Show Preview: HUMDRUM, The Skekses, and Spoken Nerd (TN) at Schlafly Tap Room
This Friday, two of my personal favorite St. Louis bands are taking over Tap Room, and they’re bringing along one spectacularly weird out-of-towner. As you know, being anxious devourers of everything written on this blog, HUMDRUM released a great album called The Arrangement around this time last year. They’ll be armed with new stuff to share this week.
And as you don’t know, unless you’re the one of IT guys at my office (HI MARK AND MIKE!), I’m the person singularly responsible for a large percentage of bandwidth consumption due to my near-constant streaming of the Skekses debut EP from late 2010. They, too, have been writing and recording new material for an EP due out this year. I’m Jessie Spano excited about it.
Has anyone reading this heard of Spoken Nerd, outta Nashville? I hadn’t, but Jesus Christ, this guy is weird and beardy and wordy and hilarious and smart. Case in point: The song for video below starts off with, “All this time that you thought I was gay/ I was looking for a girl like Rachael Ray…” I don’t know exactly what’s going to happen on Friday, but with the HUMDRUM/Skekses/Nerd triple threat, I imagine there will be panties and/or boxer briefs dropped. Oh, and it’s free. See ya there.
Details for the show here.
[Art] Show Preview: Jason Potter’s EMPTY CITY
Jason Potter and Morgan Nusbaum of Bruiser Queen. Photo by Kimberly Enloe.
If you’re interested in shows happening around town, then you’ve seen Jason’s show posters, and they most likely caused you to pause, turn, and do a double take. The artist and musician answered a few of my questions about inspiration, influence, and how to thrive in an “empty city”.
When did you start producing show posters? How have you seen your business expand over the past year or so?
I’ve been designing posters/flyers/handbills for shows since I played in my first band in 1995, but it wasn’t until 2006 or so that I finally got a grasp on the technical ability to produce screen printed posters. Things were slow at first, but lucky for me the climate in St. Louis has really turned toward an appreciation of hand-printed pieces. In many ways this preference over slick digital printouts parallels the preference of vinyl records over the mp3, and with supportive venues like the Firebird, it’s really granted me an exciting and productive couple of years.
Do you stick to St. Louis shows and/or a certain type of music when creating posters?
Not at all! I love designing and printing posters for all types of shows that happen all over the country. Creatively, the range is invigorating and has really served as a conduit to meeting people, musicians, and their fans that I would never have had the privilege of interacting with otherwise.
Your style is very distinct, especially when it exists in a show poster sea of naturescapes and bears riding bicycles. What’s the inspiration for your style of design, and how do adapt it to particular bands/concerts?
Thanks, I’d like to think so. It’s not that I set out to be different really, but I just can’t comprehend how so many other creative people end up making so many pieces that look the same. Music is so fantastic in the way that it sparks our imagination, and I believe it has to stir people in different ways. So most times I’ll start out by gathering some of the band’s music and researching some of their album covers or band photos to get an idea of where they’re coming from visually. From there, the collaboration begins – sometimes direct, sometimes indirect – and I get lost in my library of source images until something locks in that I’m not only pleased with, but I think the band and their fans will enjoy. That’s not to say I don’t tend toward the odd, the underground, the playful, the humorous aspects of art – I guess that’s the heart of my aesthetic.
Explain the origin of the term Empty City.
Empty City is a concept I’ve personally been connected to for some time now. St. Louis is such a big city, with quite a large population, but much of it sits empty. Not only literally in terms of brick buildings, but in terms of participation in the arts. It’s much better than it was even a few years ago, but much of that population is so focused on career, family, and sports. So Empty City isn’t a comment on the negative aspects of that, rather the positive. The infrastructure is there – if you have an idea, go for it! There’s no one there to stop you. Go see your favorite band and stand right in front. It doesn’t matter if you’re the only one there – and some times you will be. Don’t be afraid to start something. Start a radio show, a blog, or pick up a squeegee and print a poster. If your heart is in it, you’ll find your audience and St. Louis will be a better place for it.
More info about Jason and the chance to buy his awesome stuff are right here.
Contest: Samantha Crain + Old Lights Ticket Giveaway and Prize Bonanza
Photo: www.facebook.com/Samanthacrainmusic
To that end, IWTAS and Off Broadway is giving away a pair of tickets to the show. Here are a few ways you can win:
1) Track down your favorite Samantha Crain OR Old Lights lyric, and leave it in the comment section below. Don’t be afraid to move us, okay?
2) Track down your favorite Samantha Crain OR Old Lights lyric, and leave it as a comment on the Facebook page post for this contest. Again, MOVE. US. WITH. WORDS.
3) Tweet this: “I entered to win tickets from @iwtas to Samantha Crain in #STL: http://iwtas.me/AB0Szw”
You could win this album. It could be yours.
Bonus Treats:
Don’t despair if you aren’t chosen as the ticket winner. We’ll ALSO be giving away 3 other prizes to 3 IWTAS readers just for coming to the show on the 25th. The following is up for grabs:
1) “Like Strangers” (2011) by Old Lights on either CD or vinyl (winner’s choice).
2) An Off Broadway t-shirt.
3) An IWTAS logo t-shirt.
Entry deadline is Monday, the 23rd at noon. Winners will be notified via email (or Facebook message, #whathaveyou) soon thereafter.
Now isn’t this all very exciting? Let’s go have some fun together.
Show Review: Emperor X + Britches @ The Firebird
You probably don’t know who Emperor X is, and, while I’m passionate about passing brilliant but obscure music onto worthy new listeners, this is different. For whatever reason, when I mentioned in public that I was completely absorbed by this record (Western Teleport (Bar/None Records), people whose opinions I respect and admire piped up that they, too, were addicted to it, and had been for months. Yet they weren’t compelled to share. Curious. I listened to the record with new ears, trying to find what it is I should be ashamed of, why wouldn’t I want everyone to buy this album? Maybe I’m too close to the music for objectivity, but there’s nothing in it that makes me feel protective, afraid someone would criticize it for anything. It’s lovely and sincere, but it’s also technically adept and really ambitious for a lo-fi record. It’s smartly written with pleasant and clever rhymes and it’s challenging in all the right places.
And so my obsession with Western Teleport escalated, with alarming speed. I even creeped on Chad Matheny’s Facebook to see if we had any friends in common. We did, and I texted our mutual friend, “Are you friends with Chad Matheny, or are you ‘Facebook Friends’ with Chad Matheny?” She assured me not only was she actually his friend, but she also confirmed my suspicions that he was/is kind, smart *and* earnest. The Real Deal. A rare bird, indeed.
Far be it from me to make sweeping generalizations with no hard evidence to back it up. Behold! Beneath the tour dates listed on Emperor X’s Tumblr:
IMPORTANT!
If any event listed above is not all ages and that lame fact makes you unable to attend, please send an e-mail and I’ll play any three songs you’d like outside the venue for you and anyone else you bring along. Then we can all go ride local public transport or get fish tacos or something.
Who does that? Chad Matheny does that. So when I saw Emperor X appear on The Firebird’s concert calendar less than two weeks before the show, I kinda lost my shit.
I’ve promoted other shows for obscure acts I feared wouldn’t draw a healthy crowd, but this was so much different. I knew that no matter how many people showed up, we’d all be a family by the time it was over. My glad begging never faltered, and I didn’t really care how unsuccessful I was. I spread the good word, the rest was up to fate.
The boy with the sweater, sneakers, and messy hair (that I totally watched him blow dry with a bus station hand dryer that morning, CREEPER) pulled his microphone onto the floor instead of leaving it on stage. He wasn’t wearing his glasses, so he requested the wide arc of listeners to close in on him until he had to tell them to back up again. He stayed about a foot from his microphone most of the time, so we heard his voice naturally, and also with an echoey, layered effect through the amps behind him. With minimal adjustment, he recreated the album’s sound, but in an intimate, entirely present manner. There was no fussy hitch between the music and its creator, and no glitchy filter between the sound and its recipients. He barrelled through his material with gusto, and he gave no indication that he was in any way tired of touring the country by bus to get to us.
Did we smile until our faces ached? Oh yes. Did we sing “Allahu ackbar” with joyful abandon, even though most of us didn’t really mean it? We certainly did. Did I awkwardly hug everyone in the room when it was over? Guilty. Did we just become best friends? I really hope so.
And so I’m breaking this silly silence. I want everyone to listen to Western Teleport, but I also want everyone to listen to Chad Matheny. Watch his little videos, preorder the new record he’s working on, pay attention to everything he does, for the rest of his life. Listen to him, and learn about being human, about being vulnerable, about trying and failing, about trying and succeeding, and about always wearing your own skin because it’s always the only one that isn’t already taken.
—–
When St. Louis’ quirky art rock outfit Britches confirmed as opener, I admit, I did a little dance. I realize it isn’t immediately obvious that these two acts would go together in any way. Emperor X is a one-man lo-fi folk pop dynamo. Britches performs while wearing the severed heads of giant stuffed animals and they replace the batteries in their Speak ‘n Spell before they go on. [tomato/tomato]. But when I saw Britches open for Marnie Stern, I was impressed by their professionalism, their intensity, and their sincerity. There is no artifice to Britches. They are extremely serious about what they do, and they do it with precision and sharpness that, by way of comparison, made Marnie Stern’s backing band’s sloppiness annoying enough for me to leave after three songs. It is a huge brag on St. Louis that about half of the audience Sunday night showed up just to see Britches, but I was sad to see a big chunk of them left after their set, before they could see that both bands had the same foundation of pride and dignity, the same high standards, the same confidence in their ability to to be the undisputed best at being themselves, and the same steady fierceness about the art of live music. Next time Emperor X comes to town, stick around for the whole show, kids.
Interview: Jenn Malzone on Middle Class Fashion’s “Girl Talk”
Brad, Jenn, and Brian of Middle Class Fashion.
So this is Middle Class Fashion’s first album, correct? Where was it recorded?
This is MCF’s first full-length album. We put out a four song EP in late 2010. [The EP] was very lo-fi and used the original piano and drum tracks that were recorded very primitively by Brad and myself at our practice space. Those tracks were meant to be demos, but when Brian joined the band, he suggested keeping them and just re-recording the vocals. It ended up sounding really cool.
We decided to record Girl Talk a bit differently so we would have more control, and so it more accurately depicted our new three-piece sound. We recorded the basic drum and piano tracks at Brewhouse Studios, and everything else was recorded with Brian on his laptop (usually at one of our houses). It was a really enjoyable way to make an album. We’d have strings players recording in my living room, or we’d do vocals in the bathroom, and at the same time we’d often have friends over, hanging out and listening, drinking beer or having dinner.
So what’s it sound like?
I like to call it minor key piano pop. A lot of the songs are fun and upbeat, but most of them have a slightly more serious theme.
Did you do most of the songwriting?
“Jamie” is the only song not written solely by me. Brian brought that amazingly catchy “Jamie won’t call” melody, and I had some lyrics that weren’t really fitting anywhere else. Once we got the ball rolling, we co-wrote the rest of the song and it was a pretty amazing experience. Brad kept everything moving with just the right drum parts, then he ended up adding a guitar solo toward the end on the recording that just completes it.
I wrote the other thirteen songs over the course of 2010 (and a few in early 2011). Most of them reflect the weirdness of my life at that point. I was still recovering from the Paper Dolls lineup shifting, which started in April 2009 and didn’t really steady out until fall of that year. To top it off, the “fun fixer-upper” house I purchased in the midst of all this turned into a complete gut rehab project. So I was staying with different friends, sleeping on couches, etc. This went on for well over a year. It was really disorienting to be without a solid band and a home all at once. Songwriting is what kept me sane.
How do you manage to create different bodies of work for each project? [Ed: Jenn is also a member of Paper Dolls (w/ Brad) and Tights Pants Syndrome (w/ Brian).]
Playing in MCF is just another great opportunity to sing with Brian, and from the beginning I felt that the simple structure of MCF was taken to a new level with his amazing bass playing. And Brad, who has only been drumming for a few years now, always seems to know exactly what each song needs, without over-drumming. All three of us are songwriters and have fronted a band at some point, so that also creates a unique energy.
To me, it’s easier to keep things fresh with three bands than with one. There’s not all this pressure on one band to be everything, and in turn there’s less pressure on each individual musician. I’ve learned not to be afraid to take on a big project with a deadline, and also not to be afraid to take a break.
Notes:
Event details for Saturday’s release show at Foam can be found here.
This week’s Riverfront Times features a review of Girl Talk.
Listen to Middle Class Fashion’s EP or listen to and purchase Girl Talk (starting on 1/16) on their Bandcamp site.
SHOW PREVIEW: Emperor X + Britches @ The Firebird, 1/15.
How do I begin to describe Emperor X? The RFT’s Ryan Wasoba calls it “bookish spazz folk” and claims the latest release (Western Teleport, Bar None Records) sounds like “Sufjan Stevens’ Illinois record undergoing shock therapy.” Which was enough to make me listen to the record once. Chad Matheny’s engaging, visceral earnestness and the dense tension of being simultaneously lo-fi and intricate, made me listen to the album again. And again. And again! Because every time it’s over, my first thought is always, “Not yet, no.”
Maybe Emperor X is a poppier, glitchier version of The Mountain Goats, or a less-geeky They Might Be Giants, or a more sincere Violent Femmes, or a well-adjusted Perfume Genius, recommended if you like pictures of kittens in pith helmets, blanket static in the dark, or black velvet paintings of war. It really doesn’t matter. What matters is, they’re playing in Saint Louis at The Firebird on Sunday night. And, also in the category of mattering, the opening act is St. Louis’ own Britches, who are also indescribable and exquisite, and who were an integral part of this sublime concert at The ‘Bird that totally knocked me deaf last year.
Sunday night will be a highlight of my year, even if it’s just me and three other people nerding out all night. But it will be even more fun if you come, too. Doors open at 7:30, show at 8:00. $8.
Top Shows of 2011: IWTAS Staff (and Infographic!)
Dave Baker writes words, drinks craft beers, shakes hands, and smiles for IWTAS.
1. Newport Folk Festival – 7/30-7/31/2011: While this one isn’t just one show, it was hands down my favorite music experience of 2011. The festival is held at Fort Adams State Park at the mouth of Newport Harbor in Rhode Island. This Civil War era fort acts as the back drop behind the three stages while the harbor filled with moored boats provides scenery for the bands that are on stage. The vibe is completely relaxed and user friendly. I mean, the easiest way to and from the festival grounds is to take a water taxi across the harbor! Standout performances from the 2011 Newport Folk Festival for me were Brown Bird, River City Extension, and The Head and the Heart. All three of those bands rank pretty high on my “new to me” list for this past year, all thanks to their sets at Newport.
2. Samantha Crain at The Gramophone – 6/21/2011: This one was a bit of a last minute show. Announced just a few days before it would occur and on a night when there was already a bunch of other things going on. Samantha Crain was touring with a “full band” setup that they were calling The Cat Calls. The Cat Calls were Anne Lillis on drums, Penny Hill on bass, and of course Samantha Crain on guitar. They were truly a power-trio that put a new edge to the songs I already knew and loved from her 2010 release You (Understood).
3. Middle Brother at Metro (Chicago) – 3/12/2011: Another somewhat hastily planned show for me was the Middle Brother show in Chicago. A week and a half before the show, a friend and I decided to make the trip up north to catch this one since they weren’t coming to St. Louis. Middle Brother is a collaborative effort between members of Dawes, Deer Tick, and Delta Spirit. The shows backing the album allowed for sets from both Dawes and Deer Tick, before closing out the night with a full on Middle Brother set. All three bands played really strong sets to a big crowd with plenty of fist in the air moments. We were also treated to guest appearances from Jonny Corndawg throughout the night and we were lucky enough to get to celebrate his birthday backstage – cake and all! It was one of those nights when we forgot we were supposed to act our age, but the early train ride back to St. Louis the next day quickly reminded us why we can’t do it like that all the time.
HELLO ST. LOUIS!
As a member of IWTAS and a general crazyperson, I (Julie Dill) went to upwards of 70 shows in 2011. I’d say 30 of them were extraordinary, life-long memorable, still give me goosebumps to think of them, experiences. 10 of them (seriously TEN) were once-in-a-lifetime events that I will never top. And I had to narrow this shit down to 3! UGH. I got down to six and I started to feel ill. How can I not include the other-worldly communal mind meld of the Deerhunter set at LOUFEST? Or the crazy-good, most professional indie rock band in the world, Margot and the Nuclear So and So’s at The Firebird? And the visceral ffffffuuuuuuuuuuuu I felt as I backspaced through St. Vincent at The Old Rock House? and Beirut at The Pageant? Ben Folds and the Frickin’ St. Louis Symphony Orchestra?? What the hell is wrong with me?! But here they are, my Top 3 Shows of 2011.
3. Of Montreal at The Luminary – 7/4/2011
The fact that this show, a once in a lifetime, face melting freak occurrence, is #3 on my list, is pretty frickin’ significant.
2. William Fitzsimmons at The Firebird – 5/1/2011
I didn’t write up a review of this show, because sad bastard music is a tricky genre. William Fitzsimmons is one of those artists that, if you don’t already know who he is, you probably won’t be interested. Everyone who wanted to be there showed up and they didn’t need my recap to remember what happened. I love my intimate clubs so much, and this was the pinnacle of an intimate performance. VIDEO: Watch Tide Pulls From the Moon. The best part of this show was that William Fitzsimmons is hilarious. To offset the serious, depressing themes of his gorgeous songs, his stage banter is charming, witty and self deprecating. The other great thing is, if by some chance you didn’t know William Fitzsimmons before, he’s coming back on March 31st, at The Firebird again. Treat yoself!
1. Foals & The Naked and the Famous at The Firebird – 4/23/2011
Dude. Seriously. If you weren’t at this show, you can’t possibly wrap your mind around how off the chain it was. I was standing right in front, and when I close my eyes, I can still perfectly imagine the look on my photog partner’s face as Yannis hopped on top of the monitors and equipment cases, climbed onto the seats, then stepped right over her head onto the tables on the other side of the room. Maybe Yannis doesn’t walk on water, but he does totally walk on bar tops, seat backs, pinball machines, and tables. This was probably the single coolest show I will ever see, and I’m totally okay with that.
Jess Luther writes words, takes photos, shakes hands, and smiles for IWTAS.
1. tUnE-yArDs at Off Broadway – 11/8/2011
Believe the hype. Merrill Garbus might be the most talented, most arresting working musician of the moment. She came onstage in striped socked feet and a disbelieving, head-shaking grin – the type you exchange with the planner of your birthday party right after everyone yells, ‘SURPRISE!’ “All this? For me?” And the splayfooted Garbus smiled, knowing it was and should be all for her. Then…she tore us apart. Vocal range, vocal control, command of her band, those guttural screams. And beats, beats, beats.
tUnE-yArDs’ 2011 release w h o k i l l was originally titled women who kill [sic]. I remember an interview where she said that leaving out the gender part made the album title more accessible and less isolating. So it was frustrating to hear Garbus being touted arduously as an unbelievable female musician, throngs of bespectacled, testicled, vinyl-worshipping nerds showering her with affectionate praise and subsequently questioning their place in the universe. One of my favorite Riverfront Times writers even had an existential crisis; it was awesome. “But she’s a GIRL!” they whispered to themselves over lukewarm cups of fair-trade coffee. But therein lies the point. tUnE-yArDs had to be, has to be, a woman. It’s what our national music scene needs right now. [Cut to an image of Katy Perry’s cupcake bra...That’s a thing, right?]
After the show the crowd went outside and got drunk on Off Broadway’s patio. We were panting and ecstatic. Everything was beautiful and nothing was Bon Iver.
2. Mountain Man at Off Broadway – 7/21/2011
One of the members of folk trio Mountain Man was having a birthday the night of their most recent St. Louis show. Her father had contacted Steve Pohlman, the venue owner, prior to the concert and had arranged for a cake to be purchased and presented by Steve to the young musician while on stage. Everyone cried or whatever (maybe it was just me and the birthday girl). From my initial review:
This is where we’d do well to remember that artists, of whom we take photographs, from whom we purchase records and t-shirts, and about whom we write and talk often mercilessly, have dads who email other dads when their kids are adventuring in a foreign land (Missouri) and are worried that their twenty-somethingith birthdays will go unacknowledged.
3. Old Lights at LouFest – 8/28/2011
Four Local Boys and Two Local Girls Made Good. It was early Sunday afternoon. I had moderate dehydration, a severe farmer’s burn, and $18.73 in my checking account. Friends and strangers were sitting on the Forest Park grass, happily and wearily bobbing their heads. Guitar strings broke and the band laughed and David Beeman knelt with his guitar at the front of the stage as a camera crew zoomed in. “How can I live this waaaay?” he sang. And we all answered: Just like this, right here, forever.
Annie McCance is the resident designer on the IWTAS team. She loves interacting with the creatives of the STL music community.
1. I Went To A Showcase at Off Broadway – 5/14/2011
Have you ever gone to a show and wondered about all the work that goes into running it? I used to. This spring, our little blog got the big opportunity to host a concert featuring some of our personal favorite local bands. The actual show ended up being a blur – I spent most of the time coordinating with the venue, bands, fans, and taco truck (and drinking lots of coffee). Our goal with IWTAShowcase was simply to expose music fans in St. Louis (some fans even traveled from Kansas City) to bands they might not have seen play live before. The amount of fun had by musicians and concertgoers alike was the realization of that goal.
2. Thao & Mirah at Off Broadway – 6/15/2011
I’m beginning to think that the best shows in St. Louis fall on Sunday through Wednesday. At least that’s when some of my favorite bands can make it to town. A packed house that wasn’t sold out. A happy, jumping, joyful, yet respectful crowd. Two gracious and receptive, famous-in-their-own right artists with a great backing band. This was the type of show I’d go to again and again. This was the type of show I won’t forget.
3. Arcade Fire at Scottrade – 4/21/2011
I don’t remember the last concert I went to that was in an arena, or actually, even required ticketed seating. Nonetheless, there I was, holding a $10 Bud Light three-fourths of the way back on the floor at Scottrade, watching the Grammy-winning Arcade Fire. I’m a local coffee house person, and I was at a Starbucks show. And you know what? It rocked. Hearing cuts from The Suburbs played live made real an album that was sincerely important to me in 2011.
Annie created an infographic to visualize our 4-part Top Shows of 2011 series. You’ll find that the data is grouped by 4 elements: artist/band that performed, venue, day of the week, and the season in which the concert took place. We hope the infographic provides a fun shapshot that encapsulates the opinions of our selected contributors to the series. We can’t wait to [continue] seeing you all at shows in 2012!
Top Shows of 2011: Readers
Lori Lamprich (@el_lamprich on Twitter) is a political scientist by day, and a committed rock and roller by night. One large serving of country, a heaping tablespoon of folk, a liberal dash of blues, a sprinkle of punk, a pinch of classic rock. Stir until frothy.
Clearly, I had a great summer.
KDHX Twangfest, night 1 – Kentucky Knife Fight, Elizabeth Cook, Hayes Carll at The Pageant – 7/8/2011
In this paragraph I embarrassingly reveal how sometimes, I am late to the party. ——- This show was my introduction to Hayes Carll. He had me at “Beaumont”. I was completely wrecked over “It’s a Shame”. I was a fan for life by the time he got to “I Don’t Wanna Grow Up”. “Bad Liver” and “A Broken Heart” changed my life. The next day I purchased every single one of his records. I love country rock more than anything, and Hayes Carll does it better than anyone. As a bonus: KKF opened up with a really tight, spot-on set. And Elizabeth Cook is Dolly Parton for a new generation.
Josh Ritter and the Royal City Band at Off Broadway – 7/22/2011
Josh Ritter is, hands down, the greatest living songwriter right now. I’m pretty biased here. He could’ve shown up in a bathrobe and belched into the microphone for an hour and I still would’ve walked out of Off Broadway that night in a state of bliss. Thankfully, he didn’t do that. What he did do was beautiful. Talking Heads cover! Lou Reed cover! “Playing Into the Dark” in the dark! Waltzing with his guitar! Protozoan crowd dancing! Anytime an artist seems just as happy as you to be there, in that moment, you’re really experiencing something special. Every Josh Ritter show is something special.
Langhorne Slim and the Law at Off Broadway – 8/23/2011
I’m a self-described “enthusiastic foot-tapper” more than a dancer. Blame it on oppressive self-consciousness and social anxiety, but I tend to suppress the urge to dance at shows. It really takes something special to shake me out of this state of hyper-awareness. Langhorne Slim makes me dance my ass off, without a care in the world. Also, “Past Lives” might be the greatest song ever to be performed live. Also, Slim is kinda sexy.
Honorable Mention:
Shot of Love: Bob Dylan 70th Birthday Party and KDHX Benefit at Off Broadway – 5/27/2011
I went to this show with my good friend Vanessa, a fellow Dylan fanatic. She actually won a CD for correctly answering one of the between-sets-trivia-questions. We drank too much PBR, sang our favorite Dylan classics and got to see almost every local musician we love on stage all at once just killing “I Shall Be Released”. Beautiful night, paid for with an epic hangover. (Those PBR tallboys are serious business.)
Kristi Beall – STL transplant, avid concert-goer, lover of most all things singer-songwriter this year, enjoys new music always.
So this year I’ve had a tough time narrowing down my top three choices for the Best of 2011. Obviously, this is an awesome problem to have, ’cause it means I saw that many artists this year and witnessed that much music magic. This year I was lucky enough to see the likes of Josh Ritter, Langhorne Slim, Nick 13, Girl Talk, The Nekromantix, Johnny Corndawg, Those Darlins, William Elliott Whitmore, Hayes Carll, The Street Dogs, Wayne Hancock, The Black Lips, Eza Furman, etc. and some of these folks more than once. And I’ve finally done the impossible by choosing my top three. Here they are in no particular order:
1. Josh Ritter at Liberty Hall – 2/18/2011 & Josh Ritter at Off Broadway – 7/22/2011
I’m combining these two cause they were essentially the same setlist and both just as magical as the other. I drove five hours to Lawrence, KS in February by myself to see Josh play at Liberty Hall. The space was comfortably full and we had the largest group slow dance in Lawrence that night, possibly the largest in the entire state of Kansas. At Off Broadway in July, we also had a group slow dance, only this time there was no touching. It was the sweatiest, stickiest group slow dance of all time. The Off Broadway show is by far more memorable, as we were packed in like sardines, but no one was complaining. Josh is made to perform. The smile never leaves his face and hopefully never leaves yours either. I won’t ever stop going to see him, cause it’s an instant potion for happy. If you haven’t experienced his magic yet, make sure you do sometime soon.
2. Nick 13 at Firebird – 6/16/2011
The Tiger Army frontman is my favorite man to have a crush on. I don’t even mind his neck tattoos. This year saw the release of Nick’s long awaited solo, country-inspired album, after a long line of Tiger Army psychobilly albums. Surprise! Nick does country just as well as psychobilly. The show at the Firebird was everything I could have dreamed of. He played the majority of the new record and revamped Tiger Army classics to give them a new vibe for a new genre. The sound was full and twangy and the crowd was into all the material new and old. Another guy I’ll never miss coming through town.
3. Revival Tour at Solus, Cardiff UK – 10/16/2011
The revival tour began in 2008 as a acoustic musical collaboration started by Hot Water Music’s Chuck Ragan. This year I was lucky enough to catch it while visiting my husband in Cardiff. This year’s musicians included Dave Hause of The Loved Ones, Dan Andriano of Alkaline Trio, Chuck Ragan and Brian Fallon of The Gaslight Anthem, as well as a fiddler and a stand up bassist. These guys came together and played each other’s songs all together and paired up separately. Whether or not you know any of their bands or any of their solo music, you would’ve had a blast at this show. It was a non-stop change up of musicians and instruments on stage all night and the crowd couldn’t have been more lively. My feet hurt from all the stomping at the end of the night! They closed it out with the song “59 Sound” and we had Cardiff’s biggest sing-a-long that night. I can’t believe I had a voice the next day. Amazing show.
Honorable Mentions:
William Elliott Whitmore at Off Broadway – 7/28/2011 (My first WEW show!!)
Girl Talk at The Pageant – 1/18/2011 (Biggest confetti party ever!)
Stephanie Tolle is the best and runs the blog, Iron Stef, and is the mastermind behind Skank Ham.
Matt Nathanson at The Pageant - 10/18/2011
One of my favorite kinds of music is “Sad Bastard” music… songs that are gorgeous and heartbreaking. I don’t know why, as I’m generally a happy and optimistic gal. Anyway, one of the best Sad Bastard songs ever is Matt Nathanson’s “Bulletproof Weeks”. If you’ve ever been through a break-up, the song is guaranteed to turn you into a puddle of sad. It was basically all I knew of Matt Nathanson, so when a friend invited me last minute to his show, I expected a somber evening…but in a good way, you know? What really happened was an extra fun show that was part stand-up comedy (the dude is hilarious), part pop/rock concert, part cover song dance party. His newer songs are really poppy…like WB TV show poppy. His older songs are more my thing…fun, acoustic rock. This is on my list of best shows of 2011 because I was so pleasantly surprised by it. It helps that he did a meet-and-greet after the show, and was super-sweet and gracious to the long line of us silly fan-girls (he told me my scarf was pretty…quee!). Oh, and he covered “Laid” by James…maybe one of my top 10 favorite songs of all time. I melted.
AUCW at Firebird- 9/10-9/11/2011 (http://undercoverweekend.com/)
I look forward to these shows every year. And they just keep getting better, it seems. Local bands become a [nationally] popular band for one night only. It’s a sweaty, drunken, dancing sing-a-long good time. The stand-outs for me (though everyone was pretty amazing, really) were:
Union Tree as Marvin Gaye….I am expecting that at least 5 babies were made during this set.
Dots Not Feathers as Stevie Wonder…I put a lot of pressure on them in my mind…you can’t mess up Stevie! And they didn’t! They honored him well with a range of singers and good selection of his songs.
Via Dove as AC/DC and The Orbz as Stone Temple Pilots….The theatrics and rockingness for these two sets was incredibly fun… I got way too into them, as if I was actually at an AC/DC or STP show. Screaming, headbanging fangirl. That’s what happened.
Givers with Pepper Rabbit and 1,2,3 at Cicero’s – 6/27/2011 (I Went to a Show Presents! http://iwenttoashow.com/2011/06/show-preview-and-a-tweet-up-up-up-the-givers-w-pepper-rabbit-and-123-at-ciceros/)
I am not trying to brown nose here….this show really did kick ass. I love when I go to a show of bands I have never heard of and end up listening to their albums over and over again for months afterwards. The Givers were AWESOME. They put on a high-energy show…quirky, happy (Up Up Uplifting, you might say), solid. I had the CD on my dash for weeks after.
Erin Leach is a librarian, complete with glasses and sensible shoes. Erin loves music, both live and recorded. She also loves snark and cupcakes. You can find her on Twitter as @erinaleach where she tweets about music, libraries, her pets, and food.
1. Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit at The Old Rock House – 5/31/2011
It is worth noting that, with few exceptions, I don’t really like country music. Jason Isbell is everything that I do love about country music: thoughtful lyrics, excellent music, and just enough self-awareness to not take himself too seriously. Isbell is probably best known as a member of the Drive-By Truckers, but he has cultivated quite a following since the release of his two solo albums. In 2011, Isbell released Here We Rest, his third studio album and my favorite album of 2011. The May 31st show at Old Rock House showed off Isbell’s range as he weaved between straight-ahead rock songs, like the show-opening Go It Alone, and country ballads like Codeine. Isbell’s backing band, the 400 Unit, is packed with talented musicians and the fact that they took swigs from a bottle of Jack Daniels that they passed around the stage made them seem more edgy than folksy.
During the 15-song set, Isbell played songs from all of his solo records as well as the three Drive-By Truckers songs he’s best known for: Goddamn Lonely Love, Outfit, and Decoration Day. The stand-out of the show, by far, however, was a face-melting cover of Psycho Killer which featured guitarist Brown Lollar on lead vocals. My only complaint about the show is that the set-up at Old Rock House meant that in order to leave the stage for a break before the encore, the band had to walk through the crowd. This seemed okay on the way out, as the musicians could shake hands or high-five audience members. It seemed to sap the enthusiasm out of the band about playing an encore, though. I’m willing to cut Isbell and the 400 Unit some slack, since they brought it for 14 of the 15 songs that they played. Not bad, boys. Not bad at all.
2. Erasure at The Pageant – 9/21/2011
Let us be clear, I’m as shocked as you are that I’ve got this show made the list. Erasure isn’t even my favorite of Vince Clarke’s projects (if you’re curious, it’s Yaz). So when my husband suggested that we see Erasure, touring behind Tomorrow’s World, I agreed but wasn’t sure how much I would enjoy it. As it turns out, Erasure puts on one hell of a live act and was my second favorite show of the year. It would be the understatement of the year to suggest that Andy Bell owned the stage. For the entirety of the 22-song set, Andy Bell owned every inch of The Pageant. He pranced across the stage for close to two hours, rarely standing still and even changing costumes on stage. It is rare for me to attend a show where there isn’t at least some part of the crowd whose disinterest is palpable. Not so with this crowd–Bell’s frenetic energy seemed to radiate out to a crowd who danced and sang along with Bell and his two back-up singers. I ended up wondering if those back-up singers knew what they were getting into when they signed up to tour with Erasure.
Clarke’s quiet presence was a perfect contrast to Bell’s flamboyant stage antics. He stood behind what looked like a pulpit, filling The Pageant with synth beats. If you looked closely, you could see that Clarke’s beats were coming from a Macbook which, I guess, should be seen as a sign of the times. Clarke rarely spoke, serving as a competent Silent Bob to Bell’s Jay. I don’t dance at shows, but Erasure made me forget that. And by Stop!, the last song of the encore, I was reminded how a good band (and a good audience) can make you remember why you love live music.
3. The Hold Steady at The Brooklyn Night Bazaar – 12/17/2011
In the spirit of full disclosure: The Hold Steady currently owns the title of Erin’s Favorite Band. And the stars aligned perfectly in December when I learned that I would already be in New York City when THS played the last show of its tour behind Heaven Is Whenever. If you saw them at LouFest, you know how awesome they are. You know how much the band loves playing live. You know how Craig Finn’s sing-speak narratives about Hood Rats and camps by the Mississippi River and Holly’s clairvoyance are mesmerizing. So take that LouFest show and turn it up to 11. Because if rock’n’roll has taught us anything, it’s that Last Show of the Tour + Hometown Show = Awesome. The band showed that it came to play when it opened with Hurricane J and continued to kick ass through a 23-song set that covered the range of the catalog. The band gave the audience everything it had left after a year of being on the road. Forget everything you’ve heard about the disaffected hipsters of Williamsburg. Those kids gave The Hold Steady back as much energy as they were putting out. And the show ended with Patrick Stickles of Titus Andronicus singing Stay Positive with the band as the audience moshed and pogoed and left everything they had on the dance floor that night. I tweeted later that the words to that song never felt truer than they did that night. This was, by far, my favorite show of the year. And, as cliche as it sounds, they reminded me of how a resurrection really feels.
I’m Ryan Albritton, Co-owner of R&R Music Labs and The Loud Label. Check out the STL LOUD compilation series as well as other local releases: theloudlabel.com
After much internal turmoil and debate, these are the three awesome shows (out of a sea of awesome shows) that I would point out:
(In alphabetical order based on venue)
Rockwell Knuckles’ Stacks to the Future show at Cicero’s.
The Chalk Boyz opened, Rocky and Tef followed. It was a damn blast.
AUCW Night 1 at the Firebird
A shout out to Night 2, which was also pretty epic, but Night 1 was the more complete, literary experience…you know how that goes. Lasers, Cake, Motown, and cannons…indeed!
Kings Go Forth, Questlove, and TV on the Radio sets from LouFest 2.0 in Forest Park
Kings brought the dance party and some fresh air into the festival’s first day, Questlove did a stellar DJ set in the void of the absent Roots (thanks, hurricane), and TV took an otherwise lackluster second-day and closed out the festival with some awesome lights and good grooves.
Ellen Herget leads St. Louis folk duo The Skekses and also writes interesting poetry, much of which is featured in the Bad Shoe series here in town. She sent us her Top Shows of 2011 submission late and we are calling her out right here, right now!
1. Campfire Club/Scarlet Tanager/The Skekses Heavy Anchor, November
This was a show [my band] played with longtime friends the Campfire Club for their LP release. I am listing this show for two reasons: Scarlet Tanager blew me away with their tight, layered harmonies (instrumental and vocal); and the Campfire Club, high on the culmination of an insane record-making process, smashed the night to pieces. The folks in Scarlet Tanager possess a Scooby-Doo-Gang-level of cuteness–regarding both appearance and songwriting. The Heavy Anchor is a great venue, and the sound guy deserves a lot of credit–balancing their keys, drums, toy piano, extra drum, multi-vocals, multi-guitars, and bass must be a delicate art. Pulled together, their sound is all-encompassing and eternally joyous. I bought their record (a high compliment from me–I’m broke). Also, they receive bonus points for covering “The Monster Mash” with startling accuracy.
I’ve seen the Campfire Club evolve over the past few years, from a folk duo/trio/whoever shows up, to the country-rock multi-man monstrosity it is today. It took them years to make this record, and the work was worth it. They played an extra-long set, and brought home the final song on the floor, acoustically. It was a blast.
2. Magic City/Warm Jets, El Lenador, sometime in the summer madness
My ears still hurt. So good.
You know that thing where you fight to the front of the heaving-body-jello-mass and take that gasp of slightly cooler air and you can feel bass blasts through the floor and from the PA and inside of your skull? That thing?
I love loud music that means something.
3. Lester Shy and the Shyphonics (a tribute to the Dead Milkmen)/The Rum Drum Ramblers/The Griddle Kids/Maximum Effort, house party, October
Have you seen the Griddle Kids? Go see ‘em.
Have you Maximum Effort? See above.
Have you seen The Rum Drum Ramblers? (What the hell? Did you live under a rock for the last five years?) See above.
Have you seen Lester Shy and the Shyphonics (a tribute to the Dead Milkmen)? Perhaps, if you bury a rabid skunk under a full moon when the sun is in the 7th house and water drains counter-clockwise, you will get a chance to see them again.
Go see ‘em.
Top Shows of 2011: Media
Christian Schaeffer has been a contributing music writer for the Riverfront Times since 2002. He hosts the live-in-studio program Collector’s Edition on KDHX (88.1 FM) and plays piano in the Dive Poets (http://thedivepoets.bandcamp.com).
1. Elvis Costello & the Imposters at The Pageant – 7/1/2011
This might seem like an easy number-one pick since my musical universe has revolved around Elvis Costello since I was 17. But even fanboys can spot when something special takes place, and the “Spectacular Spinning Songbook” show was just that. By leaving the setlist to the hands of fate (and of a few lucky fans who got to spin the big game show wheel to which song titles were attached), Costello proved that he has mastered rock & roll’s conventions so thoroughly that he and his band can throw out the playbook and make magic on the spot. Eddie Vedder even popped in to sing the Who’s “Substitute,” which was a nice moment even if you blame Vedder for being the growl that launched a thousand Scott Stapps. http://blogs.riverfronttimes.com/rftmusic/2011/07/elvis_costello_review_photos_setlist.php
2. Sade at Scottrade Center – 7/28/2011
Given that Sade records appear with comet-spotting rarity, to say nothing of full-scale tours, this was pretty easily the most anticipated show of the summer. Lead singer Sade Adu may very well be an alien goddess sent from a far sexier planet, with her effortlessly stunning voice and ageless visage making her a slow-jam enigma for almost 30 years. The instrumentalists in Sade were likewise perfect at this midsummer show, with note-for-note recreations of their soft-touch R&B hits. Any time you can be in the same room as Sade commits to “Is It A Crime” — in which she reminds us that her love is wider than Victoria Lake, taller than the Empire State — drop everything and return the love. http://blogs.riverfronttimes.com/rftmusic/2011/07/sade_john_legend_scottrade_center.php
3. Centro-matic & Sarah Jaffe at Off Broadway – 7/5/2011
St. Louis is regularly blessed with visits from Denton, Texas’ Centro-matic, and in the ten years I’ve been seeing this foursome play, they’ve never once phoned it in or been anything less than a charming, loud rock band. This year’s “Candidate Waltz” is their best record in 7 or 8 years, so this summer’s show had the benefit of fine new material played alongside old favorites like “Huge in Every City” and “The Mighty Midshipman.” But if Centro-matic was dependably great, the show stands out as my first introduction to fellow Dentonian (Dentonite?) Sarah Jaffe, whose songs manage to be emotionally harrowing while being coolly delivered. Still waiting for her “Clementine” to become the anthem is so deserves to be. http://blogs.riverfronttimes.com/rftmusic/2011/07/centro-matic_sarah_jaffe_review_photos_setlist.php
Chris Bay – KDHX DJ and music writer. http://kdhx.org/goldsoundz
My top three concerts of 2011 fit within a definitive theme: Shows from bands that I have long been a big fan of but which I have never previously had the chance to see play live. There’s something magical in the kind of anticipation involved with such a show.
1. Crooked Fingers at Cactus Club, Milwaukee, WI – 11/12/2011
2. Superchunk at Raleigh City Plaza, Raleigh, NC – 9/10/2011
3. The Hold Steady at LouFest, St. Louis, MO – 8/27/2011
Jason Stoff is the photographer and editor of Encor.es, a photoblog dedicated to exploring intersections of the musical and visual.
1. Josh Ritter and the Royal City Band at Off Broadway – 7/22/11
If there was a hotter show in St. Louis this year, the venue couldn’t have survived. Ritter and his crew returned to Off Broadway for the first time since 2009, and delivered a performance that cut through humidity and sweat to move each and every audience member. Few artists can bring a St. Louis crowd to absolute, awed silence, but Ritter managed it (twice). It’s a shame that his growing popularity will likely necessitate larger venues in the future, because there’s something about the proximity to the band’s good-natured chops that brings out the best in a crowd.
2. Beirut at The Pageant – 10/6/2011
Zachary Condon is, I think, the best kind of gypsy musician — the kind that enchants you with sound sculpted of pure, vibrant colors, tugs at your heartstrings with gorgeous music, and leaves you satisfied but somehow longing for more. Beirut’s show at The Pageant wasn’t all things to all people, but it was finely distilled beauty for those willing to be entranced.
3. St. Vincent at The Old Rock House – 10/9/2011
For my money, there weren’t any records released in 2011 that topped Annie Clark’s “Strange Mercy.” As a live band, St. Vincent is an odd amalgam — equal parts metal guitar riffs, experimental free-jazz structures, and pop hooks — with a dash of pathos thrown in for good measure. The sold-out Old Rock House crowd couldn’t get enough, and as I stumbled out into the St. Louis night after the show, there was a sense that we’d all just shared something rare and special.
Kiernan Maletsky is the Riverfront Times Music Editor. He moved to St. Louis in April and likes it here. He spends lots of time working on rftmusic.com.
1. Magic City Les Animaux Épouvantables Release Show at El Leñador – 7/23/2011
As it happens at most of the best shows and none of the rest, I was too caught up in it to remember much detail. It was more packed than I’d ever seen El Leñador and I was fighting toward the front. You could feel a current. I bought the marbled vinyl and a t-shirt and got a candle and a large sticker of an animal made out of stars for free. Everyone was feeling congratulatory afterward.
2. Theodore and Adult Fur at the Crack Fox – 10/13/2011
Someday very soon, all the pieces will fall into place at an Adult Fur show and all the air will rush out of everybody’s lungs. In mid-October we had a projector that never showed up, Eric Hall tending a welcoming bar and Theodore violently forging a gem. Worth the burning eyeballs and shortened laundry cycle every trip to the Crack Fox brings with it.
3. tUnE-yArDs at Off Broadway – 11/8/2011
Bring a towel to wipe off the slobber when you follow this link: http://blogs.riverfronttimes.com/rftmusic/2011/11/tune-yards_off_broadway_review_photos_setlist.php
Louis Kwok runs the photo-centric concert blog, musicVSman, the perfect escape from his mundane office day job.
1. St. Vincent at Old Rock House – 10/6/2011 – Goodness gracious. The only thing that wasn’t perfect about that night was that I wasn’t able to get Annie Clark to sign my copy of Strange Mercy.
2. Doomtree at Kanrocksas – 8/5/2011 – The first-time festival held a lot of big acts (Eminem, Flaming Lips, Muse, Black Keys), but it was the Minneapolis hip-hop conglomerate that came out of nowhere to completely bum rush the crowd and deliver one of the most energetic performances that weekend.
3. Beirut at The Pageant – 10/9/2011 – Beirut’s generous full-set shooting photo policy made it tempting to keep shooting, but it wasn’t long before I plopped down in a seat in the balcony to just relax and enjoy Beirut’s amazing performance.
Nate Burrell: music photographer and regular contributor for KDHX. Personal website: www.beforetheblink.com
1: Taj Mahal at Roots ‘N Blues ‘N BBQ – 9/9/2011 – I may be biased on this, since he’s my favorite living musician, but to see an artist with 40 years experience who still owns the skill, dexterity, and energy as I’d expect he’d have had in the beginning is just mind blowing. I’ve always been really drawn to how he shows interest in and respect to the various styles he was influenced by – from the Texas country blues stuff to traditional African folk stuff, hints of Caribbean style rhythms and what not….just badass. And he’ll sing and shout and sweat and wail like he’s never going to get to do it again.
2: Lauryn Hill at The Pageant – 1/16/2011 — Having heard the stories of her timepiece precision in being late to her own shows, she held true to form, but it was well worth it. She was an absolute soul woman. A band leader. A conductor. A teacher. A flat out fine performer. I was absolutely amazed at how sharp she was and how she seemed to be completely entranced in the moment. And the huge backing band she had was stellar just the same. I left the show and was floored by how good it was.
3: Gillian Welch at The Pageant – 9/3/2011 — This was one of those shows where I think I’ll look back one day and be like “…Damn, I was lucky to see that.” Amazing song craft that is brought to a whole different life and feel when performed live…simply beautiful. Ms. Welch pouring out all kinds of shades of emotion and honesty, while being accompanied by David Rawlings and his masterful ownership of the guitar… together creating layers of harmony that is nearly impossible to replicate. It was also really neat to see a seated show at the Pageant and to have a sold out audience be 100% attentive to and appreciative of what was going on – fitting, to say the least.
Jaime Lees is a music writer. She likes rock and roll. And poodles.
Jaimeville.com
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RiverfrontTimes.com
Sex Robots, Bunnygrunt, Bassamp & Dano at El Lenador – 10/24/2011
I’ve probably seen Bunnygrunt hundreds of times (like, literally) and I’m always happy about it each dang time. Bunnygrunt is one of my favorite bands ever, but on this night I was at El Lenador to see the Sex Robots. And I’ll tell you what, I was ready to chuck a full can of Stag at the Grunt. Get off the stage, jerks! Me want Sex Bots! I was super excited about the show that whole day. Well, really, that whole month. Like, bring me a fainting couch excited. Beatlemania excited. It was gross.
So, Sex Robots played. And they were great. They were better than ever. Yes, I say that every time, but every time it’s still true. I rarely feel as blissful as I do in the middle of a Sex Robots show. We all sang along all night, my insane level of worship was validated and people who hadn’t seen them before became instant fans. If at all possible, I beg you: see this band. Amazing.
Tennis System at Firebird – 9/25/2011
A friend in DC sent me a link to this DC/LA band who were playing St. Louis because he thought that I’d like them. I almost didn’t even check them out, but then peeped their website and their biography read: “If My Bloody Valentine & Sonic Youth had a baby with The Kinks it would be named Tennis System.” I though, “Pfft! They freakin’ wish!” and then I listened – mostly of out spite – just to prove them wrong in my own mind. But I’ll be damned if that bio wasn’t spot on.
The band was scheduled to play at Pig Slop, but that got all messed up and the Firebird was kind enough to add them to their schedule on the same night as Sleepy Sun. Their sound was thick but inviting. Strong, but pretty. Wide and yet somehow contained. The new record (Teenagers) is great, but the band is even better live. And the more I listen the more I’m convinced that they might be my favorite discovery of 2011.
The LIVERS, Bunnygrunt at DJ Lil’ Daddy Reba McEntire (Eric Hall) at El Lenador – 2/11/2011
This shit was my birthday show! And it really was my favorite show of the year. These three are my favorites (that’s why I asked them to play at my party, duh) and they provided non-stop awesome all night. The lovely Johnny Vegas let me have the show at El Lenador and provided Warm Jets USA’s Jason Hutto as an extra bartender. Thank goodness for that, because my damn birthday show was crowded all night with both friends and strangers. (And they were thirsty. Very, very thirsty.)
I’ve already covered how much I love Bunnygrunt, but they gave this show a little extra: playing all dressed up in their finest sparkles, boas, leather and shorty shorts. And they learned The Cure’s “Just Like Heaven” and played it for me! I might have cried a little. The LIVERS haven’t played out much lately, but when they do it’s always amazing. This A/V combo rock show must be seen to be believed. The guys in the band are my friends and they made me a special birthday video. Heart explosions, I tell ya. And DJ Lil’ Daddy Reba McEntire kept the party bumpin’ between bands and late into the night. His mash-up jammers are mind-blowing and he got all the pretty girls to dance. Many “Oh, shiiiit! This is my cut!” moments happened. I wanted it to go on forever.
Bryan J. Sutter has been the venue photographer for The Firebird here in Saint Louis, Missouri for the last two years. In that time he’s shot an embarrassingly large amount of shows and rubbed elbows with more than a few of your indie rock sacred cows. No big deal. Bryan enjoys the finer things in life, as long as whiskey is involved. URL: www.IShotGuyDebord.com
The Antlers at The Firebird – 6/10/2011
I shot The Antlers back in 2009 at Play:STL and was really, really impressed. Hospice is as amazing and smart as it is a huge, emotionally draining bummer. While I am not so familiar with their latest release, Burst Apart, this did not stop me from being super excited about them coming back.
What I remember most about the evening was standing in the back of the room and watching the band finish their final song. The lights dimmed, the band walked off stage, right into the greenroom, the tried and true set up for an encore. In short time the band returned, looking slightly refreshed and fully embracing the cheers of the capacity crowd. There were 3 songs in the encore, the only one that matters in this narrative was the 1st, “Two.”
“Two” is not a happy song. Some would call it a strange choice to start off an encore but The Antlers aren’t exactly a band with neon tank tops on Warped Tour. Doesn’t hurt that it’s probably still their biggest song. It’s a track that fucks you up, not unlike pulling a muscle in your shoulder that you never knew existed. It can stick you real good, but also comes off as wondrous and beautiful, if anything, for letting recognizing your own emotional capacity. The crowd was fixated, frontman Peter Silberman’s words hung like clouds, punctuated and weighted with Michael Lerner’s steady beat. Some folks were crying.
We were happy sad together.
JEFF The Brotherhood at The Gargoyle – 2/26/2011
For whatever reason, St. Louis is still sleeping on JEFF. Though, it seems on the mark that the flagship act from the most prolific scene going on right now (Nashville), widespread praise from both indie and mainstream outlets, and two amazing LPs would be good for about 30-40 people in Saint Louis.
But here’s the deal: when you got 30-40 people in a gross college venue who know what’s up, things aren’t so bad. In fact, they can be pretty awesome. Having your friends smuggle in contraband helps, too. The room ended up feeling pretty intimate and so close to a gnarly basement show that you might have caught yourself once or twice looking for the dude in the red hat to give your $5 to.
JEFF were on it and not far into their set the vibe was really starting to come together. They played all their hits, plus some tunes from their then-unreleased album We Are The Champions (I was fortunate enough to get a leak from a Nashville friend so I already knew the words) and singer/guitarist Jake even made crowd surfing in 2011 not look lame. My photos weren’t too shabby, either.
Oh, and fellow Nashville natives Diarrhea Planet opened the night and they are not only awesome but once tricked Pitchfork into reporting that they were going on tour with Weezer, which is still fucking funny.
An Under Cover Weekend 5: Night 1 at The Firebird – 9/9/2011
Disclosure: I was involved in some promotional materials for AUCW5.
AUCW is fun. Plain and simple. Get a grouping of local bands, get them to play covers but not in a depressing sports bar kind of way, and then you sell alcohol. Everyone wins.
Night 2 was slick, don’t get me wrong, but night 1 of AUCW always seems to hit a little harder. There is still a sense of surprise in the air and the excitement keeps peaking. For the sake of space I’ll say that every band showed off their hard work. Highlights included: Tight Pants Syndrome vs. Paper Dolls as ELO and their awesome light show, Dots Not Feathers as Stevie Wonder and Union Tree Review as Marvin Gaye breaking out some very period correct clothing (extra brownie points go to Tawaine from UTR and his ruffled shirt), Bo and the Locomotive nailing the vibe of Cake ever so well, and the wigged awesomeness of Via Dove as AC/DC. Among all this you see cross-genre interactions and budding friendships among people and musicians who may not normally interact with one another. How is that not awesome?
Top Shows of 2011: Musicians
This first post is from St. Louis musicians and the shows that inspired them. Enjoy Melinda and Travis’ explanation of the same concert, Evan’s crazy Halloween night, and shows so good they made Stephen think about quitting music
Melinda Cooper plays bass, drums, and guitar for The Union Electric, Celia’s Big Rock Band and Town Cars.
Sebadoh at Off Broadway - 4/2/11
I would have paid $50 to see them in a crappy venue, but to get to see them at Off Broadway? For whatever under $50 amount it was? Even better. They played everything. And they played everything fast and hard. This show was one big manic superfan freak out after another. Seriously, any time you get to stand in front of the stage and sing/yell along with the band and several of your closest friends is, of course, always going to be the best show ever.
Bottoms Up Blues Gang’s 10th Anniversary Party at Venice Café – 8/20/11
BUBG is always a good time and Venice is surreal on a regular night. This combination on this night in particular was so.much.fun. Nobody cared that it was about 130 degrees Fahrenheit outside or about the jam packed-ness. There was a major Muppet Show vibe in the place. There were hipsters, bluesers, bikers, old couples, young couples, random Cardinals fans who wandered in – there was even a baby in a pair of big blue headphones up front. Some people were so into it they were using their 12” of room to “dance”, which was more along the lines of bumping into strangers while hugging. BUBG brought it, too. Jeremy and Kari were gussied up and gorgeous, perfectly on, and looked like they were having a total blast with a host of guest musicians ready to hop in and out of the set all night. I love this band.
Gillian Welch at The Pageant – 9/3/11
It was another 130 degree night. No power, no drinks, no air-conditioning…no kidding, it was really awesome. I got to sit with some dear friends whom I never get to see, got to hear great music and funny stories from Welch and Rawlings, and was part of a huge sing-a-long that got me all weepy. Then there was also the Bombara Bonus in the Halo Bar after the show which came complete with lights and a/c. Turns out I’d been in a big dark room with a bunch of pals all night and didn’t even know it. We spent the rest of the night singing along with Beth and recapping the unbelievable show we’d seen an hour earlier. I don’t mean to come off sounding this sappy about it, but it really was the shit.
Travis Bursik is one half of experimental electronic band Ou Où (http://ouou.bandcamp.com/) and one half of DJ duo Dub Wand. He likes bands that have the good sense to break up when they need to, and thinks second encores are embarrassing for everyone.
Benoit Pioulard, A Winged Victory for the Sullen, Ken Camden at Off Broadway – 11/5/2011
Three Kranky Records artists joined forces for a rare and woefully underattended show at Off Broadway. It was Benoit Pioulard’s first show in St. Louis and likely his last as he’s moving to Europe. His beautiful, delicate songs float atop a sea of Basinski-style tape loops and rippling echo. Last year’s “Lasted” is Pioulard’s most graceful and refined work so far, though I remember saying that about the album before that as well as the album before that. Sweeping, ecstatic performances from solo guitar player Ken Camden and string-and-drone group AWVftS helped create a lovely, memorable evening.
Disappears, .e at Billiken Club – 5/5/2011
Disappears is a band for people that think songs with three chords are too flashy. Featuring Brian Case (ex-90 Day Men) and Steve Shelley (from that one band), Disappears played their emphatic motorik garage rock with punch and clarity. Formed in 2008, they already have two singles, a live album, and two (soon to be three) records under their belt. They had just released their second album in January 2011 and were already playing new material, including a cover of Suicide’s “Radiation.” They make your favorite band look downright lazy by comparison.
Merle Haggard, Kris Kristofferson at Fox – 3/9/2011
Being able to see either Merle Haggard or Kris Kristofferson is rare enough, but to see them perform together was not an opportunity to be missed. Although Kristofferson was nursing a sore throat and a weak voice, the two singers drew from their fifty year catalogs and played just about everything you would want them to play. My wife was moved to tears when they closed with “Pancho and Lefty,” and it was as satisfying an experience as, well, as satisfying as hearing Merle Haggard close with “Pancho and Lefty.”
Sebadoh, Richard Buckner, Colour Revolt at Off Broadway – 4/2/2011
This year, the classic Sebadoh lineup reunited and proved that they still got it! By it, I mean their reputation as spoiled, petulant jerks. Seriously, what a bunch of babies. It was impossible to reconcile the Lou Barlow that sang his embarrassing and earnest teen poetry anthems with the Lou Barlow that berated the crowd and threatened to stop the show unless someone brought him some goddamn duct tape right goddamn now. Subtlety was never their strong point, and over the past fifteen years they’ve aged like fine whine. They dicked around through the rest of their set, taking their sweet time to tune, cast sidelong looks at each other and mutter under their breath. Richard Buckner performed a tasteful and solid opening set, but his efforts were no match for the extended temper tantrum that followed.
Evan Sult sings and bangs drums for the acclaimed St. Louis duo Sleepy Kitty.
Some Fine Moments from 2011
There’s something about a show at El Lenador that lends itself to legend. For some dumb reason or other, Sleepy Kitty’s never even played there yet, but not for lack of love.
Halloween weekend was a crazy one for shows—we must have seen ten bands in the span of that seemingly endless stretch of costumes and cold snap. Monday night, though, the actual Halloween night, was the winner. We started out at the Firebird watching Mates of State, who were tearing it up with her dressed up as a cop and the rest of the band as her prisoners…. But we’d heard tell that Little Big Bangs were doing their version of the Velvet Underground at El Lenador, so despite the comforts of the Firebird we headed back to Cherokee. The crowd looked amazing, but the real story was the fucked-up spectacle of a confused and excited Little Big Bangs on stage. Their versions of “Head Held High,” “Inside Your Heart,” “Run Run Run” and “All Tomorrow’s Parties” were so electric and crazy, it felt more like I imagine a Velvet Underground show would have felt than if they actually sounded like VU. Which they didn’t, really. They sounded like the thing I like inside Velvet Underground songs, that tweaky gnashing nervous energy sizzling right through the chords. It felt like a real thing.
There were so many good shows this year! tUnE-yArDs blew my mind wide open at Off Broadway, So Many Dynamos and MSIF transformed Foam into a sweaty dance club, the Black Angels swept in on the tails of a dozen tornado warnings at Old Rock House, and one of our favorite bands from Chicago or anywhere else, Bailiff, opened for JC Brooks & the Uptown Sound at Off Broadway and claimed the room for their own (they’ll be back soon—don’t miss them). We got to open for Deerhoof at the Luminary! In the waning minutes of the year, Blind Eyes and Kentucky Knife Fight combined forces to make the new year timeless.
But even so… the sound I hear in the back of my mind goes “Buh-bub-buh-buh-buh-buh-buh-buh-buh-buh-buh-buh-buh-buh-buh-buh Bunnygrunt!” Warm Jets USA had just killed a set of other people’s songs to celebrate the release of their own new album. We’d been catching them every time we could, but the only cover we recognized this time was their blazing version of “Loveless.” Every song was a new flash of recognition that made me understand their roots a little better. I don’t remember if Googlplexia was a part of that show, but as far as I care it was because I always picture Rob in a smoking jacket and wireless mic weaving his way through that room singing some Frenchy thing or other. But the end of the night was the amazing thing. Bunnygrunt fired through their reliably super-excellent set of songs and kicked into an end-of-night jam that grew further and further out of control, til a guy probably everyone in the room knew but me picked up an abandoned mic and started his weird little band-name chant. It got big, then bigger, then bigger, then he got sort of nudged out of the way…but he came back with a whispered version of the chant while the band played on and half the crowd joined in on percussion, and it’s that irrepressible chant that Paige and I have been repeating to each other at odd moments through the rest of the year.
Another musical moment I’m thankful to’ve seen arrived via 2720. We caught the promising sound of a good band through the wall, so we checked it out and sure enough it was the Chicago band Cave, who we’d been hearing about but hadn’t gotten a proper listen to. Their set was good and we were enjoying it, but then they started into a piece that felt so damn perfect it was like I’d been waiting to hear it for years. The rhythms all curled around themselves in curving spirals and the patterns pinwheeled all around my head and it just went on and on and I couldn’t get enough. They’re a good band, but at the moment they are primarily the shepherds of this one perfect song, this 14-minute musical M C Escher trick, which they knew enough to call “This Is the Best.” I respectfully agree.
I’m sure, quite sure, that we heard and saw (and played) other moments as fine as these in 2011, but I’ve never been a keeper of lists, so I must rely on the flashes of light in the darkness. To 2011, to 2012—chin chin!
Stephen Baier- I am the guitarist/vocalist for Dots Not Feathers and an avid show-attender. When not at a show, I enjoy dominoes and hot tea.
1) Fleet Foxes at The Pageant – 7/19/2011
Being entirely truthful, Fleet Foxes is my favorite band in the world. Still, as giddy as I was, even I had enough sense to understand I was watching a truly transcendent performance.
2) St. Vincent at Old Rock House – 10/6/11
Simultaneously made me fall in love and quit music in one fell swoop.
3) Old Lights Like Strangers Release Show at Off Broadway – 7/15/2011
Simultaneously made me fall in love and quit music in one fell swoop. And getting to see the always impressive and jovial folks in the Blind Eyes solidified my deep adoration of this show. I left Off Broadway craving to go home and practice.
