PLAYBACK:stl

january

2005

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www.playbackstl.com

the best of 2004: interpol plus our writers’ picks for best cds, movies, theater, concerts, books, and more interviews: peter max, steve smith reviews: bright eyes, bad education, arturo sandoval previews: eddie from ohio, rogue wave

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JANUARY 2005

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PLAYBACK– TALK Say What?

“This is elucidated in live shows by lead singer Mike’s insanity—clearly self-aware theatrics, but so convicted and over-the-top that this awareness is part of the insanity (or theatrics),” has to be the most ass-backwards use of the words “elucidated” and “convicted” I’ve ever seen in Playback. Which is saying a lot, because you puds run pretty fast and loose with the language. Just because the word processor has that “thesaurus” function doesn’t mean you should use it.

—Hugh Reynolds

St. Louis Radio, Part Two You have really hit a nerve with your comments about radio in St. Louis...unless you are only considering corporate radio in your comments. I have been an active volunteer with KDHX FM88 for the past eight years and on the air for six years. Surely you have heard of us.

Well, maybe not, judging by your comments.

KDHX covers just about every genre of music out there. Everything from a capella to zydeco. The volunteer programmers at KDHX are a part of the local St. Louis music scene.

They are the musicians, club owners and fans.

We have many local and national bands play live in our performance studios. We are the only station that you can call and make a request and get it played or call and discuss the music being played.

Your comments aren’t very specific which leads me to believe that you don’t know much about KDHX. You should give it a listen if you truly want a variety of music. KDHX is one of only about 30 truly independent community

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radio stations in the country broadcasting at 43,000 watts for the past 17 years. We have been broadcasting on the Internet for the past seven or eight years.

It’s easy to be critical, but I didn’t see any constructive criticism anywhere in your brief article. Just what do you want from your radio?

Sounds like you should just stick to listening to your favorite ten CDs and ignore the great gem of radio that is in your own backyard. It’s easier than thinking...oh, by the way, there aren’t any WMDs. —Drea Stein Programmer/Host, The Other One

A Correction in Chronology

MOLLY HAYDEN

Every new beginning comes from some other beginning’s end — Semisonic Incredibly, 365 days have gone by like so much water under the bridge and we here at PlaybackSTL have had the pleasure of being there with you each step of the way. This year we wanted to give our writers a chance to let you know what they liked (and, in some cases, didn’t like) over the last 12 months. We also talk with Efterklang from Norway, Ded Bugs from DeSoto, and our band of the year, Interpol, who come from that most foreign of places: Brooklyn.

The quality of last year’s output in books, movies, music, and from the stage was impressive. It makes us happy to be doing what we are doing and it also makes us thankful that we live in a place where that output is appreciated and encouraged. All too often, we take for granted that we do have these opportunities—to go to a show, to read a book, to see something that challenges our beliefs—leaving them for somebody else to support. Here is a request (call it a resolution, if you must): go out and find an organization, a band, a writer, a gallery, anything and make an effort to support them. I’m not saying throw cash at them (though that is a very nice thing to do), but give them some of your time and, more importantly, your attention.

Through the arts—whether it be a rock band, a small theater group, whatever—we become a stronger and better society. It may not cure all the ills of the world, but it will hopefully deepen the path toward a better world and we can all benefit from that.

A note about our logo. We are, as of our January issue, calling ourselves PlaybackSTL. Our reasoning behind this is mostly because that is what everybody calls us (could be because of the Web site), and we also like that the title doesn’t cause people to think that we are purveyors of bubblegum music. The content remains the same and you can let us know what you think by the usual routes (phone, email, letters). We may even send you a spiffy new PlaybackSTL shirt for your troubles.

There was much to do and see in 2004 and certainly there will be much more in 2005. We hope that you will take PlaybackSTL along for the ride. Have a great new year and get used to it!

Enjoyed your review of Closer, but next time it might be a good idea if the reviewer did a little homework. He speculates that Marber, the screenwriter, may have been influenced by Neil LaBute’s Your Friends and Neighbors, a 1998 film. But Closer is based on Marber’s 1997 play of the same name.

—Ben Wilson

Patrice Pike (above), along with Brandy Johnson, Miles of Wire and Domani performed to a packed crowd at Playback’s SantaStock at Lil’ Nikki’s on December 4. (photo; Molly Hayden)

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Contents Profiles

Steve Smith .............................................3 Peter Max ................................................5

Play by Play .................. 7 Bright Eyes, Acceptance, ...And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead, Alma Arciniegas-McDermott, Corrina Repp, Dirty Vegas, Rosco Gordon, Haiku D’Etat, The Occasion, Sevenstar, Elko: A Cowboy’s Gathering, Sounds Eclectic 3

Now Playing

DVD Reviews ..................................12 Blue October, Blur, Ani DiFranco, Incubus, Dead Boys, Stray Cats Cinema ...........................................30 Bad Education, House of Flying Daggers, In Good Company

Backstage Pass............ 14 Arturo Sandoval, Dave Simon’s Rock School

Three to See ................ 15 Come Out and Play...... 19 You Are Here ............... 20

Best of 2004................ 21 Interpol, Efterklang, Ded Bugs, Nic Harcourt, Bradley Calise, Tegan and Sara, and Velvet Teen

Take Five ...................... 32 Ted Bruner

Elliot Goes.................. 32 Local Scenery ............. 34 Our Filmy Substance .. 35 Page by Page................ 36 Favorite Books of 2004

Delirious Nomad ......... 39 What’s Going on Here?....................... 40 Lorenzo Goetz/Cameron McGill/Adam Schmitt, Eddie From Ohio, Queensryche, Bowling for Soup, Rogue Wave, The Forms, Eero, Stroke 9, Roy Hargrove

Tributary ..................... 44 Best of the Year

Firecracker Press

CARLOS D. of INTERPOL performs at an October concert in Minneapolis at First Avenue. Part of the BEST OF 2004, beginning on page 21.

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Publisher Two Weasels Press LLC Managing Editor Laura Hamlett Associate Editor/Art Director Jim Dunn Contributing Editor Bryan A. Hollerbach Book Editor Stephen Schenkenberg Film Editor Bobby Kirk Live Music Editor Brian McClelland Theater Editor Tyson Blanquart Editors-at-Large Rob Levy, Kevin Renick Editorial Assistant Kimberly Faulhaber Contributing Writers Sid Andruska, Tyson Blanquart, Jim Campbell, J. Church, Chris Clark, Jim Dunn, Robert Edgecomb, Jessica Gluckman, Jason Green, Adam Hackbarth, Tim Hand, Laura Hamlett, Mary Beth Hascall, Dan Heaton, Bryan A. Hollerbach, Robert Hunt, Byron Kerman, Bobby Kirk, Steve Kistulentz, Jeff Knubley, John Kujawski, Joel Lapp, Rob Levy, David Lichius, James Mcanally, Rachel McCalla, Brian McClelland, Sean Moeller, Phillip Morton, Jon Rayfield, Kevin Renick, Aaron Richter, Stephen Schenkenberg, John Shepherd, Emily Spreng Lowery, Pete Timmermann, Michele Ulsohn, Rudy Zapf Cover Photograph Jaan Wagenaar Contributing Illustrator Jessica Gluckman Interns James Mcanally, Aaron Richter Advertising Sales Color Rates Now Available!

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JANUARY 2005

TAKING BOXING TO THE STREETS

PBSTL PROFILE STEVE SMITH

by Rachel McCalla ho knew watching two people beat the crap out of each other could be so much fun? I didn’t, until I went to a Hoosier Weight Boxing match. Hoosier Weight is normal, everyday people boxing in the ring.

And St. Louis eats it up. We lick the plate and then ask for more, because it’s people like you and me up there, taking the hits and dishing it out.

It’s no wonder that Hoosier Weight Boxing matches have become major social events in St. Louis. Some fights have been so good, they have become myth. I still hear stories about the time Pablo Weiss boxed Thomas Crone; that was the fight to see. The locations make Hoosier Weight

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Boxing matches unique. Instead of having the fights in some run-down gym, founder/organizer Steve Smith uses St. Louis to his advantage, booking fights all over the city: outside the City Museum, on a blocked-off cul-de-sac on The Hill, even an art gallery. Again, who knew?

Steve Smith did. Smith liked boxing so much he wanted to make it interesting to the general public. Frequently dressed in vintage clothing and a classy hat, Smith is a man about town who knows just about everyone. When I asked Smith for an interview, he suggested I join him and his grandmother, Elanie Murray Fouche, for lunch and some hat shopping at Levine’s down on Washington. And yes, I got a hat, too.

Tell me how you got started.

I’d been boxing for about four years and training off and on. But the fights that I had

been in and had gone to watch were not really all that fun, and I couldn’t get people for the life of me to go with me to these things. But I liked going to the fights, especially amateur fights. I had this good friend, Peter Neukirch from Chicago, [who] would come down to St. Louis and we had just started to get to a point where we could spar. I wanted to have a barbeque, one that nobody would want to miss, [with] Peter and I boxing each other. I was going to hold it in my backyard, although I had a friend at the time who started panicking and got my roommate involved. I guess they thought people would start turning over cars and lighting houses on fire.

Who judged?

If I remember correctly, it was Bev Hacker, Larry Weir, and then Fred Hessel.

We sort of said, “Okay, who wants to judge?”

You didn’t have “real” judges?

It wasn’t like we decided who to ask three weeks ahead of time. It was more like, “OK, who here knows boxing pretty well?

OK, why don’t you judge?” And we didn’t even score it all that accurately. They called it a draw, even though I did knock Peter down. We had a rematch in my backyard and that’s when we started putting up the ropes. I put out the word and about 150 showed up for that one.

Did you always call it Hoosier Weight?

I called it Hoosier Weight the first time out. I was just sitting around thinking, “What should I call this? What would be fun?” And then we had it in my backyard and we had two fights on the card. That’s when Pablo Weiss [The Jabbin’ Jew] fought Dave Stokes [The Punching Republican]. We had more formal judging, we put carpet down on the ground, and we had a snow cone machine. That’s when it started to get a little more festive.

John Brown, the owner of Ringside Boxing Equipment, wound up sending me a title belt that year. I mean, I had seen his picture in [box-

ing] catalogs. He was very supportive of what we did. From there, we started jumping around different backyards around town, and more and more people would come by.

Tell me about the belts.

The first belt was decorated by Katy Fischer.

She put beer bottle caps on it. Schlafly is a big supporter and actually made a belt themselves.

They have the super-large beer cap in the center. That one is really cool. Annette Vinsion made the one with the alligator head; you can see that one at the Way Out Club. Jenna Bauer redid the original Hoosier Weight belt. She used bullets on that one and Sara Ursini did one with a grenade on the front. That one is hanging up at the Famous Bar. Elanie Murray Fouche: Which Famous-Barr is it hanging in?

It’s not a store, Grandma; it’s actually a bar bar. It’s not like Macy’s or the May Company.

Tell me about the new gym.

I wanted to have an opportunity for regular people to box. This way, you can be 30 years old; you can train. Once you’re prepared enough, then you can box and be in an environment where you want to box. It’s real cheap to join, and you can try it out for free. We’ve got tons of classes. We’ve got kids-only classes, adult-only classes, and all-ages classes. We’ve got six coaches. Not only do we have regular people, like airport security guards to SLU law students, now I also have kids from the neighborhood. I’m a mentor and I help out around town. And this is very hands-on, where the kids are coming in and we’re teaching them discipline and getting them to exercise through boxing. And now were expanding and starting a chess club and tutoring, which is really kind of fun. Granted, it also might drive me crazy, but it will be worth it.

Smith has another round of Hoosier Weight Boxing scheduled for February 4, a few days before the Mardi Gras grand parade. This round will take place in the Soulard Market Gymnasium at 7th and Lafayette—a beautiful landmark that most people haven’t heard of.

There will only be 800 tickets sold, so get them while you can. To find prices and times, go to www.pandaac.org. VIP seating is available for $35 and includes free beer and ringside seats.

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JANUARY 2005

PBSTL PROFILE PETER MAX

PETER MAX:

ROCKSTARTIST

By Jeff Knubley s timeless as the music of The Beatles, yet mindful of the times in which we live, global artist Peter Max returns once again to St. Louis to kick off his 2005 Colors of a Better World exhibition. This being his 70th gallery show in the past 26 months, all are invited to join him on January 14 and 15 from 6 to 9 p.m. at the Wentworth Gallery in Des Peres.

“I work a lot,” says Max. “I find work itself is a conduit for more work.”

Aside from creating the sixties style, Max has been crowned as the official artist for, among many other international events, the Grammy Award ceremonies, the 25th anniversary of the New Orleans Jazz Festival, and, appropriately, the Woodstock Music Festival.

He has over 70 magazine covers to his credit, including Time, Life, and Newsweek, as well as recognizable album covers for bands such as Yes, Aretha Franklin, Alice Coltrane, and

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The Band. His reach has extended far beyond music since his emergence as a leading artist in the late ’60s. He has been a voice of love to the world through his art, especially at home in the U.S., where he tirelessly continues to embrace and support freedom and peace.

Though he was born in Berlin and raised in the Far East, Max is undoubtedly a role model as an American patriot.

Could you talk about the impact music has had on your artwork?

Music has been always the backbeat of everything I do. [At] the time my artwork came on the scene, The Beatles had just come out, so it has always been a very important thing. I’ve gone through many, many phases of music— you know, the pop culture music—and I fell in love with jazz. Back then, I used to go to a little club in Manhattan called the Five Spot where Thelonious Monk and Charlie Parker and everybody played.

Is the Five Spot still there?

No, I don’t think it’s there anymore. It has probably not been there for many years. I was like 17, 18. That was the cool place for someone to go. Then, of course, came all The Beatles, Moody Blues, The Stones, and Deep Purple and all these rockin’ bands that just occurred; they were always there playing in the background when I was painting. Now I’ve fallen in love again with fusion jazz, like Chick Corea and Gary Burton, Jeff Lorber, and all those guys. In fact I just was with Chick Corea the other day. So, you know, I still love all the jazz and I like alternative music. I like it all.

I’m in love with every sort of music.

I paint at night around five o’clock; I spend five to six hours a night painting. Sometimes I stop as early as one or two in the morning. We’ve got a nice setup over here with big speakers. And my assistant is an ex-jazz musician, so he brings in the greatest music.

At the Live Aid concert in 1985, you drew the “I Love the World” image.

I was standing backstage with the musicians; I was the only artist. It was very heartfelt because they were doing a concert to help the people of Ethiopia. There we were in Philadelphia, thousands of kids rocking, 60,000 people in the audience; Bob Geldorf organized the event with all the money going to Ethiopia.

That was very beautiful. Then some producer had called all the musicians to the front stage to sing “We Are the World” and I was left alone backstage, so I pulled out my [sketch] pad and I drew an angel hugging the world. That was my little expression for the moment. Later on, I was asked to make a large painting [of it], and it later found itself there at the same stadium for an auction. It was amazing.

What do you have in store for your St. Louis fans at this upcoming show?

It will be like a mini-museum retrospective.

There will be works from every period, from the ’60s up until now. Paintings, prints, and drawings; many different things, including very famous icons like the “Flower Blossom Lady,” “Man With Umbrella” and, of course, the [American] flags and [Statue of] Liberties. I love St. Louis. I can’t wait to be there.

For more information, and to view some of Max’s work, log on to his Web site at www.petermax.com.

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PLAYBACK STL

PLAY BY PLAY MUSIC REVIEWS

BRIGHT EYES: I’M WIDE AWAKE, IT’S MORNING/ DIGITAL ASH IN A DIGITAL URN (SADDLE CREEK)

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For some, Mr. Conor Oberst and his tobaggoning into the gut of an endless despair is a tough sell. It takes some real wanting to cram one of his records into the disc changer if there’s any sort of positive outlook to the day.

If you press play, you’ll immediately be reminded of all the sadness in your life that was supposed to have been forgotten—washed away by a lengthy sleep or a bender and a shower.

The little sorrows pop from behind your eyes, lean out from the darkest corners of memory, playing peek-a-boo and fluttering like fireflies, so you have no choice but to pay attention to them once more. They get caught up in glass jars and are kept alive with nail holes in lids and repeated listens. His is a land where hopefulness is a precious metal found in trace amounts, and that’s only after a lot of toilsome digging. But it is there. It lies cheek-to-cheek with the raw emotions of love and loss, often camouflaged to resemble a tethered bird. True hope has no restrictions, but the kind Oberst sings about always does. It’s never easy or clean, and it’s sick how pretty it is.

Whether you’ve bought into his power— he’s a genius, we’ve heard—or kept a safe distance and distaste for his quivering vocals and overt politics, the simultaneous release of his latest two LPs does much to push you in the direction of the former. I’m Wide Awake, It’s Morning and Digital Ash in a Digital Urn are billed as different breeds of Bright Eyes—one the dusty collie and the other the rowdy boxer.

That may be accurate to a point, but all cataloging don’t change what the songs evoke or how they exist.

Oberst is unquestionably more of a folkie on Wide Awake, starting the disc with a spo-

ken monologue that’s oddly like Jason Lee’s airplane story from Mallrats, before swooping into “We Are Nowhere and That’s Now,” a gentle song of love sought and unreached, featuring the hypnotic guest vocals of Emmylou Harris. Oberst carries on with a loping stride through track after track of near-naked fragility. There are still the times when he loses his yolk, his blood boils, and he curdles out a wail that could haunt, piercing it right through the center of a song, pulling us into the coals with him. His way with the unexpected fit of lyric to universal feeling is less abstract than it’s been on past releases, giving his words about God and his Siddhartha-ish quest for self-knowledge the brunt force of a bulldozer. The songwriting is so strong on each of these 22 new songs that the fate that normally befalls a doubledisc album or two quickly turned albums—a record’s worth of weak throw-away songs that might not have the ability to swim as bsides—can’t even be considered.

He’s built two records that could catch whistles from cold hearts. The musicianship is full and determined, swelling at timely instances like tear ducts. “Devil in the Details,” with its rich piano and harp lines interplaying, and “Take It Easy (Love Nothing),” with its lucid and evocative lure of simple melodic bliss, can help to determine that the great songwriters are born into it. Hard work and diligent practice would leave most miles short of anything Oberst is capable of. Do believe in him. Believe that he’s peerless and that with these two records, he’s outdone himself all over again.

—Sean Moeller

ACCEPTANCE: BLACK LINES TO BATTLEFIELDS (The Militia Group) Acceptance is a spunky little emo outfit out of Seattle consisting of singer Jason Vena, guitarists Kaylan Cloyd and Christian McAlhaney, bassist Ryan Zwiefelhofer, and drummer Nick Radovanovic. Aside from the mouthful-of-consonant names, nothing would seem to point to anything sinister about this band...save for the fact that Black Lines to Battlefields is a CD Extra that, when inserted into a computer, reveals a video of their newest single “Permanent.” This band looks as if some devious record executive in Artist Development handpicked the members from an Abercrombie and Fitch catalog; every good-looking, freshly scrubbed member of this band appears to have just stepped away from a wholesome, alcohol-free pep rally in a small town for a few hours to shoot the video. Further investigation finds numerous thanks to Jesus and God, thanks to families for their prayers, and positive themes in their lyrical content. Is this a Christian emo band?

Now, I’m a well-known, out-of-the-closet emosexual, but I had to balk at what I first saw from this band. I mean, gone was the scruffy nastiness, the “I’ve been to the bathroom 50 times without changing my pants or underwear” look; no one even seems tired, drunk, or—Goddammit—sad anywhere in the video or liner notes. What the hell is one to think? These guys look like fucking Hanson sounds.

After my initial visual shock began to wear

JANUARY 2005

off, the actual song began insinuating itself into my ears, and it wasn’t half bad. Hell, it was good! Shades of Taking Back Sunday, Funeral for a Friend, and The Get Up Kids with strong pop sensibility. Looks aside, these guys can actually play! “Permanent,” the leading song and title track, is right up there with the best of The Juliana Theory or OK Go, and as the sticker on the CD’s jewel case says, is featured in the soundtrack of the game ATV 3 Off Road Fury.

It’s definitely radio-friendly, hooky enough to catch your attention, and reminiscent of some of the more recent Jimmy Eat World releases.

The second song, “Seeing Is Believing,” is destined to be the soundtrack of a million heartbroken teenagers waiting to get un-grounded, with its sugar-sweet, razor-sharp “I miss you” chorus tapping right into the teenage id.

The album closes with two live tracks, “This Is Only a Test” and “ReRun,” which display the band as a formidable live machine; if it weren’t for the crowd noises from time to time (mostly young-sounding females, I might add) I’d have thought these were studio tracks produced in rawer fashion.

Acceptance seems to be poised right on the cusp of emo superstardom, at least for the under25 crowd. While the lyrical content lacks a bit of depth, the overall sonic picture is easily as developed as any of the superstars-of-the-month this genre seems currently clotted with. I don’t know how likely a second album is, but Black Lines to Battlefields is definitely worth owning, even if you’re not a Christian. Or an emosexual.

—Chris Clark ...AND YOU WILL KNOW US BY THE TRAIL OF DEAD: WORLDS APART (Interscope) Worlds Apart will alienate every single fan of ...And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead. It should, at least. It should piss them off that their volatile guitar smashers have opted to make such beautiful music as opposed to yet another our-guitars-sound-really-cooland-loud album. What it comes down to, though, is whether or not fans will overcome this alienation and accept the brilliant body of work Trail of Dead has created.

The best way to approach Worlds Apart is by not thinking of it as a Trail of Dead album.

Everything established about the band should vanish, and these 12 songs should stand

as fresh music. This is tough but ultimately rewarding, as this early 2005 release is better than nearly any album from last year.

The band’s previous full-length effort, Source Tags & Codes, was fantastic; it layered abusive guitars and aggressive drumming for an all out musical attack. The sound was massive and occasionally exhausting, but by the time Trail of Dead released The Secret of Elena’s Tomb EP, this sound got a bit old.

For the first minute and a half of “Will You Smile Again For Me”—the first song on Worlds Apart—Trail of Dead sounds like it has in the past. Then the bottom drops out, and the wall of guitars disappears. A quiet horn emerges above subtle static. Vocalist Conrad Keely is the focus as his voice is mixed noticeably higher than the instruments, which is a bit odd considering he is typically muffled. The composition is intriguing, and the thirst for more develops.

The album’s title track, even though it’s introduced by children’s playful screams followed by Keely dropping the f-bomb, boasts an upbeat time signature and a catchiness level just begging to be played on the next season of The OC. With Keely’s vocals yet again shining above the music, he spouts off about the problems with celebrity culture—ironic because “Worlds Apart” could easily land itself plays on the very television network it speaks out against. Trail of Dead has never been a lyrically driven band, but despite a few cringe moments, Keely holds his newly prominent vocal duties with confidence and strength.

Each song on the album has its own moment, or moments, of brilliance and individuality. “And The Rest Will Follow” has its crystal production comparable with Death Cab for Cutie, and “The Best” has its break into an dramatic piano chug.

Trail of Dead’s music is now no longer just the build up to the “good” part of its live show, when the band goes ape shit and breaks stuff.

As incredible as Source Tags & Codes was, it still seemed like the song dynamic was specifically structured for that purpose. Now the band has the chance to escape the novelty its concerts had become because Worlds Apart doesn’t cater to such actions.

What it does cater to, however, is sitting hour after hour in front of a stereo, obsessively replaying each track and realizing 2005 has lofty goals if it expects to top this release.

—Aaron Richter

ALMA ARCINIEGAS-MCDERMOTT: WITHIN THE FOREST OF MY HEART (Self-released) The first thing you really notice about the debut CD

by Alma ArciniegasMcDermott, Within the Forest of My Heart, is the back cover: It features a photo of Ms. Arciniegas-McDermott in a bikini made of peacock feathers.

“That’s because there is Amazon in my heart,” explains the singer, a native of Colombia. This primitive look is her warriorwoman getup, ya see.

It’s the music on Within the Forest, though, that’s truly primitive—primitive as in simple, raw, and captivating. Think Peaches or early PJ Harvey or even Wesley Willis. Alma’s an ingenue; she couldn’t be sarcastic if she tried. Her childlike lyrics, Colombian-accented English, and earnest voice are the real deal.

Enter Ron McDermott, nickname RONJONX (pronounced “Ron-Jon-Ex”): guitarist, drummachine programmer, and Alma’s significant other. In his own way, Ron’s an ingenue, too.

He couldn’t have really known what he was doing when he led his lady to the basement to jam out and put her poetry to song. There’s no way he could foresee what would happen when he kicked up the reverb on Alma’s mic and paired her voice with his stripped-down, stoner-rock ditties, recording the results on the most primitive (there’s that word again) multitrack recording unit known to modern man, the Tascam four-track.

Nearly every song on Within the Forest is a gem. “How Do They Do It?” sounds like a teenager playing with a guitar and distortion pedal, with an angel singing lead. His sludge rock and her torchy voice merge, and dammit if they don’t cast a spell. “Love Is a Powerful Thing” is a disorienting, druggy chant. “This and That and All for What?” is a sinuous melody that sounds as if it could charm snakes. The formula for each of these tunes is the same: the breathy incantations of a girl-child plus the psychedelic hard-rock of her Svengali boyfriend equals a sensual ride, straight from a South St. Louis County low-fi basement studio. (It helps, too, that Ron does not own a bass guitar. With vocals, guitar, and drums only, these songs have the rawness of demos.)

Another happy accident on Alma’s CD is its humor. “Another Dimension” is an ugly rock continued on next page

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PLAYBACK STL Play by Play song that lumbers so awkwardly with its big, slow “chunk-a chunk-a” rhythm that it’s unintentionally funny. In fact, it’s downright silly, and it somehow becomes charming. Similarly, on “Mental Fatigue,” Ron plays magisterial power chords a lá Manowar while Alma sings in her Colombian-accented warble. Here, the mismatch of his slow-cooked hard rock and her plaintive wails is riotously funny and addictive at the same time.

Alma and Ron have the makings of an irresistible lounge act. Their originals are great, but they should consider doing covers, too. With her smoky voice and his fuzz-toned guitar, they can make any song innocent and “grungy,” as Ron puts it, at the same time—sort of like when Tori Amos decided to cover Slayer.

Within the Forest of My Heart is available at Vintage Vinyl.

—Byron Kerman

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CORRINA REPP: IT’S ONLY THE FUTURE (Hush) Now that Minnesota’s austere shoegazing trio Low have decided to rock up their sound these days, what’s a fan of all things dark and dirgeful to do?

Fear not, oh divers of the murky depths. Corrina Repp hears you whining, and has released It’s Only the Future to get your new year off to an appropriately somber and uncertain start. Just skip right to track three, “You Almost Made It Out, but You Turned Around,” and you’ll think you’re hearing a lost Low track, so closely does Repp’s phrasing and melancholy introspection approach that of Mimi Parker (although less elegant and occasionally slightly off-key). “I miss my friends/The ones I grew up with/The boys, the men, the girlfriends/Are you okay?/ Are you even awake?” go Repp’s poignant lyrics, the chiming but melancholy music behind them driving every bit of emotion and nostalgia for lost youth home, where it hurts.

The Portland singer/songwriter has been compared with Cat Power and Gillian Welch before in her expression of strength amid complexity and sadness, but at least on this recording, Low is a better reference point (and perhaps labelmate Amy Annelle’s group The Places). Repp’s voice is upfront and so is the mood of introspection, rendered in sparse arrangements and subtle background elec-

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tronic effects. On the title track and “No One’s Telling,” each instrument sounds far away from the others, conveying the impression that the instruments themselves—muted guitar, simple percussion, piano, low strings (or the synth equivalent—feel the solitude their master is clearly overcome by. There’s no denying the emotive power of such clearly delineated sounds: You could make a diagram of the simple elements in a softly mournful tune like “Finally” (which includes two spare rhythm tracks—one a scratchy kinda thing—and an odd bit of background synthesizer) but not come close to conveying the haunted mood Repp’s voice and economical lyrics convey.

“Here’s Someone Else” is the emotional climax: it’s a real shiver inducer with its rapidly picked guitar notes, cold shimmering background synth and Repp’s little-girl-lost voice. “I’ll have a minute/Here if you need it/I’d hate to miss you/I would because I need to,” she sings, in one of the many ambiguous and minimalist verses on this disc. And Repp does an especially aching version of Sammy Fain’s “I’ll Be Seeing You,” the only non-original here.

This is certainly no party record; Repp’s intensity and raw emotion demand close listening, and since most of the music isn’t conventionally pretty, casual ears may turn away quickly.

But this is authentic stuff; you’re in the presence of a real feeling human being here, and Repp is great at keeping the mystery of these songs alive and pervasive.

It’s Only the Future is a compelling listen, a valuable soundtrack for those days when you’re feeling disconnected by it all, unreachable except by the somber musical empathy from a stranger whom you know has also been there.

—Kevin Renick DIRTY VEGAS: ONE (EMI) Back in November, when I told a friend that I was going to see the Dirty Vegas concert later that evening, his response was, “Aren’t they techno?

I thought you didn’t like techno.” He was half correct: I don’t like techno. I find it repetitious, monotonous, cold, and void of any musical depth. Dirty Vegas, however, do not play techno music. Like my friend, much of America assumes that they do because of the 2002 Mitsubishi television

ad that used a techno remix of their single “Days Go By.” The extreme popularity of that Grammy-winning version in the dance clubs was both a curse and a blessing for the South London trio; it inaccurately pigeonholed them in a genre where they really didn’t belong, while it also enabled their debut CD to sell close to one million copies.

Dirty Vegas’s second release, which they decided to call One because, according to the band’s online biography, “it feels like a new beginning,” was a bit of a struggle to write at first due to the heavy pressure the band felt to make this record a true representation of who they are, musically speaking. Many songs were written and rewritten over and over again until the band unanimously felt satisfied with the results. In need of a peaceful and inspirational environment in which to write, they drove 14 hours to a remote Scottish cottage overlooking the ocean and, in about a week, free of distractions, they’d composed much more material than they needed.

Unlike the songs on their first disc, which started out on computers and had the instrumentation added on later, the new material is much more organically based, with the guitar segments laid on first. The samples and loops that were heavily employed on their debut sounded too sterile to the band for use on One, and many of the 10 new tracks were recorded in a single take, without any overdubbing.

One’s music is somewhat difficult to describe, but not the least bit difficult to listen to. Like the work of Robbie Williams, one of Britain’s most talented songwriters, it blends together traditional pop-rock with a subtle dance-club groove, giving it a cross-genre appeal that could win over Gen X-ers as well as their mothers. Lead singer Steve Smith’s smooth-as-silk vocals perfectly complement gorgeously serene tracks like “Don’t Throw It Away” and “Closer,” while they provide inspiration on uplifting, powerful numbers like the opener “Roses” and the disc’s first single “Walk Into the Sun.” Lushness and haunting beauty abound throughout the disc, especially on “Save Me” and one of the stronger songs, “Human Love,” both of which feature an eightpiece orchestra. One’s crown jewel is definitely “Given You Everything,” a six- and-a-half-minute dose of pure sonic bliss that showcases keyboardist Paul Harris’s masterful skills.

Although it is unlikely that One will come even close to reaching the sales level of their debut, the members of Dirty Vegas seem rela-

JANUARY 2005

tively unconcerned. The band’s primary goals are, and have always been, to create great sounding music and to be able to recreate that music in a live setting. Based on the top-notch, stellar quality of the music on One and their amazing concert performance in November, I’d say the band has been more than successful in accomplishing both goals. —Michele Ulsohn ROSCO GORDON: NO DARK IN AMERICA (Dualtone Records) When coronary problems killed Rosco Gordon in his Queens apartment midway through 2002, the 74-yearold R&B legend had just readied himself to perform at a Wisconsin music festival. He had also just readied the last of the 15 tracks on No Dark in America, in whose liner notes co-producer Chris King sagely observes, “It’s fitting that this man who said music was his baby died with his bags packed for a gig.�

Similarly fitting: Dualtone is releasing the CD in question in January, the month named after the Roman deity whose two faces looked both forward and backward. Although inarguably an artifact of the present recorded with a small army of younger musicians—including, perhaps most notably, ex-Wilco drummer Ken Coomer—No Dark in America resonates with the artistry of the past, specifically the past of a songwriter, vocalist, and pianist whose work at Sam Phillips’ Sun Records and elsewhere energized early rock ’n’ roll and inspired the rise of ska. In this era of Pro Tools and similar digital gimmickry, its homey cadences sound anachronistic and, in places, even stately.

By no means does No Dark in America sound stodgy, though, as established by the funky “Cheese & Crackers� (a legacy of Gordon’s Sun days), the effervescent “A Night in Rio,� and the raggedy, raucous “You Look Bad When You’re Naked.� To be sure, the disc opens seriously enough with the title track, a co-write by Gordon and King that calls for optimism in the wake of the World Trade Center tragedy, and predictably but pardonably, King and the lead producer, listed simply as “Lij,� end the CD in a bittersweet way with the love song “Now You’re Gone.� All things considered, then, its manifold graces make Gordon’s No Dark in America a lovely valedictory from

an under-recognized talent in popular music of the past half a century or so. —Bryan A. Hollerbach HAIKU D’ETAT: COUP DE THEATRE (Decon/Project Blowed) L.A.’s commandingly poetic Aceyalone and Mikah 9 (Freestyle Fellowship) join veteran Abstract Rude (Abstract Tribe Unique) in the long anticipated reunion under their aptly named collaboration Haiku D’etat: literally, “poetry takeover.� Their new album, titled Coup de Theatre (a sudden or unexpected change in a play), fuses slick West Coast hip-hop with fresh, live instrumentation, jazz breaks, and jaw-dropping lyricism. The resulting product is an album rich with jazz, poetic mastery, and hip-hop that will appeal to more than subterranean hip-hop heads.

Once the needle drops on Coup de Theatre and the highly stylized flow of rapper Mikah 9 starts unraveling at your feet, it is impossible to ignore the impression that something actually different is happening on this record.

On the unmistakably jazzy tracks “Kats� and “Transitions and Eras,� Mikah 9 weaves patchworks of rhymes saturated with improvised melody and imagery. With a style better compared with jazz vocalists King Pleasure or Kurt Elling, Mikah 9 shines on these smoother, jazz-propelled compositions.

In the track “All Good Things,� Abstract Rude solicits the soulful aspect of the group’s style. Spinning tender, reflective musings on women that are worth the wait in a world where nothing lasts forever, the soulful, sexy instrumentation further accentuates the deep, rich voice of Abstract Rude, transforming the song into an instantly likeable love song.

Mikah 9 would do better to focus on the jazzy “vocalese� style he has cultivated, and Abstract Rude fits much better in the more traditional offerings on the album. Aceyalone, on the other hand, is at the apex of his game, alternating between the jazzy swing and head nodding tracks with an almost embarrassing ease. His intensely innovative style often stands out on a track but never overshadows the contributions of the other emcees.

The production on Coup de Theatre, a diverse cross-section of beats from producer continued on next page

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9

PLAYBACK STL Play by Play Fat Jack, blends traditional West Coast production with boisterous jazz samples, some tracks containing no hi-hat whatsoever. A notable strength of this record is the musical arrangement, never seeming out of place or disjointed.

Every piece fits in its place with no sense of randomness, possibly attributed to the unity of purpose among the lyricists and with the production. Even guest artists Busdriver, Lateef, Lyrics Born, and Blackalicious fit perfectly as they spare no breath or verbal expense on the jazzy “Transitions” or the fiery collaboration “Top Qualified.”

Haiku D’etat is certainly shifting paradigms in rap, proving it is possible to create intelligent and highly conceptual rhymes while still maintaining a genuine hip-hop aesthetic. If you listen to rap for skill of lyricism, or if you’re sick of the “drop it like it’s hot” simplicity of current commercial releases, go pick up a copy of Coup de Theatre. If you prefer E-40 to Eddie Jefferson, this is still worth a listen but ultimately will not sit in your CD tray.

—Jon Rayfield

10 THE OCCASION: THE OCCASION (Say Hey Records) Sometimes an album’s cover art can say about as much about a band as any review. The songs on The Occasion’s self-titled CD inhabit the same desolate desert landscapes the insert’s artwork depicts. The band’s brand of desert rock seems to drift in some indistinct past, most often recalling the American West.

The songs feel as if they have been summoned out of the decay of a hundred years’ worth of dust. Many of the tracks have some sort of loose narrative, taking on antiquated characters’ voices in songs such as “The Midwife,” “The Deserters,” and “Ease Away.”

The quiet psychedelia of the release offers listeners little comfort from the barrenness of the world they create. Partly due to recording quality perhaps, but the band seems always at a distance, with the ever-present tape loops humming in the background. The guitars in vocals are washed in reverb, adding to the space. The Occasion is subtly complicated melodically.

One barely even notices the three vocalists weaving around one another most of the time.

The final song, “Annika,” is the clear high-

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light of the album. It builds up to a storm of noise, before sampling its own noise and making it into a kind of loose noise-jam, if such a thing is possible. Despite the regrettable title, “A Dulcimer’s Fancy” is a well-wrought song that is the best summation of the band’s overall style as all the elements come together.

There are several missteps scattered throughout. The Occasion is a perfect example of a band whose lyrics seem deep as a result of the music but are sometimes painfully awkward when one actually pays attention to the words.

One particularly wince-worthy line is “My baby cooks for me/she has her own recipe” from “I Can’t Stop Falling,” which is made worse because it is the first line in the song.

The Occasion is sonically difficult to pinpoint. The band seems to share some sympathies with touring partners Interpol and The Unicorns, but its sound is more subdued and subtle than either of those bands. Calla is perhaps a closer comparison. One is tempted to start throwing around labels such as postapocalyptic or post-whatever you feel like calling it, but one thing is sure: The Occasion is one of the least “New York” of the New York bands you are likely to hear.

—James Mcanally SEVENSTAR: EVERYTHING ISN’T EVERYTHING Local popsters Sevenstar have released their latest offering, Everything Isn’t Everything, which is one of the sharpest albums I have heard in 2004. The album is an interesting mix of well-written lyrics and memorable rhythms. To me, that is Sevenstar’s appeal: the ability to create catchy tunes that permanently lodge themselves into the listener’s brain and won’t get the hell out.

For example, the second song on the CD, “Wounded,” has more hooks than a bait shop.

Grant Essig’s clean vocals combined with Jaclyn Mayer’s funky bassline produce one of the best songs on the entire album.

Sevenstar does turn the energy down and the talent up with a few slower tracks. The first ballad-esque track, “Perfect Morning Remedy,” is a hit waiting to happen. A smooth (and muted) rhythm section frames Essig’s love poem perfectly. “Head North” is just a simple acoustic serenade into which Essig pours his

heart to create a smartly written lullaby. Both of these songs give the album a sense of humility and warmth.

The one song that stands out as a natural rock anthem is “Every Little Thing.” This song has all the makings of a retro-rock hit. A tight rhythm section, amusing backing vocals, and a healthy dash of high-energy rock combine to showcase the band’s intoxicating spirit.

The one aspect of the album that did annoy me was how some of the songs would just not end. Several of the tracks have extended musical interludes tacked on, which just aggravates me. I often found myself hitting the “next track” button when the natural progression of the song seemed over.

Let’s face it: You may not find the meaning of life on this album, but what you will get is a solidly produced album full of great pop music.

—Jim Campbell VARIOUS ARTISTS: ELKO! A COWBOY’S GATHERING (Dualtone Records) “Oh, the cowboy left the country,” laments singer/songwriter Don Edwards in the closer to Elko! A Cowboy’s Gathering, “the campfire has gone out.” The new double disc featuring “The Campfire Has Gone Out,” happily enough, suggests Edwards may be premature in that assessment—embers of the figurative fire under consideration still selfevidently kindle the hearts of musicians, poets, and other performers across the land.

Recorded live over six days last January at the twentieth anniversary of a celebration of the American West held each year in the northeastern Nevada town of Elko, the 40 tracks here sprawl like the open range. That is, the Dualtone release (under license from the Western Jubilee Recording Company) constitutes a glorious gallimaufry, incorporating monologs, poetry, and music both instrumental and lyric, including a pair of brief Native American chants.

Among “name” musicians contributing to Elko! (in addition to Edwards) number such performers as Tom Russell and Red Steagall; all acquit themselves with skill. The poets prove more problematic. Although the light verse (“The Elevator Scale” from Rodney Nelson, for example) generally succeeds, the non-humorcontinued on page 17

JANUARY 2005

11

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PLAYBACK STL

DVD REVIEWS

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BLUE OCTOBER: ARGUE WITH A TREE (DVD/2 CD) (Universal/Brando) Since Blue October is an extremely powerful live band, it should follow that a live DVD would be a far richer experience than just a live CD. I’m pleased to report that to be the case.

Although the band has released Argue With a Tree in two formats—a double CD or single DVD—I would heartily advise you to opt for the latter. Even if you’re not a fan of the band—yet—you’ll get a great taste of its brilliance just watching the live show.

Opening the two-plus-hour concert is a closeup of singer/songwriter Justin Furstenfeld explaining that, for him, music is his way through the murkiness. Cut to the marquee of Dallas’s Lakewood Theater: Blue October tonight, it reads. Sold out. Then the shot of the crowd—twentysomethings, mostly—calling out how far they’d come for the show. Finally, we’re inside, and it begins.

As Blue October is basically the brainchild of mad genius Furstenfeld, a good show depends largely on his state of mind. If he’s a little bit off, this is a good thing—and tonight’s show finds him edgy, impatient, uncomfortable. The music’s heartbreakingly beautiful, all-out assaulting, and everywhere in between. Aside from the standard—yet wellplayed—guitar (C.B. Hudson), bass (Piper Sikh), and drums (Jeremy Furstenfeld), there’s Ryan Delahoussaye (his nearly shaved head and hair-as-devil-horns on full display) on violin. Yes, violin. And yes, this is a rock band.

Truthfully, the video does a great job of capturing the feeling of being at a Blue October show. The many camera angles, quick-changing shots, and occasional arty effects—interspersed with shots of the crowd, natch—all serve to put the viewer in that auditorium. And despite the fact that it’s a live recording, that singers are supposed to sound their best when recorded in a studio under perfect conditions, the DVD absolutely captures the strengths of Furstenfeld’s voice, the range of emotions and the raw power he conveys. When he kneels at the front of the stage for the final lines of “Ugly Side,” just his voice and Delahoussaye’s

violin, the up-close camera is ideal: you are right there.

Other highlights include Furstenfeld’s yodeling on the ass-kicking “Italian Radio,” Delahoussaye’s stunning violin on “Razorblade” as well as his solo “PRN,” the fragile “Amazing”/“Weight of the World,” the hard-rocking soul-cleansing “James,” and the untitled a capella song Furstenfeld tacks on to follow “Come in Closer.” At the end of the show, when Furstenfeld thanks the crowd by saying, “We love each and every one of you,” it’s a truly beautiful moment, because you know he means it.

Although his social awkwardness is part of what endears Furstenfeld to us, it’s still hard to watch him stumble through some of the song introductions, as he does here.

Even more painful is his description of “Black Orchid,” the first song he ever wrote, he tells us; both the song and its intro reek of adolescence and, unfortunately, would be better off omitted from this piece of the band’s history.

Another song that was, thankfully, wiped from visual memory was “For My Brother” (just as it sounds, an ode to brother-drummer Jeremy), the song that follows on CD. Oddly, it’s listed on the DVD case but the screen fades in its place, then picks up with the next song.

DVD extras are sparse, but include “Sidewalk Chalk,” often tightly shot bits of Furstenfeld on the sidewalk, alternately sitting and talking or scratching titles and lyrics onto the pavement. It’s a nice glimpse into the songwriter’s (at times troubled, yet ultimately optimistic) mind, and details every track on the band’s latest studio release, History for Sale.

—Laura Hamlett BLUR: STARSHAPED (EMI)/ ANI DIFRANCO: TRUST (Righteous Babe)/ INCUBUS: ALIVE AT RED ROCKS (Sony) Blur’s digital memory box is a suitable investment for fans of the Brit rockers. The DVD is priced lower than a CD and features three years of tour footage (1991 to 1994), a full concert, and 15 minutes of an “early gig.” The two bonus features are the more worthwhile aspects of the DVD. If you have never seen the band live, it may be worth viewing “Live in Kilburn”—a performance filmed in 1991

DAMON ALBARN of BLUR

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with favorable sound and camerawork—that spotlights a young, aggressive Blur. (Yes, that‘s our charming Mr. Albarn climbing stage equipment.) “Live at the Princess Charlotte” is claustrophobic in its cinematography (it was filmed from the crowd on a videocam) and nostalgic at best. But it’s interesting to see what bands must endure before they become celebrated.

The centerpiece of the DVD is a 63-minute voyeuristic video of performances and behindthe-scenes antics that might test the patience of even the most loyal Blur fan. Editing three years of footage might have been too daunting of a task to attempt. Unless you’re truly a Graham Coxon fan, I would suggest searching for something more recent.

Trust contains footage from two consecutive Ani DiFranco performances in Washington, D.C. and a few campy, but exceptionally short artistic elements, like moving collages and paintings.

Filmmaker Danny Clinch employs a variety of camera angles to capture the effects of the live show.

Like her performances, the 20-song DVD is intimate in feeling and never intrusive.

DiFranco is accompanied primarily by bassist Todd Sickafoose, with occasional lead guitar

by Tony Scherr. And what would an Ani show continued on page 33

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BACKSTAGE PASS CONCERT REVIEWS

Arturo Sandoval

C O

O R

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The Bistro, December 15 The irony of trumpeter Arturo Sandoval beginning his Wednesday night set at the Bistro with the standard “I Can’t Get Started” is rich. Sandoval began the set promptly at 10:15 p.m. and wasted no time launching his first sixteenth note foray into the upper registers of the horn. From that point, things just got hotter. “It’s getting too hot up here,” proclaimed Sandoval midway through his dynamic, if predictable, set of Latin jams and Cuban-flavored bebop classics. The full house of fans concurred often throughout the night. Sandoval was a veritable one-man band, masterfully soloing on trumpet, flugelhorn, percussion, piano, and vocals, while packing more music into a one-hour set than most musicians ever attempt. The man was never content to sit still and his band, sharp and talented, always kept up the pace. It was a true ensemble in which each member contributed an equal voice.

Sandoval employs the Art Blakey method of recruiting young musicians to “keep the mind active,” in the legendary drummer’s words.

In this case, the younger musicians were also clearly drawing energy from their elder.

Especially exciting was percussionist Tomas Cruz, who led several call-and-answer vocal choruses with Sandoval, and contributed several great conga solos. Pianist Phil Magallanes, too often lost in the sound mix, contributed colorful voicings to vary the harmonic landscape amidst a vigorously percussive show.

Perhaps most crucial in this band was the unadorned steadiness of bassist Dennis Marks. Only once featured as a soloist, Marks steered the band through a constantly shifting

TOP: KMFDM; photo by JASON GREEN

polyrhythmic course. Overall, the group was dynamic but never bombastic.

Perhaps the emotional center of the set was Sandoval’s tender vocal on “My Funny Valentine.” Sandoval has performed this ballad many times over the years, including at his 2003 St. Louis Jazz Festival performance, and yet still sounded fresh and inspired. The man’s impeccable trumpet technique is often lauded, yet on this classic trumpet ballad, it was his warmth of vocal and trumpet tone that moved the crowd. Sandoval is a tremendously dynamic performer and seeing his band in a rare club outing was especially convincing.

While they had no trouble getting started, Sandoval and his band had some trouble finishing, as the crowd demanded an encore.

They returned quickly and graciously to rip through a Havana streets version of the Clifford Brown classic “Cherokee.” Tenor saxophonist Felipe Lamoglia turned in his best solo effort of the night on this classic romp, which was nice to see, given his unique challenge of sharing the frontline with his mentor.

Sandoval has cultivated a devoted following, performing often in St. Louis over the years and many in this audience knew his music well. All were only too happy to be there. “I could listen to this for another three hours,” announced one member of the crowd. About the only thing missing was a dance floor, and a few percussion instruments lost by American Airlines on the way from Sandoval’s Miami home. If you were missing from The Bistro this week, Sandoval’s Live at the Blue Note, coming in February 2005, features a live set by this same group from a date at New York’s famed club.

—Tim Hand

Dave Simon’s Rock School Hi-Pointe, December 18 Underaged kids and their parents crammed the pleasantly scuzzy confines of the Hi-Pointe Café’s second floor. While 13-year-old girls jabbered in nervous klatches near the stage, mom and dad tried desperately to look cool in the back of the room, well away from those big, menacing Marshall amplifiers onstage.

Local music teacher Dave Simon scooted across the stage, checked instruments and equipment, then informed the throng that his “all-stars” were ready to take the stage.

Parents, you no longer need suffer through the alien rituals of your kids’ ballet recitals or karate-belt ceremonies. Instead, you can have a beer while your daughter plays the drums to The Beatles’ “Getting Better” or your son plays guitar on Jimi Hendrix’s “Purple Haze.” It’s fun.

It’s cool. And the kids don’t have to upset the neighbors by making a noisy racket in your garage, either.

They can jam out in the bitchin’ purple-andgreen confines of Dave Simon’s Rock School (and by the way, the Rock School was founded before the Jack Black movie was released, says imon). At Simon’s newly opened studio in an Olivette industrial park, he and his staff instruct teens and pre-teens in the ways of rock ’n’ roll. They learn power chords. They learn to twirl drumsticks. They do not learn, however, how to trash hotel rooms or receive groupies with grace. (That comes much later.)

Periodically, the kids will give concerts in authentic rock dives like the Hi-Pointe. There, they can jam with other kids, as they did recently in an all-Beatles-and-Hendrix show that wowed the crowd. continued on page 17

JANUARY 2005

Three to See Here are just three of the great original St. Louis bands that play around town on a regular basis. Check them out as soon as you can.

Final Drive—Final Drive belongs on the list of best bands to come out of the St. Louis area. This five-piece is armed with a great new metal sound that is sure to satisfy people who don’t even listen to metal. While the band’s explosive two-guitar sound is nothing short of thrilling, singer Jordan Gaw brings an incredible energy to the stage. While his vocal ability is perfectly suited for the super-charged guitar riffs and beats, his performance style is nothing short of spectacular. He seemed to have no problem swinging from the rafters at Mississippi Nights, or standing on the edge of the stage, singing into the audience with so much confidence and energy that the crowd erupted into a mosh pit. Guitarist Chris Nanny is noticeably good as well, contributing background vocals in addition to his strong guitar work. While I can’t say that I have watched

this band on MTV’s Battle for Ozzfest, I will say that their live performances are exceptional and you will be hearing more and more about this band in 2005.

12 oz. Prophets—Over the past year, 12 oz. Prophets have been playing gigs with a new lineup. Nick Thompson Jr. still plays bass and contributes background vocals for the band, but singer Joe Orcino and guitarist Eric Powell are both new and the sound has changed as well. What was once more or less a jam band has evolved into a great bar rock band with a solid set of songs and catchy guitar hooks that not only capture people’s attention, but inspire them to leave their seats and dance to the best of their ability.

There’s no shortage of strong guitar solos, and Orcino is perfectly confident standing center stage with the microphone and giving the audience a taste of his smooth vocal style.

In addition to the band playing many shows in the St. Louis area, they are also working on a five-song CD that is sure to be a great treat for anyone who has attended their performances over this past year.

Panic Attack—Fans of good, strong guitar rock should not be afraid to attend one of Panic Attack’s shows. Not only will they get a good guitar show for their money, they’ll also see a band that is not afraid to take chances with their set. Singer/rhythm guitarist Lisa Huffman has no problem “rocking out” and belting out good songs over layers of distorted guitars and heavy drumbeats. Fans of Joan Jett and early Pat Benetar records will no doubt enjoy the feel of the heavier songs, which are well delivered by all four band members.

In addition, the group is not afraid to attack the audience with a series of somber ballads with powerful lyrical content that draws the audience in. Though the ballads tend to deal with heavy topics, the result is quite good and Huffman delivers every song with ease, showing a natural stage presence and versatile vocal ability. I haven’t heard any of the band’s recordings, but my guess is the CD would be quite good and would hopefully contain a lyric sheet to get the full effect of the band.

—John Kujawski

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JANUARY 2005

Backstage Pass

from page 14

Simon divided his protégés into girls and boys, and the girls took the stage first. The three guitarists, bassist, drummer, keyboard player, and singer launched into The Beatles’ “Come Together.” They sounded a little stiff, but when they rocked into “A Hard Day’s Night,” the ladies found their stride. The drummer was “on,” and the band was in the pocket.

They finished the song to raucous applause.

Could one of these gals become the next Joan Jett? Hmm...

When the boy band laid into Hendrix’s “Crosstown Traffic,” with three rhythm guitarists slashing into their Gibsons in unison, it was potent. But then I turned around and saw that the crowd of about 50 parents was standing stock-still. I wanted to yell, “Damn! Move your feet, people!” The girls in the front row were digging it, though, and I guess that’s what matters most to teenage boys.

In fact, the whole experience, with excited teenage girls and taciturn teenage boys with bangs growing down past their eyes, took me back to the junior-high years, when hormonal boys and girls are positively tortured by the presence of members of the opposite sex. At least these kids can exorcise some of that by playing rock ’n’ roll—in theory.

Thanks to Simon, these kids are mastering the rudiments of performing rock. Some of the students would seem to be further along in the more subtle stuff, like getting into the spirit of the song. The lead singer of the boys’ band, for instance, had a ball with the circus-call vocals in The Beatles’ “Magical Mystery Tour.”

Naturally, there were some guitar solos that started a little late, and some chords struck after the song was supposed to end. When the boy all-stars took on “Ticket to Ride,” they looked around at each other toward the song’s end, clearly baffled by the challenge of exactly when to end the song in unison. But, again, like a ballet recital, it was all sort of cute and charming, and it couldn’t dull the gleam in those proud parents’ eyes. In fact, you may want to troll www.dsrockschool.com periodically, just to see where and when the next Rock School concert will happen. The kids are just adorable. Imagine an all-teenage-girl band violently disgorging Pat Benatar’s “Heartbreaker”—I’ve heard Dave Simon’s girls do it, and it rocks—in a cute way.

—Byron Kerman

Play by Play ous poetry fares less well; the anger smoldering in Wally McRae’s “Things of Intrinsic Worth” makes it the undisputed highlight, but other such efforts never transcend mere earnestness, and the overwrought tone of one, Janine Haig’s “Not Gone,” veers into self-parody.

Prompting the greatest delight, finally, are the monologs, in particular “Square-Head” from Walt LaRue and “Evening Chat” from Waddie Mitchell. Mitchell, incidentally, produced Elko!

A Cowboy’s Gathering with Butch Hause, and though not all of its tracks work—and the terminally hip will avoid the release like the proverbial plague—the two of them deserve praise for banking the fires of the past against the chill of the present.

—Bryan A. Hollerbach VARIOUS ARTISTS: SOUNDS ECLECTIC 3 (Palm) Sounds Eclectic 3 is the latest compilation in a series of live, unreleased performances from KCRW’s Morning Becomes Eclectic radio program.

Hosted by Nic Harcourt, an influential music enthusiast with a knack for giving airtime to deserving new artists, the show is easily one of the best places for listeners to find new music. And it’s a lot less embarrassing to admit you first heard your new favorite artist on KCRW than on Gilmore Girls.

from page 10

Harcourt was an early supporter of acts such as Interpol, Jem, and Damien Rice, and early performances from these acts are included in the compilation. Morning Becomes Eclectic was also one of the first to generate interest stateside in Scotland’s Franz Ferdinand, providing early buzz as the band set out to conquer America last year. A live recording of their single “Take Me Out” is probably the only crossover song included that your niece may already recognize from her Wowzers! That’s What I Call Music 2004 collection.

Beyond introducing new talent, Morning Becomes Eclectic also frequently captures memorable performances from established artists who drop by the studio. Sounds Eclectic 3 features Sarah McLachlan, Paul Weller, and Radiohead, plus The Flaming Lips took some time off being hopped up goofballs to record a mellow version of “Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots.” Their song “Waitin’ for a Superman” is also covered by Iron & Wine on the disc.

Tracks by Steve Earle, My Morning Jacket, and Kinky appear on the compilation, along with a Polyphonic Spree tune that suprisingly didn’t make my ears bleed. I may have been self-medicating at first listen, so proceed with caution, especially if you’re planning to play it twice in a row.

If you haven’t already, check out the archives on KCRW’s Web site for streaming audio of the full broadcasts from bands included on Sounds Eclectic 3, plus dozens more.

—Joel Lapp

17

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COME OUT AND PLAY

THEATER

COMPILED BY TYSON BLANQUART

THE REPERTORY THEATER OF ST. LOUIS presents STONES IN HIS POCKET, 1/5–2/4

POSITION OPENINGS/AUDITIONS Olympus Theatre will hold open auditions for Sordid Lives by Del Shore, “a black comedy about white trash,” Jan. 2 at 1 p.m. and Jan. 3 at 7 p.m. at Spot, 4146 Manchester. The following roles are open: six women, 35–60; one woman, age unimportant; four men, 35–60; one man, 20–30. Actors of all races and ethnicities are encouraged to audition. A headshot and creative resume preferred at time of audition. This production will be directed by Jesse L. Lawson. For more information, contact OlympusTheatre@aol.com or go to www.spotbar.net.

Ragged Blade Productions will be holding nonEquity auditions for Tattoos by Jerry Rabushka on Thur., Jan. 13 from 7 to 9 p.m. at the Theatre at St. John’s, 5000 Washington Place in the Central West End. Roles will be available for seven males and two females. Auditions will consist of cold readings from the script. Performance dates will be Fri. & Sat., Apr. 1, 2, 8, & 9 at 8 p.m.; and Sun., Apr. 3 & 10 at 7 p.m. To schedule an audition, call 314-276-8693, or e-mail RagdBlade@aol.com.

Y-Rep Teens of the West County YMCA will hold auditions for Twelve Angry Jurors, Sherman Sergel’s adaptation of Reginald Rose’s play Twelve Angry Men. Auditions will be Tue., Jan. 4 from 4 to 8 p.m. at the West County YMCA, 16464 Burkhardt Place in Chesterfield.

Actors are asked to prepare one dramatic monologue not to exceed one minute in length; no appointment is needed. For more information, call Ricki Marking-Camuto at 636-5326515 x 227, or e-mail emarkingcamuto@ymcastlouis.org Alton Little Theatre will hold auditions for Steve Martin’s Picasso at the Lapine Agile on Jan. 15 at 1 p.m. More information will be forthcoming, and can be found at http://altonlittletheater.org.

SHOWS OPENING St. Louis Shakespeare will present William Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar from Jan. 14–23. On Mar. 15, 44 B.C., one of the Western world’s most infamous assassinations took place, becoming the progenitor of our ideas about democracy, government, philosophy, and morality.

What can drive a society of intelligent men with high ideals to murder their friends and themselves? The show will be presented in the Des Lee Auditorium at the Missouri History Museum in Forest Park, and will be directed by SLS Artistic Director Donna Northcott. Performances will be Fri. & Sat. at 8 p.m. and Sun. at 2 p.m. Tickets are on sale now at MetroTix outlets, $20 general admission, $18

students/seniors. This show will also have several school matinees. For more information on the matinees or the company, visit www.stlshakespeare.org.

The St. Louis Black Rep will present Javon Johnson’s Cryin’ Shame from Jan. 5–31 at the Grandel Theatre, Grand and Washington. The show is set in South Carolina in 1985 and centers around themes of unconditional love and generational bonds. Performances will be Thur. – Sat. at 8 p.m. with matinees on Sat. & Sun. at 3 p.m. Tickets range from $14.50–37.50 and are available through MetroTix. For more information about the Black Rep, visit www.stlouisblackrep.com.

The Repertory Theater of St. Louis will present Stones in His Pocket by Marie Jones from Jan. 5 – Feb. 4 at the Browning Mainstage. A big-budget film crew descends upon a rural Irish town, sweeping up the whole community in visions of Hollywood glamour. But the movie myth can’t compete with the real-life drama that erupts when their big dreams don’t all come true. This play was the recipient of the Olivier and Evening Standard Awards for “Best Comedy.” Showtimes and ticket prices can be found at www.repstl.org.

Alton Little Theater will present Fences by August Wilson from Jan. 28 – Feb. 6 at the Showplace in Alton. By the time Jackie Robinson broke baseball’s color barrier in 1947, Troy Maxson was past his ball-playing prime. Years later, Troy’s lingering bitterness threatens his son’s chance at a once-in-a-lifetime dream. Performances will be Fri. – Sun. the first week, then Tues. – Sun. the following week, 8 p.m. except Sun. at 2 p.m. Tickets $12 general admission, $6 students/seniors, available at the box office. The Showplace is at 2450 North Henry St. in Alton, Il. Call 618-462-6562 to make reservations.

More information at http://altonlittletheater.org.

The Kirkwood Theatre Guild will present Crimes of the Heart by Beth Henley from Jan. 21–29 at the Robert G. Reim Theatre in Kirkwood. The play, a touching tale about the three Magrath sisters, explores their lifelong conflicts and bonds, and was winner of the 1981 Pulitzer Prize and the NY Drama Critics Circle Award. Tickets $14 at the box office. The theater is located at the Kirkwood Community Center, 111 South Geyer Road. Performances at 8 p.m. Fri. & Sat., and 2 p.m. Sun., visit www.ktg-onstage.org.

Looking Glass Playhouse will present the musical adaptation of Frances Hodgson Burnett’s novel The Secret Garden from Jan. 27 – Feb. 6. The Looking Glass Playhouse is located in Lebanon, IL at 301 West Main St.

If you have an audition, show announcement, or other news of interest to the theater community, please e-mail theater@playbackstl.com no later than the 15th of each month. Also be sure to visit www.playbackstl.com for updated announcements throughout the month.

Tickets $8 general admission, $7 students/seniors, available at the box office. Performances will be at 8 p.m. Thur. – Sat., and at 2 p.m. on Sun. Call 618-537-4962 to make reservations, or visit www.lookingglassplayhouse.com.

First Run Theatre will present Mario Farwell’s The Last Days of Café Café from Jan. 14–23. The script is an unpublished original work by the local Farwell, and is directed by Anna Blair. Performances will be at the DeSmet Jesuit High School Theatre in Creve Coeur. Shows at 8 p.m. Fri. & Sat., 2 p.m. Sun. Tickets $10 advance, $12 at the door, $8 students/seniors. Purchase tickets online at www.firstruntheatre.com.

The Fabulous Fox Theatre will host five events in Jan. starting with a one-weekend engagement of the smash Broadway show Rent from Jan. 7–9. Harvey Korman and Tim Conway will take the stage for Together Again on Jan. 11 for a one-night-only show. Following that will be Tyler Perry’s Meet the Browns, scheduled for Jan. 13–16. A night of stand-up comedy is next with a one-night performance by Larry the Cable Guy on Jan. 22. The Fox ends the month with two shows by the Parson’s Dance Company, sponsored by Dance St. Louis, on Jan. 28 & 29. For ticket prices and showtimes, visit the Fox’s Web site at www.fabulousfox.com.

The NonProphet Theatre Company continues its run of their signature sketch-comedy show The Militant Propaganda Bingo Machine every Thurs. at 9 p.m. at the Hi-Pointe Café, located at 1001 McCausland. The show consists of 24 original sketches performed in random order, chosen by the audience, and corresponding to a bingo game that takes place during the course of the show. Ticket prices are random, determined by the drawing of a poker card, between $5–8. This show is for audiences over the age of 21. Visit www.nonprophets.com.

City Improv Comedy Club in Union Station offers live improvisational comedy throughout the week. Tuesdays are Phat Tuesdays, hosted by BET’s Darius Bradford, which feature national and local comedians, starting at 8:30 p.m. Thurs. brings Jimmy Tambourine’s Thurs.

Night Social with performances by City Improv’s sketch groups Left at the Light and New Madrid’s Fault at 8 p.m. (these shows are for patrons ages 17 and up). Fri. & Sat. nights are home to Comedy Feud, with shows at 7:30 and 10 p.m. (7:30 shows are suitable for all ages). $10/$8 for groups. There is a two-drink minimum. Visit www.cityimprov.com for more information.

19

PLAYBACK STL

YOU ARE HERE

FIRECRACKER PRESS

THE MOUSE THAT ROARED

by Rudy Zapf oming to a shopping mall near you! The ubiquitous Peter Max will be on hand at a West County gallery presenting his latest show for a two-day-only exhibit! Known for decades as both a Pop icon and merchandizer extraordinaire, Max’s work has decorated everything from coffee mugs to wallpaper. Not to imply there is anything wrong with capitalizing on both fame and work that was new 40 years ago. But you should know, while credit cards slide through machines as purchases of Max production are made, there will be an answering syncopated beat being played in South City.

Over on Chippewa, Eric Woods will be feeding paper into his antique platen press, creating the kind of handmade posters and cards that are rarely seen any more. Considering the amount of time invested in CHAKAIA BOOKER each illustration, it’s no wonder there are few outfits that still produce graphics in this old-fashioned way. For every design Woods creates, a different plate is needed to print each color of the design. Ergo, a fourcolor poster would require four separate blocks to make a single finished print. Though his editions run larger than the single digits, he still carves the plates, registers each for accuracy, and hand feeds every piece of

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paper onto the press. Firecracker Press straddles a fine line between art studio and production company.

Woods started Firecracker Press three years ago, with an idea and name and little else. Soon afterwards, he found a derelict Chandler & Price platen press (circa 1934), wasting away in out-ofbusiness print shop. The press is a gorgeous thing: a behemoth of wheels, gears, and a deadly mouth that rhythmically munches its metal jaws together, stamping the paper firmly onto the inked plate. Besides handling the carved woodcuts and linoleum blocks that Woods makes, the press also accepts acidetched magnesium plates. The power of the press is evident in the texture of the prints; the surfaces are slightly indented, like a reverse embossing. Each piece is unique, unlike the glossy, superficial graphics that are the common coinage of today’s media.

Firecracker Press is hidden away on an easy-to-miss viaduct just east of Morganford, a veritable comma in the run-on sentence of Chippewa. Initially subletting unused space from another printing company, Woods has been gaining ground ever since he opened his doors. From fine arts exhibits in Kansas City galleries, to images for Argosy Casino’s annual report, to logo packages for Schlafly brewery, Woods has been producing images that are nostalgically hip. The tongue-in-cheek use of old-fashioned typography and imagery has become a recognized signature for those who know his work. He cites as influence the era when this type of machinery was commonly used. Many of his works sport the bold, active contours of comic-book art. Woods claims he tries to maintain a cartoonish simplicity and go to press before the ideas snowball into something way too complicated. After the concept and sketch stages, he creates an image of the design on his computer, separating the colors and printing templates for each one. From that point, the process is done the same way letterpress and graphic printing has been done for hundreds of years.

It’s not a fast way to make money, but if you’ve got the chops to put in the sweat and the hours, eventually the world will recognize the quality of your work. Or at least a small corner of the world. www.firecrackerpress.com

JANUARY 2005

By Jim Dunn rom the moment we picked up Interpol’s debut disc, there seemed to be this buzz around the band and how they were different—a throwback to some early ’80s gold standard. Turn on the Bright Lights, by many standards, was a classic debut album that allowed for multiple playings with little wear on anything but your psyche. Its songs even ended up as part of the national consciousness: Album opener “Untitled” played during a climactic episode of Friends in which Joey and Rachel first kissed.

The band solidified itself as something special when we saw them at the Rocket Bar in July 2003. The small stage seemed to barely hold them, but the limited space did not stop them from creating an intenseness that you could cut. The band appeared to be on a mission of deliverance and the audience members seemed to understand this. They were oddly quiet and attentive; the usual chatter in the background was not there.

October of last year and we are once again in an attentive crowd of nearly a thousand more people at First Avenue in Minneapolis. Once again, the band seem to hold the crowd in its hypnotic sway. This time the stage is bigger and Carlos D. can slash away at the air with his bass

F

and play up the band’s more military beats in all their glory. Guitarist Dan Kessler moves back and forth as if on tracks that help him to find the perfect sound. Sam Fogarino’s muscular drumbeat features an efficiency that is succinct and calculated. Finally, there is Paul Banks, moving only to play his guitar and move to the microphone. He is the brain and perhaps the soul of the band. He is the bleeding heart that allows for oblique lyrics and haunting visions.

The crowd is not quiet tonight; they eat the band up and are left wanting more, despite the band’s covering much of both albums.

Antics was recorded under a flurry of pressure to prove that Bright Lights was not an anomaly. The group hunkered down to come up with the follow-up and were surprised to find themselves actually excited about the prospect. “I think we were excited to get back into that mode of writing and recording again after being on the road for so long,” said Fogarino, “which kind of made it easy to block out the pressure that was kind of swarming around us.

We didn’t let it into our process, which was a good thing. We went and recorded the record as we did the first one.”

That process is built around first finding the music. “Daniel will come in with an idea that we will all have our way with until it becomes a full-fledged song. Paul will have been coming

TOP FIVE ALBUMS 1. Interpol: Antics (Matador) 2. Radio 4: Stealing of a Nation (Astralwerks) 3. Clinic: Winchester Cathedral (Domino) 4. PJ Harvey: Uh Huh Her (Island) 5. Elbow: Cast of Thousands (V2)

JIM DUNN

INTERPOL: BRIGHTER STILL

JIM DUNN

PLAYBACKSTL LOOKS AT THINGS THAT MADE US HAPPY LAST YEAR

TOP FIVE LIVE SHOWS 1. Interpol, First Avenue, Minneapolis, October21 2. Cameron McGill, Midwest Music Summit, Indianapolis, August 3. Franz Ferdinand, Bluebird Theatre, Denver, June 4. The Libertines, Metro, Chicago, October 5. The Faint, The Blue Note, Columbia, October

up with lyrical ideas during the process and will complete the song with his vocal melodies and lyrics. Everything is laid out first at our rehearsal space and we simply go in and play live in the studio, do some overdubs, and that’s it—a pretty straight-up process.”

Antics was released in September 2004 and the strong buzz (as well as numerous leaked copies on the Web) helped make the album an almost immediate hit. The album proved an able extension of Bright Lights, while offering growth from the band in both confidence and technical capability. While Bright Lights could probably never be bested, Antics offers an able addition to the catalog.

One carryover from the band’s first album is the moody darkness for which they have become known; when questioned about this trait, Fogarino searched for an answer. “I think it is just what’s there. Nothing is really pained over,

PLAYBACK STL

Ambulance Ltd.: LP (TVT) The Faint: Wet From Birth (Saddle Creek) Bluebottle Kiss: Come Across (In Music We Trust) The Velvet Teen: Elysium (Slowdance) The Frames: Set List (Anti)

1. A.C. Newman: The Slow Wonder (Matador) 2. Tegan & Sara: So Jealous (Sanctuary) 3. Ded Bugs: Stop and Smell the Stinking Corpse Lilies (IBC Shadows) 4. Ulysses: 010 (Eenie Meenie) 5. The Rogers Sisters: Three Fingers (Troubleman Unlimited)

KEVIN RENICK

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3.

4.

5.

BRIAN McCLELLAND

LAURA HAMLETT

ALBUMS of the YEAR 1. Efterklang: Tripper (The Leaf Label) 2. Wilco: A Ghost Is Born (Nonesuch) 3. Brother Danielson: Brother Is to Son (Secretly Canadian) 4. Nellie McKay: Get Away From Me (Columbia) 5. Maggi, Pierce and E.J.: Gold (MPE)

THAT YOU, EFTER? EFTERKLANG

By Kevin Renick

22

To the growing list of distinctive artists from Scandinavia, a region of seemingly boundless musical treasures these days, add Denmark’s Efterklang, a 10-piece ensemble that recently released one of the finest electronic albums of this, or any, year. The literal meaning of “efterklang” is after noise, but the word can be more loosely translated as “remembrance”—an evocative term more fitting for the contemplative vibe and elegantly mournful vocals on Tripper, their debut album. Choral passages compete for the listener’s attention with hushed male-female harmonies, subtle brass, restrained orchestration, and lush electronic sounds; that they all blend together seamlessly is a testament to the group’s remarkably focused aesthetic. Rasmus Stolberg, one of Efterklang’s founding members, considered the question of the group’s arrangements.

“I would say that the blend occurs as a natural result of our curiosity about new musical elements that we discover along the way,” said Stolberg. “We thought that it was important to use real strings and choirs instead of synths.

Also, the musicians in this band are from very different musical backgrounds, so I guess this has an effect as well. We experiment a lot in the studio. During the making of Tripper we decided out of curiosity to add a lot of elements that were unknown to us at the time. It was a combination of having fun and wanting to know what would happen if, for instance, we added the choir from Greenland. In that sense you could say the blend came naturally.

“A tune usually starts out on the computer as a simple loop or a beat, sometimes as a more well-defined sketch. Usually it is one or two individuals who play around with the session in the beginning. Then later on, the rest of the band joins in the arrangement of the piece. The decision of when a song is finished is very difficult for us. We have no good answers to that, we just try to follow our intuition.”

Efterklang formed in 2001 when Stolberg joined Mads Brauer and Casper Clausen and, augmented by the accomplished piano playing of Rune Mølgaard Fonseca and Thomas Kirirath Husmer’s percussion, they released an EP, Springer, on their own label. Horn players have since been added, as well as members of Iceland’s Amina string quartet. The evolved sound layering on Tripper, which includes passages of classical minimalism, looped bleeps and drones, and an otherwordly ambience, calls to mind a range of artists from Philip Glass and Steve Reich, to Icelandic comrades Mum and Sigur Rós, who certainly walk the same stylistic terrain.

“A lot of artists influence us, and still do,” said Stolberg. “We’ve always tried to stick to our own way of doing things, but we do listen to and discuss a lot of music, and this of course affects our work. Mum are from Iceland, and we have known their music for a long time.

If the influences are obvious, there’s probably something about it.”

Although Efterklang fit comfortably in a discussion of modern electronica with classical

leanings (for which the U.S. group Rachels are also noted), there’s a uniquely Scandinavian etherealness to their sound, exemplified by the intimate vocals and glacial ambience. One can’t help wondering if there’s a common thread to many of these bands, something to explain the yearning emotionality of the music, despite whatever modern recording tricks or instrumentation they use.

“It probably has something to do with the weather. All the Scandinavians have those long and dark winters in common, and this could explain the emotional thing you are talking about. But then again, Scandinavia also produced acts like Aqua, Abba, and Ace of Base.”

Tripper is set to be a substantial success for Efterklang; the reviews have been uniformly positive. But Stolberg says the band are keeping very busy, doing anything but resting on their laurels. “We will play concerts in the spring and summer in Europe. As it looks now, we are not going to the States, although that could be great fun. After the summer, we’ll start work on a new record, and that means that we will isolate ourselves in the studio for a while. Our biggest hope for the future is to make a great second record, for release in 2006.”

J. CHURCH

JANUARY 2005

1. Morrissey: You Are the Quarry (Sanctuary/Attack) 2. Modest Mouse: Good News For People Who Love Bad News (Epic) 3. Wilco: A Ghost Is Born (Nonesuch) 4. Rufus Wainwright: Want Two (Geffen) 5. PJ Harvey: Uh Huh Her (Island)

DED BUGS: FOUR DESOTO DORKS WITH WEAPONS OF MUSIC DESTRUCTION

JESSICA GLUCKMAN

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MARY BETH HASCALL

By Brian McClelland

Sufjan Stevens: Seven Swans (Sounds Familyre) The Arcade Fire: Funeral (Merge) Brian Wilson: Smile (Nonesuch) Björk: Medulla (Elektra) Joanna Newsom: The Milk-Eyed Mender (Drag City)

1. The Walkmen: Bows and Arrows (Record Collection) 2. Green Day: American Idiot (Reprise) 3. Carbon Leaf: Indian Summer (Vanguard) 4. U2: How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb (Interscope) 5. PJ Harvey: Uh Huh Her (Island)

Local punks-who-should-be-kings Ded Bugs’ ascent to the top of the St. Louis rock pile has been anything but overnight. This same group of friends have been playing together (musically and throwing bottle rockets at each other) since they were all uncool monster-movie and Ramones obsessed “teeny-blitzkrieg-boppers” terrorizing the playgrounds of DeSoto, Mo., in the early ’80s. Twenty years on, their metallized-Ramones riffs have evolved into super-tight punk-informed power-pop, and from the evidence of their fifth and best release, 2004’s giddywith-hooks Stop and Smell the Stinking Corpse Lilies, they’re doing it better than anyone in town—not to mention on the radio.

Guitarist/singer/songwriter (and former member of local pop heroes The Finns) Matt Meyer describes the band as “Four DeSoto dorks...with weapons of music destruction,” and when these “dorks”—including guitarist/singer Jeff Bergeron, bassist Dave Midgett, and drummer Dennis Wilson—are onstage, their bond is palpable, and it’s easy to imagine what they must have looked like as kids back in DeSoto, strapping on their crappy first guitars and hammering along to their favorite Ramones records, thinking how cool it’d be to play in a badass punk band.

Indisputably the creative driving force within the group, Meyer’s had a busy 2004, commuting for weeks at a time to Lafayette, Indiana, to work under renowned pop/punk producer Mass Giorgini (who helmed their last two records) at his Sonic Iguana Studios, while simultaneously promoting Lilies regionally and making a hilarious high-concept video for their new-wave instant (should be) classic, “Band on Tour.” No stranger to ambition—this is the guy who brought you the punk-rock documentary STL2000 a couple years back, amidst collaborations with St. Louis filmmaker Eric Stanze—Meyer’s looking at finally taking Ded Bugs on the road in 2005. Oh, and he’s also re-teaming with a former Finns bandmate on a pure-pop side project. Whew.

Any plans for 2005?

Thinking seriously about touring next spring/summer. The Briefs—the band, not the underwear—will be running around the U.S. like crazy bananas. They’ve been friendly and would be a perfect match for us, so we’ll try to hop on a leg with them. Or we may team with another established local and head east toward NYC. And personally, I’ll be diving into the long-awaited Summer Camp project with friend and former Finn, Joe Thebeau. It’s a one-off, studio-only project, strictly sugary pop songs, and with any luck it’ll sound nothing like Ded Bugs or The Finns.

2004 high points?

Releasing the new album! Out of the five albums we’ve released, this was the easiest to record, but the most difficult emotionally. I always think of albums as a snapshot of a particular period of a band’s life, and Lilies certainly captures that period. Filming the video for “Band on Tour” was quick and insane fun. I learned to be a poor businessman. If the ideas are there and it’s fun, make your art, do your best, and move on to the next idea.

Read the full interview online at www.playbackstl.com.

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PLAYBACK STL

ROB LEVY

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DAVID LICHIUS

1. Les Savy Fav: Inches (French Kiss) 2. Death From Above 1979: You’re a Woman, I’m a Machine (Vice Recordings) 3. Hot Snakes: Audit in Progress (Swami) 4. Mastodon: Leviathan (Relapse) 5. Mock Orange: Mind Is not Brain (Silverthree Recordings)

SEAN MOELLER

a project called Interpol Space. Space was a short-term project in a half-dozen major cities that featured Interpol-related items. “It was kind of a way to promote the record, yet not something that just screams out ‘mass marketing,’” said Fogarino. “It is work we did with Shepherd Fairey, the guy behind Obey Giant.

He took some preexisting photographs to create these limited edition posters.”

Fogarino admitted that he hadn’t been to the New York City shop.

“I did look into the window,” he said with a laugh, and admitted he had visited Fairey’s L.A. Space.

“Shepherd and his wife have curated the whole thing—kind of Interpol’s aesthetic interpreted by another artist. It is the first time that we weren’t totally involved in the process.”

With all this talk of success, it was notable to take an assessment of Interpol’s definition of the term. Do they think they are successful? Fogarino answered exactly as you would expect a member of the world’s most reserved band to answer. “I think, considering being on an independent label and doing things on our own terms, we’ve been pretty lucky. People have been asking me, ‘Are you on cloud nine?’ I’m like, ‘No, no, there is plenty more work to be done; my feet are firmly planted.’ Somebody said, ‘Well, can’t you just lift a toe up?’ I said, ‘No, I don’t feel comfortable doing that, because we have another year of touring ahead of us, perhaps more.’ [I] just don’t let that kind of creep in to what we do.”

Interpol’s work esthetic will put them on the road for at least the next year. After that, Fogarino predicted a nice break, and then back in the studio for a new album.

If and when he has time for a vacation, the drummer admitted a fondness for travel— which seems an odd thing for someone who is always traveling. Fogarino qualified the statement with, “It’s always nice to see the places you are traveling to.” Sure enough.

1. Midlake: Bamnan and Slivercork (Bella Union) 2. Rogue Wave: Out of the Shadow (Sub Pop) 3. Ted Leo & the Pharmacists: Shake the Sheets (Lookout!)

4. The Arcade Fire: Funeral (Merge) 5. The Killers: Hot Fuss (Island)

AARON RICHTER

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like, ‘Oh, is this too dark, or is this too happy?’ It is whatever works well at the moment.”

By the time of the release the band was already on tour again, this time as part of the Curiosa tour, which featured The Cure and bands handpicked by Robert Smith. That was followed almost immediately by a full headlining tour of the U.S. and Europe that will run through the better part of 2005.

(At press time, the band had announced a February date in Lawrence, Kan., with a rumored March date in St. Louis). First, though, Interpol will visit Japan.

The band had two previous visits with the Summersonic Festivals in Osaka and Tokyo. I wondered how the reserved Japanese reacted to the reserved members of Interpol.

“Very politely,” Fogarino laughed.

“It is pretty intense. Their social skills are so honed in. They are respectful and polite, yet they want a piece of you. They go about it in such a demure way. People would hang out in the lobby of this hotel where a lot of bands were staying and would wait to be approached…kind of like girls at the school dance. It was kind of pleasant; nobody really got in your face. It kind of made you want to go up and meet these people waiting for you.”

This acceptance seems universal. Besides selling out halls here in the States, Interpol has a large following in Europe, where they receive a fair amount of attention in the press (including one of the U.K.’s premiere music magazines, New Musical Express). Fogarino almost seemed taken aback by the idea that they might have found bigger acceptance across the Atlantic than in their native country. “If anything, it is proportionately equal. I might even venture to say we do better here in the U.S. We do well over there, sure, but there is always that misnomer: You take the American band out of the U.S. and they are going to do better over there in Europe, then America will follow.”

In the fall of 2004, the band took part in

1. Modest Mouse: Good News for People Who Love Bad News (Epic) 2. Blonde Redhead: Misery Is a Butterfly (4AD/ Beggars) 3. Interpol: Antics (Matador) 4. Brian Wilson: Smile (Nonesuch) 5. The One Inch Punch: Horsehead Nebula (Collective)

MICHELE ULSOHN

INTERPOL PLAYS TO A PACKED CROWD AT FIRST AVENUE, MINNEAPOLIS

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Franz Ferdinand: Franz Ferdinand (Domino) The Arcade Fire: Funeral (Merge) Electrelane: The Power Out (Too Pure/Beggars) Camera Obscura: Underachievers Please Try Harder (Merge) 5. Asobi Seksu: Asobi Seksu (Friendly Fire)

Driver Soundtrack (Epic) Dirty Vegas: One (Capitol) West Indian Girl: West Indian Girl (Astralwerks) Elbow: Cast of Thousands (V2) Anders Parker: Tell It to the Dust (Baryon)

JANUARY 2005 JANUARY 2005

“THE DARKEST PART ABOUT US IS THAT (GUITARIST) DAPOSE HAS SOME SCARY TATTOOS, BUT HE WAS IN A DEATH METAL BAND, SO I THINK HE HAD TO GET THOSE AS AN INITIATION” JOEL PETERSON OF THE FAINT — PLAYBACKSTL, 10/04

MICHELE ULSOHN

The Hives/The Rogers Sisters, Pop’s, November Th’ Legendary Shack Shakers, Off Broadway, October The Pieces, The Vogue, Indianapolis, August Har Mar Superstar, The Blue Note, Columbia, February 5. The Pixies, The Hearnes Center, Columbia, October

1. Brian Capps and the True Liars, Venice Café, April, June, and November 2. The Shemps/The Misses, The Duck Room, November 3. R.E.M./Now It’s Overhead, Fox Theatre, October 4. David Bowie, Fox Theatre, May 5. Wilco, Fox Theatre, September

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1. Shellac/The Conformists, Collinsville VFW Hall, June 2. Cougars, Rocket Bar, July 3. Don Caballero/The Constantines/Dakota/Dakota, Rocket Bar, March 4. The Blood Brothers, Creepy Crawl, July 5. Mastodon, Creepy Crawl, February

TIM HAND

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KEVIN RENICK

Morrissey, The Aragon Theatre, Chicago, October Franz Ferdinand, Bluebird Theatre, Denver, June The Faint, The Blue Note, Columbia, October The Twilight Singers/The Damnwells, The Patio, Indianapolis, April 5. The Libertines/Radio 4, The Metro, Chicago, October

TODD BAECHLE OF THE FAINT AT THE BLUE NOTE, COLUMBIA

DAVID LICHIUS

LAURA HAMLETT

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BRIAN McCLELLAND

LIVE SHOWS of 2004

Marah, Off Broadway, April Muse, Mississippi Nights, April Gomez, The Pageant, July The Steve Kimmock Band, The Duck Room, September 5. Ryan Adams, The Pageant, November Top 5 Jazz Trumpet Performers 1. Wynton Marsalis, St. Louis Jazz Festival, June 2. Jon Faddis, Jazz at the Bistro, October 3. Chris Botti, The Pageant, February 4. Byron Stripling w/UMSL Jazz Ensemble, Blanche Touhill Performing Arts Center, November 5. Arturo Sandoval, Jazz at the Bistro, December

THE VELVET TEEN: A THING OF BEAUTY By Laura Hamlett Elysium is a dreamy, expansive excursion of an album. Slip it into the disc drive (skip over the experimental track one) and let the rich orchestrations and singer/songwriter Judah Nagler’s voice—soothing, soaring, and layered—transport you. The nearly 13-minute epic that is “Chimera Obscura” is a journey, at first multilayered mellow indie rock before it wraps back on itself and, backed by cries of “We are all the same,” Nagler begins breathlessly intoning the lyrics. The strings and orchestrations grow and swell, eventually drowning out Nagler’s rants and generally sweeping the listener off her feet. “We Were Bound (to Bend the Rules),” the album’s closer, is another adventure in sound layering and composition.

What you should know: The Velvet Teen is three guys from California’s Bay Area—in addition to Nagler (lead vocals, guitar, keyboards), there’s Joshua Staples (bass) and Casey Dietz

(drums). Founding drummer Logan Whitehurst left after recording Elysium, when he was diagnosed with a brain tumor (he’s fine now, thank you—but the tumor led to some soulsearching and he ultimately decided to follow his own inner drummer, so to speak). The Velvet Teen is big in Japan, where they recently toured with The Good Life (of which Nagler gushes, “It was great just to be signing autographs with Tim Kasher”). Nagler was voted the #33 hottest rock star by Elle Girl. There were no guitars used in the making of Elysium.

“We had recorded a couple things for it on guitar, but they were cluttering everything,” explains Nagler. “We just decided it didn’t need it.”

So instead of guitars, you’ll find strings— lots of strings—a horn section, drums, bass, keyboards, and piano—rich, dreamy piano.

“We wanted to do stuff with strings and

some other production elements, and we had a number of piano ideas that we were starting on,” says Nagler. “We had an idea of where the songs were going, but didn’t have it all mapped out; it takes on its own momentum when you write it. For example, I didn’t mean to write a 12-minute song; the lyrics just kept coming, so I just kept going until it was done.”

The album has been atop a number of critics’ lists—The Onion, for example, named it #3 for the year—and Nagler’s voice has garnered comparisons to such greats as Jeff Buckley and Thom Yorke. Buckley’s mom is even a fan (“Basically, we have the same lawyer,” explains Nagler). But critical acclaim, as we all know, doesn’t always translate into popular success.

“I don’t really keep up with how we’re doing,” Nagler says. “I asked a while ago and was told, ‘Good, but not as good as we were hoping.’ I don’t think as many people are into it. That’s why we’ll make a louder and crazier [album] the next time.”

If that’s the case, you’ll definitely want to grab ’hold of Elysium’s beauty before it’s drowned out.

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PLAYBACK STL

ROBERT M. EDGECOMB DAN HEATON

1. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (Focus Features) 2. Before Sunset (Warner Brothers) 3. Silver City (Newmarket) 4. Hero (Miramax) 5. Sideways (Fox Searchlight)

PHILLIP MORTON

Sideways (Fox Searchlight) Kill Bill Vol. 2 (Miramax) Anatomy of Hell (Tartan USA) Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (Focus Features) 5. 50 First Dates (Sony)

“It was great and spontaneous and fun, and things changed every day.

And I just loved not knowing what to

1. The Incredibles (Pixar) 2. Kill Bill Vol. 2 (Miramax) 3. Super Size Me (The Con) 4. Bourne Supremacy (Universal) 5. Mean Girls (Paramount)

expect every single morning. I loved

1. Tarnation (Wellspring) 2. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (Focus Features) 3. Kill Bill Vol. 2 (Miramax) 4. Gozu (Pathfinder) 5. Sideways (Fox Searchlight)

Michel [Gondry] was going to come

Movies Shot in STL 1. The Black Hole, Tibor Takkas, Director 2. Hooch and Daddy-O, Donna Northcott, Director (Magic Smoking Monkey) 3. The Ice Cream Man (48-hour film project), Doveed Linder, Director 4. Steel City (indie feature in Alton), Brian Jung, Director 5. Gotta Have Pride: The Big Gay Musical (48-hour film project), Bobby Kirk/David McCahan, Directors

EMILY SPRENG LOWERY

1. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (Focus Features) 2. Finding Neverland (Miramax) 3. Fahrenheit 9/11 (Miramax) 4. Mean Girls (Paramount) 5. Garden State (Fox Searchlight)

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PETE TIMMERMANN

Ray (Universal) I, Robot (Twentieth Century Fox) Kill Bill Vol. 2 (Miramax) I Am David (Artisan) Wilbur Wants to Kill Himself (ThinkFilm)

BOBBY KIRK

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1. Dogville (Lions Gate) 2. Closer (Columbia) 3. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (Focus Features) 4. Before Sunset (Warner Brothers) 5. Finding Neverland (Miramax)

not knowing how it was going to look.

I loved not knowing what crazy idea

out with. I loved having no clue how the erasing thing was going to work.

In reverse alphabetical order, which is almost but not quite the same as my order of preference: 1. Zatoichi (Miramax) 2. Notre Musique (Wellspring) 3. Kill Bill Vol. 2 (Miramax) 4. Fahrenheit 9/11 (Miramax) 5. Days of Being Wild (released on DVD in October, but we can hope for a theatrical release) (Rim)

J. CHURCH

I just loved it. I just loved it. Because

ROBERT HUNT

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KEVIN RENICK

BOBBY KIRK

FILMS of the YEAR

DVDs 1. The Terminal (DreamWorks) 2. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (Focus Features) 3. The Station Agent (Miramax) 4. Family Guy (Twentieth Century Fox) 5. Big Fish (Columbia Tristar)

it meant I could just focus on being Clementine and just allow this genius to work his magic. And Michel is just gorgeous. I mean, I so loved the experience of working with him, and would do so again, and hope to do so, time and time over.”

KATE WINSLET on the making of ETERNAL SUNSHINE OF THE SPOTLESS MIND from a PlaybackSTL interview by PHILLIP MORTON

JANUARY 2005

TYSON BLANQUART

Directors 1. Deanna Jent, Red Herring, HotHouse Theatre 2. Eric Little, Marat/Sade, Echo Theatre 3. Teresa Doggett, The Diviners, West End Players Guild 4. Scott Miller, Reefer Madness, New Line Theatre 5. Richard Strelinger, Taming of the Shrew, Hydeware Theatre

TYSON BLANQUART

THEATER 2004

Best Local Productions 1. The Exonerated, HotCity Theatre 2. Marat/Sade, Echo Theatre 3. Talley’s Folly, New Jewish Theatre 4. Woman in Black, Hydeware Theatre 5. I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change!, City Theatre

TYSON BLANQUART JIM CAMPBELL

Large Theater 1. Gypsy, Stages St. Louis 2. The Mystery of Edwin Drood, The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis 3. Chicago, The Fabulous Fox 4. Twelfth Night, The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis 5. The Sound of Music, Stages St. Louis

Small Theater 1. Hedwig and the Angry Inch, Vanity Theatre 2. Late Nite Catechism, The Grandel Theatre 3. Angels in America: Millennium Approaches, Stray Dog Theatre 4. Eagle and Child: J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis, The Historyonics Theatre Company 5. St. Nicholas, Joe Hanrahan

JOHN SHEPHERD

Non-Traditional Theater 1. Saltwater, International Theatre Collective 2. The Zim Zam Kök Show, Zim Zam Kök Show 3. Taming of the Shrew, Hydeware Theatre 4. Speed Racer/Challenge of the Super-Friends, Magic Smoking Monkey Theatre 5. Conscription of the Fates, Tin Ceiling Productions

JIM CAMPBELL

BRADLEY CALISE BREAKS OUT

Best Evening of Getting Scolded by a Nun Late Night Catechism, Grandel Theatre Best Big Show From a Small Company Angels in America: Millennium Approaches, Stray Dog Theatre Best Pop Culture Satire It’s a Wonderful Life: Live!, Magic Smoking Monkey

By Jim Campbell St. Louis was blessed with many fine theatrical performances in 2004. As I was going over some of the standouts, many came to mind: Zoe Vonder Haar as Mama Rose in Gypsy, Sara Renschen as Annie in The Real Thing, and Joe Hanrahan in his one-man show, St. Nicholas.

However, one performer impressed me with his complete character transformation. I have to select Bradley Calise for his lead role in Hedwig and the Angry Inch as the breakout performer of 2004.

I recently had the chance to sit down with this talented thespian to see what he got from the role and what the future holds for him.

How long have you been into acting?

Since I was about five years old. My first role was Paddington Bear.

What initially drew you to the role of Hedwig?

When I lived in New York, I heard of it.

That was my first exposure to it and it really just blew me away. The music was great and Hedwig is such a great character; it’s just such a great show.

Best New Show by a Local Playwright Eagle and Child: J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis, Historyonics, Jason Cannon, Playwright Best Same Show/Same Time Rivalry Vanity/New Line Theatre Hedwig and the Angry Inch Best Bad-Ass Theater Merger Hothouse and City Theatre combine to form HotCity

Were you intimidated by the role at all?

Oh, God! Yeah, I was completely unsure that I was going to be able to pull it off.

Do you think the role is more physically or vocally demanding?

I guess the physical demands are very strong, as well as the emotional demands.

Once I put the dress and wig on, I never really had to think too hard what my motivation was or where it was going to come from. I had a general idea of how I wanted to play her, and as I got everything put together, she just sort of came out of me. Physically, it was a great workout. I am in the best shape I have ever been in my life!

What did you get from doing the show?

I got that I could actually pull the role off, and if you have a great product to put out there, people will appreciate it.

What does the future hold for you?

I’ve thought about going back to New York; I have been thinking of California, as well. But at the moment, I have no idea what I want to do with myself. I need to get myself on a path, and once I do, I will have a plan.

Best Performance Using a Doll of Some Kind It’s a Wonderful Life: Live!, in which Nicole Angeli helps ZuZu spring from the Cabbage Patch to the stage Best Theatrical Bingo Game The NonProphets’ Militant Propaganda Bingo Game Best Cool Celebrity Involvement in Local Theater Kevin Kline local theater awards

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Best Song Titles by Local Bands 1. Sofachrome: The Sissies in the Back 2. Misses: Mullet Man 3. The Dead Celebrities: Bathroom Fun 4. The Trip Daddys: The Way She Wiggles 5. Butt: Get Down, It’s Brown Best Modern Rock Radio Hits (chronologically) 1. 311: “Creatures” 2. Shinedown: “45” 3. Breaking Benjamin: “So Cold” 4. U2: “Vertigo” 5. Hoobastank: “Disappear”

J. CHURCH RUDY ZAPF

Top 5 Biggest Disappointments 1. The Presidential election 2. Robert DeNiro’s career choices 3. Crisis in Sudan 4. My car catching fire 5. Ani DiFranco’s May 6 show at The Pageant

Top 5 Happiest Moments in 2004 1. Getting married 2. Performing at The Pageant and Mississippi Nights 3. Friends’ final episode (I hated that show) 4. John Ashcroft resigning 5. My dad moving back to town after 15 years Top 5 Underrecognized St. Louis Artists 1. Alan Mueller 2. Jill Downen 3. Rodney Stovall 4. Judy Hua 5. Robin Hirsch

J. CHURCH

Top 5 St. Louis Events in 2004 1. Wall Ball, AD Brown Building, March 2. Venus Envy, Southside National Bank Building, April 3. Hoosier Weight Boxing Match, Mad Art Gallery, May (see page 3) 4. Dining Out for Life, November 5. Yoshitomo Nara Art Opening, Contemporary Art Museum, December

J. CHURCH

Best Ways to Kill Time in 2004 1. Finalizing those post-election emigration plans 2. Avoiding the FCC 3. Waiting for the electric to come back on 4. Avidly following the Courtney Love downward spiral 5. Frantically searching KaZaA for complete Paris Hilton sex tape download

JOHN KUJAWSKI

CHRIS CLARK

Best Local Releases—EPs and Full-Lengths (alphabetically) 1. Berry 2. Dye Irehne 3. Pala Solution 4. Rusted Faith 5. Team Tomato

MICHELE ULSOHN

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Saddest Lies of St. Louis Musicians 1. “We usually have a much bigger draw.”

2. “I’ll get the next round.”

3. “We won’t go over our time limit”/ “We only have a 45-minute set.”

4. “I love your band! We should totally do a show together!”

5. “If we lived in Chicago, we’d be fucking huge!”

RACHEL McCALLA

MICHELE ULSOHN

BRIAN McCLELLAND

MISCELLANEOUS of the YEAR

PLAYBACK STL

Top 5 Celebrities I Would Like to Slap 1. Gwen Stefani (so she stops squeaking) 2. David Spade (to straighten up his attitude) 3. R. Kelly (he might like that, though) 4. Donald Rumsfeld (for obvious reasons) 5. Chubby Checker (for assuming people still care about his “career” and his 20-something versions of “The Twist”)

Tegan and Sara Say No to Canadian Flag Bikinis by Brian McClelland talented band maturing in leaps and bounds is always exciting. But the complete transformation of Canadian twin sister pop-sprites Tegan and Sara—from the harmless, Ani DiFranco–influenced folk of their 2000 debut This Business of Art to the surprisingly jagged pop of 2002’s If It Was You to their first major work, 2004’s brilliantly spiny, thankfully Ani-free indie-pop gem So Jealous—was a real shocker, knocking skeptics who’d written them off as derivative folkies on their collective asses.

So Jealous’s taut, inventive arrangements and roller-coaster melodies—with occasional sweetening from ex-Weezer-man Matt Sharp’s analog synths—fit comfortably in the pop bin next to fellow Canadian (and head New Pornographer) AC Newman. Unlike Newman, however, the Quin sisters come with built-in angles that press types take to quicker than a free buffet,

A

including, but not limited to, the words young, lesbian, and twins. If interested in playing the U.S. press-whore game—lowering themselves into matching sparkly Canadian bikinis, perhaps—they’d be guaranteed next month’s Blender cover. Chalk it up to Canadian reserve or plain old-fashioned integrity, but Tegan and Sara consistently keep their personal stuff personal and let their music do the talking.

On break from touring and making TV appearances—including a January 11 Conan O’Brien spot—Sara checks in from Montreal, a continent away from her sister in Vancouver, a distance she says is “good for our independence.”

High point from 2004?

The first show of our U.S. tour, in Seattle, was a great show on a crazy day. It was the day after the U.S. election, and we were very

JANUARY 2005

by Jim Dunn

ECLECTIC ENTREPRENEUR

Nic Harcourt hosts Morning Becomes Eclectic on NPR’s Santa Monica, Cal. station KCRW (www.kcrw.org). MBE has become a daily source of new music and musical horizons for tens of thousands of listeners in California and hundreds of thousands more on the Web, where the show is simulcast daily. Besides the dozens of discs he introduces each day, Harcourt also plays host to many of today’s best musicians, including Rachel Yamagata, Elvis Costello, Randy Newman, Franz Ferdinand, Elbow, Doves, and many more.

We talked with Harcourt via phone and e-mail about the state of music and the music industry.

me to sleep on the floor so he could stretch out on the bench seat. Realizing in that moment that you haven’t really made it if you are still sleeping in parking lots.

Any Matt Sharp anecdotes?

On the last day of our 2003 Canadian tour [Sharp was playing keys and Moog on that tour, in addition to opening the shows solo], Matt realized he’d left his Moog at the club. So he broke into the club, got locked in the club, set off the alarm, and had to be rescued by the janitor. He then went back to his touring vehicle to find it had been broken into, and his passport and CDs were stolen. And he never got his Moog back!

Full interview at www.playbackstl.com.

JIM DUNN

disappointed with the result but had a fantastic show. There seemed to be this positive energy—passionate and exciting—that the audience was giving off. It made me think that Americans will make positive changes over the next four years.

Is onstage banter still a big part of your show?

We are trying desperately to be more professional with our jabbering. With bigger crowds, it’s more difficult. We remind ourselves daily that we are musicians and not comedians. It’s hard to keep that in mind, because we think we’re funny all the time.

Most humble moment on tour?

Sleeping in a Burger King parking lot after a show in San Diego. Our drummer Rob begging

Top 5 Places to Hear New Music 1. National Public Radio (www.npr.org), especially KCRW’s Morning Becomes Eclectic (www.kcrw.org) 2. Real Rhapsody (www.real.com) 3. 3wk (www.3wk.com) 4. KDHX (www.kdhx.org) 5. The River/The Point local music shows

J. CHURCH

In dealing with bands, we’ve heard all the horror stories of record labels butchering musicians. Of course, we hear the opposite from label reps, who simply chalk it up to business. Where do you think the fault for the current music industry failure lies? And is it really a failure, or just a transition? The cat was out of the bag with the advent of digital technology. The labels made a fortune for a good 10 to 15 years as older listeners replaced all their old vinyl with new CDs. But at the same time, consolidation led to labels cutting back on artist development and just shooting for hits. The kids wised up that full albums weren’t worth the 17-dollar price tag just to get the one decent track that they heard on the radio and, bingo, peer-to-peer sharing sprang up. The labels have no one to blame except themselves. They’re dinosaurs at this point, now that they’ve lost control of distribution. They’re going to have to completely reinvent their business model if they want to stay alive, yet they’re still complaining about how it’s not their fault. Fools.

We have a lot of bands who read our magazine. Any advice to bands about breaking into the biz? Do it because you love it, because you have to, not because you want to be a star.

Tony Wilson [founder of Factory Records] said he thinks there is a revolution every dozen or so years in music. He described it as the Sex Pistols in ’76 and the Stone Roses in ’89. He was concerned that he had not seen one recently. Do you think that is true? If so, what is the current revolution? There is a revolution happening right now, it’s just different. Instead of one band or scene breaking through in a massive way, there are lots of little scenes happening on a smaller scale, and with the artists controlling their own destiny.

Who should we watch/listen to in the future? I think we could see a couple of U.K. bands break through. Both Keane and Snow Patrol are doing OK right now and there’s a new band I like called Razorlight. There’s a band from Boston I love called Dresden Dolls, and my favorite album this year is by an L.A. band called Rilo Kiley.

Top 5 Books I Finally Read 1. Eric Schlosser: Reefer Madness 2. David Sedaris: Me Talk Pretty One Day 3. Franz Kafka: The Trial 4. Diane Ravitch: The Language Police 5. Fyodor Dostoevsky: The Possessed

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PLAYBACK STL

NOW PLAYING CINEMA

BAD EDUCATION (Sony Pictures Classics, NC-17)

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Over the years, the name Pedro Almodovar has become synonymous in America with artful foreign movies that the masses can enjoy.

He has become a commonplace director among the non-film elite, joining the ranks of Bergman, Kurosawa, and Felinni as the possible subject of dinnertime dialogue. So when it is announced that Almodovar has new film being released, excitement ensues.

But this gradual acceptance in America (starting in the late ’80s with Woman on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown) seems as absurd as Almodovar’s own films. How is it that a director who is engrossed in homosexual culture, who presents women as intelligent and sentient beings, and who pushes the limits of modern culture can be so appreciated in a homogenized society?

So it is no exception to the rule for Almodovar’s newest film, Bad Education, to deal with the sexual molestation scandal in the Catholic church. Unlike his other films, Bad Education tells its story in a nonlinear fashion. It revolves around Enrique Goded (Fele Martinez), a film director with writer’s block until someone claiming to be an old childhood friend, Ignacio Rodriguez (Gael Garcia Bernal), gives him a gift of a new screenplay, The Visit. As it turns out, the script is Ignacio’s autobiographical recounting of their lives in a repressed Catholic grade school: the love affair between Enrique and Ignacio, the molestation, the hypocrisy, and the urge to escape.

The film takes place in three time periods: the present day filming of the script, the flashback of the two boys in grade school, and the backstory of Ignacio and his change into a drag queen and, later, transvestite. The rest becomes hard to summarize without giving everything away, but what is important to know is that the film is intended to be a film noir. There is blackmailing of a priest, murder, revenge, and deviant behavior. But isn’t that every Almodovar film?

What sets this film apart from Almodovar’s other films is that it lacks the sense of humor and overwhelming absurdity that his other films embellish. Even in his most miserable moments, he has a cartoon-like abandon that helps separate the viewer from the reality of the moment. Bad Education lacks this integral part of Almodovar’s auteuristic charm. Never missing a moment to push the limits of society, whether with Bernal in drag, gay sex, or priests molesting little boys, the film certainly retains that notion. Always focusing on the dismal and never on the uplifting, we often question whether any of the characters know what they really want.

film, House of Flying Daggers. After all, director aside, they are both martial arts epics that are beautifully shot and feature rising star Zhang Ziyi (of Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon), so really, what’s a reviewer to do?

A lot of the reason why Hero was such a critical success and why it is such a memorable movie is that, for once, the plot has some weight and doesn’t feel like a vehicle to get to the action sequences. While House is steeped in sort-of comparable historical events as Hero was (House is about the hunting down of a group of revolutionaries—the House of Flying Daggers—toward the end of the Tang Dynasty), it does not have the same Rashomonstyle storytelling flair, or anything comparable. However, it does best Hero in the fight scenes themselves—while the plot does indeed seem like a vehicle to get to them, the fights are spectacular, the likes of which can’t be matched by any of the new wave of Asian actioners that have recently regained their American popularity. My hope is that this film hits home with the early teenage boys of the world.

Although the production design of HOUSE OF FLYING DAGGERS House of Flying Daggers is as good as Hero’s (probably because Tingxiao Huo Still, the film is unquestionably an Almodovar film. His characteristic attention to detail in set was the production designer on both films), design, costume, and camera composition makes Xiaoding Zhao’s cinematography has a long any film of his fascinating and easily recogniz- way to go before it can equal the work Chris able. Yet, with a ranging repertoire, Almodovar Doyle did on Hero. However, it was a good has pulled out a good movie that at times disap- move on Yimou’s part to continue his working relationship with Ziyi, who is actually a very points but is always fascinating.

—Robert M. Edgecomb good action star, and inarguably one of the prettiest actresses in the world. Here, Ziyi plays Mei, a blind dancer who works at a brothel and HOUSE OF FLYING DAGGERS is suspected of being a member of the House (Sony Pictures Classics, PG-13) Coming roughly four months after the of Flying Daggers. The police catch Mei early American theatrical release of director Zhang on, so that she is forced to be escorted by Yimou’s previous film, Hero, it is both difficult both Andy Lau’s Leo and Takeshi Kaneshiro’s and borderline irresponsible to ignore its pres- Jin across the Chinese countryside, whereupon ence and the way it compares with his new they both fall in love with her (see what I mean

JANUARY 2005

IN GOOD COMPANY The Professional Theatre Awards Council Presents

THE KEVIN KLINE AWARDS

about the plot being a vehicle for the action scenes?).

Ultimately, while I think Hero is certainly the “better” film in terms of sheer viewing enjoyment, I preferred House of Flying Daggers.

What’s more, it solidifies Yimou’s status as one of the best Asian filmmakers around, seeing as how he’s had two very successful martial arts films in a row, as well as quieter dramas from years past, such as 1990’s fantastic and beautiful Ju Dou. The rank in Asian filmmaking Yimou has made for himself can only be matched by a few modern filmmakers, and that’s saying a lot, considering the recent renaissance of great Asian films.

—Pete Timmermann IN GOOD COMPANY (Universal Pictures, PG-13) In Good Company is a feel-good movie that will appeal to anyone (whether 20-something or 50-something) who has ever faced an unexpected fork in the road. Written and directed

by Paul Weitz (who also brought us About a Boy), the script is smart and funny, the acting is top-notch, and the story manages to tug on the heartstrings without bombarding you with sentimentality.

It centers on 50-year-old Dan Foreman (Dennis Quaid), who seems to have it all. At home, he is the happily married father of two teenaged girls, while at work he heads up ad sales for a major sports magazine—where he relies on honesty and personal relationships to sell his product. Life is good…that is, until a large corporation buys out his company and Dan learns that he must now answer to a 26year-old hotshot named Carter Duryea (Topher Grace of That 70s Show) who advocates “crosspromotion” and “synergy” to increase the magazine’s bottom line. But Dan is stuck. With a new baby on the way and college tuition bills

piling up, he has no choice but to swallow his pride in order to dodge the onslaught of layoffs within his department.

Meanwhile, Carter is having his own problems, and it’s soon clear that although he may be the top dog at work, the rest of his life is falling apart. His wife (Selma Blair) has just left him, he has no real friends, and the only way he is able to scrape together some companionship on the weekends is to call mandatory department meetings.

In fact, he’s so desperate for a night out that he manages to finagle an invitation to Dan’s house for Sunday dinner. More than anything, Carter craves the type of life that Dan has and, over time, a friendship begins to develop between the two of them…that is, until Dan learns that that Carter is secretly dating his daughter, Alex, expertly portrayed by Scarlett Johansson.

What really sets this film apart is that, unlike the swarm of romances out there, it focuses on a different kind of relationship: one between a middle-aged man and a kid half his age (who also happens to be his boss). Whether it’s in the Foremans’ dining room or out on a sales call together, the strongest scenes in this film include Quaid and Grace, who have a wonderful onscreen chemistry.

By the end, there are perhaps a few too many loose ends to wrap up, including that all-important “big deal” that will force Dan and Carter to somehow work together again after the “You’re sleeping with my daughter?!” incident. And, yes, there are some “that would never happen in real life” moments to roll your eyes at. But who cares? After all, this movie is really about the characters, and the wonderful changes that take place in all of them is what makes the rest of the ride worthwhile.

—Emily Spreng Lowery

The time has come to recognize the thriving community of professional theatre artists in St. Louis. In the time honored tradition of celebrating great artistry and inspiring performance together, in a public manner, a council has assembled to form the Kevin Kline Awards, celebrating excellence in theatre in the St. Louis region.

Seventy productions from the 17 participating theatres will be judged beginning in January, 2005. The goal is to hold the first annual awards ceremony in the spring of 2006.

For more information: www.kevinklineawards.org

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PLAYBACK STL

TAKE FIVE

TED BRUNER

THE COLONY OF TED BRUNER By Jim Dunn Ted Bruner was the chief songwriter/singer for the St. Louis band Colony. The band lasted through member changes, two record contracts, and even having one of its songs used in the movie Rat Race. Colony abruptly broke up in 2003 and Bruner moved to LA. He is now working with a music publisher, writing and helping to produce upcoming artists.

He has also co-written songs with established artists, including Bowling for Soup. “Bender” can be heard on the PlaybackSTL Web site (www.playbackstl.com) or on the current Breakthrough Audio compilation (available through PlaybackSTL).

Exies, Gina Schock from The Go Gos, and Zac Maloy from The Nixons. (The song on the Bowling for Soup record came out of sessions with Zac and Jaret [Reddick] from BFS.) Do you see the old members of Colony?

What do you think of The Bell Heads?

I’m actually creating “Bender” with our first

Elliot Goes

bassist, John Stuller, who lives out here, too. I do talk and e-mail with Jon [Armstrong], Matt [Hickenbotham], and Andy [Conrad]—saw them drunk like sailors a month or so ago when I was in town. I think The Bell Heads are great, but I don’t agree with their views on baby seal torture. That’s going too far.

How is life under Schwarzenegger?

I guess it’s no worse than life under any other politician, but it is nice that he doesn’t need the money. Still can’t believe he’s governor. He’s governor, Bush is president, and Uncle Kracker is still going strong. Maybe the Unabomber wasn’t so stupid.

Best “I’m in LA” story?

Seeing Fiona Apple at the grocery store probably still tops my list. Though Matt came out and visited months ago and he and Stuller and I were approached by the bass player from Green Day at a bar off Sunset. We were hammered, so it was surreal times ten as he began to sell us on the upcoming album and how it would leave current “punk” bands scratching their heads and how they felt they had a responsibility to teach them. Then we all watched a mechanical bull ride for a few moments and he shook our hands and left.

by Bosco (with illustration help from Jessica Gluckman)

www.mentalsewage.com

32

OK, first off: What the hell is this Silly Fish anyway?

Silly Fish is a song I made up in Vancouver to describe us as we [Colony] stumbled drunk around the streets during the months of recording. I used the same name for my publishing company and decided to also use it to temporarily name this project I’m working on. [The song is now called “Bender”

by Silly Fish. – Eds.] Who are you working with now?

Right now, we’re focusing on a chick named Marie Digby (pronounced Mareeayee),

a talented dude from the St. Louis area named Jonathan Cour, and a chick named Stephenie Pearson who is Ashlee Simpson’s best friend and roommate, oddly enough. I’ve also been co-writing a lot with David Walsh from The

In the spirit of lists, Elliot names his top 5 movies:

Ever the literary connoisseur, Henry chooses his 5 favorite books:

1. Along Came Polly 2. Kindergarten Cop 3. Beastmaster

1. 500 Things My Ferret Told Me 2. Writer Ferrets: Chasing the Muse 3. A Business of Ferrets

4. Dr. Doolittle (1 & 2) 5. The Big Lebowski

Not one to be left out, Bosco compiles a list of his 5 favorite snacks:

4. Ferret in the Bedroom, 1. Peanut butter Lizards in the Fridge 2. Banana 5. The Adventures of Katie 3. Cream cheese the Ferret

4. Broccoli 5. Papaya

JANUARY 2005

DVD Reviews be without a political statement? The folksinger welcomes Dennis Kucinich, whom she supported throughout the presidential election, to address her progressive-minded fan base.

However, the show is more about the reactionary fans who howl incessantly after hearing DiFranco’s clever lyrics and attacking guitar playing. The DVD works well as an introductory piece to DiFranco’s music or an addition to your Ani library.

If you are not a fan of Incubus and have never been to the historic amphitheatre, Alive at Red Rocks will be a fitting introduction to both. The band appears to have covered all the elements with this release. The DVD features high-definition cinematography of the concert, backstage clips, and soundcheck, and also a slideshow photo gallery. An added highlight is a five-song menu that allows the viewer to watch animated visuals while listening to the performance. But the real bonus included with the DVD is a five-song CD of unreleased tracks.

Incubus’s stage set up is unique and visually impressive; the band makes splendid use of its space and lighting techniques. Brandon Boyd’s vocals are radiant, and the band’s sound and cohesion are impenetrable. This has to be the next best thing to actually being at an Incubus show.

—J. Church DEAD BOYS: LIVE AT CBGB 1977 DVD (Music Video Distributors) When it comes to punk rock, there is a great deal to be said about being there around the time the first wave hit. History tends to treat you much more kindly.

You have instant credibility, elevated status, and magically, you’re more talented and important. Case in point: Dead Boys: Live at CBGB. This disc captures a ten-song performance from the Cleveland punk rock trailblazers. I hadn’t heard this band before this DVD, which presents a huge problem. Judging on face value, Dead Boys are a colossal and frighten-

from page 12

ing bore. However, this disc has liner notes touting the greatness and importance of this band. That’s right, punker: Those poseurs you listen to now are a bunch of tourists compared with the “incredible, phenomenal Dead Boys.”

I understand and appreciate the importance of the past, the bands, and their influence on modern music, but if it does not hold up to 2004 standards, then it’s nothing more than a historical artifact. It really doesn’t matter to me that Dead Boys were playing “the punk rock” and vocalist Stiv Bators was eating napkins full of his own snot way back when. The music is the substance, and this shit doesn’t hold water anymore.

—David Lichius STRAY CATS: RUMBLE IN BRIXTON (Surfdog, Inc./WEA Corp.)

Nearly two decades ago, I heard the Stray Cats for the very first time on MTV, whilst chowing on Ding Dongs (my favorite afterschool indulgence).

Fast-forward to now: Why did I rush out the other day (sans the snack cakes) to buy their first recorded live show, Rumble in Brixton, on DVD? Because, despite the 20 years that have passed, I am still a loyal fan and die-hard fool for pompadours, sideburns, and anything remotely rockabilly.

Pshaw to all my Molly Hatchet lovin’ friends who, back then, prophesized the Cats would die out like so many forgettable fads from the ’80s. Didn’t happen. Once the tattoo-laden trio hit Britain and the U.S. with delectable singles like “Stray Cat Strut” and “(She’s) Sexy & 17,” their fan base multiplied, sparking a rockabilly revival that, to this day, continues to thrive as its own scene. In 2004, when word spread about the comely threesome touring Europe again, generations of fans crammed into the spacious Brixton Academy, selling out the show; it was the largest venue the Cats ever played in London.

Thankfully, some genius decided to document the momentous occasion.

Part concert, part retrospective, and backstage pass, Rumble in Brixton reveals how the greaser lads from Long Island evolved from starveling wanna-be rockers to brawny, beenaround-block daddy-o’s. Candid practice ses-

sions caught on tape reveal Brian Setzer (lead vocals and guitar), Lee Rocker (bass), and Slim Jim Phantom (drums) as passionate musicians who take their music, not themselves, seriously, polishing and perfecting their sound, and harvesting an authentic rockabilly rhythm with jiggers of jump-blues, punk rock, and twang.

One can’t help but be transfixed by Rocker’s vigorous bass-slapping acumen, Phantom’s sonorous drum cracking, and Setzer’s dulcet harmonies.

May I suggest a viewing order? Before treating yourself to the Brixton show, hit the Special Features section and check out the flashback montage of rare photos of the Cats’ leaner years, back when the boys looked like doe-eyed street hustlers on the prowl. Then click on Backstage Pass, where cameras follow the itinerant band and roadies on their 2004 tour and give a peep show of antics before the curtain goes up. And don’t miss the Mystery Train selection, which catches the group in the studio working on their uniquely versed and first original recording since 1991, “Mystery Train Kept A Rollin’.”

Then, crank up the volume a few notches and settle in for a longish show; the concert boasts more than 20 songs, including original hits like “Rumble in Brighton,” “I Won’t Stand in Your Way,” “Fishnet Stockings,” “18 Miles to Memphis,” “Runaway Boys,” and “Rock This Town.” Cover songs, including “That’s All Right,” “Good Rockin’ Tonight,” “Ubangi Stomp,” and “Twenty Flight Rock” are mainstays in the Cats’ musical repertoire, representing tributes to legendary artists like Elvis, Eddie Cochran, Gene Vincent, and Warren Smith, all of whom gave the group impetus to resurrect rockabilly for a new generation.

People-watching is part of the fun; the majority of fans who attend a Cats show either look like one of the Stray Cats or Bettie Page.

Then, there’s the baffling presence of skinheads in the audience who attempt to start a pit upfront near the stage. Slamming to rockabilly?

Hell, I guess anything goes if you’re psyched up, and who wouldn’t be? Mixed in are average Joes and plain Janes, who attend merely because they enjoy old school rock ’n’ roll. And if you’re anything like them or the others, you won’t regret adding Rumble in Brixton to your collection.

And for inquiring cats and kittens, no word yet of a U.S. tour in 2005. Setzer is rumored to be retiring soon; this may be your only ticket.

—Sid Andruska

33

PLAYBACK STL

LOCAL SCENERY

EDITED BY J. CHURCH

34

Dressel’s Pub has become an amiable place for musicians as of late.

The upstairs gallery has begun featuring bands and is now the setting for St. Louis’s newest open-mic/jam session. Bring your instrument to the pub on Wednesdays at 9 p.m. The PA and a guitar amp are provided. 419 N. Euclid in the Central West End. 314-361-1060 for more info.

Lil’ Nikki’s live venue has been dubbed The Gear Box. Pop in for food, bevs, and live music.

(1551 S. Seventh St. in Soulard.)

During the weekend of Jan. 14–16, several returned Peace Corps volunteers from all over the country, who served in Nepal 20 years ago, will reunite in St. Louis. The Schlafly Branch of the St. Louis Public Library will provide a free screening of Claude von Roesgen’s film Jimi Sir: An American Peace Corps Volunteer in Nepal on Saturday, Jan. 15, at 4 p.m. A discussion with both the filmmaker and the group of Peace Corps volunteers, including the “Jimi” of the film’s title (James Parks) will follow.

Neptune Crush will be making its first NYC area appearance on Jan. 6 when it performs a free showcase of songs from its new album, An Evening in the Starlight. Visit www.neptunecrush.com or check the band out on MySpace.com, PureVolume.com, and CDBaby.com.

Nashid (www.nashidband.com) will be one of eight bands performing at Hi-Pointe’s battle of the bands on Feb. 4. Tickets are $10 in advance and a bit more at the door. The following week, Ultra Blue performs in another Hi-Pointe–sponsored battle.

Hipcheck and Berk are now one band called The Breakers. A new Web site is under construction (www.thebreakersmusic.com), but in the meantime you can go to www.purevolume/thebreakers for free music and links Supercrush has officially changed its name to Movie Star Kiss (www.moviestarkiss.com).

Dead Drive Fast’s self-titled CD is now available all over town, including Vintage Vinyl, Borders, Sam Goody, CD Warehouse, Now Hear This, and Euclid Records. For more in-depth information, you can check out www.deaddrivefast.com.

Aaron Story is the new Wydown drummer. His former bands include The Pala Solution and ska sensation The Connectics. The band’s new Web site, designed by Grant Essig from Sevenstar, is www.wydown.com.

Nasty Reputation, an ’80s metal cover band, is looking for a singer,

bass player, and drummer. If you love the ’80s hair bands and have professional equipment, send an e-mail to nastyreputation80@yahoo.com.

The new Sofachrome CD will be out NICK DRAKE shortly, and judging by how well its last show at Mississippi Nights turned out, there should be a lot of good songs on it.

The Webster University Film Series will include A Skin Too Few: The Days of Nick Drake with Lucky Three: An Elliott Smith Portrait on Jan. 21 and 22. Watch the Playback Web site for free tickets. Before that, you can view Shadows with Pull My Daisy on Jan. 14, 15, and 16, and The Life and Times of Allen Ginsburg with Lowell Blues on Jan. 7, 8, and 9.

First Civilizations Incorporated (www.firstciv.com) is accepting submissions for the 45th Annual Best Poem Contest.

The awards include: grand prize of $2,000 and publication in Margie/The American Journal of Poetry; second prize of $250; third prize of $100.

Denise Duhamel, author of numerous volumes including Queen for a Day: Selected and New Poems, is the finalist judge. The guidelines for submissions are as follows: Submit three unpublished poems (60-line limit per poem), a single cover sheet with your name, address, phone, and poem titles (please, no names on the poems themselves), and a $15 entry fee (payable to The St. Louis Poetry Center) to The St. Louis Poetry Center, 567 North & South Road #8, St. Louis, Mo. 63130. Additional poems may be submitted for $5 each. Submissions must be postmarked

by Feb. 15 and will not be returned. All entries will be considered for publication in Margie/The American Journal of Poetry. For notification of contest results, include a self-addressed, stamped envelope.

JANUARY 2005

So 2005 is considered the Year of the Rooster? That is great and all, but I’m a little more partial to Punjab.

During the colder parts of 2004, John Heard (After Hours) and Laurie Metcalf (Roseanne) have been seen in Alton, Ill., working on Brian Jun’s Steel City. I’ve always loved the look of Alton, so it is good to see Jun make the effort to return and soak it all back in. I’m also pleased to mention that nowhere in this film does Heard fly away on vacation and absentmindedly force Tom Guiry (Mystic River) to YEAR OF THE ROOSTER fend off a pair of bumbling bandits. On the contrary, rumor has it that Heard was seen serving food to the cast and crew during a lunch break. Now is that setting a decent example, or what?

Bill Parmentier’s National Film Challenge short “Dial M for Hobo” made the final 15 list. Rising above the bulk of 161 total entries, Parmentier now awaits word on whether or not his short will be selected as the grand prize winner. As of my deadline, no official word has been given. Check with www.filmchallenge.com for more information.

Hooch & Daddy-O’s December screening at the Tivoli was a sold-out success. Be sure to visit www.hoochanddaddyo.com and guilt trip them into holding yet another screening.

Thadius Pictures reports it is halfway through with its current short “Love’s Revenge.” It plans on finishing up in mid-January, after which it will team up with Chuck Dixie Entertainment and begin a massive round of auditions. Snoop around www.thadiuspictures.com, and see what those guys are all about.

Just a few weeks before Christmas, Dream Welder Productions announced the release of JOHN HEARD

OUR FILMY SUBSTANCE

BY ADAM HACKBARTH its latest DVD, Motion Portraits: Fire Volume 1.

The video marks the launch of Jay A. Kelley’s series of “artistic environment” videos, which he reports to be a far step up from your average fireplace-on-your-TV videos. Complete with alternate audio tracks, the DVD can be purchased by visiting www.dreamwelder.com/ firedvd.

Good things are happening for Robert Hazel’s IFP-submitted screenplay Original Cyn. Check in at www.stlfilmwire.com to keep posted on Hazel’s ascent.

Once again, Cinema Saint Louis will soon be heading off to Sundance to scope out Robbie Redford’s goodies and work a little cinema magic. If you need to reach their travel team before they escape to Park City, hop on over to www.cinemastlouis.org and wish Andrea Sporcic and friends a safe trip.

THE POSSESSED

Did you know Gringo J has long been one of the kings of Ifilm.com? His short “Old School Afternoon” has been one of their top 100 shorts for quite some time now. Visit www.godangerranger.com, and check out the video in its streaming glory. Catch a few laughs, then head on over to www.heavy.com and check out “Old School Afternoon 2.”

Pre-order madness begins this month for Creative Light Worldwide’s upcoming DVD release The Possessed. Scheduled for a March 1 release, The Possessed was written by a certain local scribe on assignment for director Corbin Timbrook. Sources at Creative Light assure us that The Possessed did extremely well at MIPCOM and MIFED and even better at the American Film Market. In this brand new year, we’ll soon learn what “extremely well” means to a distributor.

Adam Hackbarth wrote this while being haunted by the memories of a John Huston classic. His e-mail address is stlfilmwire@yahoo.com.

He is not Sarah Conner.

PLAYBACK STL

PAGE BY PAGE

BOOKS

Favorite Books of 2004

By Stephen Schenkenberg, Book Editor 1. DAVID MITCHELL: CLOUD ATLAS (Random House) It’s hard to imagine asking more from a novel. In this young British author’s third book, he presents six just-barely stitched-together stories that cross centuries and continents. A frosty but vulnerable young composer wrestles his masterpiece to the ground in Belgium in the 1930s; a “wombtank”-bred clone is interrogated in a Korean “Corpocracy” of the future; a farcically doomed editor is on the run in present-day England…and those are only half of the novel’s parts. As a whole, the book is gripping, grim, silly, huge-hearted, sad, beautifully imagined, and startlingly controlled. Cloud Atlas absorbs all its styles and moods and characters and stories the way the world does: It contains—and masterfully sustains—multitudes.

“Souls cross ages like clouds cross skies,” says Zachry, the book’s final narrator in a postapocalyptic Maui centuries hence, “an’ tho’ a cloud’s shape nor hue nor size don’t stay the same, it’s still a cloud an’ so is a soul.”

2. DAVID FOSTER WALLACE: OBLIVION: STORIES (Little, Brown) Eight tightly controlled, troubling stories—powered by twin engines of sadness and compassion—that push into new, sometimes confounding directions of Wallace’s returnedto-again themes of loneliness, self-marketing, physical and emotional suffering, and the veiling we do because of it. And while Wallace’s stories themselves often feel veiled—by their

intimidating vocabulary, their endurance-testing attention to detail—they are, if and when they’re fully seen, about the deep-down us: the us between our actions and our minds.

3. STEPHEN GREENBLATT: WILL IN THE WORLD: HOW SHAKESPEARE BECAME SHAKESPEARE (W. W. Norton & Company) In this enlightening book of scholarship, history, and diligent conjecture, the author’s aim, he tells us, is “to tread the shadowy paths that lead from the life [Shakespeare] lived into the literature he created.” That fourth word—“shadowy”—should be a clear reminder that with Shakespeare, a fact-based biography isn’t possible. (So should the book’s first three words: “Let us imagine…”) What Greenblatt gives us is a history of England during Shakespeare’s day, particularly its grisly religious conflicts; background of the author’s plays that could have seeped into his work (after his son Hamnet died, “He responded not with prayers but with the deepest expression of his being: Hamlet”); insightful statements about the plays as a whole (“It is the general pattern of Shakespeare’s tragedies that when the hero gets what he wants, the result is devastating”); and, perhaps most interestingly, individual characters (“Falstaff seems actually to possess a mysterious inner principle of vitality, as if he could float free not only of Shakespeare’s sources in life and in art but also of the play in which he appears”). Beyond all this, what’s wonderful about Will in the World

is the “shadowy paths” Greenblatt set out to tread—by the book’s end, his footprints have been joined by our own.

4. CYNTHIA OZICK: HEIR TO THE GLIMMERING WORLD (Houghton Mifflin) An intelligent, funny, and lively novel about a refugee family and others amid flight and rebirth. Alone in the world together are the eccentric Mitwisser family, having escaped Hitler’s Germany and landed in New York; the Bear Boy, world-famous subject of his father’s children’s books now resentful of his storybook shadows; and the sweetly feisty Rose, who tells us the richly rendered, memorable American story.

5. NORMAN LOCK: A HISTORY OF THE IMAGINATION (FC2) A strange, unforgettable book. Twentyseven mostly brief and trippy chapters narrated by a man living in Africa in 1910. Although he might just be living in his own head, or anywhere, at any moment in time. Or he might be living in just the author’s head—don’t all characters? Don’t they also live in ours? Sorry, but these are the types of questions this novel makes a reader consider. From his base in Africa (which may just be another name for the imagination), the narrator has continual run-ins (real? Is anything real?) with famous people: Matisse, Caruso, Houdini, Roosevelt, Wilbur Wright. The book starts out silly and whimsical, but as it progresses, a certain sadness sets in. Our reader’s realities—time,

truth—tug at the tale as if it’s a kite; but it never quite comes back to earth. “To return from the end of dreaming took no more effort than the closing of our eyes,” the narrator says near the novel’s close. “We fell into something like a swoon and in an instant were transported to the edge of consciousness.”

6. JAMES WOOD: THE IRRESPONSIBLE SELF: ON LAUGHTER AND THE NOVEL (Farrar, Straus and Giroux) Twenty-four fair and discerning essays on writers past and present, canoned and overlooked, most of whom are somewhat linked to what Wood calls “the comedy of forgiveness.” A respected critic, fine first novelist, and a valuable reader’s reader, Wood employs a keen sense of narrative style, an appreciation of both humor and seriousness, an ability to draw compelling parallels, and a crisp writing style that shows his own gift for metaphor and word choice. Though Wood knows how to deliver a memorable verdict (“Information has become the new character,” he says of certain overstuffed recent novels), the overall vibe of this book is a reader’s gratitude at being a part of the literary conversation.

7. RACHEL COHEN: A CHANCE MEETING: INTERTWINED LIVES OF AMERICAN WRITERS AND ARTISTS: 1854–1967 (Random House) A captivating and warmly told chronicle detailing the moments, days, or years shared by 30 writers and artists. Gertrude Stein weasels out of an exam in William James’ class.

Willa Cather attends Mark Twain’s 70th birthday party. Walt Whitman sits for photographer Mathew Brady. Langston Hughes and Zora Neale Hurston stop off in Macon, Georgia, to hear Bessie Smith sing. Marianne Moore and Elizabeth Bishop feed elephants at the circus.

A pajamaed Hart Crane meets Charlie Chaplin at 2 a.m. You get the idea: Interesting people playing out their interesting lives, while we sit somewhere alone reading a book. In other words, a wonderful time.

8. ALICE MUNRO: RUNAWAY: STORIES (Knopf) My new name for Alice Munro, the Canadian grande dame of short story writers, is Chris Rock’s name for the glass-box-bound David Blaine: the “trickless magician.” Munro’s stories are all no big deal—no fireworks, no authorial winks or intrusions, no narrative crackle, no leaps or lunges. A young woman in one story walks down a street to see her neighbor. Another woman in another story takes a train to see a play. Another cuts her foot. But you’re reading these simple and apparently effortless stories, and all the sudden one of them just goes whoompf in your heart. And Munro casually ups from her rocking chair and heads inside for some tea. She’ll be right back, she says, to tell you another.

9. JULIAN BARNES: THE LEMON TABLE: STORIES (Knopf) A fine, contained story collection about melancholy and diminishment—of the body’s abilities, the mind’s means for hope—whose humor and knowingness keep it from crumbling in on itself.

10. ADAM ZAGAJEWSKI: A DEFENSE OF ARDOR (Farrar, Straus and Giroux) “Where do we find what’s lasting? Where do the deathless things hide?” The questions, and the answer, come from renowned Polish poet Adam Zagajewski in this slim, passionate, direct book of essays. Sure he’s preaching to the choir, but the message is good listening: Irony and sarcasm are fine, healthy even in their places, but intoxication, passion—those are essential.

“The twentieth century’s great drama means that we now deal with two kinds of intellect: the resigned and the seeking, the questing,” he writes. “Doubt is poetry for the resigned.

Whereas poetry is searching, endless wandering.” And this wandering, if undertaken with vigor, really will take you places. And the poets to whom you’ve surrendered walk with you.

11. ELIZABETH ROBINSON: THE TRUE AND OUTSTANDING ADVENTURES OF THE HUNT SISTERS (Little, Brown) This debut family-drama, told entirely through letters, trails a snappy and determined movie producer and her dying sister. It’s moving where it could have been maudlin, funny where it could have been forced, and real where it could have auto-driven into generalities. It’s as if a bathetic disease flick had been moved to the hands of an indie-hearted spitfire, then remade completely.

12. PHILIP ROTH: THE PLOT AGAINST AMERICA (Houghton Mifflin) Just in case your world needs more stories of religious-rooted intolerance, division, and violence, there’s this vivid, absorbing novel from Pulitzer winner Philip Roth, which imagines an America if an isolationist and Nazi sympathizer had beaten Roosevelt in 1940. “Our incomparable American childhood has ended,” says the narrator, a young boy named Philip Roth.

“Soon my homeland would be nothing more than my birthplace.”

13. DAVID SEDARIS: DRESS YOUR FAMILY IN CORDUROY AND DENIM (Little, Brown) The family stories are still outlandish and funny—the author’s foulmouthed brother marries, then breeds (“I don’t care if it’s a boy or a girl, but this little son of a bitch is going to have brains”)—but Sedaris allows more room this time for the laments between the laughs.

It pays off.

14. WILLIAM LYCHACK: THE WASP EATER (Houghton Mifflin) A slender, quietly assured first novel about a mother (with “quicksand eyes”), a father (with a “sweepstakes smile”), and the lonely tenyear-old boy trying to grow up between them.

15. GREG KOT: WILCO: LEARNING HOW TO DIE (Broadway) A portrait of our artist becoming a man.

DELIRIOUS NOMAD COMPILED BY BYRON KERMAN

RENNIE HARRIS PUREMOVEMENT DANCE

Through Feb.: Wild bald-eagle-watching opportunities in Alton, Grafton, Granite City, etc. (www.greatriverroad.com) Jan. 5–30: St. Louis Black Repertory Co. presents Javon Johnson’s Cryin’ Shame at Grandel Theatre (314-534-1111) Jan. 5–Feb. 4: Repertory Theatre of St. Louis presents Marie Jones’ Stones in His Pockets (314-968-4925, www.repstl.org) Jan. 5–Feb. 12: Jane Calvin: Sentences at Gallery 210, UMSL (314-516-5952, www.umsl.edu/~gallery) Jan. 7: Harlem Globetrotters at Savvis Center (www.ticketmaster.com) Jan. 7–9: COCAdance presents All Together Now, featuring accomplished COCAdance alums (314-7256555, www.cocastl.org) Jan. 7–16: The Beats Revisited film festival at Webster Films (314-968-7487, www.webster.edu/ filmseries.html) Jan. 11: St. Louis Symphony Orchestra Chamber group performs at Tower Grove Park’s Piper Palm House (314-771-2679, www.towergrovepark.org) Jan. 11: Author of The Passion of My Times: An Advocate’s 50-Year Journey in the Civil Rights Movement William Taylor reads from his work at Left Bank Books (314-367-6731, www.left-bank.com) Jan. 13: Readings at the Contemporary featuring poets Robyn Schiff, Nick Twemlow, and Julie Dill at Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis (www.belz.net/readings) Jan. 15: Innovative NY dance trio Galumpha performs as part of Ovations! for Young People series at Edison Theatre (314-534-1111) Jan. 15: Ovations! presents singers Liz Callaway and Jason Graae in Backstage Broadway Buddies at Edison Theatre (314-534-1111) Jan. 15: Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Freedom Celebration with mini-play and choral concert at St. Louis Art Museum (314-721-0072, www.slam.org) Jan. 15–16: Trailnet sponsors Eagle Days with wild-eagle-spotting opportunities at Old Chain of Rocks Bridge (314-416-9930, www.trailnet.org) Jan. 15–17: Cardinals Winter Warm-Up at Millennium Hotel (www.stlcardinals.com) Jan. 16, 23, & 30: Delta Dental Winter Zoo indoor activities at the St. Louis Zoo (314-781-0900, www.stlzoo.org)

Jan. 16–Mar. 5: David Friedman: Because They Were Jews! Holocaust-themed art at St. Louis Artists’ Guild (314-727-6266, www.stlouisartistsguild.org) Jan. 17: St. Louis Gateway Classic Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Shootout basketball at Savvis Center (www.ticketmaster.com) Jan. 19: Author of fiction collection Life Studies Susan Vreeland reads from her work at St. Louis Public Library, Schlafly Branch (314-367-6731, www.left-bank.com) Jan. 21: That Uppity Theatre Co. presents Women’s Bodies, Women’s Lives at Washington University’s Kemper Art Museum (314-534-1454) Jan. 21: St. Louis Symphony & Chorus performs music of Dvorak at St. Louis Cathedral (314-534-1111) Jan. 21: Soulard Mardi Gras Wine, Cheese & Dessert Taste & Art Show at Mad Art & Lynch Street Bistro (314-771-5110) Jan. 21 & 28: Black History: Personal Journeys film series at St. Louis Art Museum (314-721-0072, www.slam.org) Jan. 22: Schlafly Ale Cabin Fever with 15 different beers for a single admission fee at City Museum (www.schlafly.com) Jan. 22–28: St. Louis Family Theatre Series presents The Hundred Dresses at Florissant Civic Center Theatre (314-921-5678) Jan. 23: Organist James Kibbie performs “In Celebration of the Graham Chapel Restoration” at Washington University’s Graham Chapel (314-935-4841) Jan. 27: Former Israeli prime minister Shimon Peres at St. Louis Speakers Series at Powell Hall (314-533-7888) Jan. 29: Fete de Glace Ice-Carving Competition in St. Charles (800-366-2427) Jan. 29: Gadget Lab: Imagine It, Design It, Build It & Omnimax film Pulse: A STOMP Odyssey open at the St. Louis Science Center (314-289-4444, www.slsc.org) Jan. 29–30: Taste of Soulard (314-771-5110) Jan. 29–30: St. Louis Food & Wine Experience to benefit Repertory Theatre of St. Louis at Chase Park Plaza (314-968-4925) Jan. 29–Mar. 13: Orchid Island orchid show at Mo. Botanical Garden (314-577-9400, www.mobot.org) Jan. 30: Soulard Mardi Gras Mystic Krewe of Barkus Ralston Pet Parade (314-771-5110)

Sci-fi oddity Silent Running, oddly enough, is screened twice this month; first as part of the Strange Brew: Cult Films at Schlafly Bottleworks series, sponsored by Webster Films (Jan. 5, 314-968-7487, www.webster.edu/filmseries.html); and again as part of the St. Louis Science Center’s Huygens Landing Party & Public Telescope Viewing Party (Jan. 14, 314-289-4453, www.slsc.org). Watch Bruce Dern pet robots, fondle plants, and kill his coworkers aboard a funky spaceship straight out of the ’70s.

Parceltongue, the Harry Potter books tell us, is the language of snakes. Herpetologist Jeff Ettling may teach you its ssssibilant conssssonantssss at “Operation Armenian Viper,” one of those charming lectures given by animal researchers at the St. Louis Zoo’s Living World (Jan. 11, 314-768-5450, www.stlzoo.org).

Speaking of cute animals, the St. Louis Family Theatre Series presents Adventures of Curious George at Florissant Civic Center Theatre (Jan. 14–16, 314-921-5678). Do not 39 blame the actors if your child leaps off the garage roof with a simian howl after these performances.

The annual World of Wheels hot rod show promises cars customized by people who do not read books, watch movies, or cook fancy meals. That’s because all they do is work on their cars, and we get to ogle the high-gloss results of their obsessive hobby. We also get to meet that burly Rupert from Survivor, along with various pro wrestlers and models, at America’s Center (Jan. 14–16, www.autorama.com).

Yes, the Rennie Harris Puremovement Dance group breakdances. They pop and lock, but they also step and stomp and do every kind of dance descended from Africa and African-America in their new show, Asphalt Jungle at COCA. Fact is, they’re considered the hottest hip-hop dancers on the planet, and they make the moves you see on MTV seem pedestrian by comparison (Jan. 21–23, 314-534-1111).

Eating a sheep’s stomach stuffed with oatmeal and spices ain’t no big thing. Truly, gefilte fish is at least as frightening, and that creeps off the shelves in astonishing quantities at Dierberg’s several times a year. Scotch eggs—now there’s a delicacy. Take a hard-boiled egg, wrap it in bacon, deep-fry it, and serve it with a mustard dip. Kind of like a fried Egg McMuffin—mmm…The annual celebration of all things Scottish, Burns Night at the Schlafly Tap Room, means haggis, Scotch eggs, raucous readings of Burns’ poetry, kilts, Scotch, and Scotch ale (Jan. 25, www.schlafly.com).

BAHA ROCK CLUB 305 N. Main St. • St. Charles, Mo. 63301 636-949-0466 • www.baharockclub.com Original bands every Tuesday Contact Carrie at carrieanne@centurytel.net for booking Every Monday: Karaoke Every Wednesday: Big Daddy Rob

LORENZO GOETZ CAMERON McGILL ADAM SCHMITT at FREDERICK’S MUSIC LOUNGE January 21, 9 p.m. • 21+ TICKETS: $7 • CALL: 314-351-5711 This is such an amazing triple bill, there’s really no excuse for you not to hop in your car the night of Jan. 21, drive to Frederick’s, and fork over the measly $7 entry fee (a bargain!) to see these three acts. But if you need a bit of convincing, read on.

I’m considering Lorenzo Goetz the headliner by default—there are four of them, so they can make more noise than solo acts Cameron McGill and Adam Schmitt. This 40 Champaign band creates such poppy, jangly music, you’ll have it stuck in your head for days. Their first full-length, Jesus Elephant (Innocent Words), hasn’t left my CD changer since it arrived. It’s a heady mix of creative wordplay, fun sounds, and friendly pop music The Beatles might have made—if they had emerged in 2004.

If you’re a frequent reader of this magazine, you’re undoubtedly familiar with Cameron McGill. The Champaign-born Chicago resident is something of a Bright Eyes–Counting Crows hybrid—and I mean that in the best possible way. His voice is a bit rough, a bit nasally, like Adam Duritz’s; his songwriting wit and ability to be a one-man-band more parallels the acclaimed Conor Oberst. Live, the commitment to his craft is utterly apparent, and McGill is nothing short of fantastic.

Finally, what can I say about Adam Schmitt that hasn’t been said before? Known more for recording and producing other bands, both here in the Midwest and around the world, Schmitt is a known perfectionist. While this lends itself well to other artists’ work, it’s an impediment to his own: Since 1991, the power pop musical genius has released just three albums, the most recent being 2001’s Demolition (Parasol). Live shows are almost less frequent than recorded releases, so you don’t want to miss this appearance.

Brought to you by your friends at Playback, Innocent Words, Frederick’s, and Vintage Vinyl.

—Laura Hamlett

700 S. Broadway • St. Louis, Mo. 63102 314-436-5222 • www.bbsjazzbluessoups.com 1/1: Pennsylvania Slim 7p, Alvin Jett & The Phat Noiz Blues Band 10p 1/2: The Yard Squad Reggae Band 9:30p 1/3: Sessions Jazz Big Band 8p 1/4: Pennsylvania Slim Blues Band 9p 1/5: Beau Shelby & Fly Rhythm & Blues 9p 1/6: Leroy Pierson 7p, Marcel Strong & The Apostles of Soul 10p 1/7: Leroy Pierson 7p, Arthur Williams Blues Masters 10p 1/8: Margaret Bianchetta & Eric McSpadden 7p, Bennie Smith & Urban Blues Express 10p 1/9: Darryl Herndon & Metropolitan Jazz/Rock Orchestra 7p, DJ Ranx & Dubtronix Reggae Band 10p 1/10: Sessions Jazz Big Band 8p 1/11: Rich McDonough Blues Band 9p 1/12: Cryin’ Shame Blues Band 9p 1/13: Leroy Pierson 7p, Marcel Strong & The Apostles of Soul 10p 1/14: Leroy Pierson 7p, Rondos Blues Deluxe 10p 1/15: Tom Hall 7p, Rich McDonough Blues Band 10p 1/16: Think Pink Concert for The Cure w/Carol Beth True, Jeanne Trevor, Zelphia Robinson Otis, Renée Smith, Patti & The Hitmen, Melissa Neels, Marcia Evans Coalition 6p 1/17: Sessions Jazz Big Band 8p 1/18: The Holmes Brothers 9p 1/19: Cryin’ Shame Blues Band 9p 1/20: Leroy Pierson 7p, Beau Shelby & Fly Rhythm & Blues 10p 1/21: Leroy Pierson 7p, Billy Peek Band 10p 1/22: Tom Hall 7p, Alvin Jett & Phat Noiz Blues Band 10p 1/23: Darryl Herndon & Metropolitan Jazz/Rock Orchestra 7:30p, DJ Ranx & Dubtronix Reggae Band 10p 1/24: Sessions Jazz Big Band 8p 1/25: Rich McDonough Blues Band 9p 1/26: Cryin’ Shame Blues Band 9p 1/27: Leroy Pierson 7p, Marcel Strong & The Apostles of Soul 10p 1/28: Leroy Pierson 7p, Larry McCray Blues Band 10p 1/29: Tom Hall 7p, Bennie Smith & Urban Blues Express 10p 1/30: Darryl Herndon & Metropolitan Jazz/Rock Orchestra 7:30p, The Yard Squad Reggae Band 10p 1/31: Sessions Jazz Big Band 8p

BEALE ON BROADWAY 701 S. Broadway • St. Louis, Mo. 63102 314-621-7880 • www.bealeonbroadway.com Every Monday: Shakey Ground Blues Band Every Tuesday: Kim Massie & The Solid Senders Every Wednesday: Rich McDonough Acoustic Blues Every Thursday: Kim Massie & The Solid Senders 1/1: Rob Garland & the Blue Monks

1/7: Ground Floor Band 1/8: Rich McDonough Band 1/14: Melissa Neels Band 1/15: Scott Kay & The Continentals 1/21: Rich McDonough Band 1/22: Piano Slim & The Family Band 1/28: Rich McDonough Band 1/29: Piano Slim & The Family Band

BLUEBERRY HILL

BLUE NOTE

BRANDT’S

17 N. 9th St. • Columbia, Mo. 65201 573-874-1944 • www.thebluenote.com 1/18: Cross Canadian Ragweed 1/20: Core Project, 40 Thieves & Essence of Logic 1/21: Dr. Zhivegas 1/22: Tech N9ne 1/28: Zoso 1/29: Shinedown, Theory of a Dead Man & No Address

ROGUE WAVE at Columbia’s MOJO’S January 29, 8:30 p.m. • 21+ TICKETS: $6 • CALL: 573-875-0588 When San Francisco–based singer/songwriter Zach Schwartz’s dot com gig went belly up in 2002, a get-out-of-towner to New York City—with intentions to record two songs with an old friend—left him with an album’s worth of recordings that would later make up most of Rogue Wave’s 2003 debut, Out of the Shadow. Upon returning home, he changed his last name to Rogue, quit longtime band Desoto Reds, and finished the album, while simultaneously filling out his newly christened band’s lineup. Response to the newly formed band’s live shows was overwhelming, garnering them opening slots for indie heavyweights like Spoon and The Shins (whose delicate O, Inverted World could be a younger sister to Out of the Shadow). After releasing the record on their own Responsive Recordings imprint, buzz from rave reviews and indie-good sales drew attention from Sub Pop, who released a remastered version of the record in 2004.

—Brian McClelland

6504 Delmar Blvd. • University City, Mo. 63130 314-727-4444 • www.blueberryhill.com 1/2: BET Comedian Arvin Mitchell 1/15: Lithium 1/16: Camper Van Beethoven w/Hackensaw Boys 1/19: Chuck Berry 1/22: Bobby Bare Jr.

6525 Delmar Blvd. • University City, Mo. 63130 314-727-3663 • www.brandtscafe.com Every Saturday: The John Norment Trio

BROADWAY OYSTER BAR 736 S. Broadway • St. Louis, Mo. 63102 314/621-8811 • www.broadwayoysterbar.com Mondays: Soulard Blues band Tuesdays: Big Bamou Wednesdays: Brian Curran 5-7pm Thursdays: Bennie Smith & The Urban Blues Express Saturdays: Brian Curran 6-9p 1/2: Rob Garland & The Blue Monks 3p, Johnny Goodwin 8p 1/5: Mojo Syndrome 1/6: Tim Sessions 5p, Bennie Smith & The Urban Blues Express 8p 1/7: Johnny Fox 5p, Rich McDonough Band 9p 1/8: Scott Kay & The Continentals 1/9: Otis 3p, Acoustic Showcase w/Brian Curran, John Logan & Larry Griffin 8p 1/12: Shakey Ground 1/13: Luck Dan & Naked Mike 5p, Bennie Smith & The Urban Blues Express 8p 1/14: Zydeco Crawdaddies 1/15: Gumbohead 1/16: Melissa Neels Band 3p, Logan & Griffin 8p 1/19: Alvin Jett & The Phat Noiz Band 1/20: Johnny Fox 5p, Bennie Smith & The Urban Blues Express 8p 1/21: Tim Session 5p, The Round Ups 9p 1/22: Thos 1/23: Tiny Cows 3p, Tim Sessions 8p 1/26: Roland Allen Band 1/27: Johnny Goodwin 5p, Bennie Smith & The Urban Blues Express 8p 1/28: Soulard Blues Band 1/29: Jakes Leg 1/30: Rich McDonough Band 3p, Johnny Fox 8p

CABIN INN the City Museum 16th & Delmar • St. Louis, Mo. 314-231-2489 Every Monday: Traditional Irish Jam w/Tom Hall Every Tuesday: Acoustic Jam w. Dave Landreth & Friends Every Wednesday: The Blackeyed Susies Every Thursday: The Sawmill Band

CICERO’S 6691 Delmar Blvd. • University City, Mo. 63130 314- 862-0009 • www.ciceros-stl.com Every Monday: Madahoochi & Friends Every Tuesday: The Schwag Every Friday: Jakes Leg Every Sunday: Open Mic 1/1: Hedwig & the Angry Inch, 12 oz. Prophets & Dead Drive Fast 1/2: Afternoon Show: Centerpointe, Blinded Black, Adeline & Say Goodbye 1/6: The Menagerie and Crescent Moon Connection

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1/8: Liquid Groove Theory & The Max Allen Band 1/9: Afternoon Show: Adam’s Off Ox, Commichung, A Reasonable Place to Park & Jet Pack 1/13: Thos, Maxtone 4 & Precho 1/15: Leo, Lost Parade & eero 1/20: Loudmouth Angel & Panic Attack 1/22: TBA 1/23: Afternoon show: IQ22 1/27: Plum Tucker, Cerulean City & Remedy 1/29: Dave Kalz & Impala Deluxe, Dave Glover Band & The Formula Kid

COOKIES JAZZ & MORE #20 Allen Ave. • Webster Groves, Mo. 314-962-JAZZ • www.CookiesJazz.com 1/20: Valerie Tichacek

CREEPY CRAWL 412 N. Tucker • St. Louis, Mo. 63101 314-851-0919 • www.creepycrawl.com 1/3: One Eyed Jack Night 1/5: The Chariot, Small Town Tragedy, Richard Pryor on Fire 1/7: Novella, Sincerely I, Last Flight Home & Post Break Tragedy 1/8: Ska Fest: Psycho Dad, Secret Cajun Band, The Monskasites, Third Grade Scuffle, No Reason Given, The Chupacabras, Swift Kixx, Rufus McNasty & The Straight Shooters and The Skascrapers 1/11: The Kinision, So They Say, Hell In The Cannon, Shall We Dance, Laving Lincoln, Adeline 1/15: Mustard Plug, The Monskasites & Psycho Dad 5:30p, Love Lost Byt Not Forgotten & Esoteric 9:30p 1/16: Scream For Silence, CDC, Ten Crowns & This Incredible Machine 1/18: Peelander & The Contradictions 1/20: H2o, Stretch Armstong & Adair 1/30: Spitalfield, Divide By Zero, Faultlines & Losers Luck

DELMAR LOUNGE 6235 Delmar Blvd. • St. Louis, Mo. 63130 314-725-6565 • www.delmarrestaurant.com Every Tuesday: Industry Night w/Jim Utz Every Thursday: College Night w/DJ Leon Lamont Every Friday: Chris Hansen’s World Jazz Quartet & DJ Alexis

1/21: Lorenzo Goetz, Cameron McGill & Adam Schmitt 1/23: Paradise Vending & Cary Hudson 1/25: Justin P Lamoureux & Korey Anderson 1/26: An Evening with Frank Lee 1/29: Bejeezus

THE GARGOYLE Washington University Mallinckrodt Ctr. 1 Brookings Dr. • St. Louis, Mo. 63130 314-935-5917 • www.gargoyle.wustl.edu

THE FORMS

w/RIDDLE OF STEEL at the HI-POINTE January 19, 9 p.m. • all ages TICKETS: $7 • CALL: 314-781-4716 Music critics are a fickle lot. Once upon a time, bestowing “Next Big Thing” status on a band implied they were going to be around for a while. Nowadays, it seems every month there’s another “next-Nirvana” that implodes on impact, another “greatest album ever recorded” that somehow doesn’t make those same critics’ year-end top 10 lists.

Not so with The Forms. Music reviewers universally drooled over their 2003 debut album Icarus, in spite of its brief, almost Minutemenlike 18-minute running time. Icarus topped dozens of year-end favorite lists and garnered tours with bands as disparate as Q and Not U and OK Go. The group’s unique brand of post-punk has drawn comparisons to indierock darlings Modest Mouse, and gained the band fans like Jawbox’s J Robbins and Shellac frontman Steve Albini, who recorded Icarus in his trademark lo-fi style. And finally, their drummer goes by the name Acquaman, which is just cool.

2002 Arena Pkwy • St. Charles, Mo. 63303 636-896-4200 • www.familyarena.com

All the SAT-worthy adjectives being thrown at The Forms are sure to spread, so it would behoove you to catch them while they’re still on the rise. And be sure to show up early to catch Riddle of Steel, St. Louis’s finest progpunk band. —Jason Green

FOCAL POINT

FREDERICK’S MUSIC LOUNGE

DRESSEL’S PUB 419 N. Euclid • St. Louis, Mo. 63108 314-361-1060

FAMILY ARENA

2720 Sutton • Maplewood, Mo. 63143 314-781-4200 • www.thefocalpoint.org 1/15: Raven Moon

FOX THEATRE 527 N. Grand Blvd. • St. Louis, Mo. 63107 636-534-1111 • www.fabulousfox.com 1/7–9: Rent 1/11: Tim Conway & Harvey Korman 1/13–16: Meet the Browns 1/22: Larry the Cable Guy 1/28–29: Parsons Dance Company

4454 Chippewa • St. Louis, Mo. 63116 314-351-5711 • www.fredericksmusiclounge.com 1/1: Scott Kay & The Continentals w/Rough Shop 1/4: Shame Club w/TBA 1/5: Brian Curran 1/6: Open Mic hosted by Bob Reuter 1/7: The Saps & Snakebite Orphans 1/8: The Tripdaddys 1/11: Bagheera w/TBA 1/12: Box Social & The Gaslights 1/14: The Haywards & Coltrane Motion 1/15: Rocket Park 1/18: The Saw Is Family 1/19: The Dirty 30’s

GENERATIONS 10709 Watson Rd. • St. Louis, Mo. 63127 636-256-8522 • www.eliteconcerts.com

HAMMERSTONE’S 2028 S. 9th St. • St. Louis, Mo. 63104 314-773-5565 Every Monday: Tim Albert Every Tuesday: Lucky Dan & Naked Mike Every Wednesday: Park Avenue Every Thursday: Rondo’s Blues Deluxe Every Sunday: Voodoo Blues w/Bennie Smith 4p, Erik Brooks 8:30p 1/1: One Kindred Soul 3p, Fairchild 9p 1/8: Rondo’s Blues Deluxe 3p, Fairchild 9p 1/15: One Kindred Soul 3p, Fairchild 9p 1/22: Rondo’s Blues Deluxe 3p, Fairchild 9p 1/29: One Kindred Soul 3p, Fairchild 9p

HI-POINTE 1001 McCausland Ave. • St. Louis, Mo. 63117 314-781-4716 • www.hi-pointe.com Every Thursday: The Militant Bingo Propaganda Machine w/The Non Prophet Theatre Co.

JAZZ AT THE BISTRO 3536 Washington Ave. • St. Louis, Mo. 63103 314-531-1012 • www.jazzatthebistro.com 1/5–8: Houston Person 1/19–22: Luciana Souza

LEMP NEIGHBORHOOD ARTS CENTER 3301 Lemp Ave. • St. Louis, Mo. 63118 314-771-1096 • www.lemp-arts.org 1/1: Say Goodbye, Cardiac Arrest & VPR 1/2: Small Town Tragedy, Commichung, Dancing Feet March to War 1/3: The Spark & Ruiner 1/4: Cut and Run, Swing by Seven, The Hot Atomics 1/6: The Vets, Warhammer 48k, Dancing Feet March To War, The Adversary Workers 1/8: Wierd Weeds, Ruby Slippers,The Home Recording Project 1/12: Xmas Round II 1/14: Olivers Army, Target Market 1/15: Lord of the Yum Yum, 01v, Commichung, Puppet Show 1/17: Embrace Today, Cast Aside, Cross Examination, Requiem 1/18: Continental Light Brigade 1/19: Like Language, Citygoats, Dancing Feet March to War, Target Market, Ghost Ice 1/23: jack, michel, tatsuya trio

LIL NIKKI’S 1551 S. 7th St. • St. Louis, Mo. 63104 314-621-2181 1/1: Earl, The Dead Celebrities, Gassoff 1/3: High on Fire w/Killjoy4fun & TBA 1/7: Sibylline, Anal, & Iron Doves

EDDIE FROM OHIO at OFF BROADWAY January 14, 9 p.m. • 21+ TICKETS: $12/15 • CALL: 314-773-3363 Twelve years after releasing their debut—and ditching their day jobs—folk festival darlings Eddie From Ohio have no intention of slowing down their hectic touring schedule. Back on the road promoting their sixth full-length, the decidedly more grown-up album This Is Me—produced by grammy-winning Dixie Chicks producer Lloyd Maines—guitarist and co-vocalist Robbie Schaefer describes their 2005 itinerary as “Touring, touring, touring. [With] time off for a group pedicure.”

This is obviously a band with a healthy sense of humor. The energetic, old-school showbiz behind silly but soft-hearted chicken-fried folkpop songs like “Eddie’s Concubine” (inspired by low-key drummer and band namesake Eddie Hartness, who is not from Ohio, but from Northern Virginia, like the rest 41 of the band) have helped them build a fanatic nationwide following. But where EFO’s previous records were slightly schizophrenic in tone—veering from silly to deadly serious and back again—This Is Me is a more cohesive collection of like-minded material, decidedly somber, leaving the silly stuff out of the mix altogether.

“It wasn’t as much a conscious effort as a natural progression,” Schaefer explains. “Each album is bound to be a reflection of a particular period in an artist’s life. I think we’ve all been through some ups and downs since our last studio album was released three years ago, and these happen to be the songs that came out of that period.”

Don’t expect a change in their live show, though. The group’s irresistible draw has always been its laid-back interplay with live audiences, where their easy professionalism and we-willentertain-you chutzpah—led by charmingly buoyant singer Julie Murphy’s big-hearted, jazz-inflected voice—constantly wins them new fans. A show like theirs deserves its own theater in Branson, if the beloved music town/tourist trap featured performers not yet eligible for AARP. The only thing longtime fans might notice missing onstage is jocular bassist Mike Clem’s trademark ’stache-less beard. According to Schaefer, “The Amish look never did catch on, although he did court some gamey barefoot women.” —Brian McClelland

PLAYBACK STL

QUEENSRYCHE at POP’S January 20, 8 p.m. • all ages TICKETS: $25 • CALL: 618-274-6720 As pretentious, yet completely fucking rocking concept albums go, it might not be Pink Floyd’s The Wall, or even Rush’s 2112, but when The Thinking Man’s Hair Metal Band, Queensryche, announced they’d be touring with the first full production in 15 years of their 1988 epic Operation: Mindcrime, I guarantee thousands of 30-year-old balding guys devil-horned in unison and uttered a few of the expletives their kids aren’t allowed to say.

To fans that had years ago lost interest in the less-metal, more radio-friendly direction of the band’s mid ’90s releases, this was some damn fine news. Now if they can only find their lucky ol’ denim jacket and jeans combo.

Surely they still fit, right?

While most fans point to the 1998 departure of co-founding guitarist Chris DeGarmo 42 as when Queensryche stopped being Queensryche, they often forget that the last album with DeGarmo, 1997’s Hear in the Now Frontier, was the first real stinker in their catalogue, and no better (and maybe even worse) than their last two watered-down postDeGarmo efforts: 1999’s unfortunately titled Q2K (in their defense, Willennium was already taken) and 2003’s Tribe. This new focus on reliving past glories is a smart move—sure to lure nostalgic metalheads from the suburbs—and should help the band gauge just how “hotly anticipated” their upcoming sequel to Operation: Mindcrime is.

Touring sans opener, the show is a spectacle in two acts (or, I should say, II acts), featuring surround sound and an “updated and enhanced” video presentation. Act I is titled “Hits Through the Years”—expect hits like “Silent Lucidity” and pseudo-hits like “Jet City Woman”—followed by Act II’s Operation: Mindcrime in its entirety. As a bonus, this set includes a “special sneak peek” into the band’s very own Bat Out of Hell 2, the longawaited Operation: Mindcrime II. Here’s the real scoop, though: The Chicago show the night before is being taped for a possible DVD. So order your Operation: Mindcrime Commemorative Snare Drum from Queensryche.com (suggested retail: $1,395.95, available now for only $995.95!) and get yer ass to the Windy City, pronto.

—Brian McClelland

1/14: Shame Club, American Motherload, Lungdust 1/15: Irene Allen’s b-day party w/The Good Griefs, Woodbox Gang, Outlaw Family Band, The Round Ups and The Bottoms Up Blues Gang 1/21: Neptune Crush & TBA 1/22: Trailer Park Travoltas, B. Koolman & the Lot Lizards, Stashrider 1/24: The Coke Dares & TBA 1/28: Hi Marks, Bug, & TBA 1/29: Bi Level, Camp Climax for Girls, Unmutuals

MAGEE’S 4500 Clayton Ave. • St. Louis, Mo. 63110 314-535-8061 Every Monday: Open Mic w/Heather Barth Every Thursday: Jake’s Leg

MANGIA ITALIANO 3145 S. Grand Ave. • St. Louis, Mo. 63118 314-664-8585 • www.dineatmangia.com Every Sunday: Reggae Dub Spin w/Gabe and Dino Every Monday: Open Mic Hosted by Kieran Malloy Every Wednesday: Eightyfourglyde DJ Spin Every Friday: Dave Stone Trio 1/6: Cherry Octopi

EERO

1/8: Miles of Wire & the Palmers 1/13: Team Tomato 1/15: The Good Griefs 1/20: The Brian Sullivan Quartet 1/22: The Helium Tapes 1/27: Lauren Gray’s Five-Piece Bucket 1/29: The Round Ups

THE MARTINI BAR 4004 Peach Ct. • Columbia, Mo. 65203 573-256-8550 • www.themartinibar.biz 1/1: DC Bellamy & The Americas Most Wanted

MISSISSIPPI NIGHTS 914 N. First St. • St. Louis, Mo. 63102 314-421-3853 • www.mississippinights.com 1/7: Stroke 9 & Bottle of Justus 1/8: Black Dahlia 1/14: Side of Fives 1/17: Something Corporate w/Straylight Run, Hidden in Plain View & The Academy is…

1/21: LaPush

MOJO’S 1013 Park Ave. • Columbia, Mo. 65201 573-875-0588 • www.mojoscolumbia.com 1/8: Arties Univibe 6p, Acoustic Columbia 8:30p 1/12: Billy Schuh and the Foundry, Company Men, White Rabbits & Kim Chi 1/13: Dale Watson 1/14: Baitshop Boys 6p 1/15: Chris Kendrick 6p 1/19: Thr Front & Bravo Max 1/20: Tabla Rasa & Madahoochi 1/21: Cary Hudson & Dallas Jones 1/22: JR & B Project 6p, Phriendly Band 8:30p 1/24: Jolie Hooand 1/27: Driver 1/28: Boob Black & Mo. Bluegrass Allstars 1/29: Rogue Wave, White Rabbits & Someone Still Loves You Boris

THE MUSIC CAFÉ

w/LEO and LOST PARADE

120 S. 9th St. • Columbia, Mo. 65201 573-815-9995 • www.themusiccafecolumbia.com Every Monday: Open Mic

at CICERO’S January 15, 9 p.m. • 18+ TICKETS: $5 • CALL: 314-862-0009

OFF BROADWAY 3509 Lemp Ave. • St. Louis, Mo. 63118 314-773-3363 • www.offbroadwaystl.com 1/1: Panic Attack, Missile Silo Suite, Reigning Heir, Gothic Blues Quartet & Guns Make Ghosts 1/7: Sides of Five 1/8: Helium Tapes, Red Eyed Driver & Bagheera 1/12: Dale Watson & His Lonestars 1/13: Kenneth Brian 1/14: Eddie From Ohio 1/15: Cleevage, Baine, Animus & Prig 1/20: The Jonathan Bentley Band, The Nadas & The Wormwood Scrubs 1/21: The Transmitters, Tinhorn & Magnolia Summer 1/22: Jervis Jort, Steel Rivers 1/28: The Good Griefs 1/29: Beatle Bob’s Birthday Bash

You might recognize the familiar faces of eero as one of the best rhythm sections in St. Louis—bassist Derek Bayer and drummer Bill Wheeler have provided the kick-ass for bands like Tripstar, The Dave AlanS Band, and The Adored—but once you’ve heard the sound this duo puts across live, finally downstage, under the lights and playing their hearts out, you’ll wonder why they bothered backing up anybody else in the first place. With Bayer now playing acoustic and electric guitar and Wheeler keeping the beat (and an eye on the machines providing prerecorded backing tracks THE PAGEANT that fill out the mix with bass guitar and swirl- 6161 Delmar Blvd. • St. Louis, Mo. 63112 314-726-6161 • www.thepageant.com ing keyboards), the band fills the room with Gavin DeGraw w/Ingram Hill & Michael Tolcher melancholy, Grandaddy-esque rock songs that 1/5: 1/7: Steve Davis & The TCB Band w/Double Trouble & provide the perfect bed of smoke for Bayer’s Rivertown Sound soaring voice and deceptively sad melodies to 1/8: Johnny Lang & Brandi Carlile 1/15: Zachapalooza 2005 w/Joe Dirt & The Dirty Boys waft through. —Brian McClelland

STROKE 9 at MISSISSIPPI NIGHTS January 7, 7 p.m. • all ages TICKETS: $10/12 • CALL: 314-421-3851 When “Little Black Backpack” hit the airwaves back in 1999, I was hooked. Here was power pop at its best: catchy beat, clever wordplay, and solid instrumentation. With their Universal debut, Nasty Little Thoughts, Stroke 9 quickly broke onto the scene. 2002’s Rip It Off received critical acclaim but minimal airplay, and the band quietly slipped away. Now they’re back. With the recently released All In, the band has returned to form, offering up a pop-rock platter with a smattering of sonic variety: groove, pop, funk, electronica, and all-out rock.

“I’m always really excited about the last thing I’ve done,” enthuses lead singer Luke Esterkyn. “All In is a different-sounding record with some strange songs, but the more I listen to it, the more it sounds like us and the more I enjoy it. Overall, I think the songs on All In are stronger than the songs on Nasty Little Thoughts.” They’re more musically diverse, I’ll give him that, but lyrically, they’re a disaster.

(Listen, but not too closely; that’s my advice.)

The band kicks off its tour in St. Louis, which is of some significance. Says Esterkyn, “My great uncle was from St. Louis, and it was his last wish that we kick off a tour in his hometown.

We’re doing it to pay homage to the man.”

Pay your own homage; pick up the new disc and be there when Stroke 9 hits the Landing.

—Laura Hamlett Band, The Dan Evans Band 1/26: Dark Star Orchestra 1/29: Groovethang

POP’S 1403 Mississippi • Sauget, Il. 62201 618-274-6720 • www.popsrocks.com 1/7: Avex CD Release Party 1/8: Renegades of Funk: A Tribute to Rage Against the Machine 1/9: Hatebreed 1/20: Queensryche 1/28: Shinedown 1/29: Bowling for Soup

JANUARY 2005

POP’S BLUE MOON 5249 Pattison • St. Louis, Mo. 63110 314-776-4200 • www.popsbluemoon.com Every Tuesday: World’s Most Dangerous Open Jam

WANT TO BE SEEN BY THOUSANDS OF MUSIC AND ART LOVERS EVERY MONTH? JOIN PLAYBACK AS AN ADVERTISER OR EVEN SPONSOR A WHOLE SECTION. PLAYBACK IS EXPANDING AND WE WANT YOU TO BE PART OF IT! CALL JIM AT 314-630-6404 OR E-MAIL AT JIM@PLAYBACKSTL.COM.

1/8: Pickin’ Lickin’ 4p, Roads End 9p 1/12: Pat McLellan 1/13: Paul Jarvis 1/14: Jimmy Tebeau 1/15: Pickin’ Lickin’ 4p, Mark Gorden 9p

RADIO CHEROKEE

1/20: Grant Withers 1/21: Grateful Gary 1/22: Alsop Grossi Haley 4p, Stewart Johnson 9p 1/26: Margaret & Mary 1/27: Troubadours of the Divine Bliss 1/28: Scotty Strings 1/29: Pickin’ Lickin’ 4p, Spooky Daly Pride 9p

3227 Cherokee St. • St. Louis, Mo. 63118 www.radiocherokee.net 1/5: The Coughs, Skarekraudradio, Raglani & Ghost Ice 1/8: Corbeta Corbeta 1/22: State Sanction 1/29: Femme Fatality, Onemilliontinytiny Jesuses, Superago

SHELDON CONCERT HALL

RIDDLE’S PENULTIMATE

STUDIO CAFÉ

3648 Washington Blvd. • St. Louis, Mo. 63108 314-533-9900 • www.sheldonconcerthall.org 1/21: Ricky Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder 1/27: Folk Music in the Melting Pot 1/29: Opera’s Greatest Moments, Roy Hargrove

6307 Delmar • U. City, Mo. 63130 314-725-6985 • www.riddlescafe.com Every Tuesday: Jeff Lash Every Wednesday: Ptah Williams Every Sunday: The John Norment Quartet

R.T. WEILERS 201 N. Main Street • St. Charles, Mo. 63301 636-947-1593 Every Tuesday: Karaoke & Ladies Night Every Thursday: Karaoke 1/1: Jay Phillips 1/7: Irish Exile 1/8: Mark Moore & the Smokers 1/14: Cosmic Mojo 1/15: Buffalo Bob 1/21: Mark Moore & the Smokers 1/22: Meris Becket 1/28: Assorted Nuts 1/29: Scottie String

SALLY T’S 6 Main St. • St. Peters, Mo. 63376 636-397-5383 • www.sallyts.com 1/6: Avadis w/United on 3 1/7: The Walnut Street Gang w/Filthy Third 1/8: Click w/Big Star Kadallac & B. Koolman and The Lot Lizards 1/12: Edison 1/15: Deviles Plaything 1/20: Bibowats 1/21: Driver and Filsters w/Plauge of Proficy 1/22: Pike Station w/Simmons and EKE 1/25: Group Think w/Burnt Ninja and The Effetcts 1/28: Spooge w/Lungdust and State of Mind

13375 Olive • Chesterfield, Mo. 314-878-3886 Every Thursday: The Perry Woods Experience Every Saturday: Jeff Gwantley 1/7: The Eddie Randle Jr. Trio 1/14: Jeff Gwaltney 1/21: Perry Woods 1/28: Brian Curran

THE SHANTI 825 Allen Ave. • St. Louis, Mo. 63104 314-241-4772 Every Tuesday: Open Mic w/Heather Barth 1/1: Rainy Daze 1/6: Bob Case 1/7: Tom Wood

ROY HARGROVE at THE SHELDON CONCERT HALL January 29, 8 p.m. • all ages TICKETS: $40/45 • CALL: 314-534-1111 When Miles Davis plugged in his band during the late ’60s, he pioneered new ground for future trumpet players. Not content to stay anchored in the acoustic tradition, and eager to impact a younger audience a lá Jimi Hendrix and James Brown, Davis made that leap. With a few exceptions late in life, Davis never played acoustic music again. For better and for worse, jazz trumpet players have explored electric musical environments ever since, and with hip-hop becoming the most popular expression of African-American music, what’s next but a jazz/hip-hop plug-in at the venerable Sheldon Concert Hall.

Roy Hargrove brings his RH Factor band to town to showcase one of the most successful recent electric trumpet ventures. Hargrove first hit the jazz scene in the late ’80s, one of several Young Lions who helped bring more traditional jazz to a younger audience.

At 33, he is musically well-traveled, having recorded standards, bebop, post-bop, and Cuban music. The first RH Factor disc, 2003’s Hard Groove, included cameos from hip-hop and soul stars Erykah Badu, D’Angelo, and Q-Tip. This time out, Hargrove follows with the second CD release from the same sessions, the EP Strength. The disc is full of neo-JB grooves produced equally for the dance floor and the bandstand. Hargrove’s sometimes-digitized horn is showcased in full effect, never lost behind the raps, vocals, beats, and samples.

The move toward hip-hop has served Hargrove well; he’s in great form and this should be a great show. —Tim Hand

1309 Washington Ave. • St. Louis, Mo. 63103 314-621-8667 1/7: Peter Clemens & Andy Ploof 1/8: A Bit Shifty & Don Dreste 1/14: Simmons 1/15: Bell Bottom Blues w/Matt Kavanaugh 1/21: Busker’s Trio 1/22: Studebakers w/Missunderstood 1/28: Once And For All, John Maxfield & Geoff Koch 1/29: Village Idiot

THE TAP ROOM 2100 Locust St. • St. Louis, Mo. 63103 314-241-BEER • www.schlafly.com

THREE-1-THREE 313 E. Main St. • Belleville, Il. 62220 618-239-6885 • www.three-1-three.com Every Monday: Park Avenue Trio Every Tuesday: DJ Rob Gray Every Thursday: DJ Kelly Dell, Just J, Andreas Ardesco

TOUHILL PERFORMING ARTS CTR. University of Mo. – St. Louis • St. Louis, Mo. 63121 314-516-4949 • www.touhill.org 1/28: Porgy and Bess 1/28–29: Mid America Dance Company 1/30: Over the Rainbow: Harold Arlen Centennial

VENICE CAFÉ 1906 Pestalozzi • St. Louis, Mo. 63118 314-772-5994 Every Monday: Open Mic Every Tuesday: Late Happy Hour & Movies

WAY OUT CLUB 2525 S. Jefferson Ave. • St. Louis, Mo. 63118 7638-7638-7638 • www.wayoutclub.com 1/1: Meh & Free Dirt 1/6: The Variety Group 1/7: The Highway 1/8: The Round Ups 1/12: Bejeezus 1/13: That’s My Daughter 1/14: Fifth Row Felons 1/15: Father Joe and the Consenting Youth, Triple X Smut, Tri-State Killing Spree 1/20: sisterloveshovel 1/21: Velcro Lewis and His 100 Proof Band & Imperial Battlesnake 1/22: Saw Is Family & Billy Coma 1/27: Lung Dust 1/28: The Electric & Big Buildings 1/29: Maxtone 4 & The Shivers

BOWLING FOR SOUP

w/AMERICAN HI-FI, RIDDLIN KIDS, MC LARS at POP’S January 29, 8 p.m. • all ages TICKETS: $13.50 • CALL: 618-274-6720 The Grammy Awards offer very few surprises.

And those surprises are typically more of the stomach-churning variety, like Jethro Tull inexplicably beating Metallica’s …And Justice for All for “Best Heavy Metal Album.” Every once in a while, though, they get it right.

Case in point: Back in 2002 a virtually unknown pop-punk band from Denton, Texas, called Bowling for Soup suddenly found themselves nominated for “Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group,” an unwieldy title if ever there was one. The band made the most of their newfound fame, hitting the road with Blink-182, Sum 41, and the Vans Warped Tour. Meanwhile, the single “Girl All the Bad Guys Want” 43 ambushed the airwaves, pushing sales of the band’s second major label release Drunk Enough to Dance to upwards of 300,000 copies.

Bowling for Soup’s sound is far more pop than punk, with punchy hair-metal guitars and shout-along choruses delivered at breakneck speed with just the right amount of snide wit—an unholy lovechild of Good Charlotte and Fountains of Wayne. They aren’t reinventing the wheel by any means, but there is a certain kind of genius in creating the most generic poppunk song in music history, naming it “Punk Rock 101,” with lyrics describing how to write a generic pop-punk song.

Their latest, A Hangover You Don’t Deserve, sees the catchiness quotient amped up even more with the aid of ex-Marvelous 3 frontman and professed Def Leppard fanatic Butch Walker behind the boards. With a little songwriting help from Walker, Tony Scalzo and Miles Zuniga of Fastball, and St. Louis native Ted Bruner, Bowling for Soup has whipped up another batch of the audio equivalent of junk food. The band’s latest single, “1985,” wraps a nostalgia trip to the Reagan era in ooey, gooey new wave, while album opener “Almost” features the self-professed “best worst rhyme ever written for a rock song,” matching “Miss Texas” with “breast-eses.” Expect an energetic, immature good time full of drunken debauchery, and be sure to keep an eye out for the spectacle that is Chris Burney, the biggest guitarist to hit rock music since the Screaming Trees broke up.

—Jason Green

PLAYBACK STL

TRIBUTARY

BEST OF THE YEAR

by Steve Kistulentz et’s admit that the end-of-the-year best of list remains a dubious proposition. Critics always bury one holier-than-thou pick for record of the year (Pooh Sticks, anyone?) which is the only explanation for the shoutouts to marginally talented bands like Asobi Seksu or the truly eargrinding voice of Brother Danielson.

And being the critics’ darlings is a kiss of death. Winning the Village Voice Pazz and Jop Poll is about as much of a curse as appearing on the cover of Sports Illustrated. The winners’ lists from the ’80s read like the side panel of an indie-rock milk carton, the only remaining headstone for long-deceased acts like The Bongos, Michelle Shocked, David+David, or Was (Not Was). So it was easy to begin the dissection of this year’s model.

There is no album of the year for 2004, no obvious choice like last year’s Speakerboxx/The Love Below, a bloated two-disc entry that every fat white critic in the Northeast shamelessly pimped to show how much they thought the Hotlanta sound had crossed into the Clear Channel mainstream. If you doubt how much filler padded Outkast’s release, just go browse your local used CD shop and count the number of copies people have sold back after burning the five good songs onto their iPod. Outkast has a lot in common with this year’s anointed genius, Brian Wilson. This year’s album of the year was actually 1966’s album of the year, Wilson’s pop pastiche Smile. But after spending about 10 hours with Wilson’s cacophonous arrangements, its calliope and carousel organ and dog whistles and tympani, I imagine that Smile will take its place filling the backstock of those same used CD stores.

The record’s appearance is a justly praised miracle, and gives the story of Wilson’s crack-

L

44

up its requisite Hollywood ending, which probably means that a major motion picture cannot be far behind (I’d suggest Jon Favreau as Carl Wilson, Ed Harris as the old and bitter and bald Mike Love—all I ask is for a point on the gross).

But it doesn’t rescue Smile from its status as rock curiosity. And it doesn’t explain some of Wilson’s typically eccentric decisions, such as the changed lyrics on the album closer, “Good Vibrations.”

In a way, Wilson’s delayed gratification makes the ex–Beach Boy his own musical godfather, as Smile fills in the missing bits and pieces hinted at in decades worth of bootlegs and the hastily cobbled-together Smiley Smile put out by a desperate Capitol Records.

And since this column is supposed to be all about the spiritual godfathers of the music we’re listening to now, I couldn’t help but think how derivative most of the supposed best releases of the year sound to my ears. Franz Ferdinand’s debut bows with a nice mix of quirky rhythms, a lockstep rhythm section, and a sly, downtown sense of humor, but it still sounds like the bastard son of The Cars and Gang of Four.

The Libertines’ spectacular self-immolation is a story too familiar to fans of, say, Oasis or The Replacements. I didn’t need Jack White to tell me that Loretta Lynn was cool, when Coal Miner’s Daughter managed to remind me more than 20 years ago. Green Day aren’t America’s Clash, and neither is Ted Leo, mainly because their politics are too easy and too convenient, appearing only in the immediate advent of a presidential election. Arcade Fire’s Funeral alternates between maddeningly brilliant and plain

maddening, and its production sounds as if the band brought out copies of Talking Heads ’77, Roxy Music’s For Your Pleasure, and Bowie’s Low and handed them over to the engineer, saying, “Make us sound like this.”

Which brings me back to Asobi Seksu, playing in the background as I face the start of another freezing Midwestern winter. “I’m Happy But You Don’t Like Me” sounds like it could be the closing theme from a new Hal Hartley movie, and that’s not necessarily a bad thing. Hartley knew when to use quirky music to score his films, and when to silence his actors and leave room for artists like Hub Moore or Yo La Tengo to embellish on the visual. Hartley also knew to populate his soundtracks with the undiscovered gems from indie bands he adored, bands like My Bloody Valentine, PJ Harvey, and The Jesus Lizard, among others.

It’s an eclectic mix, one that would not have sounded out of place on a low-power FM station circa 1983. Which brings me to undoubtedly the best record of 2004, Rhino’s five-disc compilation Left of the Dial: Dispatches From the ’80s Underground. It’s a risky soup of singles, and probably will become nothing more than a one stop shopping resource for the soundtracks to the next dozen teen movies. Still, it’s a reminder of what alternative radio sounded like back when it sounded like something different from “album rock,” and as a historical document, it outs many of this year’s “best” new releases as nothing more than curiosities or weak imitations.

Lunch Monday – Friday, 11:30–5 Dinner (nightly specials) Daily 5–10 Lunch Buffet ($5.95) Monday – Friday, 11:30–2:30

Open ’til 3 a.m. Nightly Reggae Every Sunday Night Dave Stone Jazz Trio Every Friday at 10:30 p.m.

COME FOR THE FOOD, but stay for the eclectic atmosphere featuring beautiful artwork, live music most nights, and the charm that only tradition can offer.

3145 South Grand Ave. 314-664-8585

www.dineatmangia.com

Serving the Finest Fresh Pasta in St. Louis for 20 Years

JANUARY at THE GEARBOX in LIL’ NIKKI’S 1/1 Gearbox Kick Off Party w/Earl, the Dead Celebrities, Gassoff 1/3 High on Fire w/Killjoy 4 Fun, and TBA 1/7 Sibylline, America’s New Ambassadors of Love, and Iron Doves • 1/8 TBA 1/14 Shame Club, American Motherload (from Chicago), and Lungdust 1/15 Roundups, Outlaw Family Band, Good Griefs, and more 1/21 Neptune Crush, TBA 1/22 Trailer Park Travoltas, B. Koolman and the Lot Lizards, Stashrider 1/24 The Coke Dares (members from John Wilks Booze), TBA 1/24 Hi Marks, Bug, TBA 1/29 Bi Level, Camp Climax for Girls, Unmutuals