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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

COVER

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

Glob Rule Inside Trump’s sweat-drenched post-Roe victory rally

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

Cover photos by

B U S I N E S S Regional Operations Director Emily Fear

REUBEN HEMMER

C I R C U L A T I O N Circulation Manager Kevin G. Powers

INSIDE Hartmann News

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E U C L I D M E D I A G R O U P Chief Executive Officer Andrew Zelman Chief Operating Officers Chris Keating, Michael Wagner Editor at Large Jessica Rogen VP of Digital Services Stacy Volhein VP of Marketing Emily Tintera, Cassandra Yardeni www.euclidmediagroup.com N A T I O N A L A D V E R T I S I N G VMG Advertising 1-888-278-9866, vmgadvertising.com

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HARTMANN Eric Greitens Ties Up the Republican Party His unhinged ad has the GOP in a bind Written by

RAY HARTMANN

an we please have a round of applause for disgraced exGovernor Eric Greitens? Give a predator credit where credit is due. Missouri’s most famous violent abuser of women and children just pulled off the impossible: He caused devout Republican gun worshippers to cheat on the Second Amendment. Greitens unveiled an instantclassic campaign ad that almost broke the internet last Monday. In it, Greitens proclaims, “Today we’re going RINO hunting.” And by Trump, he does. Armed with a long gun, a SWAT team brandishing assault rifles and way too much testosterone, Greitens and his boys break down the door to a house and storm it, guns blazing. Unlike his old days as a Navy SEAL, Greitens actually led this platoon. “The RINO feeds on corruption and is marked by the stripes of cowards,” Greitens intones into the camera. And the bullets fly. “Join the MAGA crew,” he beams. “Get a RINO hunting permit. There’s no bagging limit, no tagging limit, and it doesn’t expire until we save our country.” I don’t know about saving the country, but Greitens certainly got its attention. Shock-and-awe sells. The term RINO, of course, stands for “Republican in name only” — code for any politician on the red team who refuses to genuflect sufficiently at the mention of Trump. Portraying oneself as a violent “RINO hunter” is superb political marketing in MAGA world circa 2022.

If you want liberal outrage, look somewhere else. This was pure wingnut comedy gold. Others can take the bait by dignifying this attention junkie with the horrified reaction he craves. Not me. Could a disgusting ad like this provoke an act of violence against some poor moderate Republican? Technically yes, but let’s get real: That horse is miles out of the barn. I’m not signing on as an extra for Greitens’ movie by missing the bigger picture here. The real threat to America’s safety is the Republican Party’s continued fealty to the National Rifle Association and others resisting sanity in gun control. In a country tragically overrun with unregulated armaments — including military weaponry in civilian hands — we’ve got a lot more to worry about than some vile campaign ad. Spare me the kumbaya moment where we all join hands to condemn Greitens and imply that he’s some outlier among Republicans, when he is not. Wake me when we’re ready to ban assault weapons again. For now, I prefer watching these scorpions in a jar. The race to fill the seat of retiring Senator Roy Blunt (RINO-MO) has devolved into a pathetic scrum of veteran politicians foregoing all pretense of dignity to flop around in a Trump grovelers’ mud pit. They deserve the inconvenience presented by Greitens’ ad. It’s easy for normal people to recoil at the ad’s barbarity. Not so much if you’re a politician who has made a career out of conflating guns and God. If you want to be the next Republican U.S. senator from Missouri, you better not be seen throwing shade on assault weapons, not for any reason. To MAGA world, tough guys in battle fatigues busting down a door while spraying bullets at invisible bad guys is just so cool. Finding that offensive is no way to connect with the Trump base. Context is for snowflakes. Nuance is for former politicians. There’s also this dilemma: It’s nearly impossible to attack an ad attacking RINOs without coming off like a RINO. And perhaps humorless, which is just about as bad a sin. Consider this: “If these clowns really believe that Governor Greitens should not be a candidate, why is he leading the entire field by a mile in recent

To MAGA world, tough guys in battle fatigues busting down a door while spraying bullets at invisible bad guys is just so cool. public polling? What does that say about their preferred candidates?” Greitens campaign manager Dylan Johnson told the Daily Beast. “These swamp creatures and grifters know their time at the trough is finished. That’s why they’re scared of America First champion Governor Greitens.” Maybe that explains why the actor formerly known as Attorney General Eric Schmitt basically kept his head down rather than attack Greitens last week. Somehow, Schmitt feels safer attacking school districts or Twitter liberals than engaging a bully with a big gun. U.S. Representative Vicky Hartzler (R-Harrisonville) did feel a little braver, as reported by the PostDispatch. “Eric Greitens is an abuser, a blackmailer, and less than ten years ago — a Democrat. There is no basement too low for him to cover up his past Obama support & blindfold Missourians into believing he represents their values,” she wrote on Twitter. Now, that’s a fine statement we can all rally around, right? You tell him, Vicky Hartzler. Why this guy’s not only an abuser and blackmailer, why even worse he once was a Democrat. An Obamasupporting Democrat, no less. Funny thing about Hartzler’s statement, though: She left out the part about assault weapons. That’s an interesting omission, seeing as how the congresswoman hasn’t been shy about discussing them before. You know, like in that taxpayerpaid mailer that Missouri voters received — in the days after the tragic massacre of children in

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Uvalde, Texas — showing Hartzler brandishing an assault weapon like the one used by the murderer. In it, she calls herself “Missouri’s 2nd Amendment Defender,” the Post-Dispatch quoted the mailer as stating. “Her congressional voting record has resulted in A ratings from the National Rifle Association and the National Shooting Sports Foundation, which are two gun-rights advocacy groups.” That underscores a larger point: There’s not nearly as much difference between Greitens and his lesscolorful primary opposition as the Republicans would have voters believe. In fact, there’s really nothing different at all beyond style points. Hartzler, Schmitt and nearly all the other passengers in the GOP clown car would vote no differently than Greitens on the matters that may determine whether America remains a democracy. Not only do they all agree on all the precepts of Trumpism, but they’ve supported Trump’s attempted insurrection. Schmitt has abused Missouri taxpayers by misusing the resources of his public office for repeated failed legal efforts to overthrow the 2020 election. Schmitt is as much of an insurrectionist as Senator Josh Hawley, who is supporting Hartzler. She and primary rival U.S. Representative Billy Long (R-Springfield) both refused to certify President Joe Biden’s electoral victory. At a time when Republicans were working feverishly to subvert state election systems so that the next Trump insurrection would succeed, that matters a whole lot more than whether their ads are tasteful. We’ll know soon enough if Trump wants to bestow his prized endorsement on Greitens or one of his leading challengers. It’s not certain he’ll endorse anyone. It is certain that his choice will win the Republican primary. The only suspense is whether Greitens’ RINO-hunters ad might backfire by embarrassing Republicans enough nationally to cause Trump to endorse one of his rivals. The national media was buzzing about that possibility at the end of last week. In the meantime, there’s no need to get worked up about a campaign ad. When it comes to what matters, they’re all Eric Greitens. n

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NEWS

Abortion Banned in Missouri Near-total abortion ban signed into law within moments of Roe v. Wade being overturned Written by

MONICA OBRADOVIC

ttorney General Eric Schmitt has signed an opinion to effectively end abortion in the state of Missouri after the U.S. Supreme Court issued a ruling Friday overturning Roe v. Wade, the landmark case that guaranteed a federal right to an abortion for nearly fi e decades. Overturn of Roe activated a law in Missouri that outlaws abortion except in cases of medical emergency. The law makes no exceptions for incest or rape. Missouri’s so-called “trigger law” would only take effect after the fall of Roe and action by some of the state’s top government officials either through a legal opinion by the attorney general, a proclamation by the governor or an adoption of a resolution by the state legislature. Schmitt stated last month he was “immediately prepared” to issue this opinion if Roe was overturned. Within moments of the decision, he signed an opinion, making issouri one of the first states in the country to end abortion access. The trigger law, officially called the Right to Life of the Unborn Child Act, punishes anyone who knowingly performs or induces an abortion. Doing so is now a Class B felony, punishable by up to 15 years in jail. Medical providers who perform or induce an abortion risk losing their license. Friday’s ruling from the Supreme Court comes seven weeks after Politico published a draft version of the Supreme Court’s opinion. While pro-choice advocates mourn the confirmation of their

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Rally for Choice outside Planned Parenthood in St. Louis. | REUBEN HEMMER

fears, Friday’s ruling comes as no surprise. Anticipation of an eradication of abortion access began long before Politico obtained the Supreme Court’s draft opinion to overturn Roe in May. Missouri’s legislature has restricted abortion access for years. From 2009 to 2019, the number of abortions performed in the state plummeted from 6,881 to 167, according to the state Department of Health and Senior Services. Local abortion providers say even fewer have been performed in recent years. Meanwhile, abortions will skyrocket in “safe-haven states” such as Illinois. “Our local abortion clinics are expecting a 200 percent increase in patients in the coming months as Illinois will become a safe haven, not just for Missouri but for the whole surrounding region,” says Mallory Schwarz, executive director of Pro-Choice Missouri. In an interview last Thursday with the RFT, Dr. Colleen McNicholas, chief medical officer for Planned Parenthood of the St. Louis Region and Southwest Missouri, said Southern Illinois Planned Parenthood expected to see an additional 15,000 patients. That number may seem like a lot, but abortion providers in neighboring Illinois have prepared for the “inevitable fall of

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Roe” for years, according to McNicholas. “Because we are uniquely positioned to have been dealing with Missouri’s constant attack on abortion access, this is a moment we’ve been preparing for for years,” McNicholas says. With the Hope Clinic for Women in Granite City, Illinois, Planned Parenthood launched a Regional Logistics Center earlier this year to help patients find lodging, transportation or financial assistance as they pursue reproductive health care. McNicholas says Planned Parenthood Southern Illinois and the Hope Clinic for Women have the physical capacity to handle more patients. However, both clinics could use more staff in order for them to increase operations, either by lengthening the clinics’ daily hours of operation or staying open an additional day. “Like many health-care industries across the country right now, staffing is difficult, cNicholas says. “We’re doing what we can to hire more folks so that as patients from across the country are making their way to Illinois, we can open more spots, so we can see folks for more hours a day and eventually likely see folks seven days a week.” In addition to Missouri, 12 other states have similar trigger laws

that would effectively ban abortion. Many of these states are nearby, such as Arkansas, Kentucky, Oklahoma and Tennessee. St. Louisans have had reasonable access to abortion at clinics directly across the Mississippi River, but that could change, Schwarz said last week in anticipation of Friday’s ruling. “Once this decision comes down, that access will change because of the number of people across the country that will be forced to flee their states to access quality health care,” Schwarz said, pointing to a need for legislation similar to a new St. Louis Board of Aldermen bill. Board Bill 61 would create a Reproductive Equity Fund to help organizations with logistical support. To accommodate this increase in need, Illinois abortion providers have called on Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker to direct more funding to clinics. “The abortion-care network is incredibly resilient and adaptable and will continue to do everything that it can to support patients for as long as it can, but it is not sustainable in its current form,” McNicholas says. “If Illinois and if Governor Pritzker are to live up to the promise that Illinois will be a beacon … then it is critical that they put some dollars behind that. n

More on Alleged Cult that Bought Nelly’s House Neighbors have been frightened by some activities Written by

RYAN KRULL

eighbors of the Kingdom of God Global Church, an organization many accuse of being cult, say that strange occurrences around churchowned properties in west St. Louis County have left them confused and at times even frightened. “There’s definitely a lot of questions about what exactly is going on with this group,” Chesterfield Prosecuting Attorney Tim Engelmeyer tells the RFT. “They could certainly run whatever organization they want to run out of the dozens of commercial areas around Chesterfield. But they choose to kind of land right in the middle of neighborhoods.” The RFT previously reported on the church purchasing Nelly’s old mansion in Wildwood as well as a house in Chesterfield on Wildhorse Meadow Drive that the church vacated after four years and numerous neighbor complaints related to the 30 or more people allegedly living in the residence. In total, the Kingdom of God Global Church owns at least nine properties in St. Louis County. Engelmeyer says that he understands neighbors being concerned by some of what they see happening around churchowned properties. “People were walking around the residence at night with suits on and sunglasses,” he says about the house on Wildhorse Meadow Drive. “There was a guy that would sit at the side door of the house in a chair with sunglasses on, guarding that side door.” The city filed two municipal ordinance violations at that property before the church moved out, Engelmeyer says. One of the violations was for running a commercial enterprise out of a residential subdivision. “They tried to assert these were simple Bible studies, but the scope of what was going on there was much greater than simple Bible studies,” says Engelmeyer. He adds, “I’ve seen pictures of children being led out of that house. They’re all holding hands in a long line, and being loaded into a van. That’s unusual in the middle of a subdivision, and it alarms people.”

In addition to Nelly’s former mansion, the church also purchased two other undeveloped parcels that border it. The church also owns a $1.7 million house on Hager Lane, in Chesterfield, on a heavily wooded street tucked between the end of Route 109 and the Spirit of St. Louis Airport. The church bought the house and an adjoining property in 2020. After hearing about the complaints from neighbors on Wildhorse Meadow Drive, an individual living on Hager Lane said it sounded similar to what she dealt with in her secluded corner of Chesterfield. This neighbor estimated that at any given time there were around 30 people living in the house, mostly young boys. She’d often see teams of boys playing sports. “They weren’t creating a bad thing. They weren’t smoking or drinking or yelling. They were just playing basketball,” she says of the youths at the house. She was more concerned for their wellbeing, wondering what such a large number of boys were doing all in one house. The church has been accused of using its followers in a manner akin to telemarketers, having them work long shifts cold calling and messaging people on Facebook to solicit donations. The church also operates a “dream interpretation phone line.” According to Engelmeyer, strict zoning laws govern what individuals can and can’t do in residential areas. He says his office is responsive to neighbor complaints about zoning laws being broken, but his office doesn’t patrol the city searching for infractions. Multiple neighbors who lived on Hager said that there were U-Hauls “constantly” coming in and out of the church-owned property, usually late at night, around midnight or 1 a.m. Security cameras affixed to a barn across the street from the church’s property often recorded high-end cars leaving the property in the middle of the night, headed toward nearby Eatherton Road. The cars always returned 10 to 15 minutes later. “In our mind, what could they possibly be doing out there outside that road?” the individual on Hager tells the RFT. “There’s no stores there. There’s nothing. Something was going on.” This neighbor said that the church was under the impression that when they bought the house, they had exclusive rights to the street running from their property to Eatherton Road. She says that a man from the church tried to stop a neighbor from entering the subdivision from Eatherton Road. “So there was an altercation,” this neighbor says. “They got set straight with that one.”

Kingdom of God Global church now owns Nelly’s former mansion. | REALTOR.COM

All three neighbors of Kingdom of God Global Church-owned properties who spoke to the RFT asked that their names not be used because they are still living down the street from houses owned by the church. “If you research the Kingdom of God on the internet, it made it seem scary, because [in] one of the pictures we pulled up he was fraternizing with the guy from [North] Korea,” one neighbor says. The neighbor is likely referring to a wellproduced video published by the church in which the organization’s leader, David E. Taylor, predicts the reunification of North Korea and South Korea, a prophecy Taylor says Jesus relayed to him in a dream. The video contains newsreel footage of Kim Jong-un. In church videos, Taylor frequently weighs in on global geopolitics. In a church video published to YouTube in March, Taylor claims to have predicted 9/11, saying that the terrorist attacks were financed by Russia. Now, Taylor says, Russia is sneaking nuclear submarines to the United States’ shores. The video’s narrator states that God sent Taylor to be the country’s “end-time general” and help avert the Russian attack. Taylor also frequently claims to perform miracles healing the sick. An individual who lives near Timpaige Drive in Chesterfield, where the church owns a $2.1 million house, tells the RFT that the church’s property has been an annoyance in the area but that a man who identifies himself as the property manager has tried to address concerns. The church installed bright security lights by its pool, but the lights’ timer either malfunctioned or was programmed incorrectly, and they shone into the abutting house all night. The property manager worked quickly to fix this once he was

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made aware of it, a person who lives nearby says. The Timpaige neighbor also says that when the church first bought the property, they planned to use it as a “drug and alcohol rehabilitation center.” The RFT previously reported that a contractor who worked on the church’s Timpaige property wrote a letter to the City of Chesterfield stating that the house had “20 to 30 people staying at the property zoned residential.” Neighbors around both the Hager and Timpaige properties say that the church occasionally threw massive parties on the properties. A Fourth of July event on Hager drew hundreds of people and even included tents pitched on the property for people to stay in, a la a music festival. The church has participated in at least one event in St. Louis city. In November it worked with St. Louis Metropolitan Police on a Thanksgiving dinner giveaway in north city. Both the police and Joshua Media Ministries International, an organization closely affiliated with the church, posted photos of the event to their social media pages. According to police spokeswoman Evita Caldwell, city police officers “participated in several community engagement events at the school in conjunction with various community organizations.” It’s unclear what the future holds for the Kingdom of God Global Church in west county. Neighbors of Nelly’s former mansion say there hadn’t been much activity there since the church bought the property last fall. On a recent visit to the property, it looked as abandoned as ever. On Hager Lane, it appears to some neighbors that the church may have recently left. “In December, they had like 17 U-Haul huge trucks come down the driveway,” a neighbor tells the RFT. “So we knew they were moving everything out at that point. The house right now appears to be empty.” In addition to being on the radar of the Chesterfield prosecutor’s office, according to two people, the church either has recently or currently is being investigated by the FBI. A neighbor on Hager Lane says that once, when Chesterfield police responded to complaints about a large number of cars being parked by the church’s property impeding traffic, an officer told her that the FBI was investigating the church. A former neighbor of the church on Wildhorse Meadow Drive says that he was interviewed by the FBI about the church. The individual living near the Timpaige property adds that “we keep joking that one day we’re going to see guys in tactical gear walking through our yard going to storm their complex or whatever.” n

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Union Busting Accusations at Area Starbucks Written by

BENJAMIN SIMON

ver the past week, three St. Louisarea Starbucks stores have celebrated union victories. At one store, though, the unionization effort failed. On June 13, employees at a Bridgeton Starbucks voted against unionizing in a 9 to 14 tally. But the union, Chicago and Midwest Joint Board of Workers United, have maintained Starbucks used union-busting tactics to sway the baristas. They plan to contest the results to the National Labor Relations Board. Alexia Fischer and Maddie Hagan, baristas at the Bridgeton Starbucks, located at 12419 St. Charles Rock Road, were part of the organizing committee at their store. They tell the RFT that they had pro-union content stripped from the community board, an anti-union letter placed in their tip envelope and their hours cut as a result of their organizing efforts. Mari Orrego, an organizer with the labor union who works with Starbucks employees across the region, says she has seen other examples of union-busting. But none in St. Louis like Bridgeton. She calls it a “special case.” “They had been going through unionbusting for many, many months, even before they launched their campaign,” says Orrego, who talked with the Bridgeton organizing committee every day. In an email to the RFT, a Starbucks spokesperson denied accusations of union-busting. “Any claims of union busting are false,” the spokesperson wrote twice. Fischer and Hagan jumpstarted the unionization efforts at the Bridgeton store in October, not long after workers in Buffalo became the first Starbucks employees in years to support a union. “I personally think that everybody deserves a union,” Hagan says. “Just because it bridges that power imbalance that comes with working at a corporate store.” In the months after the unionization process started, Fischer and Hagan say their hours dropped from 40 hours a week to less than 20. The store hired more employees, and almost everyone saw their hours cut, but Fischer and Hagan say their cuts seemed more drastic. “They’re just kind of slowly squeezing me out of the store,” Hagan explains. “And the point of it is to keep me out of a store so that I’m not talking to people.” On May 9 and 10, the week employees received their ballots, the store held two closed-door meetings during work hours attended by the district manager, store

Bridgeton Starbucks. | ROSALIND EARLY

manager and employees. At the meetings, Fischer says management harped on the negative impact of unions, sharing examples of failed unions and the need to pay dues. Orrego called them “captiveaudience sessions.” In the statement, Starbucks supported management’s right to share their viewpoint. “Regarding complaints about our sharing facts and our perspective on this important issue, we do this so partners can make informed decisions when they vote,” the Starbucks spokesperson said. “Our hope is that the union would respect our right to share information and our perspective, just as we respect their right to do so.” Then on May 17, four days after they received their ballots, Fischer and Hagan say fellow baristas recieved a letter in their tip envelope. It read across the top: “Please Vote and VOTE NO!” “Vote ‘NO’ in favor of keeping your direct relationship with Starbucks,” it read. “Vote ‘Yes’ to give up your rights to speak for yourself and have Workers United as your exclusive bargaining agent.” Hagan says it felt like “a threat.” Fischer and Hagan say they are still searching for reasons behind the failure. Both say they felt confident the store would vote to unionize in the weeks leading up to the vote. The union claims some “yes” voters had their ballots lost in the mail. Many people in the store won’t talk to them anymore. Across the nation, 165 Starbucks stores have voted in favor of unionizing. Only 26 stores, or roughly 15 percent, have voted against unionizing. Orrego says that the tactics used at the Bridgeton store have mirrored other Starbucks stores in the United States. But Orrego says she hasn’t seen a letter, like the one sent to Bridgeton workers, circulated at other Starbucks locations. “These are people’s livelihoods, and they take their jobs really seriously,” she says. “So when there’s any type of perceived threat coming from supposed leadership, it does scare the worker, and that’s just the reality of having that sort of power imbalance, which is why union-busting is so illegal in the first place, because it does have the power to sway employees.” n

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MISSOURILAND

Wet ’n’ Wild Saddle Tramps Motorcycle Club parties in South City Photos by

REUBEN HEMMER

n south city’s Patch neighborhood, the Saddle Tramps Motorcycle Club hosted its fourth annual Southside Bike Show. Reuben Hemmer, our man on the street, has covered the Saddle Tramps before. (In fact, his Saddle Tramps coverage is what started Missouriland as a section in our paper.) Here is how he described it the first time he went to a addle

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Tramps event last year. “It’s a sunny summer afternoon in St. Louis, and the Saddle Tramps are partying hard. Tucked away in the mostly industrial Patch neighborhood of south city, the local motorcycle club has pulled out all the stops to give area two-wheel enthusiasts a celebration to remember, providing an opportunity for them to showcase their custom choppers while knocking back beers and enjoying some live music. A cover band is on hand to deliver hardrocking hits, and anticipation has been building all day for the start of the most proper of South Broadway celebrations: a wet T-shirt contest.” This year hit all the same high notes, Hemmer reports. There were wet T-shirts, a dunk booth, burnout competitions, live music from the South Side 5 and “copious amounts of alcohol.” n

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A C E L E B R AT I O N O F T H E U N I Q U E A N D FA S C I N AT I N G A S P E C T S O F O U R H O M E

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GLOB RULE T

his past Saturday, former President Donald Trump hosted his first post Roe rally in the tiny rural town of Mendon, Illinois, where thousands of his sweat drenched, heatstroke addled fans endured blistering temperatures and the relentless oppression of an indif ferent sun for the opportunity to celebrate their God’s ictory o er e il, to which e responded by unleashing a thunderstorm on them. Alongside se eral fellow far right goblins including fresh men . . ouse Representati es auren oebert R Colorado) and ary iller R llinois), as well as pillow magnate unhinged lunatic Mike Lindell — Trump used the une e ent at the Adams Coun ty Fairgrounds as an opportunity to heap praise upon himself for installing three of the Supreme Court justices responsible for the o erturned Roe v. Wade prec

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edent, insisting that the ruling was but a culmination of his kept promises. Pri ately, though, Trump has reportedly been fretting o er the political ramifications of the landmark decision, apparently unaware that the forces that had aligned to put him in power no longer ha e a need for him and ha e mo ed on to other shiny new toys. As reported by the New York Times, Trump expressed con cern to ad isors upon the release of a draft copy of the decision in ay that o erturning Roe would cause a backlash against the Re publican party in the midterms and anger suburban women, who were instrumental in gi ing iden the presidency in . After riday’s ruling, , an ap parent masochist, decided to tra el two hours north of my home town St. Louis to see what Trump may ha e to say about all of this, largely because ha e a deficit of

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respect for the alue of my own time. Complicating things, a cou ple years back was clipped by a car in such a way that my leg fell off and had to be reattached with a bunch of ome epot sup plies that’s perhaps imprecise, but what do I know: that whole incident was a ha e of painkill ers and twilight drugs), lea ing me with a bum hip. Between the strain that walking around at this e ent would put on me physically and the psychological pain that would surely come from enduring the day’s programming, figured some edibles were warranted. procured some homemade gummies from a trusted friend. Well, “gummies” plural is also imprecise though they’d started that way, they’d since melted and recongealed into what my friend dubbed a glob, of which was ad ised to simply break off a chunk. owe er, when retrie ed the concoction at the site found

that the oppressi e plus de gree heat of the day had reduced my glob further into a liquid state, lea ing me with a iploc bag full of runny mucus as my afternoon’s only sal ation. took an un uan tifiable swig of the hot, iscous po tion and headed for the entrance. Trump’s rally playlist, for which the only identifiable theme was chaos, greeted me with Phil Collins’ n the Air Tonight as made my way through the shake down streets outside the en trance, where endors peddled e ery manner of flag shirt hat sign bumper sticker to the Trump diehards, most of whom were al ready clad in ariations of the de signs on display. There was merch depicting Trump as e ery manner of ma cho badass, riding on tanks and holding guns, and e en some separately re imagining Trump as both Rocky and Rambo, because Trump fans apparently really

Inside Trump’s sweat-drenched pOst-ROe victOry rally WRITTEN BY DANIEL HILL PHOTOS BY REUBEN HEMMER

get off when his head is affixed to yl ester tallone’s rippling body. The whole field in which the commerce was being conducted smelled like literal shit, which mention not in judgment of this farming community but as a sim ple statement of fact. opted to wander around the area outside of the gates to the rally itself for a while, taking in the sights. saw a one armed man step out of a white pickup truck that had no less than flags of differ ing arieties affixed to four poles mounted on the back of it. had a brief brush with royalty in the form of iss uincy’s utstand ing Teen , who was wearing her crown and sash while waiting in line. I knew the glob had fully taken hold when was reduced to hysterics by the sight of a white an wearing a AGA hat. ore ominously, saw a Ram sporting a decal of a lack un, which is commonly used by

neo Na is and white suprema cists, including the white man who killed lack people dur ing a mass shooting in Buffalo in ay, who had affixed the symbol to both his body armor and his manifesto. Nearer to the gates, giant screens displayed hyper dramatic ideos about nonexistent election fraud for the capti e audience snaking its way through a ma e of fencing in the intense heat. t struck me at this point that the experience of Trump’s rallies is truly the experi ence of modern America itself be set on all sides by capitalism and distracted by tele ision as you cook ali e in extreme weather conditions, you shu e forward on a preset path while trying to pretend e erything is fine. Inside the gates was no better.

There was simply no shade to be found anywhere, sa e for the seat ing behind the stage and a small sli er behind the media staging area. Ne ertheless, the faithful dutifully shu ed in and endured the suffering for the chance to witness their messiah in the flesh. Some wore sun hats and others held umbrellas, but none looked comfortable. At p.m., the festi ities finally kicked off in earnest with shit you not the entrance music for WWE superstar the Undertaker, a foreboding and sinister track that incorporates elements of r d ric Chopin’s uneral arch with re peated “For Whom the Bell Tolls” style clangs. ut rather than being treated to the imposing entrance of towering professional wrestler ark illiam Calaway, we instead

got the comparati ely diminuti e chaplain of the llinois eterans ome on lickhan, who did not slam e en one person through a table. After a short prayer, lickhan spoke for a while about how cool and great Trump is, mostly lead ing me to wonder to myself, as I often do, why it is that we don’t tax churches. r. Trump ran for office, he said. ew thought he could win, but he did. Then all hell broke loose. n that point, at least, we can agree, though he probably has a different hell in mind than I do. The Pledge of Allegiance was next, with one audience member making sure to scream the un der God part, after which oris anders of the uincy ymphony Continued on pg 16

Left: Flags of every variety form an important theme at Trump's rallies. Clockwise, above: Trump reimagined as royalty, Uncle Sam bows his head and some shirts for sale on the shakedown streets. riverfronttimes.com

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The dark clouds blotting out the sky while Trump spoke were a little on the nose. | REUBEN HEMMER

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Continued from pg 15

Chorus came out to sing the national anthem. She did a mostly serviceable job, playing it fairly straight while leaning heavily on vibrato for style points. Naturally, the crowd followed her performance up with a chant of “USA! USA! USA!” oebert was the first major speaker to hit the stage. “Patriots! Who’s ready to take back America?” she inquired to a cacophony of cheers. Boebert explained that she was in town to support Miller, who is in the midst of a primary matchup against U.S. Representative Rodney Davis (R-Illinois) for control of Illinois’ 15th Congressional District in a race that was happening as this paper went to press. he flew in from Colorado, she said, noting a stop in St. Louis on the way. “I land in St. Louis, and I saw a man that had fallen over on his bike, and I said, ‘Biden?’” she remarked, referencing the objectively funny moment, recently caught on tape, when the presi-

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dent got his foot caught on the pedal to his bicycle and dropped to the ground like a sack of potatoes. She continued: “Like, what is going on here? Who would have known we needed training wheels in the White House?” With the stand-up comedy out of the way, Boebert launched into a hard sell for Miller, saying all the things you’d expect her to say about the latter’s positions on various exhausting culture war talking points. “Her heart is so sweet for you, and she loves you so dearly,” she pandered. From there she moved on to talk of the Supreme Court. “Those were President Trump’s justices that he appointed,” she said. “Promises made, promises kept. Thank you Trump!” The crowd immediately responded with a “thank you Trump” chant. “These are important victories. This is what you have worked for, this is what you have prayed for," she said. "And the harvest of these prayers will result in children fi e years from today running to school with smiles on their face because they get a chance to live."

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Once again she was met with rapturous applause. Lindell was up next, sweaty and delusional as always. He too heaped praise on Trump for the overturning of Roe, then talked about how much he used to like crack, vowed to get rid of voting machines and ba ingly insisted that 40 percent of Democrats now believe the 2020 election was stolen, which is, of course, complete nonsense. It’s fairly clear that the only reason that Trump continues to give this guy a platform is that Lindell is perfectly willing to say the most ridiculous shit in the world in service of whatever Trump’s agenda is, but frankly the man just can’t hold a crowd’s attention well enough to justify his slot here. While reviewing my notes for this story, I found a line in the Lindell section that simply read “this guy sure says a lot of stuff,” which remains my overall assessment. hen indell was finished letting the wind blow through the empty space between his ears, Miller took the stage. Based on what she and those hyping her up had to say, it would appear that her

main ualification for public office is the sizable number of grandchildren she has — between 17 and 19, depending on which speaker you believe. She seemed to think it was 19 on this day, though her Twitter page says 17. To be fair, who could possibly keep track? Notably, Miller has a whole section on her Wikipedia page with the title “Comment about Hitler,” which is rarely a good sign. That’s because, just two days into her term, she gave the leader of the Third Reich props for his youth indoctrination programs, saying, “You know, if we win a few elections, we’re still going to be losing unless we win the hearts and minds of our children. This is the battle. Hitler was right on one thing: He said, ‘Whoever has the youth has the future.’” Being that Miller has a tendency to say things like “Hitler was right,” I’m not particularly interested in transcribing any of the bullshit she was spewing at this event, so we’re just gonna move right along. At this point, there was a break in the programming, and the dose of glob I’d consumed upon

It struck me that the experience Of Trump’s rallies is truly the experience Of mOdern America itself: beset On all sides by capitalism and distracted by televisiOn as yOu cOOk alive in extreme weather cOnditiOns, yOu shuffle fOrward On a preset path while trying tO pretend everything is fine.

Faithful Trump fanatics braved all manner of extreme weather for a chance to see their messiah in the flesh. | REUBEN HEMMER my arrival was no longer having a noticeable effect — very concerning, considering the fact Trump was up next to speak — so I decided to retreat back to the vehicle I’d arrived in, where I’d left a vape pen that the Secret Service told me I couldn’t bring inside. On my way there and back I saw a fair number of people who seemed to be falling victim to the heat, with a crowd of about a dozen or so laying on blankets in some rare shade outside the EMS tent. I also noticed that the playlist had grown ever more chaotic: Willie Nelson’s “Always on My Mind,” Brenda Lee’s “I’m Sorry,” “Africa” by Toto. Pink Floyd’s “Dark Side of the Moon” was cut short mid-song in favor of Queen’s “We Will Rock You.” The titular song from Phantom of the Opera was played for the confused crowd, as well as “Do You Hear the People Sing?” from Les Miserables. Nobody seemed to know any of the show tunes. At one point the DJ vexingly played NSYNC’s 2000 hit “Bye Bye Bye,” serving as proof that he was utterly unable to read the room and growing increasingly desper-

ate. He managed to get the crowd fully back on board, though, with the Village People’s “Y.M.C.A.,” which, in a development that no one could have predicted even a handful of years ago, has become something of an anthem for Trumpism. Notably absent from the playlist was the Rolling Stones’ “You Can’t Always Get What You Want,” previously a staple of these events. The relatively new inclusion of the Stones’ “Under My Thumb” did seem more appropriate, though, following the overturning of Roe. From the lyrics: It’s down to me Yes it is The way she does just what she’s told, down to me The change has come She’s under my thumb As I was returning to my spot, I had to step to the side in order to let some EMS workers through who were attending to a sweatsoaked woman clearly suffering from heatstroke. This was becoming an increasingly common occurrence, and I watched as a

staffer threw water bottles into a shoulder-to-shoulder crowd of heat-stricken attendees, giving off real post-Hurricane-FlorencePuerto-Rico-paper-towel vibes. It occurred to me that there is literally nothing in the world that I would want to see so badly that I’d willingly stand in that crowd in this heat, which speaks to the intensity of Trump’s fans’ devotion to the man. At last the big moment came, and Trump took the stage to the sounds of Lee Greenwood’s “Proud to Be an American,” greeted by a roar of applause from the excited crowd. He wasted no time in taking a victory lap for the overturning of Roe. “Before we begin, we’ve got some very big news don’t we? We have very big news. Maybe the biggest,” he said. “Right from the United States Supreme Court. Yesterday the Supreme Court handed down a victory for the Constitution, a victory for the rule of law and, above all, a victory for life.” Telling the crowd that their prayers had been answered, Trump predictably patted himself on the back for stacking the courts to get

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this outcome, even though truthfully that work probably amounted to little more than picking names out of a hat marked “Federalist Society” and congratulating those selected on their new jobs. “I promised to nominate judges and justices who would stand up for the original meaning of the Constitution and who would honestly and faithfully interpret the law as written,” he said. “We got almost 300 federal judges and three great Supreme Court justices confirmed to do exactly that.” From there Trump moved to talk of guns — always a hit with this crowd. He spoke of the Supreme Court’s Thursday decision that ruled Americans’ right to arm themselves is not restricted to the home. The Court tossed out a New York law prohibiting possession of handguns in public in an opinion that allows basically anyone in the country to carry a concealed weapon on them at all times. “I told you when I started my campaign that I will protect the Second Amendment, and nobody has protected it like me,” he said. In his typically dramatic style, Trump then decried the “left-wing campaign of terror directed at the Supreme Court,” dubbing it “unlike anything in the history of our country” and praising the justices for standing up to the “terrorists.” From there, the evening’s programming settled into the usual rally fare, with Trump falsely insisting the 2020 election was stolen and decrying the January 6 “unselect committee,” and U.S. Representative Liz Cheney (RWyoming) in particular, whom he dubbed a “real loser” as the crowd booed. “There has never been anything like what took place in 2020,” he insisted. “They used COVID to rig and steal an election. It’s all just a continuation of the fake Russia Russia Russia scam.” By this point Trump started trotting out all the hits. Adam “Shifty” Schiff bad, Jim Jordan good. His “perfect” phone call with Georgia’s Secretary of State. The “backstabbers and RINOs” like Adam Kinzinger. The crowd, who up to this point had been standing at attention, settled into their seats. Behind me, another woman passed out from the heat and had to be ushered out by EMS. At one point, as he was yammering about “illegal immigrants” and the border crisis, Trump saw fit to acknowledge the extreme temperatures. “And by the way, today it’s hotter

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Clockwise from top left: U.S. House Rep. Mary Miller thanked Trump for "the historic victory for white life in the Supreme Court yesterday." The event's security detail were all jacked to the max, like they'd been pumped full of hot meat. A Black Sun decal affiliates at least one attendee with neo-Nazis and white supremacism. Sweaty Senatorial candidate and aspiring RINO assassin Eric Greitens gladhanded his way backstage. The crowd showed an inexplicable love for "YMCA," a song by and about the very people many attendees would like to see criminalized.

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here than it is on the border. In fact — do you mind?” he asked, producing a towel to wipe the sweat off his face. “Because I’m gonna go home and the First Lady’s going to say, ‘You were extremely warm today.’ Well it’s 100 degrees out. It is very warm out there ... it is hot!” After delusionally crediting himself for inventing the terms “fake news,” “unselect committee” and America first, none of which he actually invented, Trump invited Miller to the stage. She wasted no time in saying some more Hitler shit. “President Trump, on behalf of all the MAGA patriots in America, I want to thank you for the historic victory for white life in the Supreme Court yesterday,” she said. Her campaign has since claimed that, in inserting the word “white” in there, she had misspoken. You

wouldn’t have known it at the time though, as she immediately raised her hands to lead the crowd in a round of applause while Trump looked on approvingly. But with that little (at best) Freudian slip, Miller gave the game away. The overturning of Roe v. Wade has long served as a Trojan horse for the far right, who would love nothing more than to undo all of the progress of the 20th century and return the country to a darker time, when straight white men were the only ones who really had any rights to speak of. Justice Clarence Thomas made that explicitly clear with the concurring opinion he wrote upon the overturning of Roe. Thomas wrote that the Supreme Court “should reconsider” its rulings on “Griswold, Lawrence and Obergefell,” which codified citi ens’ rights to contraception access, same-sex relationships and same-sex marriage. Notably, the 1965 Griswold decision

hinged on upholding the fundamental right to privacy in the United States; if it is overturned, we could soon find oursel es not only stripped of our fundamental rights but also living in a full-on totalitarian surveillance state. It was an unholy alliance between the regressive Federalist Society ghouls, who now dominate the Supreme Court, and the Christofascist evangelicals, whose main desire is to eliminate the separation between church and state and usher the United States into an era of theocracy, that helped to elevate and empower Trump in the first place. Their gamble paid off, and now they’re just getting started. Dark clouds had been gathering on the hori on throughout Trump’s speech, and the lightning they brought was enough to wrap the event up early. Trump told the assembled crowd he loved them and promptly left the stage, thunder boomed and the

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skies opened up, drenching all in attendance. As I hurried back to the parking lot, I couldn’t help but feel like the sudden storm was an apt metaphor for the future of the United States in a post-Roe world dominated by far-right ideology. For my whole life, I’d taken for granted many of the freedoms and rights that had been hardwon before I was born, believing naively that progress was ongoing and inevitable, that the imperfect experiment that is American democracy would continuously lead to more enlightened thought, that the arc of history is long but it bends toward justice. The events of the past week have made it clear that this social order was far more fragile than I’d previously suspected, and that the dark clouds can roll in at any time. Unfortunately, there’s not enough glob in the world to assuage the unsettled feelings that reali ation brings. n

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CALENDAR

BY JENNA JONES

THURSDAY 06/30 Shop Abortion Rights ooking to channel your outrage into action ook no further than Baddies Unite! At this happyhour information session, members of the Missouri Abortion Fund will spread the word about their efforts to help Missourians access abortion. Complimentary snacks, drinks and swag bags will be available while supplies last. ButtonMakers protest pins are for sale at the event. A resource table and speaker presentation are set to happen at the happy hour as well. And the Wandering Sidecar Bar will operate as a cash bar once happy hour is over. Golden Gems ocust treet, shopgoldengems.com, webstergro esmo.go Community Days) hosts the information session on Thursday, June 30, from 5 to 9 p.m. Tickets are $10, and they act as a donation to the Missouri Abortion Fund.

FRIDAY 07/01 Stars and Stripes We have two words for you: wine slushies. Get to Stars and Stripes Weekend if you want to experience the glory that is frozen wine. While you’re there, you can munch on food from ugarfire or the urger hack. i e music will play as you sip on your wine slushie and celebrate all that it means to live in America. You can reser e a picnic table or fire pit, too. isit Cedar ake Cellars chreckengast Road, right City cedarlakecellars.com e ent stars stripes weekend ) for their Stars and Stripes Weekend from Friday, July 1, through Sunday, July 3, from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.

O’Fallon Offerings As Captain Steven Hiller once said in the film Independence Day, didn’t we promise you fireworks? O’Fallon Heritage and

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Freedom Fest provides just that with two nights of fantastic fireworks shows. All you have to do is bring your lawn chair to soak it in. Fireworks are not the only draw for this t. Charles County party the festi al is filled with endors, games, concerts and food. You can even buy all-you-can-ride wristbands for the carnival rides. But that’s only available online until Thursday, June 30, so hurry. Taking up the span of Tom Ginnever Avenue and TR Hughes Boulevard, most of the festival is hosted in the Ozzie Smith Sports Complex (900 TR Hughes Boulevard, ’ allon heritageandfreedomfest. com). The festival is free to attend, along with the concerts. The event opens Friday, July 1, from 4 to 10 p.m., with no fireworks that night. Grounds open at 4 p.m. on Saturday, July 2, and Sunday, July 3. On Monday, July 4, the parade kicks off at 9:30 a.m., with festival grounds open from noon to 11:30 p.m.

Community Days Webster Groves does the Fourth of July in a big way. Spanning the entire holiday weekend, the community’s celebration includes a children’s pet parade, a Family Olympics pool party, the Community Days Parade, fireworks and a separate festival courtesy of the ebster Gro es ions Club. The carni al has rides, inflatables, food and live music. It’s all part of Webster Groves Community Days. The carnival happens at Eden eminary Corner of ockwood and Bompart) on Friday, July 1, from to p.m. aturday, uly 2, and Sunday, July 3, from 2 to 11 p.m. and onday, uly , from a.m. to 11 p.m.

SATURDAY 07/02 Low-Key Fourth A local, low-key concert might be the way you want to spend your Fourth of July weekend. Eureka’s Independence Day Celebration (Central Avenue, eureka.mo.us ndependence Day-Celebration) offers just that. The Spectrum Band performs from to p.m. with fireworks

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Fair St. Louis fireworks. | COURTESY FAIR ST. LOUIS / ZACH DALIN PHOTOGRAPHY

at 9:15 p.m. on Saturday, July 2. ocal food trucks will also be there in case you forget to pack a picnic basket.

Fair, Fireworks and Fun er , pounds of fireworks, seven events and three days? Fair Saint Louis is back, baby. The parade will include elaborate floats, marching bands, live music, food and Purina dog team performances. Music acts include X Ambassadors, country music star Todd Atkins, Third Eye Blind and more. Plus, this year includes a Gateway egends esports competition, featuring the top 16 college esports teams. On Monday, July 4, witness the iconic fireworks show lighting up the sky behind the Gateway Arch along the riverfront at 9:30 p.m. This year, organizers say that the fireworks show will be the largest air aint ouis has e er produced. air aint ouis acti ities take place at iener Pla a Chestnut Street) and Ballpark Village (701 Clark Avenue, fairsaintlouis.org) from Saturday, July 2, to Monday, July 4, from noon to 10 p.m. —Carlos Mendoza

Roller-Coaster Round Shoot up and down steep hills on the roller coasters at Six Flags Coca-Cola July 4th Festival. Head to Palace Gardens to vibe with DJ tunes and try a refreshing ice-cold Coca-Cola sample for the blazing summer heat. Fuel your patriotism by trying the Patriotic Punch, a vibrant blend of Sprite, blueraspberry syrup and shimmering glitter served with a rock-candy stirrer. Fireworks start at 9 p.m. The event runs Saturday, July 2, to Monday, July 4, at Six Flags (4900 ix lags Road, sixflags.com stlouis e ents coca cola july th fest). Carlos Mendoza

Not All Bad Enjoy three days of fun on the streets of St. Charles during the St. Charles Riverfest. There’s live music, food trucks are expected and, oh, it’s also a carnival. Vendors will be there for attendees to shop around. Riverfest (222 South Ri erside ri e, t. Charles discoverstcharles.com) runs from noon to 10 p.m. on Saturday, July 2, Sunday, July 3, and Monday, July . And of course, fireworks will fill

WEEK OF JUNE 23-29 A barbe ue and concert by Griffin and the Gargoyles are planned for the event. Drink vendors are also on deck. Hit up Ellisville’s Bluebird Park iefer Creek Road, ellis ille.mo.us ndependence-Day-Festivities) at 7 p.m. on onday, uly . The fireworks display starts at 9:15 p.m. Ellisville residents can pick up parking passes for the event.

A Bridgeton 4th

Amanda Helman and Susan Logsdon owners of Golden Gens. | COURTESY GOLDEN GEMS

the sky over the river on Monday, July 4, at 9:20 p.m.

SUNDAY 07/03 July 3 Jams Dance the night away knowing you don’t have to work in the morning with Jamming on July 3rd Featuring Dirty Muggs. The beats will be bumping, the drinks flowing and you’ll feel as free as the Founding Fathers did in 1776. The jams are at the Signature Club (9002 Overland Plaza, 314-494-8042) on Sunday, July 3. General admission is $20, reserved admission $40. Tickets are available on Eventbrite.

MONDAY 07/04 Chesterfield Front and Center Chesterfield hosts a celebration of its own this year The Chesterfield Valley Athletic Complex Fourth of July Celebration has live music from Fat Pocket, food trucks and a kids zone. There’s pony rides and inflatables plus Circus aput.

The fireworks begin at p.m. awn chairs, blankets, and outside food and beverages are allowed, but no glass or tobacco products. This e ent is free. isit Chesterfield alley Athletic Complex (17925 North uter Road, Chesterfield chesterfield.mo.us th of july.html) on Monday, July 4, beginning at 6 p.m.

Bridgeton celebrates Independence Day with a parade starting in its St. James subdivision, going west on Natural Bridge and ending in Target’s parking lot. If you’re an early bird, catch the car-show competition prior to the parade from 8:30 to 9:30 a.m. The parade ends with prizes awarded to the best floats, costumes and cars. Moving into the evening, the event turns into a full-blown festival. There will be a food truck, live music from Downtime @ AC and a fireworks display. The fireworks begin around 9 p.m. Bridgeton partygoers can attend the all-day festivities at the Bridgeton Athletic Complex Taussig Road, ridgeton bridgetonmo.com th of uly Celebration) on Monday, July 4. It’s free to attend.

Views on the Fourth

Manchester’s Main Night

If you’re looking for dinner with a view, try the Star Spangled Fireworks Party. Up 400 feet above the rest of downtown t. ouis, the party pops off with food, drinks, a live DJ and party favors. Reservations for the bar’s VIP seating must be made by Saturday, July 2. Three Sixty (1 South Broadway, 314-241, stl.com e ents) hosts the party on Monday, July 4, from 7 to 10 p.m. The VIP and reserved seating has a food-and-beverage minimum of $135 per person with tax and gratuity included.

Manchester knows how to party, especially when it comes to the most patriotic day of the year. Bust out your dancing shoes for the evening, because Butchwax and the Hollywoods take the stage in order to kick the Independence Day party off. Fireworks will be displayed after the concert. Concessions and beer are available until 9 p.m. Bring your own lawn chairs and blankets. Visit Paul Schroeder Park (359 Old Meramec Station Road, Manchester, manchestermo.go ourth of-July-Celebration) at 6 p.m. on Monday, July 4, for the festivities.

Ellisville, Too Manchester and Ballwin’s little sibling Ellisville will have its own Independence Day Celebration.

Wentzville Works Residents in Wentzville can kick off the Fourth with Wentzville’s

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Fourth of July Celebration. Wentzvillians enjoy a free swim from noon to 5 p.m. at Progress Park Pool (968 Meyer Road, Wentzville). The celebration also includes a parade at 10 a.m. at the Wentzville Ice Arena (910 Main Plaza Drive). Fireworks begin at 9:05 p.m. in Progress Park (same address as the pool, wentzvillemo. go programs and acti ities liberty fest.php). Guests are encouraged to bring their own chairs.

Ferguson’s Fun Fourth Ferguson is commemorating the Fourth with its Celebration Festival. The day starts with a parade at 10 a.m. The festival proper begins at noon with music from Super Jam at 2 p.m. and Dirty Muggs at 7 p.m. Cap off the evening with fireworks around p.m. There will be plenty to do with inflatables, a bubble bus, face painters and balloon twisters. Find the Celebration Festival at JanuaryWabash Memorial Park (501 N. Florissant Road, fergusoncity. com th of uly) on onday, July 4. It’s free to attend.

TUESDAY 07/05 Cemetery Strolls You’ll have mostly ghostly feelings on the Sunset Strolls of Historic Bellefontaine Cemetery. Except it’s not a ghost tour it’s a history tour that will include information about historical figures buried at the cemetery. The tour lasts for two hours and covers about two miles. Guests are advised to wear appropriate summer attire and bring lots of water. The Sunset Strolls of Historic Bellefontaine Cemetery (4947 W Florissant Avenue, bellefontainecemetery.org e ent sunset stroll ) is on Tuesday, July 5, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Admission is free, but donations are encouraged. Reservations must be made online. n

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CAFE

A selection of dishes from Maize & Wheat (clockwise from top left): bandeja paisa, coconut lemonade, empanadas, mango juice, sancocho, arepas, stuffed potato and guava juice. | MABEL SUEN

[REVIEW]

Arepa of My Eye Maize & Wheat brings revelatory Colombian cuisine to Brentwood Written by

CHERYL BAEHR Maize & Wheat 1912 South Brentwood Boulevard, Brentwood; 314-749-4778. Mon.-Sun. 7 a.m.-8 p.m.

laudia Marcella Niswonger knew her arepas would be a hit, even if some had wondered why she was preparing so many for her first ever Hispanic festival in 2015. As she and her family had tirelessly prepped a variety of empanadas and arepas for her debut on the festival circuit, her family had

wondered if the latter, which they figured were more obscure, would have an impact. Niswonger, however, knew they were wrong, an intuition that came true when they sold out early in the event, leaving the throngs of customers who came to her booth to exclaim in frustration, “What happened?” When you taste Niswonger’s arepas at her Brentwood brick and mortar, Maize & Wheat, you understand her festival patrons’ angst. Thick and fluffy like a pancake with a biscuit-like denseness, Niswonger’s take on the traditional Colombian dish is revelatory. The large white corn discs are stuffed with molten mozzarella and shredded beef as succulent as pot roast soaked in its own drippings, giving the concoction the feel of a South American Philly cheesesteak. Niswonger’s culinary talent is undeniable, even if it lay latent for years. A computer programmer by trade, the Colombian native always had a knack for cooking that had been passed down by her mother, who spent her life

working in the restaurant business before passing away at the age of 31. Niswonger used her knowledge as a home cook, but she never thought about getting into the professional kitchen. That changed when her daughter drafted her into the food business. After moving to the U.S. 15 years ago, Niswonger found work as a nanny and eventually as the owner of her own cleaning company. She thought it would be fun to sell traditional Colombian crafts on the local Hispanic festival circuit, so she had her daughter contact the organizer, who wondered whether or not they knew anyone who could prepare Colombian food at the festivals. Without consulting her mom, Niswonger’s daughter boldly exclaimed, “My mom can!” Niswonger accepted the challenge and was met with such instant success that she understood she had a great opportunity. Branding her business as El Fogón, she began participating in as many festivals as she could, gaining a devoted following that

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would razz her about not having a storefront for them to patronize at their leisure. She understood but felt content taking her time to make that happen. In 2019, tragedy compelled her to finally follow that path when her son, who was by her side every step of the way at El Fogón, died unexpectedly. Grief stricken, she channeled her pain into making his dream of them opening a restaurant together a reality, vowing to honor his wish of not letting the loss destroy her. With his spirit as her guiding force, she secured a location in the former Dickey’s BBQ on Brentwood Boulevard and opened her debut restaurant, Maize & Wheat, this past November. In her permanent digs, Niswonger is able to offer even more than her famous arepas and empanadas — though both staple items are good enough to base an entire restaurant around. In addition to the shredded beef version, Niswonger offers the Especial, which

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HAPPY HOUR SPECIALS MONDAY-FRIDAY 11AM-4PM

WEDNESDAY, 6/29/22

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FREE SHOW!

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J.D. HUGHES 2PM FREE SHOW! COTTON CHOPS 10PM MONDAY, 7/4/22

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Juices are available in flavors such as guava, coconut lemonade and passionfruit. | MABEL SUEN

Chef-owner Claudia Marcella Niswonger. | MABEL SUEN

MAIZE & WHEAT Continued from pg 23

pairs tender, pulled chicken with mushrooms and cheese, a strictly cheese varietal that is a contender for the area’s best riff on a grilled cheese, and a traditional Colombiana, featuring maduros (caramelized cooked plantains), corn and slices of mild Colombian sausage. However, her piece de resistance is the simple egg arepa. Crisped up like two massive yellow cornmeal chips, the mouthwatering fritters are stuffed with an overmedium egg. It puts other breakfast sandwiches to shame. The success of Niswonger’s arepas does not take away from her empanadas, however. Offered in two different styles — with a flour shell how she learned to make them) or a traditional corn one — these fried savory pies are an outstanding handheld meal. Similar to the arepas, the empanadas can be stuffed with fillings such as shredded beef, pulled chicken or an excellent vegetarian version that contains black beans, potatoes and corn. Both the flour and the corn shells are stunning flaky as a pie crust but soft in places like an old-fashioned doughnut and accented with turmeric to give them a whisper of earth. Dishes new to the brick-andmortar restaurant include Colombian shrimp ceviche, a more decadent version of the citrus-cured style more often seen in town.

The cafe features counter service. | MABEL SUEN ere, the plump, chilled shellfish are tossed in a decadent dressing that’s like a combination of mayonnaise, ketchup, cocktail sauce and citrus. It’s light enough that it serves as a luxurious condiment without covering up the taste of the shrimp. Another standout is the bandeja paisa, a mixed-grill platter of beans, rice, maduros, seasoned ground beef, Colombian sausage and pork belly that somehow manages to be crispy like a thick chicharron on one side and succulent and fatty as butter on the other. Your mind can hardly wrap itself around these glorious,

opposite textures; the best thing to do is surrender. If the bandeja paisa is a visit to an indulgent Colombian backyard barbecue, the ajiaco is a trip to Niswonger’s childhood kitchen. One bite of this traditional chicken soup transports you to her mother’s kitchen table — so simple, warm and comforting that you feel as if you can smell it simmering on her stovetop. That soulful feeling is present in every last bite of Niswonger’s cooking and underscores the passion she has for what she is doing. Even as she settles into her brick-and-

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mortar debut, she is already thinking of opportunities to expand her brand; there’s a coffee shop in the works and a frozen-food line that she is already clearing out space in her o erflow free ers to launch. This time around, no one will question whether she is making too much for her next new endeavor. Niswonger has shown that if she makes it, they will come. n

Maize & Wheat Beef arepa .................................................. $9 Veggie empanada .................................. $3.50 Bandeja paisa ........................................... $19

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JUNE 29-JULY 5, 2022

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SHORT ORDERS [FIRST LOOK]

A Fresh Start Salve Osteria brings Italian-style drinks and dining to south St. Louis Written by

CHERYL BAEHR

f you look around at the many restaurants that dot South Grand’s dining landscape, you’ll see a little bit of everything — Thai, Vietnamese, vegan, Latin American, Persian, Indian. However, the one thing diners could not find following the closing of Mangia Italiano in 2020 was Italian inflected fare. That’s changed thanks to Natasha Bahrami, Michael Fricker and Matt Wynn with their new restaurant, Salve Osteria (3200 South Grand Boulevard, 314-771-3411). The “harvest-centric” eatery with an Italian slant opened on June 2, promising to be a seamless culinary complement to the adjacent bar, the Gin Room. Described by chef Wynn as a “highly seasonal, highly vegetable-forward” concept, Salve features sharable dishes, handmade pastas and a couple of larger plates and desserts that lean toward taly but include flavors found throughout the broader Mediterranean region. It’s a style of cooking that is close to Wynn’s heart and one that Bahrami and Fricker love to eat, making it the natural candidate to serve as a successor to the Bahrami family’s much-beloved former Persian restaurant, Cafe Natasha’s. “[Mike and Natasha] didn’t give me any parameters,” Wynn explains. “They told me the direction they were leaning toward and just asked me to maybe not do anything that would be an awkward fit. They did not want to go back to Persian food and needed a clean break. They gave me a pretty blank slate, and I created a menu, telling them, ‘Here is where my head is at.’ They immediately told me this is it.” For Bahrami and Fricker, Salve represents a bittersweet moment: bitter in the sense that it replaces

the restaurant Bahrami and her mother, Hamishe, have thrown their hearts and souls into for most of their lives; sweet because it means that not only did Mamma Hamishe get to retire when Cafe Natasha’s closed — Bahrami and ricker finally get to create the restaurant they have always dreamed of, one that dovetails with everything they have created at the Gin Room. “This food is meant to go with cocktails,” Bahrami says. “It makes you want to savor them and to enjoy them.” Though Salve has not even been open for a month, several of Wynn’s dishes have already become customer favorites and are destined to be menu mainstays. These include the Salve Caesar, a wonderful play on a classic Caesar salad that is made with grilled cabbage, miso bagna cauda, green onions and parmesan. The roasted beets that are accented with pickled gooseberries, herbs, ajo blanco and pistachios are another standout. Housemade pastas feature prominently on the menu. Salve has a separate pasta kitchen where Wynn creates a variety of styles, including ricotta-stuffed ravioli that serves as a stunning canvas for chicken, braised escarole and dried tomatoes. Pappardelle is tossed in a mushroom ragu with mascarpone cheese, and the tagliatelle showcases the summer’s bounty with blistered tomatoes and basil oil. Salve offers two larger format entrees, a Harissa-spiced roasted half chicken and a grilled trout with tahini yogurt, tri-color cauliflower, asparagus and grilled apricot. Wynn is also proud of the desserts, which include an oliveoil cake, cannoli cheesecake and vanilla panna cotta. However, the food is only part of Salve’s story. Bahrami, Fricker and Wynn built Salve to go hand in hand with the Gin Room, which remains unchanged following the dining component’s transition. Bahrami and Fricker are excited to take their platform to the next level, offering amaro (an Italian herbal liqueur) service via a brass cart that they wheel throughout the dining room, curating pre- and post-dinner drink experiences for their guests. The restaurant also boasts an extensive natural wine

From left: Michael Fricker, Natasha Bahrami and Matt Wynn. | CHERYL BAEHR list, as well as a large selection of cocktails that have been developed at the Gin Room over the past few years. “Every time we said what we wanted out of the food program,

it was this,” Fricker says. “This is exactly the way we eat, and [the] food that matches our beverage program and the direction we want to go with spirits and this style of dining.” n

[FOOD NEWS]

Sweet Spot Serendipity Homemade Ice Cream to open Grove location July 17 Written by

CHERYL BAEHR Fans of Serendipity Homemade Ice Cream (4400 Manchester Avenue) have been waiting patiently for their favorite frosty treats since owner Beckie Jacobs shuttered her longtime Webster Groves storefront last December. The closure was temporary, she assured her patrons, prompted by Jacobs’ plans to relocate to the Grove after failing to come to a lease agreement with her landlord. Now, she’s making good on her promise with news just in time for the midsummer heat: Serendipity will open in its new home on Manchester Avenue on Sunday, July 17. The new Serendipity will be located in the new Gateway Lofts development, near the intersection of Manchester and Newstead avenues. The grand opening, coinciding with National Ice Cream Day, will welcome guests into the gorgeous new space, which is outfitted with gold-and-cream hexagon tile, a long wooden bar with a stone

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Beckie Jacobs is thrilled to be bringing Serendipity to the Grove. | MICHAEL KILFOY countertop and black-and-white, hanging light fixtures. Though the look may be different than the former Webster Groves digs, the new Serendipity will feature all of the sweet treats regulars have come to love over its 18 years in business, such as ice-cream sandwiches, freshly made waffle cones and signature flavors such as Cookie Monster, Salted Caramel Swirl and Gold Coast Chocolate. Jacobs is excited to launch several new offerings at the Grove location, including housemade breakfast pastries, locally sourced bagels and coffee. In this spirit, she looks forward to being embraced by Grove residents not simply as a place to grab a cool treat but as a community gathering spot throughout the day. n

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Meredith Barry organized the Platypus Pride Bash with Laura Coppinger. | RYAN GINES

[DRINK NEWS]

Proof Down. Pride Up Zero-alcohol bash at Platypus celebrated pride, not booze Written by

KASEY NOSS

ocal bar Platypus (4501 Manchester Avenue, 314-448-1622) has been around less than a year, but it has already established itself as a vibrant and inclusive community within the Grove. It is no surprise, then, that its Platypus Pride Bash, which took place June 16 from 4 p.m. until 1 a.m., featured a vast array of dynamic entertainment, including face and body painting, live music, a magic show, a drag and performance art show, and fire arts. If that wasn’t enough, organizers Meredith Barry and Laura Coppinger topped it all off with a dance party with St. Louis DJ Rico Steez. The one thing Platypus wasn’t promoting that Thursday night: alcohol. Platypus Pride Bash, also advertised as “Proof Down, Pride Up,” embraced a wider movement within the national cocktail scene to normalize nonalcoholic spirits — one that has decidedly taken a hold in St. Louis. Barry, a longtime bartender who previously worked under Gerard Craft before opening Platypus with her fellow bartender, Tony Saputo, is an enthusiastic supporter of the movement. “People shouldn’t be missing out on the experience of going out, and missing out on flavor, just because they don’t like to drink,” Barry says. As someone who used to be in the “world of excess,” Barry understands the excitement that comes from raising a glass with friends and the alienation that can arise if you don’t. However, as she got older, she came to recognize the physical and mental tolls regular alcohol consumption was taking on her. Since then, she’s largely transitioned to zeroand low-proof spirits, often starting out

with higher-proof drinks at the beginning of a night out and lowering the proof in increments so she doesn’t feel “completely obliterated” by the time the night is over. “I have an option to give myself balance but still feel satiated,” she says. For Barry, a gay woman who sometimes identifies as nonbinary as well, bars have always felt like safe spaces. “Even if I wasn’t drinking, just hanging out there and being amongst people that were like me — because I had never experienced that before — it felt safe,” Barry says. However, the elation of at last discovering a safe space often became an impetus to imbibe heavily — they were bars, after all. With their Proof Down, Pride Up Event, Barry and her partners aimed to change that. “Bars, at the end of the day, are community driven,” Barry says. “To be able to provide a space where you feel safe enough where you don’t have to go to that level of excess is also really important.” To achieve that goal, Platypus partnered with BARE Zero Proof Spirits, a St. Louis-based distillery that specializes in nonalcoholic spirits crafted by professional bartenders. Like Barry and her colleagues, BARE’s team aims to offer an alternative to alcohol without sacrificing the experience of drinking it. For Mike Fricker, a partner in BARE, the nonalcoholic movement represents the “next wave of inclusivity” in the bar scene. Like Barry, Fricker feels this aspect of zero-proof is particularly poignant in relation to Pride. “It’s the next way of greeting guests where they are and [with] what they’re looking for,” Fricker says of the movement. “With this event, it was kind of the same idea of inclusivity and, ‘Let’s be proud of who we are and the decisions that we make and the way we choose to live our lives.’” Barry echoes Fricker’s sentiment. “We just want to offer more options for people so they don’t feel like they’re just put into one little box,” Barry says. “I think that’s what Pride is about, too.” n

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ST. LOUIS STANDARDS

From left: Kenneth DeSmet, new Hank’s Cheesecakes owner Anthony Favazza and Lyndsay Hicks. | ANDY PAULISSEN

The Great Cheesecake Show New owner overcomes cream cheese shortage to keep Hank’s Cheesecakes strong Written by

CHERYL BAEHR Hank’s Cheesecakes 1063 South Big Bend Boulevard, Richmond Heights; 314-781-0300 Established 1983

nthony Favazza knew that taking over as iconic an institution as Hank’s Cheesecakes in the middle of a pandemic would have its challenges. However, even a lifetime of working in the food business did not

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prepare him for dealing with the most existential threat to a cheesecake operation: a global cream cheese shortage. “The whole supply-chain disaster has been challenging for everyone, but it has been multitudes more challenging here at Hank’s,” Favazza says. “A piece of our secret sauce is that we source the very best ingredients on the planet. All of our chocolate is imported from Belgium, so it takes a lot of things working right for everything to get here. I joke that I’m going to start a reality show called ‘Cream Cheese Hunters.’ Getting the ingredients to make Hank’s work has been very challenging because it’s a global supply game.” Favazza can’t help but be struck by the irony of his predicament. Hank’s, after all, would not exist were it not for the glut of cream cheese that founder Hank Krussel and his mother found themselves with when he was a little kid. According to Favazza, who pried the story from the attentionaverse Krussel, the germ of the idea that would become Hank’s started with Krussel’s father, a

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union pipefitter who was one of the only people in town with the expertise needed to work on the equipment at the then-local cream cheese factory Raskas. Because of his specialized know-how, the elder Krussel would often get emergency phone calls in the middle of the night asking for his help when Raskas’ cooling systems went down. As a token of their appreciation, the Raskas bigwigs would send him home with a large box of cream cheese. He began bringing them home so regularly that Krussel’s mother had to get creative. “They had cream cheese coming out their ears and didn’t know what to do with it,” Favazza says. “They started playing around with it; Hank has all these stories about all of the stuff they tried to make out of it — jello salads and all of that.” Cheesecakes were the most obvious choice, and Krussel and his mother got very good at them — so good that Krussel continued to make the luxurious treats for fun throughout his college and military careers. Originally, he

thought he’d only bake as a hobby and as a way to share his passion with friends and family. However, once he got out of the military, he decided to turn his love for cheesecakes into a business. “I don’t think this was ever something he thought he would do for a career, but people loved his cheesecakes so much, it just happened,” Favazza says. “It’s funny how the thing you are supposed to do ends up finding you. Krussel launched Hank’s from his apartment kitchen in 1983, baking his signature cakes and walking them to restaurants and bakeries, hoping the businesses would help carry his wares. Favazza recalls a story from one of Hank’s earliest customers, Marjorie Amighetti of the famed Amighetti’s sandwich shop in the Hill neighborhood. “Mrs. Amighetti has a very clear memory of Hank walking in the bakery and saying, ‘I have this new cheesecake business, and I want you to buy my cheesecakes,’” Favazza says. “At the time, her husband was a very well-known bread baker and also

[

]

ICONIC PEOPLE, PLACES & DISHES T H A T A N C H O R S T L’ S F O O D S C E N E

High-quality ingredients give Hank’s its edge. | ANDY PAULISSEN. made wonderful desserts. He was making their cheesecakes from scratch, but when Mrs. Amighetti tried Hank’s, she told him that they were not going to make them anymore. They were going to buy his.” Krussel’s business took off by word of mouth, eventually getting so popular that he outgrew his home-kitchen setup and moved into a small storefront on Big Bend Boulevard in 1987. That, too, became so popular that he relocated down the road four years later, expanding his retail offerings and solidifying his reputation as the greatest cheesecake show in town. When asked why he was so successful, Krussel would always point to quality; unlike other cheesecakes in town, which he believes are overcooked, his are fluffy and light. Add to that the artistry and creati e fla ors that long predated the Cheesecake Factory’s presence in St. Louis, and there is no doubt that Hank’s is one of St. Louis’ most iconic brands. That reputation is what made taking over Hank’s a no-brainer for Favazza. A longtime restau-

“Mrs. Amighetti has a very clear memory of Hank walking in the bakery and saying, ‘I have this new cheesecake business, and I want you to buy my cheesecakes.’” rant veteran thanks to his family’s restaurant on the Hill, Favazza jumped at the chance to take over Hank’s when Krussel was ready to retire. Krussel, too, saw this as an ideal situation; after witnessing how Favazza handled the transition when he bought Amighetti’s in 2016, Krussel knew his busi-

Hank’s is one of St. Louis’ most iconic brands. | ANDY PAULISSEN. ness would be in the hands of a committed steward. Favazza has been just that. Though he understands the nervousness longtime customers may feel when their favorite brand is sold, Favazza has kept business running as usual. It also helps that Krussel has been by his side throughout the process, stopping in multiple times a week to check in on the business and greet his longtime guests. The transition has been so seamless that regulars often greet him with a “thank you” for making sure their beloved institution lives on. “It’s a huge privilege and a huge responsibility, and I don’t take it lightly,” says Favazza. “I’ve had a number of people thank me for keeping it the right way.” Favazza has come to understand why people feel such a sense of gratitude toward him for keeping Hank’s thriving as it always has. Since taking over the business in October of last year, he’s already gotten to know the multiple generations who see Hank’s as an integral part of their family traditions. One thing that

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surprised him was how many weddings the bakery does — something he feels that he can only manage with the help of his team of bakers, including Ken DeSmet and Rich Pfeifer, who worked as a baker for Straub’s for many years. Favazza credits them with keeping things consistent and ensuring that Hank’s continues to be a source of joy for its loyal guests — a responsibility that animates everything he does at the bakery. “Hank actually advised me to get out of the wedding business because it’s such a stress on operations and not a significant part of revenue,” Favazza says. “Howe er, e en in the first few weeks I was here I was meeting all these customers telling me that they had their first ank’s cheesecake at their cousin’s wedding or even their own wedding. A huge percentage of our customers were introduced to us at weddings. You can’t quantify what it’s worth to have the mother of the bride bragging to everyone at the wedding that they are serving Hank’s cheesecake.” n

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REEFERFRONT TIMES [REVIEW]

Eat Hot Chip and High Missouri’s Own and Red Hot Riplets team up for a THC-infused cure for the munchies Written by

THOMAS K. CHIMCHARDS

egional cannabis company Missouri’s Own made a big splash this month when it announced that it would be releasing a line of Old Vienna of St. Louis’ Red Hot Riplets chips infused with THC, marrying the interests of many a stoner in a union so perfect it seems like a fairy tale. The “twice-baked” chips, as they are playfully dubbed, have since become one of the hottest tickets in Missouri’s medical marijuana market, flying off the shel es at every dispensary at which they are sold. “Basically, every pack in the city has sold out within 24 to 48 hours of being on the shelf,” says Tony illmeyer, chief marketing officer of Missouri’s Own parent company Show-Me Organics. “It’s been a lot of fun seeing everyone’s reaction.” It’s easy to see why. Show me a cannabis enthusiast who doesn’t like to tear into a bag of chips when they’re ripped, and I’ll show you a unicorn. The time-honored act of stuffing one’s face with greasy salty crunchiness while high as a kite spans generations. This development has simply streamlined the process. According to Billmeyer, plans for the collaboration have been in the works since August of last year. The ownership of Missouri’s Own is overwhelmingly made up of people who are based in the state, he says, to the tune of 97 percent. Billmeyer himself is a born-and-raised St. Louisan, having attended SLU High School. In keeping, the company is highly interested (pun intended) in incorporating issouri fla ors in its

products. “You see a lot of brands in other places like California that really do a great job of capturing the pride that the people have for their state, and we feel like Missourians have that same deep pride, but there just aren’t very many brands that articulate or capture that in the same way,” Billmeyer says. “So that’s part of what Missouri’s Own was designed to do. The other piece of it is really celebrating issouri flavors because whether you look at the culinary front or agriculture or any part of food in Missouri, we have a lot of innovative products and a lot of really interesting history. And so we wanted to pull that out and bring that into the edibles as well.” I managed to get my hands on a bag of the in-demand chips and decided to see if the hype was warranted. Each package contains about 20 milligrams of THC and costs $14 before taxes. I foolishly didn’t count the total number of chips within — I was too eager to dig in, I suppose — but the serving size marked on the box seemed to imply that there were 20, which would mean each chip contains one milligram of THC. The instructions on the bag read, “Start low & go slow, 2-5 chips, wait 1 hour & increase as needed,” which, let’s be honest, is ridiculous. Who on Earth has the willpower to eat only two chips? I sat down in a recliner at my home and turned on some cartoons specifically, that new Beavis and Butt-Head movie on Paramount Plus — for the full stoned-chip-eater experience. I also opted to get fully into the spirit of Missouri’s Own’s celebration of local fla ors, pulling a lefto er half of a poorboy sandwich from Volpi out of my fridge to round out snack time. I started with only one chip, and damned if I could taste any hint of the weed — these things are 100 percent Riplet with that familiar crunchy, spicy kick and just enough sweetness to light up the taste buds. I put a few more down the hatch before I opted to pile a bunch onto my sandwich, adding a satisfying crunch to the Hill staple and resulting in the most delicious (and only) THC-infused sammy I’ve ever enjoyed. About 45 minutes to an hour in, I began to feel the effects, with my

The new line of THC-infused chips has proven so popular dispensaries can barely keep them in stock. | VIA MISSOURI’S OWN eyes feeling heavy and my whole body feeling relaxed. Watching the Beavis and Butt-Head movie was an excellent choice, its reliably juvenile humor hitting just right in my stoned state, and a chip-related montage from the film just about le eled me with laughter. Once the high really set in, I felt pretty damn couchlocked, positively glued to my chair, though I was still able to think pretty clearly. I was still feeling the effects four hours later when I decided to turn in for the night, ultimately sleeping like a baby. Intriguingly, Missouri’s Own has further plans for partnerships incorporating local fla ors. tried

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to get Billmeyer to spill the beans on the specifics, but he wouldn’t budge. “We have high dreams to launch a lot of iconic Missouri foods with THC takes on them. I will not disclose exactly what’s coming next, but we also want to cover the state geographically,” he says. “So we’ll have some southwest Missouri markets, we’ll have some Kansas City partnerships and, yes, we’ll have additional St. Louis partnerships.” Got it. So, THC-infused Imo’s pizza, then? “We are open to any partnerships with iconic local brands,” Billmeyer says with a laugh, “and that would be a dream come true.” n

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CULTURE

[VISUAL ART]

What a Collection Saint Louis Art Museum’s new exhibition celebrates contemporary printmaking Written by

JESSICA ROGEN

ainting, sculpture and installation so often are what we think of when picturing the visual art that lines museum walls. But prints, and other works on paper such as photographs and drawings, are striking gems that often go underappreciated. That’s something that the curators at the Saint Louis Art Museum (1 Fine Arts Drive, 314-7210072), seem to be on the way to changing with their latest exhibition, Catching the Moment: Contemporary Art from the Ted L. and Maryanne Ellison Simmons Collection, open now through Sunday, September 11. “There’s something about works on paper that are very kind of intimate and personal,” says Elizabeth Wyckoff, SLAM’s curator of prints, drawings and photographs. “There’s something very tactile, and then they also just tell incredible stories.” The exhibition also celebrates the museum’s 2020 acquisition of more than 800 works from Ted L. and Maryanne Ellison Simmons’ private collection, and about 190 of those are on display. The power couple — Ted is a former St. Louis Cardinals player, and Maryanne a Washington University-trained printer and founder of Wildwood Press — began collecting contemporary art in earnest after acquiring Kiki Smith’s “Finger Bowl” sculpture. Much of their collection centers on social issues and historical moments, specifically the ci il rights movement, the Vietnam War and the AIDS crisis. Catching the Moment displays three artists in depth — Kiki Smith (West-Ger-

Tom Huck’s triptych “Snacktime Marcy.” | COURTESY SAINT LOUIS ART MUSEUM

man-born American, 1954 to present), Enrique Chagoya (Mexicanborn American, 1953 to present) and Tom Huck (Farmington-born St. Louisan, 1971 to present) — as well as a smattering of works by the artists’ contemporaries. Smith, Chagoya and Huck have less name recognition than, say, the printers of old, your Albrecht Dürers or Roy Lichtensteins (though Smith’s “Wolf Girl” was on Gilmore Girls). But casual museum attendees shouldn’t be scared off. Even without taking a deep dive into the intention behind the pieces in Catching the Moment, the work is fun, even easy, to appreciate with much that’s figurati e, pop culture derived or brightly engaging. You can spot references to Disney, DC and more in Chagoya’s prints, for example. Though the three main artists work in distinct styles (Smith has, for example, a ery fine illustrative quality to her lines compared to the bold strokes of Huck’s woodprints), all their works, and all those in the exhibition, invite close examination. There are many tiny pieces in the catalog, such as two by Liliana Porter, “Disguise” and “The Traveler,” which can’t be appreciated without some peering — a pleasure that taps into a childlike delight in miniature things.

Even the large-scale prints benefit from close iewing. Take Smith’s “Companions,” a folkloric diptych. Sure, looking across the room, you can tell its Red Riding Hood and the wolf, but much subtlety of texture and linework is lost. Another example is a print of Huck’s “Snacktime Marcy,” which hangs across from the woodblock it was printed on. Produced from Huck’s St. Louis studio, Evil Prints, it illustrates the story of a recalled doll. Going from the print to its reverse on the woodblock, catching details of the doll biting down on a kid’s hair as a supposed parent prepares a pair of scissors, is just, well, fun. The curator, Wyckoff, along with Andrew W. Mellon Foundation Fellow Andrea L. Ferber and Assistant Curator of Prints, Drawings and Photographs Clare Kobasa, designed each room of the exhibition around a specific theme. There is a gallery named “Metamorphosis,” about art that recasts everyday objects, and another named “Pay Attention,” which includes artwork created in response to politics or explosive world events. Though Wyckoff politely refuses to name favorites within the exhibition, she did give a nod to the interaction between Bruce Nauman’s “Pay Attention,” a backward print of the text “Pay

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attention mother fuckers,” and Kara Walker’s “The Keys to the Coop,” which depicts an outline of a woman about to swallow the head of a chicken and alludes to Black American history and slavery. “We really like putting those two prints together, that very sort of direct text but then a very content-direct textual image,” she says. In a way, the exhibition also celebrates the act of building an art collection and what that means for artists and art history. “As a collector, you learn very early that you call yourself a collector, but what you are first is a caretaker, and you don’t get to really own anything,” Ted said in an interview printed in the show’s catalog. “Your role and responsibility as a collector is to conserve whatever item it is.” The Simmonses thought deeply about how to build their collection so that it was both important and personally meaningful, which is all to the benefit of Catching the Moment visitors. n Catching the Moment will be open until Sunday, September 11. Tickets are $12 for adults, $10 for seniors and students and $6 for children aged 6 to 12. The exhibition is free on Fridays and anytime for museum members.

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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 KSHE PRESENTS

PAT BENATAR & NEIL GIRALDO Mon, August 1 MUSIC… MONEY… MADNESS…

JIMI HENDRIX IN MAUI

SPECIAL SCREENING

Fri, August 5

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[ R O L L E R S K AT I N G ]

Skate Style St. Louis skating pop-ups provide fun in the name of violence prevention Written by

BRITNY CORDERA

ellwood Recreation Center was the place to be for roller skaters on June 9. The weather, though unpredictable, wasn’t blazing hot like it is now. The smooth, concrete surface of the outdoor skate rink hummed as 80 or more skaters jammed to DJ Reala and DJ Dasho’s mixes of trap, R&B, gospel and funk. This was the Unity Skate, one of four youth pop-up roller skates organized by James Reala Stampley, a.k.a. DJ Reala, in conjunction with the St. Louis Mental Health Board and St. Louis Violence Prevention Commission. The first skate, New School vs Old School, took place at the end of April. “I dream of producing events that have substance, that give us vital reasons to pay attention to each other — in my Marvin Gaye voice — to what’s goin’ on,” he says. Stampley and his co-organizers created the events to provide a solution to gun violence among young adults, a growing problem in the St. Louis region and beyond. There have already been 27 school shootings this year, and 17 other mass shootings across the nation, according to Al Jazeera. Last month, the U.S. saw one of the deadliest mass shootings in its history at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, when 19 children and two adults were killed by an 18-year-old gunman. In St. Louis, between 2011 and 2015, the Department of Justice and the City of St. Louis reported that 58.4 percent of suspects and 36 percent of victims of gun violence were young adults, ages 15 to 24 years old. “These skate events are really just about letting youth, especially that 16to-25 age range that we know are at higher risk of violence, letting them just be young in a fun environment that is safe for them. Because we know those [spaces] are lacking,” says Jessica Meyers, project director for the St. Louis Area Violence Prevention Commission. Stampley’s intention was for these events to be an outlet for the community and a way for skaters to experience a variety of different music. Skating can take “the troubles and pains and worries away, refreshing our minds and bodies,” he says. “These events are a healthy and safe way to spend

DJ Reala’s son, Jaheim Stampley, skates with style. | MELVIN SHANNON LLC AND SEB FERKO PHOTOGRAPHY

your time.” The collaboration that led to the popups began last fall, when Serena Muhammad, deputy director of the St. Louis Mental Health Board and member of the St. Louis Area Violence Prevention Commission, reached out to Stampley after learning that one of his events had been canceled due to weather. The partnership tapped into St. Louis’ long-standing tradition of roller skating providing protective factors for youth development in the community. Since the civil rights movement in the 1950s and ’60s, roller skating has been a culturally significant recreational activity for Black people. Skating rinks were spaces of freedom and authenticity, and St. Louis skate nights put smooth and ballroom styles on the map. “If you ever talk to some of the folks who have been lacing up for a while, and you ask them about how they started, they start to talk about how these master skaters would take them under their wing and coach them at the rink,” Muhammad says. “You develop this sense that there is one love here. In many cases, you know, these are people who might have chosen to do something else with their time. They may not have been mentored if they didn’t have this particular outlet.” Skaters in older generations awarded some of the young adults present Future STL Skate Legend trophies. “I

know it meant the world to them to receive those awards. Who wouldn’t feel good after getting a trophy?” says Xavier Woods, also known as Professor X. Malak, a 19-year-old participant in all four events, received an award from Ra, one of the skaters he admires. He also admires Woods. “I cannot forget the one that took me up under his wing, showed me the ropes, put me on my game inside the rink and outside the rink,” Malak says. “I wouldn’t be this good if it wasn’t for X.” Woods not only showed him the ropes of the ballroom style but also how to handle many problems Black men face today. Woods is a St. Louis legend and skate teacher for the young adults in the community. He’s been skating for 37 years. He began learning at Saints Roller Rink in Olivette, which closed in 2003, from mentors who helped keep him off of the streets, Woods says. “I was focused on skating, developing my skating skills and abilities, and also traveling and showing STL skate style to different cities and states.” Now celebrating five years of sobriety, Woods has become a role model for the students he mentors and has a group called Skate Swagg Elite for them to feature their moves. “It helps me to show them that you can have fun on roller skates without drinking or drugs,” he says. “If they look

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up to me as a skate legend, and they find themselves in my situation, they can come to me for advice and see that if he can do it, I can do it, too.” For the violence prevention commission, these events were an opportunity to show the youth that they are loved and cared about during these times of high anxiety across the country. “This is really an opportunity to invest in safe spaces for our children, to show that we value them and they are valued members of our community, and that we want to invest in their lives,” Meyers says. Stampley agrees, adding that we need more clean places, indoor and outdoor, for children and young adults to gather and enjoy life. “I may have distracted the distracted,” he says. “I may have given a young adult a chance to make a better decision. I may have saved a life leading these events.” Malak would like to see more of these skate pop-ups. “These events have brought a lot of people together, new faces and OGs alike,” he says. “It gave me and my crew something to do every Thursday. They gave us free meals and free entertainment. It’s helping the community in a good way,” he says. n Attend upcoming Skate Culture STL pop-ups at the Dellwood Recreation Center on Sunday, July 24, Sunday, August 28, and Sunday, September 18.

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MUSIC

[MUSIC]

The Record Guy Jean Haffner’s Record Exchange is a haven for audiophiles Written by

MONICA OBRADOVIC

n the building of a former library, bins of records, shelves of CDs and boxes of products tower almost as high as the ceiling. Only the sound of customers peeling through plasticcovered records can be heard over classic rock playing over a loudspeaker. This is the Record Exchange (5320 Hampton Avenue, 314-8322249), where owner Jean Haffner, 76, has built a literal library of records and music paraphernalia in the former Buder Branch of St. Louis Public Library in St. Louis Hills. It’s the largest record store in St. Louis (and possibly the country, Haffner claims). Haffner’s overwhelming inventory of vinyl records, cassettes, laserdiscs, 45s, VHS tapes, CDs and more is the combined behemoth of nine record stores and two anti ue shops. e opened the first record shop in 1976 but closed all but one of the 11 stores about 15 years ago after he “got tired of traveling.” Record Exchange has been a haven for St. Louis audiophiles and physical media collectors since. nly here can customers find uran Duran records, a Camp Rock– themed guitar and an entire box set of ER in the same place. Not that anyone would ever need all of those things at the same time, but it’s the novelty that sets Record Exchange apart. Other than its expansive inventory, at the heart of Record Exchange is Haffner. Record Exchange is the amalgamation of the lifelong music lover’s passion for collecting and sharing music, even if that hasn’t always been his central focus.

RIVERFRONT TIMES

Jean Haffner has owned Record Exchange in the St. Louis Hills since 1977. | MONICA OBRADOVIC

In the 1970s, after spending 30 years of doing what was expected from him, Haffner felt a little restless. He had gone to college, served in the Navy and found a cushy job afterward at the urging of his father. After working a handful of corporate jobs — even a gig working in HR for Ross Perot, a brash Texas billionaire who sold computer systems and unsuccessfully ran for president in 1992 — Haffner wanted more. So, in 1975, Haffner decided to quit his humdrum day job as a personnel director for Travelers Insurance to pursue something he had a passion for. “The suit-and-tie, 9-to-5 routine just got old,” Haffner says. “I could see a gold watch at the end, and I wanted more than that. I wanted to do something. I wanted to build something, so I built 11 stores.” Although he’s never been a trained musician, music has always been a constant in Haffner’s life. Inspired by Elvis and Ricky Nelson, Haffner bought a guitar at six years old but jokes he “wasn’t smart enough to learn how to play it.”

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“I started beating on the back end and thought, ‘Well, I’ll just get me some drums,’” he says. He performed at high school and college dances with his band, which would eventually play instrumental tracks on Buddy Holly albums, though without Haffner. After Holly died, producer Norman Petty in Clovis, New Mexico, wanted to finish songs olly wrote before his death. “He used the guys I used to play with to put down the instrumental versions of his songs,” Haffner says. “If I’d have stayed with the band, I’d be on three or four of Buddy’s albums. That’s my almost claim to fame.” As he grew up in Amarillo, Texas, affner satisfied his hunger for music by mowing lawns to buy records. “As a kid, I listened to the radio a lot,” Haffner says. “If there were songs that appealed to me that I wanted, I went to the record shop and bought them. I didn’t have much money back then because an album cost $3.79 or something like that — a lot of money for a kid — so I mainly bought 45s.” n , he bought his first album, Ricky Nelson’s debut, Ricky.

His record collection would eventually grow to the thousands. “I accumulated so many, I became ‘The Record Guy’ in school,” Haffner says. “We had a lot of parties, and I was always the one who was asked to bring the records.” In shop class, he built a holder for his 45s that reached about four feet off the ground and filled it to the top. That same handiness remains today. Haffner built most of the shel es and fixtures in the Record Exchange himself. Haffner’s personal collection eventually grew so large he was able to start his business. He estimates he accumulated up to 5,000 records. “It was a lot at the time, but sometimes I buy that many every day,” Haffner says. His mounting inventory has taken up pretty much all of Record Exchange’s space. The store is stuffed with merchandise, so much so that one could likely spend days in the store and not see everything. But what’s in the store isn’t even the full collection. Haffner says he has a full warehouse that could fill the space two or three times, easy.” That’s why Haffner is looking for a larger space. The Record Exchange’s building has been up for sale multiple times, most recently in 2020. Haffner says he has “run out of room” but hasn’t had any luck in finding a buyer. “I’ve got several people who have wanted it, but for some reason, all the deals have fallen through,” he says. “The closest one I had was with a microbrewery. They wanted it really bad but wanted two houses on the other side for parking. One’s available, but the other one, an old man lives there. He’s like 100 years old and still mows the grass.” In the meantime, Record Exchange isn’t going anywhere, and neither is Haffner. On any given business day, Haffner is likely manning the store’s front counter or helping customers. It’s a job that’s “never been a job.” “I want to die on that stool up in front, like the Rolling Stones,” Haffner says. “I hope they die on stage, where they belong … I’d rather be here than any place else.” n

[HIP-HOP]

Beatmaking St. Louis musician Stllegend’s sounds preserve music history Written by

CARLOS MENDOZA

ongs with no lyrics can be difficult to connect with. Sometimes experimental tracks don’t elicit the best reactions from audiences. But none of that stops Charles Purnell. “When words fail, you have music,” Purnell says. Better known as Stllegend — a DJ, beatmaker and vibration lover — Purnell finds samples from underrepresented musicians and mixes them into hip-hop instrumental tracks. Purnell’s songs last between one and two minutes and are imbued with a synthetic blend of hip-hop and his inner consciousness, dealing with depression and anxiety. “I should probably work on this in therapy,” he adds, laughing. For example,

Stllegend finds samples from underrepresented musicians and mixes them into instrumental hip-hop tracks. | HARRY BOSTON his song “Waiting On That Text Back,” composed of looped lo-fi drum sets and mellow piano keys, encapsulates an all-too-relatable fear of someone not responding during a time when connectivity was needed most — the pandemic. From his moniker alone, one can infer Purnell is from St. Louis. The name was created because “I live here, and it sounded cool,” Purnell says. “People saw ‘legend’ and asked if I won a battle to win the name. No, I put it on Twitter, and it stuck.” Purnell, 38, has been making music in St. Louis since 2008. He calls what he does beatmaking, and it’s a labor of love

that is constantly enforced by his discoveries in music history. For Purnell, music can be a “larger learning experience and connection to life as we know it” since he can use historic sounds or samples and appropriate them to modern times to add something new or help them become more recognized. By sampling tempos and textures from too-often-ignored POC and underrated artists, Purnell hopes to keep their stories alive. “My approach is all about learning and displaying what I learn through music in my beats,” he says. “Whether it’s me sampling a Bill Withers track, a Led

[PSYCHEDELIC FOLK SOUNDSCAPES]

Galactic Jungle Justin Ra’s experimental music will unhinge your spirit Written by

KASEY NOSS

t. Louis’ Justin Ra has been playing music since he was a kid. He inherited his grandfather’s love of classical music and jazz, sang in choir alongside his mother and took piano lessons at her behest. He spent high school listening to hip-hop and writing rap. He soon found his way to rock and started a small band — his first of many. Yet, even after years of making music, Ra couldn’t shake the feeling that there should be “more to music” — so he decided to create something of his own. Ra, 38, calls the genre he has carved out “galactic jungle music,” which is inspired by “earthy tones and celestial

sounds.” For Ra, it reflects the way humanity is deeply intertwined with both the cosmos (the “galactic”) and the Earth (the “jungle”). He employs an eclectic array of instruments to create a sound that is captivating and unique. Ra describes his genre as “an understanding of the past and a zest for the future to bring about a humbling present,” which is reflected in both his sound and his lyrics. He is deeply interested in and frustrated by humanity’s “messed up” history while also doggedly optimistic for our future, refusing to succumb to apathy and misanthropy. Instead, he tries to live intentionally: He exercises, savors time with friends and family and frequently sheds his shirt and shoes in an effort to feel more connected to the Earth. He has centered his life around maintaining wellness “mentally, spiritually and physically.” It is this commitment to being appreciative and intentional that Ra hopes to share. His vision is to “bring a new feeling to the art of music.” “What I want to do with my music is bend your emotions in a different way,” he says. “I want it to unhinge your spirit so much to where it makes you feel some-

Justin Ra calls the genre he has carved out “galactic jungle music,” which is inspired by “earthy tones and celestial sounds.” | COURTESY JUSTIN RA thing you didn’t even know that you felt.” In his debut album, Age of the Spirit (Lotown Records, 2019), Ra accomplished this through soulful vocals and lyrics centered on themes of transcendence and unity. The didgeridoo and djembe feature heavily, coalescing with the album’s lyrical components to form what former RFT writer Christian Schaeffer described as a “psychedelic

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Zeppelin drum break or chopping up a Stylistics bridge, I’m finding those moments and sharing them with others through my music. Using those pieces of music history to tell a story in the modern era to call back to what we’re all going through or will go through is something amazing to be able to do.” In doing so, he stands on the shoulders of musical giants such as Van Dyke Park and Scott Walker. In addition to producing his own music, Purnell sometimes releases his beats for others to incorporate into their music or dub over with lyrics and rap. For many years, he was part of the team behind FarFetched, a St. Louis-based label focused on rap, electronic and experimental musicians. Since it shuttered earlier this year, Purnell has focused on his own instrumental beats and hopes to release an EP soon. Purnell cherishes STL’s soundscapes, shouting out dancing until 3 a.m. at DJ Alexis Tucci’s Nightchaser dance parties or participating in the monthly Fresh Produce beat battles. He relishes opportunities to get guests to “escape and shake their problems out for a little.” “If you’re looking for a specific sound, it’s in STL,” Purnell says. “If not here, it’s being formulated.” n

folk soundscape.” With his upcoming album Heavy Fog, Ra plans to reduce the role of the djembe to a cameo and amplify the presence of electronic percussion. The album opens with a poetic tribute to Mother Earth but goes on to explore the struggle of maintaining a positive mindset. Thematically, Ra describes Heavy Fog as a sort of “playbook” for dealing with anxiety and other strains on one’s mental health, a topic important in the midst of COVID-19 and the turmoil of the last years. The “heavy fog” in question, also the title of the second track, refers to intrusive thoughts that can cloud ones’ judgment. Ra hopes the album will help people learn to shake that fog and “remember to stay focused and disciplined and positive.” While Age of the Spirit captures the mystical essence of Ra’s work, the singer laments that it didn’t translate his ideas as he had envisioned them. He’s confident Heavy Fog will rectify that. “I’ve just been listening to it over and over and over, just to make sure that this is what I want, this is how I want it to sound,” he says, voice full of passion and excitement. “I’m taking my time.” n

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RIVERFRONT TIMES

OUT EVERY NIGHT

ach week, we bring you our picks for the best concerts of the next seven days! To submit your show for consideration, visit https://bit.ly/3bgnwXZ. All events are subject to change, especially in the age of COVID-19, so do check with the venue for the most up-to-date information before you head out for the night. And of course, be sure that you are aware of the venues’ COVID-safety requirements, as those vary from place to place and you don’t want to get stuck outside because you forgot your mask or proof of vaccination. Happy show-going! —Joseph Hess

[CRITIC’S PICK]

THURSDAY 30

10-STRING DREAM: p.m., free. Copperfire, ain t, elle ille, ) . THE AVETT BROTHERS: p.m., . t. ouis usic Park, Casino Center r., aryland eights, . BRAVE NEW WORLD PRE-RELEASE SHOW: w/ The Produce sle, Rosemary p.m., . Red lag, ocust treet, t. ouis, . THE BROKEN HIPSTERS: p.m., free. as e o iergarten, Gra ois A e., t. ouis, . CHARLES GLENN: p.m., . lue traw berry howroom ounge, N oyle A e, t. ouis, . ERIC MCSPADDEN AND MARGARET BIENCHETTA: p.m., free. roadway yster ar, . roadway, t. ouis, . FLOATIE: w pirits a ing un, Punk ady Ap ple, ig a es p.m., . The ea y Anchor, Gra ois A e., t. ouis, . SETTLE YOUR SCORES: w/ Chief State, Wilmette p.m., . lueberry ill The uck Room, elmar l d., ni ersity City, .

FRIDAY 1

ACID MIKVAH: w Pink trap, Punk ady Apple p.m., .C G , . Grand l d., t. ouis. AVIANA & THE PURE ROOT: p.m., . ark Room, Grandel uare, t. ouis, ) .. THE CLAUDETTES: p.m., . lue traw berry howroom ounge, N oyle A e, t. ouis, . DEAR RABBIT: w ak , of p.m., . an oo, Cherokee t., t. ouis, . FUNKY BUTT BRASS BAND: p.m., . road way yster ar, . roadway, t. ouis, . GENE JACKSON’S POWER PLAY: p.m., free. The Attic usic ar, . ingshighway, nd floor, t. ouis, . THE HAMILTON BAND: p.m., free. as e o iergarten, Gra ois A e., t. ouis, . JOE VANN: w assi ala a p.m., . ff roadway, emp A e., t. ouis, . LAUREN ANDERSON BAND: p.m., . ’s a , lues oups, . roadway, t. ouis, . NEGRO OBSCURA: A COMEDY SHOW: 8 p.m., . The ea y Anchor, Gra ois A e., t. ouis, . POLYMER MERCIES: w Pealds, Puhoy p.m., . The inkhole, outh roadway, t. ouis, . RINGS OF SATURN: w xtortionist, istinguish er, oser, att iller p.m., . Red lag, ocust treet, t. ouis, .

RIVERFRONT TIMES

Chicago “frog rock” act Floatie comes to St. Louis on Thursday in support of its breakout album Voyage Out. | VIA ARTIST BANDCAMP

Floatie w/ Spirits Having Fun, Punk Lady Apple, Big Waves of Pretty 8 p.m. Thursday, June 30. The Heavy Anchor, 5226 Gravois Avenue. $10. 314-352-5226. “Frog rock” might merely be the tongue-incheek genre Floatie put at the bottom of its Bandcamp page as a nod to the tired, old task of trying to compartmentalize one’s sound into a simple, straightforward category. On the other hand, if the Chicago indie rock outfit wanted to stake a claim to a brand new genre, no one would bat

SANTANA + EARTH, WIND & FIRE: p.m., . ollywood Casino Amphitheatre, arth City xpwy., aryland eights, . SKEET RODGERS & INNER CITY BLUES BAND: p.m., . ’s a , lues oups, . roadway, t. ouis, . STEVE REEB: p.m., free. roadway yster ar, . roadway, t. ouis, .

SATURDAY 2

THE ACACIA STRAIN: w ale olence, A , ilence p.m., . Pop’s Nightclub, onsanto A e., ast t. ouis, . AL HOLLIDAY & THE EAST SIDE RHYTHM BAND: w/ ugene ohnson Co. p.m., . ld Rock ouse, . th t., t. ouis, . BROTHER FRANCIS AND THE SOULTONES: p.m., free. as e o iergarten, Gra ois A e., t. ouis, . CHICAGO BLUES ANGELS: p.m., . ’s a , lues oups, . roadway, t. ouis, . FAIR ST. LOUIS DAY 1: w ell ungarians, te e Reeb, Ambassadors, ichael hit noon,

JUNE 29-JULY 5, 2022

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an eye. The sharp, pointed riffs of vocalist and guitarist Sam Berns peak through a whimsical rhythm section that smoothly incorporates transformative time signatures. There’s some semblance of math rock floating around in the band’s DNA, but drummer Luc Schutz keeps the variation between beats subtle while providing a nearly metronomic sense of timing to the songs. After touring and performing for nearly three years without a studio release, Floatie dropped its first full-length album in 2021 and immediately landed in tastemaker blogs and, eventually, several best of lists in December. Released by Exploding in Sound Records, breakout

LP Voyage Out offers a winding 3D maze through Floatie’s signature brand of surreal indie rock sculpted by sinewy guitars and warbling synthesizer. Seeing the band live is akin to having a guided tour, and Heavy Anchor provides a fitting setting for the journey. Two for the Price of One: Tourmates and fellow Chicago band Spirits Having Fun also released a much-anticipated album in 2021 titled Two. The record seems to be sold out online, so your only chance of grabbing a physical copy is to confront the band in person and demand that sweet, sweet vinyl.

free. allpark illage, Clark A e, t. ouis, . FISTER: w astard p.m., . The ink hole, outh roadway, t. ouis, . FUSIA FEST 2022: p.m., . ff roadway, emp A e., t. ouis, . JIMI GOLDSMITH: p.m., free. The Attic usic ar, . ingshighway, nd floor, t. ouis, . JOSE RAMIREZ BAND: p.m., . ’s a , lues oups, . roadway, t. ouis, . LIGHTS OVER ARCADIA: w Railha er, nding rion p.m., . The ea y Anchor, Gra ois A e., t. ouis, . LOVE JONES “THE BAND”: p.m., . ’s a , lues oups, . roadway, t. ouis, . THE METHADONES: w an apid and the Cheats p.m., . Red lag, ocust treet, t. ouis, . THE MOSAIC TRIO: p.m., . lue traw berry howroom ounge, N oyle A e, t. ouis, .

THE MOUND CITY SLICKERS: p.m., . The ocal Point, utton l d., aplewood, .

—Joseph Hess

SUNDAY 3

CHICAGO BLUES ANGELS: p.m., . ’s a , lues oups, . roadway, t. ouis, . FAIR ST. LOUIS DAY 2: w ire for ffect, o ydas, the acht Rockers, eslie Craig uo, ordan uter and The igh Road, Tyler arr, Third ye lind, ild Air, Rodney Atkins, ockey ad noon, free. allpark illage, Clark A e, t. ouis, . J.D. HUGHES: p.m. uly , p.m., free. roadway yster ar, . roadway, t. ouis, . KINGDOM BROTHERS BAND: p.m., . ’s a , lues oups, . roadway, t. ouis, . THE PHLEGMS: p.m., . The inkhole, outh roadway, t. ouis, . USUAL SUSPECTS: p.m., . ’s a , lues oups, . roadway, t. ouis, .

[CRITIC’S PICK]

WEDNESDAY 6

AJJ: w pen ike agle p.m., . elmar all, elmar l d., t. ouis, 6161. BIG RICH MCDONOUGH & THE RHYTHM RENEGADES: p.m., . ’s a , lues oups, . roadway, t. ouis, . BUTCH MOORE: p.m. uly , p.m., free. roadway yster ar, . roadway, t. ouis, . FRESH PRODUCE BEAT BATTLE: p.m., free. lue trawberry howroom ounge, N oyle A e, t. ouis, . NAPALM READERS: w Prunes, Augmented earts p.m., . The inkhole, outh roadway, t. ouis, . NICK SHOULDERS: p.m., . . ff road way, emp A e., t. ouis, . RANDY MCALLISTER: p.m., . ’s a , lues oups, . roadway, t. ouis, . VOODOO DAVE MATTHEWS BAND: p.m., . roadway yster ar, . roadway, t. ouis, .

THIS JUST IN Illphonics tops the lineup for Hip Hop Fusia Fest, organized by the band’s leader, Larry Morris. | VIA IMPULSE ARTISTS

Hip Hop Fusia Fest w/ Illphonics, Looprat, Domino Effect, the Greater Good, Retro Champ, Dre’Co, Native Sun 1 p.m. Saturday, July 2. Off Broadway, 3509 Lemp Avenue.$10 to $20. 314-498-6989. Organized by Illphonics emcee and bandleader Larry Morris, Hip Hop Fusia Fest pays tribute to St. Louis’ rich musical heritage of jazz, funk, soul and R&B through local hip-hop acts who actively incorporate elements of all these interconnected genres. Who better to lead this festival than Illphonics, a long-standing hip-hop collective who has made a natural habitat out of venues across the river city, including the Sheldon Concert Hall and the Stage at KDHX? That’s a rhetorical question of course, but Morris didn’t book this event all on his own. Made in collaboration with Off Broadway,

MONDAY 4

FAIR ST. LOUIS DAY 3: w o ydas, Plastic ings, ust n Time, Color e add, ontell ordan, Coolio, Tone oc, oung C noon, free. allpark illage, Clark A e, t. ouis, . SOULARD BLUES BAND 4TH OF JULY SHOW: p.m., . roadway yster ar, . road way, t. ouis, . THIRD SIGHT BAND: p.m., . ’s a , lues oups, . roadway, t. ouis, .

TUESDAY 5 BLOOD: w Total

ife, Punk ady Apple

p.m.,

this inaugural edition of Hip Hop Fusia Fest has already generated massive buzz and promises to be one of the most memorable events of the summer. While the lineup could have stopped at local mainstays Domino Effect and Looprat, this night incorporates fresh faces on the scene such as Dre’Co, which shows a long-term investment in the future of hiphop in our city. Indy 500: Hip Hop Fusia Fest might seem laser-focused on elevating St. Louis artists, but Indianapolis hip-hop group Native Sun serves as a rare outlier to an otherwise all local roster of performers. Yet another rap band backed up by live instrumentation — the unifying theme for the show — Native Sun stands out for its clean and meticulous approach to production. The Indy crew’s latest studio effort Never Be King offers twelve tracks of lyrical mastery backed up by technical wizardry.

—Joseph Hess

. The inkhole, outh roadway, t. ouis, . DHORUBA COLLECTIVE: p.m., . ’s a , lues oups, . roadway, t. ouis, . DUHART DUO: p.m. Aug. , p.m., free. road way yster ar, . roadway, t. ouis, . MÖTLEY CRÜE AND DEF LEPPARD: w Poison, oan ett and the lackhearts p.m., . . usch tadium, Clark A e, t. ouis, . STEVE BAUER AND MATT RUDOLPH: p.m. Aug. , p.m., free. roadway yster ar, . roadway, t. ouis, .

120 MINUTES: ed., uly , p.m., free. ust ohn’s Club, anchester A e., t. ouis, . ABBA MANIA: un., No . , p.m., T A. The heldon, ashington l d., t. ouis, . THE ACACIA STRAIN: ale olence, A , ilence, at., uly , p.m., . Pop’s Nightclub, onsanto A e., ast t. ouis, . ASHTEN RAY: at., uly , p.m., . lueber ry ill The uck Room, elmar l d., ni ersity City, . AVIANA & THE PURE ROOT: ri., uly , p.m., . ark Room, Grandel uare, t. ouis, ) .. BEER CHOIR: Thu., uly , p.m., free. as e o iergarten, Gra ois A e., t. ouis, . BEYOND FM 3RD ANNUAL BIRTHDAY BASH: W/ te e wing, at., uly , p.m., . Pop’s Nightclub, onsanto A e., ast t. ouis, . BIG RICH MCDONOUGH & THE RHYTHM RENEGADES: ed., uly , p.m., . ’s a , lues oups, . roadway, t. ouis, . BLUES AT THE ARCH DAY 1: Annika Cham bers, arcia all, ri., Aug. , p.m., free. Gateway Arch, ashington A e., t. ouis, . BLUES AT THE ARCH DAY 2: att The Rattle snake esch, s. y C resh tart, Circus armony, eremiah ohnson, eesha Pratt and, elwyn irchwood, at., Aug. , noon, free. Gateway Arch, ashington A e., t. ouis, . BOXCAR: at., uly , p.m., free. The eingar ten, tate Rte , elle ille. THE BROKEN HIPSTERS: Thu., une , p.m., free. as e o iergarten, Gra ois A e., t. ouis, . BROTHER FRANCIS AND THE SOULTONES: Sat., uly , p.m., free. as e o iergarten, Gra ois A e., t. ouis, . CHARLES GLENN: Thu., une , p.m., . lue trawberry howroom ounge, N oyle A e, t. ouis, . CHICAGO BLUES ANGELS: at., uly , p.m., . un., uly , p.m., . ’s a , lues oups, . roadway, t. ouis, . THE CLAUDETTES: ri., uly , p.m., . lue trawberry howroom ounge, N oyle A e, t. ouis, . CREE RIDER: ri., uly , p.m., free. as e o iergarten, Gra ois A e., t. ouis,

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[CRITIC’S PICK]

Third Eye Blind is slated to headline Fair St. Louis’ festivities on Sunday, July 3. | VIA FAIR ST. LOUIS

Fair St. Louis Noon. Saturday July 2 through Monday July 4. Kiener Plaza and Ballpark Village. Free. Fair St. Louis returns this weekend in a fashion more akin to the way it was held in pre-pandemic times, with a slate of national acts set to perform across three days to celebrate the Fourth of July. The party will see performances from pop-rock acts X Ambassadors and Third Eye Blind alongside throwback jams from ’90s House Party, featuring Color Me Badd, Montell Jordan, Coolio, Tone Loc and Young MC. The festivities will take place from July 2 to 4 at Kiener Plaza and Ballpark Village. The lineup will also include sets from country stars Rodney Atkins and Tyler Farr, as well as several local and regional acts including Well Hungarians, Fire for Effect, the Leslie Craig Duo and Joe Dirt. The shows will take place on two outdoor stages. Admission, as always, is free. Boom Goes the Dynamite: It just wouldn’t be the Fourth of July without fireworks, and Fair St. Louis’ display is among the finest of the form. Stick around until nightfall on Monday night and be prepared to watch the night sky light up, with the Gateway Arch serving as a backdrop. The explosions start at 9:30 p.m. and will run until 10:15.

JUNE 29-JULY 5, 2022

—Daniel Hill Continued on pg 41

RIVERFRONT TIMES

JUNE 29-JULY 5, 2022

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THIS JUST IN

Continued from pg 41 224-5521. DANCE GAVIN DANCE: Fri., Aug. 19, 7:30 p.m., $35. The Pageant, 6161 Delmar Blvd., St. Louis, 314-726-6161. DAYGLOW: W/ Ritt Momney, Tue., Nov. 1, 8 p.m., $29.50. The Pageant, 6161 Delmar Blvd., St. Louis, 314-726-6161. DEAR RABBIT: W/ Zak M, 3 of 5, Fri., July 1, 9 p.m., $5. San Loo, 3211 Cherokee St., St. Louis, 314-696-2888. DENZEL CURRY: W/ AG Club, redveil, Playthatboizay, Tue., Sept. 20, 8 p.m., $35. The Pageant, 6161 Delmar Blvd., St. Louis, 314-726-6161. DHORUBA COLLECTIVE: Tue., July 5, 7 p.m., $15. BB’s Jazz, Blues & Soups, 700 S. Broadway, St. Louis, 314-436-5222. DIESEL ISLAND: Sat., July 16, 7 p.m., free. Das Bevo Biergarten, 4749 Gravois Ave., St. Louis, 314-224-5521. DR. ZHIVEGAS: Fri., July 29, 6 p.m., $10. The Attic usic ar, . ingshighway, nd floor, t. Louis, 314-376-5313. DREW SHEAFOR AND THE SOUL RANGERS: Fri., July 15, 7 p.m., free. Das Bevo Biergarten, 4749 Gravois Ave., St. Louis, 314-224-5521. DROPKICK MURPHYS: Fri., Nov. 18, 8 p.m., $39.50-$79.50. The Factory, 17105 N Outer 40 Rd, Chesterfield, . FAIR ST. LOUIS DAY 1: W/ Well Hungarians, Steve Reeb, X Ambassadors, Michael B Whit, Sat., July 2, noon, free. Ballpark Village, 601 Clark Ave, St. Louis, 314-345-9481. FAIR ST. LOUIS DAY 2: W/ Fire for Effect, Dovydas, the Yacht Rockers, Leslie Craig Duo, Jordan Suter and The High Road, Tyler Farr, Third Eye Blind, Wild Air, Rodney Atkins, Hockey Dad, Sun., July 3, noon, free. Ballpark Village, 601 Clark Ave, St. Louis, 314-345-9481. FAIR ST. LOUIS DAY 3: W/ Dovydas, Plastic Kings, Just In Time, Color Me Badd, Montell Jordan, Coolio, Tone Loc, Young MC, Mon., July 4, noon, free. Ballpark Village, 601 Clark Ave, St. Louis, 314-345-9481. FRESH PRODUCE BEAT BATTLE: Wed., July 6, 9 p.m., free. Blue Strawberry Showroom & Lounge, 364 N Boyle Ave, St. Louis, 314-2561745. GINGER ROOT: Wed., Sept. 14, 8 p.m., $15. Delmar Hall, 6133 Delmar Blvd., St. Louis, 314726-6161. GLAIVE: Sat., Oct. 8, 8 p.m., $25. Delmar Hall, 6133 Delmar Blvd., St. Louis, 314-726-6161. GLORILLA: Sat., Aug. 13, 8 p.m., $42.50-$55. The Pageant, 6161 Delmar Blvd., St. Louis, 314-7266161. THE HAMILTON BAND: Fri., July 1, 7 p.m., free. Das Bevo Biergarten, 4749 Gravois Ave., St. Louis, 314-224-5521. THE HAPPY FITS: Fri., Nov. 18, 7 p.m., $20. Delmar Hall, 6133 Delmar Blvd., St. Louis, 314726-6161. HUNTER PEEBLES AND BAND: Thu., July 14, 7 p.m., free. Das Bevo Biergarten, 4749 Gravois Ave., St. Louis, 314-224-5521. I PREVAIL: W/ Pierce The Veil, Fit for a King, Stand Atlantic, Wed., Nov. 9, 7 p.m., $39.50-$55. The actory, N uter Rd, Chesterfield, 314-423-8500. IN THIS MOMENT: W/ In This Moment, Nothing More, Sleep Token, Cherry Bombs, Sat., Aug. 27, 6 p.m., $39.50-$55. The Pageant, 6161 Delmar Blvd., St. Louis, 314-726-6161. JEREMIAH JOHNSON BAND: Fri., July 15, 6 p.m., $10. The Attic Music Bar, 4247 S. Kingshighway, nd floor, t. ouis, . JOSE RAMIREZ BAND: Sat., July 2, 10:30 p.m., $15. BB’s Jazz, Blues & Soups, 700 S. Broadway, St. Louis, 314-436-5222. THE JOY FORMIDABLE: W/ Cuffed Up, Tue., Nov. 1, 8 p.m., $23. Blueberry Hill - The Duck Room, 6504 Delmar Blvd., University City, 314-7274444. JUDAS PRIEST: 50 HEAVY METAL YEARS: W/ Queensryche, Sun., Nov. 13, 7 p.m., $47-$125. Family Arena, 2002 Arena Parkway, St Charles, 636-896-4200. JUDY COLLINS: Wed., Oct. 26, 8 p.m., $74-$94.

The Sheldon, 3648 Washington Blvd., St. Louis, 314-533-9900. KINGDOM BROTHERS BAND: Sun., July 3, 7 p.m., $15. BB’s Jazz, Blues & Soups, 700 S. Broadway, St. Louis, 314-436-5222. LAST DANCE - A TOM PETTY TRIBUTE: Fri., July 22, 6 p.m., $10. The Attic Music Bar, 4247 S. Kingshighway, nd floor, t. ouis, . LAUREN ANDERSON BAND: Fri., July 1, 10 p.m., $15. BB’s Jazz, Blues & Soups, 700 S. Broadway, St. Louis, 314-436-5222. LOVE JONES “THE BAND”: Sat., July 2, 7 p.m., $15. BB’s Jazz, Blues & Soups, 700 S. Broadway, St. Louis, 314-436-5222. MATT NATHANSON: Sun., Aug. 21, 8 p.m., $49.50. The Pageant, 6161 Delmar Blvd., St. Louis, 314726-6161. MOOKIE TOLLIVER & SONTA: Sat., Aug. 20, 8:45 p.m., $25. Pop’s Nightclub, 401 Monsanto Ave., East St. Louis, 618-274-6720. THE MOSAIC TRIO: Sat., July 2, 7:30 p.m., $20. Blue Strawberry Showroom & Lounge, 364 N Boyle Ave, St. Louis, 314-256-1745. THE MOUND CITY SLICKERS: Sat., July 2, 8 p.m., $15-$20. The Focal Point, 2720 Sutton Blvd., Maplewood, 314-560-2778. MÖTLEY CRÜE AND DEF LEPPARD: W/ Poison, Joan Jett and the Blackhearts, Tue., July 5, 4:30 p.m., $69.50-$750. Busch Stadium, 700 Clark Ave, St. Louis, 314-345-9600. NEGRO OBSCURA: A COMEDY SHOW: Fri., July 1, 8 p.m., $10. The Heavy Anchor, 5226 Gravois Ave., St. Louis, 314-352-5226. PORKCHOP EXPRESS: Fri., July 8, 6:30 p.m., free. The Attic Music Bar, 4247 S. Kingshighway, 2nd floor, t. ouis, . PROUD LARRY: Sat., July 23, 6 p.m., $10. Sat., July 30, 6:30 p.m., $10. The Attic Music Bar, 4247 . ingshighway, nd floor, t. ouis, 5313. PUSHA T: Thu., Sept. 29, 8 p.m., $35. The Pageant, 6161 Delmar Blvd., St. Louis, 314-726-6161. RANDY MCALLISTER: Wed., July 6, 10 p.m., $15. BB’s Jazz, Blues & Soups, 700 S. Broadway, St. Louis, 314-436-5222. ROD, MARTY, & COMPANY: Thu., July 7, 6 p.m., free. The Attic Music Bar, 4247 S. Kingshighway, nd floor, t. ouis, . SIRSY: Mon., July 18, 7:30 p.m., free. The Attic usic ar, . ingshighway, nd floor, t. Louis, 314-376-5313. SKEET RODGERS & INNER CITY BLUES BAND: Fri., July 1, 7 p.m., $15. BB’s Jazz, Blues & Soups, 700 S. Broadway, St. Louis, 314-436-5222. TEDDY SWIMS: Sun., Oct. 30, 8 p.m., $26-$125. Red Flag, 3040 Locust Street, St. Louis, 314-2899050. THIRD SIGHT BAND: Mon., July 4, 7 p.m., $10. BB’s Jazz, Blues & Soups, 700 S. Broadway, St. Louis, 314-436-5222. TRINITY OF TERROR TOUR: W/ Motionless In White, Black Veil Brides, Ice Nine Kills, Crown the Empire, Sat., Sept. 17, 6:30 p.m., $46.50$56.50. Family Arena, 2002 Arena Parkway, St Charles, 636-896-4200. TROMBONE SHORTY & ORLEANS AVENUE: Thu., Sept. 22, 8 p.m., $29.50-$49.50. The Factory, N uter Rd, Chesterfield, . TURNSTILE: W/ Snail Mail, JPEGMAFIA, Wed., Oct. 19, 7 p.m., $35. The Pageant, 6161 Delmar Blvd., St. Louis, 314-726-6161. USUAL SUSPECTS: Sun., July 3, 9:30 p.m., $15. BB’s Jazz, Blues & Soups, 700 S. Broadway, St. Louis, 314-436-5222. VIOLENT FEMMES: Sun., Oct. 2, 8 p.m., $35-$50. The Pageant, 6161 Delmar Blvd., St. Louis, 314726-6161. VOODOO DAVE MATTHEWS BAND: Wed., July 6, 9 p.m., $12. Broadway Oyster Bar, 736 S. Broadway, St. Louis, 314-621-8811. VOODOO FALLING FENCES: Wed., July 27, 9 p.m., $12. Broadway Oyster Bar, 736 S. Broadway, St. Louis, 314-621-8811. VOODOO JGB: Wed., Aug. 3, 9 p.m., $12. Broadway Oyster Bar, 736 S. Broadway, St. Louis, 314-621-8811. WURST FESTIVAL: Sat., July 9, 2 p.m., free. Das Bevo Biergarten, 4749 Gravois Ave., St. Louis, 314-224-5521. THE YOWL: Sat., July 16, 8 p.m., $10. Off Broadway, 3509 Lemp Ave., St. Louis, 314-498-6989.

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JUNE 29-JULY 5, 2022

RIVERFRONT TIMES

JUNE 29-JULY 5, 2022

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Licensed and Bonded Licensed and Bonded BY DAN SAVAGE BY DAN SAVAGE

Weekly deadlines being what they are, this column was written Weekly deadlines what before the Supreme being Court overthey are, this column was written turned Roe v. Wade. before the Supreme Court overWe knew this was coming, turned Roe v. Wade. thanks to the SCOTUS Leaker, but Wedidn’t knew thislastwas coming, that make week’s news thanks to the SCOTUS Leaker, any less devastating. (Who’s but the that didn’t make last week’s news leaker? (My money’s on Ginni.) any less can devastating. (Who’s the So, what we do now? We can leaker? (My money’s on Ginni.) march, we can donate, and we can So, canRight we do now? can votewhat like the has beenWe voting march, we can donate, and we like can for 50 years, i.e., we can vote vote likeappointments the Right has been voting judicial matter. But for 50 years, i.e., we can vote like if you want to do something right judicial appointments But now that will piss off matter. the people if you want to do something right out there celebrating Dobbs, connow willa piss off the people sider that making donation to the Naout there celebrating Dobbs, contional Network of Abortion Funds. sider making to the NaActually, don’ta donation just consider maktional Abortion ing a Network donation,ofdo it rightFunds. now: Actually, don’t just consider makabortionfunds.org/donate. This ing a donation, do itfight right now: is going to be a long and abortionfunds.org/donate. This we’re not just in a fight to re secure is going to right be a to long fighther own and a woman’s control we’re not just in a fight to re secure body, we’re in a fight to protect all a woman’s right tosocial controlconservaher own the other rights body, we’re in a fight to protect all tives want to claw back, from the the rights social conservarightother of opposite-sex couples to use tives want to claw the contraception to theback, rightfrom of sameright of opposite-sex couples to use sex couples to marry to everyone’s contraception to the right sameright to enjoy non-PIV sex.of(When sex couples to marry to everyone’s they say they want to overturn right to enjoy non-PIV sex. (When Lawrence v. Texas, which Clarence they say they want to overturn Thomas said in his concurrence, Lawrence v. Texas, whichabout Clarence they’re not just talking reThomas said gay in his criminalizing sexconcurrence, but re-crimthey’re talking reinalizingnot a just whole lot ofabout straight criminalizing gay sex but re-crimsex; Lawrence overturned sodinalizing whole lot of non-PIV straight omy laws,a and anything sex; Lawrence overturned meets the legal definition of sodsodomy omy.)laws, If youand liveanything in a statenon-PIV where meets thebecame legal definition of sodabortion illegal overnight, omy.) If you live in a state where you can find information on self abortion became illegalmedication overnight, administered abortion youe can find information self erything you need toonknow administered abortion medication about M&Ms (mifepristone and e erything you to know misoprostol) at need plancpills.org. about M&Ms (mifepristone Dan and misoprostol) at plancpills.org. Dan Hey Dan: My partner and I are a heterosexual couple with a large Hey Dan:He Myispartner andone, I are a age gap. the older and heterosexual couple with a large our sex life is amazing. We’ve been age gap.about He is the the idea olderofone, and talking having our sex life is amazing. We’ve been me fuck a new guy for about four talking about the and ideaexperienced of having years. He is older me fuck a new guy for about four more casual sex is his young adultyears. He is older and experienced hood, so he felt it was only fair that more casual sex is young adultI got to do that ashis well. (I was in hood, so he felt it was only fair that I got to do that as well. (I was in

SAVAGE LOVE SAVAGE LOVE

my early 20s when we started our relationship and I’ve only been with my when we started our two early other20s guys.) At first, I told him relationship and I’ve only been with I didn’t feel like I was missing out two other guys.) At first, toldmore him on anything but over time,I the Iwe didn’t feel like it, I was missing out talked about the more I realon anything but over time, the more ized I wanted to do this just for fun. we about theback morefrom I realAndtalked now we justit,got a ized I wanted to do this just for fun. vacation where I found a guy on a And now wefor just got backmeeting from a hookup app a one-time vacation where I found a guy a and (safely) fucked him whileonmy hookup for a one-time partner app watched. (He’s notmeeting a cuck and (safely)participate.) fucked himItwhile my and didn’t was just partner watched. (He’s not a cuck plain fun for all of us! My question and didn’tthe participate.) was just is about “bonding It hormone.” plain fun for all of us! My I’ve always heard that whenquestion a womis the hormone.” an about has sex, her“bonding body produces oxyI’ve always heard that that causes when a her womtocin, a hormone to an has sex, her bodytoproduces oxyemotionally attach her sex parttocin, a hormone that causes herfor to ner. That has certainly been true emotionally attach to her sex partme in the past. But with this most ner. That hasIcertainly been true for recent fuck, didn’t feel any emome in the past. But with this most tional attachment at all! I’ve never recent fuck, sex I didn’t feel before, any emohad casual like this so tional attachment at all! I’ve I’m wondering if the “bondingnever horhad casual like this before, so mone” only sex releases when you’re I’m wondering if the “bonding horseeking an emotional attachment to mone” only releases a sex partner. Or did Iwhen fail toyou’re bond seeking an emotional attachment to because my own partner was in the a sex partner. Or did I fail to bond room? Honestly, I feel more bonded because my own partner was in the to my partner than ever now! room? Honestly, I feel more Curious Casual Newbie bonded to my partner than ever now! Curious or someCasual guys Newbie for some cucks,

for some stags watching the or some guys for some cucks, girlfriend with another guy is parfor some stags watching the ticipating. So, the fact that your girlfriend with another guy is parpartner “only” watched isn’t proof ticipating. So,you thetofact that that allowing hook up your with partner “only” watched isn’t proof another guy was pure altruism on that allowing you to hook up with his part. another was pure to altruism on As for guy your failure romantihis part. cally attach to that vacation ranAs for your failure to romantido… cally attach alone to thatdoes vacation ran“Oxytocin not create do… the bond,” said Dr. Larry J. Young. “Oxytocin alone does not create “There are brain mechanisms that the bond,” said Dr. Young. can inhibit bondingLarry after J. sex with “There brain mechanisms that anotherare individual.” can inhibit after sex with Dr. Youngbonding is a neuroscientist at another individual.” Emory University, where he has Dr. Young isstudied a neuroscientist at extensively hormones Emory University, where he has and the roles they play in forming extensively partner bonds.studied hormones and the roles they to play in forming “It’s not correct think of oxypartner bonds. tocin as the ‘bonding hormone,’ “It’s not you correct think of oxyalthough willto see that fretocin as the ‘bonding hormone,’ quently in the media,” said Dr. although you will see that amfreoung. xytocin amplifies quently media,” Dr. plifies in in thethe brain the said face, the oung. xytocin amplifies amsmell, the voice of the person an plifies in the the face, individual is brain having sex with,the so smell, the voice of the person an the brain can really sense those individual having so intensively.isBut it is sex the with, interacthe brain can really sense those tion of oxytocin with dopamine, intensively. Butthe it isintense the interacwhich creates pleation of oxytocin with sure of sex, that causesdopamine, the bond which creates the intense pleasure of sex, that causes the bond

that is, the combination of the pleasure (dopamine) and the that of is,the thesexual combination the senses partnerof(oxypleasure (dopamine) the tocin) create a bond withand a sexual senses of the sexual partner (oxypartner.” tocin) a bond sexual And create according towith Dr. aYoung’s partner.” fascinating research which foAnd on according to Dr. you Young’s cuses prairie oles can fascinating research which fosafely enjoy all the pleasure/docuses on prairie oles you can pamine you want without fear of safely enjoy therando, pleasure/dobonding with all some CCN, so pamine you want fear of long as your bond without with your curbonding with some rando, CCN, so rent partner remains strong. long as your bond yourofcur“Once bonded, thewith pattern dorent partner remains strong. pamine receptors changes in the “Once theoccasional pattern of sex dobrain sobonded, that the pamine receptors changes in the with another doesn’t create a new brain that occasional sex bond,”so said Dr.the Young. “One type with another doesn’t create a new of dopamine receptor helps create bond,” “Oneinhibtype a bond said and Dr. the Young. other type of dopamine receptor helps create its. Unbonded individuals have a bondofand other type type of inhibmore the the bonding doits. Unbonded individuals have pamine receptors. After bonding, more of the bonding typebecome of dothe inhibitory receptor pamine receptors. After bonding, more prominent, thus inhibiting a the receptor become new inhibitory bond.” more prominent, thus inhibiting a Which means, CCN, it’s safe for new bond.” you to have sex with other men Which means, CCN, it’s safe for with or without your partner you to have sex with other men present so long as you still feelor without your partner ingwith bonded to your primary partpresent so long as younot still be feelner, who may or may a ing bonded to your primary partcuck. (I mean “safe” in the unlikener, who may or may not be a ly-to-catch-feelings-for-someone cuck. (I mean the unlikeelse sense, not“safe” “safe”inin the minly-to-catch-feelings-for-someone imized-risk-of-STI-transmission else sense, notis,“safe” in the sense.) There however, oneminimimized-risk-of-STI-transmission portant caveat… sense.) is, work however, one im“This There may not 100 percent portant caveat… of the time,” said Dr. Young. “If the “This 100 has percent bond tomay the not firstwork partner fadof the time,” said Dr. Young. the ed, this reader’s experience“Ifmay bond to the first partner has fadnot be shared by everyone.” ed,Tothis reader’s experience may learn more about Dr. Young’s not be shared by everyone.” research, go to larryjyoung.com. To learn more about Dr. Young’s research, to larryjyoung.com. Hey Dan:goI’m a dude. A woman friend of mine in an open marHey I’mtold a dude. A woman riageDan: recently me that a male friend of mine in an open friend of ours greets her by markissriage recently meThis thatisasomemale ing her on the told cheek. friend of only ours does greetswith her her. by kissthing he She ing her on the cheek. This is feels this happens because someshe’s thing he only does with with someone her. She physically intimate feels this happens because in our friend group, who’s notshe’s her physically intimate someone husband and that with therefore my in our sees friendher group, who’s not her friend as “publicly availhusband that therefore my able.” I’veand personally heard this friend sees her as “publicly availguy describe this woman friend of able.” personally heard mine asI’ve “DTF.” I’ve known this this guy guy describe this woman friend of for years and I just feel bad about mine as “DTF.” I’ve known this guy the whole thing. The strangest for years andthis I just feel bad thing is that dude is in anabout open the whole thing. The strangest relationship himself and really thing that this dudeItis seems in an open shouldis know better. like relationship himself and really he could be a lot less hypocritical should know better. It seems like and a lot more respectful. Do you he could be a lot less hypocritical and a lot more respectful. Do you

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think I should say something? How should I go about it? I’ve asked the think should say something? How friendI he’s kissing, who is also a should I go about asked the big fan of yours byit? theI’ve way, and she friend he’s who wants to be kissing, left out of this.is also a big fan of yours by the way, and she Bad At Creating Catchy Acrowants to be left out of this. nyms Bad At Creating Catchy Acronyms Let’s say you say something, BAC-

CA, but leave your woman friend Let’s sayit.you something, out of Thesaykind of guy BACwho CA, butaleave your thinks woman inwoman an openfriend relaout of it.is sexually The kindavailable of guy to who tionship all thinks a woman in an open relanot just down to fuck, but down tionship is sexually available all to fuck him is the kind oftoguy not just down to fuck, but down who will interpret any ambiguity to fuck him to “stop” is the as kind of guy in an order license to who will interpret any ambiguity keep doing exactly what he’s been in an order “stop” as license to doing. So, ifto you can’t tell this keep doing mutual exactly what he’s been guy your friend explicdoing. you1. can’t itly toldSo, youif she wantstell himthis to guy your mutual friend stop and 2. deputized you explicto tell itly you this she dude 1. wants him to him told to stop, is going to stop and 2. deputized you to tell tell himself you were only guesshim to how stop,she thisfeels dude(she is going to ing at doesn’t tell himself you were only guesslike this, she doesn’t want him) ing how feels and at that his she guess (she(she likesdoesn’t it, she like this, she him) wants him) is doesn’t as good want a guess as and that his guess (she likes it, she yours. He may even play a little wants him) is as good a guess as three-dimensional-pseudo-maleyours. may and evenaccuse play ayou little feministHechess of three-dimensional-pseudo-malebeing the sexist and controlling feminist and her accuse youyou of one it’schess her body, cheek, being the sexist and controlling shouldn’t be speaking for her, etc. one it’sthis her guy body,toher cheek, you To get stop without shouldn’t be speaking for her, etc. saying something to him herself, To get this guy to stop without BACCA, your friend needs to give saying to him herself, you thesomething okay to make it abundantBACCA, your friend needs give ly clear that she deputized to you to you the okay to make it abundantspeak on her behalf. (“She asked ly that she you to meclear to tell you to deputized knock it off, and speak on her behalf. (“She asked now I’m telling you. Knock it off. me to tell you to knock off, and If you don’t believe me, it ask her.”) now telling Knockfor it off. She’llI’m need to beyou. prepared the If you don’t believe me, ask her.”) almost inevitable follow-up quesShe’ll need toI be prepared for you the tion (“Have been making almost inevitable follow-up quesuncomfortable?”) and the maudtion (“Have I been making lin, self-pitying apologies (“I’myou so uncomfortable?”) and the maudsorry! I feel terrible!”) and/or ralin, self-pitying(“I apologies (“I’m so tionalizations was just being sorry! I feel terrible!”) and/or rafriendly!”) that are likely to follow. tionalizations was in just And if he ever(“I comes for being a kiss friendly!”) that are likely to follow. again, she needs to be ready to eiAnduse if heher ever comes(“No. in forDon’t. a kiss ther words again, needs to be ready eiStop.”)she and/or stick her handtoout ther use her words (“No. Don’t. in front of her not a hand held Stop.”) handwant out out for and/or a shakestick (she her doesn’t in front of her not a hand held him pulling her in for a kiss), but out for a shake doesn’t want a flat hand that’s(she going to land on him pulling her in for a kiss), but his sternum if he keeps coming a flat hand land on toward her,that’s with going a stiff to arm (lock his sternum if he keeps coming that elbow!) so he can’t come any toward closer. her, with a stiff arm (lock that elbow!) so he can’t come any closer. questions@savagelove.net @FakeDanSavage on Twitter questions@savagelove.net savage.love @FakeDanSavage on Twitter savage.love

JUNE 29-JULY 5, 2022

RIVERFRONT TIMES

JUNE 29-JULY 5, 2022

riverfronttimes.com

JUNE 29-JULY 5, 2022

RIVERFRONT TIMES

Riverfront Times, June 29, 2022

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