'm afraid I'd boing the twanger too hard I'd take out my front teeth...

Cine 16: This Week's Sked

Another Month, Another Film Fest

It's been only days since we posted a note about a local film fest, but there's no complaining about the bounty of free movie opportunities breaking out in town. This time, we note the Euclid Record Film Festival in February, a second-annual deal that's taking place at the shop, 601 East Lockwood, on Tuesdays-Fridays and Mondays at the Halo Bar, 6161 Delmar.

Films I've seen worth seeing again: "Dig!" Friday, Feb. 10, an amazing tale of excess and madness, featuring the Dandy Warhols and the Brian Jonestown Massacre (and I don't care what anyone says, the Dandys are the better band); and "Stan Kann: The Happiest Man in the World," Feb. 28, Mike Steinberg's delightful bio-pic on the legendary Fox organist.

Films I've seen that I'd rather not again: "The Rutles," Feb. 1, a mockumentary that proves good talents and a good idea do not necessarily a good film make; and "True Stories," Feb. 9, the incomprehensbile Talking Heads musical, featuring a wildly-overacting John Goodman and wildly-disconnected David Byrne.

Films I've not seen that I hope to: "End of the Century: The Story of the Ramones," Feb. 3, the long-delayed doc on the late punk pioneers; and "Moog: A Documentary About the Mad Scientist of the Synthesizer," the name of which says it all.

Even as we note that the films are free, it's impossible to go to the Halo and not have a drink and even more impossible to Euclid Records and not pick up a record, or 10.

X-mas Tidings, pt. 2

Free-spirited local bandleader and singer/songwriter Celia Shocklet has apparently put together an actual Christmas chorus, made up of friendly, eclectic artist-types. The group will be peroforming a variety of shows around town, starting next week, at the strangest foursome of clubs imaginable: Dec. 17 @ Lotus; Dec. 20 at Novak's; Dec. 21 @ the Great Grizzly Bear; and Dec. 22 @ Lafayette Pub & Grill. Safe to say a local act, of any type, has never done that sequence of venues, in that order. But that's Celia, for ya.

For info: www.celiaisrock.com or www.myspace.com/celiashocklet.

Mothersbaugh at Atomic Cowboy

For those of you who came out to the Upstairs Lounge this past Tuesday night to hear Mr. Belz's '80s Meltdown: the real deal is comin' to town, and will be making a stop-off at Atomic Cowboy on December 22. That's right, Mister Mark Mothersbaugh, formerly of Akron, OH (and DEVO), presently of Los Angeles (and MutatoMuzika) will be in town to show some art and play some music. And this is Reason No. 7,235 why Peter Venezia rocks.

Santarchy!

This weekend, the St. Louis Chapter of the Cacophony Society (I believe that's who's doing this, if not in name then in spirit) will invade lots o' pubs near you, in the name of Santarchy. There will be Fishnet Santas, Pink-bearded Santas, Mz. Santas, Little Grey Santas, Velvet Santas, Chintzy Felt Santas, Capri-pant Santas and Classic Santas. All of them, at least near the end of the night, will be tipsy Santas.

The tradition of rounding up your rowdy pals for a night of drinking while dressed as Santa began more than ten years ago. Some weisenheimers in the Bay Area decided it would be fun to dress as Cheap Suit Santas and spend a night on the town getting stinking drunk, which meant both posing for pictures with kids and being chased by policemen. (Naturally, the practice spread to other cities). I first learned of the Cheap Suit Santas in '96, after accidentally stumbling on this police report, which is still one of my favorite prose documents of all time. And I quote:

I WAS ON POWELL STREET AT THE ENTRANCE OF THE ST FRANCIS HOTEL (WHICH WAS ADJACENT TO THE NAUGHTY SANTAS) WHEN I SPOTTED A FEW SANTAS IN THE HOTEL LOBBY THAT WERE ACTING VERY SUSPICIOUS. THESE SANTAS APPEARED TO BE UNCOMFORTABLE AND CONCERNED, THEIR EYES WERE DARTING AROUND THE LOBBY. THESE SANTAS MOVED TO THE SIDE OF THE LOBBY, SOMEWHAT OUT OF VIEW FROM THE MAIN LOBBY. THESE ACTIONS APPEARED TO BE THE ACTIONS OF SUSPECT SANTAS THAT WERE HIDING FROM THE POLICE. I MONITORED THESE SANTAS.

The St. Louis Cheap Suit Santas seem to be a much gentler breed than their red-eyed, west coast cousins. The flyer I picked up last weekend states that "This event is NOT intended to be a protest of Christmas, a celebration of Christmas, or a political statement (unless you choose it to be). This event IS intended to be whatever you choose it to be." They hand out presents to by-standers (admittedly, sometimes that's a lump of coal, but that's better than a scented candle, right? At least it's an old-fashioned novelty?) and are planning on getting around via Bi-State. They are also kind enough to alert newbies to wear comfortable shoes. Which, depending on what kind of feet you have, may or may not include big black boots with shiny gold buckles. That's because this is an all-day affair - midi to minuit. So keep clicking to see where the Naughty Santas will touch down, because I didn't want to hog up the blog page with their voluminous list of stop-offs...

Lost Weekend

There is a hell of a lot going on this weekend. And when I say weekend, I'm talking about an old-school Seattle weekend, where you start partying on Thursday night, suffer through that last day of work, and then rip right into Friday night and ride it out until midnight on Sunday. Here's a wee sampling, a laundry list that's far more interesting than laundry:

Dec. 1

Curtis Lyle and Marcellus Leonard, Readings @ The Tap Room (as mentioned in my previous post);

Dead Man screens at the Webster Film Series.

Dec. 2

First Friday Downtown Gallery and Design Walk;

Bad Folk, Good Griefs and Red Eye Driver at the Way Out.

Dec. 3

Christmas Rummage and Bake Sale at St. John's;

The Loop Holiday walk;

Lecture on Post-Ironic Lull at the UMSL Gallery on Washington;

Winter Indian Art sale at Cahokia Mounds Interpretive Center;

The Saturday Monday art sale;

Soulard Holiday Parlor Tour;

and the Bunnygrunt/Tone Rodent Show at CBGBs.

Dec. 4

Three Fried Men play along to a Steamers game! They are being encouraged to play half-time and during the game. Yowza!

A Flagon of Sprite

I've heard many a North County native express shock after learning about the existence of Belle Fountaine Park. As a matter of fact, I was at Belle Fountaine today and heard a middle-aged woman, who claimed to be from Florissant, marveling at its existence. She said she'd lived in North County all her life, and never knew it was there. Her tone of voice suggested that perhaps she imagined it had magically risen out of the mists swirling off the surface of the Missouri River. But it's been there forever; it's the oldest military fort west of the Mississippi.

Yesterday, as my husband and I waited on new tires, choking on the rubber smell inside the mechanic's waiting room (we ran over a giant chunk of concrete that was, for some odd reason, just taking up two middle lanes on Highway 40) Thom spotted an announcement in the Post for the Fort Belle Fountaine Historic Encampment. We decided to go, but didn't make it down until one hour shy of closing time today. That means we missed the hawk-throwing, fire starting and the black powder shoot, but there was still plenty to see. We passed on the complimentary tractor ride to the re-enactment grounds, which meant walking down acres of stone stairs (said to be haunted) but it wasn't too hot today, and approaching by foot gave us a chance to see the camp as a whole from on high.

The rules of encampment state that "all lodges, clothing and accouterments [sic] must be in the period 1740 to 1840 in North America." The soldiers were all members of The Living History Re-Enactors, Inc., and they were spiffed out; they could have been extras in a History Channel special. The campers, though, bent the rules big-time. The tents looked period enough, and so did the campfires and the copper cooking pots. As we got a little further down the road, though, we saw ladies in Mother Hubbard bonnets, chemises and gingham overdresses and men in buckskin pants and belted tunics - and they were sitting on styrofoam coolers and smoking Camels. Some of them were even eating Cheetos. The Living History rulebook stipulates that you can't even wear sunglasses unless it's medically required, and that you must stuff all modern articles into your 1740s tent. It sounds draconian, but I can see why they insist on it. It's a mind-bender to see a fellow who looks like The Man Who Was Going to St. Ives, except that he's drinking a can of Budweiser.

The merchant's row, located at the very end of the trail (near some beautiful, crumbling, mossy bathhouses from the 30s) was a whole other matter, though. If you're going to sell leggings, hand-stamped tin buttons and clay pipes to re-enactors, you can't look like a fraud by having orange Cheeto dust all over your fingers when you're counting out change. But of course, these people had no interest in taking shortcuts; if you know enough about period dress to sell it out of a tent, you're one of the sticklers. When Living History Re-Enactors Inc. insists on "primitive camping," these folks show up with venison jerky and wildcrafted dandelion greens. But they get gold stars from me - even though it was the last hour of the camp, they weren't lazing it up, breaking character and breaking out the cooler of beer. And this after two days in wool underwear and leather knee-breeches.

One of the spiffed-out military officers revealed that the site will host re-enactors from around the country to celebrate the Fort's bicentennial next year. Cheetos aside, it was a lovely walk down the trail, and a fun, strange little event overall. Thom says he's going to pay the ten dollars to reserve a camping spot for us, and is thinking of recording a concept album, a la Sufjan Stevens, to commemorate the bicentennial encampment. The title of the first song: "A Flagon of Sprite."

Art Outside

Just a quick reminder that Art Outside is this weekend at the Schalfly Bottleworks (7260 Southwest Ave in Maplewood). Stefene's done a rocking job at coordinating this festival. I had the pleasure last year. It really is a great event. Maplewood is the place to be! Hours are: Fri Sept 9: 5pm-10pm & Sat Sept 10: 12pm-10pm. Some highlights via Stefene: