PBSTL1104_final

november

2004

play st. louis pop culture

ack

the hives interviews: dresden dolls, elf power, brian capps reviews: nick cave, alfie, the libertines previews: sliff, muse, rosanne cash, story of the year

www.playbackstl.com

riday, F n o e s u o ard Ale H l u o S elease t r a w G e ’ n D r P i e h h c Cat pick up t d n a 9 1 r e n their o g n i n w Novemb o r for the D s e h t o l C y Dr -Tunes.

I h g u o r h t r formation.

Web site o and show in ews s.com for n k c o r g d .p w Check ww

NOVEMBER 2004

PLAYBACK– TALK

Radio, Radio

Last month, we traveled to Chicago and Minneapolis. While in Chicago, we turned on XRT (www.wxrt.com). Of course, we don’t like everything they play, and damn, does that station have a lot of commercials. But we heard such a variety of music: old Talking Heads followed by new R.E.M. followed by Anders Parker followed

by The Clash. It was a virtual smorgasboard of cutting-edge music (remember WMRY, St. Louis?). Saturday night, they play an hour of a live concert; our treat was Morrissey’s July show at the Vic Theatre. Morrissey, live! For a full hour! I can’t think of a single St. Louis station that will even play a Morrissey song.

Our trip continued to Minneapolis, where we searched the dial and discovered Drive 105 (www.drive105.com). Drive 105 is a relatively new station, dubbed the “new music alternative.” Not an especially original moniker, but the music was definitely worth listening. “You may not like every song we play,” went the voice-over, “but give us a chance.” Drive 105 is that rare beast in corporate radio these days: it’s not owned by Clear Channel.

Ready for this? It’s a Disney station! Lots of new stuff: Ambulance Ltd., Wilco, The Libertines, The Thrills, The Cure, The Badlees. They were right; some of the songs I didn’t like. Most of it, though, I was just so pleased to be hearing from the radio that I sang along gleefully.

Maybe if St. Louis had a more open-minded radio station, we’d be getting some of the more cuttingedge shows? Just a thought. In the meantime, I’ll be listening online.

Playback St. Louis: Get used to it.

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I enjoyed your article on Ambulance [cover story, September 2004]. It was an interesting take on who they are as people. To tell you the truth, I hope my band never has the underlying animosity or all-business attitude that these guys have. It makes sense with their stage performance. None of them are interested in each other, or ever crack a smile or interact.

Maybe it’s just me, but music isn’t all it is. We have decided to participate in a traveling circus and are not only musicians, but performers.

There is a duty and a responsibility that goes with the luck of playing music for a living: one must entertain the audience! It’s your job. If we are to express ourselves on stage and show our true art, how can we withhold the fun we have playing it in order to look “cool” or “calm” or “collected” or “experienced?” Fuck that! I’m a musician and a performer and I’m excited to be on stage and share my passion with people. Hopefully, they get inspired by that and go home and listen to my record or write a song, or do anything productive in order to contribute to our world. That’s the goal, isn’t it? To procreate?

Sorry for the tangent, but my opinion on Ambulance’s music speaks for itself through the “rock out session” I had last night out in the audience. My opinion of the band, however, has changed a bit after speaking with some of them, and reading your article. I just hope my band can stay friends through it all. It is business and you have to treat it that way in order to succeed sometimes, but you also must be able to step back and realize you are making

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art, with people you respect and love. The true nature of the band will always show itself in different ways every night you perform. I would think if you hold in all this animosity toward each other, the truth of the band will come out, and the fact that it is run by one person, will rear its ugly head.

—Jesse Macht

Supporting the Local Scene I just read your review of the Kill Hannah show, and I really wanted to thank you for all of the great write-ups you have given to us in Playback STL. I wish I would have known you were at the Kill Hannah show; I would have thanked you personally for the “Three to See” back in June.

—Patrick Slusser Nothing Still MOLLY HAYDEN

Let’s face it: St. Louis radio is neither innovative nor exciting. There’s not a whole lot of variety.

You’re not apt to hear anything new or cuttingedge (unless some record label is putting a lot of money behind it).

Playback Is Everywhere, Playback Sees Everything I picked up a copy of Playback St. Louis in San Francisco last week. I enjoyed it.

—Chris Kelly via e-mail As of this issue, Playback St. Louis is available in 90 locations (and counting!) outside the St. Louis metropolitan area. In addition to high visibility in neighboring cities Columbia, Mo. and Indianapolis, In., we’re distributed in Omaha, Seattle, San Francisco, Minneapolis...

Got a favorite indie record store, music club, coffee shop, or other haunt where you’d like to see Playback STL? Drop us a line at contact@playbackstl.com.

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Playback St. Louis Pop Culture

Contents Profiles

The Dresden Dolls....................................3 Brian Capps .............................................4 Elf Power .................................................5

Play by Play .................. 7 Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds, C.C. Adcock, Anomoanon, Ded Bugs, Jimmy Eat World, Le Tigre, Luna, Anders Parker, R.E.M., Jesse Sykes & the Sweet Hereafter, Tegan and Sara,Tracy Shedd

Quick Hits.................... 12 Channing Cope, A.C. Cotton, Buddy Miller, Mock Orange, Sons and Daughters, ThreeSixty Smile, Yourcodenameis:Milo

Backstage Pass............ 14 The Libertines, Viva Voce, The Black Heart Procession

Three to See ................ 15 Come Out and Play...... 19

Profile: HotCity Theatre......................... 34

You Are Here ............... 20

On the Cover ............... 22 The Hives

Now Playing

Cinema: Alfie, Enduring Love, Ray ......... 24 Preview: SLIFF ...................................... 26 Our Filmy Substance............................ 27 Alternative Cinema.............................. 44

Local Scenery ............. 30 Elliot Goes.................. 32 Take Five ...................... 33 Steve Earle

Page by Page................ 36 Curtis White, G. Cabrera Infante, Vedrana Rudan, Bob Dylan

Delirious Nomad ......... 39 What’s Going on Here?....................... 40 Muse, Sondre Lerche, Story of the Year, Rosanne Cash, Deerhoof, Marilyn Manson, The Final Countdown, Bluebottle Kiss

The Foundry Art Centre

CARL BARÂT of THE LIBERTINES performs at the 10/9 concert in Chicago. Reviewed on page 14. Photo: Jim Dunn

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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 Amanda Lee Anderson, Sid Andruska, Tyson Blanquart, J. Church, Thomas Crone, Jim Dunn, Jason Green, Adam Hackbarth, Laura Hamlett, Bryan A. Hollerbach, Byron Kerman, Bobby Kirk, Carey Kirk, John Kujawski, David Lichius, Brian McClelland, Sean Moeller, Angela Pancella, Wade Paschall, Kevin Renick, Stephen Schenkenberg, Chris Sewell, Emily Spreng Lowery, Pete Timmermann, Michele Ulsohn, Rudy Zapf Contributing Photographers Jennifer Carr, Jim Dunn Cover Photograph Courtesy The Hives (Eric Josjo) Contributing Illustrator Jessica Gluckman Intern James Macnally Advertising Sales Color Rates Now Available!

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WELCOME TO THE DOLL HOUSE

PBSTL PROFILE

THE DRESEDEN DOLLS

THE DRESDEN DOLLS BRING A LITTLE BRECHTIAN PUNK CABARET TO YOUR TOWN

By Jim Dunn he obvious question for Amanda Palmer from Boston band The Dresden Dolls is, “Are you happy?” The band’s albums dwell rather exclusively on themes of loss and deception, albeit in a very creative, up-tempo, piano/drum way that makes you laugh, though uncomfortably. So I wanted to know if she was happy. “Right now, at this moment? Yeah. It is a shock to my former, chronically depressed self, but I am actually insanely happy.” To be sure, The Dresden Dolls have a lot to be happy about. Their self-released and self-titled second album is all the rage, they won the much-vaunted WBCN Rock & Roll Rumble, they are the darlings of critics everywhere, and they have been featured on KCRW’s Morning Becomes Eclectic. (In a recent Playback St. Louis interview with Nic Harcourt, the show’s host, he mentioned the Dolls as one of his bands to watch.)

The Dresden Dolls almost seem like a throwback to a prior time. The band could easily have stepped out of a cabaret in 1920s Germany.

Their press describes them as Brechtian Punk Cabaret.

Often in painted faces and vintage attire, the band layers on a distinctive punk edge that reveals the venom in lyrics—but the threat, it appears, is not to the audience, but to former lovers and parents who have done this girl wrong. “The only people I really tend to flag in my songs are ex-lovers and parents, of course. I have already had the conversation with my parents and we struck a deal,” says Palmer, describing the gentle art of mining your own life for lyrics. “That is the beauty of being a songwriter with an artistic license. You can always trick things into enough of a distorted shape to protect the obvious. That is why there is poetry and that is why there is meter and little boxes that we force ourselves into to try to say something interesting within a narrow margin.”

Band mates Amanda Palmer and Brian Viglione met in Boston in 2000, ironically enough at a Halloween party where Palmer was

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PHOTOS: JENNIFER CARR

performing an impromptu piano recital. Viglione saw her and realized that she was the person with whom he wanted to make music. It was as if each had found their musical soul mate.

Asked how the band found an audience, Palmer said it was gradual. “It was really just good, old-fashioned word-of-mouth for quite a while. We didn’t have to convince people to come and see us; we just let it happen organically. We stayed in Boston for a long time. That helped us.

After about a year and a half or so, we were at a point where we could play a club and pack it. That’s when we said we need to start branching out because we were getting a little too comfortable.

That’s when we went to New York City; the same thing happened there. Now the same thing is happening all over the place. The word-of-mouth phenomenon of this band has carried us much further than the press, because one person e-mailing a friend to go check out a Web site has earned us an infinite number of our fans.”

The Dresden Dolls’ live performances approach legendary status with each member practically attacking both song and instrument.

The approach is part therapy session and part performance. “The use of the word ‘therapy’ is interesting,” laughs Palmer. “Brian and I are very different that way. Brian has to play. If he doesn’t play the drums and a few days or weeks go by, he actually starts to go crazy. I am not like that.

I can go long stretches of time without playing the piano and be perfectly content.” Palmer does profess a love of performing, if not just as a way to get her songs out there, then for the classic reason of getting attention. “It’s the age-old deep-seated need for attention that I have always had. I have always adored performing in any kind

of form as in acting, playing, and basically being a brat since I was very little. You’ve got to make an effort,” she laughs.

The Dresden Dolls do make an effort, with stunning results. The band will be touring the U.S. for the rest of the year; following that, they plan to tour Germany where the band, not surprisingly, is very popular. “It was unbelievable,” said Palmer about a previous tour to Germany.

“We hadn’t even played a show there, but because we had a great publicist and people loved the record, we were instantly recognized. It is like a miracle to me.”

As for where the band would like to go and progress, Palmer had some ideas. “I would love to expand our live show so that we can actually tour with the kind of theatrical awning. The band still tours but it is within the context of the greater theatrical event, kind of like a traveling circus. Be able to involve a lot of other bands and performers—kind of like old vaudeville. Just create an entire world of people and talent that we can take on the road.” Asked to name it, Palmer paused and laughed: “Dresden Dolls Freak-a-Thon.” Whatever the title, the Doll House has much to offer.

Catch Dresden Dolls at Mississippi Nights on November 6. Read more from our interview with Amanda Palmer on www.playbackstl.com.

PLAYBACK ST. LOUIS

PBSTL PROFILE BRIAN CAPPS

BRIAN CAPPS: lthough Brian Capps, the affable singer/ songwriter best known for co-founding Springfield’s Domino Kings, isn’t an MD, he can likely cure what ails you. His smooth, homegrown Americana borders on alternative medicine—it has antidepressant effects. No matter how rotten your day, you’ll feel better after a Capps show.

Two features distinguish Capps’ musical balm, which blends traditional country and early rock ’n’ roll. One’s an intrinsic duality—an emotional directness and willingness to document extreme angst in up-tempo arrangements. The results transcend mere honky-tonk or rockabilly catchiness. Consider “Two Nights Without Sleep,” “Dark Side of Love,” and “Don’t Wait Up” from the Kings’ debut, Lonesome Highway, or Life & 20’s “Borrow a Lie” and “Alice,” a rollicking rant about a femme fatale. These songs rock madly, sincerely, and Capps belts ’em out; despite lyrics that mostly concern heartbreak and restlessness, you can create dance floor magic to his music. By phone from his Lebanon home, Capps acknowledged his work’s duality.

“Yeah, I was aware of that by the second record I made with the Domino Kings,” he said.

“I tried to purposely write more of a positive type of song. And I had a hard time doing it. I don’t know why…it’s not like I’m ready to hang myself or anything. Hank Williams always had the upbeat music—and then the real dark stuff.

I didn’t have that in mind necessarily, but I liked a lot of that music. I’m also a real big fan of Dave Edmunds. I just really liked his melodies, the twist he put on rockabilly.”

Another comfort of Capps’ music: his onstage enthusiasm and warmth. A charismatic but humble lad, he sometimes evokes an endearing blend of young Elvis, Buddy Holly, and James Dean.

Equally at home playing acoustic guitar or upright bass, he covers Johnny Cash, Rick Nelson, Merle Haggard, The Beatles. Capps’ secret weapon for rocking righteously, though, is that band. The True Liars (guitarist Donnie Thompson, bassist Lou Whitney, and drummer Ron Gremp) are hardly everyday sidemen; The Morells and The Skeletons—anchored by Thompson and Whitney, Gremp’s drummer for the former—constitute Springfield legends. Consummate professionals, each has a glint in his eye matching the

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PHOTO: KEVIN RENICK

HEALIN’ AND ROCKIN’ (AND WALKIN’ THROUGH WALLS) sparks liable to fly off their instruments (especially when Thompson stokes the roadhouse sizzle).

The three vets mesh irresistibly with the young singer in a collaboration Capps certainly doesn’t undervalue. “This is a really nice position to be in,” he said. “Lou thought it was a pretty neat concept for a roots act, having the older guys back the younger guy.”

Whitney produced all three Domino Kings records, so Capps knew him well. The Kings formed in 1997 when Capps and guitarist Steve Newman crossed musical paths several times, completing the trio when drummer Les Gallier arrived. Capps bought an upright bass and began singing originals, and the band toured regularly. Capps fondly recalls playing St. Louis’s Twangfest. “That was one of the best shows we ever did. It was one of those shows you get every so often where you’ve got that adrenaline rush. It’s the thing that keeps you doin’ it for the next six months.”

With the two dividing songwriting chores evenly, Newman’s guitar and Capps’ vocals earned many fans. But despite breakthrough potential, differences with Newman led to Capps’ departure after the second album.

Though they’ve since reconciled—and still play occasional acoustic shows together— Capps went through a rough spell and sought Whitney’s counsel. The veteran urged him to “think about what you wanna do,” offering his services when Capps was ready.

I TRIED TO PURPOSELY WRITE MORE OF A POSITIVE TYPE OF SONG. AND I HAD A HARD TIME DOING IT! I DON’T KNOW WHY…IT’S NOT LIKE I’M READY TO HANG MYSELF OR ANYTHING.

“

By Kevin Renick

“It’s been a long transition; in fact, I went about a year without playing. I kinda had withdrawal because we’d always played so much.

I didn’t know if I could do a full show; I was used to splitting it with Steve. It’s only recently I’ve become more secure that what we’ve got is something with a lot of substance. That’s due to the guys I’m playin’ with.”

Walk Through Walls, Capps’ solo debut (due in December), evolved gradually. Dubbed by Whitney “The True Liars” after a Capps lyric, the new outfit began rocking small bars regionally, playing diverse sets that included “I Walk the Line” from the Man in Black. “Johnny Cash is at the top of the list for me,” said Capps. “He’s one of the first people I heard. He’s one of those guys hard to pin down. He kept his music simple, but had his own identity and style.”

Capps’ urgency about music underpins his sincerity. “It seems like we’re at the end of country music as we knew it. Even the ’50s and ’60s rock ’n’ roll era…that generation’s not gonna be around much longer. It’s a really important time to be making music, whether it gets heard by the masses or not.”

Walk Through Walls experienced numerous delays, one when Slewfoot Records’ roster (Domino Kings, Morells, Kristie Stremel) was absorbed by Harvest Media. “My gut feeling is that we were at the bottom of the priority list,” Capps said. “Americana music probably wasn’t important to them.”

Still, his album delights. He channels Cash brilliantly on “Devil to Pay” and offers poignant lyrical introspection on mid-tempo originals “The Bottom” and “When We Learn.” Other highlights: the rockers “I Wouldn’t Say That’s Living” and “Next Time,” the latter a concise, flawlessly arranged rave-up wherein Capps encapsulates post-heartbreak resolve.

“I thought, I’m gonna get everything out, everything I’ve ever wanted to say and express, right here in three verses, and then move on. ’Course, it didn’t work that way.” He laughs.

“But that’s what I was thinkin’.”

Given to reflection and self-motivational musings, Capps writes revealingly while leaving listeners space to insert themselves. And the infectious rhythms come naturally to him.

The only X factor involves how easily Capps continued on page 28

NOVEMBER 2004

TINNY SOUNDS OF HOME

PBSTL PROFILE

ELF POWER By Amanda Lee Anderson hile Athens, Georgia’s Elf Power may not have much clout in the make-believe world of legends from whom they took their namesake, the band’s more than legendary in the real-life scruffy-shoes-and-blocky-glasses world of indie rock. A home recording project turned live band turned influential indie pop and environmentalist outfit, Elf Power debuted in the mid-’90s as part of the impressive “second wave” of bands associated with the Elephant 6 record collective. An incestuous community of musicians, artists, and friends who sometimes enjoyed playing in each other’s bands more than their own, the Elves had influential friends, including lo-fi, high-concept-pop sensations Neutral Milk Hotel and Olivia Tremor Control, and psychedelia-tinged retro-pop outfits Essex Green, Beulah, and The Apples in Stereo. The Elves are notable for a unique brand of psychedelic pop laced with noisy, cathartic rock and experiments in texture with hints of accordion, saxophone, and violin. On top of this, a fuzzy muted-ness gives their records a tinny-sounding home-recorded quality because, well, most of their albums were recorded at home.

“Elf Power started as a home recording project, and morphed into a live band after the release of Vainly Clutching at Phantom Limbs,” says guitarist Andrew Rieger. “[Phantom Limbs] was recorded at home with various people helping out. People liked that album, so at that point I formed a live band to play the songs.”

Formed by Rieger and then-drummer Laura Carter in 1994, Elf Power’s debut was recorded with the help of Rieger’s roommate, Raleigh Hatfield. Rieger said, “When I first heard Sebadoh’s Freed Weed [Homestead, 1990], I realized you could record on cheap four-track machines at home instead of paying for a big, expensive studio. That was a revelation.”

The do-it-yourself mantra is still intact today.

Phantom Limbs wasn’t the only album recorded cheaply at home. In fact, the Elves’ first real studio album wasn’t recorded until 1999 (A

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Dream in Sound, Arena Rock). After the release of Phantom Limbs, Brian Poole (a classmate of Rieger’s from the University of Georgia—then calling himself Brian Helium and now going by the name of his new solo project, The Late B.P. Helium) joined the duo for a few sporadic live shows in Georgia. Rieger and Carter briefly moved to New York, where they recorded their second release, The Winter Hawk EP, with the help of several friends who would later become colleagues in the Elephant 6 collective.

When Rieger and Carter returned to Athens, Elf Power expanded once again to a four-piece, with Poole back on bass, Carter on keyboards, and newcomer Aaron Wegelin on drums.

Their next two releases, 1999’s When the Red King Comes and 2000’s The Winter Is Coming, brought more personnel changes— including the addition of multi-instrumentalist Adrian Finch—but stayed the course production-wise, recorded at home and featuring more guest appearances.

Reading the liner notes of Elephant 6 releases is like looking at a list of Who’s Who Among American Indie Rock: Jeff Mangum, Robert Schneider, Rob Greene, as well as Poole, Carter, and Rieger. The same names keep popping up, and the possible combinations of collaborations were seemingly endless. “[The collective] was just a name for a group of friends who collaborated on one another’s records,” Rieger said, “just a pool of musicians who enjoy playing [together].”

Finch left in 2001, as did Poole. Neil Golden took over bass duties then, only to be replaced

by Ballard Lesemann in 2002. Last year, former Olivia Tremor Control guitarist Eric Harris joined and contributed to this year’s release, Walking With the Beggar Boys (Orange Twin).

ELF POWER

Confusing? Maybe. But working with a wide variety of new musicians each time you go into the studio yields plenty of fun and surprises.

“The fact that we have a revolving lineup of musicians keeps things interesting and fresh for me,” said Rieger. The band’s relentless touring has kept things exciting as well. “We’ve toured a lot over the years,” he said. “When the audience is enthusiastic, dancing, smiling, howling...that always makes us play better. [But] sometimes we’ll play to a stone-faced audience...then afterwards, people come up and say, ‘That was the best show I’ve ever seen!’”

In addition to being indie-pop songsters, Elf Power are the founders of Athens’ Orange Twin Conservation Community. Orange Twin’s Web site describes the community as “a pedestrian-based eco-village...an integrated community in which the residents can live, work, and pursue their interests...[and] a model of sustainable living.” The community is also home to Orange Twin Records, which releases albums from Elf Power and other former Elephant 6 artists, including Mangum and Poole.

The future of Elf Power is as yet untold.

“We’ll probably record the next album at some point in the next year,” Rieger said, describing it as “a kind of strange-sounding folk-rock record.” More touring may be on the agenda as well. Whatever it is, we know Elf Power, so we know it’ll be interesting. As Rieger said modestly, “Always having new people to collaborate with tends to bring unexpected and usually exciting results.”

Elf Power plays the Rocket Bar November 17 with The Late B.P. Helium and Maxtone Four.

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MONDAY, NOVEMBER 8 at 7:30 p.m.

Borders Brentwood 1519 South Brentwood Blvd.

314.918.8189

With an abundance of charm and absolutely no fanfare, Mosquitos released their debut disc last year. The album immediately garnered a rave review in Rolling Stone and two features on National Public Radio. “Boombox,” which has become Mosquitos’ signature song, was recently featured on The O.C. Los Mosquitos spent a year touring coast-to-coast, including a spring tour opening for French band Air. The Mosquitos’ second album, Sunshine Barato, is a combination of English and Portuguese that literally means “cheap sunshine.” It perfectly suits this sensual, whimsical, bilingual collection of 15 tracks that chronicle the sort of experiences money can’t buy, like lying on an empty beach, dancing in the rain, or falling asleep next to someone you love. Sunshine Barato will instantly delight fans of Mosquitos’ self-titled, summer ‘03 debut and surely attract a legion of listeners who have yet to catch the buzz.

PLAY BY PLAY

MUSIC REVIEWS

NICK CAVE & THE BAD SEEDS: ABATTOIR BLUES/THE LYRE OF ORPHEUS (MUTE) I hesitate to write this review for one reason: Those who explore Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds might become fans. Then, there goes my bestkept secret. Cave is like the proverbial skeleton in the closet; you reveal it to a chosen few.

Today’s your lucky day.

Inspired by personal obsessions with the Bible, death, murder, sex, and various acts of skullduggery, Cave’s latest double album, Abattoir Blues/ The Lyre of Orpheus, transcends all previous stereotypes of the Australian-born artist.

Known for his brooding, blackened heart demeanor and demon preacher stance on stage, Cave roars from the pulpit; however, this time he’s reinvented his wicked scriptures by adding a splendid oxymoron: the London Community Gospel Choir. Malevolence never sounded so heavenly. Compared with 2003’s demure Nocturama (Mute), AB/LO is as welcomed as the sun after a week’s worth of rain.

Cave’s career as singer/songwriter launched over two decades ago: First, with The Boys Next Door, a ’70s punk band formed with school chum Mick Harvey, followed by The Birthday Party with its raw lyrics and obscure banging, which sent them to underground stardom in the early ’80s. Just before TBP’s candle blew out in 1983, Blixa Bargeld of Einstuerzende Neubauten joined as guitarist and remained when The Bad Seeds took root in 1984, debuting with the chest-crushing classic, From Her to Eternity.

Cave and The Bad Seeds’ come-hither, junkie charisma can charm the most cynical life forms; experience the lure by acquiring these must-have releases: Tender Prey, Let Love in, Murder Ballads, and Henry’s Dream. Read the lyrics, hear the duende, feel the goose bumps.

Add liquor and enjoy thoroughly.

AB/LO produces a similar high, but with a dichotic twist: Half jolts you with specters of Armageddon, cannibalism, disillusionment, and a woeful fable about a brown ape; the other half liberates you, like church letting out, with themes of nature, flowers, and carnal frolicking woven in.

On the enigmatic “Get Ready for Love,” spurts of psychedelic guitar back Cave as he mocks a flock too caught up in worshipping to notice God: “Most of all nothing much ever really happens/and God rides high up in the ordinary sky/Until we find ourselves at our most distracted/And the miracle that was promised creeps quietly by.” All the while, the choir chants, “Praise Him ’til you’ve forgotten what you’re praising Him for.”

Pole-dance worthy by rhythm alone, “Hiding All Away” conjures up the sinister sounding Cave of yore, flavored with thumping bass, organ grinding, acid rock, and cackling from the choir. A song about finding inspiration and fame, “There She Goes, My Beautiful World,” flows energetically with Cave’s enthusiastic piano pounding and forceful vocals.

“Abattoir Blues” seemingly forebodes the coming of some end, as sung in a casual, melodic baritone: “Everything’s dissolving babe, according to plan/The sky is on fire, the dead are heaped across the land.” Injecting dark comedy and swarthy overtones into “The Lyre of Orpheus,” Cave distorts the Greek tragedy, making it more of a classic by today’s standards.

Cave, a Johnny Cash fan? Absolutely.

Speculation has it that “Let the Bells Ring (He Is the Real Thing)” was written as a tribute to the Man in Black. In an interview, Cave com-

mented on his passing: “[Cash] had such a wealth of experience in his voice, heaven and hell and no one could touch him. He was the real thing.”

Although mirroring Cave’s more love-afflicted opuses, like The Boatmen’s Call and No More Shall We Part (Mute), AB/LO embodies religion, literature, and mythology with some guts and gore, but is also immured by grace and elegance that can only be attributed to the artist’s age and stalwart soul. Like a fine red wine, Cave at 47 is delicious, full-bodied, and when consumed in excess, makes you do positively sinful things.

—Sid Andruska C.C. ADCOCK: LAFAYETTE MARQUIS (Yep Roc Records) If ever C.C. Adcock had a “sensitive” bone in his body, he himself likely long ago purposely broke it, just on general principle. With his five o’clock shadow and shoulder-length mane, the thirtysomething Louisianian defines bayou machismo, as suggested by the ten tracks on Lafayette Marquis, his new CD from Yep Roc. Call Adcock’s romping sophomore release swamp rock or (to borrow a phrase from Pelican State patois) high-voltage chank-a-chank—just don’t try to defy its call. In his music, the man might swagger, at least superficially, like some French Quarter himbo, but Adcock’s curricucontinued on next page

7

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lum vitae includes stints backing Bo Diddley and touring with Buckwheat Zydeco; he’s neither a tyro nor a twit, and his audio audacity makes Lafayette Marquis as satisfying as a pan of jambalaya and a case of Blackened Voodoo.

The disc’s sonic gumbo opens with “Y’all’d Think She’d Be Good 2 Me”—a fuzzed-up, drum-loopy lament that conjures visions of Baron Samedi strapping on a Strat—and that track’s indicative in more than one way. Not solely in the demented orthography of many of his song titles does Adcock recall Prince; for instance, his choice of topics tends toward the tropical. Indeed, in many of these songs, in one way or another, Adcock personifies the sort of parish lothario whose presence or absence informs or inspires so much of the musical poetry of fellow Louisianian Lucinda Williams.

“You’re so good-lookin’, but you’re so damn crooked,” he sings of a lover on “Slangshotz N’ Boom-R-Angz,” and his tone hints at a basal (even, pardon the phrase, congenital) reciprocity. In short, at the risk of overloading the culinary metaphors herein, this po’boy, ladies, wants to be your grinder. As a result, Lafayette Marquis will scarcely number among the year’s most cerebral releases. Brilliant by no means, but bodacious? Oo yi yi!

—Bryan A. Hollerbach THE ANOMOANON: JOJI (Temporary Residence, Ltd.) For those who don’t already know, The Anomoanon is Ned Oldham’s band, and Ned is the brother and sometimes collaborator of the more famous

from previous page

Will Oldham. The Anomoanon has found some success in the past, most notably in last year’s Asleep Many Year in the Wood, but they have ultimately not lived up to Will’s precedent, or even Ned’s work when he is supporting Will.

I bet Ned gets tired as hell of people talking about Will instead of him in reviews of Anomoanon albums, so I’ll let the Will connection drop at that. Moving on, the new Anomoanon album, Joji, is awfully generic and disappointing.

Not that it always seems like it will be that way. The first track, “Down and Brown,” is among the best The Anomoanon have recorded. It’s a lazy, easygoing track that gives the listener high hopes for the rest of the album. It has a slow jam feel that wafts casually between folk and rock (but never quite lands in the bastardized territory of folk rock), and almost singlehandedly justifies the purchase of the album.

However, from the second track on, the album wanders further and further from the pleasantries exhibited in “Down and Brown,” ultimately settling in on disposable, folksy dirges and rambling guitar solos that are interchangeable from one song to the next, and never really live up to the promises to the listener that “Down and Brown” convey.

Ultimately, it feels like the main problem here is Ned—he does fantastic backing work, but needs someone with a clearer cut sense of cohesion and restraint to use his talents to their full potential. When left to his own devices, he is prone to rambly tangents and unchecked guitar solos. And while I say this, Asleep Many Years in the Wood sits in front of me, reminding me that it needn’t always be that way. As it stands, though, Wood is the sole full-length exception in a back catalogue of upwards of

NOVEMBER 2004

three LPs and two EPs (those Oldhams are crazy about releasing albums at a rate impossible to keep track of—shit, I mentioned Will again), so all we can do at this point is hope that it wasn’t a fluke. But based on Joji, I’m afraid to say that it looks like it was.

—Pete Timmermann DED BUGS: STOP AND SMELL THE STINKING CORPSE LILIES (IBC Shadows) DeSoto, Missouri punk-poppers Ded Bugs officially become pop-punkers on their latest record, a nearly flawless platter of perfect pop gems entitled Stop and Smell the Stinking Corpse Lilies. Longtime underdog godfathers of the St. Louis punk scene—with a 15-plus year career, they’re more vital than ever, a rare local feat—the band has steadily evolved (and from the evidence of Lilies’ hooky guitar work and surprising arrangements, I’d say improved) from their metal-ized Ramones origins into a rocking powerhouse of a pop group.

But while the Bugs have been slowly morphing musically for years, their we’resnotnosed-kids-who-dig-monsters-’n’-stuff schtick remained relatively unchanged until now. Although Lilies is steeped in absurdly silly moments—look no further than how the album’s bouncy opener, “Ponk Rock,” bemoans the current punk scene, remembering the good old days “when clubs were packed and smelled like ass”—there’s a new lyrical depth sneaking in on a few tracks here, detailing characters and situations that, although treated in a light manner, seem to be rooted in more real-life, adult problems than you’ll find in B-grade monster movies.

In the album’s closer, the motorcycle-pop nugget “Good Love,” singer/songwriter Matt Meyer takes a goofy, spoken “Leader of the Pack”–ish verse into a sweetly soaring chorus, singing, “Wontcha you come home and gimme some of that true love” like a heartbroken teenager. A closer listen to that goofball verse reveals lyrics darker than you’d expect, like, “Now you’ve passed out so many times/ that my arms might get tired of picking you up off the floor/we hit each other with sweet kisses or vicious lines/I can’t tell if this is love or war” and another bit describing an uncomfortable you-are-there moment in Maybel’s in Champaign, Illinois—a detail that sticks with

the listener—between the two lovers.

Another song firmly rooted in detailed, real-world experience, the humorously titled “Xanax for Everyone!”, transforms a traumatic hospital visit—and its chorus’s sticky opening line, “Good morning, please check in”—into one of the catchiest hooks of the year. It’s an ideal pop single, one that only gets better with obsessive, repeated listens, and when Meyer yells, “And that don’t rock my socks like Ray Davies!” at the end of the stuttering chorus, the energy is irresistible. The high point comes in the final verse—just when you think your smile couldn’t spread any wider—when the first line of the chorus repeatedly kicks in, blending with the verse in the most sublime way, creating a raucous campfire sing-along.

“Brainbloodvolume,” a song endorsing a Dutch scientist’s theory that regularly releasing pressure in the human skull via a drilled hole is a good idea, rocks a chugging melody of descending chords under clipped, over-the-top vocals. The narrator’s glee, gloating “your skull is sealed up tight, but not me!” is priceless.

Lilies’ silliest moments (and I mean good silly) come in the chanted, faux-English accented chorus of the new-wave anthem “Band on Tour” and the heaviest song on the record (not to mention longest-titled), “I Did More Before the Army Got Up Than the Army Did in My Lifetime (DSTROY!)” Musically, the former is a souped-up cousin to The Vapors’ “Turning Japanese”—a tongue-in-cheek send-up of life’s-hard-on-theroad clichés delivered in a sparkling arrangement continued on next page

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PLAYBACK ST. LOUIS Play by Play of cheesy keyboards and jittery vocals—while the latter is a blistering, guitar-heavy freak out, featuring a rock ’n’ roll scream so incredibly badass that you have no choice but to start the thing over and scream along.

—Brian McClelland

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JIMMY EAT WORLD: FUTURES (Interscope) The album we can’t call Bleed American anymore, thanks to the terrorists—the hell they didn’t take everything we held dear— seared itself so well into the public consciousness when it was released that it found itself competing with addition and subtraction tables that had been taped up in there for years.

The songs were inescapable and memorable for their energy and the way they somehow became buddies with the other standard radio bunnies, cuddling up next to 2001 stalwarts Vertical Horizon. That record made sure that Jim Adkins, Tom Linton, Rick Burch, and Zach Lind got recognized in fraternities, sororities, shitty bars, and supermarkets, all with the same regularity. They could have kept it the way it had been: bashing out records, chased out of their systems like a honeybee from an enclosed car, saying somewhat notable things on occasion, but weaving mostly into the wallpaper.

Instead, they chose to be seen, and there’s no retracting now. They shall be held up to higher scrutiny, forced to outdo themselves or suffer the consequences of letting everyone down.

Jimmy Eat World get the extra-strength microscope treatment for Futures, and when looked at that closely, there are bound to be areas of displeasure, points where the past appears to have been a better place. There are singles, but none that rival the meaty hooks of “The Middle” or “Sweetness.” Futures is stuffed with songs wired much differently, ruled by a different code of conduct and baked by a different chef. They deal with obsessions in a way that makes the entire album an obsession in itself. Adkins sings of pain as if its lure matches a nicotine fix for the four-packs-a-day smoker.

He wonders about drugs and pills quite often— are they the answer, will they help? There’s a deeper story here, twisting one song around the others like a tetherball. It’s a fascinating dive into a mind—just behind that one perfectly-placed curly, brown bang—that Adkins

from previous page

lets prey and play with the darker demons that we hardly knew existed. There’s always been a thin curtain of gloom slid behind the positive reinforcements and kind of hopeful stories that was easy to ignore. It’s the only curtain out there now, stark and obvious.

If these last two records were released simultaneously, as the latest Nelly albums Sweat and Suit were, they’d have the same kind of distinct fingerprints, one being the uplifter, the chin-up mantra, and the other being the our-end-is-near-and-the-last-few-years-haven’tbeen-so-great-either coda. Linton and Adkins’ guitars take fewer adventures and mirror Pearl Jam songs, well, a shitload more than their fans are accustomed to, while Burch and Lind stay fairly irrelevant. But the songs travel. They work in different ways than those on that crossover record did. And that’s saying a lot for how much was demanded of them.

—Sean Moeller LE TIGRE: THIS ISLAND (Universal) Well, gosh, there’s so many hooks on which to hang a Le Tigre review; a writer just doesn’t know where to start.

There’s frontwoman Kathleen Hanna, the ur-riot grrrl who fronted Bikini Kill. There’s Le Tigre’s fusion of feminist and queer politics with dance music, punk with electronica, and pelvic rock with intellectual lyrics. And there’s the fact that they’ve gone big time: their third LP, This Island, is not on their indie label of old but on—good grief!—Universal, the same mega-label as Nelly.

But screw all that, let’s talk about the woman who wears the pants (literally), Le Tigre’s JD, a butch lesbian with a moustache and a unibrow.

Plenty of folks (myself included) probably look at her photo on the album covers and wonder if she’s a boy or a girl. Well, now you know.

On to bidness. Le Tigre’s latest album brings to mind the output of another seminal queer rock band, Queen. Both bands allowed and encouraged every member of the group to bring his and her own ideas to the recording studio; even the drummer had a say. The result was a tremendous diversity of song styles the band was willing to pursue.

On This Island (a reference to Manhattan), Le Tigre gives us fast punk (“Seconds”), Blondie-influenced new wave (“After Dark”),

and a handful of tunes that seem tailor-made for gay dance clubs (“On the Verge”). There are a couple of moody numbers, but most of the songs hearken back to the ’80s; they’re bouncy and fun.

I liked “Viz,” a breakdown of the politics of gazing in lesbian nightclubs. It sounds like a driving Devo song, with monotone vocals, outer-space keyboards, and a nice bass hook.

There are two songs on This Island, though, that folks are really talking about. One is their cover of the Pointer Sisters’ “I’m So Excited,” which speeds up the dance hit, and the other is “New Kicks,” one of several anti-Bush tunes on the album. Le Tigre actually taped speeches by the Rev. Al Sharpton, Susan Sarandon, and other liberal lights at a NYC anti-war rally, and mixed them to a big, chunky rhythm. Some war-protest songs manage to have staying power, but the bland mix-job on “New Kicks” makes it pretty forgettable; “Fortunate Son” it ain’t.

But the cult of Le Tigre just don’t care.

Feminists love Le Tigre, lesbians love them, and alt-rock irony-junkies are in line, too. Perhaps the most amazing thing about the band’s popularity, though, is the widespread acceptance of Hanna’s grating voice. On most Le Tigre tunes, she sings in a baby-girl whine nearly as annoying as that of ’80s one-hit wonder Stacey Q. A critic once called Hanna’s voice “snotty,” and yeah, that’s about right. On some songs, listening to Hanna is akin to hearing Edith Bunker singing punk—it just makes you want to throw furniture. It is rapturously terrible, like a fiery car accident that you have to drive by, reeeeeeal slooooow, to absorb the fullness of its bane.

Anyway, Le Tigre is a rock band, and the litmus test for all rock bands must be, “Yes, but does it rock?” In interviews, Hanna has proclaimed her fondness for two, um, different stylistic influences on Le Tigre music: Public Enemy and Yaz. And that’s all you need to know about Le Tigre, folks. They want to be intense, funky, and politically revolutionary like PE was. Too bad they also want to make you dance to shitty club music like Yaz did.

—Byron Kerman LUNA: RENDEZVOUS (Jetset Records) Once at a friend’s wedding, I was spun round the dance floor to the rapturous strains of Luna’s take on “Sweet Child o’ Mine.” Any band that can make that song its own is doing something right. continued on page 28

NOVEMBER 2004

11

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PLAYBACK ST. LOUIS

QUICK HITS

CHANNING COPE: SUGAR IN OUR BLOOD (North Park) Break down three-piece Channing Cope’s second offering and you’ll find some interesting things going on. Meandering guitar plinking that turns into driving chords without notice, atmospheric drums, and sparse bass lines. So it stands to reason that these parts would create an interesting sum. Unfortunately, that’s not the case on this EP. The six songs on Sugar in Our Blood are all roughly the same tempo with roughly the same whispered vocals with roughly the same coffeehouse poet lyrics. But if that’s your bag, then by all means, slip on your black turtleneck and start working on your finger snap applause. (WP)

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A.C. COTTON: NOTES FOR THE CONVERSATION (Ahab Was Right) From time to time, I’ll put in a brand new record fresh from its package and find myself finishing lines of verses before the band does.

This is exactly what happened when I listened to A.C. Cotton and their newest Notes for the Conversation—and I’m still not sure if I like this record, either. They are from the Northwest, wear flannel, and rock, but please draw no comparisons to the decade-old grunge era. These are Northern boys making Southern rock. And, like most Southern rock bands, I get the feeling they are a great band live. The sound is driven, clunky, and full, yet sometimes a little too predictable.

Alan Charing’s voice draws similarities to Dylan and Springsteen, but I hear ex–Dog’s Eye View lead singer and songwriter Peter Stuart, complete with texture and melodic tone, more than anyone else. But I don’t hear it often enough. Notes for the Conversation is loud, and at times drowns out this gem of a voice.

But how can I knock a rock band for turning the volume up? (CK) BUDDY MILLER: UNIVERSAL UNITED HOUSE OF PRAYER (New West) If this album were a church, it’d be built of logs on a solid rock foundation—all structural integrity and firm grounding. Miller’s grasp of tradition is so strong you might not notice the revolution going on. Music historians will tell you how gospel’s declarations of passionate yearning and surrender get swiped for use in other genres to celebrate earthly love, not the divine. So in blues, soul, and rock ’n’ roll, the secular steals from the sacred. In Universal

United House of Prayer, the sacred steals back.

Miller has dirty blues in his guitar strings while he wails, “Shelter me, Lord, underneath your wings” like a man in serious need. And plenty of other artists have employed gospel singers on their albums, but when was the last time they were asked to sing gospel songs?

Favorite cut: “Wide River to Cross,” a Buddy and Julie Miller original that’s stately as a hymn, instantly familiar, instantly loved.

Miller specializes in songs like this, and thank God for that. (AP) MOCK ORANGE: MIND IS NOT BRAIN (Silverthree) With their new record Mind Is not Brain, Mock Orange sugars up the Modest Mouse formula and the results are mighty nice, if you don’t mind such things. “Payroll” is a fairly decent starter, but MO doesn’t slap on the masks until “I Keep Saying So Long.” From there on, it’s flattery or blasphemy: choose your camp. Along the path, standout tracks are “Make Friends,” “Old Man, My God,” and the eternally catchy “Do What You Want But.” If you can keep the lyrics “I could probably use a drink even though I don’t drink” out of your noggin, your mind control powers are to be commended. Mind Is Not Brain is a record specially suited for permanent residence in your automobile. For my forgiving ears, this is a fantastic record. However, if you’ve never heard old school Modest Mouse, check out The Lonesome Crowded West first. Better to hear the real deal before choosing which side of the fence you stand on. (DL) SONS AND DAUGHTERS: LOVE THE CUP (Domino) The Scots in Black. This Glasgow band has one song obviously written as a tribute to the Man—simply “Johnny Cash”—on its debut EP, but there are six others smacking of the same desolate cheer that gave Cash’s career its reverence. Adele Bethel and Scott Paterson sing less frequently about prisons and the hard scrabbles of coal miners or railroad men than did Cash, but as anyone worth a salt knows that the feeling speaks louder than the examples. The folky chug-a-lug drums set the table for a prayer and a parable—most transfixing on the gray-weathered textures of situations and the sullen peels of tarnished life remnants. It’s not the album you’re looking for to ear-split a Friday night, but one to set on when there are bills to be paid, the afternoon’s all clouded up with dirty chalk filler, your heater’s broken, and you’re just looking for something to listen

to over a mug of coffee while you search for a faster way to forget everything. (SM) THREE-SIXTY SMILE (self-released) Three-Sixty Smile is one of the best bands in St. Louis and this, their self-released debut, shows why. The four live and three studio tracks are all superb. This four-piece is a great guitar-based act mixing grunge and pop influences into a unique sound that is painfully addictive. It’s hard not to want to listen to songs such as “It’s Not Right” and “Lost Path” all weekend long; the catchy “Rock Star” is sure to get plenty of airplay. Singer/guitarist Josh Herr is a perfectly suited lead vocalist and Joey Natas is noticeably good on drums, especially on the live tracks. (JK) YOURCODENAMEIS:MILO: ALL ROADS TO FAULT (Beggars Group) YCNI:M’s new record isn’t likely to see many copies returned to the duty-free shop anytime soon. Disconcerting at one point and accessible 30 seconds later, All Roads to Fault is the introduction of the U.K.’s newest import and it makes one hell of a good impression.

In case you’re wondering, All Roads does not derive its sound from bands of European past; rather, post-punk bands of American past. Do not let that mislead you, as YCNI:M is hella distinctive and create music that’s just begging for friendly ears to pick it up.

Kicking off beautifully with the self-titled track, the song is quickly reminiscent of the Blood Brothers. However, by the 40-second mark, that thought is dispelled by a flat-out rocking and melodic chorus. An EP in name only (7 tracks, 25:30,) All Roads is a herky-jerky trip that is sure to please those jonesing for a fix of mid-’90s indie rock whose edges were flawed and rough, not rounded and smooth.

By no means flawless, yet universally consistent, All Roads to Fault should bring YCNI:M widespread fame and fortune. However, something tells me that when they toss the sand paper to the four winds, the rough edges that remain are gonna scrape too many people in the wrong direction. Oh well. Screw ’em. (DL) Contributors: Carey Kirk, John Kujawski, David Lichius, Sean Moeller, Angela Pancella, Wade Paschall.

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13

BACKSTAGE PASS CONCERT REVIEWS

The Libertines w/Radio 4

C O

O R

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The Metro, Chicago, October 9 This show paired two bands hot in the U.K. but still just warming to U.S. audiences: England’s The Libertines, touring in support of their just-released, self-titled sophomore album (Rough Trade), and NYC’s Radio 4, whose Stealing of a Nation (Astralwerks) is their third full-length of political-leaning dance music.

The Libs—singer/guitarist Carl Barât, bassist John Hassall, drummer Gary Powell, and substitute guitarist Anthony Rossamondo filling in for the beleaguered Pete Doherty—made quite an impression on this capacity crowd. Frontman Barât took the stage (backed by a floor-to-ceiling sign announcing their name) in a torn T-shirt and a fisherman’s cap and launched into song; no introduction necessary. In fact, there was very little conversation with the audience, as the band tore through “Don’t Look Back Into the Sun” and “Vertigo.” To kick off “Begging,” a shirtless Powell played a hard-hitting drum solo; damn, this boy could sure create the beat! For his part, Rossamondo wasted no time proving himself to be Doherty’s replacement in every sense of the word, swigging from a bottle of Jamison’s in between songs.

Despite his pole position, when he wasn’t singing, Barât kept his back to the audience and played to the drummer. The Libs’ job is to play great music and to look good, not to tell jokes or have fun. (I think I saw Hassall almost crack a smile once.) Barât’s hat came off as the band delivered current single “Can’t Stand Me Now,” followed quickly by smashes “Death on the Stairs” and “Up the Bracket,” both from 2002’s Up the Bracket.

The crowd was dancing as best as sardines can through the 90-minute set, which also featured “Time for Heroes,” “The Boy Looked at Johnny,” TOP: CARL BARÂT of THE LIBERTINES. PHOTO by JIM DUNN

and “The Good Old Days.” As the four returned for a four-song encore, only the backdrop was lit, casting The Libs in a warm glow up until the first note of “Horror Shows.” An extended outro to “What Became of the Likely Lad” had the crowd cheering into the show’s closer, “I Get Along.”

Everyone in attendance sang along with The Libs mantra: “I get along/just singing my song/people tell me I’m wrong.../fuck ’em.” Indeed.

Openers Radio 4 were just as powerful—and, oddly, just as silent; for a political band playing the day after the second presidential debate, R4 didn’t offer a word. Opening with their current single, “Party Crasher” (time was when a band would save its hottest tune for an encore...or am I just getting old?), they played a blistering set heavy on the new disc: “Our Town,” “(Give Me All Your) Money,” “Transmission,” “Get Behind the Struggle,” “Dance to the Underground.”

As he finished singing “No Reaction,” frontman Anthony Roman said simply, “Thank you.

We’re Radio 4; The Libertines are next,” picked up his bottle of beer, and left his band to complete the song.

—Laura Hamlett

Viva Voce w/The Like Young The Way Out Club, October 13 When the Way Out Club is kicking, you know it before walking into the door, because every available parking spot is grabbed within blocks of Jefferson and Gravois. The flip side’s true, too: on a slow night, you pull right up to the club, greet Lee at the door, and grab a barstool anywhere along the long row of them.

Viva Voce and The Like Young played St. Louis on an unseasonably lovely autumn evening, which would’ve suggested a reasonable crowd for the pair of married-couple acts.

Unfortunately, a certain baseball team was in

the playoffs and the presidential debate was taking place across town. It seems even rockers like their baseball and politics.

Despite playing to a spartan house, Chicago’s The Like Young—guitarist/vocalist Joe Ziemba and drummer/vocalist Amanda Ziemba—warmed up the show nicely, highlighting their short set with a handful of tracks from their recent release I So Serious (Parasol), including the poppy “Out to Get Me,” “Tighten My Tie,” and “Worry a Lot.” Joe Ziemba proved a dexterous frontman, slashing at his guitar while bounding across the stage, to the delight of the half-dozen-or-so fans assembled. Amanda Ziemba, meanwhile, proved a revelation behind the kit. Diminutive but packing a serious punch, her backing vocals add just the right sweetness to her partner’s mildly tart delivery. Good stuff.

Onstage next were Portland’s Viva Voce, another duo, though this one would bring a lot more sound to the equation. Multiinstrumentalist/vocalist Kevin Robinson and guitarist/vocalist Anita Robinson have crafted one of the year’s most intriguing, sonically dense albums in The Heat Can Melt Your Brain (Minty Fresh), and bringing that album’s nuances to stage would seem a trick.

Not when Kevin Robinson plays drums and guitar simultaneously—after, of course, beginning the sampler. Routinely playing multiple instruments or by simply drumming and singing, Robinson commanded the stage, despite his wife’s absolutely gorgeous guitar tones and pleasant voice. Singing loud, though, isn’t in her playbook and her stage presence—head down, little movement—added little. Strangely, the duo’s seeming discomfort with the live context didn’t take away from the set, which was highlighted by loose-and-limber, three-minute pop songs that sounded like the perfect combination of Ivy and The Flaming Lips. continued on page 17

NOVEMBER 2004

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 get a chance.

So Many Dynamos—There are so many reasons to like So Many Dynamos. Not only does this local band have a tremendous amount of energy and stage presence, they also have a truly unique indie-rock sound to go along with their performance. According to the band’s Web site, the group’s lineup has a gone through a variety of changes over its lifespan.

Currently, the four-piece seems to be working well, and the sound could not be any more solid. Lead vocalist Aaron Stovall and guitarist Ryan Wasoba, the two original members, are both highly skilled musicians who play through great musical arrangements that offer a nice mix of guitar and keyboards. The songs in the set seem to fly by one after another; Wasoba is so animated onstage that he never even lets the audience have a breather. The night I saw them play, Wasoba was so hyper that he broke his

glasses and had to put down his guitar to pick up all the broken pieces. So Many Dynamos is certainly one band that I hope stays together for a long time.

Ultra Blue—If you don’t mind seeing a band in which the lead singer is not afraid to play a key-tar on certain songs, Ultra Blue is well worth checking out. The key-tar was an instrument of choice in the early ’80s that allowed keyboard players to move around the stage, handling their instruments the way guitar players do. It makes sense that this band would have one because their sound seems to be influenced by early ’80s new wave.

Ultra Blue certainly has their own way of doing it and the songs are quite good. Songs like “Head Shaving” are so striking that they easily capture the attention of the audience.

Some fans are even happy to sing along with the catchy lyrics, especially the large groups of girls who camp out on the guitar player’s side of the stage. The band plays a tight set and the vocals are perfectly suited for the melodic mix of guitars and keyboards.

Cleevage is a great three-piece with a hard sound and a vocal arrangement that

SO MANY DYNAMOS

makes them stick out from other bands in the metal genre. All three members sing and often take turns going through verses during the course of one song. Drummer Keegan has no problem tearing through heavy rhythms and singing lead vocals when it’s his turn, and the group’s guitar sound is nothing short of exciting. There’s no shortage of great guitar riffs and powerful bass lines and the band’s overall performance onstage is as strong as any touring band with a record label behind them. The night I saw them perform, audience members seemed surprised to learn they were watching an unsigned local band. No doubt, Cleevage is worthy of attracting a big audience.

—John Kujawski

15 LIVE MUSIC FIVE NIGHTS A WEEK • PITCHERS ARE ALWAYS $5

FRI NOV 5 – The Pixels (a tribute to the Pixies), El Mayo Boxo, and Sibylline — DRINK SPECIALS FOR SCORPIOS! SAT NOV 6 – That’s My Daughter FRI NOV 12 – Benefit for the Judy Ride Foundation SAT NOV 13 – Killjoy 4 Fun, Head On Collision, and Saturday Night’s Alright for Fighting EVERY MONDAY IS OPEN MIC MC BATTLE W/JOHN HARRINGTON AND FINSTA EVERY THURS IS MILITANT PROPAGANDA BINGO MACHINE W/ NON-PROPHETS COMEDY TROOPE

FRI NOV 19 – TBA SAT NOV 20 – TBA FRI NOV 26 – Dug Holes and The Greatest Show of All Time SAT NOV 27 – The Skintones and Long Jon Thomas and the Duffs

SHOWS NOT TO MISS: Nov 2 through 5 – Steve Ewing and friends; Nov 10 – Brother Ali .....................

1001 MCCAUSLAND AVE. • (314) 781-4716 FOR ADDITIONAL LISTINGS, PLEASE VISIT US ONLINE AT WWW.HI-POINTE.COM

PLAYBACK ST. LOUIS

16

NOVEMBER 2004

Backstage Pass Weird, but not too weird, Viva Voce’s songs are sneaky pop, with loopy guitar hooks, clever samples, and harmonies that are remarkably pretty. Though they, too, had to play before a small house (augmented by a scenester’s birthday party), the few people on hand were universally swaying; in the back of the house, soundman Richard Beckman was raving about the songwriting, even while battling the two vocalists, who just wouldn’t belt out vocals loud enough to complete the mix.

It was that kind of night.

—Thomas Crone

from page 14

like reviewing a Low concert; it’s often hard to recognize how good they are, because when they’re doing their thing, they tend to be so relaxing that you forget to pay attention, or even that you are at a so-called rock show. The first song they played (the title of which eludes me) was a long instrumental in which Pall Jenkins, the vocalist/ lead guitarist, puts his guitar away in favor of a

singing saw, which is a sure way to get the audience members to drift off, myself included. I came to long enough to notice the lack of violin player for “Tropics of Love,” which was slightly disappointing, but soon afterwards, my mind went into a pleasant slowcore-induced wander, which is where I remained for the rest of the night.

—Pete Timmermann

The Black Heart Procession w/Enon and Scout Niblett Off Broadway, October 13 Sometimes the coolest thing in the world is to have ignorance-based low expectations.

Although I was looking forward to seeing The Black Heart Procession live, I had heard exactly one song each of openers Scout Niblett and Enon, and they both sucked (the song of Niblett’s was her cover of Palace Music’s “Trudy Dies” from the newly released tribute to Will Oldham, I Am a Cold Rock. I Am Dull Grass—the worst track on the two-disc set; Enon’s was “Natural Disasters” from their CD High Society).

As it turns out, I enjoyed both bands almost as much as I did the Hearts. Niblett is short and skinny-legged, with harsh bangs and slouchy posture, so seeing her on stage is akin to watching a smart 12-year-old trying to live through P.E. (her drummer was on the opposite side of the stage, looking like a refugee from Stranger Than Paradise, and offered no physical support to her tiny frame and awkward presence). Incongruently, she plays guitar like a rock god. Not that her posture improves or her demeanor hardens, but merely the music that comes from her guitar is loud and gnarly, which is wholly pleasing when combined with her taking her eyes off of the floor long enough to wail into the microphone.

The beef I had with “Natural Disasters” was that it sounded like very stereotypical late-’90s alternative rock, with no hooks and a boring vocalist (John Schmersal), so you can imagine my surprise when Enon’s other vocalist (one I was not aware of), Toko Yasuda, a charismatic Asian woman, started knocking out the first song.

Even when Schmersal sang, he split half and half between Midnite Vultures–era Beck and the aforementioned bad, late-’90s alt-rock, so essentially only 25 percent of Enon’s songs were of the boring variety I was afraid they’d all be.

Reviewing a Black Heart Procession show is

17

DINING OUT FOR LIFE TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 2004 OZZIE SMITH, HONORARY CHAIR 180 restaurants will donate a portion of your bill to Saint Louis Effort For AIDS on Tuesday, November 30th.

101.1 THE RIVER’S HOMEGROWN SHOW Every Thursday (see our schedule in the Calendar Section)

To find a participating restaurant near you, call 314-645-6451 or visit www.stlefa.org

1551 South 7th St. • Next to Soulard Market (314) 621-2181 • Open Until 3 am

NOVEMBER 2004

COME OUT AND PLAY

BOB FOSSE’S CHICAGO PLAYS THE FABULOUS FOX, NOV. 9–21

THEATER

By Tyson Blanquart

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.

SHOWS OPENING HotCity Theatre opens its inaugural season with The Exonerated, written by Jessica Blank and Eric Jensen.

The play is the story of six death-row survivors who were convicted of crimes they didn’t commit. It’s the survivors’ true stories, using their own words. Performances will be Nov. 12–Dec. 4, with shows at 8 p.m. Thurs.–Sat. and Sun. matinees at 2 p.m. at the ArtLoft Theatre, 1529 Washington.

Tickets are $20 general admission, $16 students/seniors, and are available online at www.HotCityTheatre.org.

Magic Smoking Monkey Theatre will present its fall show, It’s a Wonderful Life LIVE! Nov. 12–27, with performances at 8 and 10:30 p.m. Fri. & Sat. The classic movie starring Jimmy Stewart comes to life on stage with an MSM twist. Shows will be at the Regional Arts Commission in the University City Loop, across the street from the Pageant. Tickets are $15 general admission and $10 students/seniors and can be purchased through MetroTix by phone at 314-534-1111 or online at www.metrotix.com.

Stray Dog Theatre will open its 2004–2005 season with the acclaimed Proof by David Auburn. Performances will be Nov. 11–27, with shows at 8 p.m.

Thurs.–Sat. and Sun. matinees at 2 p.m. at the Clayton Little Theatre, 1 Mark Twain Circle in Clayton.

Spotlight Theatre will open its 2004–2005 season with Romance in D by James Sherman. The story is a modern love fable set in a present-day Chicago apartment building.

Performances will be Nov. 5–21, with shows at 8 p.m. Thur.–Sat., and Sun. matinees at 2 p.m. Tickets are $18 adults, $15 students/ seniors and can be purchased at the box office one hour prior to the show. Reservations can be made by calling 314918-8424 or by sending an e-mail to tickets@spotlightthea tresonline.org. The show will run at the Soulard Theater, located at 1921 South 9th St. in Soulard.

DramaRama Theatre Company will have public performances of its touring production of the children’s show School House Rock Live! through Nov. with shows at the Jewish Community Center Nov. 6–7 at 2 p.m.; the Soulard Theatre Nov. 13 at 2 p.m.; and the West County YMCA Nov. 20–21 at 2 p.m. Tickets can be purchased by calling 314605-7788 or online at www.DramaRamaTheatre.com.

Ragged Blade Productions will present two shows in November. The first is a one-woman show by S. Bear Bergman entitled Clearly Marked, a humorous look at labels that society gives us. The show is a special engagement and will be Nov. 5–6 at 8 p.m. Tickets are $10 adults, $8 students/seniors. This play is intended for mature audiences. The second show is The Soviet Tango, written by local playwright Jerry Rabushka. It is a love story between a poet and a dancer, winner of the 2001 Arts For Life “Special Achievement Award” for original score. Performances will be Nov. 12–21, with 8 p.m. showtimes on Fri. & Sat.; 7 p.m. on Sun. Nov. 14; and 2 p.m. on Sun. Nov. 21. Both of these shows will be at the Theatre at St. John’s, located at 5000 Washington in the Central West End. Curtain Call Theatre will present Jane Eyre, Nov. 12–21. Shows will be at the Carousel House in Faust Park in Chesterfield at 8 p.m. on Fri. & Sat. and 5 p.m. on Sun. Tickets are $15 in advance, $13 at the door. Reservations are recommended, and can be made by calling 636-346-7707.

The Repertory Theatre will continue its run of William Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night through Nov. 12 at the Virginia Jackson-Browning Mainstage in Webster Groves.

Showtimes are Tues.–Fri. at 8 p.m.; Wed., Nov. 3 at 1:30 p.m.; Sat. at 5 & 9 p.m.; and Sun. at 2 p.m. Tickets $12–58 and can be purchased at the box office in the Loretto-Hilton Center on Webster University campus, or by phone at 314-968-4925.

The Alton Little Theatre will close its run of The Laramie Project with performances through Nov. 7 at the continued on page 35

POSITION OPENINGS/AUDITIONS Ragged Blade Productions is seeking a director for their spring production of Tattoos, a based-on-a-true-story comedy/drama about a handsome young tattoo artist who innocently sleeps his way through a group of “old friends.”

Production will be in April 2005. Auditions will most likely be held in January, and rehearsals will begin about seven weeks prior to opening. If interested, contact the playwright, Jerry Rabushka, at ChawLyder@aol.com.

Kirkwood Theatre Guild will hold auditions for Crimes of the Heart by Beth Henley on Sun., Nov. 14 at 2 p.m. at the Robert G. Reim Theatre at the Kirkwood Community Center, located at 111 South Geyer Road. Performance dates will be Jan. 21–23 and 27–29. The show will be directed by Russell J. Bettlach. No appointment necessary; however, late arrivals may not be admitted. Roles are available for four women and two men. Auditions will consist of cold readings from the script. For more information, call 314-821-9956 or visit www.ktg-onstage.org.

THEATER NEWS The Center of Contemporary Arts will be holding a series of workshops for actors that will include “Movement,” “Voice and Speech,” and “Working as an Actor.” Workshops will be held at COCA in the Loop. Each workshop will be two hours in length, and will take place on various Saturdays over the next three months. Coming up Nov. 6 is “Voice and Speech for the Actor” from 1–3 p.m. Dec. 4 will be “Working as an Actor in St. Louis” workshop, also 1–3 p.m. Admission is $40. Participants can take the workshops separately, or sign up for the entire series. For more information and registration, call 314-725-6555.

HotCity Theatre will be hosting a special performance of its season opener The Exonerated Nov. 13 as a company fundraiser at the ArtLoft Theatre. The show will be performed at 8 p.m. followed by an hors d’oeurve reception and a Q&A with one of the real-life characters of the story, Kerry Max Cook. Tickets for the evening are $50, and can be purchased by calling 314-241-1517.

19

YOU ARE HERE

FOUNDRY ART CENTRE

STOKING THE FORGES THE FOUNDRY FIRES UP ARTISTS IN ST. CHARLES

By Rudy Zapf

20

Talk about a great first impression. The people behind the Foundry Art Centre (on St. Charles’ waterfront) have turned a disused railroad car factory into a sleek arts complex. The sheer expanse of space is amazing, from the gallery large enough to hold three concurrent shows, to the main hall that’s as big as a canyon. This place has everything: some 5,000 square feet of exhibition space, a children’s museum, over 20 rented artist studios on the second floor, and a rotation of arts education classes. Perhaps the coolest thing about it is that the second story of the Grand Hall looks exactly like a prison cell block—albeit a shiny, clean, arte moderne cell block, done up in crisp white, with original artworks everywhere. Sort of like a sanitized prison scene a lá Elvis Presley.

With an exploding population, St. Chaz is ripe for a cultural arts anchor. Most visitors come to town for either the gambling boat or the overpriced, cutely Victorian gewgaws that are for sale in the restored brick buildings of Main Street. The city has not hosted any significant galleries that regularly draw crowds to opening night—or any other time, for that matter. The Foundry plans to change all that by educating the public about the wealth of local talent.

There are currently 21 spaces rented to artistsin-residence at the Foundry, ranging from glass bead and jewelry makers, to painters, sculptors, photographers, and digital artists. One of the standout features is the double row of artist studios that encompass the mezzanine level.

Every studio space is glass-fronted, so anyone walking by can watch the artists at work. This is a great way for artists to make themselves known to the community, as well as to prospective buyers. It offers networking, shmoozing, and free advertising opportunities every day. Glass walls don’t allow for “bad mood” days. If you’ve had a pisser of a day, are you allowed the privacy of stomping around the studio, banging paint cans and pounding slabs of clay until the mood passes? No! You’ll have put on your “happy artist face” for visitors all the time. Couldn’t help wondering if there’s a clause in the rental agreement that covers this situation.

Paperworks: In, On, and Of Paper October 15–December 5 The Foundry Art Centre An invitational exhibit that highlights local color, as well as brings in serious artworks from outside the region, this show gives a bird’s eye view of the Foundry’s future. Dedicating an exhibit to paper as the artform itself, rather than as merely a vehicle for the message, opens the playing field to wide array of entries—more so than if the show had been focused on paintings or photography. Curated by executive director Joyce Rosen and juried by Prof. Ben Cameron, the show effectively demonstrated the intrinsic fun of paper. Unfolding books gave way to hand-marbled containers, which stood quietly by pulp baskets, which stood sentinel near framed watercolor paintings...it’s not so much what you can do with paper, as what can you not do with it?

As with any show of such broad scope, it has its misses as well as its hits. Included in the roster of the many notable pieces is Dawn Hunter’s mixed media piece, Protecting Zita’s Tarnished Image. Investigating Zits Tarnished Image. In shades of gray and black, the 24 bilevel images tell a hard boiled tale pulled right from a film noir storyboard. Sometimes the characters are laugh-out-loud funny in their campy cat-and-mouse game.

Other memorable works were sent in by Rosalba Marisol and Ann Gant. Marisol, who resides in Los Angeles, submitted Flow I, a color viscosity etching that beautifully tenders a technique that few printmakers attempt and even fewer master. Gant, from Brooklyn, offered an outstanding work titled Centralia.

Consisting of four double layers of heavyweight sheets, (printmaking or watercolor paper, by the look of it), the artist burned and scorched the paper, building a sepia toned landscape as if it were an abstracted antique photograph. The physicality of the damaged paper is as much a part of the effect as the holes and charred windows are, as they open to glimpses of mottled skin below the primary surface.

In addition to the Paperworks exhibit, the capacious gallery is simultaneously housing paper-pulp paintings by Brother Mel Meyer, and paintings by Ron Thomas. While both of these exhibits could stand on their own, it’s the breadth of experimental works that makes Paperworks worth the trip. The drive across the Missouri River is really not all that long, and you owe it to yourself to see what’s been brewing over in St. Charles.

HAPPY HOUR Every Day from 2-7pm Open till 3 am every night SCHEDULE Sat 11/6 (late show) Broadzilla, The Effigies Mon 11/8 The Murder Junkies Tues 11/9 Authority Zero Wed 11/10 The Groovie Ghoulies, Jackass Thurs 11/11 The Casualties, Lower Class Brats Fri 11/12 Voodoo Glow Skulls, Big D & The Kids Table, Go Betty Go, The F-Ups Sat 11/13 (early show) Anything But Joey Sat 11/13 (late show) D.O.A. Mon 11/15 The Static Age, As Tall As Lions Thurs 11/18 Strung Out Sat 11/20 Battles Sun 11/21 Hopesfall, Enging Down Wed 11/24 Drykill Logic, Scum of the Earth Thurs 11/25 Demented Are Go Fri 11/26 Edith Frost Sat 11/27 Peelander-Z

Playback STL and the Creepy Crawl Present

21

Voodoo Glow Skulls 11/12 Edith Frost 11/26

NOV. 20 Win Free T-shirts and prize packs from Playback STL

Tomahawk, and Helmet 412 N. TUCKER - ST. LOUIS, MO 63101 314-851-0919 - www.creepycrawl.com

ON THE COVER THE HIVES

NOT YOUR TYPICAL DINOSAUR:

HIVES HYPE HAS HEIGHTENED

By Sean Moeller he knowledge of exactly how long you’re going to live may not be a welcome thing.

It’s possible that some would like to know and others would prefer to leave their available time to a higher cosmic power, hidden from all earthly view. Might that number, if unveiled, cause you to act differently, to treat everyday matters with urgency or disdain, depending on the forecasted prognosis? All manners of acceptance or disbelief would be within reason if such a prospectus, rounded to the exact hour of being snuffed of life for good, were as realistic a computation as an earned run average or a slugging percentage.

There are easily accessable charts that tell us, as citizens of the United States of America, that our average life expectancy—a figure based on the general state of our country and its handle on medicines—is just a tick over 77 years. The average life of a resident of the United Kingdom is 77.7 years. Sweden, the land of The Hives, is on the high side of the scale—surpassed only by Switzerland, Australia, Japan, and the microstates of San Marino and Andorra. The average Swede can plan to make it all the way to 80 without much of a problem. Not a single person’s doubting that Howlin’ Pelle Almqvist, Nicholaus Arson, or Dr. Matt Destruction will reach their denture days, nursing bad backs, bad digestion, and knees that don’t want to bend straight anymore. It’s a different sort of expectancy questioned in their cases. It’s as serious as death and not as serious as death, all at the same time. Where do they fall on the rock ’n’ roll relevancy wheel? Their musical life’s blood—as does any hot-flash band’s—hangs as precariously over unstable ground as does the regular life of the 124-year-old Russian woman feebly holding the distinction of being the world’s oldest living person.

As they are, these charts are baloney. They don’t take into account drunk drivers, aneurysms, or other random acts that could make these numbers as useful as picking the winning

T

Powerball ticket a day late. But given a way to tweak the formula, allowing it to give us approximate dates of disappearance for certain rock bands, they could mean something. Say, for instance, that we could tell within a week or two when the last time we’d hear an A Simple Plan or Usher cut on the radio would be; that would be worth something.

What has been speculated since the 2002 American release of Veni Vidi Vicious and the single “Hate to Say I Told You So” is the staying power of a band that has been seen as a rebellious form of kitsch—not quite novelty and not quite rudimentary in its act. European music periodicals—so quick to embrace and quicker to unlock those bear hugs from their bandsof-the-moment—might have wound their doomsday clocks one album ago, the same day they named The Hives and their unfettered, sonic luge of quicksilver punk rock the tastiest on the globe. Sure, it’s fashionable to pick on the snappy dressers just as it’s fashionable to call fart jokes junior high-ish and say that the Yankees are real pricks for trying to buy happiness and usually getting it. The Hives are used to the badgering and the crooked smiles meant to read, “Yeah, you’re cool now, but those floors are going to cave in, we just know it.”

The Hives are a band that recognizes the fleet steps of original thought. There’s more of a willingness to buy into an idea because it’s the popular thing to do, not because it’s what you might truly want to do. Hell, their tremendous new record, Tyrannosaurus Hives, is all about

BACKGROUND PHOTO courtesy THE HIVES (Eric Josjo); LIVE PHOTOS by JIM DUNN

the insignificant posturing most people do to fit into the norm or sound smart. Guilty of that are the rock critics. Anyone who’s given this band an expiration date as if it were a gallon of milk should look into meteorology—a profession where you’re wrong most of the time, people still listen to what you have to say nightly, and you get paid for it. The Hives have heard the skepticism and it doesn’t bother them.

“If you read NME [New Musical Express] or any kind of British newspaper, they’re based on finding a new band every week.

They miss out on a lot of great music because of that. The rise and fall of The Hives is really bizarre. It seems pretty insincere,” 26-year-old Arson said from a tour stop in Germany.

“If you’re the hottest band one week, you’re the fattest, oldest band the next week. It’s water off a goose. Popularity-wise, I can’t predict what’s going to happen, but quality-wise, that’s very easy to predict.”

Arson said that most people don’t know how to look at the band. They’ve got the matching uniforms—this year’s model has them looking like the spiffiest matadors that ever lived, with longer pants—and Almqvist articulates an arrogance that spares itself from being obnoxious and grating, but rather comes off as clever boardroom confidence. They won’t apologize for ruling the roost or always being center stage.

“Some people think we’re pretty complicated and some think we’re the simplest joke around,” he said. “We are in uniform all day long. Sometimes it’s like wearing wide, dancing shoes in the rain when rubber boots would

“He was more of a loner then. More of a WEIRDO. I think he’s more accepted now,” Arson says of his kid brother, with a chuckle.

have been more practical. If you’re by yourself, people think you’re dressing in clothes. If there are two of you, it looks like the stupidest thing ever. But if there are five, it just looks impressive.

“We have them washed about once a week and the rest of the time they just smell. If people notice there’s blood or snot on our clothes, we might get them washed.”

Growing up in Fagersta, Sweden, a mining town of just over 12,000 people, all the members of the band lived on the same block. Arson is Almqvist’s older brother and they started the band over a decade ago when there was nothing better to do. And nothing better to listen to.

So did their working-class hometown play a part in shaping their sound? “To a certain extent, I think it did,” said Arson.

“It’s kind of hard to say. We had time to digest and seep it in. We had to find everything ourselves. If you wanted good music, you had to play it yourself. When you come from a place where people save up for a guitar instead of having them thrown at you, it’s a lot different.”

Being a long way from any hot spot kept the band’s career aspirations modest. It would have been too much to expect such an outpouring of love like the one they received worldwide two years ago. The could only hope for a post-mortem discovery of their talents through reissues or frosty-faced used records, dug up by a generation of with-its able to accept them for what they are: the best punk band in the universe.

“We never really thought about how popular we were or how popular we wanted to be.

We always thought we’d be discovered 15 years after we were gone,” Arson said. “People just kind of beat us to it. We just like doing what we do. We had a bigger plan. We didn’t try to get popular. If it’s your goal to be popular, then when you get popular, you’re done. You just sit up in the hills and do nothing.

“A lot of really boring artists are very popular. I can’t predict it. I’d rather see good bands become popular. I can’t go out and buy five million copies of my favorite band’s record. I probably could, though, but it would be pretty expensive.”

The Hives are set in their modes—simple modes, driving fast through each song with revamped riffs and hasty new ones. When recording, they set the studio up like they’d set up a stage. They spend much less time with the recording process than most bands do. They play everything live and record three takes, keeping either the first or the third because, as Arson tells it, the first one is usually too fast, the second one’s too slow, and the third’s just fast. Complication would only surrender the energy.

Topping it all off is a frontman who belts out hurricanes—gusts that would make Ivan seem like a whiny little bitch—and jiggers around a stage like his nipples are being twisted, slowing just long enough to hold himself in a cocksure Jagger pose that might be an improvement and

more how the angels devised it. The whole band’s got the look and the moves, but it picks its spots.

“Some things we do, I don’t think they involve as much acting out. If you’re going to go buy some food, you don’t swagger the same way,” Arson said. “Other people might think it’s showing off. Our hobby has been what we do. Some are interested in cars. Well, some are interested in cars when we’re home, but we’re pretty much exclusively interested in music.”

Despite how he appears—so natural with the microphone and an attentive audience— Almqvist wasn’t always so suave, even if all his fancy talk would seem to question it.

“He was more of a loner then. More of a weirdo. I think he’s more accepted now,” Arson says of his kid brother, with a chuckle.

And there’s plenty of time left for Almqvist to be further accepted. The sands are not draining from any hourglass, trickling to mark a match-point for The Hives. Any band that expends as much energy as they do and still claims that it could run its tanks on 15 minutes of sleep and a Mars bar (more of a choice snack in Sweden, I’m guessing) must be doing something better than most. Sometimes it’s hard to get these indie rock groups we pay to see to even look respectable as they work—to comb their hair, throw on some deodorant, and dress up a smidge—much less be respectable with their work. But The Hives are choice. The Hives are law. And we are crime to consider their affluence short-lived.

The Hives play at Pop’s November 29.

PLAYBACK ST. LOUIS

NOW PLAYING CINEMA

ALFIE (Paramount Pictures, R)

24

It is amazing that a film like Alfie was made in the Hollywood system. Alfie challenges the conventions of standard American films, eschewing formula and a tidy happy ending in favor of introspection and innovative storytelling. This type of film is usually the realm of independent and European filmmakers—in fact, the Michael Caine original was a British film—but Paramount Pictures has gone out on a limb and shot an extraordinarily different romantic comedy. The question now is will audiences see it.

Making Paramount’s gamble a bit more palatable is hot commodity Jude Law as the title character. Law plays an English rogue transplanted to Manhattan. As Alfie, Law spends his time satiating his hedonistic desires and directly addressing the audience. This is not the occasional Woody Allen/Ferris Bueller aside, but a continuously running dialogue with the audience. Startling at first, the device becomes a casual conceit as the film progresses. It is not the kind of thing expected from Charles Shyer, a regular director of formulaic pap: Irreconcilable Differences, Baby Boom, and the Father of the Bride remakes, among other transgressions.

Shyer, who co-wrote the script, completely abandons the three-act structure in favor of a spiraling narrative style where characters flow in and out Alfie’s life. The innovative script structure is a real surprise from a regular writer on Happy Days and The Odd Couple.

The final and biggest deviation from the romantic comedy paradigm is the ending. In most romantic comedies, one of the characters, usually the man, has a transformative experience and is, in the end, rewarded with happiness. Alfie’s experiences do change him, but the resolution is not so obvious and easy.

Instead of ending happily ever after, Alfie continues his long journey of life.

While all of these factors may put off the mass audience, they make Alfie a better film.

The orthodox American romantic comedy has rules and regulations, and while a great film can be made within those constraints, it is usually

just an exercise of the familiar. The deviations from the typical are what sets Alfie apart.

Yet, innovation alone does not make a film.

Law is perfect as the charming Euro, skating through life on his smile—which Law uses to show a half dozen emotions in one small gesture. He captures the charm and despicable nature of a scoundrel. The other cast members are exquisite. Susan Sarandon, Marisa Tomei, Sienna Miller, Nina Long, and Omar Epps all have tremendous moments, but the nature of the film relegates those performances to almost cameos. Epps in particular has almost no meaningful dialogue in a handful of scenes, but his impact is amazing.

Shyer keeps the film moving and fills the screen with subtle, yet massive, hints at Alfie’s state of mind. Shyer injects a ’60s Mod sensibility into the film, giving both it and Alfie an understated timelessness. Alfie may not break box office records, unless Law’s charms can overcome its challenges, but the filmmakers should absolutely consider it their most successful film.

—Bobby Kirk ENDURING LOVE (Paramount Classics, R) Based on the novel by Ian McEwan, Enduring Love begins on an idyllic afternoon in the English countryside. Professor Joe Rose (Daniel Craig, Road to Perdition) has packed a bottle of champagne and tucked an engagement ring inside his bag. With the woman he Enduring Love loves at his side, a wonderful future stretches in front of him…that is, until a bright-red hot-air balloon plummets from the sky above, changing the course of his formerly peaceful existence.

With the help of three others, Joe tries to rescue a little boy trapped inside the balloon’s

basket. But despite their best efforts, the balloon lifts off the ground, and one of the men refuses to let go, eventually dropping from the sky to his death. With the help of another onlooker, Jed Parry (Rhys Ifans, Notting Hill), Joe finds himself in charge of the man’s mangled remains and, later, is racked with guilt over his death, convinced that it could have somehow been prevented.

It doesn’t help matters when Jed tracks him down afterwards, desperate to discuss what happened. Although Joe tries to be polite at first, Jed’s frantic need to talk, combined with his fanatic religious beliefs, is incredibly unsettling. It is even more creepy when Jed starts turning up at all of Joe’s regular spots—from the park across the street to his classroom at the university—desperate to convince Joe that they shared something special on the day of the accident and are meant to be together.

As tends to be the case in the stalker genre, no one other than the audience and the main character seems to understand how precarious the situation is, and even Joe’s patient girlfriend Claire (Samantha Morton, In America) begins to think that perhaps Joe is the crazy one. In a predictable fashion, their perfect life slowly begins to unravel…very slowly, that is, for the audience.

Despite strong performances from Craig, Ifans, and Morton, the hour between the balloon accident and the unsettling finale is truly disappointing.

It’s a thriller without the thrill.

Oh sure, for a while the dramatic-sounding music tricks us into believing something interesting will happen soon or that a hidden secret regarding Jed’s obsession may reveal itself. But instead of developing a truly engaging, suspenseful plot, the movie uses lengthy dialogue segments to introduce ques-

NOVEMBER 2004

tions regarding the biological basis of romance and the fine line between love and madness.

And when Joe is lecturing to his class on these same sort of topics, it’s clear that he is really lecturing us.

Although an intellectual thriller can certainly work when combined with a compelling story, by the end of this particular film, you may be too busy trying to figure out what it’s all supposed to mean to remember why you cared about these characters in the first place.

—Emily Spreng Lowery RAY (Universal Pictures, PG-13) Halloween kicks off Oscar season with Universal’s amazing biopic, Ray, which tells the story of icon Ray Charles. The plot is familiar: a young musician struggles with his art, drugs, and personal life until he finally finds the courage and the strength to overcome his demons.

The film is sentimental but never sappy, and follows a basic “Lifetime movie” outline, but the performances and direction set the movie apart, while the music lifts it to even greater heights.

There are so many aspects of this film to rave about, but Jamie Foxx’s performance as Ray Charles is first and foremost. Foxx has taken on three of the toughest acting challenges and

succeeded spectacularly. First, Foxx is playing a real person, one of the most famous musicians of his generation—Charles’ mannerisms and characteristics are instantly recognizable, and even youngsters that missed his prime years know him from his Diet Pepsi commercials. Foxx becomes Charles; his movements, his piano playing, his quirks are all there. Foxx disappears.

The second challenge Foxx conquers is Charles’ blindness. He nails the physical aspects of the handicap but he never plays down to the affliction. Charles never let his condition hold him back, and Foxx captures that dignity and power along with the daily details of a blind musician on the road.

Finally, Foxx completely captures Charles’ struggles with heroin. Foxx embodies the dichotomy of the functional drug addict, one minute dazzling a crowd, the next charming a woman, and the next crawling on the bathroom floor scrambling for his next fix. Foxx never overplays the addiction, but lets it seep slowly into his performance. Many actors have attempted to play addiction, but few have succeeded so completely. Sublimely subtle Foxx is the heart of a movie that treads the fine line between pathos and bathos perfectly.

Foxx is only the beginning of the great act-

ing; astonishing supporting turns from Clifton Powell, Curtis Armstrong, Regina King, and others highlight the steady skills of director Taylor Hackford. Hackford’s visual and sonic tapestry is electric. Hackford and production designer Stephen Altman perfectly create the worlds Charles passes through on his journey.

From Southern dirt farms to honkey tonks to opulent Hollywood parties, everything is reconstructed marvelously. Hackford employs his formidable filmmaking skills for visual interest and to explore the psyche of Charles.

Charles’ music is woven into the very fabric of the movie. Hackford does not rely on performance pieces (though when he does, they are spectacular), but shows Charles creating his music and then uses the music to inspire the scenes. Hackford is lucky Foxx was able to imitate Charles’ voice when necessary, and Charles himself was able to contribute to the film before his recent passing. Not since Milos Forman in Amadeus has a director so splendidly combined music and movie into a single entity.

Simply, Ray is a touching, moving story about an American legend told incredibly well.

There should be a bevy of awards and nominations for this film, and for Foxx.

—Bobby Kirk

25

NOW PLAYING SLIFF 2004

By Bobby Kirk The 2004 edition of the Saint Louis International Film Festival will feature over 180 films, including narrative features, shorts, and documentaries. The festival is broken up into a myriad of sidebars, forums, and special presentations. Films are categorized by content, geographical origin, and audience. Works from local artists stand side by side with foreign films from around the world.

For this preview, I decided to concentrate on one of the most successful groups of films in recent festival history: the American Independent Sidebar (AIS). This eclectic grouping provides a great variety, drawing together 16 films with diverse budgets, aesthetics, and subject matters. This sidebar includes the seven films in the New Filmmakers Forum (NFF), a subsection devoted to not only viewing the work of first time filmmakers, but also having a chance to interact with those filmmakers in question and answer sessions, on panels, and during receptions. Unfortunately, this season’s films are mostly better off not being seen.

The NFF contains only one real standout this year, Jacob Gentry’s Last Goodbye, which combines an excellent script, strong performances, and a solid visual style. The story of four intersecting lives may seem contrived, but Gentry’s subtle direction pulls it off. The only other good NFF film is Zen Noir. This story of a hardboiled detective investigating a murder in a Buddhist temple is shot and edited well and is initially funny, but it drags as the initial comedy wears off. Zen Buddhism may be an interesting and valuable philosophy, but like most philosophy, it does not make for riveting film.

The other five films in the NFF are each bad in their own way. Unknown Soldier, the tale of an urban youth struggling to make his way after his father’s death, is anti-climactic and unsatisfying. Ryan Eslinger’s Madness and Genius is a deliberate walk through the lives of three socially dysfunctional members of an unnamed esteemed university. The pace is slow and the characters never do or say anything interesting. The putridly contrived Easy is predictable, banal pap about a young woman floating from one bad relationship to another. The perfectly gift-wrapped ending, paper-thin characters, and sad little quirks would embarrass the most soulless sitcom writer. The biggest disappointment in the slipshod teen suicide pact/serial

LOLLILOVE

killer movie State’s Evidence is that some of the characters survive. Ignoring reality, continuity, timelines, and character motivations, this series of pontifications from a group of unlikable, unrealistic teens is not only boring and predictable, it is actively annoying.

The rest of the AIS features a documentary, some low-budget Hollywood fare, animation, and a few local features. Z Channel: A Magnificent Obsession tells the story of a premium cable television channel servicing the Los Angeles area in the ’70s and ’80s. It is obvious from the outset that Z Channel and its founder, Jerry Harvey, were ahead of the curve in many aspects of the modern film landscape.

They pioneered directors’ cuts, championing underground films and career retrospectives.

But this film is a two-hour collage of people repeatedly singing the praises of the channel while the filmmakers show their favorite bits of movies featured during its heyday. After the opening 15 minutes, little new is introduced and the truly compelling story of Harvey and his mental disintegration is glossed over.

From Hollywood but made outside the studio system, the AIS brings LolliLove and Straight-Jacket. Straight-Jacket tells the wonderfully funny story of a gay matinee idol in 1950s Hollywood. Guy is a successful leading man but he cannot keep his homosexual philandering under wraps. As a smokescreen, he marries the incredibly naive Sally. The film can go over the top, but it makes up for it with wit and subtlety in the important moments. Local natives James Gunn and Jenna Fischer bring an incredible buzz with the mockumentary LolliLove. Playback STL’s Adam Hackbarth has seen a sneak peek and assures it will be great.

The AIS also includes two other films with local ties. The special-effects laden Guardian of the Realm, shot in Los Angeles by a group of transplanted St. Louisans, proved a real crowd pleaser and showcased some breakout talent on both sides of the camera. This film has a few problems—the secondary characters are weak and the dialogue can be sappy—but also contains great visuals, quality lead performances, and truly tense moments. I was only able to make it through 20 minutes of the completely locally produced Inbred Redneck Alien Abduction. I could actually feel myself getting dumber as I watched; the story, acting, and production values were that bad.

The stagy recounting of the genesis of a lesbian love affair in Girl Play is particularly painful. This film breaks the first rule of filmmaking: show, don’t tell. Written by the leads and based on their own lives, it uses direct narration and

voice-over continuously. The animated Hair High is a series of unfunny bodily function jokes bookended by a pointless love story. The animation is primitive, but the writing is the real downfall. The characters are barely one-note and their motivations unfathomable.

Up for Grabs is a surprising documentary that chronicles the dispute over Barry Bond’s recordsetting 73rd home run ball. The story of the ball is made all the more intriguing by the personalities involved. Local feature documentaries are well represented by The World’s Greatest Fair and Build for Speed: The Coral Court Motel, which highlight two wonderful aspects of St. Louis’s past. “Fundamental Fairness,” about a local miscarriage of justice, and A Magical Life: Circus Flora come highly recommended.

Pushin’ Ink examines tattoos on local residents.

And the unfortunate The Disability Project does not adequately present the powerful work done by a local theater group.

Last Goodbye and Straight-Jacket are gems; but the losers, of which there are many, are mostly unwatchable. The rest of the festival looks to have its highlights, and hopefully there are other powerful works out there waiting to be discovered. Film festivals are about choices; hopefully this will help you make the right ones.

See www.playbackstl.com for Adam Hackbarth’s interview with LolliLove’s Jenna Fisher. Also, beginning November 12, read the Playback STL critics’ online film diary of the Saint Louis International Film Festival.

NOVEMBER 2004

SLIFF SCHEDULE

FRI. 11/18

THU. 11/18

9:30 pm: Blind Shaft (HP) 7 pm: Ganges: River to Heaven (WU) 9 pm: Word Wars (WU) 6:30 pm: World’s Greatest Fair (TV1) 9:15 pm: World’s Greatest Fair (TV1) 5 pm: Free Radicals (TV2) 7:30 pm: Afterlife (TV2) 9:45 pm: Distant (TV2) 5 pm: Her Majesty (TV3) 7:15 pm: The Olive Harvest (TV3) 9:30 pm: Tarnation (TV3) 7 pm: Since Otar Left (HP) 9:30 pm: Wild Bees (HP) 7 pm: Word Wars (WU) 9 pm: Ganges: River to Heaven (WU) 10 am: World’s Greatest Fair (TV1) 5 pm: The Wool Cap (TV1) 7:15 pm: Zen Noir (TV1) 9:30 pm: Unknown Soldier (TV1) 7:30 pm: Mix (TV2) 10 pm: Spare Parts (TV2) 5:30 pm: Free Seminar (TV3) 7:30 pm: Afterlife (TV3) 9:45 pm: Tarnation (TV3) 7 pm: Fuhrer Ex (HP) 9:30 pm: La Petite Lili (HP) 7 pm: Farmingville (WU) 9 pm: Behind Enemy Lines (WU) 7 pm: Tribute to Blaché (TV1) 9:45 pm: Last Goodbye (TV1) 5 pm: Distant (TV2) 7:30 pm: Bad Education (TV2) 9:45 pm: A Peck on the Cheek (TV2) 5 pm: City of No Limits (TV3) 7:45 pm: Spare Parts (TV3) 9:45 pm: Short Subjects #4 (TV3) 7 pm: Easy (HP) 9:30 pm: Learning to Lie (HP) 7 pm: Behind Enemy Lines (WU) 9 pm: The Royal Academy (WU) 1 pm: Madness & Genius (TV1) 3:30 pm: Showcase Sampler (TV1) 6:30 pm: LolliLove (TV1) 9:15 pm: Guardian of the Realm (TV1) 12 am: Inbred Redneck Alien Abduction (TV1) 2:30 pm: Cheese & Jam (TV2) 4:30 pm: A Talking Picture (TV2) 7 pm: House of Flying Daggers (TV2) 9:45 pm: Mix (TV2) 2 pm: City of No Limits (TV3) 5 pm: The Overture (TV3) 7 pm: Finally the Sea (TV3) 9:30 pm: Short Subjects #5 (TV3) 1 pm: Wild Bees (HP) 3:15 pm: Gods & Monsters (HP) 7 pm: Straight-Jacket (HP) 9:15 pm: Fuhrer Ex (HP) 7 pm: The Royal Academy (WU) 9 pm: Farmingville (WU) 1 pm: States Evidence (TV1) 3:30 pm: Sunday on the Rocks (TV1) 6 pm: Kinsey (TV1) 10 am: Coffee w/Filmmakers (TV2) 1:15 pm: A Talking Picture (TV2) 3:15 pm: Finally the Sea (TV2) 5:45 pm: Imaginary Heroes (TV2) 1:30 pm: The Overture (TV3) 4 pm: A Peck on the Cheek (TV3) 1 pm: La Petite Lili (HP) 3:30 pm: Learning to Lie (HP) 6 pm: Since Otar Left (HP)

SAT. 11/19

7 pm: The Chorus (TV1) 9:30 pm: The Stroll (TV1) 7:15 pm: The Kite (TV2) 9:15 pm: Cuba Libre (TV2) 7:30 pm: Girl Play (TV3) 10 pm: Short Subject #1 (TV3) 7 pm: Falling Angels (HP) 9:30 pm: Z Channel (HP) 12 am: Hair High (HP) 2:15 pm: Jester Till (TV1) 4:30 pm: Dear Frankie (TV1) 7 pm: Cuba Libre (TV1) 9:45 pm: Torremolinos 73 (TV1) 2 pm: Paper Dove (TV2) 4 pm: The Other World (TV2) 6 pm: Tasuma (TV2) 8 pm: The Kite (TV2) 11 am: Fundamental Fairness (TV3) 1 pm: Bluegrass Journey (TV3) 3 pm: Up for Grabs (TV3) 5 pm: A Panther in Africa (TV3) 7:15 pm: Girl Play (TV3) 9:45 pm: The Pursuit of Pleasure/Dildo Diaries (TV3) 2:30 pm: Z Channel (HP) 5 pm: Falling Angels (HP) 7:30 pm: Yes Nurse! No Nurse! (HP) 10 pm: Hair High (HP) 7 pm: Destiny Has No Favorites (WU) 2:30 pm: Jester Till (TV1) 5 pm: Torremolinos 73 (TV1) 7:30 pm: The Stroll (TV1) 9:45 pm: Travellers and Magicians (TV1) 1:30 pm: Her Majesty (TV2) 4 pm: Alila (TV2) 6:45 pm: Hard Goodbyes: My Father (TV2) 9:30 pm: Vodka Lemon (TV2) 12 pm: Panel Discussion (TV3) 2 pm: A Panther in Africa (TV3) 4 pm: Built for Speed: The Coral Court Motel/Pushin’ Ink (TV3) 6:30 pm: A Magical Life: Circus Flora (TV3) 9 pm: Short Subjects #2 (TV3) 3 pm: Blind Shaft (HP) 5 pm: Callas Forever (HP) 7:15 pm: Finding Neverland (HP) 9:45 pm: Merci Docteur Rey (HP) 7 pm: Destiny Has No Favorites (WU) 7 pm: Travellers & Magicians (TV1) 9:30 pm: Tasuma (TV1) 5 pm: Paper Dove (TV2) 7:15 pm: Free Radicals (TV2) 9:45 pm: The Other World (TV2) 5 pm: Up for Grabs (TV3) 7:30 pm: Documentary Shorts: Blues, Jazz and Gospel (TV3) 9:30 pm: The Pursuit of Pleasure/Dildo Diaries (TV3) 7 pm: The Burial Society (HP) 9:30 pm: A Silent Love (HP) 7 pm: The Olive Harvest (TV1) 9:30 pm: Hard Goodbyes: My Father (TV1) 5 pm: Alila (TV2) 7:30 pm: Cheese & Jam (TV2) 9:45 pm: Vodka Lemon 5 pm: The Disability Project/The Locket (TV3) 7:15 pm: Cambodia: Living with Landmines/The Next Step (TV3) 9:15: Short Subjects #3 (TV3) 7 pm: A Silent Love (HP)

SUN. 11/21

TUE. 11/16

MON. 11/15

SUN. 11/14

SAT. 11/13

FRI. 11/12

11/11 7 pm: Sexual Life (HP)

TV=Tivoli Theatre HP=Hi-Pointe Theatre WU=Webster University

OUR FILMY SUBSTANCE

BY ADAM HACKBARTH First, Playback STL asked me to do a SONG OF THE DEAD bimonthly column. Now they are asking for me to turn this into a monthly deal. I guess they caught me on a good day, because I think I might have told them OK. The St. Louis International Film Festival owns the month of November.

Even the gorgeous, generous, and just darn wealthy Georgia Frontiere is getting into the act. Hats off to the St. Louis Rams for sponsoring the “Cinema for Youth” sidebar. It’s a series of Clayton Studios started a voiceover trainfilms about, by, and for young people. Check ing school. Visit www.voiceoverstlouis.com. www.cinemastlouis.org for more details.

Congratulations to Robert Hunt, Sheryl Mike Ketcher reports that Fangoria.com Johnson, Joel Lewis, Tom Malkowicz, and has been recently buzzing about Song of the Marcin Pasternak. Their projects were all Dead, a musical feature film in which Ketcher selected for the most recent round of “Coming was a principal cast member. Joining Ketcher Up Shorts,” a dhTV–organized opportunity in the cast was horror icon Reggie Bannister for local media artists to make three minute (Phantasm, Bubba Ho-tep). Song of the Dead shorts—aided by the good people at dhTV. was shot in Columbia and Kansas City; the proTheir projects will ultimately screen as bumpers duction wrapped shooting in October. For the between dhTV’s regularly scheduled programfull details, visit www.showmepictures.net. ming, and also at an annual showcase. Check A film resource library is on the verge of with www.dhtv.org for more information. opening its doors; we will bring you the inside My inbox has been swamped by people scoop next month. Want a hint? Sorry. All I can buzzing about Tree Tractor Production’s The say is that the person behind this exciting new Bunglers. Word is that this Megan Noonan– venture is a subscriber of stlfilmwire.com. directed effort has a strong Guy Ritchie bite to Local 493 audio heroes Fred Early and Brian it. (That would be a pre–Swept Away Ritchie Kweskin just wrapped up a six-week gig down bite.) I wish their screening wasn’t held on the in ultra-depressing Cancun, Mexico. They were same day I had to bang this out; I would love to there working on Castback, a reality TV version be able to say much more about it. of Gilligan’s Island. Insert your own Sherwood “Fundamental Fairness” is a must-see Schwartz joke here. for anyone remotely related to our local legal Bill Parmentier has been keeping himself system. Directed by Patricia Scallet, it tells quite busy. Early this month, he will be working the story of Bill Hanes and the many people with Domgee Films on the upcoming dark comwho feel that he never had his true day in court. edy Sacking Evil. You may remember Parmentier Regardless if he is innocent or guilty, it is quite for his short “Dead Ted,” which screened at last clear that this man deserves another day in year’s St. Louis Filmmakers Showcase. front of a judge. Check it out at the CASTBACK Tivoli November 13 at 11 a.m. and judge for yourself.

Adam Hackbarth is a St. Louis– based screenwriter. Be sure to check him out in Inbred Redneck Alien Abduction November 20 at a very twisted midnight showing.

Also, if you have any local film or video information, send an e-mail to stlfilmwire@yahoo.com.

27

PLAYBACK ST. LOUIS Brian Capps

28

from page 4

can maneuver in an uncertain industry. But he’s not terribly worried. “This is working-class music. I mean, you can hear the sweat on it, all the road miles and stuff. I’m content with that.

I wanna be able to justify doing it, and making a dollar off it’s a great reward. But I’ll keep doing it whether I make money or not.”

Since 1959, Capps’ family has owned a Lebanon car lot, giving him flexibility to perform out of love, not necessity. He’ll never move to an industry center like Nashville (“I’d probably end up working at a Get ‘N’ Go,” he laughs), meaning he’ll likely remain Missouri’s to claim. Word’s gradually spreading that Capps delivers—and fans’ enthusiasm thrills him. “Being able to get some of the feedback, to know what you’re doing is getting through, that’s everything that you ask for in music, right there. That’s what you’re aiming for.”

Capps’ modesty suggests he won’t become one of those nice guys who finish last. With a crack band, steady gigs, and a cool record, he’s got the remedy for folks nursing heartaches: one part empathy, two parts good-time Americana, with a touch of humor.

“I’m lucky in many ways ’cause I can only do one thing,” he said. “I can’t change and decide I’ll be a blues singer tomorrow. Sometimes it feels like this music isn’t really appreciated anymore. But maybe it can be more appreciated, ’cause it’s needed now more than ever.”

Brian Capps and the True Liars visit Venice Café on Friday, November 5.

Play by Play On Rendezvous, Dean Wareham and friends show off everything they do right. They create an atmosphere of space-age intimacy by matching shimmering guitar noises with murmured vocals. The lyrics are sometimes a step above nonsense, sometimes not—with the occasional clever wordplay, like a reference not to Chairman Mao but to “Chairman Mouse.”

But the lyrics aren’t the point. The Lou Reed–y delivery lets the words slide by, just a minor element of the experience; they are backup vocals. The guitars are singing lead with chimes, swoops, dives, chugs, and tremolo—often all in the same song.

“Malibu Love Nest” is the poppiest and most memorable track, but don’t listen too carefully or you will be disappointed with the silliness of the lyrics. The loveliest noises are to be found in “Star-Spangled Man.” This song may well expand your sense of the cosmos.

Word on the street is that this is the final Luna album. More’s the pity, but the band have had a good run for anyone in the “critically acclaimed” column of the ledger—a dozen years, eight, albums, several EPs. You might want to keep an eye on their touring schedule on their official site, www.fuzzywuzzy.com.

Catch them while you can.

—Angela Pancella ANDERS PARKER: TELL IT TO THE DUST (Baryon) Anders Parker is best known as the singer and songwriter of Varnaline, an under-appreciated and underexposed indie rock/Americana band that garnered comparisons ranging in diversity from Hüsker Dü to Crazy Horse.

Their fourth release, 2001’s Songs in a Northern Key (E Squared/Artemis), received absolutely glowing reviews. One British newspaper called it a “minor masterpiece.”

Three years later, Parker has proved that he still has plenty of extremely good songs up his sleeve with the release of Tell It to the Dust. Joining forces with Varnaline’s drummer Jud Erbher (also ex–Space Needle), Parker

from page 10

laid down the initial groundwork for the disc in less than a week. He then traveled around the country, recruiting the assistance of several musician friends, including Jay Farrar, to fill in the missing parts and make his music come to life. The final piece of the puzzle was supplied

by John Agnello (whose credits include Mark Lanegan and Dinosaur Jr.) who mixed the songs and released the CD on his label.

The disc begins with its title track, which starts out light and poppy and gradually ends up a rocker, with a brief but blistering-hot guitar solo. “Something New” and one of the disc’s cooler songs, “Don’t Worry Honey, Everything’s Gonna Be Alright,” have laidback rhythms and catchy chorus hooks, while “Innocents” and “Feel the Same” are stark, piano/vocal compositions slightly reminiscent of Neil Young’s epic “After the Gold Rush.” In a close tie for the disc’s best and most intriguing song are “Into the Sun,” a grungy country rocker with a hypnotic feel, and “Go Alone,” a jazzy/rock, highly hummable, radio-ready number with strong potential for becoming a hit. Closing out the disc is “Doornail,” a meaty, substantial rocker that features some very impressive slide guitar.

The 12 tracks on Dust are all infectious, incredibly well-crafted examples of a level of songwriting than many less-seasoned artists never quite reach. Parker has an uncanny knack for making his songs sound effortless and unforced, as if he simply has to pick up a pen and the tunes practically write themselves.

For fans of Nadine, Richard Buckner, Buffalo Tom, and Uncle Tupelo, Tell It to the Dust is a necessary addition to your CD collection. It is one of those discs that sounds better and more interesting every time it’s played, and it would be very surprising if it doesn’t earn a similar amount of massive critical praise that Songs in a Northern Key received.

Anders Parker opens for Jay Farrar at Mississippi Nights November 13.

—Michele Ulsohn R.E.M.: AROUND THE SUN (Warner Bros.)

What’s the frequency, Michael? Gotta ask this on behalf of the fans who are tuning out the “mellower” R.E.M., as revealed on your new CD Around the Sun. Amateur reviewers on Amazon.com and elsewhere have posted unenthusiastic or mixed reviews, and a bunch of scribes in the monthly music rags started losing interest around the time of Up (even though some of us think that’s your most

NOVEMBER 2004

underrated album, filled with cool songs like “Hope,” “Walk Unafraid,” and “Suspicion”).

How come there’s no real rockers on this CD, and precious few up-tempo songs period, although “Wanderlust” is a decent little foot-tapper? Is this softer, more laid-back sound just a little agit for the never believer? Are we losing touch?

Look, R.E.M.’s one of the biggest groups in the world, a band that’s always had integrity.

You guys rock the vote, do wonderful things for the right causes, managed to stay together after Bill Berry quit, and write fantastic tunes. But this Sun album—it’s not quite what we expected, Stipey, old friend. We heard it was gonna be fiery and political, and…okay, “Final Straw” is a nice little protest song. “There’s a hurt down deep that has not been corrected/There’s a voice in me that says you will not win” is a great verse to Dubya. But mostly, Michael, you’ve put soft, introspective songs on here that are kinda vague, and some of ’em are sorta meandering. Sure, the single “Leaving New York,” that’s a fine piece of songwriting. Pretty close to classic R.E.M. with a hummable chorus and everything.

Oh, and Michael, your singing is truly beautiful and clear, and distinctive…more so than ever. Nuts to those people who preferred you when you mumbled; no one can argue that you’re not one of the finest vocalists in rock these days. But all these slow songs—”Make It All Okay,” “Electron Blue,” “I Wanted to Be Wrong” (yeah, it’s pretty), “The Worst Joke Ever”—that’s a lotta down-tempo stuff for the folks to sit patiently through. So the band wanted to have a unified sound—is consistency so great, though, if people end up taking the disc off, or skipping to the more interesting tracks like the somewhat peppy “Aftermath” and the darkly hypnotic “High Speed Train,” which has that cool distorted keyboard ping on it? How many people are gonna “stay the course” on this one? They’re trying to keep up with you, Stipe, but I don’t know if they can do it.

One more thing: did Peter Buck feel okay about taking more of a back seat on this one?

Seems like he just wants to be, not play anything fancy this time. At any rate, I’m gonna give it time. Around the Sun’s growin’ on me already, and it does stir the emotions when listened to in bed, lyin’ there in the darkness. This is unsettled music for an unsettled time, that’s clear. But Michael, you know the beginning of

the album where you sing, “It’s quiet now/And what it brings/Is everything”? Um, it’s not everything. I like peace and quiet much as the next guy, but people wanna rock a little, too.

They like the fiery R.E.M., the quirky R.E.M. You’re becoming a cult band again, Michael, with this sort of thing. You once hit with “Man on the Moon”; now you’re traveling Around the Sun. Try not to burn out, okay?

—Kevin Renick TRACY SHEDD: LOUDER THAN YOU CAN HEAR (Devil in the Woods) Late September, Tracy Shedd and her three-piece band played Frederick’s Music Lounge.

Opening was Julia Sets, who’d brought in a few friends.

On an anonymous Tuesday, though, this was a hard show to sell, with an artist making her St. Louis debut, sporting just a couple of independent records to help sell her name in a new town.

There weren’t many of us there. It’s safe to say, though, that no one who came to the show left once Shedd and her band—guitarist James Tritten, drummer Cash Carter, and bassist Richard Dudley—plugged in, playing a large selection of tracks from their recent album, Louder Than You Can Hear. The disc is simply loaded with exceptional cuts, including some nice reworks of earlier recordings.

First recording as a solo artist with some slight instrumental backing, Shedd put together the group in the last year-and-change, which gives her formerly spare tracks a remarkable degree of breadth and, honestly, loveliness.

Tritten, for example, adds waves of guitar that are clearly and positively reminiscent of the British shoegazer heroes from 10 years back— think Chapterhouse, Ride, Pale Saints. Carter is a rock-solid drummer, with subtle touches that keep tracks almost hovering. Dudley’s solid, but just as in concert, you sense his presence without outright noticing his additions. For a bass player, adding a solid base without showiness—well, you could say worse things.

Tritten, though, you hear, loud and clear.

On the record’s emotional center, “If You Really Cared About Me You Would Have Kept in Touch for All These Years,” Tritten’s guitar darts around Shedd’s lightly picked melody lines. Live, he nearly comes out of his shoes when rocking back and forth in a tight space; on album, the urgency’s there, but contained

and tamed. Armed with effects and the skill to not overuse them, Tritten’s the primary coloring that makes Shedd’s music so gorgeous.

Of course, Shedd writes the songs and sings them, so there’s got to be notice of her. Shedd could’ve continued to explore a career as a singer-songwriter, one with a bit more brashness than the average coffeehouse habitué.

Instead, though, she let songs like “Inside Out” move into the world of a band, a bold move; it’s remarkable that you can hear both the original song there and the added layers. It happens again and again on Louder Than You Can Hear, which bursts with smart, concise, pop songs, flavored by Brit pop much more than the Americana you’d expect from Shedd’s contemporaries.

After a solid batch of 10 tracks, Shedd delights the ears of a completist by reworking four cuts from earlier records, adding both weight and beauty to standout songs such as “Cliché” and “Somersault.”

Sometimes an album, or artist, comes into your possession at just the right time. That moment when you want to hear a familiar sound, played by someone you don’t know, but want to. Perhaps you’d care to let this CD be your introduction?

—Thomas Crone JESSE SYKES & THE SWEET HEREAFTER: OH, MY GIRL (Barsuk) She’s on Barsuk.

She’s from Seattle.

That guy from Whiskeytown is her guitarist. You will love her.

Those are just a few things people said to entice my ears and my curiosity of Jesse Sykes & the Sweet Hereafter. She is from Seattle, though I would have guessed somewhere closer to Louisiana like that other haunting-voiced blackbird, Lucinda Williams. Oh, and that guy from Whiskeytown—his name is Phil Wandscher and his guitar is the dark chocolate of this band: bitterly sweet, and oh, so good. And, over the past two weeks I’ve lost myself in this whirlwind romance. It may be a little too early to say this, but I think I’m in love with Jesse Sykes & the Sweet Hereafter.

It’s one of those relationships I only experience in places I will never be again, with people I’ll never see again, where everything is perfect and passion spills from coffee cups at 1 a.m. continued on page 32

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PLAYBACK ST. LOUIS

LOCAL SCENERY

EDITED BY J. CHURCH

30

If you’re curious about the local bands you read about in Playback St. Louis and you’re just not sure how to find out more about them, a great outlet is www.kenskrew.com. This Web site, hosted by 101.1 The River’s Ken Williams, features links to local bands and information on the River’s Home Grown show.

The site also supplies information on band management, legal questions, and recording/ production.

Speaking of Web sites, you must check out The Formula Kid’s new experiment. The band is in the midst of recording a new album and all the happenings are available online as video/audio recordings, journal, blog, mp3s, and even as a live studio cam. It’s brilliant! For a more tangible Formula Kid experience, see the band November 20 at the Way Out Club. www.theformulakid.com Ghetto Prenup bassist Jeff Church married long-time girlfriend Michelle Carter in October during a small ceremony in Las Vegas, Nevada.

The band is currently in pre-production with J. Christopher Hughes for a full-length album and also has a groovy new Web site, www.ghettoprenup.com.

If you missed Eero’s extraordinarily airtight set at Off Broadway last month, be sure to check out their Web site (eeromusic.com) so you’ll be prepared for their next show.

Local author Rick Skwiot is accepting applications for personalized instruction.

Skwiot’s novel Flesh won the Hemingway First Novel Award and his second novel, Sleeping With Pancho Villa, was a finalist for the Willa Cather Prize. Prospective students who wish STEVE NOWELS of THE FORMULA KID

EMERY REEL

to gain expertise on writing prose, including organizational elements and character development, should visit www.rickskwiot.com or call 314-721-4966 for information and application procedures.

There are a couple of new bands around town. Ghosts in Light is a three-piece that features members of Railers of Kiev and Bibowats. They will be at Blueberry Hill’s Duck Room Saturday, November 20. And former 12oz Prophets members Sean Skrbec and Dave Vitale have put together Loudmouth Angel (www.loudmouthangel.com) with Brandon Salter, Scott Cypret, and drummer Scott Stanlick.

Wydown has parted ways with drummer Kevin Kelley. The band is looking for a replacement and interested parties can contact Nate Dewart at nate@wydown.com. Their latest recordings can be found at www.purevolume.com/ wydown and older recordings can be heard on www.wydown.com.

Berk has been selected as semifinalist in the Mid-South Grammy Showcase along with St. Louis artists Happy Endings, Lost Parade, and Seven Star. The semifinalists have the opportunity to attend a VIP Reception with members of the Recording Academy. Doug Byrkit (of Berk) has also been named a finalist for the month of August for the song “Wish” by songoftheyear.com’s songwriting competion.

In October KSHE-95 added to regular rotation Neptune Crush’s new track “Gasoline Rainbow.” The song hails from the band’s new full-length release An Evening in the Starlight.

What’s The Story?, the debut full-length album from Essence of Logic, can be purchased via their Web site (www.essenceoflogic.com) or at the band’s shows. They will perform at the Hard Rock Café in Union Station on November 26.

Brother Ali, who is opening for MF Doom on his tour this fall, will be playing in St. Louis at the Hi-Pointe on November 10. His latest release, The Champion EP, is out now and a new album is being prepped for 2005.

The Dirty 30’s from Cape Girardeau have teamed up with producer/guitarist Eric “Roscoe” Ambel (Bottle Rockets). In 2000, Ambel was lead guitarist in Steve Earle’s touring and recording band The Dukes. The Dirty 30’s will appear at Fredericks Music Lounge October 26. The new album’s release is slated for 2005. Visit www.thedirty30s.com.

First Flight Records is offering a free T-shirt when you order all three of their currently available releases: Anamude, Emery Reel, and The Potomac Accord. See www.firstflightrecordlabel.com for ordering information. In other news, British label Resonant (www.resonantlabel.com) will also be releasing Emery Reel’s debut album.

The Creepy Crawl is hosting some killer underage shows. On November 20, catch Camp Climax For Girls and Pat Sajak Assassins. Doors at 7, cover $7 21and up/$9 for under 21. Visit creepycrawl.com.

A painting by local artist Nathan McClain— who died in 1997 at age 24—has been transferred to the junior high school he attended.

The piece was located in a building that is being demolished. A fundraising event helped defer some of the cost. See www.natemcclain.com to view the piece and learn more about McClain.

ESSENCE OF LOGIC’S JEFF NATIONS

Mad Art Gallery will begin screening the winner of the Flint Film Festival’s Audience Choice Award for Best Documentary, local filmmaker Srikant Chellappa’s Running Against Dick (www.runningagainstdick.com). Call 314771-8230 or visit www.madart.com for more information.

Many in the St. Louis music community are wondering, “Where is Trey Guzman?” Please contact the Local Scenery editor if you see him.

Interested in seeing your name in print? Please send news items to events@playbackstl.com.

PLAYBACK ST. LOUIS Play by Play under golden stars and threatening thunder. It’s a fling, but the best kind. I only leave because I have to get back to that job or that state I call home, but the remains of the past two weeks will haunt my consciousness for months.

Sykes makes music the way people create that once-in-a-lifetime perfect two-week fling in a foreign city. It is rare, complicated, foreshadows heartache, and definitely, definitely sweet.

Oh, My Girl is a collection of duality—ten poetic notions expressing the simplicity and complicated nature of life and love. Even when no light shines through, Sykes’s voice calls optimism to the table. It’s the experience I think she is trying to convey, not the troubled aftermath.

Supported by an array of strings, piano, and Wandscher’s dismal guitar solos, Sykes’ lyrics float just above the arrangements, engaging an emotion both eloquent and fragile.

Even if she causes me a little heartache, I know this was worth it.

—Carey Kirk

Elliot Goes

Luckily, Tegan and Sara have much more in common than tomboyish good looks. The identical twin, Canadian, and (sorry, boys) lesbian sisters also share the same angelic voice and the knack for catchy songs and soul-baring lyrics. Their third album, So Jealous, leaves behind the heavy folk influence of their first record for the more adventurous rock the duo explored with 2002’s If It Was You. Forgoing that record’s in-the-stuTegan and Sara dio creation methods, the pair hammered out So Jealous in advance demo sessions (footage from which makes up the CD’s indispensable multimedia track). The results are fully developed, engagingly catchy pop songs that successfully avoid the plague of overproduction. For the most part, the twins (who, much to their credit, also produced the album) pare the vocals down to one lead/one harmony, which not only keeps the vocals from overpowering the songs themselves but also imbues the songs with more bare emotion than a thousand multi-tracked Avril Lavignes could ever hope to accomplish.

So Jealous opens with a few emphatic acoustic strums, slowly adding more instruments and muscle behind the heartbroken lyrics of “I Wouldn’t Like Me” before boiling over into Tegan’s joyous “Take Me Anywhere,” the most unabashedly pop moment on the album. Once the mid-tempo “I Bet It Stung” slithers in, the listener starts to notice the one in-the-studio addition, and it’s a big one.

Ex-Weezer bassist Matt Sharp makes constant

appearances throughout the album, adding Cars-esque synths in the just the right spots to optimize the overall feel of the disc. The result is 14 perfectly constructed, infectious songs that don’t bludgeon you over the head with how perfectly constructed and infectious they are—and all this from two sisters not even halfway through their 20s.

Telling which sister sings which song is an exercise in futility, but it’s generally the case that Sara writes the more ambitiously constructed songs. The middle third of So Jealous is packed with some of her best work to date, with the driving “Walking With a Ghost” and the spacey title track perfectly setting the stage for “Speak Slow.” The latter’s ingeniously basic chorus happily chirps “Speak slow/Tell me love/Where do we go/Ah-ah!” so contagiously that in any self-respecting world, thousands of people would be screaming along and drumming on their steering wheels.

If there’s anything at all negative to be said about the album, it’s that the even-keeled production tends to blend together many of the songs. Every cut on So Jealous shines individually, but taken as a whole the album drags from the near unchanging tempo, and the lack of variety is a tad disappointing in the shadow of the more eclectic If It Was You. But this is a minor complaint on an otherwise excellent album, full of inspired melodies and insightful lyrics. When the two flawlessly harmonize the line “I feel like you wouldn’t like me if you met me,” you can’t imagine anything being further from the truth.

—Jason Green

by Bosco (with illustration help from Jessica Gluckman)

www.mentalsewage.com

32

TEGAN AND SARA: SO JEALOUS (Vapor Records/Sanctuary) Tegan and Sara Quin are every lonely male record store clerk’s dream come true. Imagine if Reality Bites–era Winona Ryder had a twin sister. And that she and her sister were both in a band. And that the band was good. Listen closely and you can almost hear the boys in black-rimmed glasses and ratty Chuck Taylors swooning in the distance…

from page 29

It’s Thanksgiving, time to give thanks. Bosco is thankful for his brothers.

Elliot is thankful for Playback.

And Henry just wants his punkin’ pie!

NOVEMBER 2004

TAKE FIVE STEVE EARLE

Political Hardcore Troubadour: Steve Earle

By Jim Dunn We talked to Steve Earle while he was doing press in New York City for his new album, The Revolution Starts Now. He was workshopping his play Karla, which is based on the life of Karla Faye Tucker, the Texas prisoner put to death in Texas in 1998. He was also there to record as many editions of his Air America radio show (Sundays, 9–10 p.m. CST).

Most importantly, Earle wanted to get into town “before they quit letting pinkos through the tunnel when the convention starts.” The revolutionary singer said he would be marching with the Philadelphia’s Kensington Welfare Rights Union.

While you were working on The Revolution Starts Now, you were also working on a Nashville version of the play The Exonerated.

It just worked out that way; it was the only time we could do it. I am actually trying to get my first play that I have written produced in New York right now. We started with a reading and are trying to get investors and producers interested in it.

That play is Karla, about Karla Faye Tucker? Has that been done anyplace else in the country?

It hasn’t been published yet. I would like to put it up here [NYC] before publishing it. I thought about publishing it, but I wasn’t quite ready to let it go yet. When I decided to write Karla, I really thought I would never write another play again because it was a lot of work. When we read it here in New York with some really good actors, number one, I was surprised to find that I didn’t want to rewrite anything and I really wanted to write another play. I am working on a novel right now, but I think after writing this novel I am going to concentrate on writing plays for my nonmusical output for awhile. I really dig it; it is a collaborative art form, and I think I am going to buy a place in New York. My child support and alimony ends this year. [Chuckles] I am going to live here part-time. I am going to keep my place in Nashville, too. I need a certain amount of time in the country and my dog will need a break from New York. New York is a great town. I do a lot of walking here. If you live in the country long enough, you just get sick of fucking driving. I live about 25 miles outside of Nashville and I spend a lot of my time in my car when I am there.

Ever thought about politics?

No, absolutely not. The Green Party in Tennessee actually approached me about four years ago about running for the senate. To paraphrase Grouch Marx, I am automatically suspicious of any party that would have me as a candidate.

Do you think combining music with politics is becoming a fad? Not necessarily in a bad way.

Certainly not. I have never separated politics and music. I have no problem communicating in political terms as long as they stay human.

Other people aren’t as comfortable with it. You are seeing a lot of artists that don’t normally communicate in political terms doing it because they feel they can’t be quiet anymore. I don’t think it is a fad. I think it is an

emergency. I think a lot of these people will go back to writing chick songs once they feel the emergency is over. When I made Jerusalem, a lot of people were asking, “Don’t you feel lonely out there doing it?” Well, yeah, but I don’t think this is the last of it. I think you are going to see a lot of other people making records like this. And I think you are already.

As long as the war goes on and the country keeps heading in the direction it headed and Bush is President, I think you are going to see that increase.

What do you do if Bush wins?

I try not to think about that. I know some people that are incredible assets to the United States that are going to leave. People I really hate to lose. In a lot of ways, it is easier to figure out what to do if Bush wins than to figure out what to do if Kerry wins. If Kerry wins, the real work starts the day after because we are back in the game. If Bush wins? I didn’t think he could do as much damage as he did in four years; it is hard for me to get my head around what he can do with four more. He thinks that 500 votes is a mandate.

CRIMES: THE NEW RELEASE FROM BLOOD BROTHERS

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33

PLAYBACK ST. LOUIS

PROFILE

HOTCITY THEATRE

34

HOT & SPICY FARE IN THE CITY

By Tyson Blanquart

Earlier this year, two notable St. Louis theater companies decided to merge, setting off a flurry of speculation and a wave of anticipation. City Theatre, which had been a mainstay of the St. Louis theater community in one form or another for over 75 years, and HotHouse Theatre, the junior of the two companies that was founded in 1997, decided to join forces, with the sole purpose of setting St. Louis ablaze with exciting theater.

The reasons behind the merger—and its likely impact on the St. Louis theater scene—were a hot topic (no pun intended) on various theater discussion lists for the better part of four months. In theatrical terms, this news was the equivalent of, say, the Cardinals merging with the Kansas City Royals.

I recently sat down with Margeau Baue Steinau, who was the Associate Artistic Director for City Theatre and now holds the same title with the new company, to find out how the notion of a merger came about, and what the implications of such a union could be.

How did the idea of merging your two companies come about?

Actually, the idea came from a random audience member who was a patron of both companies. They suggested after a show one night that, since City Theatre and HotHouse did similar material, it would be a good idea to put our heads together. So we [City Theatre Artistic Director Ted Gregory, and HotHouse’s Artistic Director and Managing Director Marty Stanberry and Donna M. Parrone, respectively] got together to see if it would be feasible. We decided around Christmas 2003 to approach our Boards of Directors with the proposal, and they each voted unanimously for the merger. We then worked at it for about five months after that, ending with the merger announcement in June of this year.

How did you go about selecting plays for your inaugural season?

We read about 450 plays between all of us, and our dramaturge Steve Harrick helped us whittle that down to a short list. At that point, we just selected the ones that we had strong feelings about. Steve has those gut feelings about certain plays, and his instincts really helped us.

Gregory and Stanberry are both acting as Artistic Co-Directors. Were you worried about a potential ego clash when discussing the merger?

Not at all. Ted and Marty are both great ADs, and they’re was never a worry about egos.

They’re different enough to bring something new to the table, but alike in that they respect the other’s opinions and vision for the company.

There had been some speculation on the various theater discussion boards about how this would affect your funding, and how many shows you would do.

What will be the effect, and what kind of shows can we expect?

Joining our companies allows us to pool our resources and offer St. Louis audiences the same number of shows, if not more, than would normally be produced by the two companies in a given year. We plan on having four to six Mainstage shows a season, and at least two Greenhouse shows. The Greenhouse series will serve as HotCity’s second stage, and is designed to nurture new scripts and new theatrical experiences. In our inaugural season, we will actually be producing ten shows. We have seven Mainstage shows planned and three Greenhouse shows this season.

As far as the type of material, we plan on giving St. Louis audiences a choice between spicy and mild shows. We have The Exonerated coming up first, followed by our revival of I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change! These two shows are polar opposites and could not be more different in tone.

City Theatre originally did I Love You last May. What was the initial reaction to the show, and did that influence you to revive it under the new entity?

Oh, definitely. The last weekend of the show we had to turn people away each night. We even had to extend the run because we were 80 percent sold out by opening night. It really ended City Theatre’s season on a high note, and I think will start off HotCity’s season with a bang.

How will the merger affect your hiring of Equity actors?

When we merged, our funding was bumped up simply by pooling our resources. We’re actually going to be able to offer more Equity

contracts this season than either of the two companies were able to offer before. I think St. Louisians believe that having an Equity actor in the cast raises the stakes a bit. So it’s going to work out to everyone’s advantage. We’re able to offer more professional actors jobs, and the audiences benefit by getting to see top talent.

Another plan that has been getting attention is your Education Outreach program.

What will that entail?

Our newest staff member is Christopher Mannelli, and he’s heading up this program. The goal is to offer theater education to all junior and senior high schools in the metro area. Chris will be doing curriculum-based residencies with schools to introduce students to the world of theater. He’s putting together an issue-oriented touring show that will include talk-back sessions, workshops, and classes on various areas of theater. We hope to have an audition process in line by next summer, and we’d also like to see this lead to an introduction to playwrighting for students.

What do you think about the explosion of the theater scene in the last few years, and where do you see it heading?

It just came out of nowhere! There have been more new companies just in the last five years than all the companies combined in the previous ten years. I think that it shows that St. Louis is a great city for theater. I think that, in the future, Equity actors will become the standard, but with a balance. There’s enough talent in this city so that even those people who choose not to join the union will still be able to find great roles.

Where would you like to see HotCity ten years from now?

First and foremost, we’d love our own building. We’re hoping to find ourselves in a situation like the Steppenwolf Theatre of Chicago, where we actually have a place all to ourselves. In the next 12 months, the main focus is going to be the Education Outreach program for students, and then hopefully training and education for theater professionals. We also have a goal to be able to bring in nationally known directors, and also to be able to export our talent across the country.

Get a full account of HotCity Theatre’s inaugural season and more information on the company by visiting www.HotCityTheatre.org.

NOVEMBER 2004

Come Out and Play Alton Little Theatre in Alton, IL. The show is the result of over 200 interviews with residents of Laramie, WY, about one of the most brutal hate-crimes of the 20th century: the murder of gay college student Matthew Sheppard. Performances are Fri. & Sat. at 8 p.m., Sun. at 2 p.m. Tickets are $12 general admission, $6 students/seniors.

The Kirkwood Theatre Guild presents The Odd Couple by Neil Simon, Nov. 5–13. Performances Fri. & Sat. at 8 p.m.; Sun. Nov. 7 at 2 p.m.; and Thurs. Nov. 13 at 8 p.m. Tickets are $14 general admission. Shows will be at the Robert G. Reim Theater, located at 111 South Geyer Rd. in Kirkwood.

The NonProphet Theatre Company continues its run of the signature sketch-comedy show The Militant Propaganda Bingo Machine every Thursday night at 9 p.m. at the Hi-Pointe Café, located at 1001 McCausland. The show consists of 24 original sketches performed in a 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. www.nonprophets.com City Improv Comedy Club in Union Station offers live improvisational comedy throughout the week. Tues.: Phat Tuesdays, hosted by BET’s Darius Bradford, starting at 8:30 p.m. Thurs: Laffupalunga with performances by various improv and sketch-comedy groups at 8 p.m. Fri. & Sat.: Comedy Feud, with shows at 7:30 (all ages) and 10 p.m. Tickets are $10, $8 for groups, with a two-drink minimum. Visit www.cityimprov.com for more information.

Looking Glass Playhouse will also be offering performances of Proof by David Auburn in Lebanon, IL, from Nov. 11–21 at the Looking Glass Playhouse. Shows at 8 p.m. Thur.–Sat., 2 p.m. on Sundays. Tickets $8 general admission. For more info, call 618-537-4962.

The Y-Rep Community Theatre will present Crimes of the Heart by Beth Henley Nov. 5–14 at the

from page 19

West County YMCA. The story is a comedy of three young Mississippi sisters betrayed by their passions. Shows will be Fri. & Sat. 8 p.m., Sun. 2 p.m. Single tickets $10 in advance, $12 at the door. To make reservations, call 636-532-3100.

The Fabulous Fox will present the US Bank Broadway Series production of Chicago at the Fox Theatre from Nov. 9–21. This razzle-dazzle tale of sin and celebrity is one of Broadway’s most successful shows ever.

Performances will be Tues.– Sat. at 8 p.m.; Sat. at 2 p.m.; and Sun. at 2 & 7:30 p.m.

Tickets ($20–60) available at the box office, by calling MetroTix at 314-534-111, or online at www.metrotix.com.

The Grandel Theatre hosts two productions through November with performances of Late Nite Catechism and Triple Espresso. Tickets ($10–42) available through Metrotix at www.metrotix.com or by calling 314-534-1111.

Shows for Espresso are Tues.– Sat. at 8 p.m. and Sun. 2 & 7:30 p.m. There are various showtimes for Catechism, and more information for dates and showtimes can be found at www.fabulousfox.com.

Historyonics Theatre will present an original play created by local actor Jason Cannon entitled Eagle & Child: J.R.R. Tolkien & C.S. Lewis, an account of the two legendary writers who met in an English pub with a group of writers calling themselves “The Inklings.” Performances Nov. 5–6, 12–13, 19–20 at 8 p.m., Nov. 7, 14, 21 at 2:30 p.m. at Missouri History Museum. Tickets are $20 general admission, $18 seniors/MHS members, $10 students (23 and under). www.historyonics.org The Zim Zam Kök Show will present the newest episode of its sketch-comedy series at the MadArt Gallery in Soulard. Showtime is 10 p.m., and tickets are $5 at the door. Zim Zam presents a stream-of-conciousness show that flows about two hours.

12/4/04 • GET READY PLAYBACKSTL’S HO HO HO LIL’ ST. NIKKI’S HOLIDAY CELEBRATION GREAT BANDS•GIVEAWAYS•MISTLETOE WHO SAYS THERE’S NO SANTA CLAUS?

35

PAGE BY PAGE

BOOKS

America and Elsewhere

By Stephen Schenkenberg

36

CURTIS WHITE: AMERICA’S MAGIC MOUNTAIN (Dalkey Archive Press, 250 pgs, $13.95) The setting for this new novel is a Downstate, Illinois, alcohol recovery spa called The Elixir; its motto, “Life Is Recovery,” is branded on the flasks of its strange and stranger residents. Yes, flasks. They’re not only allowed, they’re encouraged.

The air here is queer, like it’s come from Charlie Kaufman.

Loosely patterned on Thomas Mann’s magnificent, rich novel The Magic Mountain (1924), White’s book is an oddity. Those unfamiliar with Mann’s novel will sit stonefaced through this book’s continual references and in-jokes (“Don’t overdue it,” the new American Hans Castorp is told by his sparesident cousin before leaving for a walk alone.

“That’s my advice”). But those who know and admire Mann’s novel will probably only feel underwhelmed by this lightweight use of its raw materials. I certainly did.

Mann’s novel—seven years of Hans’ stay at a Swiss sanatorium—affords long journeys through ideas of knowledge, reason, science, and religion. White’s book, an intentionally sillier affair, provides only pit stops at its own ideas—the American family, dependence, industry—which the author seems always on the verge of taking seriously.

Still, the author succeeds in setting a few

undeniably memorable scenes and peppering his novel with powerful lines. Amid feelings of alienation, Hans feels “like he’d caught the sleeve of his jacket on the jagged edge of a distant star.” And when he’s told by his cousin that he might fit into this strange spa life better than he’d expected, White gives us this: “Thus it was that Hans was introduced to the hole at the heart of him.”

But the novel rarely feels like more than a string of these, more than an exercise in which White sets a few of these nuggets in Mann’s territory.

For the Thomas Mann admirer, White’s novel’s main effect is in raising the idea that perhaps America’s world, America’s magic mountain—“mountain-like things,” in this novel—is less rich, less meaningful, less challenging than its 20th-century counterpoint.

Most generously, I’ll venture that that’s White’s point.

G. CABRERA INFANTE: THREE TRAPPED TIGERS (Dalkey Archive Press, 487 pgs, $14.95) Originally published in 1965, this highly regarded Cuban novel has just been re-released and will soon be adapted, in part, for the screen in a film called The Lost City, directed by Andy

Garcia and featuring Benicio Del Toro. It’s a puzzling and sometimes funny book centered around Havana’s pre-Castro cabaret society and told through several narrators, including a photographer, a drummer, and a singer.

The author clearly had fun writing it—there are typographical tricks, literary references to Hemingway, Faulkner, and Joyce, and pagefuls of puns (one on-a-stroll narrator insults a hanger-on as “peripathetic”), all of which make it something of a marvel to be reading this English translation that’s apparently intact.

But for me the marvel ended there. I never found a story to hang onto, nor a way inside the novel’s unconventional structure (the way I did with, say, Ulysses, to which this book has been compared). And at nearly 500 pages, the book’s puns eventually stale and its hopped-up, dizzying tone tires, rather than rewards, the reader. My guess, though, is that a cinematic sliver will work wonderfully.

VEDRANA RUDAN: NIGHT (Dalkey Archive Press, 212 pgs, $13.95) The first book to be published in English by Croatian writer Vedrana Rudan, a former journalist who lost her job for opposing the ruling government during the Yugoslav war, Night is a novel told by a woman always bitter, at times moronic, both funny and laugh-

NOVEMBER 2004

able, honest and racist, crude and bored, fed-up and venting, and always herself. She’s waiting up through the night, watching TV in a hotel room, about to leave her husband for a younger man.

There’s no structure here—she’s simply ranting—and no segmentation of emotion. Outrage at America collides with a cracked grin about Cosmo, which collides with a brutal killing from the war, which collides with her taunting her audience—“Why do you like poking around in other people’s lives? Inquisitive shits! I’m in a good mood tonight. I’ll answer your questions.”

Of those: Why are you like this?

What are your hopes? What do you want?

“I want to tell you my story somehow, but I wouldn’t want you to see me as a menopausal idiot in her fifties,” she tells us. “OK. I’d like you to hear my story, but not to think it’s all because of the war.

I used to be different. And then the war came and I went nuts. Lots of people went nuts, including me.”

And that’s this book’s post-conflict conflict: The woman’s desire to be more than what’s happened to her, even as she retells the story.

VEDRANA RUDAN PHOTO: RINO GROPUZZO

BOB DYLAN: CHRONICLES VOLUME ONE (Simon and Schuster, 304 pgs, $24) Let’s get this out of the way: Bob Dylan is no good at writing books.

This memoir is a maddening read. Its five sections plop you into events in three decades and never bind them together. For every bit of insight it provides, there are five new questions raised but never answered.

If this manuscript had been submitted to a publisher by a no-name author, the paper would have been recycled for use in Madonna’s latest children’s book.

You know Bob Dylan’s not a book writer, right? He’s a songwriter, a singer with an awful voice but impeccable phrasing, a Living Legend, certainly a genius, maybe a prophet, once the Voice of a Generation, but he hated that. If you buy this ,book it’s not because you expect it to be written well, but because it exists, because it is written by Dylan, and because it is about Dylan. What will prompt you is the same impulse (albeit with a healthier outlet) that once led A.J. Weberman to root through his trash—the impulse to gain insight into the man.

The book is strongest when Dylan is confessing to the same promptings—not to get into his own head, but to get into the head of Woody Guthrie. The book begins with Dylan in New York City, working out the particulars of his record deal and meanders through oddly connected reminiscences to show how he got there. Why did a kid from a small town in Minnesota run off to the East Coast? Dylanologists know the answer—because he had fallen hard for Guthrie’s music and Guthrie was dying in a New Jersey hospital. Somehow the one-time Robert Zimmerman tracks down Guthrie and befriends him (he doesn’t say how—a glaring omission, or something reserved for Volume Two?). He talks about his desire to become Guthrie’s “greatest disciple.” He doesn’t seem to connect this hero worship to what he experienced later, when “unaccountable-looking characters, gargoyle-looking gals, scarecrows, stragglers looking to party” all arrive on his doorstep.

The stragglers looking to party had gone to the wrong house. The man seeking answers in garbage would never find them there. Did Dylan find what he set out to find when he played songs for Woody Guthrie? He spends pages describing the hours of listening to his songs, learning Guthrie’s phrasings by heart, performing the songs at gig after gig; one hospital visit is mentioned in passing. With this he lets the reader know: it’s not Dylan you’re looking for, but the art he creates. Since he clearly did not do an apprenticeship in book writing as intense as the one Chronicles says he did in songwriting, if the answers are anywhere, they are in the songs.

—Angela Pancella

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MONDAYS — Sessions Jazz Big Band WEDNESDAYS — Cryin Shame Blues Band THURSDAYS — Marcel Strong & The Apostles SUNDAYS — Live Reggae with Dubtronix and Yard Squad B.B.’s Jazz, Blues & Soups has been the home of St. Louis blues for over 25 years. We currently offer lunch starting at 11:00 a.m. (Mon–Fri) featuring St. Louis–style home-cooked and health-conscious cuisine. Music nightly by St. Louis legends and national acts until 3 a.m.

B.B.’s—for the best in blues.

MONDAYS — Soulard Blues Band TUESDAYS — Big Bamou WEDNESDAYS — Brian Curran (5–7 p.m.)

THURSDAYS — Bennie Smith & the Urban Blues Express SATURDAYS — Brian Curran (6–9 p.m.)

The Broadway Oyster Bar, a local favorite for over 25 years, offers the best Cajun-Creole food in the Midwest while offering live music seven nights a week. A great party spot, the Oyster Bar is “a great local dive that never changes — thank goodness.”

Be Sure To Check Out Kim Massie and the Solid Senders Every Tuesday & Thursday!

Live Blues Nightly— See Web site for listings.

Beale on Broadway is home to live blues, soul, and R&B seven nights a week. Catch St. Louis diva Kim Massie and the Solid Senders every Tuesday and Thursday at 9:00 p.m.

14 craft beers on draft. 35 Bottles.

Full-service dinner menu everyday ’til midnight.

PLAYBACK ST. LOUIS PRESENTS

theriverhomegrownontheroad RUSTED SHINE SOFACHROME SIDE OF FIVES

ON AIR: 10/31 LIL’ NIKKI’S: 11/4

PANIC ATTACK ON AIR: 11/21 ESSENCE OF LOGIC LIL’ NIKKI’S: 11/24 TBA

SOMNIA ON AIR: 11/7 SEVENSTAR LIL NIKKI’S: 11/11 MISSILE SILO SUITE

LOST PARADE ON AIR: 11/28 DEAN EVANS BAND LIL’ NIKKI’S: 12/2 TBA

REIGNING HEIR EERO TBA

CORE PROJECT MODERN RED TBA

ON AIR: 11/14 LIL’ NIKKI’S: 11/18

ON AIR: 12/5 LIL’ NIKKI’S: 12/9

www.riverhomegrown.com

Fair Trade & organically grown coffee air-roasted on site Live acoustic music Saturday nights

Catch the River Homegrown Show every Sunday night at 9 p.m. and see the bands live every Thursday night at Lil’ Nikki’s starting at 8 p.m.

Free wireless internet Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner Patio seating Iced coffee, frozen frappes and fruit smoothies

www.theriverhomegrown.com www.playbackstl.com/homegrown www.wvrv.com

3974 Hartford Avenue • St. Louis, MO 63116 (314)771-JAVA www.hartfordcoffeecompany.com

DELIRIOUS NOMAD COMPILED BY BYRON KERMAN

Nov. 19: Zootini Through Dec. 31: Nazi Persecution of Homosexuals exhibit at the Holocaust Museum & Learning Center (314-432-0020) Nov. 4: Readings at the Contemporary featuring poets Jocelyn Emerson & Cole Swensen at Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis (www.belz.net/readings) Nov. 5: Paintings of Jaime Gartelos and Charlotta Janssen on view at Mad Art (314-771-8230, www.madart.com) Nov. 5–6: Dance St. Louis presents Paul Taylor Dance at the Fox Theatre (314-534-1111, www.metrotix.com) Nov. 6: Dr. John with Charlie Musselwhite & Shemekia Copeland at UMSL’s Blanche M. Touhill Performing Arts Center (314-516-4949, www.touhill.org).

Nov. 6: First St. Louis Steamers soccer home game of the new season at Savvis Center (www.ticketmaster.com) Nov. 6: St. Louis County Parks “Chili Walk” on Grant’s Trail (314-615-4FUN) Nov. 6–22: Dramarama presents School House Rock Live! at various locations (314-605-7788, www.dramaramatheatre.com) Nov. 7: Classic 99’s From the Garden Live features live radio broadcast of concert by Johnnie Johnson at Mo. Botanical Garden (314-725-0099, www.mobot.org) Nov. 7: Beer Can Collectors Convention at Gateway Center in Collinsville (618-345-8998) Nov. 8: Left Bank Books welcomes author of story collection Quick T.M. McNally (314-367-6731, www.leftbank.com) Nov. 8 & 15: Repertory Theatre of St. Louis presents An Evening at Le Perroquet Cabaret WWII-style cabaret at Cookie’s Jazz & More (314-968-4925, www.repstl.org) Nov. 9: St. Louis Symphony Orchestra Chamber group performs at Tower Grove Park’s Piper Palm House (314-771-2679, www.towergrovepark.org) Nov. 11–27: Stray Dog Theatre performs drama Proof at Clayton High School (314-726-6129, www.straydogtheatre.org) Nov. 12: St. Louis Science Center Public Telescope Viewing Party, Forest Park Archery Field just west of James McDonnell Planetarium (314-289-4453) Nov. 12: Theatre Guild of Webster Groves presents Funny Girl (314-962-0876) Nov. 12–14: ODC/San Francisco Dance pres-

ents The Velveteen Rabbit at COCA (314-534-1111, www.cocastl.org) Nov. 12–21: K’s Theatrical Korps presents KTK Goes to the Oscars at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church (314-481-6654, www.KurtainKall.org) Nov. 12–Dec. 18: Sculpture by Ken Little at Des Lee Gallery (314-621-8735) Nov. 12–21: Washington University Performing Arts Dept. presents Caryl Churchill period farce Cloud Nine at Edison Theatre (314-534-1111, www.metrotix.com) Nov. 12–Dec. 31: Landscape artists Mary Sprague, Ahzad Bogosian, Kelly Chorpening, & Frank Stack at Philip Slein Gallery (314-621-4634, www.philipsleingallery.com) Nov. 13: GWAR at Pop’s (www.popsrocks.com) Nov. 13: Green Center River Des Peres Clean-Up (314-725-8314) Nov. 14: Toyman Toy Convention at the Machinists’ Hall (636-332-0807) Nov. 15: Food Outreach benefit A Broadway Cabaret IX with the cast of Chicago at the Sheldon (314652-FOOD, www.foodoutreach.org) Nov. 18: SIUE Art Auction at Sunset Hills Country Club (618-618-650-3071) Nov. 18: Cine 16 16-mm academic films screened at Mad Art (www.afana.org/cine16stlouis.htm) Nov. 19: Zootini benefit with live music, martinis, silent auction, etc., at St. Louis Zoo (314-768-5440, www.stlzoo.org) Nov. 19–20: Reduced Shakespeare Co. presents All the Great Books (abridged) at Edison Theatre Ovations! (314-534-1111, www.metrotix.com) Nov. 20: Craft Alliance Carnival Young Friends benefit with sideshow, fire performers, and “circus chicken” (314-725-1177) Nov. 20: Historic & Contemporary Image (photography) Faire at St. Louis Community College – Meramec Art Gallery (314-984-7331) Nov. 24: Guns & Hoses police vs. fire boxing showdown at Savvis Center (www.ticketmaster.com) Nov. 26–Dec. 30: U.S. Bank Wild Lights at the St. Louis Zoo (314-781-0900, www.stlzoo.org) Nov. 27: St. Louis University Billikens men’s basketball home opener vs. Oral Roberts University at Savvis Center (www.ticketmaster.com) More listings online at www.playbackstl.com/Events

Hooting into the night and hearing an owl answer back at you is pretty damn cool. Bundle up and head to one of Valley Park’s Owl Prowl nighttime bird walks at the World Bird Sanctuary, November through March (636-861-3225, www.worldbirdsanctuary.org).

Pellets.

We’re left, they’re wrong: James Carville’s dripping drawl may be experienced in person at Powell Hall Nov. 4, thanks to the St. Louis Speakers Series (314-533-7888, www.speakerseries.com). Baldness.

Megadeth may have peaked five albums ago, but now Dave Mustaine has been rejoined by fan-favorite guitarist Chris Poland.

Sneer along with the classics at Pop’s Nov. 5 (www.popsrocks.com). Vic. Fantasy fiction and stuffy Brits go 39 together like Eagle & Child: J.R.R. Tolkien & C.S. Lewis, a children’s play performed by Historyonics Theatre at the Missouri History Museum Nov. 5–21 (314-361-5858, www.historyonics.org). Aslan.

The annual St. Louis Jewish Book Festival welcomes Lily Tomlin, former Buffalo Bills coach Marv Levy, and sexual dynamo Dr. Ruth Westheimer to the Jewish Community Center (314-432-5700, www.jccstl.org), Nov. 7–17. Moses.

Magic Smoking Monkey Theatre is back! Yay! The parodists present It’s a Wonderful Life: Live! at a new venue, the Regional Arts Commission (314-534-1111, www.metrotix.com), Nov. 12–27. Zuzu.

Finally, if you dig free-sample day on Sundays at Sam’s Club, take it to the next level at the annual KMOX St. Louis Cooks & Entertains show at the swanky Sheraton St. Louis City Center (www.saintlouiscooks. com), Nov. 20–21. You’ll find cooking demos, vendors, celebrity TV chefs, etc. Spatula.

305 N. Main St. • St. Charles, Mo. 63301 636-949-0466 • www.baharockclub.com Original bands every Tuesday Every Monday: Karaoke Every Wednesday: Big Daddy Rob

11/14: Eddie Palmieri Y La Perfecta II 11/16: Crossfade, Submersed, & Blue Bottle Kiss 11/19: North Mississippi Allstars 11/26: Shaman’s Harvest, Sound and the Fury & Intent 11/27: Stevie Stone, ChingBing, Big Chopper, Dsavage & Aaron Devaughn

B.B.’S JAZZ, BLUES & SOUPS

BLUEBERRY HILL

BAHA ROCK CLUB

MUSE at THE PAGEANT November 27, 8 p.m. • all ages TICKETS: $17.50 • CALL: 314-726-6161 The U.K rock trio Muse is coming to St. Louis in support of their new record, Absolution, their third official release and debut album for Warner Brothers. Muse is a hot ticket right now, as music critics and fans alike are taking note of this talented group. While American music enthusiasts and major publications are only now beginning to notice this blistering rock band, Muse has been enjoying success all throughout Europe. All three of Muse’s official releases are platinum in the U.K and gold in the majority of other major European cities. Absolution topped the charts in the U.K and France and made its way into the Top 5 in 12 other countries.

Their first single off of Absolution, “Time Is

40 Running Out,” received substantial radio play across the U.S. this year, bringing Muse some well-deserved recognition.

The most recent single, “Hysteria,” has been radio-friendly as well, increasing their popularity among rock fans across the nation. The band is earning respect and gaining notoriety, so look to hear much more from them.

Muse’s layered and often orchestral sound—created by members Matt Bellamy (lead vocals, guitar, and keyboards), Chris Wolstenholme (bass guitar and backing vocals), and Dominic Howard (drums and percussion)—is often compared with Radiohead.

But although Bellamy’s vocal style draws many comparisons to that of Radiohead frontman Thom Yorke, Muse is far from the “Radiohead ripoff” that dismissive critics have often labeled them—but the similarities between the two groups is certainly noticeable. Muse brings more of a hard rock edge to the table, thanks in part to Absolution producer Rich Costey, who has previously worked with includes Rage Against the Machine and Audioslave.

Absolution captures Muse firing on all cylinders, featuring the full range of rock ’n’ roll expressiveness from hopeless melancholy to reaching out and finding hope. The 14 tracks on Absolution feature distorted guitar riffs that push the sonic envelope, haunting piano melodies, stylish synths, and vocal work that shifts from soft and subtle to emotionally urgent.

—Chris Sewell

700 S. Broadway • St. Louis, Mo. 63102 314-436-5222 • www.bbsjazzbluessoups.com Every Monday: Sessions Big Band Every Thursday: Leroy Pierson 7p, Marcel Strong & The Apostles 9p 11/2: Pennsylvania Slim Blues Band 11/3: Kenny Neal Blues Band 11/5: Leroy Pierson 7p, Michael Burks Blues Band 9p 11/6: Tom Hall 7p, Bennie Smith & The Urban Blues Express 10p 11/7: The Yard Squad Reggae Band 11/9: Rich McDonough Blues Band 11/10: Cryin’ Shame Blues Band 11/12: Leroy Pierson 7p, Arthur Williams Blues Band 10p 11/13: Margaret Bianchetta & Eric McSpadden 7p, Pennsylvania Slim Blues Band 10p 11/14: DJ Ranz & Dubtronix Reggae Band 11/16: Coco Montoya Blues Band 11/17: Rockin’ Jake & New Orleans Funk 11/19: Leroy Pierson 7p, The Mighty Big Band 10p 11/20: Tom Hall 7p The Bel Airs 10p 11/21: The Yard Squad Reggae Band 11/23: Alvin Jett & The Phat Noiz Blues Band 11/24: Cryin’ Shame Blues Band 11/26: Leroy Pierson 7p, Soulard Blues Band 10p 11/27: Tom Hall 7p, Bennie Smith & The Urban Blues Express 10p 11/28: 3rd Annual Baby Blues Showcase 6p, DJ Ranx & Dubtronix Reggae Band 11/30: Rich McDonough Blues Bands

BEALE ON BROADWAY 701 S. Broadway • St. Louis, Mo. 63102 314-621-7880 • www.bealeonbroadway.com Every Sunday: The MoonGlades Every Monday: Shakey Ground Blues Band Every Tuesday: Kim Massie & The Solid Senders Every Wednesday: Rich McDonough Blues Band Every Thursday: Kim Massie & The Solid Senders

THE BILLY GOAT 1449 S. Vandeventer • St. Louis, Mo. 63110 314-371-4628 • www.billygoatstl.com 11/5: Jan Marra 5:30p 11/12: Jeff Insco 5:30p 11/19: Bob Case 5:30p

BLUE NOTE 17 N. 9th St. • Columbia, Mo. 65201 573-874-1944 • www.thebluenote.com 11/1: Breaking Benjamin, Skindred, Modern Day Zero 11/2: Hazard to Ya Booty, Trebuchet, Ray Lusby, Nova Lunacy & John Henry & The Engine 11/3: Ministry, My Lie with the Thrill Kill Kult 11/4: Yonder Mountain String Band & Jim Lauderdale 11/5: Dierks Bentley & Cross Canadian Ragweed 11/6: Papa Roach, Trust Company & Chronic Future 11/8: Kenny Wayne Shepherd 11/10: Howie Day & Tristan Prettyman 11/11: Better Than Ezra & Pat McGee Band 11/12: Medeski Martin and Wood 11/13: Big Smith & Joe Stickley’s Blue Print

6504 Delmar Blvd. • University City, Mo. 63130 314-727-0880 • www.blueberryhill.com 11/3: Monte Montgomery 11/6: The Shemps 11/7: Arvin Mitchell 11/8: Vic Chestnutt 11/10: Chuck berry 11/11: Jesse Harris 11/13: STL Reggae Allstars 11/14: Bob Schneider

11/15: Sondre Lerche w/The Golden Republic & LaPush 11/16: The Dirty Dozen Brass Band

BRANDT’S 6525 Delmar Blvd. • University City, Mo. 63130 314-727-3663 • www.brandtscafe.com Every Saturday: The John Norment Trio 11/1: Georgy Rock w/Mr. Dill 6p 11/2: Bosch & Victoria Jazz 11/4: Chamber Jazz Quartet 11/5: Elsie Parker 11/7: Tim Garcia & Ben Wheeler 10a, Last Mo. Exit 7p 11/8: Georgy Rock w/Mr. Dill 6p 11/9: Bosch & Victoria Jazz 11/11: Mike Szwedo 11/12: Mae Wheeler 11/14: Jobim Dreams 10a, Last Missouri Exit 7p 11/15: Georgy Rock w/Mr. Dill 6p 11/16: Bosch & Victoria Jazz 11/18: Elsie Parker 11/19: Sheri Elle White 11/20: James Matthews Trio

BROADWAY OYSTER BAR

ROSANNE CASH at the SHELDON CONCERT HALL November 19, 8 p.m. • all ages TICKETS: $40/45 • CALL: 314-533-9900 Last year had to veer between woe and wow for Rosanne Cash. First her beloved stepmother, June Carter Cash, and then her revered father, Johnny, died; roughly concurrently, though, critics across the board lauded her 11-track 2003 Capitol release, Rules of Travel.

Now the princess has sadly but duly taken the throne, and as attendees at Cash’s Sheldon visit should be able to attest, the Carter-Cash sonic dynasty will likely stand in style. As a vocalist, Cash has always embraced an almost daunting classicism, even during her rebellious youth, when “Seven Year Ache” made her name in 1981; as a lyricist, meantime, she’s exhibited the subtlety of a born belletrist, as on her Rules of Travel duet with Steve Earle, “I’ll Change for You,” an exercise in anaphora and subtle menace. As a result, this may well be the show of the season.

—Bryan A. Hollerbach

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 11/3: Mojo Syndrome 11/4: Lucky Dan and Naked Mike 5p 11/5: Johnny Fox 5p, Roland Allen Band 9p 11/6: Albert & The Einsteins 11/7: Tiny Cows 3p, Time Sessions 8p 11/10: Logan, Graham & Schaeffer 11/12: Johnny Goodwin 5p, Alvin Jett & The Phat Noiz Band 9p 11/13: The Melroys 11/14: Melissa Neels Band 3p, Bootigrabbers Delight 8p 11/17: Dogtown Allstars 11/19: Rockhouse Ramblers 11/20: Gumbohead 11/21: Scott Kay and the Continentals 3p, Bootigrabbers Delight 8p 11/24: The Bottoms Up Blues Gang 11/26: Tom Wood 5p, Baker McClaren Band 9p 11/27: Dash Rip Rock 11/28: Johnny Fox 3p

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 11/1: Project Object w/Ike Willis 11/4: The Helping Phriendly Band 11/6: Thos, Cerulean City & Soma 11/7: Afternoon Show: David’s Guitar Loft Jr. Band Night

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11/8: Madahoochi w/Ryan Montbleu 11/11: Sac Lunch 11/13: The Shadyside Allstarts w/Loudmouth Angel 11/14: Afternoon Show: Our Finest Hour 11/15: Madahoochi w/Tabla Rasa 11/18: SeepeopleS 11/20: Lupriphonic & Big Thumb 11/21: Poetry Open Mic 11/22: Madahoochi w/Backyard Tirefire 11/27: Shady Deal & The Jeremiah Bridge 11/28: Afternoon Show: Jesus Does Vegas, Six Point Summer & To A 11/29: Madahoochi w/Tiffany Christopher Band

CREEPY CRAWL 412 N. Tucker • St. Louis, Mo. 63101 314-851-0919 • www.creepycrawl.com 11/2: lowercase, Simien Falls, Faded Fame & Crimson Addict 11/5: Westcott, Bi-Level, Flee The Scene, Shall We Dance & Omelas 11/6: Lexington, ModerndayHero, Novella & Crimson Addict 6p; Broadzilla, Aces & Eights w/Shotbaker 11/8: The Murder Junkies & Without MF Order 11/9: Psycho Dad, Monskasities & Downstate 11/10: The Groovie Ghoulies Jackass, Ded Bugs, Hot Atomics & The Pubes 11/11: The Casualties, Lower Class Brats & Monster Squad 11/12: Voodoo Glow Skulls, Big D & The Kids Table, Go Betty Go & The F-Ups 11/13: Anything But Joey, Jupiter Sunrise, The Dog & Everything and Saraphine 6p; D.O.A., Corbeta Corbata and The Methadones 11/15: The Static Age, As Tall as Lions & Hell in the Cannon 11/18: Strung out, Saosin, Love is Red & The Last of the Famous 11/20: Battles, Pat Sajak Assasins & Camp Climax For Girls 11/21: Hopesfall, Engine Down & Since By Man 11/24: Drykill Logic, Scum of the Earth & Divulsion 11/25: Demented Are Go, The Scared and Craig Daddy & The Car Bombs 11/26: LaPush, Femme Fatality, Nothing Still, Ultra Blue & Rushmore Academy 11/27: Peelander-Z and The Pubes

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

FOCAL POINT 2720 Sutton • Maplewood, Mo. 63143 314-781-4200 • www.thefocalpoint.org 11/4: Pete Morton 11/5: Balfa Toujours Cajun Band 11/6: Spencer Bohren 11/14: David Davis & the Warrior River Boys 11/19: Cathie Ryan 11/20: Colin Sphincter Band

FOX THEATRE 527 N. Grand Blvd. • St. Louis, Mo. 63107 636-534-1111 • www.fabulousfox.com 11/5-6: Paul Taylor Dance Company 11/7: The Irish Tenors 11/9-21: Chicago (musical) 11/26-27: Australian Pink Floyd

11/12: Kevin Butterfield 11/13: The Tripdaddys 11/16: Annie Quick 11/18: Open Mic hosted by Tommy Halloran 11/19: Hot Rod Hillbillies, Toy Band & Big Breakfast 11/20: Human Aftertaste & Southern Bitch 11/23: Bagheera 11/25: Open Mic hosted by Bob Reuter

THE GARGOYLE

DEERHOOF at Columbia’s RANCH November 9 • CALL: 573-875-7151 Twenty minutes alone with my Deerhoof discs and my eyes wax over and turn kaleidoscopic.

Little prisms of shattered rainbows might as well be glued to my retinas, forcing everything directly in front of me to go bright and circus-y and everything further away to go missing. All surroundings turn into demented, stained-glass window renderings of amateur finger paintings. It’s a confusing, confusing thing.

But this decade-old San Francisco foursome gets the thumbs up from more rock ’n’ roll critics than the new Elliott Smith record. In fact, Deerhoof recently warmed the curtains for Wilco on a Midwest tour before they made their way to Columbia. The band’s latest record conceptualizes the spooky, dreamlike world of a milkman kidnapping children to a hovering sky castle where they stay forever.

Now this next part is where it gets unrealistic: The record ends with the milkman getting a new pair of shoes that are a good fit, and in which he skips through strawberry fields and banana trees.

Satomi Matsuzaki’s haiku lyrics in her pixie falsetto get gummed up with menacingly dainty guitars and rhythms. Once you lose complete track of where you are (easily done), you start to feel trapped in a Super Mario Brothers game, continually banging your head into some low-ceilinged bricks for all the coins they were worth. Damn, if this band isn’t drugs. All without the messy side effects.

—Sean Moeller FREDERICK’S MUSIC LOUNGE 4454 Chippewa • St. Louis, Mo. 63116 314-351-5711 • www.fredericksmusiclounge.com 11/2: Luster & Goodfellas 11/3: Gasoline Alley & Bay Say Boos 11/4: Open Mic hosted by Bob Reuter 11/5: Nice Peter, Nico Blue & Rocketpark 11/6: Two Dollar Pistols & The Stapletons 11/10: Michael Fracasso & Ghost Writer 11/11: Open Mic hosted by Brian Marek

Wash. U. Mallinckrodt Ctr. • St. Louis, Mo. 63130 314-935-5917 • www.gargoyle.wustl.edu 11/29: Motion City Soundtrack w/Maxeen

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 11/5: Uncle Albert 11/6: One Kindred Soul 3p, Fairchild 9p 11/12: Uncle Albert 11/13: Rondo’s Blues Deluxe 3p, Fairchild 9p 11/19: Rondo’s Blues Deluxe 11/20: One Kindred Soul 3p, Fairchild 9p 11/26: Uncle Albert 11/27: Round’s Blues Deluxe 3p, Fairchild 9p

HELEN FITZGERALD’S 3650 S. Lindbergh • St. Louis, Mo. 63127 314.984.0026 • www.helenfitzgeralds.net Every Thursday: Gargoyle Reign 11/2: Gargoyle Lounge 11/3: DJ Night w/z-107 11/5: Paint The Earth 11/6: Glorious Blue 11/9: Deep Six 11/10: DJ Night w/z-107 11/12: Wild Stallions 11/13: Killing Vegas 11/16: Gargoyle Lounge 11/17: DJ Night w/z-107 11/19: Ultra Violets 11/20: Malcome Blitz 11/23: Deep Six 11/24: Extremely Pointless 11/26: Joe Dirt & The Dirty Boys 11/27: Extremely Pointless 11/30: Gargoyle Lounge

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. 11/5: The Pixels, El Mayo Boxo, & Sibylline 11/6: That’s My Daughter 11/12: Benefit for The Judy Ride Foundation 11/13: Killjoy 4 Fun, Head On Collision, & Sat. Night’s Alright for Fighting 11/26: Dug Holes & The Greatest Show of All Time 11/27: The Skintones, Long John Thomas and the Duffs

JAZZ AT THE BISTRO 3536 Washington Ave. • St. Louis, Mo. 63103 314-531-1012 • www.jazzatthebistro.com

SONDRE LERCHE

w/THE GOLDEN REPUBLIC and LAPUSH at BLUEBERRY HILL’S DUCK ROOM November 15, 8 p.m. • 21+ TICKETS: $10/12 • CALL: 314-727-0880 Although most 22-year-old pop musicians can’t claim Burt Bacharach, Cole Porter, and Elvis Costello as influences, Norwegian pop prodigy Sondre Lerche is walking in their footsteps and blazing a similar trail of his own. A prodigy who picked up the guitar at age eight, Lerche was playing acoustic sets at clubs in his home- 41 town of Bergen only six years later. After signing to Virgin Records at 17, he released a few EPs but delayed his first full-length release until 2001—so he could finish high school.

Lerche’s latest release, Two-Way Monologue, is notable for its ability to make you dance.

And not the booty-shaking gyrations you see on MTV—more sophisticated dancing, like the bossa nova. Monologue is packed with gloriously orchestrated tunes backing up a voice that most jazz musicians would kill for—pure, but with a hint of melancholy maturity, the sound of a young man who’s seen too much. And when that world-weary voice leads upbeat, danceable tunes like these, the result is pop music of a caliber that barely exists anymore.

—Amanda Lee Anderson

GET YOUR CLUB LISTED IN WHAT’S GOING ON HERE? FREE! We want to be the number one source of events for our readers. To do this we need your listings. You send it in and it will be here. Just send us your monthly schedule by the 15th of the month via one of the following methods: e-mail: calendar@playbackstl.com fax: 877-204-2067

PLAYBACK ST. LOUIS

11/3-6: Erika Johnson 11/12-13: Carolbeth Trio 11/17-20: Caribbean Jazz Project 11/26-28: Jeremy Davenport

LEMP NEIGHBORHOOD ARTS CENTER

STORY OF THE YEAR at THE PAGEANT November 12 w/MY CHEMICAL ROMANCE, LETTER KILLS, AUTOPILOT OFF November 13 w/AnBERLIN, ADAIR 7:30 p.m. • all ages TICKETS: $16/18 • CALL: 314-726-6161 Many St. Louisans are very familiar with localboys-done-good Story of the Year, having followed them for years—long before they found well-deserved national success—back when they were just another local band, gigging under the moniker Big Blue Monkey.

But for the uninitiated, this November would a great time to get informed, as the 42 be hometown heroes return for a two-night stint at The Pageant, as headliners on the Nintendo Fusion Tour.

The bands’ knock-out performance at this past summer’s Pointfest served as an ideal showcase for singer Dan Marsala’s boundless energy and confident cool—this is a performer who knows his way around a stage. Marsala’s ability to connect with the audience—during and in-between the songs—is as powerful a hook as the sing-along melodies that drive the band’s catchy, guitar-heavy pop.

The songs themselves—taken mostly from their debut CD, the angsty Page Avenue—hold up well in a live setting, in most cases coming across even stronger than the recordings. While the group’s current radio hit “Anthem of our Dying Day” is certainly a set highlight, Story of the Year put the same amount of effort and showmanship behind their older or lesser known numbers, treating every song like a should-have-been (or, more likely, soon-to-be) hit.

And if you’re curious as to whether these boys have any hometown pride, take note of their CD’s powerful title track, named after the St. Louis street. Plus, the band isn’t afraid to take time out of their set to reminisce on how they miss the “Show-Me State” or to crack the usual jokes about certain parts of town. Prepare for a few witty one-liners about St. Charles.

—John Kujawski

3301 Lemp Ave. • St. Louis, Mo. 63118 314-771-1096 • www.lemp-arts.org 11/4: 86 Mentality & Dead Stop Tour 11/5: The Gadabout Independent Film Festival 11/6: The Prince Mishkins, Bad Folk & Adversary Workers 11/7: Commichung, WaxWork of Dynasty & Finally Foreign 11/12: Until They Arrive & Julia Sets 11/14: Navies, Ten-Ton, Like Language & Dancing Feet March to War 11/20: Larry Marotta and Epicycle 11/28: The Vaz & The Conformists 11/30: Outbreak, Step On It! & Plan of Attack

LIL NIKKI’S 1551 S. 7th St. • St. Louis, Mo. 63104 314-621-2181 Every Thursday: FM 101.1 The River Home Grown Show 11/5: Sweet Jane, Lost in Blue, Open Sunday 11/6: se, eKE 11/13: Urban Jazz Naturals 11/19: eKE 11/20: Murder City Players, Secret Cajun Band 11/24: Thanksgiving special w/SOFs

MISSISSIPPI NIGHTS 914 N. First St. • St. Louis, Mo. 63102 314-421-3853 • www.mississippinights.com 11/1: Simple Plan w/Mae & Plain White T’s 11/5: Papa Roach w/Trust Co. & Chronic Future 11/6: The Dresden Dolls w/Count Zero & The Ditty Bops 11/10: Dirty Vegas w/The Hothouse Sessions 11/11: Medeski Martin & Wood 11/12: Robert Schimmel w/Andi Smith 11/13: Jay Farrar w/Anders Parker 11/24: The Brews reunion concert w/Anchondo, Neo Geo, & Rushmore Academy 11/27: Bockman’s Euphio

MOJO’S 1013 Park Ave. • Columbia, Mo. 65201 573-875-0588 • www.mojoscolumbia.com 11/1: Bad Wizard, Witnesses, Transponder 5/3 & Tiny Pants 11/3: Aqueduct, Billy Schuh and the Foundry, Vivavoce & Witch’s Hat 11/4: The Six Parts Seven & Brian Straw 11/5: Decibully, Shearwater & Kimya Dawson 11/6: Vic Chestnutt 6p, Michael Burks 8:30p 11/8: Bloody Midgets Wrestling Tour 11/9: Mosquitos & Kingdom Flying Club 11/11: Koufax, Carrier & The Confident Years 11/12: Baitshop Boys 6p, Primitive Soul 8:30p 11/13: Mr Dibbs, Blue Print, Green House Effect, Heiruspecs & Suffocate Faster 11/15: Anders Parker of Varnaline & Chris Canipe 11/18: Speakeasy & Madahoochi

MAGEE’S

MANGIA ITALIANO

THE MARTINI BAR 4004 Peach Ct. • Columbia, Mo. 65203 573-256-8550 • www.themartinibar.biz 11/4: Kenny Neal 11/5: Lady Bianca 11/6: Shane Henry 11/10: Scott Ellison 11/11: Jazz DuJour 11/12: On Call 11/13: The Chicago Rhythm and Blues Kings 11/18: Jim Suhler & Monkeybeat 11/19: Baker McClaren Band 11/20: The Bottoms Up Blues Gang and Alvin Jett & The Phat Noiz Band 11/26: Kim Massie 11/27: Kim Massie

THE MUSIC CAFÉ 120 S. 9th St. • Columbia, Mo. 65201 573-815-9995 • www.themusiccafecolumbia.com Every Monday: Open Mic 11/6: Suffrajet, Maxtone Four

OFF BROADWAY 3509 Lemp Ave. • St. Louis, Mo. 63118 314-773-3363 • www.offbroadwaystl.com 11/3: Some Chick Band 11/5: Wydown 11/6: Panic Attack, The Dean Evans Band & Ashtray Lizard 11/9: Brian Auger’s Oblivion Express 11/10: Peter Case w/Geoff Kessell 7p, Gordon Bennett w/Aintry 11/11: NSAI’s Songwriters in the Round: The Benevolent Mushrooms & Patsy O’Brien 11/12: Dallas Jones, Mark Bilyeu & Joe Stickley’s Blueprint 11/13: Silent Page & Lost Parade 11/17: Ian Moore 11/18: Sonia & Ember Swift 11/20: Joseph Arthur & Zach Broocke 11/22: Stephen Kellogg 11/23: Showcase of the Bands 11/27: Hal Ketchum Charity Benefit

THE PAGEANT

4500 Clayton Ave. • St. Louis, Mo. 63110 314-535-8061 Every Monday: Open Mic w/Heather Barth Every Thursday: Jake’s Leg 11/16: Confluence Benefit w/Bootigrabbers Delight, Freds Variety Group & TBA

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 11/4: Kamikaze Palooka 11/6: Lost Parade 11/11: Bug 11/13: The Bottoms Up Blues Gang 11/18: Pat Sajak Assassins 11/20: The Good Griefs 11/25: The Round Ups 11/27: Bob Reuter & Kevin Buckley

11/19: The Rank Sinatras 11/20: Arties Univibe 6p, Big Muddy 11/30: The Arcade Fire, Bobby Conn & Les Georges Leningrad

MARILYN MANSON at THE PAGEANT November 11, 8 p.m. • all ages TICKETS: $32.50 • CALL: 314-726-6161 Self-proclaimed “God of Fuck” Marilyn Manson and company are on the road supporting their new best-of record, Lest We Forget—a collection of the to-be-expected hits that also includes a newly recorded, Manson-skewed cover of Depeche Mode’s “Personal Jesus.”

This will mark the band’s first performance at the more intimate environs of The Pageant.

Based on their previous performances, security will be in full force and the floor will undoubtedly take a beating, as Manson never fails to unleash energy, excitement, and controversy.

It seems appropriate that this 2004 tour is titled Against All Gods—after Manson hit pay dirt with their 1996 release Anti-Christ Superstar, taking on one god wasn’t enough for this ambitious rock band. —Chris Sewell

6161 Delmar Blvd. • St. Louis, Mo. 63112 314-726-6161 • www.thepageant.com 11/2: Nickel Creek & Howie Day w/Tristan Prettyman 11/3: Breaking Benjamin w/Moderndayzero & Skindred 11/5: Sonia Dada 11/6: Brian Regan 11/7: Tyan Cabrera w/Skye Sweetnam 11/10: Boney James w/Van Hunt 11/11: Marilyn Manson 11/12: Story of the Year w/My Chemical Romance, Letter Kills & Autopilot Off 11/13: Story of the Year w/AnBerlin & Adair 11/14: Alter Bridge w/Crossfade & Submersed 11/18: Ryan Adams & The Cardinals 11/25: Fagile Porcelain Mice 11/27: Muse w/Exit

POP’S 1403 Mississippi • Sauget, Il. 62201 618-274-6720 • www.popsrocks.com 11/3: Bile 11/4: Feather w/TBA 11/5: Megadeth 11/6: British Export 11/7: Cornbread 11/8: Lamb of God & Fear Factory 11/10: KMFDM 11/12: Gogol Bordello 11/13: GWAR 11/14: 105.7 The Point Local Showcase 11/21: Cornbread 11/25: Lithium 11/29: The Hives

POP’S BLUE MOON 5249 Pattison • St. Louis, Mo. 63110 314-776-4200 • www.popsbluemoon.com Every Tuesday: Worlds Most Dangerous Open Jam 11/1: Irene Allen

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.

NOVEMBER 2004

11/2: World’s Most Dangerous Open Jam 11/3: Tim Moody Solo 11/4: Tango Loco 11/5: Dave Black & Matt Kimmick 11/6: Road’s End 11/8: Fab Foehners 11/9: World’s Most Dangerous Open Jam 11/10: Brian Curran 11/11: Wayne Kimler Jazz 11/12: Naked Groove 11/13: Speedball 11/15: Johnny Fox 11/16: World’s Most Dangerous Open Jam 11/17: Pik’n Lik’n 11/18: Tim Moody Solo 11/19: Cherri Octopi 11/20: Reggae Ruffins 11/22: Bob Case 11/23: World’s Most Dangerous Open Jam 11/24: Helping Phriendly Band 11/25: Thank You 11/26: The Bottoms Up Blues Gang 11/27: Big Thumb 11/29: Open Mic Acoustic w/Shane Maue 11/30: World’s Most Dangerous Open Jam

RADIO CHEROKEE 3227 Cherokee St. • St. Louis, Mo. 63118 www.radiocherokee.net 11/4: The Front, What Made Milwaukee Famous & Orange Buckets

THE FINAL COUNTDOWN at the ROCKET BAR w/Mike the 2600 King, DJ Espi, DJ Trackstar, and DJ Anisto November 2 • 18+ TICKETS: $1 • CALL: 314-588-0088

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 11/4: Uncle Albert 11/5: Jazz Renaissance 11/6: SWIRL! 11/11: The Bottoms Up Blues Gang 11/12: Seldom Home 11/13: The Hot Flashes 11/18: Uncle Albert 11/19: The Bottoms Up Blues Gang 11/20: SWIRL! 11/26: Salt of the Earth with Lynne Reif

ROCKET BAR 2001 Locust St. • St. Louis, Mo. 63103 314-588-0088 • www.rocketbar.net 11/2: League of Independent Voters Party w/Mike the 2600 King, DJ Espi, DJ Trackstar, DJ Anisto 11/3: Endochine 11/17: Elf Power, The Late B.P. Helium, Maxtone Four

6 Main St. • St. Peters, Mo. 63376 636-397-5383 • www.sallyts.com 11/2: Open mic 11/3: Next Best Thing, Lowercase, Blame Gary 11/4: Floob & the Clockwise Mosaic w/The Pharrohmones 11/5: B. Koolman & The Trailer Park Travoltas 11/6: State of Mind w/The Saw Is Family & Mass Diffusion 11/10: Brad Miller Band w/Fair Verona 11/11: Chris McFarland 11/12: Brian Deer w/Spooge & Jennifer Demer 11/13: The Evolution w/The In and Pike Sation 11/17: Index w/The Rove & Oskaloosa 11/18: Eclipse & Matt Cavanaugh 11/19: Granny Lo w/Skyfarm 11/20: Manifest w/A.I. 11/26: Roger & Stendek 11/27: Trailer Park Travoltas

Playback St. Louis and Real Nice Records are THE SHANTI pleased to bring you a place to collectively 825 Allen Ave. • St. Louis, Mo. 63104 celebrate or nurse your woes on Election 314-241-4772 Night. On Tuesday night, after you’ve voted, Every Tuesday: Open Mic w/Heather Barth join us at the Rocket Bar as we plan our next 11/4: Bob Case moves as citizens of this great country. Or, in 11/5: The Bottoms Up Blues Gang the words of the League, “Get buckwild as we 11/6: Grateful Gary 11/10: Tom Hall either say goodbye to our bootleg president, or 11/11: Rum Runners say goodbye to our country.”

11/12: Mark Gordon Providing the grooves will be Mike 2600 (Litterthugz), DJ Espi (DVDA), DJ Trackstar (Honors English/Real Nice Records), and DJ Anisto (The Anisto Collection). Of course, the Pabst always flows cheap and goes down smooth. —Laura Hamlett

THE TAP ROOM

RIDDLE’S PENULTIMATE

SALLY T’S

THE LEAGUE OF INDEPENDENT VOTERS PRESENTS

11/5: The Goodfellas 11/6: Village Idiot 11/12: James Grubbs and Friends 11/13: Once and for All w/John Maxfield & Geoff Koch 11/19: Berry w/Gravity Well and Lee Enfield 11/20: Agency 11/24: Sleepwalker

11/6: Cheer Accident, Yawie & The Conformists 11/7: Music For Mandarin and DJYT & Tonto 11/9: Max Noi & Warm Hands 11/13: Duets, Group 2 and Warm Hands 11/19: Chris McFarland, Freds Variety Group & Michael Fitzsimmons 11/20: Airport Elementry 11/28: Wiggpaw, Mircle, Puppy vs. Dyslexia & Crotch Council

11/13: Pickin’ Lickin’ 4p, Steve Bise 9p 11/17: Bootigrabbers Delight 11/18: Paul Jarvis 11/19: Troubadours of the Divine Bliss 11/20: Stewart Johnson 11/24: Racket Box 11/26: Devon Allman 11/27: Pickin’ Lickin’ 4p, Tom Wood 9p

BLUEBOTTLE KISS at Columbia’s BLUE NOTE w/CROSSFADE and SUBMERSED November 16 • all ages TICKETS: $10 • CALL: 314-533-9900 These Aussies really impressed me with their last effort, 2002’s Revenge Is Slow (In Music We Trust). It’s a charming, literate pop record, filled with lush piano, strings, dreamy guitars, and even a harp. The new Bluebottle Kiss disc, Come Across, marks the band’s second U.S. release (fifth overall). Sounds build gently, gradually, only to crash and collide into one another as Jamie Hutchings’ lead vocals and clever words rise above the cacophony. It’s an enticing, exciting listen, to be sure.

The four-piece—alongside Hutchings, there’s bassist Ben Grounds, guitarist Ben Fletcher, and drummer Richard Coneliano—formed in 1993, inspired by such acts as Sonic Youth, Afghan Whigs, and Dinosaur Jr. They create not so much songs but compositions, symphonies of sound and voice. Drum Media has called them “arguably Australia’s most idiosyncratic guitar band.”

Countless live shows in Australia—where they’ve shared a stage with many a band, including Interpol and fellow Aussies Silverchair—have garnered Bluebottle Kiss a reputation as an intense and fiery live band. I, for one, am looking forward to finding out for myself. —Laura Hamlett SHELDON CONCERT HALL 3648 Washington Blvd. • St. Louis, Mo. 63108 314-533-9900 • www.sheldonconcerthall.org 11/4: Peter Cincotti 11/5: Vance Gilbert & Ellis Paul 11/10-14: Craig Rubano 11/11: Bob Ceccarini & Pat Joyce Duo 11/14: Oleta Adams 11/19: Roseanne Cash

STUDIO CAFÉ 1309 Washington Ave. • St. Louis, Mo. 63103 314-621-8667

2100 Locust St. • St. Louis, Mo. 63103 314-241-BEER • www.schlafly.com 11/5: Otis 11/7: Peter Clemens 11/13: Flying Mules 11/14: John Farrar 11/20: Bob Case 11/21: Brian Curran 11/27: The Orbits 11/28: Dizzy Atmosphere

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 11/5: John Maxfield & The Invaders, Lee-Enfield & Circa 11/6: earthSOL & Through Dint of Heavy Wishing 11/13: Funky Circus Fleas 11/19: Deconstructing Jim & Pervis Feck

TOUHILL PERFORMING ARTS CTR. University of Mo. – STL • St. Louis, Mo. 63121 314-516-4949 • www.touhill.org 11/4-6: Ain’t Nothin’ Quick ’n’ Easy 11/6: Celebrating the Blues 11/11: The Marriage of Figaro 11/12: Women in the Arts 11/13: Say Goodnight, Gracie 11/14: Steven Wright 11/15-17: Moscow Ballet’s Nutcracker 11/19: Cecile Licad 11/19-20: Dance Concert: Physical Graffiti 11/23: Gala Anniversary Concert 11/30: UMSL Music Dept. Faculty Chamber Music Concert

VENICE CAFÉ 1906 Pestalozzi • St. Louis, Mo. 63118 314-772-5994 11/6: Brian Capps & the True Liars

WAY OUT CLUB 2525 S. Jefferson Ave. • St. Louis, Mo. 63118 314-664-7638 • www.wayoutclub.com 11/1: Meth, Jox Bot, The Day After Halloween Party 11/3: Asobi Seksu & Juliet Daggers 11/4: Good Looks & Phonocaptors 11/5: Trailer Park Travoltas and the Highway Matrons 11/6: Holy Hand Grenades 11/9: Jet Set & Syntax 11/10: Hockey Night 11/11: sisterloveshovel & That’s My Daughter 11/12: Meatjack, Gassoff & Bibowatts 11/13: Phistine Verona, Pat Sajak Assassins & Red Eyed Driver 11/17: Natural Laps 11/19: Rebreather & Sex Robots 11/20: Formula Kid & The Fuglees 11/24: The Bureau & The Trailer Park Travoltas 11/26: Hail Marys, The Cripplers & The Spiders 11/27: High Marks & Aces and Eights

43

PLAYBACK ST. LOUIS

NOW PLAYING

ALTERNATIVE CINEMA

Give Thanks This November for St. Louis’s Alternative Film Options

44

We’ve all been there: balancing an overpriced popcorn-and-soda combo in our hands, only to discover that the last available seat in the theater is wedged directly behind a bona fide giant. But, hey, we’re flexible and so excited to see this particular film (it’s been described as “wildly hysterical” with “plenty of heart”) that we don’t even mind the inconvenience. That is, until the déjà vu sets in. About 30 minutes into the film, we begin to realize that we have seen it before! Dozens of times! OK, the Matthew starring in it may have been different. But the jokes are the same, and the “surprise ending” isn’t a surprise at all. But don’t despair, because what might really surprise you are the number of local alternatives to this type of all-too-familiar experience.

One of St. Louis’ most unique cinematic alternatives is ciné16. It is a free, monthly event held at the Mad Art Gallery in Soulard, featuring educational films that played in classrooms from the turn of the century to the 1980s. “They’re typically thought of as driver’s ed training films and mental hygiene films,” said ciné16’s Marc Syp, who, along with Margie Newman, heads up the organization.

Although Syp said the group focuses mainly on films with cultural value—including social issues films, ethnographic documentaries, experimental animation, and art documentaries.

“We have a lot of [films] from some of the main, big educational film distributors from back in the day,” Syp said, explaining that, in the past, these types of educational films were widely respected and well funded, whereas today, Internet resources and the high-quality of educational television have diverted this focus.

As an offshoot of the San Jose–based Academic Film Archive of North America (www.afana.org), ciné16 has access to all of the AFA’s films, while also having started its own collection—with help from the St. Louis Public School Board, which recently donated its substantial 16mm collection.

Another homegrown tradition for the past 25 years is the Webster University Film Series.

The film series director, Mike Steinberg, simply said, “It’s about choices. It’s about having alternatives to mainstream.” He went on to describe the Webster Film Series as a showcase for films that you probably would not see other places in the area—including a mix of American inde-

pendent films, foreign films, documentaries, narratives, and experimental projects.

Most weekends the Webster Film Series screens regional or statewide premiers of new

films, it also takes advantage of the everincreasing older films that are constantly being restored. “There are generations of people who have never seen some of [these older films] in a theater. And people who may have seen it in its original release, something like, for instance, North by Northwest, to see a new 35mm print of this film—that’s a great experience,” said Steinberg, adding that whether you saw it when it was released or if you have never seen it before, it’s an alternative to what Hollywood pours out every weekend.

Webster also sponsors the Strange Brew series at Schlafly Bottleworks, which features cult films on the first Wednesday of every month. “There’s just a wealth of really strange movies out there that deserve to be seen in an interesting atmosphere,” Steinberg said. This November will bring Duck Soup, in honor of the election, while the romantic comedy Strictly Ballroom will play in December. For more information about the Webster Film Series, log on to www.webster.edu/filmseries.html.

Steve Chafin, the organizer and host of the St. Louis Movie Lounge, feels it is important for there to be an interaction between the filmmaker and the audience, and he tries his best to bring the two groups together on the

second Monday of every month at Frederick’s Music Lounge. For these events, Chafin puts together a four-hour, casual event, consisting of diverse films made by local filmmakers ranging in experience from beginners to veterans.

Chafin generally accepts all of the submissions he receives, leaving it up the audience to form their own opinions about the individual work. (www.fredericksmusiclounge.com) For all of you night owls, you probably already know that from Memorial Day to Labor Day each year, you can rely on Midnights at the Tivoli for your late-night film and hot, buttery popcorn cravings. “I think there are always people who are looking for something to do late at night that doesn’t involve going to the bar or sitting at Denny’s or cruising around in cars,” said Tivoli manager Dale Sweet. Most of the movies shown as part of the series are older, usually with some sort of cult or camp or otherwise interesting values. “Beyond that, we try to do a few things every year that push the envelope a little bit,” said Sweet. “For instance, Forbidden Zone this year was a very unusual black-and-white film made for $2 in somebody’s basement.” For more information about the Tivoli, log on to www.landmarktheatres.com.

It’s always advisable to keep up with the events sponsored by Cinema St. Louis (www.cinemastlouis.org), the group that brings our community the St. Louis International Film Festival and the St. Louis Filmmakers Showcase each year. Operations Manager Andrea Sporcic noted that a conversation with a filmmaker, writer, or one of the actors is often an added bonus. The best way to keep up on Cinema St. Louis happenings, she said, is to become a member of the organization.

Finally, the most forgotten area venue for film is the St. Louis Public Library (www.slpl.lib.mo.us). This November the library is presenting a Blaxploitation Film Festival. Among its many other programs, the library also offers a DVS Movie of the Month series, created in conjunction with the St. Louis Society for the Blind and Visually Impaired; the films include special narration for people with visual disabilities. Good movies surrounded by good books? It sounds like paradise to me.

—Emily Spreng Lowery

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

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