Riverfront Times, June 15, 2022 by Chava Communications

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TABLE OF CONTENTS Publisher Chris Keating Editor in Chief Rosalind Early

E D I T O R I A L Managing Editor Daniel Hill Digital Content Editors Jaime Lees, Jenna Jones Food Editor Cheryl Baehr Staff Writers Ryan Krull, Monica Obradovic Contributors Chris Andoe, Joseph Hess, Reuben Hemmer, Devin Thomas O’Shea, Andy Paulissen, Victor Stefanescu, Mabel Suen, Theo Welling Columnists Ray Hartmann, Dan Savage Editorial Interns Julian McCall, Carlos Mendoza, Lulu Nix, Kasey Noss, Olivia Poolos, A R T

& P R O D U C T I O N Art Director Evan Sult Creative Director Haimanti Germain Production Manager Sean Bieri Graphic Designer Aspen Smit

M U L T I M E D I A A D V E R T I S I N G Associate Publisher Colin Bell Account Manager Jennifer Samuel Directors of Business Development Rachel Hoppman, Chelsea Nazaruk Directors of Sponsorship Sales Deanna Schmidt

COVER Out and Proud

M A R K E T I N G Director of Marketing & Events Christina Kimerle Marketing Coordinator Sydney Schaefer Social Media Coordinator Jamila Jackson

St. Louis celebrates Pride Month Cover design by

RAGON DICKARD

B U S I N E S S Regional Operations Director Emily Fear C I R C U L A T I O N Circulation Manager Kevin G. Powers

INSIDE Hartmann News

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St. Louis Standards

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Out Every Night

Savage Love

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HARTMANN Greitens Loves January 6 Disgraced ex-governor built his comeback endorsing the “Big Lie” Written by

RAY HARTMANN

ric Greitens must feel like he’s in political heaven right now: The January 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol has taken center stage again. For most Americans – Republicans included – January 6 will be remembered as one of the darkest days in the nation’s history. But for Missouri’s disgraced ex-governor, it was not about darkness at all. It was about the light Greitens could see after crawling out from under his rock. After resigning from office, Greitens had been left for dead politically after allegedly blackmailing his hairdresser to keep her from telling anyone they’d had an affair. But he had found an opening for his unlikely political resurrection when, on November 3, 2020, thenPresident Donald Trump lost to Joe Biden. With his magnetic attraction to sleaze, Greitens was among the first to deny reality. At the time, Greitens had just launched a new show called Actionable Intelligence with Eric Greitens. It was broadcast on the fringe network known as Real America’s Voice, the platform for Trump vampire Steve Bannon among others. Just two days after Biden’s victory in the U.S. presidential election, Greitens interviewed erstwhile Trump attorney Jenna Ellis for the 10th episode of his show. Ellis, a failed traffic court attorney, proclaimed “we have declared victory in Pennsylvania,” among other “alternative facts.” The next day, Greitens doubled down on what was to become the Big Lie in an interview with rightwing journalist John Solomon, whose “Just the News” propaganda organization hosted Greitens’ show. And it did not stop there.

Greitens brought on famous shirt-tucker Rudy Giuliani, who declared he’s “never seen an election with half this much evidence of fraud.” Former Trump adviser Steve Cortes assured Greitens and his audience that “it is statistically improbable to the point of impossible that Trump lost the election.” But it wasn’t until the January 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol that Greitens must have realized he hit political pay dirt. In real time, Greitens described January 6 as “a big and in many ways unfortunate [day].” That was the closest he came to criticizing the riot. And Greitens went on to interview former St. Louisan and member of the Trump campaign’s media advisory board Gina Loudon, who was previewing her show that was to follow. After offering her firsthand reporting that antifa was much to blame for the Capitol riot — which “might have included some Trump supporters” — Loudon said, “What I saw on the ground were tear-gas bombs exploding, people walking away with their faces red and tears flowing. I’ve never witnessed our government opposing patriots. That was something I never thought I’d see in our lifetime.” Greitens agreed, and with good reason. Within 72 hours of the election, he had weaseled himself onto the far-right national stage. He was on his way. Within two months, Greitens ditched the show and announced his candidacy for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by Senator Roy Blunt. The race quickly devolved into a wild six-way scramble — between Greitens, Attorney General Eric Schmitt, U.S. Representative Vicky Hartzler (R-Harrisonville), St. Louis attorney Mark McCloskey, U.S. Representative Billy Long and state Senate President Pro Tem Dave Schatz — for the title of “Who Is The Trumpiest of Them All?” The stars could not have aligned better for Greitens. Republicans were and are aghast at their party running as its Senate candidate the very guy they had exorcised as governor in 2018. Their concern is that they might get stuck with a latter-day Todd Akin: somehow not quite creepy enough to get rejected by Republican primary voters, but a liability nonetheless on the November ballot. That happened to them just a

decade ago in 2012. The Republicans’ dilemma isn’t helped by the apparent fact that being a sexual predator and alleged spousal (and child) abuser may be just fine with the Trump base in 2022. And the more that the field became populated by anyonebut-Greitens candidates, the more the math favored Greitens. As the primary race turns for home in the final seven weeks, most polls show Greitens — receiving about 23 to 26 percent of the vote — clinging to a modest lead over the only challengers who have gained traction: Hartzler and the actor formerly known as state Attorney General Eric Schmitt. Those two seem to be swapping secondand third-place spots. Polling is not to be trusted these days. But there is one unknown variable that cannot be denied: An endorsement by Trump of one of these three candidates would likely be game-set-match for the other two. Missouri is one of the Trumpiest states in the nation. The wannabe autocrat’s seal of approval would have enormous impact in the Republican primary, regardless of what any of us on the outside might wish to believe. It is fair to say that the top three candidates currently reside within the Margin of Trump. So the big question is whether the outcome of Missouri’s GOP primary intersects with Trump’s self-interest and narcissism. My Republican sources believe he will endorse, and I have no reason to doubt it. The race has emerged as one of the nation’s most interesting to watch, and Trump loves ratings. This is where Greitens may prove to benefit from glomming on to the Big Lie and to the effort by Republicans to minimize and then to wish away the January 6 insurrection. There’s a decent chance that might tip the scales for him. Greitens has been able to ensconce himself among some of the most revered bottom-feeders of MAGA world. He apparently has emerged as a personal favorite of Bannon, fittingly enough, as well as the likes of Solomon, Ellis and Nazi-lookalike Sebastian Gorka. That’s priceless for a Republican in 2022. And its value for Trump sycophants will rise in direct proportion to the negative impact that

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the House select committee’s public hearings on January 6 might have on Trump. Past loyalty means nothing to Trump. But what does matter is a candidate’s willingness to throw down with force in promoting the Big Lie that the election was stolen in 2020. All the Republican candidates for this U.S. Senate seat in Missouri know the election was not stolen. As such, the final weeks of mouthto-mouth combat may come down to who can lie the most convincingly on behalf of Trump. It’s hard to imagine a more formidable opponent in a battle of lies than Greitens. But Hartzler has done an impressive job of hiding the utter disgust any Church Lady must have with Trump’s worldclass sleaziness. Hartzler’s disingenuousness was illustrated by her before-and-after tweets regarding the January 6 riot. She went from chastising protesters for “behavior one would expect to witness during a third world coup” on January 6 to deciding last week that the hearings are merely “an illegitimate committee weaponized to solely attack former President Trump.” At least Hartzler is flexible. As for Schmitt, his awkwardness in groveling at Trump’s feet is hard to watch even for those of us who can no longer stand the guy. Schmitt seems to be pinning his hopes on some pathetic renditions of Trump’s social media Tourette syndrome. Also not likely in his favor, Schmitt has the endorsement of Senator Ted Cruz (R-Texas), hardly a real Trump pal. Trump and Cruz never seem to back the same candidate in a closely contested major race. It’s difficult to predict what Trump will do — or if he’ll sit it out — but for now it seems likely that he’ll endorse either Greitens or Hartzler. The latter does have the passionate backing of Senator Josh Hawley, one of Trump’s preferred insurrectionists. But don’t bet against Greitens getting the orange thumbs-up. And if he does, or if he wins because Trump sits it out, there will be one group deserving Greitens’ gratitude more than any other. It would be those “patriots” who tried to overthrow American democracy on January 6. n

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RIVERFRONT TIMES

NEWS

‘Tip of the Iceberg’ Mayor Tishaura Jones speaks out after three aldermen are accused of corruption Written by

MONICA OBRADOVIC

ess than a week after three St. ouis officials were indicted on federal corruption charges, Mayor Tishaura Jones says that there are more indictments to come. e’ve known that aldermanic courtesy has been something that has been at the board for a long time, ones told reporters at a press briefing une . e don’t know how many other people are involved, and I think there are more federal indictments to come. n une , an unsealed indictment sent shockwaves through t. ouis. ederal prosecutors alleged then- oard of Aldermen resident ewis eed and Aldermen ohn ollinsuhammad and effrey oyd accepted cash and in the cases of oyd and ollinsuhammad, other gifts in exchange for political favors. ast week, ones said she doesn’t know for certain whether constituents can expect more indictments. However, she said she thinks this is just the tip of the iceberg. one of us have a crystal ball, and we cannot predict if there are more federal indictments to come, ones added. ut here’s what I do know t. ouis’ faith in their government has been shaken once again, betrayed by those who allegedly sought to use their public office for private profit. eed, oyd and ollinsuhammad have all resigned. Tenth ard Alderman oe ollmer will take eed’s place as board president. In a conversation with the mayor, ollmer stressed a commitment to restoring the board’s integrity, ones said. he asked the public to give him a chance as ollmer navigates a role for

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Mayor Tishaura Jones. | MONICA OBRADOVIC which he did not seek election. ollmer will serve as acting president until a special election for board president in ovember. ones said her administration is reviewing potential ethics language and legislation to protect the board from corruption. he added that the t. ouis evelopment orporation is working to create a more transparent and accountable tax-incentive system. eed, ollinsuhammad and oyd accepted cash from a local business owner who attempted to purchase and eutilization Authority property and obtain a tax abatement for it, the indictment alleges. The A did not grant the tax abatement, according to ones. ast week, the t. ouis evelopment orporation announced it would freeze applications to purchase A properties in uly as it reevaluates and retools its processes. taff will still process existing transactions, but won’t accept new purchase offers until ctober. ones addressed her and eed’s

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“But here’s what I do know: St. Louis’ faith in their government has been shaken once again, betrayed by those who allegedly sought to use their public office for private profit.” turbulent political relationship in prepared remarks, saying the charges outlined in the indictment go beyond any personal or political disagreement. Anyone who’s followed ity Hall knows that despite my administration’s best efforts, resi-

dent ewis eed fought me from the day that I first stepped into this office, she said. He refused to meet with me and my staff, time and time again about the American escue lan or other key issues. effrey oyd fought me every day since I became treasurer in . rosecutors allege that during an August meeting, ollinsuhammad said he was on the mayor’s shit list and that she’s on mine too. He spoke in reference to a board bill ones vetoed. If it had passed, the bill would have given a tax abatement on a planned gas station convenience store in ollinsuhammad’s ward. After eed’s resignation on une , ones said eed, oyd and ollinsuhammad’s corruption charges brought a dispiriting but necessary moment of reflection for St. Louis. This is a stain on our city, but it will not prevent us from becoming a fairer, safer and stronger t. ouis across racial lines and I codes, ones said. n

Trudy Busch Valentine’s Campaign Worries Missouri Democrats The U.S. Senate candidate doesn’t speak directly to voters Written by

RYAN KRULL

rudy Busch Valentine wants to be the Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate in Missouri, but two left-leaning political organizers in St. Louis say it is exceedingly difficult to get her to appear live in front of voters. Valentine made a splash when she first entered the race in the last week of March, on the day before the candidate filing deadline. Scott Sifton, a former state senator for St. Louis County, immediately dropped out of the race and endorsed her. During the first two weeks of her campaign, Valentine did an interview with the Post-Dispatch and the Missouri Independent. Since then, organizers tell the RFT that Valentine has largely avoided any situation where she might be asked tough questions. Debbie Kitchen, a group leader for Indivisible St. Louis, is one of two St. Louis political organizers who spoke to the RFT about the difficulties they encountered booking Valentine for a Q&A with voters. Indivisible St. Louis is a nonpartisan national organization working on behalf of a progressive agenda and candidates. After Valentine filed, Kitchen says she tried to organize a “candidate and coffee” event for her. “We had general questions,” Kitchen says, “like, ‘Why are you running?’ Simple little icebreakers.” But “there was no getting her there,” Kitchen explains. “There was no real excuse. Just, ‘She’s not available for that. I’m sorry.’” Kitchen says Lucas Kunce declined to do a “candidate and coffee” event as well, but made himself available for a future event. In an email exchange she had with the Valentine campaign, Kitchen offered several dates and times for Valentine to meet with voters over Zoom. On two different occasions, Kitchen says, Valentine offered to send a prerecorded video but would not commit to appearing live.

Trudy Busch Valentine. | VIA YOUTUBE On May 24, Indivisible St Louis had a virtual Q&A scheduled with Valentine and three other candidates. According to Kitchen, Valentine’s campaign again replied, “We would love to send a video, if that is something you would consider.” Kitchen says that she and the Valentine campaign reached an agreement: The campaign agreed for Kitchen to send them four questions that Valentine would answer in a prerecorded video to be played during the event in which the other candidates spoke live. But ultimately, Kitchen says, Valentine’s daughter had a baby, and the Valentine campaign canceled the prerecorded appearance. The organizers that are critical of Valentine say they understand family obligation. However, they are concerned that the only appearance that seemed to be on the table was a prerecorded one. Kitchen’s experience with the Valentine campaign is very similar to that of Maureen Jordan, co-chair and events coordinator for the Chesterfield Township Democrats. Jordan says her organization does not endorse candidates but merely wants to get them in front of voters. She says she worries for her party’s chances in the general election if Valentine is the nominee. She and a few other organizers met with Valentine at Washington University in April. “It was clear to me that she wasn’t prepared to take questions,” Jordan says of that meeting. “She’s hesitant, in my opinion, to appear anywhere taking questions.” Jordan’s concerns deepened when she tried to set up a town hall sponsored by the Chesterfield Township Democrats with all the Democratic primary candidates who had raised more than $1

million. Only two fit the bill: Kunce and Valentine. Jordan does say that she personally favors Kunce, but in her role as Chesterfield Township Democrats co-chair, she says she worked diligently to schedule an event with both candidates. On May 10, the event happened. Kunce showed up. Valentine didn’t. “She said she feels she’s not ready to get on the stage with Lucas. She said, ‘Look, he’s been doing this for a year and a half. He’s much more polished than I am,’” Jordan says. “And I said to myself, ‘My God, you think it’s going to be bad to get on stage with a primary contender? What are you going to do if you win?’” Jordan says she subsequently invited Valentine to a Chesterfield Township Democrats meeting in June, but the invitation was declined. Jordan then asked Valentine’s campaign if she would come to a July event if she was the only candidate there. Jordan says that Valentine’s campaign replied they “would absolutely consider it.” The RFT asked the Valentine campaign about the organizers’ concerns. Campaign Manager Alex Witt replied in a statement: “Since joining this race less than two months ago, Trudy has met with hundreds of Missourians who understand that fixing our broken politics means electing a Senator who will bring compassion and kindness to Washington. That’s why she’s looking forward to continuing to talk with people across the state about how to make life better for every Missourian, by lowering costs, strengthening our democracy, and protecting our right to choose. We will continue to schedule meetings and meet with as many Missourians as possible as we travel across the state.” Another high-ranking Missouri politi-

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cal professional did not want to weigh in on the primary publicly, but did tell the RFT that Valentine has a good story to tell, given her career as a nurse and the way that opioid addiction has struck her family. However, this source adds, “It’s been two months, and no one has really heard from her.” “This ain’t beanbag, it’s a U.S. Senate race with all the attendant scrutiny,” adds a former elected leader still involved in state politics. “You’ve got both a primary and a general [election] against legit brawlers. It’s become fairly clear she’s just not ready for prime time.” On the other side of the state, Kansas City Councilwoman Katheryn Shields expressed sentiments similar to those shared by St. Louis organizers Kitchen and Jordan. “It’s my understanding that she’s not really reaching out,” Shields says. “She does not appear to have a grassroots campaign, might be one way to put it.” One north St. Louis County political operative, who did not want to speak on the record about the ongoing primary, tells the RFT that, as far as he can tell, Valentine “threw her name in the hat but then stayed inside.” He goes on to say that her campaign kickoff event at Grant’s Farm was “screened and controlled.” “Only certain people were allowed to come in,” he says. “In general, I think they’re playing it close to the chest. “I’m sure she’s a swell person,” he adds. “But she doesn’t come off too polished or too genuine. That’s especially concerning for Black people because we don’t know you, and you’re not even making the attempt.” University of Missouri-St. Louis Assistant Professor of Political Science Anita Manion says that Valentine does have some advantages, including being well funded and having high name recognition, particularly in the St. Louis area. “She also is a woman, which in this race, when you think about someone going up against Eric Greitens in particular, could be an advantage,” Manion says. A recent KMOV poll found Valentine coming in second in the primary, with 8 percent of the vote. Kunce registered two points higher. But 63 percent of the Missouri Democratic electorate was undecided. Manion adds, “I recently saw that they’re trying to plan a debate. Lucas Kunce, who I would call her biggest rival, has committed. But her campaign hasn’t committed to the debate, which I find problematic for any candidate. Voters need to hear from the candidates before they make their choice.” n

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MISSOURILAND

Jump Around Will’s Way shows kids fun ways to stay healthy Written by

ROSALIND EARLY Photos by

THEO WELLING

ill’s Way Inc hosted a double Dutch competition in late May, a showcase of athleticism and rhythm. The event was also a wellness fair. “Instead of kids thinking about going on a diet, going to the gym, lifting weights or running, [there are] so many other things

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also keeping you active, such as jumping rope, going skating, kickball,” says Princess Stormm, board chair for Will’s Way. “We have COVID weight, you have COVID babies and everything, so we’re trying to get everybody back [out] ang get everybody active,” she adds. The event also included police talking about gun safety and handing out free gun locks. Kids also got a chance to look at a cop car. Will’s Way is named after Stormm’s grandmother, Willoria Barnes-Miller. After she died, “one thing we decided as a family was we will be healthy,” Stormm said, hence the organizations emphasis on health. It also has an emphasis on community because BarnesMiller often threw block parties. “That’s what we’re trying to do,” Stormm says, “keep that legacy alive.” n

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JUNE 15-21, 2022

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Here We Are Forget winter holidays: Now is the most magical time of the year.

It’s Pride month, which means that all over St. Louis there are events, bar crawls, concerts, shows and parades to celebrate LGBTQ folks and their allies. This year, Pride St. Louis’ theme is “Together Again” because this is the first return-to-normal ride est since the pandemic. To celebrate, the RFT put together a Pride package that is rife with nostalgia, which is apropos considering local LGBTQ historian Ste-

ven Louis Brawley will be the grand marshal of the Grand Pride Parade. First we give you the scoop on PrideFest with “Your Guide to Pride.” Then we take you into the “Changing Gayborhood” with a look at how the Grove has changed due to the pandemic and other economic and social forces. But don’t worry, there are still plenty of LGBTQ-friendly pockets around St. Louis, which we outline in our sidebar “Today’s Gayborhood.” Finally, we remember an icon, Daniel Flier, who served the LGBTQ community during the HI AI crisis. It’s a time to reflect but also a time to celebrate. Be safe, and happy Pride! —Rosalind Early

Your Guide To Pride

t. Louis PrideFest is a heady mix of rainbow colors, exuberant dancers, pulsating music, wild drinks, great food, old friends and, most importantly, a coming together of people across the region in support of LGBTQ identity and rights. “The main purpose of starting a Pride festival is to celebrate together as a community,” says Jordan Braxton, Pride St. Louis board member and director of diversity, inclusion and outreach. “If we come together, we get to celebrate how wonderful we are and what a great community we are. And, of course, yes, it’s visibility, too,

Headliners Deborah Cox is a Grammy-nominated, multi-platinum R&B/pop artist and actress who recently starred in the musical The Bodyguard and has recorded six award-winning and critically acclaimed albums.

VASSY is a multi-platinum dancemusic vocalist with numerous global chart-topping hits including “Bad” and

DJ schedule

because when you get that many people together, you say, ‘Oh, my God, there are a lot of queer people here in St. Louis and in this region.’” Braxton recalls feeling that way in the first year that the parade moved downtown. Standing at the front, she looked back at the large, enthusiastic crowd poised to march. It took her breath away. “We have arrived,” she remembers thinking at the time. “Here we are [in] downtown St. Louis with rainbow and trans flags flying, and here we are with the Arch in the background.”

That was 2013, and PrideFest has only grown since. The St. Louis PrideFest is one of the largest free festivals in the U.S.; the parade drew over 300,000 people in its last in-person iteration in 2019, Braxton says. This year’s festivities will take place on Saturday, June 25, and Sunday, June 26. PrideFest will be on Tucker Boulevard between Olive and Market streets from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Saturday and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday. The fest will include entertainment, a dance tent, a children’s area, a food court filled with area food vendors, a sober area and a non-

profit village that will include community resources and HIV and STD testing. The Grand Pride Parade steps off on Sunday, June 26, at 11 a.m. from 10th and Market and marches along Market to 18th Street. St. Louis LGBTQ historian Steven Louis Brawley will serve as the 2022 grand marshal. It will be a fun day for attendees and an important one for the community. “Sometimes society, life can beat you down,” Braxton says. “It’s important that you can go someplace and be around people who accept you and love you and want to be around you.” —Jessica Rogen

Entertainment Schedule “Secrets” with dance music icons David Guetta and Tiësto.

Alex Newell

is a Grammy-nominated singer, songwriter, actor, activist and performer who is known for their role as Unique Adams on Glee and Mo on Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist.

Raye is an English singer/songwriter

with double platinum, four platinum, two gold and three silver singles to her name — and the winner of the 2019 BMI Impact Award.

larly plays to sold-out shows in town.

Poetiq is an independent artist with nine self-produced and mastered projects and is the owner of Real Poetiq Entertainment and two recording studios.

Local Headliners One Way Traffic is a five-piece Pershard band with an eclectic sound influenced by Americana, blues and jazz that regu-

is a house vocalist with R&B hits such as “Memory,” “Vodka Talkin” and “Done.”

Satur day, J u n e 2 5

S u n day, Ju n e 2 6

DJ DJ DJ DJ

DJ Freeradical 11 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. DJ Troy Dillard 12:30 - 2 p.m. Rops & Charles 2 - 3:30 p.m. DJ Rico 3:30 - 5 p.m.

Burna 11 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. Drew$stylz 12:30 - 2 p.m. Gdiddy 2 - 3:30 p.m. Taber 3:30 - 5 p.m.

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RIVERFRONT TIMES

The Changing

Gayborhood

The Grove isn’t what it used to be, but that’s not a bad thing The Grove was once known as St. Louis’ gayborhood. | VICTOR STEFANESCU

BY VICTOR STEFANESCU

nia Cunningham learned about the Grove a little bit earlier than she should have. “This might sound bad, but I used to run down here and underage drink during GroveFest,” she says. Cunningham, now 31, has worked in the Grove, a stretch of Manchester Avenue between Kingshighway and Vandeventer in the Forest Park Southeast neighborhood, since she was 20. In the past, when Cunningham got off of work at 1:30 a.m., she would bar-hop down the strip. “I would pop out and pop everywhere,” she says. But she doesn’t do that so much anymore. It’s a cool Wednesday afternoon in May, and Cunningham is slinging drinks behind the bar at Layla, a burger and shawarma joint in the heart of the Grove. A bartender in drag makeup serves a guy in a Blues jersey, and an expansive rainbow flag is stretched across the street-facing window. The kitchen is closed for

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the day, but customers can wander to a food truck right outside the restaurant. It looks like a microcosm of the neighborhood, or of what it once was. Cunningham has noticed changes in the Grove. “I feel like this was the gayborhood,” Cunningham says. “And not to say that it’s not — but it’s just, it’s not feeling like that anymore as much as it did when I was younger.” Fewer gay bars line the strip than in the Grove’s heyday. Housing prices are increasing more rapidly here than in the city as a whole. And the neighborhood is less diverse than it was 10 years ago. It’s not just the Grove: Gayborhoods across the country are changing. Supporters of the Castro in San Francisco say LGBTQ individuals are leaving the neighborhood while straight families are moving in. In Chicago, one scholar says the future of Northalsted, formerly known as Boystown, is uncertain. But Amin Ghaziani, a professor of sociology at the University of British Columbia who has written

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about trends in American gayborhoods, tells the Riverfront Times that referring to neighborhoods like the Grove as “declining,” “disappearing” or “dying” might be a mistake. “Instead, I prefer to think that their significance is changing,’’ he says. “And it makes sense for us to ask why.”

o Ghaziani, gayborhoods are not important for any one particular reason. “I think the reason why gayborhoods are important is that they don’t offer any singular or static thing,” he says. “The offerings of a gay district evolve as the circumstances in which we live and find ourselves evolve. The neighborhoods started forming after World War II, according to Ghaziani, allowing LGBTQ people the opportunity to congregate and build communities. But by the late 1960s with the arrival of New Left activism — a progressive political movement to achieve things like gay rights — the offerings of gayborhoods had evolved. “They provided crucibles for the

cultivation of political protest and political consciousness,” he says. After the 1970s, the neighborhoods continued on a political trajectory, hosting voting drives and cultural celebrations like Pride parades, according to Ghaziani. Steven Louis Brawley likes to think of the neighborhoods as places where LGBTQ people can live, work and play. Since 2007, Brawley has recorded queer and trans history in St. Louis through the St. Louis LGBT History Project. He started the project as an effort to document an oral history that was starting to disappear. “I came out in ’87, I guess, into the gay-bar scene in St. Louis, and I would meet these people, and they would tell me these great stories that I would be fascinated by,” he says. “But sadly, over time, folks started passing away, and I realized that nobody was reporting these stories.” The project paints a comprehensive picture of the city’s LGBTQ history from the s onward. It includes stories from the city’s various gayborhoods. Throughout St. Louis’ history,

other neighborhoods — not just the Grove — served as gay villages. Ghaziani says there’s often more than just one pocket of a city where LGBTQ people gather. “It doesn’t make sense anymore to think about ‘the gayborhood’ as a singular thing,” he says. “I think instead we’re moving toward a model of ‘gayborhoods, plural.’” In St. Louis, LGBTQ people found those pockets in neighborhoods like Soulard and Lafayette Square. In the 1960s, Brawley says the Central West End emerged as one of those places where community members could do all three: live, work and play. “It wasn’t just [that you] went there to party, but you had shops there, you worked there,” he says. “You live[d] in the neighborhood.”

n the 1990s, a few gay bars started to pop up in the Grove. “These bars weren’t your trendy A-list bars,” Brawley says. But as Washington University started investing in the area near its medical campus in the 1990s, the Grove benefited. The rehabilitation of Forest Park Southeast brought new apartment buildings to the neighborhood and more customers to the bars. “Basically Novak’s Bar was booming, and Attitudes was booming, and Rainbow’s End and Freddie’s, they were booming,” Brawley says. “They were very profitable bars. In 2006, Serge Patel discovered the Grove and its nightlife after moving to St. Louis from Canada. At bars like Novak’s and Just John’s, he says he met all kinds of people. “This was one of the neighborhoods I liked, because it was inviting and accepting,” he says. “Compared to other parts of the city, I just felt more inclusive and safe here.” But the bars Brawley mentioned as thriving in the 1990s are now closed. Longtime gay bar Attitudes closed during the COVID-19 pandemic after 32 years of business, and the pink paint that wraps around the seemingly vacant building’s exterior is starting to fade away. Novak’s closed in 2013 after its controversial owner and St. Louis LGBTQ pioneer Nancy Novak retired. “We only have, what, three bars now,” Brawley says. Just John’s and Rehab still stand strong on the strip. A new LGBTQ bar, Prism, takes the spot of the Monocle, a gay bar that closed in 2020. But, for many, the bars feel different than they did in the 1990s

and 2000s. In 2010, Patel started to notice a greater mix of people bar-hopping in the Grove. He says there was an influx of aint ouis niversity and Wash U students — among others — at the bars, and the energy in the neighborhood shifted. “You go in any of these bars, anytime, and you see a mixed blend of people, either gay folks with their friends or straight allies,” Brawley says. Another resident, Tommy Espenschied, grew up in Brentwood and just moved to the neighborhood in the past few months. His gay brother introduced him to the neighborhood and bars like Just John’s during his late teens. But today, he says he doesn’t often think about the Grove as an LGBTQ community. “Growing up, I did always know it was a gayborhood,” he says. ike I definitely know that identity of the neighbor of course, and I embrace that part of the identity.”

haziani says there are many reasons gayborhoods are changing, but three most often get talked about: gentrification, changing attitudes toward LGBTQ people and technology. In cities across the country, rapidly increasing real-estate values in gayborhoods are pushing out LGBTQ folks. In Forest Park Southeast, the median sale price jumped by nearly 190 percent in the last five years, from , in April , to , in April of this year, according to edfin data. In the same period, the median sale price in St. Louis city only increased by 39.3 percent. As a result, the neighborhood is becoming increasingly homogenous. According to census data from St. Louis city, white people made up . percent of orest Park Southeast’s population in 2020, compared to 30.1 percent in , and just . percent in 2000. In the same 20-year period, the Black population in the neighborhood shrunk by . percent. The same thing happened in other areas of the city, Brawley says. LGBTQ people were essential to rehabilitation efforts in the Central West End. In Lafayette Square, he says they helped restore the Victorian townhouses which adorn the neighborhood. But after reviving the neighborhoods, gentrification priced many LGBTQ folks out of the areas, he says. Cunningham isn’t seeing some of the people she used to run into. “I feel like the people that built

it up to begin with, or that were here even five years ago, aren’t here anymore because they can’t afford to be,” she says. Improving attitudes toward queer people have also changed the fabric of gayborhoods, according to Ghaziani. Unfortunately, attitudes toward transgender people are changing for the worse: According to Gallup, percent fewer people in the U.S. supported transgender people serving in the military in 2021 compared to 2019. But Gallup also reports that 70 percent of people in the U.S. support same-sex marriage in 2021, compared to just 27 percent in 1996. The shift has resulted in straight people becoming more comfortable living in gayborhoods and LGBTQ people feeling safer living in other parts of the city. Brawley says he lived in the entral est nd for years and loved it. Now, though, he lives in Kirkwood. “As I got older, I just needed a different change of pace,” he says. Ghaziani says the arrival of new social networks like Grindr has allowed LGBTQ people to connect with others outside of physical spaces like gay bars centered in gayborhoods. Grindr is a geosocial dating app for gay, bi, trans and queer people that allows users to connect with others nearby. Brawley says young people tell him that they get burned out on those dating apps and would have liked to experience a neighborhood like the Grove in its heyday. But back then, according to Brawley, queer displays in public could be dangerous. “You didn’t hold hands in the West End or Soulard,” he says. “You had to be careful and watch your surroundings. It just was a different time.”

he LGBTQ community feeling less pressure to live in gayborhoods presents an interesting conundrum. “Is it good for the community to try to find a place where a lot of people can be together?” Brawley asks. “Or is it good that we can live anywhere we want and not face as much discrimination? We still face discrimination that’s still there.” Safe neighborhoods may be increasing in importance. In Missouri and elsewhere, new legislative moves threaten trans rights, and in Florida, a new “Don’t Say Gay” bill constrains instruction on gender and sexuality. No time was the importance of gayborhoods more pronounced than in 2016 after the Pulse nightclub shooting.

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“I would say, despite declarations about the changing resonance of gay neighborhoods, a fantastic contemporary example which points to their staying power and resonance is the fact that shortly after the shootings at the Pulse nightclub in Florida, a lot of people congregated in gay neighborhoods across the country to hold candlelight vigils,” Ghaziani says. That happened in the Grove, too. Brawley says St. Louis’ gayborhoods of the future are bound to look different. “I just think the days of the old gayborhoods may be gone forever, in terms of what they used to be,” he says. “And that’s OK.” Community, after all, can be made anywhere. n

Today’s Gayborhoods There are still plenty of LGBTQfriendly pockets around St. Louis BY ROSALIND EARLY

ne surprising contender for recognition as one of the most LGBTQ-friendly spots in the region is Alton, Illinois, where Bubby & Sissy’s offers drag shows and full dance floors. According to our sister publication Out in STL, there are also plenty of LGBTQ folks living in Alton. There’s also up-and-coming neighborhoods Carondelet and Patch, which have Hummel’s and Bar:PM. The area also has Bonnie Blake (John Chaney), crowned “World’s Oldest Drag Queen” in 2018 at 90. Blake has an antique shop next door to Bar:PM. Chris Andoe touts Grey Fox Hills, “which is what I’ve dubbed the stillaffordable southeast corner of Tower Grove South, with Grey Fox Pub on the corner.” In a story for RFT, Andoe mentions some of the characters in the area: A young man who had a tax form hanging up on his wall proving he’d earned $80,000 one year showing his penis online; a leather daddy living in a penthouse in the art deco South Side Tower; and the former owners of Grey Fox. In Soulard, you can hop in your golf cart and drive over to Nadine’s for brunch or check out Julia’s Market Cafe for cheap bloody Marys. There’s also a Pride mini-parade (with golf carts) and some iconic gay history. Tower Grove South has got it all: Mokabe’s, queer-friendly churches, international cuisine and its own Pride festival. n

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The Patron Saint of LGBTQ St. Louis Daniel Flier helped a community in crisis when it needed him most BY CHRIS ANDOE

n 2014, my editor at the LGBTQ publication Vital Voice sent me to interview Saint Louis Effort for AIDS cofounder and 1982 Miss Gay Missouri America Daniel Flier, a.k.a. Vanessa Vincent. While Flier was kind, humble and very approachable, he was an intimidating assignment. I was more of a gossip columnist and often at odds with the community, while Flier was the embodiment of “community.” He was someone who carried our people during our darkest chapter, a patron saint. I sat in the parlor of his tasteful St. Louis Hills home and took notes as he told me about the early days of the AIDS crisis. He spoke of terminal hospital patients — including 34 of his close friends in the first two years who weren’t fed or bathed, often left to lie in their own excrement. He spoke of pets dying in apartments. A celebrated stylist, he told me about doing after-hours haircuts for those who no longer felt presentable due to lesions and open sores. I thanked him for speaking with me and then went home and wept. Just last month, friends announced that Flier was put in hospice care after his battle with prostate cancer. He passed away on the last Sunday in May. Many of the tributes posted since to lier’s acebook page echo that of Jennicka Fierz: “When I was in a room full of entertainers, I felt I didn’t belong in, aniel lier Vanessa Vincent made me change my mind. One of the kindest people I’ve ever met. As Vanessa Vincent, Flier won Miss Gay Illinois in 1981 and was crowned Miss Gay Missouri the following year. A master emcee, Flier used his fame to bring awareness to the AIDS crisis and became known for his ability to silence a crowded bar, often doing so to convey urgent messages. In 1985, with a $6,000 budget, Flier and John Allen founded Saint

Above: Daniel Flier in his bartending days. Right: Flier as Vanessa Vincent. | VIA COLIN MURPHY Louis Effort for AIDS, securing nonprofit status in ecember that year. The organization, which is now part of the Vivent Health umbrella, provides resources and services for those at risk or living with HIV. “Daniel was my true north,” says Colin Murphy, co-owner, editor and COO of #Boom Media. “I don’t think I’ll ever encounter another individual on this planet who commanded such respect just for being who he was.” At 19, Murphy and his then-boyfriend met Flier as Vanessa, and they were struck by the attention the star gave them. The following year, Murphy was diagnosed with HIV and given a prognosis of only 15 months.

“At a review show, I went up to Daniel to tell him my secret,” urphy recalls. He’d just given a rousing speech about HI AI and how we were going to beat this, and we had a whole community right there along with us. Daniel didn’t blink. He just gave me the biggest hug and said, ou’re gonna be , kid. e’ve got you. And you’re gonna fight this.’ e’ve been friends ever since. Daniel was thrilled that I thrived and made it to the new drugs and devoted my life and talent to community service. He was my biggest champion, but he gave me the hope to hang on with his calls and frank talk.” urphy recalls lier’s impatience for “fools,” “liars” and

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“hypocrites.” “But at the same time, he was the most giving, compassionate, loving person I’ve ever known, Murphy adds. “Hundreds of us are mourning the loss of our best friend. ow, it’s not possible to have a hundred best friends. But he made us feel that way. And his contributions to our LGBTQ+ community will not be matched.” Underlying everything Flier did was a clear belief in the value and dignity of every person, regardless of their station, health or appearance. Throughout his life, time and again, he rose to the occasion and did the hard work that needed to be done. It was in one of those early days of the AIDS crisis that Flier went to check on a dying man, finding a tray of cold food outside the door. “Has he eaten?” Flier asked a nearby nurse who shrugged in response. If you’ll get me a fresh tray of food I’ll bring it to him, he told her. ou don’t want to go in there, she said. ou’re right. I don’t want to go in there, but I’m going to. For many who were sick and forsaken, Daniel Flier was their only friend. While the community mourns this incredible loss, we can only imagine the hero’s welcome he’s receiving on the other side. n

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CALENDAR

BY JENNA JONES Gravois Avenue, 2251, dasbevo.com/about-dasbevo/calendar) is Saturday, June 18, and starts at 5 p.m.

NSFW Venus In Furs, a group of leather women and genderqueer folks, is putting on the Leather Pride Picnic for the second time in aclede ark . Iowa Street, facebook.com/ events/434016762058350). Organizers say the event is dedicated to celebrating LGBTQ+ sexuality and sexual health while also promoting Leather lifestyle education and values. The event is strictly 21 and older. Leather Pride Picnic is Saturday, June 18, from noon to 6 p.m.

Pride Pack

Night at the Zoo. | DOYLE MURPHY

THURSDAY 06/16 Thinking about Theater

FRIDAY 06/17 Race to the Factory

The New Jewish Theatre is staging Ken Ludwig’s Dear Jack, Dear Louise, a romcom about World War II-era pen pals Jack (Ryan Lawson Maeske) and Louise (Molly Burris). Inspired by the playwright’s parents’ romance during the war, the play follows the two as military doctor Jack courts actress Louise. Dear Jack, Dear Louise is at the J’s Wool Studio Theatre (2 Millstone Campus Drive, 314442-3283, jccstl.com/arts-ideas/ new-jewish-theatre) now through Sunday, June 26. Showtimes are Thursdays at 7:30 p.m., Saturdays at 4 and 8 p.m., and Sundays at 2 p.m. Tickets are $49 to $54, and masks must be worn at all times in the theater.

Alyssa dwards doesn’t get cute — she gets drop dead gorgeous, and she’s bringing it to the outskirts of hesterfield. The drag queen from the popular TV show RuPaul’s Drag Race presents her Life, Love and Lashes Tour this week. The tour is a tell-all about dwards’ life. dwards hails from Mesquite, Texas, and competed for iss rag America before her stint on Drag Race. She became a fan favorite on the show, and then appeared on the second season of RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars. dwards eventually landed on New York Magazine’s list of Most Powerful Drag Queens, securing the No. 5 spot. The Life, Love and Lashes Tour is at the Factory (17105 N Outer 40 Road,

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314-423-8500, thefactorystl.com/ event/alyssa-edwards) on Friday, June 17, at 8 p.m. Doors are at 7 p.m. Tickets start at $55.

SATURDAY 06/18 Bevo Birthday Bust out the birthday hats and the confetti Das Bevo is celebrating 105 years with its free Birthday Bash. The Bevo Mill institution pumps up the jam with food, a night market, drinks and familyfriendly activities. From 5 to 7 p.m., kiddos can get in on the fun with a balloon twister, free snow cones and a magician from Circus Kaput. St. Louis vendors — such as Arch Apparel, Artifact T , ud ity oaps, icholas Holman Art, Schmookies Dog Treats and more — set up for locals to shop. There will also be live music and plenty of food. Das Bevo’s Birthday Bash

It’s Pride month, so of course this weekend is full of pride events. Pride St. Charles will be just across the river at the Family Arena Arena arkway, St. Charles, pridestcharles.org/ home). The free festival will have vendors, entertainment and inflatables. nfortunately, COVID-19 put a hold on the organization’s fundraising efforts, so there will not be a parade this year. On this side of the river, Pride Bar Crawl takes over the Grove. Full of historic gay bars, the crawl was organized by rawl ith and features fan favorites like Rehab and Just ohn’s. ach bar will have its own drink special. Pride St. Charles is Saturday, June 18, from noon to 8 p.m. Pride Bar Crawl is Saturday, June 18, from 4 p.m. to midnight. The crawl starts at Rehab Bar and Grill houteau Avenue, eventbrite.com/e/pride-bar-crawlst-louis-saturday-june-18th-2022tickets-307525716697). Tickets are $20 to $25.

SUNDAY 06/19 Nostalgia Night Remember Wild N Out? Hosted by Nick Cannon, the show is improv-based, featuring comedy games and popular rap battles. Two members of Wild N Out

WEEK OF JUNE 16-22

Celebrate Juneteenth THURSDAY 06/16 The Saint Louis Art Museum celebrates Juneteenth with an online discussion this week. Art Speaks: But You See Me is hosted by Graduate Fellow Shaka Myrick, who will guide attendees in exploring the history of visibility of Black Americans. Artworks by Sam Gilliam and Glenn Ligon — who both have pieces on display at the museum — will be discussed along with conceptual techniques for using contemporary art as activism. Art Speaks: But You See Me is a virtual event (slam.org/event/art-speaks-butyou-see-me/) on Thursday, June 16, at noon. Register online to receive the Zoom link.

SATURDAY 06/18 Juneteenth Jams Kick off your Juneteenth weekend celebrations with Blues on the Block. Ms. Hy-C and Fresh Start, a local band, will be performing for concertgoers, as will other soul, R&B and blues artists. Guests are encouraged to bring their chairs to the outdoor concert. Blues on the Block is Saturday, June 18, across from the National Blues Museum (Sixth Street and Washington Avenue, nationalbluesmuseum. org/event). Admission is free, and chairs are available to rent.

PEDAL ON Botanical Walk. | JANE LEONARDELLI are coming to the Lou for the special event We Ain’t Done Wild’n Yet. Comedians Jay Lewis and Mope Williams will face off in a range of comedy games, much like the show. The event is at Helium Comedy Club (1151 St Louis Galleria Street, st-louis.heliumcomedy.com/ shows/170904) on Sunday, June 19, at 7 p.m. Tickets are $25 to $40.

Dad’s Day Have Dad skip the grill this year and take him out on the town. City Museum (750 North 16th Street, 314-231-2489) is offering free admission and a Father’s Day Cookout. The museum’s Patio Grill and Cabin Inn will be serving food and drinks for the kids and brews for the parents. But the fun doesn’t stop at City Museum. Le Meridien St. Louis Clayton is hosting a pool party, a summer soiree meant for adults and kiddos on the hotel’s thirdfloor rooftop terrace. A cookout is on the itinerary, complete with hamburgers, brats, salads, corn on

the cob, desserts and a cash bar, prepared by Cafe la Vie. Dads who attend will get a complimentary handrolled cigar. City Museum’s Father’s Day Cookout is from a.m. to p.m. Admission is $18 to $20.The Father’s Day Pool Party is at Le Meridien (7730 onhomme Avenue, 0400, marriott.com/en-us/hotels/ stlmy-le-meridien-st-louis-clayton/ overview/) on Sunday, June 19, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tickets are $40 to $75.

MONDAY 06/20 Golfin’ in a Gallery Trade paint brushes for golf clubs — because Golf the Galleries is back. The exhibit doubles as an elaborate mini-golf course with previous iterations designed as a giant chess game or casts of creators’ heads on a pedestal. This fifth season features a hole inspired by north-city streets; another dedicated to music throughout the decades; and one inspired by the 1972 World

Chess Championship. There are nine holes total. Golf the Galleries is at Sheldon Galleries (3648 Washington Boulevard, St. Louis, 314-533-9900, thesheldon.org/ events/golf/) now through Sunday, August . Hours vary. Tickets are $7 to $10.

WEDNESDAY 06/22 Wildin’ Out If you want all of the Saint Louis Zoo without any of the children running in, boy, do we have some good news for you. A Night at the Zoo lets those 21 and older into the zoo at night to see all the animals without the crowds of kiddos. Plus, you get two drink tickets and complimentary rides on the carousel and railroad. A ight at the oo is at the Saint Louis Zoo (1 Government Drive, www.stlzoo.org/events/ calendarofevents/night-at-thezoo) on Wednesday, June 22, from 5 to 8:30 p.m. Tickets are $25 to $30. No tickets will be sold at the door. n

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The Juneteenth Community Ride partners history with health. The all-paces bike ride features live music and history lessons from Missouri Historical Society historians. The ride celebrates St. Louis’ Black artists, history and musicians. The guided bike ride takes place on city streets on Saturday, June 18, beginning at Tandy Community Center (4206 Kennerly Avenue, trailnet.redpodium.com/2022-juneteenthcommunity-ride). Check in at 9 a.m. The ride starts at 10 a.m. Registration is free, but donations can be made at checkout.

DELMAR FESTIVITIES Venture past the Delmar Loop with the Delmar Main Street Juneteenth Festival (between DeBaliviere and Union, communitybuildersstl.org). Ruth Porter Mall will host a Health and Wellness gathering from 1 to 4 p.m. Join an outdoor yoga class, taekwondo — or get an adjustment from a local chiropractor. Nonprofits will also be there, disseminating information about their services, along with community associations promoting engagement. Plus, Better Family Life’s KYPE dancers will boogie down with you. The grand finale is a Happy Hour Block Party from 4 to 8 p.m. Delmar Main Street Juneteenth Festival is Saturday, June 18, from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Admission is free.

WALK THE WALK Africans Rising Together 2063 is back for its second Walk for Democracy and Justice. Last year, Mayor Tishaura Jones served as the walk’s honorary chair. Families can sign up for the walkathon fundraiser for Africans Rising Together 2063. Funds will help the program in promoting cultural awareness, education and training on building generational wealth among African Americans, Africans in the Diaspora, and Africans on the Continent. The Walk for Democracy and Justice is at Forest Park (On Cricket Field, 5595 Grand Drive, art2063.org/ events-2/) on Saturday, June 18, from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Registration is $18.65.

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CAFE

Black Sheep’s (clockwise from top left) strawberry and tomato salad, pita, truffle burger with tater tots, shrimp and grits, pan-seared salmon and baked oysters. | MABEL SUEN

[REVIEW]

That Spark Black Sheep transforms a beloved spot into a standout date-night restaurant Written by

CHERYL BAEHR Black Sheep 3153 Morganford Road, 314-772-9800. Wed.-Sat. 4-11 p.m. (Closed Sundays, Mondays and Tuesdays).

or 15 years, Mary and Zach Rice have dreamed of opening a restaurant together. It was the spark that animated their relationship, informed their careers in the hospitality industry and helped them cultivate a vision of what they wanted their lives as wife and husband to be. That spark is also what ultimately led the Rices to buy the

Tower Grove South spot Three Monkeys from its original owner in 2018. The decision was a nobrainer; Zach had worked at the beloved neighborhood gathering place since it opened in 2007 and had risen to the position of general manager before leaving the restaurant in 2015. When the owner was looking to sell, Zach instantly came to mind. He and Mary excitedly signed the paperwork, took the keys and began welcoming in guests to what was officially their place without skipping a beat. The arrangement was an easy one, but something felt like it was missing. Though the Rices were happy to have a way to dip their toes into ownership without the risk of starting a concept from scratch, they could not help but feel that were still running someone else’s restaurant. They loved Three Monkeys dearly and felt a responsibility to be stewards of its legacy, but they realized that if they were going to truly do what they had always wanted to do, they would have to make a change.

The pandemic — for all of its dreadfulness — gave them the opportunity to do that. Like all restaurants, the crisis forced the Rices to rethink their business model and put more of a focus on to-go food. It helped them hang on for a short time, but as they looked at their books, they realized that the restaurant could not sustain itself on carryout orders alone without alcohol sales. They thought that if they needed to fundamentally transform the business, they might as well turn it into the restaurant they’d always wanted to run. So in August of 2020, the Rices shut down Three Monkeys with the goal of bringing to life the restaurant they’d always wanted. That spot, Black Sheep Whiskey & Wine, opened last November as the realization of the Rices’ goal to bring a multi-faceted dining option to the neighborhood. As Tower Grove South residents themselves, the pair had often lamented the lack of a good date night option along the Morganford Road commercial strip, and

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they see lack heep as filling this void without being pigeonholed into a weekend dinner spot. To that end, they have kept the place sophisticated but casual, dimly lit but family-friendly and have even launched a brunch concept, Mama 2’s Biscuits out of the restaurant three days a week (Mama 2’s is not included in this review). It may sound like a lot on its face, but in the Rice’s capable hands, it hits just the right note. Zach, who focuses on the back of the house, hesitates to describe Black Sheep as being of any particular genre but says he comes up with his dishes based on the food he and Mary like to eat. That means small plates for grazing, such as Brussels sprouts fried to a gorgeous crisp that edges toward charred without ever going over it. The sprouts are topped with shaved parmesan cheese and sriracha aioli, which gives the dish enough heat to be interesting without taking it too far. Bloody Mary deviled eggs are

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HAPPY HOUR SPECIALS MONDAY-FRIDAY 11AM-4PM

WEDNESDAY, 6/15/22

SUNDAY, 6/20/22

DREW LANCE 4:30PM FREE SHOW! SEAN CANAN’S VOODOO PLAYERS PRESENTS: VOODOO VAN MORRISON! 9PM

BRIAN CURRAN 2PM FREE SHOW! *EDDIE 9V* (FROM GEORGIA!) 9PM

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BUTCH MOORE 5PM FREE SHOW! SOULARD BLUES BAND 9PM

ERIC MCSPADDEN & MARGARET BIENCHETTA 5PM FREE SHOW! COTTON CHOPS 9PM FREE SHOW! FRIDAY, 6/17/22

KEVIN BUCKLEY 4PM FREE SHOW! *GRAMMY AWARD WINNERS, CHUBBY CARRIER & THE BAYOU SWAMP BAND!* (FROM LOUISIANA!) 9:30PM SATURDAY, 6/18/22

ALL ROOSTERED UP 12PM FREE SHOW! HYFY! 10PM

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MONDAY, 6/20/22

TUESDAY, 6/21/22

STEVE REEB 5PM FREE SHOW! ANDREW DAHLE 9PM FREE SHOW!

ORDER ONLINE FOR ! CURBSIDE PICKM-UP 9:30PM

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The bar and dining room at Black Sheep. | MABEL SUEN

Cocktails include the Celtic cooler, classic Manhattan and cool wagons. | MABEL SUEN

THAT SPARK

Continued from pg 21

another successful sharable offering. The flavoring is no gimmick the creamy yolk mixture tastes exactly like the classic brunch cocktail with notes of celery salt, Worcestershire and tabasco. Each egg is garnished with a sliver of a bread-and-butter pickle, which adds brightness the sweet, vinegary flavor goes so well with the mix you wonder why it’s not the cocktails’ standard accoutrement. Typically, I much prefer raw to baked oysters, but lack heep’s version may have converted me. erved on the half shell and topped with arugula, butter, parmesan and breadcrumbs, the oysters were barely kissed by the oven’s heat, allowing them to retain the tender texture of their uncooked form. izza was a significant part of Three onkey’s identity, and the ices did not want to take that away from the neighborhood. ometime this year, they plan on opening a dedicated pizza spot across the street called Three Little onkeys, but in the meantime, they have dedicated a significant part of lack heep’s menu to a variety of pies. These include a riff on the argherita, which pairs gooey cheese, tomatoes and fresh basil with the restaurant’s signature flaky crust. ot traditional eapolitan by a long shot, it’s a satisfying, deck-oven take on the classic. The ices also offer a few more creative pie options, like the chicken Alfredo pizza, which uses a creamy white sauce for the base

Mary and Zach Rice are the owners of Black Sheep. | MABEL SUEN and smoked gouda, grilled chicken and mushrooms for the toppings. ur brilliant server’s pro tip to add bacon turned the dish from good to great, thanks to the interplay of smoke between the meat and the gouda. lack heep’s classic smash burger is exactly what you want at your local watering hole. erved on a pillow-soft bun and topped with cheddar cheese, the meat is thick enough to be juicy but thin enough to get a slightly crispy edge. ach shows he is also capable with more formal entrees like a trout special. Here, the well-cooked fish is lightly seasoned, pan seared and topped with a delightful tomato-and-

olive relish that gives the dish a bright, briny element. He’s also adept at comfort food the restaurant’s signature item, the biscuit pot pie, is an ode to the woman who taught him to cook the uintessential grandma who schooled him on outhern food when he was a kid in his native Tennessee. Here, ach takes a rich mixture of roasted chicken, carrots, onions, potatoes and peas and tops it with a massive bacon-fat biscuit. nfortunately, he does not serve it with a cot, which is what you will need if you finish this decadent concoction. The Rices feel grateful to Three onkeys for allowing them the

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opportunity to create the restaurant they’d always envisioned. They admit that there have been times it hasn’t been easy. Taking over such a beloved spot has a special set of challenges, and they know there are times when their guests walk through the doors expecting things to be as they’d remember them. However, they are uick to note that those sentiments are always short-lived once you experience what the ices have created, you taste how refreshing change can be. n

Black Sheep Fried brussels sprouts...............................$10 Chicken alfredo pizza.................................$17 Chicken and biscuit pot pie......................$14

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SHORT ORDERS

Fordo’s offers creative wood-fired pizzas, appetizers and desserts. | CHERYL BAEHR

[FIRST LOOK]

Pie’s the Limit Fordo’s Killer Pizza brings wood-fired pies to City Foundry Written by:

CHERYL BAEHR

hen Chef Joe Luckey began playing around with ideas for what would become Gerard Craft’s latest restaurant, Fordo’s Killer Pizza (3730 Foundry Way), he knew he had to nail the classics. Margherita, four-cheese and pepperoni were essentials, but he was equally determined to dish up the unexpected. “Pizza has always been my favorite part of [working at] Pastaria over the last four years, and Gerard was happy that I showed interest in Fordo’s,” Luckey says. “We lined up a tasting, and I did a couple that weren’t anything like Pastaria; I did a taco and a

shakshuka pizza, and the menu started to take shape organically. Pizza is such a universal food that everyone can enjoy, so I wanted to be able to be playful and bring different flavors and cuisines to the table.” Now a little over a month into business, Fordo’s has quickly become one of the hottest kitchens in the Food Hall at City Foundry thanks to Luckey’s creative pies and commitment to nailing the basics of pizza-making. Anchored by a searing-hot Vesuvio oven made by the esteemed Italian company Gianni Acunto, Fordo’s featured pies have the distinct Neapolitan-style, leopard-speckled crust and are made from naturally fermented sourdough. The result is a pizza that has a puffed-up, char-blistered exterior and a thin center that remains soft, which allows for the cheese and toppings to melt into one another. Such beautiful pies might make you think that Luckey has been training to be a pizzeoli his entire life. However, he envisioned a much different path when he came to the professional kitchen. He began his cooking career interested in rench fine-dining traditions and excelled in roles that allowed him to hone those skills,

Fordo’s Killer Pizza brings an Italian vibe to the Food Hall at City Foundry. | CHERYL BAEHR

such as at Craft’s former upscale restaurant, Niche. But Luckey got bit by the pizza bug when he volunteered to help Craft open Pastaria in Nashville in 2017. There, he was introduced to making pasta and pizza dough — and immediately fell in love with the process. “I quickly found out that making pizza is a way to really get to work with your hands,” Luckey says. “The pizza station became some of the most fun I had cooking; there’s the tending of the fire, making sure the dough is tempered and all of these other factors that contribute to making a perfect pizza. At the end of the day, you can bring flavors you wouldn’t normally expect on pizza and juxtapose those with your classics; it allows you to have fun and be playful with what you are doing.” The menu at Fordo’s (a play on Craft’s middle name, Ford) reflects this balance. iners can expect such traditional pizzas as a Margherita, which features tomato sauce, fresh basil and mozzarella cheese; a cheese-less Marinara with tomato sauce, oregano, basil and garlic; and a classic pepperoni. However, Fordo’s also makes room for more unexpected

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pies, such as a taco pizza, which is topped with salsa verde, carnitas, red onion, jalapeños, Oaxacan cheese, cilantro and lime, and a North African-inspired shakshuka pizza, which consists of a red pepper sauce, garlic, herbs and two sunny-side-up eggs. In addition to pizza, Fordo’s offers two salads — a Little Gem Caesar and a mixed greens with orange-thyme vinaigrette, mozzarella and pistachios — plus some marinated olives and a charred carrot hummus. The food counter also serves canned beer, wine and cocktails, and chilled shots of Fernet Branca. There is talk about bringing back the Negroni slushies once popularized at Craft’s now-shuttered Porano Pasta, but those have not yet made their way on the drink list. Luckey also teases that he is excited about collaborating with other City Foundry vendors and notes that guests will see a rotating selection of pizza specials that reflect the diverse flavors available inside the food hall. Fordo’s Killer Pizza is open Sunday, Monday and Tuesday from 11 a.m. until 7 p.m., Wednesday and Thursday from 11 a.m. until 8 p.m., and Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. until 9 a.m. n

JUNE 15-21, 2022

RIVERFRONT TIMES

JUNE 15-21, 2022

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[DRINKS NEWS]

In the Spirit St. Louis distillery releases new vodka to celebrate Pride month Written by:

JENNA JONES

odka drinkers of the St. Louis area can enjoy a new addition to their cabinets that also supports a good cause. From the team at 4 Hands Brewing Company (1220 S 8th Street, 314- 4361559, www.4handsbrewery.com), 1220 Spirits has launched encrypted vodka, a Pride-themed vodka bottle, to celebrate Pride month and also help out LGBTQ+ Missourians. The business will donate a portion of the proceeds from each bottle to PROMO, a nonprofit dedicated to fighting for LGBTQ+ rights in the state. In a statement, Katy Erker-Lynch, the executive director of PROMO, says 1220 Spirits has been a “tremendous support” to the nonprofit.

“This year we confronted 18 bills, seven amendments and two bill substitutions that explicitly attacked LGBTQ+ Missourians, and we are incredibly grateful for the opportunity to strengthen our partnership with 4 Hands and their spirits brand 1220 Spirits,” Erker-Lynch says. “At PROMO, we envision a Missouri in which LGBTQ+ people — every demographic, race, ethnicity, zip code and experience — are valued and thriving. When local businesses like 1220 Spirits and 4 Hands invest directly in organizations like PROMO, it sends a message to leaders across the state that Missourians support LGBTQ+ equality and rights.” The partnership comes at a time when Missouri has seen an influx of antiLGBTQ+ bills and attitudes in its legislature, with an intense scrutiny on trans people. This isn’t the only effort that 4 Hands has undertaken for Pride month. They recently partnered with Carondelet Yoga Center to support CAMP, an adult queer version of summer camp where a portion of the proceeds also went to PROMO. On Wednesday, June 22, the brewery will host a yoga class in partnership with Lululemon and PROMO to raise money for the nonprofit — tickets include your first beer or a 1220 Spir-

A portion of the proceeds from the vodka’s sales are going to PROMO. | COURTESY 1220 SPIRITS its cocktail. In addition, 4 Hands will donate a portion of profits from certain merchandise sales to PROMO. Kevin Lemp, the founder of 1220 Spirits, said in a statement that the brand is grateful to extend its partnership with PROMO and is committed to creating and maintaining an inclusive environment for employees and cus-

[FOOD NEWS]

The Big Cheese Parker’s Table named the best cheese shop in Missouri Written by:

CHERYL BAEHR

beloved Richmond Heights specialty store is being recognized for its cheese program thanks to Yelp. The online review site recently named Parker’s Table (7118 Oakland Avenue, Richmond Heights; 314645-2050) the best cheese shop in Missouri, an honor based on user ratings. Cheesemonger Phil Billingsley says the fact that this honor was customer driven makes it more special. “I take a lot of pride in that,” Billingsley says. “I think it’s great that it is coming from our customers and that they think so highly of us. That’s what we are here for; we’re here to provide our customers with the best options and a variety of different price points for everybody.”

Yelp has crowned Parker’s Table the best cheese shop in Missouri. | IMAGE VIA GOOGLE MAPS Parker’s Table opened in 1995 in Clayton and moved to its current location in an old post-office building in Richmond Heights 17 years later. Owned by Jon Parker, the wine-and-cheese shop and lunch counter has become a goto for area food-and-drink lovers

looking for everything from wine, beer and spirits to specialty groceries and sandwiches. Billingsley, who has worked at arker’s Table for five years and has been leading its cheese program for a little over a year, understands that people come in

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tomers. The brewery has partnered with PROMO in previous years, specifically with its City Wide Pride cans, dating back to 2017. The encrypted vodka from 1220 Spirits is made from a Missouri corn mash that is distilled six times. The bottle is for sale at 4 Hands and at local Missouri retailers through June. n

for items they can’t find at larger, more corporate grocery stores, and he takes their needs into account when he is putting together the cheese selection. Customers will almost always find core cheeses like Parmigiano Reggiano, pecorino, stilton, brie and local cheddar in the case. However, he also tries to incorporate a selection of lesser-known products and often brings back cheeses that the shop has previously offered to see if they have changed. “With cheese being a living product, it’s good to revisit it a couple of times to get an idea of what it’s about,” Billingsley explains. “Quality can vary so much from wheel to wheel and on the level of ripeness when we get it.” As much as he takes pride in his curated selection of cheese, Billingsley believes that customers’ high opinion of the shop has less to do with a particular product and more to do with the way they are treated when they come in. It’s something he keeps front of mind. “We really do pride ourselves on a high level of individual customer service,” Billingsley says. “We take the time to talk to the guest and find out what they are looking for, what they’re all about, and where their particular tastes lie. Just because we are into something doesn’t mean they are. It’s about finding the right fit. n

JUNE 15-21, 2022

RIVERFRONT TIMES

ST. LOUIS STANDARDS

After 25 years in business, Tony and Kelli Almond are still happy to be doing what they love. | ANDY PAULISSEN

That Connection St. Louis restaurant Almonds dishes up relationships alongside Southern-inflected cuisine Written by

CHERYL BAEHR Almonds 8127 Maryland Avenue, Clayton; 314-725-1019 Established 1997

ony Almond can’t help but chuckle while recalling a conversation he had with his son one night after dinner service at his longtime Clayton restaurant, Almonds. The younger Almond was decompressing after a busy night and was particularly vexed about a customer who came in insisting that he be seated, even though he had no reser-

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vation and the dining room was packed. To his son, the behavior seemed entitled, but in Almond’s mind, it was a sign he was doing something right. “The man had come to the front door and told my son, ‘I don’t have a reservation, but I know your dad,’” Almond recalls. “My son was frustrated and said he had no idea who that guy was or why he was acting so special, but I told him it was the greatest compliment I could receive. I’ve made this guy feel so important that he felt like he could come in here and do that. That’s the whole point of this — building relationships.” For 25 years, Almond and his wife, Kelli, have been building those relationships with guests at Almonds — a run that, when he reflects on it, catches Almond off guard considering he thought it would only last six months. When he opened the comfortable-yetsophisticated outhern-inflected spot in 1997, he signed a one-year lease, assuming that the restaurant business was something he had to get out of his system before he could go on with his health-

JUNE 15-21, 2022

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care career. He should have known better. From the moment he walked into his first restaurant job at the age of 13, Almond was hooked. A native of northeast Arkansas, he spent the summers of his teenage years washing dishes and doing prep work, convinced that hospitality was what he wanted to do for the rest of his life. Once he got to college, he felt the pressure to take a different path and pursued hospital radiology work. Still, even as he cultivated a successful career, he could not let go of his passion for the restaurant business. It led him back to school for accounting; by night, he worked the 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. shift at a hospital, and by day, he attended classes at a school 80 miles away. It was a grueling schedule but one he accepted as necessary for the life he hoped to create. About a year before graduating, Almond met his now-wife, Kelli, who was in the process of moving to St. Louis for the social work graduate program at Washington University. Almond accompanied her, and after working in medi-

cal recruiting for a few years, he decided he was ready to take the leap. “I told Kelli that I had to get this out of my blood,” Almond says. “I signed a one-year lease, figuring there was no way I was going to get to the end of it. The statistics in the restaurant business say that seven out of 10 places make it the first year, and out of those three left, only one makes it out of the second. All of our friends thought we were crazy, but I had made enough money doing radiology and physician recruiting that I had the luxury of goofing off for the year. I told elli to just hang on with me, and we would be done in six months.” Almond opened his restaurant in a small storefront on Maryland Avenue in 1997 with a simple plan: to make the sort of food he liked to eat and to hopefully find enough people who liked eating it, too. He had no trouble with either of those goals. By the six-month mark, business was so good that he was able to pay himself back the entirety of his personal loan to the restaurant; come the end of year one, he was asking his land-

lord for a three-year lease extension and was so busy he was turning away more guests on Friday and Saturday nights than he was serving. He and Kelli knew they were onto something special, so she uit her job to join him with her running the front of house and him taking care of the back, they quickly endeared themselves to area diners. “I say, tongue-in-cheek, that I can’t believe people are still coming in; I thought they would’ve been sick of us by now,” Almond jokes. ut really, you become embedded with a lot of the families you are taking care of. They take care of us, and we take care of them. It’s a very mutually respectful relationship.” Almond gets emotional when he describes how those relationships got the restaurant through the last year and a half. Though it’s been around long enough to have weathered other crises such as September 11 and the Great Recession of 2008, nothing prepared him and Kelli for the havoc the pandemic wreaked on their business. While other eateries were able to pivot to fast casual and takeout, Almonds’ brand was so based on in-person relationships that it felt impossible to try to package that in a to-go box. They tried their hardest, though, and were utterly humbled when their regulars — some of them heads of larger companies — offered to write checks to keep the restaurant afloat. hen he reflects on why his guests feel so connected to the restaurant, Almond understands that it goes much deeper than good food and a wonderful dining experience. “I think our guests realize that we are genuine people who really enjoy what we are doing, Almond says. “People want you to know their name, and on most nights, we really do know almost everyone in here, which is just fabulous. You can’t hire a manager to do that because it’s taken 25 years of building relationships. We had a guy come in probably three months ago who had just moved back to St. Louis; he used to come here with his mom and dad and brothers when he was 12 years old, and now he has a wife and kids. They were talking about how their dad didn’t let them drink soda, and I told them, ‘You

Blueberry bread pudding is one of Almonds’ signature desserts. | ANDY PAULISSEN

“People want you to know their name, and on most nights, we really do know almost everyone in here, which is just fabulous.” know, your dad used to come in here and drink soda all the time when he was your age.’ To have those second generations coming in is amazing.” Looking back on what he and Kelli have created, Almond can’t help but feel lucky that a series of factors all went right in order for them to have succeeded all these years. He’s not sure that he could produce it again, and he has tremendous empathy for those who are trying to open restaurants and build their businesses from

Almonds is an essential part of the Clayton dining scene. | ANDY PAULISSEN scratch in this current climate. No matter how many challenges he and Kelli have faced, he doesn’t hesitate for a second to say that this is the best life they could have created for themselves — and one they hope to continue creating for years to come. If you can figure out a way to get enough people to like what

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you are doing to sustain a living, then you are pretty lucky,” Almond says. “Whenever the time comes, it will be very difficult to walk away from it; it will probably be a physical limitation that tells me I can’t do this anymore. Fortunately, I am not there yet, so we will keep running until we can’t run anymore.” n

JUNE 15-21, 2022

RIVERFRONT TIMES

JUNE 15-21, 2022

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REEFERFRONT TIMES

[REVIEW]

Flower Power Good Day Farm releases Rainbow Sprinkles strain to celebrate Pride Month Written by

THOMAS K. CHIMCHARDS

ood Day Farm certainly knows how to attract some attention. The Arkansas-based cannabis company made a hilariously big splash when it entered the Missouri medical marijuana market back in February, marking the occasion with the creation of a sewer-lid sized gummy weighing 135 pounds and containing 116,000 milligrams of THC. The enormous offering set a record as the largest THC-infused gummy in the world, and is in fact so massive and potent that it cannot legally be removed from the facility in which it was created. Then, in March, the company released a new strain of flower with the eyebrow-raising moniker Titty Sprinkles, named in reference to its breeder’s mother’s battle with breast cancer. That strain was specifically cultivated to help alleviate the symptoms that can arise from cancer treatment, and percent of its profits are donated to breast cancer research. Most recently, Good Day Farm has rolled out a line of products dubbed Rainbow Sprinkles in honor of Pride Month. The limited-edition cultivar comes in the form of flower and vape carts wrapped in colorful packaging sporting a rainbow (naturally), and percent of its profits up to $10,000 will be donated to LGBTQ organizations in Missouri and Arkansas, the two states in which the company operates. Here in Missouri, that money will go to a Columbia-based group called the Center Project, which runs a volunteer-led community center specifically focused on catering to the needs of LGBTQ people in the area. According to Good ay arm’s hief arketing ffi-

The cannabis company has pledged to donate up to $10,000 in profits from the new strain to LGBTQ organizations. | VIA GOOD DAY FARM cer Laurie Gregory, the arrangement comes as part of a deliberate effort to support the communities in which Good Day Farm’s operations are based. “We knew we wanted to support LGBTQ+ efforts in honor of Pride Month and researched local organizations that were making a positive impact,” Gregory tells RFT. “Our cultivation is located in Columbia, and that’s where the Center Project is also located, so donating to them made sense, because supporting local organizations is important to us.” Good Day Farm markets Rainbow Sprinkles as what might historically have been called a sativa dominant, saying it “is known to promote positive energy and spark creativity with euphoric effects.” That sounds all well and good, but one question still looms: Will it make me more gay? To get to the bottom of things, I picked up an eighth of Rainbow Sprinkles at the Greenlight Dispensary in Berkeley for $43.22 after tax. My batch was rated at 19.98 percent THC-wise, and the label helpfully displayed the strain’s terpene profile as well, which includes limonene, nerolidol, linalool and caryophyllene. Upon opening the pouch, I was greeted with a spicy, fuellike scent that hit sharply up in my sinuses, as well as some citrus notes. The buds sported clusters of long, orange hairs dispersed among dark greens and plenty of

purple, and they appeared frosted, with tiny, white crystals that sparkled in the light. On breakup, that spicy smell brought some deep sweetness with it that was quite pleasant, like a magic green onion I’ve never used in a recipe I’ve never made. The buds crumbled into tiny pebbles of flower, not too dusty and not too sticky. On inhale, I found this strain to be exceptionally smooth but not especially flavorful. ven when taking large rips I didn’t cough, which is nice. After a few minutes passed, I got the distinct feeling that this was going to be more of a creeper in terms of effects, and soon enough I began feeling a bit of anxiety in my chest, common for me when it comes to more high-powered strains. “Oh boy, I’m gonna be high,” I wrote in my notes. It was about this time that I noticed my dog was staring at me with laser-like focus. The time of the day when she typically gets to go for a run around a field near my house was upon us, and she wasn’t gonna let me forget it. Feeling energized, I loaded her into my car and drove the short distance up there. Oftentimes when I walk around this field, I like to kick the shit out of all the dandelions I see, thereby dispersing their seeds across the land much in the same way picking and gently blowing on them might, only more fun and violent. On this trip, I marveled at how

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well my efforts had been paying off, as the field was positively covered in flowery weeds that the bees were definitely into. ometimes nature works better if you kick it,” I mused. On my way back to my home, I noted that the plots of land neighboring the field had far less flowers growing in them, only proving to me that the kicking works. xcept I was completely wrong. In my considerably stoned stupor, I had mixed up weeds in my head. The flowers that covered the field were in fact white clover, which no matter what you kick nor how hard you kick it, do not grow from dandelion seeds. I was, put plainly, incredibly high, and also fairly stupid. It was a focused and energized high though, and I found even the most mundane things to be absolutely fascinating, as evidenced by the fact I spent a considerable amount of time reading about weeds on Wikipedia when I got back home. In all, Rainbow Sprinkles lives up to its reputation, handily scrambling my brains while still leaving me with the energy to kick some flowers. That initial anxiety I felt faded away quickly, and in its stead, I got a pleasant and uplifting high that I’ll surely seek out again. As to the burning question of whether the strain made me more gay, well, I didn’t notice anything, but maybe if I smoke more I could get there. Fingers crossed. n

JUNE 15-21, 2022

RIVERFRONT TIMES

JUNE 15-21, 2022

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CULTURE

[ENVIRONMENT]

For the Plants St. Louis is ahead of the curve when it comes to native plants Written by

DEVIN THOMAS O’SHEA

wo blocks south of Crown Candy Kitchen in Old North St. Louis, at the corner of Warren and 14th, there’s an unassuming square plot of green with a pole in the center. Curving toward the pole is a row of sunflower seedlings just starting to leaf. Seed Louie, a scarecrow, sits atop the pole wearing gardening gloves, a pink matted wig, a dirty brown beard and jean overalls he holds a tin Route 66 sign. He was originally named Farmer John before taking a Roman candle to the back of the head and bursting into flames. The perpetrators put him out and apologized. Since his PVC skeleton was still intact, Sunflower volunteers rebuilt and renamed him Seed Louie. “Both times he looked suspiciously like me,” says Richard Reilly, energy programs manager for the Missouri Botanical Garden EarthWays Center, who runs the project. ut eed is so beat up now I think the resemblance is minimal.” The flowers, eed ouie and eilly are part of the unflower roject, a group that develops and beautifies vacant urban lots with sunflowers and winter wheat. Originally, part of the idea was to see if sunflowers could extract soil contaminants on land that had once held industrial buildings, though the plants turned out not to be the most effective at this task. fforts such as the unflower roject that use native plants to reverse damage or replace invasive species have the power to make the St. Louis region a more robust ecosystem capable of adapting to the changing climate. There are high environmental stakes, and

The Sunflower + Project is a community group that develops and beautifies vacant urban lots with sunflowers and winter wheat. | COURTESY SUNFLOWER + PROJECT it’s only one of many efforts in the St. Louis region that uses native species in this way. When it comes to native plants, St. Louis is ahead of the curve, and not just in community projects. The conservationist oug Tallamy has called St. Louis a leader in ecological landscaping thanks to initiatives such as the unflower roject but also the stewardship of regular St. Louisans who choose to plant their gardens and community land with native species. “People get turned on by it,” says Jean Ponzi, green resources manager at the Missouri Botanical Garden. “It’s something individuals can do, which really does make a difference.” The Sunflower + Project is all about turning vacant urban land into a temporary, sustainable home for bugs, flowers, birds and people. reated by eilly and on Koster of Washington University, it had its first planting in on the plot at Warren and 14th, for which the Missouri Botanical Garden holds a garden lease. The sunflowers are cultivars of a native issouri sunflower (helianthus annuus), which comes from common birdseed. Cultivar means manmade, but in the back of the plot this year, the project has two rows of native Missouri sunflowers courtesy of haw a-

ture Reserve. eilly explained that the project considered other options, such as native grasses, “but those can take four to five years to mature. unflowers are annuals, meaning they get planted and pop out of the ground in accordance with their inherited genetic instructions — no need to lay down a big root network or bide their time. The point of the project is to put as little investment into the land in order to yield the greatest return. “If you’re growing food, that takes about times the work of what we’re doing here,” Reilly says. At unflower roject, “we’re basically providing a place to hang out, a beautification project. These things grow, and they attract bees like crazy.” Birds, too — cardinals and house finches fly all over the s uare green plot. Robins hunt through the hundreds of bees pollinating the clover grass. The project managers believe that buildings, homes or stores should be built on this land. The “embodied energy” it takes to redevelop sites such as Warren and 14th require considerably less investment and ecological disruption than brand-new infrastructure. Streets, gas, power and sewers already exist in ld orth. “Especially on the north side,” Reilly says, “where there’s more than enough vacant land to keep

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plenty of it green and redevelop a whole bunch of it, too. And if redevelopment happens in places like this rather than on the edge of cornfields, we’re all going to be a little bit better off.” Every year the world loses insects. In Germany, there’s been a loss of about 75 percent of insect biomass over the last years. It’s just as bad in orth America, especially the idwest. Though the drop seems to be leveling off, the Midwest is estimated to lose about 4 percent of its bugs per year, reports the Associated Press. Native plants provide a home for native insects. Take, for example, the dramatic drop in the monarch butterfly population. onarchs evolved to only host their caterpillars on milkweed (asclepais) plants, which are native to Missouri, meaning they’ve been here a long time. Long enough that monarch butterflies didn’t see humans coming and put all their evolutionary chips on milkweed. Meanwhile, our human urbanization, monoculture farming, herbicides and invasive species decimated milkweed. In , then- ayor rancis Slay enacted the Milkweeds for Monarchs program, and not far from the unflower roject, a butterfly garden thrives on t.

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RIVERFRONT TIMES

LIFE, LOVE AND LASHES TOUR

ALYSSA EDWARDS Fri. June 17 JASON BONHAM’S

LED ZEPPELIN EVENING Sat. June 25

EDDIE B.

TEACHERS ONLY COMEDY TOUR

FRI. JULY 8 WE OWN THE NIGHT TOUR

THE CULT

PLUS BLACK REBEL MOTORCYCLE CLUB AND ZOLA JESUS

Sun. July 10

KURTIS CONNER Sat. July 16

BIG GIGANTIC PLUS: INZO, YOUNG FRANCO, COVEX

SUN. JULY 17

THREE DAYS GRACE PLUS: WAGE WAR AND ZERO 9:36

FRI. JULY 22 KSHE PRESENTS

GRAND FUNK RAILROAD & FOGHAT SAT, JULY 23

LITTLE FEAT

45TH ANNIVERSARY TOUR SPECIAL GUEST NICKI BLUHM

SUN, JULY 24

BREWSKI KICKS ON ROUTE 66 16 BREWERIES, 30+BREWS, FEAT. THE BOBBY FORD BAND

SAT, JULY 30

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JUNE 15-21, 2022

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FOR THE PLANTS Continued from pg 35

Louis Avenue. “For some people,” Ponzi says, “an experience of the natural world is not comfortable out of the gate.” Biodiversity doesn’t mean wall-to-wall butterflies and bees. The decline in biomass includes spiders, squishy gross larvae and the dreaded summertime mosquito. But there’s much to know about the tiny vampire. There are 3,500 unique species of mosquitoes in the world. “Most of them have nothing to do with humans,” Ponzi points out. Only a few species bite us — and only the females. The vast majority of mosquitoes live off animals, fish or other insect larvae, and lots of other creatures eat them in turn — making the little pests a major link in our ecological food web. “Bug spray kills bugs. Period,” Ponzi says. “They do not differentiate.” When St. Louis City or County fog neighborhoods to crack down on mosquitoes, they are only knocking down the fully grown adults. Fogging does not interfere with germination, and St. Louis County doesn’t use any chemical that sticks around very long. Unfortunately, storebought pesticides and extermination services that promise bug-free lawns for 30 days do spray chemicals that stick around, indiscriminately wiping out whole levels of the insect food chain. For Ponzi, and environmental thinkers like the late E. O. Wilson, the relationship between insects and pollinators is a love story. As gardeners, “we can be a part of that romance,” Ponzi says. “Native plants are the strongest matchmaker that we can incorporate into our landscapes.” Biodiversity means richness, color and liveliness. “It’s also essential for ecological health, which includes human health. And it’s fun! You don’t have to suffer,” Ponzi says. “Go to your locally owned garden center, and they will have native plants.” About 70 percent of plants on a plot of land should be native, both Ponzi and Tallamy agree. “When you think of a monoculture,” Reilly says, “you think, alright, we’ve got this big grove and it’s full of all one tree. Right? If something bad happens to one, it happens to them all. Versus having the kind of resilience you would get with a diverse grove — those are the kind of things I think are pretty important.” n

[SPORTS]

Being Real St. Louis-based runner Tina Muir aims for connection in her Running for Real podcast Written by

JESSICA ROGEN

ike other runners living in St. Louis, Tina Muir has some opinions about the city. “Forest Park speaks for itself; that’s definitely my favorite place to go,” she says. “But I do love to get out on the trails. I mean, I never would have expected such beautiful trails in a Midwestern city like St. Louis. They are just stunning.” She points to Greensfelder and Castlewood parks, noting that life with young children often prevents her from exploring as often as she’d like. Originally from St. Albans, England, Muir and her husband relocated to St. Louis in November 2019 right before COVID-19, which has also prevented some of that exploration. That extends to trying new places in the city, so we meet at Songbird on Chouteau Avenue after two failing attempts to find a restaurant open on Mondays. Muir decides on Songbird’s version of French toast. “Before, I would eat foods — kind of like what we’re eating right now,” the 33-year-old says. “I would eat these foods that were, you know, indulgent, shall we say, but it was only after I had run 10 miles that day, or a long run or whatever, when I earned them essentially.” Feeling free to eat indulgent foods is something Muir has grown into. A former pro runner with a 2:36:39 marathon and a 1:13:21 half marathon personal records, she represented Great Britain in the 2016 Half Marathon World Championships and retired at what seemed to be the peak of her career in 2017. Behind the scenes, Muir had been suffering from amenorrhea, the loss of menstruation, for nine years. She wanted to start a family, so she decided to do something extreme: She stopped running, totally, announcing the decision in an emotional blog post. “I had fallen out of love with running,” Muir says. At that moment, Muir wasn’t sure if she’d ever return to the sport. But it wasn’t the end of her running story — the same year, she launched Running for Real, a podcast that now has over 4.5 million downloads, becoming a running influencer through the process. In recent years, she’s returned to rac-

Driven by her history overcoming amenorrhea, St. Louis-based runner Tina Muir strives for realness, vulnerability and honesty in her popular podcast Running for Real. | Sandy Guiterrez ing but with a different mindset, one that seeks balance among what she’s learned since 2017, her family and an inherent competitive drive that’s been with her throughout her whole running career. The longer the race, the worse the conditions, the more grit required, the better Muir did. On the cross-country team at Ferris State University in Michigan, Muir loved to do 17-mile training runs, regularly making a game of starting ahead of the men’s team and seeing how long she could hold them off. “You just feel stronger and stronger,” she says of progression runs. “It’s one of my favorite feelings in the world, continuing to push that boundary, knowing that you’re pushing your limits but also still listening to the inside to know where the line is.” Moving up in distance seemed like a natural next step, so she started training for the 2013 Philadelphia marathon. At mile 16 of the race, things fell apart. “Towards the end, I couldn’t see straight,” Muir says. “I barely knew who I was. I was not with it at all. I think my body was just going through autopilot. And as I finished, I was almost at 90 degrees, crouched over, just because my body was totally shutting down. So that was a real humbling moment.” Muir repeated, to a lesser degree, that crash in her next marathon. But after that she ran the London Marathon, and something about it being in her hometown allowed her to step back from some of that finish-line-focused mindset, and she had a good race. That drive has been behind Muir’s many successes but it’s also, undeniably, been to her detriment. She recalls being in college and hearing a coach tell one of her teammates to lose weight for performance; she later asked him if she, too, should lose weight. He said yes. “That sent me down a path,” she says. “I’ve recently, in the last few years, forgiven him for that comment because

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while that was harmful, it wasn’t just him. A lot of that was my own drive to be the best.” The next year, she lost her period. Muir saw doctors who’d tell her she was healthy otherwise. But that wasn’t quite the case; Muir had insomnia and was always cold and stressed out. Ironically, it wasn’t until she had her first child that she could sleep, and she’s come to realize and talk about how she had been dealing with an eating disorder. When Muir spoke out, she became one of the first in a string of professional runners to talk about the negative impacts of industry expectations. Her words resonated with women beyond the sport, however, and publications such as People Magazine and Glamour wrote about her. Sharing her truth, being vulnerable and honest, she says, has always been intrinsic, and she’s used it to build connections and make friends throughout her life. It’s also the backbone of Running for Real, during which she asks guests to be as open as her. She revels in moments where she gets her interviewees to crack — like when Malcolm Gladwell took back comments on Mary Cain or when ultrarunner Dean Karnazes talked pooping behind an olive bush. But mostly, the podcast is about sharing the stories and efforts of people without big names. It’s also about connection, something that’s perhaps best illustrated in her new “together runs,” recordings made literally while running that are supposed to simulate the experience of running with a friend. Just listening to Muir’s breath and free association as she runs in St. Louis, New York, Boston and beyond is oddly intimate, and that’s the point. “People were feeling very lonely; we were still right in the thick of the pandemic,” she says. “What can I do to bring people in again? Everything about Running for Real is about bringing people in. How can I make people feel included?” n

JUNE 15-21, 2022

RIVERFRONT TIMES

MUSIC

[JAZZ]

Conquering Demons A St. Louis jazz musician overcame alcoholism and stage anxiety to record new album Written by

JESSICA ROGEN

ohn Covelli and the Hard Bop Messengers’ album Live at the Last Hotel stretches and reshapes hard bop, a jazz subgenre that is more intense and rhythmically propulsive than the bebop that it grew from. There are elements of funk, blues and swing in the album as well as ohn oltrane-influenced chordchange schemes. “It’s just fun to listen to, makes you want to dance; it makes you want to move, snap your fingers, tap your toes,” Covelli says. “I wanted to play for others’ enjoyment. I wanted it to be something I enjoyed, and so this is kind of that sweet spot.” The album, which launched June 3, came out of the Hard Bop Messengers’ six-month residency at the Last Hotel in downtown St. Louis. It’s a concept album that tells the story of employees at a fictional version of the hotel. or example, “Standing Up Against The Wall” muses on the possibilities of a potential new business partnership (“Gotta call from a guy today/He says he wants to pay/ Don’t know if he’s on the level”). “Chef Can Cook” is about a new, talented chef (“Adding something like a bay leaf/Has a power over me/Something stronger like a saffron/Is a taste full of adventure that you can’t see!”). In addition to Covelli on trombone, the group includes Chris Meschede on bass, Nick Savage on drums, Ben Shafer on sax, Luke Sailor on piano and Matt Krieg’s vocals. Live at the Last Hotel represents something that Covelli has been working toward since he was a kid playing trombone in his room. To get to this album and this mo-

RIVERFRONT TIMES

From left: Chris Meschede on bass, Nick Savage on drums, John Covelli on trombone, Ben Shafer on sax, Luke Sailor on piano and Matt Krieg providing vocals. | COURTESY JOHN COVELLI ment has taken a lot, most notably overcoming two problems that were intrinsically tied together — stage anxiety and alcoholism — that had taken over not only his music but his life. “Drugs and alcohol did not help me play music any better,” he says, “and surely did not inspire me to be creative as a composer at all.” Covelli found jazz young. He recalls spontaneously ad-libbing or “messing around” with melodies on the trombone. That sort of improvisation, a hallmark of the form, landed him in jazz classes and then, in 1983, at Webster University, studying it formally. “I just gravitated towards it,” he says. Covelli went on to earn an undergrad degree in jazz studies and most of a master’s from Webster before dropping out two credits short to tour with a rock group and then a Latin band. Meanwhile, he met and married his wife, had kids, earned a master’s in finance and then an A,

JUNE 15-21, 2022

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started teaching at ontbonne University, founded a rock school with David Simon, and kept playing shows and touring. Throughout his life, however, Covelli felt hamstrung by intense stage anxiety, which led him down the path to substance abuse. “As soon as I learned about pot, I was smoking pot before going to rehearsals in high school,” he says, explaining that he thought it would relax him. But it never worked out that way. “I would find that h, my God, I’m way too high. I can’t even read [music], anyway. I’m already at a disadvantage because I can’t read music very well, and now I’ve just added another handicap.” But Covelli kept returning to pot and then to alcohol as he got to be a teenager playing gigs in bars. It all seemed to fit in with his romanticized idea of what musicians are like. “This is really freaking cool,” Covelli recalls thinking. He kept drinking, and it became more of a problem. Married with kids, Covelli would get hammered

at gigs, provoking his wife’s ire. He’d tell her that it was part of the band experience, and she’d say that he couldn’t handle drinking. So he tried to handle it, thinking he’d only have one glass, that he just needed to eat first or only imbibe on weekends. Then, in ctober , ovelli played a show after a Cardinals game. ometime during that first set, I faded into a blackout,” he says. He finished the gig but then disappeared. His bandmates eventually found him at Steak ’n Shake. He didn’t remember any of it later. “That was the most frightening experience of my life and still is,” he adds. “I had that moment of clarity.” That night prompted Covelli to seek help, and once he heard “alcoholism,” he felt that everything made sense. “There’s a reason why I can’t drink like everybody else,” he says. “So that was that. I mean, I got sober. That was my sobriety date, ctober .

It would be reductive to say that everything fell into place after that, but getting sober was the start of Covelli’s self-renaissance. He worked on his personal life, becoming a better husband and father. He also saw a therapist to work on the anxiety that had plagued his life and career. In , sober and determined to focus on his music and jazz, Covelli put together the Hard Bop Messengers. A year later, he was talking to the Last Hotel’s then-director of food and beverage, Will Rogers, and mentioned that it was a shame there wasn’t much jazz downtown. He said, ell, let’s change that. Let’s do some jazz downtown,’” Covelli says. That exchange resulted in the Hard Bop Messengers’ residency at the Last Hotel. or six months, the band played a show every riday from to p.m. The experience of having that steady gig and a chance to redo things weekly finally allowed Covelli to move beyond his stage anxiety. He got comfortable with playing his music and talking to the audience. I felt confident because the choices I was making were correct,” he says. “That was the lifechanging experience that led me to writing the music for this album.” The pandemic was the other half of the e uation. As I shut down live performances, Covelli and the band didn’t want to let go of making music together. About a month after the residency ended in April , they recorded what would become their first song about the hotel and put it out on social media. The response from the hotel and the public was affirming, and ovelli dove into writing after that; Hard Bop Messengers later recorded the album over days in the summer of . or ovelli, the final product feels like an affirmation of his hard work and his place in the St. Louis music scene. But most of all, he’s looking forward to sharing his music with the world. n Listen to Live at the Last Hotel on any streaming service and catch Hard Bop Messengers at the Dark Room at 7 p.m. Friday, August 19.

[FOLK]

St. Louis Folk How St. Louis’ ‘special’ music scene brought Dubb Nubb together Written by

JENNA JONES

he Dubb Nubb band members can tell you many things, but one is for sure: There is no music scene like St. Louis’. A local folk band, Dubb Nubb has been playing for over a decade in the area, with brief pauses to pursue other dreams. Started by twin sisters Delia (who has written for the RFT) and Hannah Rainey as teenagers, the band now includes the sisters plus Todd Anderson on bass and John Hamms on drums. To this reporter, the band oozes cool and kindness, which seeps through the screen as the interview goes on. Their friendship and mutual admiration is apparent from the moment the band starts talking about each other and their work. “I think it’s really cool that because of the St. Louis music scene I met both of these people,” Hannah Rainey says, referring to Hamms and Anderson. “Because I would never have known them if it wasn’t for playing shows.” Originally, however, Dubb Nubb was just Hannah Rainey and her sister Delia, two high school girls playing shows at the since-closed coffee shop Foam, other locations on Cherokee Street and even the occasional house show, something that doesn’t happen very often in the city anymore due to COVID-19. The band eventually gained an additional member when the sisters moved to Columbia, Missouri, for college — another Rainey sister — and had a couple others play with them, but they slimmed back down to just the two from 2016 to 2018. Within that time period, Anderson made his Dubb Nubb debut. Jokingly referred to as a superfan, Anderson played bass while they had Andrew O’Neill as a drummer. Delia Rainey moved to Chicago in 2018, and for a brief stint, Dubb Nubb was on hiatus. When she returned from Chicago, though, the two sisters began to have discussions about what a full band would be like. Including Anderson and then Hamms was an “obvious choice,” Delia Rainey says.

Dubb Nubb will play the Riverfront Times’ Art A’Fair at 7 p.m. on Thursday, June 23. | SHAWN DURHAM The four “started playing together, and it just really clicked,” Delia Rainey tells the RFT. Anderson had just moved back from Oregon when the sisters reached out to him. Portland’s musicians, Anderson says, have “great gear, and they look great,” but he didn’t see people hanging out and chatting “and just having fun and goofing off afterwards, so it wasn’t the same kind of vibe [as St. Louis].” “Not too long after I got back and after stuff started opening again, Hannah texted and was like, ‘We’re gonna play a show; you want to play bass?’ And I said, ‘Yes, please,’” Anderson recalls. “It’s just a lot of fun, very low pressure, and I just really like the music.” Hannah Rainey and Hamms had previously played in a different band together, but he says this time feels different — more freedom and enjoyment. Crafting new music usually stems from the Rainey sisters writing separately, bringing what they wrote to practice and playing around with it. Once their Monday night practices come around, the band figures out what they’ll play based on what the Rainey sisters have written. And sometimes superfan Anderson will ask to play a song from 2011. Anderson will suggest the song, or they’ll goof around and try new things out. Dubb Nubb hopes to focus on recording an album this year. They’ve got multiple shows lined up this summer

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— and have already performed a few times, including their traditional Dubb Nubb Fest, a show the sisters organize each year with friends. But they hope to buckle down sometime later this year and record something. The sisters haven’t released an album since 2015, and they’re ready to put one out in the world. It won’t take long once they get started, the sisters say, and the album that comes out should sound similar to one of their practices — a low-stakes, fun record where they’ll get to try new things. While COVID-19 has challenged the St. Louis music scene with bands breaking up or moving away, Delia Rainey says Dubb Nubb is navigating its newfound challenges as well. “[The music scene] feels like a community, and it feels a little more scattered now because of COVID,” Hannah Rainey adds. “We’re trying to figure out how the community works now.” Hamms says he’s found a home in the scene, saying that it’s amazing you can go somewhere and everybody knows and is comfortable with each other. The scene is “really special, small, cute and nice,” he says. “St. Louis has something special,” Anderson affirms. n

Catch Dubb Nubb this summer at the Riverfront Times’ Art A’Fair at 7 p.m. Thursday, June 23, on Cherokee Street.

JUNE 15-21, 2022

RIVERFRONT TIMES

OUT EVERY NIGHT

ollywood Casino Amphitheatre leads a packed week ahead with Chicago on Saturday, June 18, and Dead & Company on Tuesday, June 21. Look out for Juneteenth-adjacent shows going down all weekend long with Femi Kuti leading the pack at the Sheldon on Friday, June 17. Whatever your flavor, St. Louis has you covered but you should maybe consider bringing a covering of your own — for your face that is. Venues are starting to bring back COVID-19 precautions, so have your mask and/or proof of vaccination at the ready, and be sure to check online to see what will be required before going out for the night. Of course, this can be circumvented by sticking to outdoor shows, but this nasty heatwave we’re in will make that hard. Regardless, we’ve amassed a calendar that should cater to just about any taste in the river city. —Joseph Hess

THURSDAY 16

ANITA JACKSON SINGS NINA SIMONE: 7:30 p.m., SOLD OUT. The Harold & Dorothy Steward Center for Jazz, 3536 Washington Ave, St Louis, 314-571-6000. BAYSIDE: w/ Thrice, Anxious 8 p.m., $30/$35. The Pageant, 6161 Delmar Blvd., St. Louis, 314-726-6161. BILLY STRINGS: 8:30 p.m., $39.50-$69.50. Centene Community Ice Center, 750 Casino Center Dr, Maryland Heights. CAVE STATES: 8 p.m., $15/$20. Joe’s Cafe Gallery, 6010 Kingsbury Ave., St. Louis, 314-862-2541. ERIC MCSPADDEN AND MARGARET BIENCHETTA: 5 p.m.; June 30, 5 p.m.; July 11, 4 p.m.; July 26, 5 p.m., free. Broadway Oyster Bar, 736 S. Broadway, St. Louis, 314-621-8811. HEMBREE: w/ Dante Elephante, Post Sex Nachos 8 p.m., $12/$15. Off Broadway, 3509 Lemp Ave., St. Louis, 314-498-6989. LOST STARS: w/ Day Tvvo 8 p.m., $12/$15. Blueberry Hill - The Duck Room, 6504 Delmar Blvd., University City, 314-727-4444. RIVER CITY TANLINES: w/ The Uppers, Prunes 8 p.m., $10/$13. The Sinkhole, 7423 South Broadway, St. Louis, 314-328-2309. SHANNON ARVIEW: p.m., free. opperfire, E Main St, Belleville, (618)235_5010. TIM & LISA FROM UNCLE ALBERT: 7 p.m., free. Evangeline’s, 512 N Euclid Ave, St. Louis, 314367-3644.

FRIDAY 17

AMBERFADE: p.m., free. opperfire, Main St, Belleville, (618)235_5010. BEAU DIAMOND: w/ The Legendary Tiger Rider, Weak Daze 8 p.m., $10. The Heavy Anchor, 5226 Gravois Ave., St. Louis, 314-352-5226. BON IVER: 7 p.m., $35-$100. Centene Community Ice Center, 750 Casino Center Dr, Maryland Heights. CHUBBY CARRIER AND THE BAYOU SWAMP BAND: 9:30 p.m., $12. Broadway Oyster Bar, 736 S. Broadway, St. Louis, 314-621-8811. FEMI KUTI: 8 p.m., $30-$40. The Sheldon, 3648 Washington Blvd., St. Louis, 314-533-9900. GOOD 4 THE SOUL WITH HORNS: -18, 7:30 p.m., SOLD OUT. The Harold & Dorothy Steward Center for Jazz, 3536 Washington Ave, St Louis, 314-571-6000. KEVIN BUCKLEY: 4 p.m.; July 15, 4 p.m., free. Broadway Oyster Bar, 736 S. Broadway, St. Louis, 314-621-8811. MARINER 5: 8:15 p.m., free. Evangeline’s, 512 N Euclid Ave, St. Louis, 314-367-3644. NICK GUSMAN & THE COYOTES: w/ Mac Leaphart and The Mudpie Revue 8 p.m., $12. Off Broadway, 3509 Lemp Ave., St. Louis, 314-498-6989. NUMBER ONE SONS: w/ The Chandelier Swing, Sewer Urchin 8 p.m., $10. The Sinkhole, 7423 South Broadway, St. Louis, 314-328-2309. PONCÉ: 10 p.m., free. Evangeline’s, 512 N Euclid Ave, St. Louis, 314-367-3644. SACRIFICE THE SACRED: w/ Elusive Darkness, Atlas On Fire, Roseshands 8 p.m., $12. Red Flag, 3040 Locust Street, St. Louis, 314-2899050.

RIVERFRONT TIMES

[CRITIC’S PICK]

SONIC SLAM 2022: 7 p.m., $37-$72. Family Arena, 2002 Arena Parkway, St Charles, 636896-4200. SULLIVAN KING: 9 p.m., $25. Old Rock House, 1200 S. 7th St., St. Louis, 314-588-0505. THELMA AND THE SLEAZE: w/ Brother Lee and The Leather Jackals 9:30 p.m., free. Halo Bar, 6161 Delmar Blvd., St. Louis, 314-726-1414.

SATURDAY 18

4 HANDS ANNIVERSARY PARTY WITH JEFF ROSENSTOCK: w/ NNAMDÏ, Catbite 8 p.m., free. Delmar Hall, 6133 Delmar Blvd., St. Louis, 314726-6161. ALL ROOSTERED UP: noon; June 25, 4 p.m.; July 2, noon; July 16, 3 p.m.; July 23, noon; July 30, noon, free. Broadway Oyster Bar, 736 S. Broadway, St. Louis, 314-621-8811. BEN WAH BOB’S “THE DUDE ABIDES”: 8 p.m., free. opperfire, ain t, elleville, (618)235_5010. BILL NACE: w/ Emily Robb, Sloopy McCoy, Jane Wave, Nick G 8 p.m., $10. CBGB, 3163 S. Grand Blvd., St. Louis. CHARLIE YAEGER & THE SUBURBAN COWBOYS: 9 p.m., free. Evangeline’s, 512 N Euclid Ave, St. Louis, 314-367-3644. CHICAGO AND BRIAN WILSON: w/ Al Jardine, Blondie Chaplin 7 p.m., $35.50-$130.50. Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre - St. Louis, MO, 14141 Riverport Dr, Maryland Heights. DOUG DILLMAN: 8 p.m., free. Evangeline’s, 512 N Euclid Ave, St. Louis, 314-367-3644. GOOD 4 THE SOUL WITH HORNS: June 17-18, 7:30 p.m., SOLD OUT. The Harold & Dorothy Steward Center for Jazz, 3536 Washington Ave, St Louis, 314-571-6000. HYFY: 10 p.m., $10. Broadway Oyster Bar, 736 S. Broadway, St. Louis, 314-621-8811. KURT REEDER ORGAN TRIO FEATURING JOSE GOBBO JR.: 10 p.m., free. Evangeline’s, 512 N Euclid Ave, St. Louis, 314-367-3644. MADS AND CO: w/ Humans and Strangers, The Hangovers 8 p.m., $12. Red Flag, 3040 Locust Street, St. Louis, 314-289-9050. MATT COX: 7 p.m., free. Evangeline’s, 512 N Euclid Ave, St. Louis, 314-367-3644. NATALIE HUGGINS: w/ Middle Class Fashion, Pretty Talk 8 p.m., $10/$12. Blueberry Hill - The Duck Room, 6504 Delmar Blvd., University City, 314-727-4444. QUEENS BLVD: p.m., free. hesterfield Amphitheater, eterans lace rive, hesterfield. REX ORANGE COUNTY: 8 p.m., $35-$55. Centene Community Ice Center, 750 Casino Center Dr, Maryland Heights. TALKIN TRASH WITH BOBBY STEVENS: 6 p.m., free. The Heavy Anchor, 5226 Gravois Ave., St. Louis, 314-352-5226. TESLA: w/ Bad Marriage, Signal 13 8 p.m., $44.50-$74.50. The Pageant, 6161 Delmar Blvd., St. Louis, 314-726-6161.

SUNDAY 19

THE 411 FEATURING THE PAIGE ALYSSA QUINTET: 6:30 p.m., SOLD OUT. The Harold & Dorothy Steward Center for Jazz, 3536 Washington Ave,

JUNE 15-21, 2022

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Afrobeat pioneer Femi Kuti will bring his band the Positive Force to the Sheldon this Friday. | VIA PARTISAN ARTS

Femi Kuti & the Positive Force 8 p.m. Friday, June 17. The Sheldon, 3648 Washington Boulevard. $30-$40. 314.533-9900. Building on the Afrobeat legacy established by his father, Fela Kuti, songwriter Femi Kuti brings his band Positive Force and its socially conscious set of songs to the Sheldon just two days before Juneteenth. This special event showcases Kuti’s full musical heritage as the next generation iterates on the family’s historical contributions to the culture. Femi Kuti first joined his father’s band as a teenager, so it’s fitting that his own son Mádé Kuti has followed a similar path by touring with the family band as early as eight years old. In fact, this father-son duo recently received a Grammy nomination for debut double album Legacy+, St Louis, 314-571-6000. BRIAN CURRAN: 2 p.m., free. Broadway Oyster Bar, 736 S. Broadway, St. Louis, 314-621-8811. EDDIE 9V: 9 p.m., $12. Broadway Oyster Bar, 736 S. Broadway, St. Louis, 314-621-8811. JEFF ROSENSTOCK w namd , atbite p.m., $20. Blueberry Hill Duck Room, 6504 Delmar Boulevard. HOT SWING JAZZ BRUNCH WITH MISS JUBILEE AND THE YAS YAS BOYS: 11:30 a.m., free. Evangeline’s, 512 N Euclid Ave, St. Louis, 314-367-3644. KLOSE KUARTERS: w/ Skylark Bros 1 p.m., free. opperfire, ain t, elleville, (618)235_5010. MATCHBOX TWENTY: 7:30 p.m., $30.50-$851. Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre, I-70 & Earth City Expwy., Maryland Heights, 314-298-9944. RENT ROMUS’ ACTUAL / ACTUAL: w/ BryertonSmith Duo, Adam Goodwin 8 p.m., $10. The Sinkhole, 7423 South Broadway, St. Louis, 314-328-2309. ROGER CLYNE AND THE PEACEMAKERS: w/ Nate

which includes Femi’s Stop the Hate and Mádé’s For(e)ward, released in February. Such an approach is rare to see, yet it’s not at all surprising that the Kuti family would break the mold with their seminal recording projects. Expect music from that double release, including Mádé’s debut single from 2020, “Free Your Mind,” which demonstrates the modernization of Afrobeat from the bloodline that revolutionized the beloved musical genre. Time to Celebrate: Speaking of Juneteenth, we’d be remiss if we didn’t mention the Paige Alyssa Quintet show going down at the Harold & Dorothy Steward Center for Jazz on June 19. The concert itself is sold out — which is why we’re not covering it in greater depth — but if you can somehow secure tickets, you’ll be treated to a special night, with brand new arrangements of songs originally written and performed by Mary J. Blige. —Joseph Hess Bergman 8 p.m., $22/$25. Off Broadway, 3509 Lemp Ave., St. Louis, 314-498-6989.

MONDAY 20

BEN NICHOLS: w/ Cory Branan 8 p.m., $17-$20. Old Rock House, 1200 S. 7th St., St. Louis, 314588-0505. BUTCH MOORE: 5 p.m., free. Broadway Oyster Bar, 736 S. Broadway, St. Louis, 314-621-8811. SOULARD BLUES BAND: 9 p.m.; June 27, 9 p.m.; July 4, 9 p.m.; July 11, 9 p.m.; July 18, 9 p.m.; July 25, 9 p.m.; Aug. 1, 9 p.m.; Aug. 8, 9 p.m., $5. Broadway Oyster Bar, 736 S. Broadway, St. Louis, 314-621-8811. WELCOME TO NIGHT VALE: THE HAUNTING OF NIGHT VALE: 8 p.m., $30/$35. The Pageant, 6161 Delmar Blvd., St. Louis, 314-726-6161. THE WRECKS: w/ Girlhouse, Mothé 8 p.m., $20/$25. Delmar Hall, 6133 Delmar Blvd., St. Louis, 314-726-6161.

Jeff Rosenstock w/ Nnamdï, Catbite

[CRITIC’S PICK]

8 p.m. Sunday, June 19. Blueberry Hill’s Duck Room, 6504 Delmar Boulevard. $20. 314-727-4444. One doesn’t expect to see punk or its many subgenres described as “carefully composed,” which is unfortunate because there are many examples of modern musicians who have pushed the medium beyond what was thought possible only decades ago. Take Long Island, New York, songwriter Jeff Rosenstock, for instance, who has been playing myriad forms of punk since the early aughts as bandleader of Bomb the Music Industry! The name of his former band wasn’t just for show —Rosenstock is also credited as the founder of the first online donationbased music label Quote Unquote Records, which has released work from We Versus the Shark, Cheap Girls and more than three dozen other musical acts based around the world. Rosenstock himself is just as likely to drop a meditative ambient track on his Bandcamp page as he is to surprise the world with a ska-injected reimagining of an old album. And that’s exactly what he did in April 2021 with the release of Ska Dream, a record that adds checkerboard print and tasteful skanking to 2020’s No Dream. Rosenstock’s work as composer on Cartoon Network’s hit show Craig of the Creek shows the multi-instrumentalist’s

TUESDAY 21

DEAD & COMPANY: 7 p.m., $56.50-$201.50. Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre - St. Louis, MO, 14141 Riverport Dr, Maryland Heights. ERIC LYSAGHT: 9 p.m.; July 10, 9 p.m.; July 19, 9 p.m.; July 24, 9 p.m., free. Broadway Oyster Bar, 736 S. Broadway, St. Louis, 314-621-8811. STEVE REEB: 5 p.m.; July 1, 4 p.m.; July 13, 4:30 p.m., free. Broadway Oyster Bar, 736 S. Broadway, St. Louis, 314-621-8811.

WEDNESDAY 22

BRONCHO: w/ Labrys 8 p.m., $20/$25. Old Rock House, 1200 S. 7th St., St. Louis, 314-588-0505. CHLOE KAY: 7 p.m., free. Evangeline’s, 512 N Euclid Ave, St. Louis, 314-367-3644. GHALIA VOLT: 8:15 p.m., free. Evangeline’s, 512 N Euclid Ave, St. Louis, 314-367-3644. MILLY: w/ Life’s July, Umlouse 8 p.m., $10/$12. The Sinkhole, 7423 South Broadway, St. Louis, 314-328-2309.

THIS JUST IN

10-STRING DREAM: Thu., June 30, 6 p.m., free. opperfire, ain t, elleville, (618)235_5010. 40 OZ TO FREEDOM - A TRIBUTE TO SUBLIME: Sat., Aug. 27, 8 p.m., $15-$20. Old Rock House, 1200 S. 7th St., St. Louis, 314-588-0505. AGENT ORANGE: W/ Bastard Squad, Fight Back Mountain, Wed., Sept. 28, 8 p.m., $15. Red Flag, 3040 Locust Street, St. Louis, 314-289-9050. ALASKA THUNDERFUCK: Sun., Nov. 20, 8 p.m., $25. Red Flag, 3040 Locust Street, St. Louis,

Punk stalwart Jeff Rosenstock will deliver a wide range of genres and sounds at his show at the Duck Room on Sunday. | CHRISTINE MACKIE whimsy in full effect, which exemplifies his singular approach as he gleefully slinks from genre to genre. Arrive on Time: Bedroom-pop wunderkind Nnamdï has been an indispensable part of the Chicago music community for well over a decade at this point, and his name can be found in the album credits of many different projects across multiple genres. Expect a musical kaleidoscope that playfully blends beats, adjacent melodies and vocals that leap from octave to octave as Nnamdï takes command of the stage. —Joseph Hess

314-289-9050. ALESANA: W/ Palisades, Vampires Everywhere, Sat., July 9, 7:30 p.m., $26. Old Rock House, 1200 S. 7th St., St. Louis, 314-588-0505. ALEX G: W/ Barrie, Mon., Oct. 10, 8 p.m., $23/$28. Off Broadway, 3509 Lemp Ave., St. Louis, 314-498-6989. ALL ROOSTERED UP: Sat., June 25, 4 p.m., free. Broadway Oyster Bar, 736 S. Broadway, St. Louis, 314-621-8811. THE AMITY AFFLICTION: W/ Silverstein, Holding Absence, Unity TX, Tue., Sept. 20, 7 p.m., $29.50-$59.50. Red Flag, 3040 Locust Street, St. Louis, 314-289-9050. ANDREA GIBSON: Tue., Sept. 27, 8 p.m., $18-$23. Old Rock House, 1200 S. 7th St., St. Louis, 314588-0505. ANIMAL COLLECTIVE: W/ Spirit of the Beehive, Sat., July 23, 8 p.m., $35. The Pageant, 6161 Delmar Blvd., St. Louis, 314-726-6161. ANITA JACKSON: Sat., July 23, 8 p.m., $15/$20. Joe’s Cafe Gallery, 6010 Kingsbury Ave., St. Louis, 314-862-2541. ARRAY BAND: Fri., June 24, 8 p.m., free. Copperfire, ain t, elleville, . BASEMENT BRAIN: W/ No Antics, Julia Gomez, Wed., Aug. 24, 8 p.m., $10. The Heavy Anchor, 5226 Gravois Ave., St. Louis, 314-352-5226. BEST NIGHT EVER: 2010S DANCE PARTY: Sat., Aug. 20, 8 p.m., $15. Delmar Hall, 6133 Delmar Blvd., St. Louis, 314-726-6161. BIG GIGANTIC: W/ Inzo, Young Franco, Covex, Sun., July 17, 6:50 p.m., $30.50. The Factory, uter d, hesterfield, 8500.

BIT BRIGADE PERFORMS MEGA MAN AND CASTLEVANIA: W/ Super Guitar Bros, Sat., July 30, 8 p.m., $15. Off Broadway, 3509 Lemp Ave., St. Louis, 314-498-6989. THE BLACK ANGELS: W/ The Vacant Lots, Mon., Oct. 3, 8 p.m., $25. Delmar Hall, 6133 Delmar Blvd., St. Louis, 314-726-6161. BLACK PISTOL FIRE: W/ Lillie Mae, Tue., Aug. 9, 8 p.m., $20. Delmar Hall, 6133 Delmar Blvd., St. Louis, 314-726-6161. BLITZKID: Tue., Nov. 29, 7:30 p.m., TBA. Red Flag, 3040 Locust Street, St. Louis, 314-2899050. BREAKFAST IN AMERICA - A SUPERTRAMP CELEBRATION: Sat., Aug. 20, 8 p.m., $20-$30. The Pageant, 6161 Delmar Blvd., St. Louis, 314-726-6161. BRING ME THE FIRES: W/ The Intrusion, Beekman, Tue., June 28, 8 p.m., $10. The Sinkhole, 7423 South Broadway, St. Louis, 314-328-2309. BUY HER CANDY: W/ Birds of Squalor, Close to Zero, Fri., June 24, 8 p.m., $12. Red Flag, 3040 Locust Street, St. Louis, 314-289-9050. THE CALLING: Tue., Oct. 18, 8 p.m., $25-$30. Old Rock House, 1200 S. 7th St., St. Louis, 314-5880505. COLT BALL: Wed., June 29, 4:30 p.m., free. Broadway Oyster Bar, 736 S. Broadway, St. Louis, 314-621-8811. COURTNEY MARIE ANDREWS: Fri., Dec. 2, 8 p.m., $17. Off Broadway, 3509 Lemp Ave., St. Louis, 314-498-6989. THE CULT: W/ Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, Zola Jesus, Sun., July 10, 7:30 p.m., $49.50. The actory, uter d, hesterfield, 314-423-8500. DEAD HORSES: Thu., Aug. 25, 8 p.m., $14-$19. Old Rock House, 1200 S. 7th St., St. Louis, 314588-0505. DEAN LEWIS: W/ Forest Blakk, Tue., June 28, 8 p.m., $25-$129. Delmar Hall, 6133 Delmar Blvd., St. Louis, 314-726-6161. DEMARIUS HICKS: Fri., July 29, 7:30 p.m.; Sat., July 30, 7:30 p.m., free. The Harold & Dorothy Steward Center for Jazz, 3536 Washington Ave, St Louis, 314-571-6000. THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA: W/ Stray From the Path, Dying Wish, Sat., Sept. 3, 7:30 p.m., $25. Red Flag, 3040 Locust Street, St. Louis, 314-2899050. DREW LANCE: Tue., June 28, 4:30 p.m., free. Broadway Oyster Bar, 736 S. Broadway, St. Louis, 314-621-8811. DROPOUT KINGS: W/ Normandy, Egan’s Rats, Thu., Aug. 25, 8 p.m., $20. Red Flag, 3040 Locust Street, St. Louis, 314-289-9050. ELECTRIC 6: W/ Supersuckers, Sun., Oct. 2, 8 p.m., $20. Red Flag, 3040 Locust Street, St. Louis, 314-289-9050. ELWAY: Holy ess, The Haddonfields, at., July 16, 8 p.m., $13. The Heavy Anchor, 5226 Gravois Ave., St. Louis, 314-352-5226. ERIC MCSPADDEN AND MARGARET BIENCHETTA: Thu., June 30, 5 p.m., free. Broadway Oyster Bar, 736 S. Broadway, St. Louis, 314-621-8811. FALSETTO BOY: W/ Heavy Weather, Joe, Sat., July 9, 8 p.m., $10. The Heavy Anchor, 5226 Gravois Ave., St. Louis, 314-352-5226. FLATFOOT 56: W/ Capgun Heroes, Sat., July 9, 8 p.m., $15. W/ Capgun Heroes, Sat., July 9, 8 p.m., $15. Blueberry Hill - The Duck Room, 6504 Delmar Blvd., University City, 314-7274444. GEORGE BENSON: Thu., Aug. 4, 7 p.m., $59.50. The actory, uter d, hesterfield, 314-423-8500. GERARD ERKER: Fri., July 8, 4:30 p.m., free. Broadway Oyster Bar, 736 S. Broadway, St. Louis, 314-621-8811. GIMME GIMME DISCO: Fri., Aug. 19, 8 p.m., $15. Delmar Hall, 6133 Delmar Blvd., St. Louis, 314-726-6161. GRAND FUNK RAILROAD: W/ Foghat, Sat., July 23,

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[CRITIC’S PICK]

Broncho’s latest tour, hitting Old Rock House on Wednesday, is the band’s first in more than three years. | POONEH GHANA

Broncho w/ Labrys 8 p.m. Wednesday, June 22. Old Rock House, 1200 South Seventh Street. $20 to $25. 314-588-0505. After a period of relative dormancy, Oklahoma’s Broncho hits the road again for the I Know You tour, its first outing in more than three years. The indie-rock act will perform songs from across its decade-plus career, delivering the playful catchiness of 2011’s Can’t Get Past the Lips and 2014’s Just Enough Hip to Be Woman alongside 2016’s moody Double Vanity and the bona fide pop of 2018’s Bad Behavior. Fans of the band know what to expect, as Broncho combines the fuzz and fury of garage-rock with the energy of punk, while tossing in a dash of new wave poppiness for good measure. Essentially, if you put the Stooges and the Ramones in a blender with the Cars and T. Rex, you’d get a fair approximation of Broncho’s sound — not to mention a fine set of summer anthems worthy of a night out in the St. Louis heat. Top Secret: NPR listeners will no doubt recognize Broncho’s latest song, 2021’s “It’s Confidential” from the podcast Museum Confidential — the Kinks-inspired track was written in collaboration with host Jeff Martin, and serves as the theme song for the show. —Daniel Hill

8 p.m., $39.50. The Factory, 17105 N Outer 40 d, hesterfield, . GRUMPSTER: Sun., July 10, 8 p.m., $15/$18. Off Broadway, 3509 Lemp Ave., St. Louis, 314-4986989. HARPO JARVI: W/ Forteana, Fri., July 15, 8 p.m., $10. The Heavy Anchor, 5226 Gravois Ave., St. Louis, 314-352-5226. HAZMAT: W/ Buyhercandy. Rosemary, Fri., July 8, 7 p.m., $12. Blueberry Hill - The Duck Room, 6504 Delmar Blvd., University City, 314-727-

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THIS JUST IN

Continued from pg 41 4444. IMPENDING DOOM: W/ War of Ages, This is Me reathing, Hard Graves, acrifice the acred, Fri., July 29, 6:30 p.m., $20. Red Flag, 3040 Locust Street, St. Louis, 314-289-9050. INTERPOL: W/ Spoon, the Goon Sax, Fri., Sept. 9, 7 p.m., $31.50-$225. Stifel Theatre, 1400 Market St, St. Louis, 314-499-7600. JAKE’S LEG: Sat., July 16, 10 p.m., $12. Broadway Oyster Bar, 736 S. Broadway, St. Louis, 314-621-8811. JASON BONHAM’S LED ZEPPELIN EVENING: Sat., June 25, 7:30 p.m., $40.50. The Factory, 17105 N uter d, hesterfield, . JOHN CALVIN ABNEY: W/ Cole Bridges, Thu., Aug. 11, 8 p.m., $10. The Heavy Anchor, 5226 Gravois Ave., St. Louis, 314-352-5226. JON LANGSTON: Fri., July 22, 8 p.m., $25. Delmar Hall, 6133 Delmar Blvd., St. Louis, 314-7266161. KING OF PAIN: A TRIBUTE TO THE POLICE: W/ Ashes to Stardust, Fri., Aug. 5, 8 p.m., $20. Delmar Hall, 6133 Delmar Blvd., St. Louis, 314-726-6161. KING PRINCESS: W/ Dora Jar, Tue., July 26, 7:30 p.m., $34.50. The Factory, 17105 N Outer 40 Rd, hesterfield, . KURT VILE AND THE VIOLATORS: Fri., Oct. 21, 8 p.m., $30. The Pageant, 6161 Delmar Blvd., St. Louis, 314-726-6161. LANDEN BILLINGTON: Thu., June 23, 6 p.m., free. opperfire, ain t, elleville, (618)235_5010. LIGHTS OVER ARCADIA: ailhazer, nding Orion, Sat., July 2, 8 p.m., $10. The Heavy Anchor, 5226 Gravois Ave., St. Louis, 314-3525226. LITTLE FEAT: W/ Nicki Bluhm, Sun., July 24, 7:30 p.m., $49.50. The Factory, 17105 N Outer 40 Rd, hesterfield, . THE LUKA STATE: Sun., Sept. 25, 8 p.m., $15-$20. Old Rock House, 1200 S. 7th St., St. Louis, 314588-0505. MAC SABBATH: W/ Speedealer, Lung, Thu., Oct. 13, 8 p.m., $20. Red Flag, 3040 Locust Street, St. Louis, 314-289-9050. MAKING MOVIES: Sun., Oct. 9, 8 p.m., $15-$20. Old Rock House, 1200 S. 7th St., St. Louis, 314588-0505. MC CHRIS: W/ Crunk Witch, Wed., July 20, 8 p.m., $20. Red Flag, 3040 Locust Street, St. Louis, 314-289-9050. MELVINS: Wed., Sept. 21, 8 p.m., $26. Old Rock House, 1200 S. 7th St., St. Louis, 314-588-0505. MEMPHIS MAY FIRE: W/ From Ashes to New, Rain City Drive, Wolves At The Gate, Fri., July 8, 7:30 p.m., $23-$39.50. Red Flag, 3040 Locust Street, St. Louis, 314-289-9050. MICHELLE: Thu., Sept. 8, 8 p.m., $17/$20. Off Broadway, 3509 Lemp Ave., St. Louis, 314-4986989. THE MINKS: W/ Waltzer, Backup Singer, Wed., July 27, 7:30 p.m., $10/$12. The Sinkhole, 7423 South Broadway, St. Louis, 314-328-2309. THE MONOCLES: W/ No Antics, 1781, Fri., July 29, 8 p.m., $10. The Heavy Anchor, 5226 Gravois Ave., St. Louis, 314-352-5226. MURDER BY DEATH: W/ Amigo the Devil, Samantha Crain, Wed., Aug. 10, 8 p.m., $27.50. Red Flag, 3040 Locust Street, St. Louis, 314-2899050. ORIGAMI ANGEL: Sun., Oct. 23, 7:30 p.m., $20. Off Broadway, 3509 Lemp Ave., St. Louis, 314498-6989. PAT BENATAR AND NEIL GIRALDO: Mon., Aug. 1, 7:30 p.m., TBA. The Factory, 17105 N Outer 40 d, hesterfield, . PINEGROVE: W/ Poise, Sat., July 30, 8 p.m., $27. Delmar Hall, 6133 Delmar Blvd., St. Louis, 314-726-6161. RADIO BUZZKILLS: W/ Bruiser Queen, Covert Flops, Matt F. Basler, Fri., July 22, 8 p.m., $10. The Heavy Anchor, 5226 Gravois Ave., St. Louis, 314-352-5226. RAINBOW KITTEN SURPRISE: W/ Twen, Wed., Dec. 7, 7:30 p.m., $46. The Factory, 17105 N uter d, hesterfield, .

THE RED JUMPSUIT APPARATUS: W/ Attack Attack, Kingdom Collapse, Astoria State, Fri., July 22, 6 p.m., $22.50. Red Flag, 3040 Locust Street, St. Louis, 314-289-9050. RINGS OF SATURN: xtortionist, istinguisher, Loser, Matt Miller, Fri., July 1, 6:30 p.m., $21. Red Flag, 3040 Locust Street, St. Louis, 314-289-9050. ROBERT JON & THE WRECK: W/ Nick Gusman and The Coyotes, Fri., Aug. 26, 8 p.m., $15-$20. Old Rock House, 1200 S. 7th St., St. Louis, 314588-0505. THE ROOMINATORS: Sat., June 25, 8 p.m., free. opperfire, ain t, elleville, (618)235_5010. SEAN KINGSTON: Sat., Aug. 20, 8 p.m., $30-$125. Red Flag, 3040 Locust Street, St. Louis, 314-2899050. S.G. GOODMAN: W/ Le Ren, Fri., Oct. 7, 8 p.m., $15/$20. Off Broadway, 3509 Lemp Ave., St. Louis, 314-498-6989. SISSER: W/ Vaudevileins, Soft Crisis, Sat., July 9, 8 p.m., $10. The Sinkhole, 7423 South Broadway, St. Louis, 314-328-2309. W/ North by North, Middle Class Fashion, Sat., Sept. 17, 8 p.m., $10. The Heavy Anchor, 5226 Gravois Ave., St. Louis, 314-352-5226. SKY CREATURE: W/ 18andcounting, Syna So ro, ric Hall, ri., uly , p.m., . The Sinkhole, 7423 South Broadway, St. Louis, 314328-2309. SLEIGH BELLS: Fri., Aug. 12, 8 p.m., $30. Red Flag, 3040 Locust Street, St. Louis, 314-2899050. SOCIAL HOUSE: Mon., July 18, 7:30 p.m., $22$40. Red Flag, 3040 Locust Street, St. Louis, 314-289-9050. SOULARD BLUES BAND 4TH OF JULY SHOW: Mon., July 4, 9 p.m., $5. Broadway Oyster Bar, 736 S. Broadway, St. Louis, 314-621-8811. SPICE TRIO: Sun., June 26, 2 p.m., free. Copperfire, ain t, elleville, . SPITE: W/ Boundaries, Vatican, Bodybox, Sat., June 25, 7 p.m., $20. Red Flag, 3040 Locust Street, St. Louis, 314-289-9050. STEVE REEB: Fri., July 1, 4 p.m., free. Broadway Oyster Bar, 736 S. Broadway, St. Louis, 314621-8811. STONE HEN: Sat., Aug. 20, 8 p.m., $10. The Heavy Anchor, 5226 Gravois Ave., St. Louis, 314-352-5226. TALKIN TRASH WITH BOBBY STEVENS: Sat., July 16, 6 p.m., free. The Heavy Anchor, 5226 Gravois Ave., St. Louis, 314-352-5226. TENILLE TOWNES: Sat., Oct. 8, 8 p.m., $20/$25. Off Broadway, 3509 Lemp Ave., St. Louis, 314498-6989. THREE DAYS GRACE: W/ Wage War, Zero, Fri., July 22, 7:30 p.m., $45.50-$65.50. The Factory, uter d, hesterfield, 8500. TIDAL VOLUME: W/ Cave Radio, Mads & Co., Sat., Aug. 13, 8 p.m., $13/$15. Off Broadway, 3509 Lemp Ave., St. Louis, 314-498-6989. UNWELL: W/ Sink In, Dialogue, Uncanny Valley, Sun., June 26, 7:30 p.m., $10/$15. The Sinkhole, 7423 South Broadway, St. Louis, 314-328-2309. VIAGRA BOYS: W/ Shame, Kills Birds, Mon., Oct. 10, 7:30 p.m., $22. Red Flag, 3040 Locust Street, St. Louis, 314-289-9050. WEASEL WALTER AND THE ST. LOUIS ENSEMBLE: W/ Alex Cunningham, Seth Davis, Damon mith, anet mas, itchfit, Tue., uly , p.m., $10. The Sinkhole, 7423 South Broadway, St. Louis, 314-328-2309. WEDNESDAY 13: Sun., Sept. 11, 7 p.m., $20-$100. Red Flag, 3040 Locust Street, St. Louis, 314-2899050. WHEELER WALKER, JR.: Sat., Oct. 1, 8 p.m., $36. The actory, uter d, hesterfield, 314-423-8500. WHITEHALL: W/ Bleach Balta, Fri., Aug. 5, 8 p.m., $12/$15. The Sinkhole, 7423 South Broadway, St. Louis, 314-328-2309. WITCHPIT: W/ Lizard Breath, Mongoose, Mon., July 11, 7:30 p.m., $10/$12. The Sinkhole, 7423 South Broadway, St. Louis, 314-328-2309. YOUNG ANIMALS: W/ Inches from Glory, Distant yes, nknown ailing, on., uly , p.m., $5. The Sinkhole, 7423 South Broadway, St. Louis, 314-328-2309. n

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SAVAGE LOVE Baddy Dom BY DAN SAVAGE Hey Dan: I’m a 29-year-old bisexual woman in a non-monogamous relationship. A few years ago, I wanted to explore my submissive side and met up a with a Dom I connected with on a kink site. We had a few drinks and hit it off. We discussed what we were comfortable with and our limits beforehand. I set a few hard limits. In the middle of our first play session, he tried to renegotiate those limits. I said no a few times, but he kept asking and I eventually gave in. I should have ended it there, but it was my first time in a D/s situation, and I think he took advantage of that. The experience left me feeling terrible, but I didn’t communicate that to him at the time and just ended up ghosting him. I have since found a terrific and loving ominant partner who has thankfully helped me explore my kinks in a way that makes me feel safe and cared for, and I know now that a good Dom ALWAYS respects limits, especially in the middle of play. Recently, I have seen this bad Dom on a few different dating apps, and I’ve been thinking about sending him a message letting him know that what he did was wrong. I also worry that more women are going to have their boundaries violated by this guy. Will anything good come from this or should I just let it go? Bitterly Debating Sending Message You were an inexperienced sub when you played with this guy, BDSM, but you don’t say whether he was similarly inexperienced. But even if we give him the benefit of the doubt even if he didn’t know that attempting to renegotiate limits during a scene is never okay you have every right to be angry. “When it comes to D/s dating, the question is almost never about a person’s intentions but rather about the effect,” said Lina Dune, host of the Ask a Sub podcast. “Even if this guy didn’t mean to put BDSM in this awful situation which, let’s be real,

challenging someone’s limits is as fundamentally red-flaggy as it gets he still did that and ’s feelings matter.” Since you wound up having to ghost this guy, BDSM, I assume that means he continued to contact you expecting to play again. Which means he either didn’t realize he’d done something wrong, BDSM, or he hoped that you, an inexperienced sub, would continue to submit to his manipulative bullshit, i.e., the consent violations he tried to pass off as consent-seeking “renegotiations” once play had started. “The burden is never on the victim of bad behavior to change the perpetrator,” said Dune. “But if it would make BDSM feel better to dash off a quick message to him about the definition of hard limits’ and explain how destabilizing it can be for a sub for a Dom to switch things up like this mid-scene, or challenge limits in general, I don’t see the harm.” If this guy is a bad om if he’s a truly shitty person who can’t be trusted hearing from you isn’t going to magically turn him into a safe and trustworthy Dom. But it might make you feel better, BDSM, and who knows? Maybe he’ll start to worry about his reputation. After all, you can do more than talk to him… you can talk about him. Now, if he’s the kind of shitty Dom who preys on inexperienced subs, he may not care what people in the kink scene think of him. But if by sharing the details of your lousy first kink experience here in my column or elsewhere you inspire other newbie subs to avoid this guy and/or immediately end a scene if some other shitty Dom pulls the same crap, it’ll have been worth the effort. Lina Dune runs the BDSM meme page @askasub on Instagram, where she gives D/s relationship advice and serves as fairy submother to her 100K followers. She recently released an online course about dating for subs, which is available at www. askasub.com/subsurvivalguide. Hey Dan: My husband and I were at a kink event that required pronouns under scene names. My husband is a cross-dresser and wants “he/him” pronouns used when he is presenting as a boy

and “she/her” pronouns to be used when he’s presenting as a girl. He does not want to use “they/them.” I suggested he go with “he/she,” but he doesn’t think “he/she” is an appropriate option because he wants people to use the pronouns assigned to what he is presenting as. He doesn’t want to be insensitive to those whose presentation isn’t obviously binary but feels it is obvious when he’s presenting as either masculine or feminine and that it should be easy for people to use the pronouns he would prefer without having to specify them. How do you opt out and ask people to read your current “presenting gender” and apply traditional pronouns in the moment? Helping Everyone Seeking Help Everywhere Are we talking nametags here? Because if we’re talking nametags, HESHE, then your husband can wear a “he/him” nametag when he’s presenting as a man and “she/her” nametag when he’s presenting as a woman. But if this is a kink event run by anal weirdos who require attendees to preregister their scenes and list the names of all players involved in those scenes and itemize the pronouns those players intend to use during their scenes and stick to those pronouns under threat of expulsion… then your husband will just have to pick a team, i.e., pick the gender he will present as that night and the pronouns that go with it. Hey Dan: I am a white American cis-gendered paramilitary-looking heterosexual-seeming guy who happens to be in a polyamorous relationship. In the kink community, I am considered a “service top.” I enjoy group sex with my partner and in a group sex setting I will sometimes play with other men. But I am not interested in playing with men outside of those hypersexual situations. How am I supposed to identify? I ask because for those of us who grew up in the 1990s, a person was considered gay if he performed even a single gay act. I am comfortable/confident in myself, and if a guy wants to mess around with me during group sex, I figure it doesn’t hurt me any to make him feel good. I would rate these experiences on the positive side of neutral. I

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worry that using terms like “heteroflexible” or “mostly straight” contributes to bisexual erasure but calling myself bisexual seems appropriative because I can walk through life with all this heterosexual privilege. I would like to identify as bi because I think it helps normalize it but somehow don’t feel like I make the cut. If you could help me out, I would really appreciate it. Just Oppressed Enough I think you’re perfectly entitled to identify as bisexual, JOE. But just to be sure, I got a second opinion from Zachary Zane, the bisexual sex-advice columnist for Men’s Health. “I often receive questions from bi folks who don’t feel ueer’ enough to claim a bisexual label,” said Zane. “Typically, I hear this from cisgender women married to straight cis men who haven’t experienced the same level of oppression as, say, femme gay men in relationships with nonbinary individuals.” But your own personal experience with oppression or your lack thereof doesn’t invalidate your queerness or disqualify you from identifying as bisexual. “How sad is it that our understanding of queer identity is inextricably linked and dependent on having experienced oppression,” said Zane. “That is so wildly fucked up. Being queer and/or bisexual is about your attraction to genders,” and not about being or feeling oppressed. “So I would say yes, JOE can identify as bisexual because he enjoys, in certain situations, playing sexually with men,” said Zane. “At the same time, I think JOE can and should also acknowledge his privilege from how he presents which he’s already doing, and should continue doing and hopefully, he will use that privilege to support other bisexuals who don’t experience the same hetero-presenting privileges he does.” Zachary Zane is the co-author of Men’s Health Best. Sex. Ever. Follow him on Twitter @ZacharyZane. questions@savagelove.net @FakeDanSavage on Twitter savage.love

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