Riverfront Times, January 29, 2020 by Riverfront Times

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“I feel like I work at Six Flags, but I get to do the things while I’m on the job. ... If I’m taking photos upstairs, I can still just take a little break and pet a little stingray.” CONRAD FAUST, PHOTOGRAPHER WITH THE ST. LOUIS AQUARIUM AT UNION STATION, PHOTOGRAPHED ON JANUARY 17

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Publisher Chris Keating Editor in Chief Doyle Murphy

E D I T O R I A L Managing Editor Liz Miller Arts & Culture Editor Paul Friswold Music Editor Daniel Hill Digital Editor Jaime Lees Staff Writer Danny Wicentowski Restaurant Critic Cheryl Baehr Film Critic Robert Hunt Columnist Ray Hartmann Contributing Writers Mike Appelstein, Allison Babka, Thomas Crone, Jenn DeRose, Mike Fitzgerald, Sara Graham, Joseph Hess, MaryAnn Johanson, Roy Kasten, Kevin Korinek, Bob McMahon, Lauren Milford, Nicholas Phillips, Tef Poe, Christian Schaeffer Proofreader Evie Hemphill Editorial Interns Ella Faust, Caroline Groff, Ronald Wagner

COVER

The Maven of Mardi Gras Vices and Virtues Ball Founder Luann Denten on Mardi Gras Balls and the Magic of Soulard Cover photo by

P R O D U C T I O N Production Manager Haimanti Germain

THEO WELLING

M U L T I M E D I A A D V E R T I S I N G Advertising Director Colin Bell Senior Account Executive Cathleen Criswell Account Managers Emily Fear, Jennifer Samuel Multimedia Account Executive Jackie Mundy

INSIDE

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

The Lede Hartmann

News Feature

9 12

Feature

Calendar

Policing the politics of policing

Introducing the maven of Mardi Gras Does this look like a farm to you?

Film

Cafe

Short Orders

Culture

Oscar-Nominated Shorts Taco Circus

A R T Art Director Evan Sult Contributing Photographers Virginia Harold, Stephen Kennedy, Monica Mileur, Zia Nizami, Andy Paulissen, Nick Schnelle, Mabel Suen, Micah Usher, Theo Welling, Jen West

E U C L I D M E D I A G R O U P Chief Executive Officer Andrew Zelman Chief Operating Officers Chris Keating, Michael Wagner VP of Digital Services Stacy Volhein Creative Director Tom Carlson www.euclidmediagroup.com N A T I O N A L A D V E R T I S I N G VMG Advertising 1-888-278-9866, vmgadvertising.com S U B S C R I P T I O N S Send address changes to Riverfront Times, 308 N. 21st Street, Suite 300, St. Louis, MO 63103. Domestic subscriptions may be purchased for $78/6 months (Missouri residents add $4.74 sales tax) and $156/year (Missouri residents add $9.48 sales tax) for first class. Allow 6-10 days for standard delivery. www.riverfronttimes.com The Riverfront Times is published weekly by Euclid Media Group Verified Audit Member Riverfront Times 308 N. 21st Street, Suite 300, St. Louis, MO 63103 www.riverfronttimes.com General information: 314-754-5966 Fax administrative: 314-754-5955 Fax editorial: 314-754-6416 Founded by Ray Hartmann in 1977

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HARTMANN The P Word St. Louis County politicians need policing on police spending Written by

RAY HARTMANN

t. Louis County voters took what they thought was a major step to upgrade police in April 2017, when they approved by a whopping 63 percent margin something called Proposition P. To the 101,964 of us folks who voted for the measure, it was widely understood that the “P” in Proposition P stood for “P” as in police, because that was how the measure was sold by county officials, without qualification. The phrase “public safety” was contained in the fine print, but this was unmistakably a measure to

increase spending on police, in a variety of ways. Anyone familiar with ballot measures knew that at least some of the money would get diverted for other purposes. That’s because the spending for Proposition P would get appropriated by politicians with a “P.” And diverting taxpayer-approved funding is what they do, at all levels of government. But flash forward to today, less than three years later, and the county government has inexplicably run out of Proposition P funds, despite the fact that the proposition has generated more money than expected. It is projected to bring county government almost $50 million this year. Last year, the county reached a three-year deal with police officers, including some raises, consistent with the mission of Prop P. But this year — specifically, last week — county residents learned that as a result of that agreement, the Prop P kitty, which had an

ending balance of $20.9 million, is suddenly “overbudgeted.” Councilman Tim Fitch, R-3rd District and former county police chief, is leading the charge in wondering aloud how this could possibly have happened. Fitch told me “it’s a very good question” as to how the county could already be upside down with a such a large and growing pot of money. Fitch and his fellow Republican councilmen Mark Harder and Ernie Trakas are, to their credit, demanding answers of County Executive Sam Page, a Democrat, who for the time being doesn’t have much to say. Here’s hoping this doesn’t remain a partisan issue, as the words “Well, those Republicans sure are right on this one” do not emerge comfortably from my lips. Fortunately, at least one Democrat, County Assessor Jake Zimmerman — who is challenging Page for county executive in the August 4 primary — is demanding a county audit of Prop P funds.

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More on that later. For now, the critics here are right. The obvious explanation is that the money promised for police has gone to all sorts of other purposes, perhaps benign ones that might be rationalized by the proposition’s general language regarding public safety. If all was well with the Prop P fund balance, that might be fine. But all is not well. Here in River City we have trouble with a capital “T” and that rhymes with “P” and that stands for prisons, parks, prosecutors, playgrounds, personnel, perks, pens and pencils, pet projects and perhaps possible pending purposes. County residents should take comfort that the presidential candidate of Access Hollywood fame isn’t part of St. Louis County government. To be fair, some of the Prop P spending diverted to other purposes — say, the county jail — seems reasonable enough. When

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HARTMANN

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the question arose on our T show Donnybrook as to whether the county should use Prop P dollars to give needed raises to nurses working at the jail, it didn’t take a profile in courage for me to respond, “Of course they should get this money. If they’re not part of public safety, who is?” Now I disagree with me. As to the nurses themselves, it’s still a no-brainer that they get needed raises, but that’s a general county budget priority. And the experience with Proposition P fund diversion — much of it sanctioned by bills approved by the county council — cries out for a larger principle: “Spend Proposition P like you sold Proposition P.” This would not be that hard to do. It turns out there was a very clearly presented list of spending purposes for Proposition P laid out in 2017 on a webpage appropriately titled “Yes on Prop .” owever vague the fine print of the ballot measure might have been, the sales pitch to the voters of St. Louis County was as plain as it could be. It’s still online at yesonpropp. com. Here’s what was promised: iring more police o cers second police o cer in patrol cars when necessary • Increasing police and department staff salaries • Installing dashboard cameras in police vehicles panding o cer training on topics li e peaceful conflict resolution • Providing body cameras for officers • Developing a computerized crime reporting system. The cameras and increased training in conflict resolution are quite important to those of us who have issues with the status quo in policing. But other parts are equally important, such as the increased salaries and sta ng and technical support for police o cers who, by the way, do ris their lives every day in service of county residents. The bottom line is that Proposition P was a really good idea and there’s no valid reason why the funds it has generated cannot and should not be spent for the purposes that were specifically advertised to the voting public, 63 percent of whom said “yes.” But it’s pretty clear that the Prop P bank account wouldn’t be under water if that’s all that happened

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How could the county already be upside down with a such a large and growing pot of money? with the money. So, what to do? That brings us back to the matter of a county auditor demanded, appropriately enough, by Zimmerman. I asked Fitch about that, and his response was that it’s fine, but not until the county gets a real auditor. Both Zimmerman and Fitch are taking a shot against Page, whose o ce isn’t saying much for the moment. The problem for Page is that County Auditor Mark Tucker is a longtime close associate — by his own reckoning — whom Page brought into the county council when he was its president. Trouble is, Tucker hasn’t done actual audits that the public is aware of. In 2018, more than a year after taking his position, Tucker was blistered in a St. Louis Post-Dispatch piece headlined, “He’s been the St. Louis County auditor for a year. But he hasn’t issued an audit.” If that’s changed, it has largely escaped public view. There’s also the detail that Tucker apparently lacked a background in auditing or accounting when hired. In fairness, he wasn’t a stranger to government. Missouri Ethics Commission records show that in a previous decade, Tucker was a registered lobbyist for, among many others, Rex Sinquefield and the issouri ociety of Anesthesiologists, the latter near and dear to Page’s heart. So, I agree with both Democrat Zimmerman, that the county needs an audit, and Republican Fitch, that it be conducted by someone not named Mark Tucker. Perhaps the audit wouldn’t reflect poorly upon age at all, but at least it would follow the money. Until then, it appears, that what happened to the Prop P dollars will be lost in a political fog. That’s politics with a “P.” n Ray Hartmann founded the Riverfront Times in 1977. Contact him at rhartmann@sbcglobal.net or catch him on St. Louis In the Know with Ray Hartmann from 9 to 11 p.m. Monday thru Friday on KTRS (550 AM).

NEWS White SLU Officer Claims Discrimination Written by

DANNY WICENTOWSKI

white Saint Louis University campus safety o cer acknowledged in a recent lawsuit that he held an unarmed black pedestrian at gunpoint in 2018 — but he also claims that, in fact, he was the victim of discrimination. Filed on January 17 in federal court on behalf of SLU public safety o cer eter arvin, the $300,000 discrimination suit describes an August 8, 2018, incident that began around 9 a.m. with reports of an an armed individual on the university’s Midtown campus. While the lawsuit tries to establish the facts of its discrimination claim, it also goes to considerable lengths in describing how arvin and other o cers carried out their search for a suspect described only as a six-foot tall black male with “curly hair and wearing black pants.” According to the lawsuit, the ensuing police work resulted in arvin and other o cers misidentifying a total of four unarmed subjects in three separate stops, all seeming to involve random blac pedestrians who “fit the description” and had the misfortune of being near the campus at the time. arvin, the lawsuit states, was riding a bike and “came into contact with two non-University individuals” near a campus building on Lindell Boulevard. One, who “matched the description on the dispatches,” was wearing a sweatshirt tied around his waist. That was when arvin spotted “some obvious girth around his entire waist,” the lawsuit notes. “This was reportedly where the gun was reported to be on the suspect.” At this point, the lawsuit switches to the perspective of the two unluc y sub ects, identified as Darren Combs and Chris Bridgett: “ r. ombs alleged that arvin pulled his pistol from his holster and pointed his weapon at him and Mr. Bridgett for no apparent reason.” arvin wasn’t alone on bi e duty that day. The lawsuit describes how a second bi e

Husband Wanted in Killing of Estranged Wife’s Dad Written by

DOYLE MURPHY

A Saint Louis University campus safety officer is suing for discrimination. | THEO WELLING o cer had spotted the pair at the same time as arvin. This second o cer allegedly admitted that he had ordered the men “to get to their knees and put their hands behind their heads interloc ing their fingers” and then handcuffed Bridgett “to control the situation.” However, the lawsuit continues, “The checks of Mr. Bridgett and Mr. Combs concluded with no found weapons.” That wasn’t the end of the alleged blunders for SLU’s campus police that day. According to the lawsuit, while arvin and his partner were confronting two unarmed pedestrians, a separate contingent of o cers a few blocks away were chasing their own subject “matching the description.” i e with arvin, it was a case of a misidentified sub ect. The lawsuit claims a different SLU cop, who is black, “pulled his weapon on the wrong suspect” — and that subject turned out to be, incredibly, “the actual initial victim that had reported being threatened with a gun.” The lawsuit claims that this same SLU cop then approached “a second suspect and again drew his weapon,” but, as with the others, “It was determined the suspect was not the person who was described in the dispatches.” That was the end of the SLU officers’ pursuit for the armed subject. Three hours after the initial

alert, the Twitter account tweeted that the morning’s incident “was determined to be a disturbance outside the parish center and no weapon was located.” But it wasn’t the end for arvin. The lawsuit claims a SLU investigation concluded in January 2019 that while the cop had not violated the university’s policies around racial profiling, he had shown “extremely poor judgment” and his performance was “considered unacceptable for his position.” s a result, arvin was suspended without pay for two weeks and was “required to take mandatory additional training on racial profiling, implicit bias and bias policing,” the lawsuit claims. Here’s where the discrimination claim comes in. arvin’s lawsuit alleges that while he faced an investigation and suspension, the other o cers, including the one the lawsuit claims had twice pulled a gun on unarmed subjects during the same incident, had faced no consequences. The lawsuit goes on to allege that SLU discriminated against arvin based on his race as a aucasian, and that he suffered damages including “embarrassment, humiliation, damage to reputation, and emotional distress.” Messages left for a SLU spokeswoman were not returned. arvin’s attorney also did not respond to our request for additional information about the original 2018 incident. n

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west St. Louis county man who was ordered in November to undergo counseling for domestic abusers shot his estranged wife last week and killed her father, who tried to intervene, according to police and court records. James Kempf, 45, was still on the loose as of press time, wanted for murder, first-degree assault and armed criminal action, authorities say. St. Louis County police responded at 5:55 p.m. on January 23 to the wife’s house in the 1800 block of Charity Court in Fenton. When they arrived, they found the wife, who had been shot in the leg

James Kempf is wanted for murder and assault.| COURTESY ST. LOUIS COUNTY POLICE but had still managed to hobble away and call 911. At the time, police believed Kempf had barricaded himself inside the house. Police tactical units spent several hours trying to negotiate with him, but learned later that he had already fled the house before they arrived. Once inside, officers discovered the body of 66-year-old John Colter, who had been shot in the head, according to police. Kempf used to live in the house, but moved out some time last year after a court order was issued. His wife, who filed for a divorce in September, had been granted an order of protection, meant to prevent him from coming within 500 feet of her, according to court records. In November, a judge ordered Kempf to enroll in a weekly “batterers intervention program” before his next hearing, which was scheduled for January 22. n

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Romanik Entanglement Written by

DANNY WICENTOWSKI

ore than seven months after federal investigators announced the results of a years-long dig into the ownership of radio stations connected to n-word-spewing shock jock Bob Romanik, the daily talk show on KQQZ (1190 AM) remains on-air — and as despicable as ever. But in an order issued last week, an administrative law judge for the Federal Communications Commission wrote that she’s reached the end of her patience with Entertainment Media Trust, the holding company that, on paper, owns KQQZ and three other metro-area radio stations. “The time has come to question whether additional government time and resources should be devoted to this matter,” wrote Judge Jane Halprin, who is charged with presiding over a challenge to the applications to renew licenses for the stations ostensibly held by Entertainment Media Trust, or EMT. In the ruling, Halprin set a February 10 deadline for EMT’s legal representative, Belleville attorney Dennis Watkins, to explain why she shouldn’t throw the license renewal applications out due to “EMT’s continuous efforts at obfuscation.” The judge is also asking Watkins to explain why EMT hasn’t furnished documents purporting to show the stations are not, in fact, operated through a shell organization that functionally allows Romanik to run them. (Messages left by RFT to a number listed for Watkins were not returned.) To be clear, however, the issue isn’t that Romanik is using these stations as a platform for his tirades defending “proud whites” from the various evils of modern society. It’s not really about what Romanik is saying that’s breaking federal regulations. Rather, it’s what he’s done. As we reported in July, Romanik’s previous felony convictions — which involved an illegal video gambling operation and a 1999 guilty plea for federal bank fraud — would make it not impossible, but really hard for him to legitimately own a radio station under his own name. And Romanik has claimed he doesn’t own any stations. However, the FCC investigation into four stations ostensibly purchased by EMT between 2006 and 2010 concluded that there are

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“substantial and material questions of fact” about whether Romanik is actually in control of the group. It was those questions that the FCC hearing aimed to resolve, particularly since the investigation, released as a 24-page report, had found Romanik bankrolling the si figure purchases of the four stations and allegedly identifying himself as a radio station owner on his disclosure forms for political contributions.

Bob Romanik, the St. Louis metro area’s most outspoken racist, on-air in 2016. | VIA TWITTER But instead of clarity, what followed was a wave of delays. Through its attorney, EMT requested multiple extensions to respond to records requests. Then, in eptember, T filed for ban ruptcy, which triggered an automatic halt to the FCC proceedings while the station licenses were transferred to a bankruptcy trustee. n ovember, T filed to dismiss its bankruptcy action. In last week’s ruling, the FCC’s Halprin detailed the chronology of investigators’ efforts to get EMT to comply with its responsibilities leading up to the hearing, and she specifically called out at ins for missing multiple appearances. alprin wrote “ t is di cult not to view EMT’s behavior — seeking repeated extensions of time, advocating for a stay due to bankruptcy, withdrawing that bankruptcy when the stay was not granted, firing its longtime counsel, ignoring the residing udge’s order to appear, and finally filing a problematic notice of appearance — as intended to delay.” Back in July 2019, Halprin gave the parties a year to work through the discovery process, setting a hearing date for July 2020 in which

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After writing that “EMT’s intention to frustrate this hearing proceeding abound,” the judge added that she’d finally come “to question whether EMT is able and willing to satisfy its burden of proof.” she could weigh the submitted evidence and hear EMT’s argument that it deserves to have its license renewed. However, with that date less than six months away, the judge is growing impatient with EMT’s progress. After writing that “EMT’s intention to frustrate this hearing proceeding abound,” the judge added that she’d finally come “to question whether EMT is able and willing to satisfy its burden of proof, which includes the obligation to prosecute its applications diligently and in good faith.” Meanwhile, Romanik himself has hinted on-air that he may take the show elsewhere — though it’s worth noting that reports of his demise have, in the past, been proven to be premature. Romanik, like a smell in an old couch, just has a way of hanging around. And the shock jock known as the “ rim eaper of adio” hasn’t lost a step in his daily diarrhetic diatribe. Only hours before Judge alprin filed her most recent order, Romanik was telling his audience, “The FCC doesn’t want me running or owning stations, which I don’t,” and insisting “they’re not going to keep me off the air.” “I could back off and say I’m not going to fight them,” he added. “But ’m not going to fight them, I’m just going to stand up for what I believe in.” Romanik then transitioned back to his previous topic, about how “There’s more n-----s that hate the white community than crackers and honkeys that hate the black community.” n

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g The Maven of

MARDI GRAS Vices and Virtues Ball Founder Luann Denten on Mardi Gras Balls and the Magic of Soulard BY CHRIS ANDOE

o much of my social time is spent in Soulard that it has begun to feel like the center of gravity. It’s to the point I feel like Tower Grove outh, where reside, is a far flung Soulard suburb, and I’m honored when Soulardians leave “the island” to visit, as several did for my New Year’s Eve soiree. Chief among them was “Maven of Mardi Gras” Luann Denten, founder of the risqué Vices and Virtues Ball.

Photography: Theo Welling Styling: Kage Black Models by Chuck Pfoutz Models: Kage Black, KayDay Bradshaw, TraVaughn Cobin, Travis Kitchen, John Mayfield, Chuck Pfoutz, Marcus Watt Assistance: Trenton Almgren-Davis My New Year’s Eve theme was “bling,” and she wowed guests with her glittery, silky ensemble. I was pouring champagne for the toast, using tasteful but inexpensive flutes due to the number of drunks I was entertaining, but

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when told by a mutual friend that she was retrieving champagne for the Dentens, I stepped over to the credenza and returned. “This is my finest crystal,” said. “Yes, yes, that’s how they should be presented to Luann!” the friend said, her face illuminated with excitement that I understood I was entertaining royalty.

The Interview

A few days later, I arrive at Denten’s historic home to interview her about the increasingly vibrant Mardi Gras ball scene. She asks what I want to drink, and then begins loo ing for a specific bottle. In classic Soulard fashion she says, “We have four liquor cabinets, and one in the basement.” Once we settle into her intimate parlor, she explains the inspiration for Vices and Virtues: a 2014 trip to Venice for Carnival. “I attended a series of beautiful events, teas; it’s all about pageantry, all about costuming, posing and having a good time,” she says. “Back in the ’90s and even later, many of the Soulard krewes had their own balls. There was the Subterranean Ball, Knights of the

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THE MAVEN OF MARDI GRAS Continued from pg 13

Purple Haze, Banana Bike Brigade.” But over the years, she says, they faded away, leaving only the tony Mayor’s Ball — where for $125 a head you can hobnob with our fair city’s elites. Denten describes the black-tie Mayor’s Ball, which she normally attends, as a status event. “There’s a parade of dignitaries, open bars, wonderful buffets and fantastic performances,” she says. Fabulous as the Mayor’s Ball is, it was that trip to Venice that reminded her of how many more events used to complement it, and inspired her to revive that scene in grand fashion.

Vices and Virtues Ball

“It’s very adult. Very high class. Very hedonistic,” she says, acknowledging that all that can ma e it di cult to get past the powers that be. Some of her ideas get shot down, like having a buffet served atop the flesh of a beautiful model. “It’s fun. It’s a matter of principle that there is something for everyone. High-energy entertainment, black tie or full costume — must be wearing a mask.” In-

stantly my mind goes to Stanley Kubrick’s 1999 erotic psychological drama Eyes Wide Shut. While this year’s ball will not feature the masked orgies that made that film famous, hedonism is the guiding principle. “Hedonism is the pursuit of pleasure, it’s self indulgence,” Denten says. “Saliem is our incredible burlesque performer, we’ll have Robyn Hearts — who does an exceptional Tina Turner. Our headliner is poledancing champion Brian Lynch, and of course our emcee is the beautiful Jade Sinclair.” Decadent food offerings are provided by Molly’s in Soulard and the Sweet Divine. Past silent auction items have been quite indulgent as well, from bottles of Dom Perignon to a mink cape. The event, going on its sixth year and drawing more than 300 revelers, outgrew Soulard’s Mad Art Gallery and moved in 2018 to Cherokee Street’s Casa Loma Ballroom. “There’s no place in Soulard big enough for us,” Denten says, “but we do have shuttles to and from Soulard, and then there’s the after party at Four Strings.”

Pillar of Soulard Society

I return to Denten’s home a second time for another interview, and to

see her wardrobe ideas for the upcoming photo shoot for this story. e climb to the third floor, which has the feel of a costume shop, complete with retail-style racks filled with her creations, along with hats, masks and wigs lining the walls. She has me try on a silky, beaded, cream-colored ensemble and then generously offers to loan it to me for the ball. “Isn’t playing dress-up fun?” she asks. A native of Hardin, Illinois, which she notes lies in the only Illinois county (Calhoun) without railroad tracks on account of it being a peninsula, Denten eventually landed in west St. Louis County, where she raised her children. When her youngest was a sophomore in high school, the Dentens began searching for a more suitable place to live. They cast a wide net, looking at houses in Maplewood, Kirkwood, Webster and the Central West End before viewing a few Soulard homes during a thunderstorm where at one point they had to step over a live fallen power line. They fell in love. “Soulard is just magic,” Denten says. “It’s a place where everyone is accepted just as they are.” Denten keeps busy planning neighborhood activities as part of her role with Soulard Restoration Group, activities which in-

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clude the Bastille Day celebrations where new royals are crowned and the old ones head to the guillotine. Inspired by two (now deceased) lesbian aunts, she is also an active ally and event organizer in the LGBTQIA community. That led to her Soulard golf cart entry in the Pride parade (golf carts are ubiquitous in Soulard, and over 40 neighborhood residents adorned theirs for the occasion), and her spearheading the first ever Soulard Pride. “Luann makes amazing things happen,” says friend Rick Schneider, who has worked with Denten on many projects. “Six years of working closely with her showed me just how devoted she is to elevating not just Soulard, but the LGBTQ+ community as well. Love her or hate her, do yourself a favor and get on board with her shenanigans; it’s a fabulous ride!” Walking me to the door, seeming to bask in the afterglow of playing dress-up, Denten follows her goodbye with what I’ve come to learn is her signature line, delivered with a joyful, Zen-like clarity: “Life is good.” The Vices and Virtues Ball will be held at 7 p.m. Saturday, February 8, at Casa Loma Ballroom. Admission is $85 and up.

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Backroads to Riches A herd of camels could pass through this faux farm loophole that helps the wealthy get wealthier BY JEANNETTE COOPERMAN

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n auto auction lot that farms cars. A strip mall with a strip of ground planted in red clover. West St. Louis County estates with a bit of wooded land or a stable of polo ponies. Back in the 1960s and ’70s, states passed measures to lower land taxes for farmers. Somehow that new agricultural tax swiftly turned into a rebate for landowners who had never once dirtied their hands tilling or sowing or milking. Old-money families, newly rich celebs and shrewd investors across the country took advantage of the agricultural classification. onald Trump claimed it by letting eight goats gra e Trump ational olf Course. Jon Bon Jovi managed the trick for his ew ersey estate by raising honeybees.

ere in t. ouis ounty, Tony rasso suspects it was his dad who helped spread word of the loophole. “I think my high school dropout dad and the south-county politicians of his era ginned up a couple pieces of property that were large

and in the path of progress, making sure they were classified as agricultural so we could afford to keep them,” rasso says. “ n the ’ s, my father bought 80 acres for $200,000 in Sunset Hills. We sold it for almost $10 million, and that year the real

estate ta was less than .” The real estate tax rate for agricultural land is 12 percent of the assessed value — a far better deal than the residential rate of 19 percent or the commercial rate of 32 percent. “Then my dad passed the word to r. ussie Busch, who got his hair cut at the barbershop at rasso la a,” rasso continues. e grins. “ ever underestimate the high school dropouts. s randpa rasso the immigrant from icily said, ‘If you have the land, the king will come to you.’” rasso says he didn’t thin much about the ta differential at first, but later — after he earned his law degree and a master’s in tax law and bought some real estate himself — he remembered his dad’s political donations and barbershop schmoozing, and the implications sank in. Money needed by schools, police and fire departments was “buried in misclassified agricultural’ properties,” rasso realized. “So I ratted myself out. I was a fake farmer. Four acres off Telegraph in a ville, part of it taxed as a farm.” nce rasso had his own fa e farm reclassified, he started noticing other instances: vacant land at busy intersections; land held by banks or bought by developers but still classified as agricultural. ne day, he raised the subject with a friend in Ladue, who he says recalled chatting with his neighbors’ hired hand: “He said they were getting ready to bring in the cows. A government o cial had been out to examine the farm, and they had to get some cows, so they rented a herd, and they’d walk ’em in front of Ladue Road. You can’t make this stuff up.” When I ask St. Louis County Assessor Jake Zimmerman if he’s known of anyone to rent cows, he chuc les. “There’s an apocryphal story about some lawyer who owned one horse and brought it to all the different pieces of land he owned and took a picture. But I don’t lose a lot of sleep over residential property on the edges of west county where there is wooded land from a historic farm, or up on the bluffs by Spanish Lake, where you have some old-growth forest. If it really is undeveloped land, and it maintains its historic character, that’s fine. Besides, it’s small potatoes, and I think you

will find in almost every case that we have successfully classified the actual house and the three or so acres around it as residential. “What really chaps my hide,” he continues, “is the commercial property owners. If you drive through less-developed parts of west county, let’s say around the hesterfield alley, you will frequently see big tracts of open land owned by prominent real estate investors. They’ve already hoo ed the land up to and laid in the plumbing, and it’s listed for commercial sale, but you might see winter wheat or corn growing. The investor is land-banking the property. A farmer shows up and hays the field at the end of the year.” Zimmerman has challenged these cases, because in his opinion, “you value property on its highest and best use. They don’t want you to buy it as a $1 million farm; they want you to buy it as a commercial property for a lot more money than that.” Time and again, he loses the fight, he says, “because issouri law is vague on the subject. The issouri Ta ommission has ruled that the actual use of farming the land is enough.” ne case the assessor’s o ce tried to fight — but had to settle — was a 13.5-acre tract in Earth City owned by RP Landco, a limited liability corporation. Its Columbia, Missouri, address, St. Louis football fans might be interested to know, matches the address of The roen e roup. In 2017, the property was zoned for commercial development and listed for sale for close to $2.8 million; it was touted as a “prime location” and proposed as suitable for “commercial, industrial [and/ or industrial par .” immerman’s o ce listed it as commercial, with an appraised value of $2.4 million. The owner appealed that classification, insisting that the property was agricultural and that it was worth , . The evidence n agreement with a farmer to plant winter wheat — and keep the proceeds, if any, from the sale of the crop. Another case was a 12-acre tract in a commercial section of Florissant, almost half of which was being used as a car dealership. The owner hired someone to plant winter wheat on the remaining 6.5 acres. Continued on pg 18

Land that is now a housing division netted the former owners millions — and taxpayers a pittance — thanks to loopholes in Missouri tax law for fake farms. | TRENTON ALMGREN-DAVIS

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St. Louis County Assessor Jake Zimmerman says Missouri’s laws make it too easy for fake farms. | COURTESY JAKE ZIMMERMAN

FAUX FARMS

Continued from pg 17

immerman first reali ed fau farms were a problem in 2012, when staff members told him agricultural property was increasing in St. Louis County. “I said, That’s nuts. That can’t be right.’ was new to the assessor’s o ce. started asking around, and people on my staff said, They don’t want us to do anything about it. It’s not pro-business to challenge it.’” “ ho is they’ ” immerman asked. His staffers shrugged. Until county assessor became an elected position — with Zimmerman the first to be elected into the role — there were quite a few layers of bureaucracy between that o ce and the county executive. Right out of the gate, Zimmerman tackled some extreme examples, like the auto auction lot that “had open dirt with cars parked on it” and “the P.F. Chang’s where they were trying to claim they were farming the median. There were at least ten cases like that.” A little public shaming might have been a deterrent, but it was not a long term solution, he adds “The ongoing problem is that Missouri law makes it too easy.” There are several ways to stitch the loophole closed, other states have found. You can require some measure of productivity to prove it’s a working farm. (Several states require proof of income.) You can say the land must be a certain number of acres (in Montana, it’s in ermont, and not ust a chunk of a suburban residence’s lush backyard. You can even do what ew or does say that if land that is classified as agricultural gets converted within five

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JANUARY 29-FEBRUARY 4, 2020

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years to some other use, the taxing entity can go back and capture the difference. ew or ’s approach is immerman’s favorite, because such “clawbacks” tackle commercial redevelopment. He’s happy to accept a Huntleigh estate with a stable of polo ponies as agricultural. “If you have a real barn with real livestock, that’s pretty legitimate,” he says. “The space ta en up by the horses is obviously not space the family is sleeping in or running a firm out of.” Te as is tougher “ and won’t qualify simply because it is rural or has some connection with agriculture,” notes a Te as appraiser’s manual. “Land used to train, show, or race horses, to ride for recreation, or to keep or use horses in some other manner that is not strictly incidental to raising horses does not qualify as an agricultural use.” nd in ew or , you’d have to be running a commercial horse-boarding or equine operation with ten or more horses and revenue of at least $10,000 a year to qualify. “To my mind,” immerman says, “there’s so much obvious bad behavior. Let’s pick the lowhanging fruit before we go into the gray areas.” He isn’t going to win much support from the landed gentry or the commercial real estate developers, but wouldn’t Missouri’s powerful agriculture lobby back his efforts “ n my opinion, real farmers should be on the side of justice here,” he says, “but my experience has been that legislative leaders in Jefferson City are scared to touch the definition of farming for fear of offending the Missouri Farm Bureau.” e sighs. “This shouldn’t be a partisan issue.” n

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Now Accepting Reservations for Valentine’s Day Free Dessert for ALL DINERS

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CALENDAR

BY PAUL PAUL FRISWOLD FRISWOLD BY

THURSDAY 01/30 Live from Jersey Jersey Boys, the musical about the rise of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons, has won Tony, Grammy and Olivier awards. It showcases the chart-topping hits of the group and tells the true story of how four regular guys wrote and sang their own songs (“Sherry,” “Oh What a Night” and about a dozen others) and conquered the music biz. And don’t forget the show’s content advisory, which warns that you’ll hear “authentic, profane Jersey language” sprinkled between those great songs. Jersey Boys really does have it all. The musical returns to St. Louis for a long weekend at the Fox Theatre (527 North Grand Boulevard, www. fabulousfox.com). Performances are at 7:30 p.m. Thursday and Friday, 2 and 7:30 p.m. Saturday and

Arch Rival Roller Derby teams up with Dynamo Pro Wrestling. | BOB DUNNELL through Friday and at 3 and 8 p.m. Saturday (January 29 to February 15) at the Ready Room (4195 Manchester Avenue, www.sfstl.com). Tickets are $20 to $35.

Suite Sleep

Experience the Zen of motorcycles. | COURTESY OF CYCLE SHOWCASE STL 1 p.m. Sunday (January 30 to February 2). Tickets are $35 to $155.

FRIDAY 01/31 Beats ‘n’ Bard Way back in 2007, the Repertory Theatre St. Louis presented the clever and unbelievably entertaining The Bomb-itty of Errors, a hip-hop twist on Shakespeare’s The Comedy of Errors. The show, conceived and written by broth-

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ers J and G Qaiyum (with several collaborators), was a smash as both hip-hop and Shakespearean theater. Now Shakespeare Festival St. Louis presents the Q Brothers’ new show, Dress the Part. It’s another hip-hop variation on a ha espeare play, specifically Two Gentlemen of Verona. Two actors will play more than twenty roles, while DJ Crim Dolla Cray provides the live soundtrack. If it’s anything like The Bomb-itty, it’s going to be a hoot. Dress the Part is performed at 8 p.m. Wednesday

JANUARY 29-FEBRUARY 4, 2020

Tchaikovsky’s score for the ballet The Sleeping Beauty was more acclaimed than his Swan Lake, and within ten years it had been performed more than 200 times at the Imperial Ballet. (This despite the ballet being almost four hours long.) Part of its success is due to its inclusion of fairy-tale characters such as Puss-in-Boots, Little Red Riding Hood and the Gray Wolf. The full run time would be too much for most children, but The Sleeping Beauty Suite is a more manageable twenty or so minutes long. With the kids in mind, the St. Louis Symphony presents The Sleeping Beauty Suite this weekend with special pricing and pre-show photo opportunities with a live princess. Guest conductor Nikolaj Szeps-Znaider leads the orchestra through Mendelssohn’s “Piano Concerto No. 2” and Schumann’s “Mannfred” overture before finishing with The Sleeping Beauty Suite. Performances take place at 10:30 a.m. Friday and 8 p.m. Saturday (Janu-

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ary 31 and February 1) at Powell Hall (718 North Grand Boulevard, www.slso.org). Tickets are $15 to $68, while children’s tickets are only $10 with an adult admission.

SATURDAY 02/01 Bike Time Get your motor running and head out to the Pageant (6161 Delmar Boulevard, www.cycleshowcasestl. com), because Cycle Showcase STL is back. The annual celebration of the art and technology of motorcycles features more than 50 bikes representing all the various strains of cycling. Long-range cruisers, high-speed racers, custom choppers and more will be on display from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday (February 1 and 2). In addition to the bikes, there will be a display of motorcycle-adjacent artwork, with artists and vendors in attendance. Even if you don’t have the money to buy your own cycle, you surely have the funds for Pooches Doggie Kissing Booth; the money raised goes to Dirk’s Fund, a large breed dog rescue in acific, Missouri. Admission to Cycle Showcase STL is $10 for adults and free for ids ages fifteen and younger.

WEEK OF OF JANUARY JANUARY 30-FEBRUARY 30-FEBRUARY 55 WEEK

Roller Wrestling Arch Rival Roller Derby and Dynamo Pro Wrestling have teamed up for an unusual sort of doubleheader a full flat trac roller derby match, followed by a four-card wrestling match, all for one low price. In the opener, current champs the Smashinistas go against the Stunt Devils (frequent champs themselves). After the dust clears, DPW Women’s Champion ahne ictoria fights the top contender for her belt, Hayley Shadows. In the men’s match, DPW Heavyweight Champ Adrian Surge and DPW D1 Champion Camaro Jackson throw down in a bragging rights bout. The action starts at 6:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb-

young man haunted by the memories of his violent father. Maybe this is why he’s frequently in trouble and always running away from more trouble. When Coach sees how Ghost runs, he offers him a chance to join the Defenders, an elite middle school track team. All Ghost has to do is keep running and stay on the track, but that’s not as easy as it sounds. Playwright Idris Goodwin adapted Reynolds’ Ghost for the stage, and Metro Theater Company presents the world premiere of the play this month. Ghost debuts at 2 p.m. Sunday, February 2, at the Grandel (3610 Grandel Square, www.metroplays.org). The play continues on a staggered schedule through March 1, and tickets are $14 to $24.

Author Jason Reynolds (left) and adaptor Idris Goodwin talk Ghost. | SARA KEITH STUDIOS ruary 1, at Midwest Sport Hockey in Queeny Park (570 Weidman Road, Ballwin; www.archrivalrollerderby.com). Tickets are $12 to $15, and kids younger than ten get in free.

SUNDAY 02/02 On the Run There are some kids who don’t like reading, or maybe as awardwinning author Jason Reynolds thinks, they don’t like reading boring books. Reynolds — who was recently named the national ambassador for young people’s literature — set out to write books these kids would enjoy with his Trac series. The first boo in the series is Ghost, which tells the story of Castle “Ghost” Cranshaw, a

TUESDAY 02/04 Hurricane Watch The St. Louis Blues are back in town for the first time since the All-Star Game to take on the Carolina Hurricanes. The Hurricanes are sitting in eighth place in the Eastern Conference at the time of this writing the Blues are first in the Western Conference), but that doesn’t mean this one’s a sure thing. The Hurricanes have stayed strong despite the loss of defenseman Dougie Hamilton, and won some tough games along the way. The puck drops at 7 p.m. Tuesday, February 4, at the Enterprise Center (1401 Clark Avenue, www.stlblues.com). Tickets are $30 to $164. n

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THIS WEEK THE GROVE SELECTED HAPPENINGS

Day or night, thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s always something going on in The Grove: live bands, great food, beer tastings, shopping events, and so much more. Visit thegrovestl.com for a whole lot more of what makes this neighborhood great.

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WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 29

SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL ST. LOUIS DRESS THE PART

TERRAIN MAGAZINE SIXTH ANNIVERSARY PARTY 5:30 PM AT THE GRAMOPHONE

8 PM AT THE READY ROOM

I.S. GRAD JAM

DRAG ME TO HANDLEBAR: A DRAG SHOW

6:15 PM AT THE IMPROV SHOP

8:30 PM AT HANDLEBAR

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 1

GRATEFUL DEAD NIGHT

SLUMFEST AWARDS 2020 AT THE BOOTLEG

7 PM AT GEZELLIG TAPHOUSE

$10, 9 PM AT ATOMIC COWBOY

THURSDAY, JANUARY 30

GENTLE GIANTS MEET & GREET

thur feb 6 bob marley’s birthday bash

w/ Smokin lion and the driftaways plus ranking spence

Fri Feb 7 chicago farmer

THURSDAYS 7-9 PM 1/30 2/6 2/13 2/20

BRIAN DEVINE CREE RIDER JOSH EAKER NEIL SALSICH

w/ special guests TBA

Sun Feb 9 PIP THE PANSY w/ KID SCIENTIST

Sat Feb 15 Missouri Muses:

A Celebration of MO Women in Rock

— and —

BEER the perfect match

Featuring: Aina Cook, The Burney Sisters, Molly Healey

FRI FEB 21 6th Annual DRE DAY

DJ Mahf & VThom (The Method)

SAT FEB 22

FRIDAYS 7-11 PM DJ DAMAGED DON and FRIENDS

Post Parade Party w/ Funky Butt Brass Band

4130 MANCHESTER, IN THE GROVE FIRECRACKERPIZZA.COM 12 PM AT GEZELLIG TAPHOUSE

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 3

REGGAE THURSDAY

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 8

COMEDY SHOWCASE AT THE SHOP

IMPROV SHOP OPEN MICROPHONE

$7, 8 PM AT ATOMIC COWBOY

$12, 8:15 PM AT THE IMPROV SHOP

8 PM AT THE IMPROV SHOP

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 7

SH*TSHOW | SKETCH COMEDY - ST. LOUIS

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 2

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 5

SUPER BOWL POTLUCK/ BOTTLESHARE

VARIETY NIGHT FT. AHNA SCHOENHOFF

CHICAGO FARMER & THE FIELDNOTES AT THE BOOTLEG

4:30 PM AT GEZELLIG TAPHOUSE

OPEN MIC NIGHT 8 PM AT HANDLEBAR

8 PM AT THE IMPROV SHOP

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 9

$12, 8 PM AT ATOMIC COWBOY

VALLOWEEN ART SHOW 4 PM AT HANDLEBAR

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 6

FRONTRUNNER: THE IMPROVISED POLITICAL DEBATE

BOB'S BIRTHDAY BASH - ROYAL

8 PM AT THE IMPROV SHOP

8:30 PM AT THE GRAMOPHONE

PIP THE PANSY W/ KID SCIENTIST $10, 7 PM AT ATOMIC COWBOY

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FILM

“Memorable” and “Saria” are two of the more moving short subjects. | © SHORTSTV

[REVIEW]

Shorts, Mostly Sweet The Oscar Award nominated shorts are worth seeking out Written by

ROBERT HUNT 2020 Oscar Nominated Short Films Various directors and writers. Opens Friday, January 31, at the Landmark Tivoli Theatre

mid the statistical frenzy and publicity torrents that define the cinematic award season, there is still an entire culture of filmma ing that doesn’t fill the multiplexes, coordinate multimedia advertising campaigns or ma e the rounds of the late night tal shows. or years, these outside categories, the documentaries and short subjects, were the neglected cousins of the film industry. n recent years, they’ve gained attention than s to the e panding number of media outlets, ever hungry for content. or the past fifteen years, the otherwise unheralded short films have been given e posure in a brief theatrical tour of two separate programs, one of live-action narratives, the

other of animation, increasing both their visibility and your odds in the scar pool. The animated films, always eager to distance themselves from their medium’s reputation for frivolousness, are a mi ed bag, avoiding with one e ception cute fuzzy creatures to touch on various aspects of the human experience. The best of them, Bruno ollet’s “ morable,” is a di ying combination of visual effects illustrating the disintegrating consciousness of an aging painter. n one brief but inspired scene, the painter uses post-it notes to restore his vanishing world, placing a picture of the sun on a lamp to remind him of its purpose. n artful blend of computer graphics and an ogh inspired impressionism, “ morable” combines the tragic solemnity of ichael ane e’s film “ mour” with hallucinatory imagery, creating a vivid, poignant sense of loss. similar if less somber sense of humanity permeates many of the other nominees. “ aughter” an award winning ech student film, uses puppet li e figures and well crafted sound design to e plore the bond between a woman and her dying father. atthew herry’s imaginative “ air ove” playfully turns a father’s efforts to tame his daughter’s unruly afro into broad comedy with a sentimental payoff, while the curious “ ister” uses nostalgic sight gags to critique the pro-abortion poli-

cies of hina. But let’s not underestimate the appeal of cute fuzzy creatures: The i ar produced “ itbull” uses both realistic elements and broad comic stro es to create a partnership between a feral cat and a un yard dog. t’s simple, unpretentious, and thoroughly charming, a throwbac to animation’s grand tradition of animal partnerships. Topicality dominates this year’s live action nominees again with one e ception , and while animation benefits from the punchy brevity of the short film format, these films seem to bristle at their limitations, occasionally reaching abbreviated or rushed clima es. The best of them ma e strong dramatic points in less than minutes but leave the viewer wanting more. The Belgian film “ ister,” for e ample, generates suspense for most of its sixteen minutes, depicting an abducted woman ma ing a call while trying to convince her captor that she’s tal ing to her sister. t’s dramatic and affective, but the abruptness of the ending gives it the feel of a well-crafted public service announcement. n “Brotherhood,” director eryam oobeur favors mood and haunting close ups over narrative to tell the story of a Tunisian father confronting the return of his prodigal son who went to yria to aid and came bac with a bur a clad pregnant teenager. t’s

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a quiet and reflective film, with a haunting moral ambiguity. Tunisia also provides the setting for “ efta ootball lub”, a comic piece in which two young boys intercept a drug delivery near the lgerian border. The drugs are being carried by a headphone wearing don ey who’s been trained to return home when it hears the music of dele, but after a well staged set up, “ efta ootball lub” dribbles to a wea punch line. The most powerful film among the nominees might be “ aria,” directed by Bryan Buc ley, a veteran of T advertising. et in a uatemalan orphanage and based on a true, horrific event from , it’s a brief but harrowing account of young girls sub ected to brutality and sexual abuse and, for a brief moment, ta ing a stand against it. espite a clumsy ending, it’s carefully composed and highlighted by strong, natural performances from its two lead actresses. nd then there’s “The eighbors’ indow,” the program’s sole exception to timeliness as well as taste. t’s about a married couple living in Broo lyn whose pedestrian, child-dominated life is disrupted with the arrival of new neighbors — wild parties and se ual abandon — in the building across the street. espite an unconvincing turn to pathos in the last half, it’s Rear Window as a dreary sitcom, minus the laugh trac or the need for one. n

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RIVERFRONT TIMES

CAFE

[REVIEW]

Midnight Snack When bars in the Grove close, don’t head home — stumble over to the magnificent Grace Chicken + Fish Written by

CHERYL BAEHR Grace Chicken + Fish 4270 Manchester Avenue, 314-533-2700. Fri.-Sat. 11 p.m.-3 a.m. (Closed SundayThursday.)

hat would you pay for a Budweiser to quell the searing chile heat of Grace Chicken + Fish’s spicy wings? What if we told you those fiery wings sting your lips as if you’ve used a ghost pepper as lip balm? $5? $20? A peek at your naughty bits? These offers were all on the table a few Saturday nights ago, yelled out of the window of a parked minivan by 20-, 30- and 40-somethingyear-old women. Behinds halfstuffed into car seats, they were gobbling down an immense order of takeout from the four-monthold Grove food counter. Outside, the temperature was frigid, but inside the van, the extreme heat of Rick Lewis’ cayenne-forward coating made his wings as hot as the surface of the sun. Even the juicy meat — plump, succulent and ribboned with just a touch of fat — did little to slow the burn. A dunk in the ramekin of zesty buttermilklime dipping sauce helped; soaking a slice of the accompanying white bread in the sauce and slathering it onto the lips like a healing balm helped more. Still it was not enough, so when one of the passengers returned with four, icecold Budweisers and a coy smile, no one dared ask any questions. Scenes like this are a regular occurrence at Grace Chicken + Fish, Rick and Elisa Lewis’ lively, quickservice food counter that’s adjacent to their flagship comfort food restaurant, Grace Meat + Three.

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The chicken sandwich is a late-night highlight made with lettuce, onion, pickles, Comeback sauce and added queso on a brioche bun. | MABEL SUEN Since opening in the fall, the walkup window has already garnered a reputation as a destination in the Grove to soak up a night of bar-hopping, imbibing and general tomfoolery. But it’s not just the drunks: Industry workers, hungry after a long night of work, residents of the neighborhood looking for a midnight snack and loyal Grace fans have all converged on this tiny food window. The Lewises knew there was this level of demand for casual, late-night offerings in the Grove because they’d witnessed it firsthand. One night, after they’d closed Grace Meat + Three for the evening, they were hanging out near the back side of the restaurant and wondering what to do with a patch of underused space. Their plan was to set it up as a merchandise booth, but when they saw the throngs of people walking by — some even peeking inside their closed restaurant to see if they could grab a bite to eat — they decided to shift gears and turn it into a food counter instead.

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Though Grace Meat + Three had been immensely successful, the husband-and-wife team wanted to do something different than just a takeout version of their restaurant. For a while, they’d been talking about ways to grow the Grace brand, whether through a food truck or other locations. This new venture, they realized, gave them the opportunity to try out an idea that, while philosophically coherent with the flagship, would have its own identity and be easier to replicate. Working with the acclaimed architecture and design firm , the Lewises created an eye-catching, outdoor walk-up window, inlayed into a royal blue wall. A gigantic, yellow-painted silhouette of a chicken adorns roughly a third of the building’s side, with the script “Bwok Bwok Chicken hic en” h t ro ect at emblazoned near its breast. Outside of a few unpainted, wooden picnic tables, there is nowhere to sit and linger. The idea is to grab food and go about

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your business, or, when the elements require, hang out in your parked car and heckle strangers for booze before heading to your next destination (passengers only, of course . ind you, this desperation comes from the fact that Grace Chicken + Fish is intentionally alcohol-free. The Lewises served beer for a little while, but after a few incidents too gross to detail when talking about food, they decided that they did not want to add to the late-night debauchery. Instead, they designed the place to be a quick-service destination for mostly hand-held eats served in easy-to-manage packaging. That is where the comparison to traditional fast food ends: The Lewises have not sacrificed a modicum of quality at the late-night window. Some might say the counter’s excellent food is even wasted on the drunks that pack in for dishes like chicken tenders that should be seen as the gold standard of the form. The meat is lightly coated in a perfectly seasoned breading and

served searing hot out of the fryer so that plumes of savory, chickenscented steam waft out, enveloping you in its intoxicating aroma. The chicken tenders are surprisingly juicy for white meat and are flavorful enough without any adornments. However, chef Lewis put his heart and soul into creating eight different dipping sauces to enhance the experience. The General Wang has the sticky sweet, garlic and five spice undertones of General Tso’s Chicken with a thin texture that’s not at all cloying. It’s a standout sauce, as is the Sweet Whiskey BBQ, which is tangy and flec ed with blac pepper. atfish, lightly dusted with seasoned cornmeal, is flawlessly cooked and so fresh and light you’d forget that the fish can have a reputation as coming across as muddy. You can eat it on its own, a in to chic en fingers, or you can select it as your filling for The Sandwich. Tucked into a pillowsoft, toasted brioche bun, the catfish is dressed with lettuce, onion

and pickles for brightness and crunch, then topped with a dollop of a sauce of your choosing. Here, the Comeback sauce — a Southern condiment that is the love child of ketchup and remoulade — is the only selection you’d want. Creamy, subtly smoky and kissed with chile sauce, this excellent accoutrement is the ideal way to dress the fish. You hope that, no matter how inebriated its patrons may be, the beauty of Grace’s buttermilkfried shrimp is not lost on alcohol-compromised taste buds. The large shellfish are deveined and split, their shells partially pulled back to reveal a peek of plump meat. The shell and the rest of the shrimp’s body remains, however, which gives the delicate buttermilk batter extra surface area to cling to. This means you get the crunch without having so much breading that you lose the flavor of the shrimp. It’s magical — and made even more so when dunked into the optional side of garlic-

Buffalo sauce that delivers a powerful punch of spicy tang without overtaking the shrimp. As excellent as the shrimp is, Grace’s tofu is, unexpectedly, its best dish. Creamy and coated in a thick layer of black-peppery breading, the tofu delivers the pure joy of eating the most perfect fried chicken breading by itself. These little squares of seasoned crispiness are shockingly good — crunchy on the outside, jiggly as custard on the inside — and are the counter’s don’t-miss dish. Grace Chicken + Fish offers a few different sides, like an excellent version of mac ‘n’ cheese that’s both rich and tangy. Toasted bread crumbs add texture to this steaming bowl of decadence. Loaded fries are another fun offering, topped with pickled jalapeños, bacon crumbles and a generous dusting of savory seasoning. The accompanying beer-cheese sauce, while outstanding and beer cheese soup li e in flavor, was on the thin side. Only after it

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cooled did it properly cling to the fries. It was torture to wait. Of course, you could just skip everything and show up for one of the restaurant’s hand pies. The selection changes regularly, which is a shame because it means the coconut cream pie version will not be in our lives as often as it should be. Flaky, covered in toasted coconut shreds and oozing with luscious, sweet creamy filling, this stunning pastry warms the soul as much as the belly. Between the creamy sweetness of the pie and the time elapsed between those first few bites of spicy chicken, the sting on your lips has probably subsided enough for you to keep your money and your dignity — after all, $20 is way too much to pay for a bottle of Bud. Grace Chicken + Fish, on the other hand? There’s no price too high.

Grace Chicken + Fish Organic tofu (six-piece) .............................. $6 The Sandwich............................................ $10 Buttermilk shrimp (six-piece) ................... $11

JANUARY 29-FEBRUARY 4, 2020

RIVERFRONT TIMES

FEATURED DINING CRISPY EDGE

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6 RESTAURANTS YOU NEED TO CHECK OUT...

THE KICKIN’ CRAB

CRISPYEDGE.COM

THEKICKINCRAB.COM

314.310.3343 4168 JUNIATA STREET ST. LOUIS, MO 63116 What began in 2013 as a passion project in the founder’s kitchen has now grown into a retail and wholesale potsticker manufacturing facility located right in the heart of Tower Grove South. Crispy Edge believes that potstickers are the perfect vehicle to explore authentic global flavors from breakfast to dessert: handheld, wrapped in dough, and CRISPY! The restaurant features indoor and dog-friendly outdoor seating, private dining room, and a café lounge. The full bar and hot beverage program highlight local specialty coffee, cocktails, and beers. All products are made in-house and sourced from the finest ingredients. From Ordinary to Extraordinary - Crispy Edge is a global community for those who want something fun, tasty, social and exciting to eat.

314.888.8688 9616 OLIVE BLVD OLIVETTE, MO 63132 The Kickin’ Crab has joined the Crustacean Nation and is here to satisfy your taste sensation. The Kickin’ Crab is a fun-filled Cajun seafood destination where patrons come and escape into flavor paradise. Offering a distinct ambiance to enjoy the finest and freshest Cajun seafood around! Kickin’ Crab is a great place to hang out with friends, family, or both! No plates...no utensils! Just your hands, a bib, and our unique and absolutely irresistible KC sauces - a combination of spicy, sweet and tangy flavors - over freshly prepared seafood that will give your taste buds satisfaction unlike anything else you’ve ever tasted. Join us and partake in the festivities and quality of seafood that The Kickin’ Crab has to offer.

POKE DOKE

POKEDOKESTL.COM

CARNIVORE STL CARNIVORE-STL.COM

314.449.6328 5257 SHAW AVE, ST. LOUIS, MO 63110 Carnivore fills a nearly 4,000-square-foot space on The Hill with a dining area, bar lounge, and adjoining outdoor patio gracefully guarded by a bronze steer at the main entrance. Always embracing change, Joe and Kerri Smugala, with business partners Chef Mike and Casie Lutker, launched Carnivore STL this summer. As the Hill’s only steakhouse, Carnivore offers a homestyle menu at budget-friendly prices appealing to the neighborhood’s many families. Steak, of course, takes center stage with juicy filet mignon, top sirloin, strip steak and ribeye leading the menu. Customize any of the succulent meats with sautéed mushrooms, grilled shrimp, or melted housemade butters, such as garlic-and-herb and red wine reduction, on top of the flame-seared steak. Other main dishes include a thick-cut pork steak (smoked at J. Smugs) and the grilled chicken with capers and a white wine-lemon-butter sauce. St. Louis Italian traditions get their due in the Baked Ravioli, smothered in provel cheese and house ragu, and in the Arancini, risotto balls stuffed with provel and swimming in a pool of meat sauce. With an exciting new brunch menu debuting for Saturday and Sunday, Carnivore should be everyone’s new taste of the Hill.

BLKMKTEATS.COM

314.328.3421 6730 PAGE AVE ST. LOUIS, MO 63138

314.391.5100 9 S. VANDEVENTER AVE. ST. LOUIS, MO 63108

Looking for the best seafood in St. Louis or the Midwest—don’t fret, Crawling Crab is now open! Here, we drizzle everything in garlic butter and then sprinkle on our magic dust! In a fun and casual atmosphere, you’ll enjoy fresh, hand-cleaned seafood ranging from lobster, shrimp, and of course crab legs. All platters come with corn sausage potatoes and Cajun boiled eggs and shrimp that won’t disappoint. For those pasta and veggie lovers out there, there is a spot for you here too! Enjoy our double dipped garlic butter rolls along side with your meal. And if you are still not stuffed, we have homemade dessert on the menu too! Have a big family coming in or an event coming up? Enjoy our family meal options and our beautiful seafood tables. As we continue to grow, we are excited to add new items to the menu, get creative with new recipes, and give back within the community. Join us on the first Tuesday of the month for $20 platter specials, and $5 appetizers on every Wild Wednesday! Open Tuesday thru Saturday 4pm-10pm, currently located in the 24:1 Coffee House Cafe.

RIVERFRONT TIMES

Poke Doke offers St. Louis their energized recipes intertwined in a fast-casual model. Best part is every bowl is customizable to the patron -- whether you know what you want and can come up with your own flavor pairings — but it’s certain your heart will be content with the rich, high-quality seafood. Customers choose a size, a base, (such as rice, greens, or soba noodles) and choose from proteins (such as salmon ahi tuna, spicy tuna, shrimp or tofu), then add as many toppings and drizzles as they wish. If you’re less interested in the simple pleasures of fish and more in playing around with accoutrements, both the shrimp and tofu are neutral enough that they benefit from the enhancements. The menu also offers appetizers such as pork-filled pot stickers, miso soup, and crab rangoon, along with an assortment of bubble milk teas and soft serve ice cream. With locations in both the Central West End and the Delmar Loop, Poke Doke is the perfect spot to grab a quick bite!

BLK MKT EATS

CRAWLING CRAB

314.833.5900 8 S EUCLID AVE ST. LOUIS, MO 63108 314.553.9440 6316 DELMAR BLVD UNIVERSITY CITY, MO 63130

JANUARY 29-FEBRUARY 4, 2020

The fast-fresh, made-to-order concept has been applied to everything from pizza to pasta in St. Louis, but the sushi burrito surprisingly had no Gateway City home until BLK MKT Eats opened near Saint Louis University last fall. It was worth the wait, though, because BLK MKT Eats combines bold flavors and convenience into a perfectly wrapped package that’s ideal for those in a rush. Cousins and co-owners Kati Fahrney and Ron Turigliatto offer a casual menu full of high-quality, all-natural ingredients that fit everything you love about sushi and burritos right in your hand. The Swedish Fish layers Scandinavian cured salmon, yuzu dill slaw, NOT YOURAnother AVERAGE Persian cucumbers and avocado for a fresh flavor explosion. favorite, the OGSUSHI Fire, featuresSPOT your choice 9 SOUTH VANDEVENTER DINE-IN, jalapeño TAKEOUT and OR DELIVERY MON-SAT 11AM-9PM of spicy tuna or salmon alongside tempura crunch, masago, shallots, piquant namesake sauce; Persian cucumbers and avocado soothe your tongue from the sauce’s kick. All burrito rolls come with sticky rice wrapped in nori or can be made into poké bowls, and all items can be modified for vegetarians.

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SHORT ORDERS

[SIDE DISH]

At Bulrush, Andy Printy Finds Inspiration in Limitation Written by

CHERYL BAEHR

ndy Printy’s father was a woodworker, one so renowned for his craft that he had articles written about him. It seemed natural that his son would follow in his footsteps, so he gave the younger Printy an after-school job in his shop to teach him the ways of the trade. It did not go as planned. “Everyone expected me to be his protege, but I was really bad at it,” Printy recalls. “Then my dad told me about how his dad was a mechanic and everyone expected him to be one, but he was terrible at that. He remembered what it was like not to be able to do something, so he was really supportive of me.” As the beverage director at Bulrush (3307 Washington Avenue, 314-449-1208), Printy laughs at the fact that there was a time he felt unsure about his path. He’d always been fascinated by food and beverage, whether as a young home cook prepping meals for his siblings or as a young adult more interested in learning about spirits than simply getting drunk. However, Printy never really considered the beverage industry as a career. In fact, he wasn’t really sure what he wanted to do with his life, so at the prompting of his friend, he enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps right out of high school. The plan was to become a police o cer after he got out of the military, but a part-time job as a doorman at a bar made him change his course. “I was twenty years old, working at a bar called the Green Leafe Cafe in Williamsburg, Virginia,

Andy Printy runs the beverage program at Bulrush. | ANDY PAULISSEN making $4 an hour cleaning bathrooms,” Printy recalls. “I had a buddy there who was a bartender, and when I found out how much they made on a Saturday night, I lost my mind. I asked what it would take to get me behind the bar, but back then you had to really earn your comeuppance as a barback before they’d let you bartend. I spent about two years schlepping trash and memorizing Budweiser labels. When I got my first daytime shift, was so e cited. I don’t think I’ve ever been that happy to cut lemons.” Printy instantly loved the restaurant industry, and when he moved with his friend to Cincinnati, he continued his education in the field. e wor ed a ob in the back of the house, and though he enjoyed that side of the business, he knew bartending was his true calling. When he returned to his hometown of pringfield, Missouri, he went all-in. He got a job in one of the few bars in town making true craft cocktails and catering to a clientele that wanted more than packaged mixers. He began experimenting behind the

bar and researching drinks. “People were there getting Grey Goose and Red Bull, but there were also people coming there who’d had experiences in Brazil and wanted a caipirinha, not a premade mojito,” Printy says. “I had to learn how to make things properly. I realized then that there was more to this than popping bottles.” Printy yearned for a bigger audience, so when his then-girlfriend moved to St. Louis, he decided to join her. Here, he worked at the now-shuttered Cielo inside the Four Seasons Hotel St. Louis alongside former Blood & Sand co-owner Adam Frager, then left the hotel to work at the former Luciano’s in Clayton and the Block in Webster Groves before moving to Kansas City. There, he continued to hone his craft at Gram & Dun in Country Club Plaza before returning to pringfield to be closer to his family following the death of his grandmother. Printy appreciated being back home, but he knew he needed to move to a larger market in order to keep pursuing his career in the beverage industry. He decided to

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head east instead of west, landing again in St. Louis and running the bar at Sanctuaria in the Grove. He relished working at a place so steeped in the city’s cocktail culture, but after two years, he felt like he needed a new challenge. He found just that while working at Mission Taco Joint in the Central West End. So when a friend told him that the acclaimed ar inflected Bulrush was loo ing for someone to run its beverage program and she suggested that he apply, he balked. “ had the confidence to do the job, but I didn’t think they would be interested in me,” Printy says. “But I got the job, and it’s been great to work somewhere that has more in mind than the bottom line. Rob [Connoley] wants to tell a story and for people to have an actual experience and try things they normally wouldn’t order. That’s been cool for me because I get to do challenging things.” Some of those challenges include the fact that Printy is both using ingredients not traditionally found behind the bar and not

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JANUARY 29-FEBRUARY 4, 2020

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ANDY PRINTY

considers himself to be a lot like a certain bitter Italian liqueur.

using things considered cocktail staples. For instance, he doesn’t use citrus, which he admits took a minute to get used to. Now that he’s gotten his feet underneath him, however, he embraces the challenge. “ t first, felt li e a fish out of water,” Printy says. “It took me some time to really understand where chef is coming from as well as wor on things that fit the concept and pair well with the tasting menu. It took a minute to get schooled on the process, but I’m glad I’ve had the chance to do so. That passion is why I got into this in the first place.” Printy recently took a break from his work at Bulrush to share his thoughts on the St. Louis food and beverage community, why he wishes he had super speed and why he

What is one thing people don’t know about you that you wish they did? I’ve climbed Mount Fuji (12,000 feet), as well as Mount Evans (14,000 feet). What daily ritual is non-negotiable for you? That first cup of life giving blac coffee. If you could have any superpower, what would it be? Super speed? There never seems to be enough time in the day! What is the most positive trend in food, beer, wine or cocktails that you’ve noticed in St. Louis over the past year? I like that there has been awareness to not pressure our fellow industry folks to drink. Every. Day. We’re even seeing how much better our products and hospitality have gotten from those of us not drinking on shift all the time.

Continued from pg 29

What is one thing missing or that you’d like to see in the local food and beverage scene? I’d like to see more brands chase bartenders and their abilities, versus the other way around. Who is your St. Louis food or drink crush? Natasha Bahrami [at the Gin Room] is the G.O.A.T. Who’s the one person to watch right now in the St. Louis food and beverage scene? I continue to be a big fan of Joe Konroy at the Bao. Which ingredient is most representative of your personality? Amaro! A little bitter, old and seemingly unapproachable ... but after just a little time, it really opens up. If someone asked you to describe the current state of St. Louis’ food and beverage climate, what would you say? It’s been on “simmer” for a bit, but I can feel it starting to really

[FOOD NEWS]

Seoul Taco Now Open in the Grove

Lucky’s Markets Start to Close Nationally

Written by

LIZ MILLER

Written by

LIZ MILLER

e have some bad news and some good news, St. Louis. First, the bad: On February 12, Lucky’s Market (9530 Manchester Road, Rock Hill; 314-942-8193) will shutter operations. The good news? In anticipation of its final day of business, Lucky’s is now offering customers 25 percent off groceries, with other discounts likely to be offered in the coming weeks. News of the St. Louis-area closure comes as the national grocery chain is in the midst of shutting down most of its stores across the country, as first reported earlier today by the South Florida Sun Sentinel. In addition to the Rock Hill store, Lucky’s operates two other stores in Missouri in Columbia and pringfield. eached by phone last week, a representative at the pringfield store confirmed

heat up lately. If you weren’t tending bar, what would you be doing? Probably trying and failing at stand-up comedy. Name an ingredient never allowed behind your bar. I don’t know if anything is ever off limits, but I do try to keep overly sweetened ingredients at the very minimum. We’re already dealing with so much sugar in our spirits. What is your after-work hangout? I don’t get to go as often as I like, but Parlor really helps me wind down and embrace my Peter Pan syndrome. What’s your edible or quaffable guilty pleasure? Green Chartreuse! What would be your last meal on Earth (including drinks of course)? It would have to be a repeat of my favorite experience: the pheasant and Maytag blue cheese sliders with a Pisco Sour from Sable in Chicago. n

The Rock Hill location will close for good on February 12. | GOOGLE MAPS the store would also close on February 12 and said that employees were notified this morning that of uc y’s stores across the . . would go out of business. The Columbia location will remain open, a representative confirmed to the Riverfront Times. Founded in Boulder, Colorado, in , uc y’s operated under the slogan “organic for the 99 percent” and was known for its vast organic produce selection and quality meat counter. In 2016, rival supermarket chain Kroger invested an untold amount of money in Lucky’s to become a partial owner; last month, Kroger announced that it would divest its

stake in Lucky’s. When the Kroger investment was announced, Lucky’s operated just seventeen stores in the U.S., including the Rock Hill location. “Unfortunately, Lucky’s expanded very fast after Kroger became involved,” said Neil Z. Stern, senior partner at Chicagobased retail consulting firm cMillanDoolittle in an interview with the South Florida Sun Sentinel. “They became spread too thin, took some questionable real estate and ultimately they had a huge number of underperforming stores that were not sustainable. Still, this is a huge retrenchment.” n

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ne of St. Louis’ most vibrant destinations for dining and drinking just got even tastier. On Wednesday, January 22, local favorite Seoul Taco opened at 4099 Chouteau Avenue in the Grove, according to a recent post on the company’s Instagram page. The spot marks the third area location for the locally owned fast-casual chain, which also operates three outposts in Chicago, one in Columbia, Missouri, and its flagship food truck in St. Louis. Located inside the striking new Chroma development at the intersection of Chouteau Avenue and South Sarah Street, Seoul Taco’s Grove location serves the same Korean-Mexican fusion fare that customers love, including tacos, burritos, quesadillas, nachos and its signature Gogi Bowl. Seoul Taco joins several new establishments opening on the main floor of the Chroma building, including the acclaimed regional Thai restaurant Chao Baan and forthcoming Takashima Records, a vinyl listening room and bar. The 18,000-square-foot retail space is meant to complement the recently expanded Chouteau Plaza, “a uniquely designed public space for residents and community events,” per Chroma’s website. n

JANUARY 29-FEBRUARY 4, 2020

RIVERFRONT TIMES

[FOOD NEWS]

Gunman Sticks Up Grey Fox, RFT’s Best Gay Bar 2019 Written by

DOYLE MURPHY

A robber hit Grey Fox Pub earlier this month. | JAIME LEES

ne of our favorite bars was recently robbed. A gunman walked into Grey Fox Pub (3503 South Spring Avenue, 314-7722150) shortly before midnight on Thursday, January 16, and threatened patrons and the bartender, according to police and a witness. The robber was thin, maybe five foot-ten at the tallest, wearing camouflage pants, blac and white shoes, a black sweatshirt with the

RIVERFRONT TIMES

hood up and a green mask, police say. He focused on the bartender first as customers hit the floor. The bartender “gave him money from the register, and the guy walked by all of us pointing the gun,” said a patron, who asked the RFT not to use his name. The gunman ordered the customers to “give me your cash,” the patron said. But he was only able to get money from one of them before he fled. The witness said the robber was carrying a cheap plas-

JANUARY 29-FEBRUARY 4, 2020

tic grocery bag and had a silvercolored handgun. Once he had the money, the thief too off. olice say he fled on foot, but the patron says he got into a white Toyota Scion with two other people and drove away. By the time police arrived, some of the customers, including the one who handed over money, had left. Police say they have not been able to talk to that patron yet. The RFT named Grey Fox the city’s best gay bar in our 2019 Best

riverfronttimes.com

of St. Louis issue. Set at the corner of Potomac Street and Spring Avenue in Tower Grove South, it’s a neighborhood pub up front with a cabaret in the back where you’ll find some of the city’s most entertaining drag shows a couple nights a week. Police say they’re still investigating the robbery. In the meantime, it might be a good time to stop by the bar for a drink or three and show support. And tip your bartenders. n

MUSIC + CULTURE [HOMESPUN]

School Is in Session Natalie Huggins lets her voice be the star on new release Split Oceans Written by

CHRISTIAN SCHAEFFER

atalie Huggins has spent much of the past decade singing and playing keyboard in bands around St. Louis — initially with moody synthrock band the Bureau and eventually working with psych-pop group Summer Magic, jangle-punk quartet Joan of Dark and leading her own trio Wax Wine. But to about 30 young students, she’s best known as Miss Natalie, a music teacher who instructs on voice and piano out of her Kirkwood home. She just celebrated her fifth year of self employment. “It’s been going really good — ind of figured out what my strong suits are and going with that,” Huggins says. “I’ve been doing improvisation and composition and a lot of collaborative work. They do adjudicated events too — it’s really awesome.” Still, the teacher tries to sneak in a few of her favorites from time to time. “I have a few high school kids that I am teaching Kate Bush and Tori Amos,” Huggins says with a laugh. “I try to connect kids to what they listen to now with something in the past. I have one kiddo who is into soul music, so we’ve been doing a lot of Stevie Wonder.” But rather than train the next generation of conservatory students, Huggins tries to vet her kids to make sure that they are invested in a broad range of styles and not one set path. “Nobody gets in unless they’ll be down to do different kinds of music,” she says. “I’m not trying to grow classically trained musicians; I am trying to form students who will carry music throughout their entire lives.” With the recent release of Split

Natalie Huggins’ previous work leaned heavily on the dramatic sound of acoustic piano, but Split Oceans takes on a more pop feel. | VIA THE ARTIST Oceans, Huggins is practicing what she preaches. With her former musical projects, either under her own name or with the celloaided Wax Wine, Huggins relied on the sound of the acoustic piano and leaned into a dramatic vein of orchestral pop. Those recordings showed her chops but didn’t necessarily express the breadth of her range as a singer, composer or lover of pop music. For her new record, Huggins digs into simmering synthetic tones, zooming bass lines and heavily chorused guitars. “This record, really my voice is the main thing,” she says, contrasting it with her more piano-centric work. “Before I was trying to balance the two, and it was, ‘Look at all the things I can do!’ I think I’ve been able to home in on my voice

“This record, really my voice is the main thing ... I think I’ve been able to home in on my voice and focus on guitar more.” and focus on guitar more.” Her shift to guitar, both as a writing tool and a performance instrument, came through her work with

riverfronttimes.com

Kevin Bachmann’s band Summer Magic, where Huggins often steps out from behind her keyboard and joins the band’s small army of guitar players. “Kevin has inspired me a lot, playing with him,” Huggins says of Bachmann. “I love how he plays and how he is able to collaborate with other people — he’s very real.” Their shared influences, from synth-pop to goth to shoegaze, come through on the record’s glossy but darkly tinted palette. “There’s a lot more synths and guitars on this record.” More than a shared aesthetic, their relationship in the studio allowed Huggins to strike a new artistic path while multi-instrumentalist Bachmann, along with engineer Will Godfred and drummer Mike Schurck, took care of the rest. “There’s an unspoken thing when we both get it,” she continues. “That made it easier for me, since I felt insanely vulnerable.” Some of these songs date back many years, and others were completed during the last few years of demoing and recording the songs. Huggins notes that a song like “Matrix” — the sole piano-driven song in an album full of electric sounds — is one of the earliest in the batch. Singing it again is like revisiting an old friend, and a younger version of herself. “It was so hard for me to wait to get the songs finished and get them right the way I wanted them. ‘Waters,’ I had a really bad relationship with until it was done — and then it was perfect. It was a really good vibe working in the studio with them; it was never rushed. “I was just ready to get it done, and it was hard for me to feel patient,” she continues. “That’s something I’m probably learning.” Huggins will throw a recordrelease show at the Duck Room on February 22 alongside Golden Curls and Flourescent. Huggins opted to press Split Oceans onto vinyl for her first solo full length. “I wanted something tangible and final and classic,” she says. “I grew up listening to records, and I feel like I owed it to these songs to put them on something fancy, especially with how long it took. CDs are kinda boring — it’s big and colorful! It’s just a better choice for how I wanted to handle this project.” n

JANUARY 29-FEBRUARY 4, 2020

RIVERFRONT TIMES

[PROFILE]

Won’t You Be My Neighbor Wednesday Jan. 29 9PM

Sean Canan’s Voodoo Players 6 Year Anniversary Show Tribute To Bruce Springsteen!

Thursday Jan. 30 10PM

Aaron Kamm and the One Drops Final Show of January Residency

Friday Jan.31 10PM

Funky Butt Brass Band Saturday Feb. 1 10PM

Clusterpluck

with Special Guest Coach

Sunday Feb. 2

Closed For Super Bowl Wednesday Feb. 5 9PM

Sean Canan’s Voodoo Players Annual Bob Marley Birthday Bash

RIVERFRONT TIMES

How Dellwood rapper Rahli tackled hunger and became Santa Written by

YMANI WINCE

ituated in north St. Louis County, Dellwood is a municipality that has about 18 percent of its residents living below the poverty line, many of them children and the elderly. That’s in comparison to the state of Missouri’s total poverty level of 13 percent, according to city data reported in 2017. It’s a neighborhood that’s been changed during the past two decades, and more recently during the unrest in Ferguson following the shooting death of Mike Brown. It’s also the neighborhood that rising rapper Rahli calls home. While so many neighborhoods have become the backdrops to music videos for rap artists, many are home to extreme poverty and a lack of resources. But Rahli is dead set on changing that perception of his own hometown. Dellwood taught him hard lessons and inspired philanthropy. This past holiday season, he pulled off two charitable events around Thanksgiving and Christmas for his community. Growing up in both St. Louis city and county, Rahli says it was the time spent in Dellwood — where he lived the longest — that helped shape him. He recalls learning life lessons from making choices in the street. He says his mother passed away on Lorna Lane, a street that’s had a profound effect on his life: so much so, it’s synonymous with knowing Rahli himself. “I bumped my head in Dellwood,” he says. “My ups and downs helped me become who I am. The only way you learn in the streets is from your mistakes. You don’t learn from the ups.” He calls himself “Naybahood Rahli.” It’s a nickname that takes after the late Nipsey Hussle, the hip-hop artist, entrepreneur and all-around patriarch to his south LA community. Many of the values Hussle lived by inspire Rahli today. Hussle’s ability to turn his

JANUARY 29-FEBRUARY 4, 2020

Rahli’s love of his hometown led him to organize a turkey giveaway and a toy drive last year, in partnership with Dellwood Market. | CURRY STREET STUDIOS

“It doesn’t matter if I move out of town; I’m going to do whatever I can for Dellwood.” street bac ground and gang a liation into successful business ventures and community interests before his death left a profound impact on people across the globe. “You could tell Nipsey was a legend in his neighborhood, “ Rahli says. “Watching Nip, you could tell he was about his neighborhood, buying buildings and letting everything else come. That’s how I feel right now. I’m going to always stand on Dellwood.” Rahli has always had a heart for giving, he says. Whether it was seeing homeless people on the street and giving the change in his pocket or helping someone get a meal, that’s always been the rapper’s spirit. But in 2019, he took his giving a step further by packing lunches to give to anyone who needed it in St. Louis. He called it a “Care Package From Rahli,” that included a sandwich, chips, fruit and water. The care packages were met with a warm reception, and Rahli plans to continue giving them away at least once per month. After scoring a recording contract, Rahli says he moved away and wasn’t able to spend the holidays in St. Louis. But since his return, he figured was the year to do something charitable to

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show his reverence for the neighborhood that has so much meaning to him. Rahli says he woke up with the idea to do something big for Dellwood and St. Louis as a whole. “It doesn’t matter if I move out of town; I’m going to do whatever I can for Dellwood,” he says. That meant Rahli would partner with Dellwood Market, family members and people from the community to pull off a turkey giveaway, and later a toy drive. Dellwood Market was one of the businesses that was looted during the Ferguson unrest, but the experience has not stopped the location from being a mainstay in the community. It also serves as the inspiration and story behind Rahli’s aptly named project Dellwood Market. The response from his neighborhood was overwhelming. “It was heartwarming to know it’s 100 families eating good right now,” Rahli says. “I had family members who made their way there, so now firsthand.” He plans to make both the turkey drive and toy drive annual events. It’s another side of the rapper that Rahli wants people to see. He’s no longer making a name for himself in ways that could lead him down the wrong path; Rahli’s learned from his mistakes and wants to inspire others to look at his music, the life he leads and the way he takes on the responsibility of caring for his community. “If your neighborhood helped you, good or bad, you should never turn your back,” he says. “It’s a major responsibility, but do something. You’ve got so many people that look up to you.” n

riverfronttimes.com

JANUARY 29-FEBRUARY 4, 2020

RIVERFRONT TIMES

OUT EVERY NIGHT [CRITIC’S PICK]

The Jag-Wires. | COURTESY OF THE BAND

The Jag-Wires 8 p.m. Saturday, February 1. The Heavy Anchor, 5226 Gravois Avenue. $7. 314-352-5226. During their heyday, the Blind Eyes were a rightly celebrated local garage/pop band, and it was bassist and occasional vocalist Kevin Schneider that kept the garage-rock elements firmly in place. Since that band called it quits, Schneider has kept busy with the Jag-Wires, the trio he has with his wife Kimberly Schneider

THURSDAY 30

THE BLUE EYED BETTYS: 7:30 p.m., $15-$20. The Focal Point, 2720 Sutton Blvd, St. Louis, 314-560-2778. HUDSON AND THE HOODOO CATS: 8 p.m., $15. Joe’s Cafe, 6014 Kingsbury Ave, St. Louis. SLAP FROST REVUE: w/ Equipto, Michael Marshall, Z-Man, Vocab Slick, DJ True Justice, Rmllw2lz 7 p.m., $10. Fubar, 3108 Locust St, St. Louis, 314-289-9050. SUBTRONICS: 8 p.m., $25-$30. The Pageant, 6161 Delmar Blvd., St. Louis, 314-726-6161. TISH HAYNES KEYS & THE STL SHED: 8 p.m., $10. BB’s Jazz, Blues & Soups, 700 S. Broadway, St. Louis, 314-436-5222.

FRIDAY 31

THE ANNIVERSARY: 8:30 p.m., $23-$27. Blueberry Hill - The Duck Room, 6504 Delmar Blvd., University City, 314-727-4444. BETH BOMBARA AND FRIENDS: 8 p.m., $10-$15. The Focal Point, 2720 Sutton Blvd, St. Louis, 314-560-2778. BRASKY: w/ Grave Neighbors, Stoker 9 p.m., $7. The Heavy Anchor, 5226 Gravois Ave., St. Louis, 314-352-5226. GODEMIS: 7 p.m., $12. Fubar, 3108 Locust St, St. Louis, 314-289-9050. JASON COOPER BLUES BAND: 10 p.m., $10. BB’s Jazz, Blues & Soups, 700 S. Broadway, St. Louis, 314-436-5222. LEROY JODIE PIERSON: 7 p.m., $5. BB’s Jazz, Blues & Soups, 700 S. Broadway, St. Louis, 314-436-5222. MORGAN HERITAGE: 8 p.m., $25-$40. Off Broadway, 3509 Lemp Ave., St. Louis, 314-498-6989.

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and drummer Scott Lasser. The quickhit, new-wave-flecked Mascara EP is the group’s sole release to date, but the Jag-Wires will be headlining a four-band, mostly local bill at the Heavy Anchor on Saturday. Jesus Christ Supercar, a trio specializing in dynamic, radio-ready indie rock, performs as well. But Wait, There’s More: Rounding out the bill will be local quartet Giants in the Sky and Columbia, Missouri’s the Gasps. —Christian Schaeffer

PRUNES: w/ Shitstorm, WIM 8:30 p.m., free. The Sinkhole, 7423 South Broadway, St. Louis, 314-328-2309. TERRI AND VESNA’S 12TH ANNUAL BIRTHDAY EXTRAVAGANZA: p.m., free. chlafly Tap oom, 2100 Locust St., St. Louis, 314-241-2337. TRISTATE: w/ Calloway Circus, Decedy, the Slow Boys, Jopnah Ray 7:30 p.m., $10. Fubar, 3108 Locust St, St. Louis, 314-289-9050. THE TUNGSTEN GROOVE: 8 p.m., $10-$12. Old Rock House, 1200 S. 7th St., St. Louis, 314-588-0505. THE USED: w/ Dragged Under 8 p.m., $35-$40. Delmar Hall, 6133 Delmar Blvd., St. Louis, 314-726-6161.

SATURDAY 1

A.L.I.: 9 p.m., free. Nightshift Bar & Grill, 3979 Mexico Road, St. Peters, 636-441-8300. THE ADICTS: 8 p.m., $25-$30. Delmar Hall, 6133 Delmar Blvd., St. Louis, 314-726-6161. BILLY BARNETT BAND: 11 p.m., $10. BB’s Jazz, Blues & Soups, 700 S. Broadway, St. Louis, 314-436-5222. FROST NIGHT 2020: w/ Luxurii, Del Broadway, J- Rebel, Brodie 8500, T Mali, Yung Sauc33, Coljac YSD, Denny, $tu 7:30 p.m., $10-$15. Pop’s Nightclub, 401 Monsanto Ave., East St. Louis, 618-274-6720. GREER’S A DEAR: A BENEFIT FOR GREER DEERLING: w/ The Cyanides, Maximum Effort, Bassamp and Dano, The Health & Wellness Plan 7 p.m., $5. The Sinkhole, 7423 South Broadway, St. Louis, 314-328-2309. HOUNDS: w/ Night Hike 8 p.m., $10. Off Broadway, 3509 Lemp Ave., St. Louis, 314-498-6989. IRIE REUNION SHOW: w/ Sewer Urchin, Nick

Gusman and the Coyotes 8 p.m., $10. Fubar, 3108 Locust St, St. Louis, 314-289-9050. THE JAG-WIRES: w/ the Gasps, Jesus Christ Supercar, Giant in the Sky 9 p.m., $7. The Heavy Anchor, 5226 Gravois Ave., St. Louis, 314-352-5226. JOE PARK AND THE HOT CLUB OF ST. LOUIS: 9:30 p.m., free. The Frisco Barroom, 8110 Big Bend Blvd., Webster Groves, 314-455-1090. KIM MASSIE BAND: 4 p.m., $10. BB’s Jazz, Blues & Soups, 700 S. Broadway, St. Louis, 314-436-5222. MARBIN JAZZ ROCK: 8 p.m., $10. BB’s Jazz, Blues & Soups, 700 S. Broadway, St. Louis, 314-436-5222. THE PAT SAJAK ASSASSINS: w/ The Van Allen Belt, eashine p.m., free. chlafly Tap oom, 2100 Locust St., St. Louis, 314-241-2337. PAUL OAKENFOLD: 9 p.m., $15. Ameristar Casino, 1 Ameristar Blvd., St. Charles, 636-949-7777. ROGERS & NIEHAUS: 8 p.m., $5. Hwy 61 Roadhouse and Kitchen, 34 S Old Orchard Ave, Webster Groves, 314-968-0061. SLUMFEST AWARDS 2020: 9 p.m., $10, 314-4428749, rford1973@gmail.com, www.facebook.com/ events/2641937639195405/?active_tab=about. The Bootleg, 4140 Manchester Ave., St. Louis. SWEETIE & THE TOOTHACHES: 8:30 p.m., free. Old Rock House, 1200 S. 7th St., St. Louis, 314-588-0505. TOMMY HALLORAN: 8 p.m., $10-$15. The Focal Point, 2720 Sutton Blvd, St. Louis, 314-560-2778. TROPHY MULES: 4 p.m., free. Alpha Brewing Company, 4310 Fyler Ave., St. Louis, 314-621-2337. UNIMAGINED FAREWELL SHOW: w/ Morose, Broken Youth, Misery Loves Company, Luxora, It Comes in Waves 6:30 p.m., $10. Fubar, 3108 Locust St, St. Louis, 314-289-9050.

SUNDAY 2

BLUES BENEFIT FOR AUSTRALIAN BUSHFIRE REFUGEES: 3 p.m., $10. BB’s Jazz, Blues & Soups, 700 S. Broadway, St. Louis, 314-436-5222. GOLDEN SHOVELS: w/ Willi Carlisle 7:30 p.m., $15-$20. The Focal Point, 2720 Sutton Blvd, St. Louis, 314-560-2778. LEW WINER III SUPER BOWL “SAX & SOUL PARTY”: 8 p.m., $10. BB’s Jazz, Blues & Soups, 700 S. Broadway, St. Louis, 314-436-5222. REAL HIP-HOP SUPERBOWL SUNDAY SHOWDOWN: 8 p.m., $10. Fubar, 3108 Locust St, St. Louis, 314-289-9050. TROMBONES OF THE ST. LOUIS SYMPHONY: 4 p.m., free. Second Presbyterian Church, 4501 Westminster Place, St. Louis, 314-367-0366.

MONDAY 3

THE BAD MAN: w/ Bruiser Queen, Echo Morse 8 p.m., $8. Fubar, 3108 Locust St, St. Louis, 314-289-9050. COLFAX SPEED QUEEN: w/ the Slow Boys, the Tim-Toms 8 p.m., $7. The Sinkhole, 7423 South Broadway, St. Louis, 314-328-2309. THIRD SIGHT BAND: 8 p.m., $10. BB’s Jazz, Blues & Soups, 700 S. Broadway, St. Louis, 314-436-5222. TRIPPIE REDD: 8 p.m., $42-$47.50. The Pageant, 6161 Delmar Blvd., St. Louis, 314-726-6161.

TUESDAY 4

BLEED THE SKY: w/ Skinlab, Arise in Chaos, Murder Machine 6:30 p.m., $18. Fubar, 3108 Locust St, St. Louis, 314-289-9050. ST. LOUIS SOCIAL CLUB: 8 p.m., $10. BB’s Jazz, Blues & Soups, 700 S. Broadway, St. Louis, 314-436-5222. TIGHTWIRE: w the addonfields, ndrew Binder 8 p.m., $7. The Sinkhole, 7423 South Broadway, St. Louis, 314-328-2309. WEDNESDAY NIGHT TITANS: 8 p.m., $12. Old Rock House, 1200 S. 7th St., St. Louis, 314-588-0505.

WEDNESDAY 5

BIG RICH MCDONOUGH & THE RHYTHM REN-

EGADES: 7 p.m., $10. BB’s Jazz, Blues & Soups, 700 S. Broadway, St. Louis, 314-436-5222. BOOFIN’ TYLENOL: w/ Miracle Whip, Fornicators, Freon 9 p.m., $7. The Sinkhole, 7423 South Broadway, St. Louis, 314-328-2309. FRESH PRODUCE: 10 p.m., free. The Bootleg, 4140 Manchester Ave., St. Louis, 314-775-0775. JOSH GARRETT BAND: 9:30 p.m., $10. BB’s Jazz, Blues & Soups, 700 S. Broadway, St. Louis, 314-436-5222. KODY WEST & COLBY COOPER: w/ Colby Cooper 8 p.m., $15. Off Broadway, 3509 Lemp Ave., St. Louis, 314-498-6989. THE LUMINEERS: 7 p.m., $36-$96. Enterprise Center, 1401 Clark Ave., St. Louis, 314-241-1888. MURDER BY DEATH: 8 p.m., $22.50-$25. Delmar Hall, 6133 Delmar Blvd., St. Louis, 314-726-6161.

THIS JUST IN 120 MINUTES: Sat., Feb. 8, 9:30 p.m., free. Stagger Inn Again, 104 E. Vandalia, Edwardsville, 618-656-4221. Fri., March 13, 8 p.m., free. chlafly Bottlewor s, outhwest ve, Maplewood, 314-241-2337. APRIL WINE: Thu., May 14, 7:30 p.m., $19.50$69.50. River City Casino & Hotel, 777 River City Casino Blvd., St. Louis, 314-388-7777. ARCHERS OF LOAF: Thu., April 30, 8 p.m., $25$28. Delmar Hall, 6133 Delmar Blvd., St. Louis, 314-726-6161. BARENAKED LADIES: W/ Gin Blossoms, Toad the Wet Sprocket, Wed., July 1, 7 p.m., $35-$149.50. St. Louis Music Park, 750 Casino Center Dr., Maryland Heights, 314-451-2244. BAYSIDE: W/ Senses Fail, Hawthorne Heights, Can’t Swim, Thu., May 28, 7 p.m., $24-$28. The Pageant, 6161 Delmar Blvd., St. Louis, 314-726-6161. THE BEACH BOYS: Wed., July 29, 7 p.m., $50$130. Family Arena, 2002 Arena Parkway, St Charles, 636-896-4200. BEACH BUNNY: W/ Miloe, Wed., April 29, 8 p.m., $15-$18. Blueberry Hill - The Duck Room, 6504 Delmar Blvd., University City, 314-727-4444. BIG RICH MCDONOUGH & THE RHYTHM RENEGADES: Wed., Feb. 5, 7 p.m., $10. BB’s Jazz, Blues & Soups, 700 S. Broadway, St. Louis, 314-436-5222. BLACK PUMAS: Fri., March 27, 9 p.m., $25-$27.50. Delmar Hall, 6133 Delmar Blvd., St. Louis, 314-726-6161. BOOFIN’ TYLENOL: W/ Miracle Whip, Fornicators, Freon, Wed., Feb. 5, 9 p.m., $7. The Sinkhole, 7423 South Broadway, St. Louis, 314-328-2309. BUSHFIRE BENEFIT CONCERT: Sun., Feb. 9, 2 p.m., $10-$15. Compton Heights Christian Church, 2149 S. Grand Blvd., St. Louis, 314-771-5071. CAL SCRUBY: Thu., March 12, 6:30 p.m., $12. Red Flag, 3040 Locust Street, St. Louis, 314-289-9050. CAMILO SÉPTIMO: Mon., May 11, 8 p.m., $20$25. Old Rock House, 1200 S. 7th St., St. Louis, 314-588-0505. CIRCLE JERKS: 40TH ANNIVERSARY TOUR: W/ the Adolescents, Negative Approach, Tue., June 23, 8 p.m., TBA. Red Flag, 3040 Locust Street, St. Louis, 314-289-9050. CONTROL TOP: Wed., March 25, 8 p.m., $10-$12. Blueberry Hill - The Duck Room, 6504 Delmar Blvd., University City, 314-727-4444. CRITICAL HIT FEST 3: W/ Icon & Anchor, Summoning the Lich, Polterguts, Signals From Saturn, the Nokturnal, Article III, This Is Me Breathing, the Abducted, Asyria, Cavil, Sat., April 25, 2 p.m., $15. Red Flag, 3040 Locust Street, St. Louis, 314-289-9050. DAMO SUZUKI’S NETWORK: Sun., March 22, 8 p.m., $20. Off Broadway, 3509 Lemp Ave., St. Louis, 314-498-6989. DARYL HALL & JOHN OATES: W/ Squeeze, KT Tunstall, Fri., July 24, 7 p.m., TBA. Hollywood

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Trippie Redd. | MATT KEANE

Trippie Redd 8 p.m. Monday, February 3. The Pageant, 6161 Delmar Boulevard. $42 to $47.50. 314-726-6161. Canton, Ohio’s alt-rocker-turned-emorapper Trippie Redd continues his upward trajectory unabated in 2020. Credit some of that success to the man’s remarkable work ethic, sure — the rapper born Michael Lamar White IV released two albums last year alone: August’s ! and November’s A Love Letter to You 4, the latter of which serving as his first project to hit No. 1 on the Billboard 200. But the bulk of Trippie’s ongoing domination of the hip-hop genre

OUT EVERY NIGHT Continued from pg 37

Casino Amphitheatre, I-70 & Earth City Expwy., Maryland Heights, 314-298-9944. DAVID GRAY: Tue., July 21, 7 p.m., $29.50-$89.50. St. Louis Music Park, 750 Casino Center Dr., Maryland Heights, 314-451-2244. DISTURBED: Wed., July 15, 7 p.m., $29.50$249.50. Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre, I-70 & Earth City Expwy., Maryland Heights, 314-298-9944. ELECTRIC SIX: Fri., April 3, 8 p.m., $16. Off Broadway, 3509 Lemp Ave., St. Louis, 314-498-6989. ENTRE NOS 2020 LIVE TOUR: Sun., March 22, 8 p.m., $30-$59.50. The Ready Room, 4195 Manchester Ave, St. Louis, 314-833-3929. FRESH PRODUCE: Wed., Feb. 5, 10 p.m., free. The Bootleg, 4140 Manchester Ave., St. Louis, 314-775-0775. THE GROWLERS: Mon., June 8, 8 p.m., $30. The Ready Room, 4195 Manchester Ave, St. Louis, 314-833-3929. IMPENDING DOOM: Sat., June 20, 3:30 p.m., $20. Red Flag, 3040 Locust Street, St. Louis, 314-289-9050. JOSH GARRETT BAND: Wed., Feb. 5, 9:30 p.m., $10. BB’s Jazz, Blues & Soups, 700 S. Broadway, St. Louis, 314-436-5222. KESHA: W/ Big Freedia, Mon., May 25, 7 p.m., $45-$135. St. Louis Music Park, 750 Casino Center Dr., Maryland Heights, 314-451-2244. KING BUFFALO: Tue., April 14, 8 p.m., $12. Blueberry Hill - The Duck Room, 6504 Delmar Blvd., University City, 314-727-4444. THE KOCH-MARSHALL TRIO: Thu., April 23, 8 p.m., $15-$20. Old Rock House, 1200 S. 7th St.,

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can be credited to his masterful handling of the woozy, syrupy flow and huge trap beats that lead rap at this particular moment in time. More traditional hip-hop fans may shake their heads — especially when they hear songs like “Can You Rap Like Me, Pt. 2” and realize that he can expertly flow exactly how they’d prefer; he simply chooses not to — but they’ll need to make their peace, because that sound isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. Stubhub Bound: Trippie’s show at the Pageant sold out quickly — another testament to his current star power — so you’ll have to turn to the resale market to score tickets. —Daniel Hill St. Louis, 314-588-0505. LAUREN SANDERSON: Sat., April 18, 8 p.m., $15-$18. Blueberry Hill - The Duck Room, 6504 Delmar Blvd., University City, 314-727-4444. LAUV: W/ Maisie Peters, Role Model, Thu., July 30, 7:30 p.m., $25-$55. St. Louis Music Park, 750 Casino Center Dr., Maryland Heights, 314-451-2244. LITTLE RIVER BAND: Sat., Oct. 3, 8 p.m., $29.50$79.50. River City Casino & Hotel, 777 River City Casino Blvd., St. Louis, 314-388-7777. MAC LETHAL: Fri., April 17, 7:30 p.m., $20. Red Flag, 3040 Locust Street, St. Louis, 314-289-9050. MANNEQUIN PUSSY: W/ Glitterer, Fri., April 24, 8 p.m., $15. Off Broadway, 3509 Lemp Ave., St. Louis, 314-498-6989. MEAT LOAF PRESENTS: BAT: THE MUSIC OF MEAT LOAF: Thu., April 2, 7 p.m., $19.50-$39.50. River City Casino & Hotel, 777 River City Casino Blvd., St. Louis, 314-388-7777. MICHAEL STANLEY AND THE RESONATORS: Sat., Sept. 12, 7 p.m., $25-$75. St. Louis Music Park, 750 Casino Center Dr., Maryland Heights, 314-451-2244. THE MOTHER HIPS: W/ Cordovas, Fri., July 3, 8 p.m., $15. Old Rock House, 1200 S. 7th St., St. Louis, 314-588-0505. NAPALM DEATH: W/ Aborted, Wvrm, Bastard, Mon., April 20, 6:30 p.m., TBA. Red Flag, 3040 Locust Street, St. Louis, 314-289-9050. NICKELBACK: Sat., Aug. 22, 7 p.m., $25-$139. Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre, I-70 & Earth City Expwy., Maryland Heights, 314-298-9944. ORIGIN: W/ Beneath the Massacre, Defeated Sanity, Fri., March 13, 5:30 p.m., $20. Red Flag, 3040 Locust Street, St. Louis, 314-289-9050. PALM PALM: Sat., March 14, 8 p.m., $10. Off Broadway, 3509 Lemp Ave., St. Louis, 314-498-6989. PEACH PIT: W/ Haley Blais, Sat., May 2, 8 p.m.,

[CRITIC’S PICK]

The Lumineers. | DANNY CLINCH

The Lumineers 7 p.m. Wednesday, February 5. The Enterprise Center, 1401 Clark Avenue. $36 to $215. 314-622-5400. Oh the agony and absurdity of the life of a one-hit wonder. To date, the Lumineers have failed to escape that “Ho Hey” song, and their accountants and managers and milliners would like to keep it that way. Their fans too, because it’s one of the most delirious sing-alongs since “Livin’ On a Prayer.” Surprisingly, the Lumineers have, over the course of eight years and three albums, made some seriously fun and searingly revealing music, $18. Off Broadway, 3509 Lemp Ave., St. Louis, 314-498-6989. PEARS: W/ Single Mothers, Thu., April 23, 7 p.m., $15. Red Flag, 3040 Locust Street, St. Louis, 314-289-9050. THE POINT BIG SUMMER SHOW: W/ the Struts, Glorious Sons, Fri., June 5, 7 p.m., $25-$45. St. Louis Music Park, 750 Casino Center Dr., Maryland Heights, 314-451-2244. POKEY LAFARGE NIGHT 1: Fri., May 15, 8 p.m., $22-$35. Off Broadway, 3509 Lemp Ave., St. Louis, 314-498-6989. POKEY LAFARGE NIGHT 2: Sat., May 16, 8 p.m., $22-$35. Off Broadway, 3509 Lemp Ave., St. Louis, 314-498-6989. RICKY SKAGGS: Thu., April 16, 7:30 p.m., $19.50$69.50. River City Casino & Hotel, 777 River City Casino Blvd., St. Louis, 314-388-7777. SAMMY HAGAR & THE CIRCLE: Fri., Aug. 7, 7 p.m., $29.50-$350. Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre, I-70 & Earth City Expwy., Maryland Heights, 314-298-9944. SEAN CANAN’S VOODOO 420 SUNDAY: Sun., April 19, 4:20 p.m., $12. The Ready Room, 4195 Manchester Ave, St. Louis, 314-833-3929. SICK OF IT ALL: W/ Agnostic Front, Mon., May 4, 8 p.m., $25-$28. Blueberry Hill - The Duck Room, 6504 Delmar Blvd., University City, 314-727-4444. ST. LOUIS SOCIAL CLUB: Tue., Feb. 4, 8 p.m., $10. BB’s Jazz, Blues & Soups, 700 S. Broadway, St. Louis, 314-436-5222. STARSET: W/ Physics Girl, Sat., May 16, 7:30 p.m., $25-$28. Delmar Hall, 6133 Delmar Blvd., St. Louis, 314-726-6161. STEPHEN MARLEY: Sun., April 5, 8 p.m., $30-$35. Old Rock House, 1200 S. 7th St., St. Louis, 314-588-0505. STRAWBERRY BUCKSHOT: W/ K.G. Roberts Band, SimplyEsoteric, Bradtholemew, Casey Bazzell,

most noticeably on last year’s III, a concept album about all manner of addiction that escapes the fate of the typically overwrought concept album. The band’s ideas and emotions and rhythms, chugging and strumming as they may be, can be resisted by no sentient being. So, give ’em a ho and a hey and their due. The sing-alongs will last all night long. Making Good Choices: Credit the band (or the aforementioned accountants and managers) for picking two killer openers: angsty indie-folksters Mt. Joy and aboutto-break troubadour J.S. Ondara. The latter, especially, should not be missed. —Roy Kasten

Sun., March 1, 5:30 p.m., $10. Red Flag, 3040 Locust Street, St. Louis, 314-289-9050. SUICIDE SILENCE: Fri., May 15, 7 p.m., $20. Red Flag, 3040 Locust Street, St. Louis, 314-289-9050. THOMAS RHETT: W/ Cole Swindell, Hardy, Fri., July 17, 7:30 p.m., $25-$125. Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre, I-70 & Earth City Expwy., Maryland Heights, 314-298-9944. THREE 6 MAFIA: W/ Juicy J, DJ Paul, Gangsta Boo, Crunchy Black, Project Pat, Lil Wyte, La Chat, Sat., May 23, 7 p.m., $39-$119. Chaifetz Arena, 1 S. Compton Ave., St. Louis, 314-977-5000. TIGHTWIRE: the addonfields, ndrew Binder, Tue., Feb. 4, 8 p.m., $7. The Sinkhole, 7423 South Broadway, St. Louis, 314-328-2309. TISH HAYNES KEYS & THE STL SHED: Thu., Jan. 30, 8 p.m., $10. BB’s Jazz, Blues & Soups, 700 S. Broadway, St. Louis, 314-436-5222. TOOTS & THE MAYTALS: Thu., April 23, 7 p.m., $28.50-$38. Atomic Cowboy Pavilion, 4140 Manchester Avenue, St. Louis, 314-775-0775. A TRIBUTE TO STAX RECORDS: W/ Roland Johnson, Gene Jackson, Brother Jefferson, Miss Molly Simms, Bob Kamoske, Thomas Ingram, Tru Born, Sat., Feb. 29, 8 p.m., $12. Off Broadway, 3509 Lemp Ave., St. Louis, 314-498-6989. TROPHY MULES: Sat., Feb. 1, 4 p.m., free. Alpha Brewing Company, 4310 Fyler Ave., St. Louis, 314-621-2337. WHISKEY & THUNDER: W/ Kill the Creature, Sat., Feb. 8, 8 p.m., free. Red Fish Blue Fish, 7 Hawks Nest Plaza, St Charles, 636-947-4747. WINTER // MIXER: Fri., Feb. 14, 6:30 p.m., $12. Fubar, 3108 Locust St, St. Louis, 314-289-9050. XAVIER WULF: W/ Minus Love, Tue., March 3, 5:30 p.m., $20. Red Flag, 3040 Locust Street, St. Louis, 314-289-9050. THE YAWPERS: Mon., March 2, 8 p.m., $10. Off Broadway, 3509 Lemp Ave., St. Louis, 314-498-6989.

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SAVAGE LOVE RAIN CHECKS BY DAN SAVAGE Hey, Dan: I’m a 33-year-old woman in a relationship with a 43-yearold man. My boyfriend’s fantasy is to have a threesome with another man. He enjoys watching me have sex with other men and then intermittently fucking me. But he mostly likes to watch me get fucked. For a long time, my boyfriend would send nudes or videos of him fucking me to men we met on dating apps. We would talk dirty about it during sex. Recently, we met up with a man for the first time. I don’t think it went well. My boyfriend and I have had conversations about my fear of contracting an STI. So before the threesome started, I explained to my boyfriend and the other guy that condoms were required. They both agreed. This guy was really nervous and when he put a condom on, he went flaccid. He would try to fuck me with his flaccid, condom-covered penis, but it just didn’t work. He would take the condom off, jerk off, get semihard, put a condom back on, go completely soft again. Even when I sucked the guy’s dick: nothing. (He actually told me to stop trying!) So my boyfriend, who was observing and jerking off, suggested we forget the condoms in the hopes this guy could stay hard. I said no and restated my boundary. The guy still couldn’t get it up, hopped out of bed and started getting dressed. My boyfriend offered to let the guy cream pie me if he would stay. I said fuck no and the guy left. He didn’t even say bye. I don’t know why the guy couldn’t get hard. But I certainly don’t think my boundary should be compromised because a stranger can’t get it up. My boyfriend keeps suggesting we meet up with this guy again so he can “get closure.” He really wants to watch this guy at least come on me. My boyfriend and this guy have since texted about him fucking me again. I’m all for being GGG, but ... what the fuck? I thought this guy was kind of an asshole. My boyfriend was definitely an asshole. My questions are: If I’m uncomfortable during a threesome, how do I politely call it off?

I don’t want to embarrass anyone, but this went on for two hours and the guy never got it up. How do I terminate a threesome without sounding like a bitch? Threesome Obviously Dried Up My Pussy To politely call off a threesome, TODUMP, all you gotta say is, “Hey, this isn’t working for me — let’s take a rain check.” Say it while pulling up your pants and use your “final answer” voice. And the “rain check” thing doesn’t have to be sincere. t can be, of course, if you’re interested in trying again sometime, but it doesn’t have to be. The “rain check” thing is mostly a nice, polite, face saving, ego sparing way to ease someone out of your pants/ bed playroom apartment whatever. nd if anyone starts arguing with you — if your third or your primary partner starts arguing with you — don’t worry about being polite, TODUMP. Go ahead and be a bitch “This is over, you they need to go, rain check rescinded, asshole/assholes.” nd while we’re on the subject of terminating things with assholes, TODUMP, you need to dump your incredibly shitty fuc ing boyfriend immediately — and there’s no need to be polite about it. uc him. our boyfriend tried to coerce you into having se without condoms when he knew you didn’t want to; you consented to having a threesome on the condition that condoms be used. ttempting to reopen negotiations about your stated boundaries once the threesome was underway was a violation of your consent. nd your boyfriend new you wouldn’t want to embarrass anyone, and maliciously attempted to weaponize your consideration for other people’s feelings against you! Can’t you see that? He was hoping you wouldn’t embarrass him by refusing to have se without condoms after he “offered” to let this guy cream pie you (come inside you) to get him to stay! He was hoping you’d rather ris an T than ris embarrassing or contradicting him! And on top of that, he spoke to this guy like it was up to him — up to them — what happened ne t, li e you were a leshlight or tube soc or something! nd now your asshole boyfriend

is pressuring you to get bac together with a guy who couldn’t get it up with a condom on when he nows you don’t want to have se without condoms guy who couldn’t be bothered to say goodbye after you suc ed his fuc ing dic nd your boyfriend is claiming you owe him (or them) closure? WTF? This relationship should have been over the moment your boy-

My boyfriend offered to let the guy cream pie me if he would stay. friend made it clear some stranger’s dick was more important to him than your health, safety and boundaries. n that moment — that moment he attempted to barter away your boundaries — he proved he can’t be trusted and you aren’t safe with him, TODUMP, alone or with a third. DTMFA. This is every woman’s nightmare scenario when it comes to cuckolding or hotwifing — that her boyfriend or husband will pressure her to do things she doesn’t want to do during a se ual encounter with another man. Guys like your boyfriend not only don’t deserve to have girlfriends or their fantasies fulfilled, they ruin things for other wannabe cuc s, stags and hot husbands. e not only deserves to be alone forever, T , he deserves to be ic ed in the balls forever. Hey, Dan: One of my closest friends kissed me while very drunk, told his female partner and now he’s not allowed to see me anymore, even in group settings. (I am also female.) I understand that cutting off contact is the universally recommended first step after someone cheats, but considering how close we are as friends, it is heartbreaking to think I might lose him over this one incident. We are former coworkers and we’ve been close friends and regular drinking buddies for twelve years. Nothing has EVER happened between us before this one very drunk night. We ended up making out on the sidewalk

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outside of a bar and exchanged a few semi-dirty text messages later that night, which — unfortunately for all of us — his partner saw. He thinks we just need to be patient and one day we’ll be able to pick up our friendship where we left off. And while I know he needs to prioritize his partner now, I’m scared that we actually won’t be able to stay friends after this. Do I just swallow my sadness about the likelihood of losing a best friend over a relatively minor infidelity? Or is there anything I can do to help the situation? FWIW: I’m in a happy open marriage and have never once tried to initiate anything with him. I’ve never been attracted to him before and wouldn’t want anything to happen between us again, anyway, even if the kiss was hot. Complicating matters, my friend wanted to re-raise the possibility of opening up his relationship with his partner, which he insists has nothing to do with me. (My friend is male and his partner and I are both female.) Friend With No Benefits mm have a hunch you were something of a sore sub ect before this incident, B, however isolated. f the te t messages your friend’s partner saw confirmed fears she’d already been told were irrational, your e ile is li ely to last as long as their relationship does. But ta e heart f your friend decides to reopen discussions about opening up their relationship in the wake of this incident, your friend will li ely be single again soon. f they do manage to stay together, FWNB, the only way to get bac into her good graces — and bac in your friend’s life — is to gracefully accept your e ile. oing to her and saying, “ t only happened because we were so drunk!” isn’t quite the slam-dunk you think it is, seeing as you and her boyfriend are drin ing buddies. t’s a parado , reali e, but if she sees that her boyfriend is willing to cut off all contact with you to set her mind at ease, FWNB, she may be willing to give your friendship her blessing down the road. Check out Dan’s podcast at savagelovecast.com. mail@savagelove.net @FakeDanSavage on Twitter

JANUARY 29-FEBRUARY 4, 2020

RIVERFRONT TIMES

JANUARY 29-FEBRUARY 4, 2020

riverfronttimes.com

JANUARY 29-FEBRUARY 4, 2020

RIVERFRONT TIMES

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