Riverfront Times, June 30, 2021 by Riverfront Times

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MARCH 6-12, 2019

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THE LEDE

“There’s this older couple that come every year, and I walk them around and carry a basket for them and whatnot. She’s just the nicest older lady. The man, her husband, was in the military. He mostly sticks around here and waits while we go around and get the basket all full. They’re regular customers. There’s always the good customers that I really like. I see the same people mostly every year. They’ve all known me since I was I don’t even know how tall.”

PHOTO BY THEO WELLING

NICK MAMINO, EMPLOYEE AT LE SMITH JEWELRY FIREWORKS IN SAUGET, ILLINOIS, PHOTOGRAPHED ON SATURDAY, JUNE 26 riverfronttimes.com

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Ways of Living

e have dueling feature stories this week, and the subjects are compelling in divergent ways. In a piece on Mark McCloskey’s campaign rally, Daniel Hill strips away the bombast of Tucker Carlson appearances and Facebook chest thumping to reveal a hype man playing to a nearly empty room. In contrast, Victor Stefanescu makes his feature debut with a tale of two carefully considered lives. It is a love story that began in this newspaper nearly 30 years ago. I loved both stories for the storytelling and the reporting, but also as a reminder of the many lives swirling across St. Louis. Enjoy. —Doyle Murphy, editor in chief

TABLE OF CONTENTS Publisher Chris Keating Editor in Chief Doyle Murphy

E D I T O R I A L Digital Editor Jaime Lees Interim Managing Editor Daniel Hill Staff Writer Danny Wicentowski Contributors Cheryl Baehr, Eric Berger, Jeannette Cooperman, Mike Fitzgerald, Ryan Krull, Andy Paulissen, Justin Poole, Theo Welling, Ymani Wince Columnists Thomas Chimchards, Ray Hartmann Editorial Interns Zoë Butler, Holden Hindes, Erin McAfee, Jack Probst, Victor Stefanescu A R T

& P R O D U C T I O N Art Director Evan Sult Production Manager Haimanti Germain 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 Account Managers Emily Fear, Jennifer Samuel Multimedia Account Executive Chuck Healy Digital Sales Manager Chad Beck Director of Public Relations Brittany Forrest

COVER Weenie Roast Is that “We the People” in a Declaration of Independence-style calligraphy inscribed on Mark McCloskey’s gun? Of course it is. Cover photo by

INSIDE

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E U C L I D M E D I A G R O U P Chief Executive Officer Andrew Zelman Chief Operating Officers Chris Keating, Michael Wagner VP of Digital Services Stacy Volhein 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

REUBEN HEMMER

The Lede News The Big Mad Feature Cafe Short Orders Reeferfront Times Culture Calendar Savage Love

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

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NEWS

[EYEWITNESS REPORT]

Weenie Roast Inside gun-surrendering criminal Mark McCloskey’s very sad St. Louis rally Written by

DANIEL HILL

oted local criminal Mark McCloskey played host to a barbecue/political rally on Sunday afternoon, drawing tens of admirers to the sweltering parking lot of a closed outlet mall in St. Louis County to celebrate the one-year anniversary of the time he pulled a gun on a crowd of people who otherwise would never have noticed or cared he existed. Despite the fact that none of the big names who had been billed to speak at the June 27 event showed up, and despite the fact that ticket sales were so dismal attendance was opened to the public for free at the last minute, St. Louis’ most gun-surrendering lawyer plowed right ahead with the First Annual Pink Shirt Guy BBQ and RINO Roast in the St. Louis Mills parking lot. Grievance and untethered delusion topped the menu at the event, with McCloskey and a roster of speakers largely unknown outside the fever swamps of the far right taking turns condemning everything from critical race theory (their newest and most nonsensical bogeyman) to “cultural Marxism” (George Soros’ fault of course, but how dare you level accusations of antisemitism) to the “radical left” agenda of (hahahahaha) Joe Biden. The whole gun-and-pony show was in service of McCloskey’s deeply stupid run for U.S. Senate, because if there’s one thing that qualifies a man for public office in the Republican party in 2021 it’s a willingness to point a firearm at those with whom you disagree politically. Initially, fellow criminal and proponent of armed coups Michael Flynn was scheduled to speak, but he was subbed out for North Carolina Congressman and notably dumb guy Madison Caw-

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Plenty of prime seating was available for Mark McCloskey’s diehard supporters. | REUBEN HEMMER

A celebrity AR-15 joins hands with Mark and Patricia McCloskey. | REUBEN HEMMER

It’s hard to calculate the value of this Mark McCloskey-signed weapon. | REUBEN HEMMER

thorn, who also did not show up. But the show must go on, as they say, and so we were instead primarily treated to the emcee abilities of former radio host Jamie Allman, who lost his longtime job back in 2018 after taking to Twitter to pontificate about ramming a hot poker up a teenager’s ass.

The event kicked off around 2 p.m. with a pig roast and photo op with the McCloskeys, Mark clad in his pink-shirt finery and Patricia sporting the Hamburglar costume for which she is best known. At least one man brought his rifle for the pair to sign, which of course they did, after which the man could

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be heard excitedly discussing how much money it was now worth. After a sound check with local Deep Purple cover band Perfect Strangers, whose singer Terry Luttrell was the original vocalist for REO Speedwagon before parting ways with the band over its earlier, more politically motivated lyrics, the show kicked off with the singing of the national anthem, followed by a recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance, followed by a moment of prayer. With all the hits out of the way, Allman brought up a parade of speakers of varying infamy, one of whom (who can remember who) walked us all through the Declaration of Independence as an encore for good measure. There was federally charged St. Louis chiropractor Eric Nepute, best-known for recommending Schweppes tonic water as a COVID-19 cure early on in the pandemic; JeffCo gun store owner Ian McFarland, who recently sold McCloskey a new gun when the latter handed his over to the state after pleading guilty to the crime he’d committed; and State Rep. Nick Schroer (R-O’Fallon), one of the legislators leading an effort that failed in the Senate to defund Planned Parenthood in the state. Pillow magnate and unhinged lunatic Mike Lindell piped in a prerecorded message of support, as did war criminal Oliver North, probably as a consolation prize since Flynn was presumably too busy plotting out his own future crimes to make an appearance. There were others as well, but this event suffered from the rookie mistake of having too many openers, which led to some noticeable fatigue in the small crowd who had gathered to gawk at the spectacle. All of the above took turns rattling off the exhausting culture war talking points that dominate right-wing media nowadays, with fevered rants against critical race theory, cancel culture, cultural Marxism and good old-fashioned communism as practiced by noted leftist Joe Biden (hahahahahahaha) being the order of the day. Allman also tossed out bracelets in support of rioter Ashli Babbitt, who was killed in the U.S. Capital on January 6 after refusing to comply with the commands of officers, and who Allman claimed was “assassinated by her govern-

Initially, fellow criminal and proponent of armed coups Michael Flynn was scheduled to speak, but he was subbed out for North Carolina Congressman and notably dumb guy Madison Cawthorn, who also did not show up. But the show, as they say, must go on. ment.” That would seem to fly in the face of the usual “if he/she just complied he/she would still be alive” script of the allegedly propolice crowd, but Babbitt was on their team, so naturally the very concept of ideological consistency is thrown right out the window. At long last, after a gushing introduction in which Allman described Mark and Patricia as “everyone’s favorite neighbors” (a characterization with which their actual neighbors whole-heartedly disagree), McCloskey took to the stage to bask in the adulation of the not even half-full seating area of his adoring fans. He insisted gravely that the crowd of people who were walking past his house that fateful day a year ago would have murdered him and his wife and their dog and then burned their house down had he not waddled his ass outside barefoot to threaten them with a rifle, which is pretty confusing seeing as how literally none of McCloskey’s neighbors did the same and yet they all somehow came out unscathed. It also doesn’t fit with the findings of special prosecutor Richard Callahan, who noted in a statement upon the McCloskeys’ guilty plea that: “The protesters on the other hand were a racially mixed and peaceful group, including women and children, who simply made a wrong turn on their way to protest in front of the mayor’s house,” noting further that absolutely no evidence was ever found to show that any of the protesters were armed or intent on harming the couple. But that didn’t matter to McCloskey, nor did it matter to the sparse crowd who had come to watch him hump a gun on a Sunday afternoon. Naturally, McClos-

key used his speech to heap praise on the likes of Donald Trump, U.S. Sen. Josh Hawley, Trump’s exchief of staff Mark Meadows and others, while directing scorn at the likes of St. Louis Circuit Attorney Kim Gardner, U.S. Rep. Cori Bush and state Rep. Rasheen Aldridge. That the former group is a bunch of white guys and the latter are Black probably didn’t have anything to do with McCloskey’s opinions of them, and how dare you even think such a thing. McCloskey ended his speech by bringing his wife up on stage, and the two of them posed with a gun to the cheers of the crowd. One gets the distinct impression that those cheers were more for the gun itself than its owner though, and that more likely than not the crowd would probably prefer to vote for an actual firearm to be senator instead, if only there was some way to get one on the ballot. Honestly Mark is just a mascot, not unlike Ronald McDonald. As the main event wrapped up, Allman directed everyone to the merch tent, where McCloskey was selling bottles of barbecue sauce for $20 a pop. With the crowd thoroughly cleared out and a storm rolling in, Perfect Strangers took to the stage and started serving up Deep Purple cuts for the enjoyment of about ten people. Lightning cracked in the sky during the classic track “Stormbringer,” adding a fun bit of synchronicity, if also a sense of foreboding. Equally synchronized and foreboding was one of the lines from the 1974 track, delivered as it was at the McCloskey-led event: “He’s got nothing you need.” Here’s hoping Missouri’s voters are smart enough to see it that way too. N

Dr. Fredrick Echols, shown in March 2020, says building trust will help efforts to vaccinate more people. | DOYLE MURPHY

St. Louis Shifting to Smaller Vaccine Clinics Written by

JENNA JONES

r. Frederick Echols, director of health for the city of St. Louis, wants to focus on building trust with the community. As the struggle to get as many people as possible vaccinated against COVID-19 continues, he and the city have shifted away from the bigger, mass vaccination clinics in an effort to focus on smaller clinics backed by organizations trusted in the surrounding neighborhoods. “Smaller community-based clinics give us an opportunity to really work more closely with individuals in the community,” Echols says. “It also gives us an opportunity to have more intimate conversations with individuals regarding vaccine hesitancy and issues related to vaccine access.” Minority communities are being affected disproportionately by COVID-19, according to both the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and St. Louis city data. Flint Fowler, president of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater St. Louis (2901 North Grand Boulevard, St. Louis), says that’s one of the rea-

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sons it’s important for these clinics to happen. He explains that based on the science and the information available, the vaccine is the best way to eliminate or reduce the impact the virus has. In recent days, the Boys & Girls Clubs held its own clinic in partnership with the City of St. Louis Department of Health. Fowler said last week he was looking forward to the clinic, noting that the partnership between the club and the city would allow residents greater access to the vaccine. The organization has been part of the community for over 50 years, serving many local children. Fowler calls the access to care that the members need “imperative” and says such clinics help parents who can’t work from home and their kids return to work and school safely. “There’s a level of trust the community has for what the Boys & Girls Club represents, so we gladly open our doors for better opportunities and information for the residents,” Fowler says. He and Echols agree that giving residents the information about the COVID-19 vaccine is essential. Fowler urges the community to use its resources when it comes to the department of health. In order for citizens to make the most informed decision possible, Echols says the city has also started handing attendees of the clinics Continued on pg 10

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VACCINES

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information about the vaccine before they get the shot, giving them an opportunity to ask questions. Fowler also encourages people to remember the department of health is funded by public dollars, meaning they are within their rights to ask questions of the department. “I think it’s important for the community to know that if they have questions or concerns, they should reach out. I think it becomes a challenge if we don’t seek information out for ourselves, or if we are inactive due to history or past practices,” Fowler says. “In today’s economy or society, it pays for us to do our own research and get information firsthand and make educated decisions. It obviously impacts your overall health and well-being of the community and the region, as well. The virus knows no boundaries.” Echols is making sure the department of health stays mindful when it comes to the history Fowler mentions. There are a lot of complexities, he explains. Echols also says the city is making sure to use a data-based approach to focus on the ZIP codes that are most critical. Looking back on the history of north St. Louis

SLU Security Guard Kills Man Near Campus Written by

VICTOR STEFANESCU

36-year-old man, who police say was armed with two guns, was shot dead by a Saint Louis University security guard just off campus early Friday morning. St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department officers responded to a shooting call at 12:31 a.m. They found a man near a curb, suffering from multiple gunshot wounds in the 3300 block of Locust Street in Midtown between North Theresa and North Leonard avenues. EMS transported the man to a hospital where he was pronounced dead, according to police. The man was identified as Omar Zulueta of the 2600 block of Rutger Street, on the border of the Gate and Lafayette Square neighborhoods. It is unclear what led up to the fatal encounter with the 66-year-old guard or whether Zulueta was carrying the firearms legally. The guard’s name has not been released. Robert May Hall, a university apartment building housing graduate, law and medical students, is located on the block of the shooting, according to a university webpage. Searls Hall, another university building, also lies on the block.

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— an area the city is concerned about due to low vaccination rates — and of health-care delivery to vulnerable populations, Echols wants to make sure the approaches at the clinics are culturally sensitive and appropriate. With a focus on northern St. Louis, where at least 75 percent of residents are unvaccinated in ZIP codes such as 63106 and 63102, according to Echols, building trust is of the utmost importance. “We’re very sensitive and aware of how we engage individuals in those communities, because we know there’s still a lack of trust that remains,” Echols says. “So, we don’t want to do any additional damage to those communities.” Fowler knows the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater St. Louis is a “representative of good,” and with much of his staff having received the COVID-19 vaccine, he says they are more than willing to share their stories with those who have questions about the shots. And drawing on such conversations at the clinics and other events, Echols and his team are working to dispel misinformation and myths about the COVID-19 vaccines. The discussions have helped fuel a YouTube video series called “Ask Dr. Echols,” which the city began back in August 2020.

SLU students, parents, faculty and staff received two texts regarding the shooting from the university’s department of public safety. The first, sent at 12:54 a.m., warned recipients to avoid the area of the shooting. The text, though, did not specify the location of the area. “SLU ALERT: A officer involved shooting one subject down DPS/St. Louis City Police/EMS en route Avoid the area until further notice,” the text reads. The second announced that both SLU’s Department of Public Safety and St. Louis police were at the scene of the incident and that normal activity could resume. A SLU spokesman did not respond on Friday morning to questions about the shooting but later forwarded a letter written by university President Fred Pestello to students and the university community. “The enormity of this tragedy cannot be lost on any of us,” Pestello wrote in part. “It is the first time in SLU’s history that someone has been killed by a public safety officer. As members of a Jesuit institution, we recognize that all loss of life presents an enormous tragedy, and impacts all of those involved. We must do everything we can to prevent it from happening in the future.” The city police homicide division is handling the ongoing investigation into the shooting. Police ask anyone with information regarding the shooting to call the homicide division at 314-444-5371 or, to remain anonymous, contact CrimeStoppers at 866-371-TIPS (8477).

THE BIG MAD BAD SPORTS Anti-birth control legislators lose a round, the outrageous Simone Biles and Mike Parson’s stubborn callousness Compiled by

DANIEL HILL

elcome back to the Big Mad, the RFT’s weekly roundup of righteous rage! Because we know your time is short and your anger is hot: MEN’S TEAM: In a state where there’s only one abortion clinic left, Missouri Republican lawmakers — specifically Sen. Bob Onder of Lake St. Louis — decided it’d be a great idea to try to ban Planned Parenthood as a Medicaid provider. OK, first they tried, in an absolutely disgusting and idiotic move, to deny payment to commonly used contraceptives if it “induced abortion.” Can someone please tell these men how birth control works? Or ask them to butt out of women’s health care? Either one would be fine. After changing the language, in part because of arguments by, you know, women who actually know how birth control works, the Republican senators tried twice more to include language — and failed — to ban Planned Parenthood as a Medicaid provider. Forgive us for repeating ourselves: There’s only one abortion clinic, a Planned Parenthood, left in Missouri, and the rest provide necessary medical care to not just women, but also for men. While the amendment failed in the special session, the fight is far from over. In true Missouri GOP fashion, after several Republicans joined the Democrats in voting against the ban, the Senate president and majority leader issued a statement after the adjournment. Calling other Senate Republicans and themselves “pro-life champions” instead of their proper name, “dumbasses who want to control women’s bodies,” the leaders’ statement read that Parson intends on using state administrative processes to remove Planned Parenthood as a Medicaid provider. Ah Missouri, you never fail to let women down, do you? Biles’ Olympic Unfairness: In St. Louis for the Olympic trials, the uber-talented gymnast Simone Biles was featured in a photo of her eating some Imo’s Pizza, and to be honest it’s an outrage. Many

a time have we, regular people, dined at the altar of angular regional pizza, and not even ONCE has it resulted in a double-twisting double-tucked salto dismount off a balance beam or even just a boost on our floor work. No one has named any gymnastics maneuvers after us, and, frankly, what gives?! How much Imo’s Pizza do we have to eat to make it to the Olympics, because, we promise you, no matter the training, the grueling repetitions, we will do what it takes to add the square beyond compare to the Olympics rings. FAILING THE TEST: Now that the COVID-19 Delta variant has begun to make an even bigger mess out of the already dire pandemic situation in Missouri, we know for sure that things are about to get even worse for regional health-care workers. These people have been working non-stop since last March and now a new variant might drag them under when (thanks to vaccines) they’ve just started to be able to keep their heads above water. One thing that could help to keep the pandemic in check in Missouri is free and easily available testing. A statewide program to offer Missourians quick and free testing could keep thousands more in our state from dying. It’s hard to expect much from the government of this ass-backward state, but wouldn’t it be nice to show how quickly an outbreak can be squashed, for once? JUST NO MERCY: “Wrongfully charged.” “Tainted.” “A profound error we must correct now.” Those are some of the ways prosecutors in Jackson County have described the conviction of Kevin Strickland for a 1978 triple murder — but that’s not how Gov. Mike Parson sees it. Earlier this month, he described calls to pardon Strickland, who has spent 41 years in prison, as “not a priority.” Then, on June 23, he told KSHBTV he is “not convinced” of Strickland’s innocence and suggested that the decision to free the inmate would “put other people at risk” if it turned out to be wrong. For a former sheriff, Parson should be embarrassed. He not only insults the prosecutors who have sought to correct the injustice, but to then essentially admit that doesn’t have evidence to back up his reticence? That he just doesn’t feel like taking a risk on freeing an innocent man? It would be laughable if it wasn’t so monstrous. Parson is now embroiled in fighting his own party’s anti-abortion extremists to save the state budget, but he can’t be bothered to listen to law enforcement standing up for Strickland — it’s clear where Parson’s priorities lie.

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In 1992, Marian Amies took out a personal ad in the Riverfront Times that would change her life

Meet Me Marian Amies biked around the streets surrounding Tower Grove Park in 1992, feeling like she could be forgotten. “Well if I fall off my bike now, nobody’s gonna know,” she recalls thinking. Amies, who is originally from England, was 52 at the time and fresh off a divorce that ended a 26-year marriage. She was enjoying her newfound independence, but her bicycle rides around St. Louis made her realize how much she wanted companionship, too. “I used to ride my bike in Tower Grove Park at six o’clock in the morning, and maybe I’d stop at the diner on South Grand and have breakfast,” she says. “And it was — sometimes it was dark. And then I would sometimes go to the bread company, and I would feel

so single when all I could see was sort of like couples everywhere.” So, she decided to put a Person-toPerson ad in the Riverfront Times, hoping to find a guy interested in some of her favorite things. She included a list: “… dance music, exploring the countryside, cafe, eclecticism, rubber chickens ….” The personal ads ran from 1979 into the 1990s under one name or another — functioning like Tinder, way before someone could swipe left or right on a smartphone screen. They were ads where someone could publish a passage about

themselves — physical traits, passions, romantic interests — in hopes of finding a friend, lover or partner. Then, respondents to an ad would call an extension number and be charged a few dollars per talk minutes. Amies’ ad, which she says cost “£50,” before correcting herself — it cost $50 — ran in the October 27, 1992, issue of the RFT. At the end of the ad, Amies wrote that she wanted to meet a man in his 40s or 50s who would make a great companion for “fun and adventure.” Amies received nineteen replies, she says. The respondents included some interesting suitors, but none seemed quite right. There was the economics professor, who Amies suspected had a drinking problem because he did not drive a car. And there was the archaeologist who worked in the Cahokia mounds. “He would tell me that when they went into some of the Indian mounds that the archaeologists

Continued on pg 14

in the Rft By VICTOR STEFANESCU

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Amies and Kranz have carved out their own spaces to continue their projects in their Benton Park home. | ERIN MCAFEE

MEET ME

Continued from pg 13

would protect themselves, because it was sort of like electrical impulses,” she says. Amies says she did not like the archaeologist in the end, because all the smoke from his pipe filled the Wabash Triangle Café as they talked. She notes that the café burned down shortly after their date. The dating scene quickly wore on Amies. “I didn’t think it was a lot of fun to do really, because it was so anxiety provoking,” she says. Still, she kept at it. In November 1992, she sorted through the replies and settled on one from a man named Bill Kranz. They agreed to meet at Casa Gallardo, a now-closed Mexican restaurant in Westport Plaza. Kranz was intrigued by the long list of interests Amies had written for her ad, such as art galleries, rubber chickens and the color indigo blue. On the night of their date, Amies was not sure what to expect. She can still remember the jacket she wore. “It was sort of like a very nice jacket, actually,” Amies says. “It was sort of a patchwork — different beautiful fabrics.” As usual, she was nervous with anticipation, but then Kranz walked in. Almost instantly, her anxiety faded away. He had written a poem for the occasion and

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As usual, she was nervous with anticipation, but then Kranz walked in. Almost instantly, her anxiety faded away. He had written a poem for the occasion and carried flowers in Amies’ favorite color, indigo blue. carried flowers in Amies’ favorite color, indigo blue. “When Bill showed up with flowers in the color, the indigo blue colors, and I got this poem,” Amies says, “I mean, it seemed like [he] made a big effort. And it was special.” Amies had a few reservations, primarily the twelve-year age gap between the two. “Oh, I thought he was too young as well. He was 40, and I was 52,” Amies says. But she decided to put that to the side. Kranz had a job at Edward Jones and had also spent time as a seasonal worker at Yellowstone National Park. In his free time, he staged theatrical productions. That first blind date was in midNovember. By that Christmas, they were enough of a couple to spend the holiday with Kranz’s family. And so started a journey of nearly 30 years of follow-up dates together. “Everything that we did sort of

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became like a date,” Amies says. One of those dates was a trip to Yellowstone National Park in the summer of 2008, when the couple attended a park staff reunion. But when they were sightseeing at Norris Geyser Basin, something went terribly wrong. Amies got a stomachache, and a long line for the porta potty made things seem grim. “I was gonna have a blowout,” Amies says, between laughs. So, Kranz — a soft-spoken guy — took things into his own hands, acting as a police-car escort as the two cut the line. “Bill was sort of behind me and he said, ‘Oh, she’s ill, she’s ill,’ and we were sort of like going in front of everybody,” Amies says. Now, any time the couple finds themselves in an embarrassing, urgent situation, they say “Norris Geyser Basin,” bringing them back to the panic that ensued thirteen years ago. “It was so embarrassing,” Amies says. “And that was funny.”

n a recent afternoon, Amies now 80, and Kranz, 68, sit at an antique table littered with tea wear and San Pellegrino bottles, just feet inside the front door of their Benton Park home, a converted bakery. “This neighborhood reminded me of some of the houses in Europe, and so I was always drawn to European influences,” Amies says of Benton Park, where she has lived since 1988. Kranz is a native of St. Louis’ north side, and graduated from the old Northwest High School. Back in 1992, he had also written a Personto-Person ad but says he received no responses. Before meeting Amies, he had only ever been involved in one long-term relationship, something he attributed to being preoccupied, because he was often too busy with his various projects to focus on romantic interests. “I was really busy working projects and fossil collecting like I do, and [working] in my theater for many decades,” he says. For the past ten years, Kranz has lived in the home with Amies, a retired professor of graphic design at the University of MissouriSt. Louis. After meeting through Amies’ RFT ad, the two dated for twenty years before they started living together. The decor of their home is eclectic, accented with things like hanging strands of origami planes and a church pew converted into a bookshelf. “This house is sort of so big … that we each have had lots of working space to do our projects and things," says Amies. "So we never had to fight over space.” Over the years, the home has also often housed Kranz’s psychedelic black-light theater productions, which have included burning Christmas trees and popping water beds. Water nearly spewed into one of the house’s window wells during one memorable performance. “That’s when I had to go to Frazier’s and get drunk,” Amies says. Like in any long-running relationship, they haven't always agreed. Amies, for example, found fault in the way Kranz treated his audience at these productions. “I felt he didn’t respect his audience enough,” she says. “And so we had … disagreements about different value systems.” Amies eventually backed off after realizing she would not have wanted anybody to interfere with her creative process, either. They solved their problems like that, working out the occasional issue Continued on pg 16

Inhabited by two artists, the former bakery has become an eclectic home, full of Amies' and Kranz's collections, tools and materials. | ERIN MCAFEE

Amies says after her first date with Kranz "everything that we did sort of became like a date." | ERIN MCAFEE

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The couple share their home with their creations. | ERIN MCAFEE

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MEET ME

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when one arose, and giving each other room to pursue their interests, often literally. Because the house is so big, they have their own spaces to do their work and crafts. Living their independent lives — together — for the past twenty years, the two have grown closer to each other, and now want to get married. “It’s sort of — it’s better than a funeral,” Amies says. “No, I mean, I’ve always said that.”

mies and Kranz only started to talk about marriage within the last year and a half. There was no proposal, but rather, they decided together that they would get married. Aimes says that her relationship with Kranz has surpassed the length of her previous marriage, and when she looks around, that of many others, too. “I was married for 26 years, what can I say,” Aimes says. “So we’ve gone, I’ve gone past that, we’ve gone past that. And so that made a big difference to me, that we’ve actually gone past, I mean, we beat out Bill and Melinda Gates.”

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Amies says she and Kranz are ready for a "new realm of experience" together. | ERIN MCAFEE Being in such a long relationship with Amies, Kranz says it was time for the couple to enter the new “realm of experience” that marriage offers. Amies views marriage sort of as a symbol of respect to Kranz, to their relationship. “It’s a respectful thing to do,” she says. “And I know a lot of people say, ‘Well, why bother?’ But it just makes a statement, really, that you feel that it’s something worth having.”

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And the wedding, Amies says, is an opportunity to host a great celebration, after the COVID-19 pandemic stopped them from hosting the parties for 50 or so people they would often have at their home in pre-pandemic times. The wedding, at the Piper Palm House in Tower Grove Park, will be untraditional. There is not going to be a center aisle, but rather the room will be filled with round tables, according to Amies. Also, instead of sharing one big cake,

each guest will get their own cake. “It’s gonna be a little bit — a little bit arty,” Aimes says. “There’ll be great music there. Beatles and, I mean, we both love Beatles.” But the wedding doesn’t come without traditional pressures for Amies, who says her age has exacerbated pressure for her to look good. “I think it’s stressful because I’m supposed to look good, and I have a hard time to look good,” Amies says. After the wedding, Kranz says he does not expect much about their relationship to change. “I don’t think it needs to change, except that we’ll be finally together, you know, according to the scripture of marriage, you know,” Kranz says. Soon-to-be-weds Kranz and Amies, who met 30 years ago through an RFT ad, and have been going on dates ever since, give some pretty simple advice to new partners: Always have something to look forward to. “This year of COVID stopped all that because we couldn’t, you know, go travel, but it’s really nice having something always to look forward to,” Amies says. “And I think that contributes to a good relationship, too.”

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RIVERFRONT TIMES

CAFE

Home Again K-Bop’s new spot is a showcase of the owners’ Korean roots Written by

CHERYL BAEHR K-Bop 6120 Delmar Boulevard, 314-884-8767. Mon.-Sat. 11 a.m.-9 p.m.; Sun. 11 a.m.-8 p.m.

or a decade, Yu Duck Lee, his sister-in-law Hye Keeley and their business partner Dae Yeol Lee have been serving Japanese cuisine at Duck’s Central West End sushi restaurant, Kampai Sushi Bar. By all measures, they’ve achieved success; they have a strong brand, a loyal following and good business. Still, something about their situation left them unsatisfied. It’s not that they didn’t love the restaurant or the industry; all three had committed to making their way in the hospitality business and were all-in on that path. The problem was that they had a nagging feeling that they should be doing something much more personal. Cooking Japanese food and preparing sushi was rewarding in its own way, but Keeley, Lee and Lee could not shake the feeling that they wanted to do something that showcased their Korean heritage. They’d been cooking other people’s food for years, they thought. Why not take the leap and cook their own? The trio would get the chance to do that six years ago. During a downturn in business at Kampai’s now-shuttered Chesterfield location, they began talking about taking on a new project. Korean food, it seemed, was the perfect fit. Not only would it give them an opportunity to share their culinary heritage with diners, they also had an impressive background to draw upon: Dae Yeol Lee was trained in Korean Royal Court cuisine and had spent years as a chef in the Korean military before moving to the United States. Yu Duck Lee, too, has a substantial culinary background with seventeen years of experience in various kitchens, both in Korea and the United States. Armed with that experience and the desire to show a

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K-Bop is expanding from food trucks to a restaurant in the Loop, serving Korean favorites such as bibimbap, spicy pork bob and kimchi. | MABEL SUEN piece of themselves to the St. Louis dining community, the partners took their Korean brand, K-Bop, to the streets in 2015. Keeley, Lee and Lee launched KBop as a food truck because they wanted to bring their food to as many people as possible in a casual setting. The idea worked, and the brand was so well received that they rolled out a second truck in 2018. Still, it wasn’t enough to satisfy demand. Everywhere they went, customers would ask when they were going to open a brick-and-mortar restaurant. The idea has been in the back of the partners’ minds for a while, and eventually, they began looking for spaces around town. Last summer, the three happened upon the former Loop location of Guerrilla Street Food and felt that it had everything they were looking for. After a few months of work, the partners opened their doors on December 9, giving them both a commercial kitchen for their truck as well as a stationary place for fans to enjoy their food. Much like the truck, the space has a lively, vibrant aesthetic. The fast-casual restaurant has a dark blue and bright yellow color scheme, and a mural of the

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Co-owner Yu Duck Lee. | MABEL SUEN brand’s rice-bowl-character logo is emblazoned across the back wall. Roughly ten tables provide seating for indoor dining, while yellow picnic tables are placed around the restaurant’s front patio for those who prefer to eat outside. All of the truck’s staples can be found at the new, stationary KBop, including the spicy chicken,

which features hunks of tender white and dark meat glazed in sweet and fiery gochujang and Korean pepper sauce. The chicken is served over white rice, as well as thin sweet-potato glass noodles with a subtle sweetness that counters the sauce’s heat. Julienne carrots and greens garnish the dish, adding a bit of crunch.

Beef bop and an assortment of sides. | MABEL SUEN

The spicy tofu’s fried nuggets are crisp on the outside with a custard-like interior, best eaten as soon as possible to avoid losing that wonderful texture. Spicy pork, served with the same accoutrements as the chicken, is another hit. Here, the pungent gochujang and pepper sauce underscore the succulent pork’s natural sweetness while lighting up the mouth with a pleasant, tingling burn. Spicy tofu is an excellent meatless option; the fried nuggets are crisp on the outside with a custard-like interior, though they are best eaten as soon after coming out of the fryer as possible to avoid losing that wonderful texture. K-Bop also offers bulgolgi japchae, a brown-sugary, soy-kissed concoction flecked with white and green onions and carrots. It’s a nice option for those looking to go a milder route, as is the chicken katsu, a thinly pounded white-meat cutlet blanketed in panko breading and fried to a golden crisp. Spicy mayonnaise and sweet and savory katsu sauce

(think teriyaki, but richer and less sweet) elevate an otherwise simple dish into something special. Tteokbokki, a Korean dish of cylinder-shaped rice cakes and flat fish cakes, is one of K-Bop’s most exciting dishes. The cakes are tossed in a gochujang-based sauce that at first tastes like tomato sauce, but then reveals an umami-laden sea flavor. For those looking for a taste of traditional Korean street fare on the restaurant’s menu, this is where it’s at. K-Bop serves a handful of Korean finger foods, such as mandu, which are golden, pan-fried dumplings filled with seasoned pork and vegetables. The accompanying spicy mayo is an addictive dipping sauce. Vegetable spring rolls, encased in a delicate, flaky wrapper, are another satisfying appetizer. Keeley notes that the brick and mortar’s kitchen is allowing the brand to expand its offerings and to cook things to order, giving diners more of a sense of what she, Lee and Lee are capable of doing. This means that she expects the restaurant to expand its streetfood offerings and traditional Korean specialties, pushing beyond what is merely good and convenient and showing the extent of their capabilities. If this current glimpse is any indication, K-Bop’s future is incredibly bright.

K-Bop Bulgolgi japchae .........................................$7 Spicy chicken ........................................... $12 Spicy pork ................................................ $12 •Carry-out, delivery and dine-in

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RIVERFRONT TIMES

SHORT ORDERS

[ S T. L O U I S S TA N D A R D S ]

Bar Time Pat Connolly Tavern has kept generations of St. Louisans in beer and fried chicken Written by

CHERYL BAEHR

hen Joe Jovanovich took over Pat’s Bar & Grill in 2015, he did so not because of some longstanding desire to get into the restaurant business. Instead, he upended his life and took on the place out of a responsibility to his family, his neighborhood and his city. “At the time, I was involved in nonprofit work, but the place had fallen on hard times, and it came down to a question of whether or not it was going to keep going,” Jovanovich says of the bar and grill. “It was definitely a leap of faith, but I felt that taking it over was a way to save and preserve it. It felt like an important piece of my family’s history, but also of the neighborhood’s and city’s history, and I felt that I had to keep that going as a small little slice of St. Louis culture.” Now operating as the Pat Connolly Tavern, the bar and grill on the corner of Oakland and Tamm avenues has been a part of St. Louis culture for 79 years. Though the place was likely a bar before his grandfather, Pat Connolly, bought the building, Jovanovich traces his family’s involvement back to a bill of sale dated 1942. He’s not sure why his granddad decided to get into the bar business; a native of a small village outside of Galway, Ireland, Connolly had no background in pubs. Instead, he worked in the fields around his family’s home until he immigrated to the United States in 1927. Family connections and an established Irish community led him to St. Louis, where he got a job in one of the city’s many downtown shoe factories until he purchased the Dogtown bar. Why he did, as well as the details of his life between 1927 and 1942, remains a mystery. The building’s history is a little

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The Pat Connolly Tavern has been part of Dogtown for nearly eight decades. | ANDY PAULISSEN clearer. Built in 1918 to be a general store, it soon morphed into a soda fountain and apothecary and stayed as such through Prohibition. Jovanovich isn’t sure when the place changed into a bar, but he found a photo from the 1930s that shows a sign on the building reading “Tamm Oak Tavern.” He doesn’t know the details of that iteration, but he is confident it was a bar when his grandfather bought it, since the bill of sale contained details about bar equipment. For the first several years, Connolly kept the place as it was — from photos, Jovanovich says the scene looked like a soda fountain that someone turned into a bar. However, in the 1950s, Connolly added a kitchen to the back of the building, renovated the existing structure and converted the place into a bar and grill, ushering in a new era that defines the Pat Connolly Tavern to this day. “At the time, this was one of the first bars and full-service restaurants in the neighborhood,” Jovanovich says. “In the post-war era, it became the trend to have more of a bar and grill in one place; before that, bars and restaurants were mostly separate. When he

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There have been a few updates, but the tavern remains a neighborhood standard. | ANDY PAULISSEN made the change, he came up with the core staples of the menu the fried chicken, the fried fish, the burgers all get traced back to then. We still have some of the old menus from then, and not much has changed.” Connolly ran the bar and grill until 1962 when he sold the business, but not the building, to a longtime employee. That proprietor changed the name to McDer-

mott’s, which became well known as the place to go before and after Blues games. In 1980, the owner sold the place back to Jovanovich’s mother and father, who changed the name back to Pat’s and ran it throughout Jovanovich’s childhood. He loved growing up in the bar and relished the mini-celebrity status it gave him in the neighborhood; his basketball team would have its post-

It’s still the place for a bite and a beer. | ANDY PAULISSEN

Generations of St. Louisans have filled the bar over the years. | ANDY PAULISSEN game meals at Pat’s, and everyone in the area came in to see his dad — even some of the Blues players. Jovanovich and his mother’s life got upended when he was eleven years old. His dad died suddenly from an aneurysm. Not long after, the Blues left the Arena for their new home downtown and took a chunk of the bar’s gameday business with them. Though his mother kept up the place for a while, she eventually decided to sell the bar and grill to a longtime employee while, like her father, retaining ownership of the building. It was a good arrangement, but eventually, Pat’s fell on hard times and was in danger of closing. Instead of renewing the owners’ lease, Jovanovich took over the place and renamed it the Pat

Connolly Tavern, reclaiming his family’s legacy and ensuring that the tavern would be around for generations to come. Jovanovich admits that tavern proprietorship has not been easy, and he feels a constant pressure to strike just the right balance between preserving the restaurant’s history while being mindful of present-day preferences. It’s a juggling act, and he admits that he has not always gotten it right. “Now, it’s all about finding the balance between keeping that legacy going, but at the same time trying to stay relevant and attract new audiences,” Jovanovich says. “We haven’t quite found the magic formula, but we are still working on that. You have to adapt and pick where you can evolve, but that can

be challenging to do without upsetting somebody. It’s definitely been interesting to see how to balance the past with the future.” The past year has made that balance even more difficult. If Jovanovich was inclined to hang onto certain aspects of the tavern that may have been nostalgic but not profitable, the COVID-19 pandemic has forced him to make tough decisions in order to survive as a business. “It’s tough because there’s an emotion there,” Jovanovich says. “As a restaurant, we aren’t doing life-saving work, but people form these compelling attachments to bars and restaurants. If you go to the doctor and they say they don’t do a procedure anymore, you say, ‘Wait, but I need that to survive.’ We don’t have chicken gizzards anymore, and people are asking how they are going to survive because they’ve been coming in for decades to get them. It tugs at the heart a little, but we have to look at what keeps the door open because now, every penny counts. I know that’s not a fun, historical message, but it’s honest.” Still, Jovanovich remains committed to keeping the Pat Connolly Tavern’s legacy going for decades to come. He admits that there are days when things get especially tough, and he wonders why he keeps going, but then he thinks about the customers and how many memories are attached to the place. It fills him with both a sense of pride in what his family has created and a sense of obligation to honor those memories — and guarantee that there is a space for people to create new ones for the next 79 years. “A restaurant is a commercial thing, and obviously you keep it going because you want to make money to support your family,” Jovanovich says. “But also, it’s like you own a little bit of a museum and there’s that sense of obligation to keep something going because it’s part of a larger story. That’s why we jumped in in the first place, and it’s why we keep it going. Sometimes, you get to the point where you think the world doesn’t need any more fried chicken, but then you realize that it’s not really about the fried chicken or a food item or the fact that the bar looks cool. It’s that all these little things add up to this community, and people have a connection to it.”

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[FIRST LOOK]

The Sando Solution Written by

HOLDEN HINDES

t 2nd Shift Brewing, a bright red truck emblazoned with the name Sando Shack sits in the parking lot next to the brewery’s patio seating. Co-owner Amy Guo leans out the window, guiding customers through the menu, while her partner, Dan Jensen, drops chicken and pork into the fryer behind her. The whiteboard hanging on the side of the truck lists the truck’s staples: the Chicken Katsu Sando, the Sweet and Spicy Chicken Katsu Sando, and Korokke, a vegetarian Japanese croquette. A food truck serving Japanese sandwiches is quite a departure from Guo and Jensen’s original plan, but they are making the most of an unexpected situation. From Seattle, the pair moved back to Guo’s hometown of St. Louis a year ago with plans to open a restaurant called Hello Poke at the forthcoming City Foundry. However, just after they made the move, City Foundry’s opening was delayed, tabling the food stall indefinitely. Guo hopes Hello Poke can open later this summer. But Guo and Jensen are not sitting around and waiting. In the meantime, they launched Sando Shack, first as a series of pop-ups and now as a truck appearing a few times a week at breweries, events or parks around town. So far, the truck has appeared at 2nd Shift Brewing, 4 Hands Brewing Co., Tower Grove Farmers’ Market, Laumeier Sculpture Park and Cortex Commons. “We usually try to hit up places that don’t serve food so it can be a good partnership for both parties,” Guo says. Guo and Jensen appreciated the variety of Asian-inspired cuisine available in Seattle and saw an opportunity in St. Louis to introduce some of their favorite foods to a much less saturated market. The restaurant’s menu is centered around traditional Japanese sandwiches, served on toasted white bread with a generous helping of colorful cabbage slaw and potato chips on the side. Along with the aforementioned options, varieties include Chicken Katsu — a thin chicken breast Continued on pg 22

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SANDO SHACK Continued from pg 21

cutlet dredged in flour, egg and panko, and then deep-fried — as well as Spicy Shrimp Katsu and a Beef Katsu Burger. Deep frying the burger patty keeps all the juices inside, Guo says. The truck also offers daily specials, such as a Chicken NanBan Sando, and rotating menu items like the Pork Tonkatsu Sando. As Guo explains, the menu changes every time the truck is out. “My husband Dan is the one who cooks everything,” Guo says. “He’s been in the restaurant industry all his life. He picked up on the Asian-style cuisine when we were out in Seattle. There’s a lot of Asian-inspired cuisine out there in Washington. One of the things we really liked were the Japanese-style katsu sandwiches, so he picked up on that with his restaurant experience, and then he developed the menu that we currently have.” As for side dishes, Guo teases that there is more yet to come. “We want to develop more sides,” Guo says. “We did fries one time, and they were a huge hit. We did togarashi fries, curry fries and nori fries, and people loved those, so we’ll probably bring those back sometime. We’re trying to get exciting new menu items on board and keep developing with

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Sandos are served on toasted white bread with slaw and potato chips, which come in handy for scooping up runaway slaw. | HOLDEN HINDES these different types of Japanese ingredients.” Guo, who completed her MBA in 2017, works the business side of the operation and is in charge of running the social media and putting together collaborations, a role that uses her business-marketing background. Though she works the truck every time it is out, she is usually at the window while Jensen prepares the food. Guo looks forward to filling out the staff of the truck so they can take it out more often. Currently, with a couple of part-time employees, the load is manageable, but they generally spend one day prepping and one day serving. “Right now, we’re doing two or three

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events per week, but we want to have that grow to five to six times per week,” Guo says. “If we can have more people, then we could probably bring the truck out twice in one day, at different locations.” They have also considered setting up at 9 Mile Garden, but Guo wants to focus on getting Hello Poke up and running and maintaining the mobility of the truck for now. “Looking forward, hopefully next year if we have enough staff, and everything is in order with the City Foundry, we can get out to 9 Mile.” Guo and Jensen may have not planned to start Sando Shack before moving to St. Louis, but they insist it is not just a

way to pass the time until Hello Poke goes live. Instead, the pair are committed to maintaining both brands as long as they can manage. “We’re trying to set ourselves apart in the sense that it is Japanese-style sandwiches, but we put our own twist on it,” Guo says. “We really focus on the katsu aspect, and it’s like hot-and-savory sandwiches made to order. We want to have fun with the menu and keep it exciting and fresh and bring new menu items out each time.” To find where Sando Shack will be, follow the truck on Facebook or Instagram (@sandoshackstl) to track down its next pop-up.

REEFERFRONT TIMES Push for Recreational Weed Targeting 2022 Ballot Written by

DANNY WICENTOWSKI

ackers of Missouri’s successful 2018 ballot measure that legalized medical marijuana say they plan to unveil their next effort — an initiative petition targeting the 2022 ballot to legalize recreational use — by the end of June. The timing will allow signature collection to begin in August, says John Payne, though he declined to specify details on possession and cultivation limits while the campaign’s drafting committee is still finalizing the petition. With Missouri dispensaries opening across the state, Payne says he’s confident that residents are ready to expand cannabis legalization. If the measure is passed, Missouri would join fourteen states that have legalized recreational marijuana — including its neighbor Illinois, which Newsweek reports is on pace to finish the year with more than $1 billion in cannabis sales. According to Payne, it was local polling in 2019 that showed “a strong majority that supports legalizing the adult use of marijuana” — and which motivated the creation of Missourians For A New Approach. The campaign attempted to repeat the success of 2018 by placing a question on the November 2020 ballot, one asking voters to approve a constitutional amendment that would effectively treat cannabis the way the law treats alcohol. Payne, who served as the 2020 initiative’s campaign manager, says the surprising level of public support for adult-use cannabis was borne out in the streets — at least, initially. “It was actually some of the easiest signature collection that I’ve ever been a part of,” he recalls.

“Right up to the point that it became just absolutely impossible.” Indeed, while the pandemic shut down the country, it was devastating for the petitioners whose entire jobs involved targeting gatherings to collect signatures. Suddenly, no one was gathering outside — and no one wanted strangers approaching them with random pens to touch and breathe on. “We tried to continue doing it to some extent,” Payne notes, though it became clear by mid-April that the campaign wouldn’t get anywhere close to the 160,000 signatures it needed to collect by May in order to make the ballot. “There was no reasonable path to gain those signatures, so we decided to pull the plug on this and just look to look to 2022,” he says. “It was a very difficult decision.” But the extra time has given the campaign months to draft a bet-

John Payne. | JAIME LEES ter proposal for voters, says Dan Viets, who sits on the initiative’s draft committee and also serves as a Missouri state coordinator for the National Organization for

the Reform of Marijuana Laws. Among the provisions that have changed since 2020, Viets says that “the expungement provisions in this draft are going to be far broader, far more comprehensive, and far more helpful” — and adds, “Some of the other provisions related to discrimination and employment, I would say they are also some the most important things that we’ve incorporated into this.” Another plus for the 2022 version? Viets says it won’t just be looking forward to an adult-use industry, but also incorporating lessons learned over the past months as Missouri’s burgeoning cannabis industry has gotten off the ground. “There are so many important aspects of this initiative that were not in that one two years ago,” Viets continues. “It’s been frustrating how long it’s taken, but I am almost thankful for the delay.”

New Swade Location Opens in Ex-Church Written by

DANIEL HILL

wade Cannabis, the line of dispensaries operated by St. Louis-based BeLeaf Medical, has opened its highly (see what we did there?) anticipated Loop location this week at 6166 Delmar Boulevard. The new shop held its soft opening on Thursday, June 24. The dispensary is housed in a renovated church building, making it one of the more unique places to purchase weed in the city. That seems to be part of a larger trend for Swade, whose flagship Grove location was named by Architectural Digest as one of the Country’s 12 Most Stylish Dispensaries, and described by RFT’s own cannabis critic Tommy Chims as “a piece of art you can walk around in” thanks to the work of several local artists. The Delmar location has seen some of that same treatment as well, with Swade sharing a photo on social media of celebrated local artist Brock Seals posing in front of a colorful tribute to the Delmar Loop that he created on one of its walls. According to a press release announcing the opening, Swade’s new location will continue with the brand’s overall goal of providing cannabis education in addition to the high-quality products for

Swade’s new location in the Delmar Loop will have you saying “hallelujah.” | VIA SWADE CANNABIS which it is already known. “Our dispensaries are tailored to create an atmosphere that is open and inviting with a premium experience for the educated and yet-to-be educated patient. We want you to feel comfortable in our dispensary and will help you find the perfect product and strain to meet your needs,” says Jack Haddox, director of dispensary operations. “You will find flower, edibles, beverages and other medical forms of product at our locations, with more options arriving daily.” Many of those products will come via the Sinse brand, BeLeaf’s cannabis cultivation and manufacturing arm. Recently, RFT sent science reporter Leah Shaffer to the warehouse where that work

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is done for a cover story that ran down some of the finer points of the practice. According to the press release, Swade plans to hold a grand opening and ribbon cutting celebration for its Delmar store later this summer, but no date for that has yet been announced. Meanwhile, though, true cannabis believers have a new church to attend. “Patients deserve easy, convenient access to the life-changing medicines that improve their lives,” says BeLeaf CEO Tom Muzzey, “and we are honored to be able to provide this with medical cannabis AND education in The Delmar Loop no less.” For more information and the new dispensary’s menu, visit swadecannabis. com.

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CULTURE

[FILM]

Let’s Start the Show After being forced to adapt due to the pandemic, Arkadin Cinema eyes a return to its microcinema plans Written by

JACK PROBST

n March 2020, the owners of Arkadin Cinema & Bar (5228 Gravois Avenue), Keith Watson and Sarah Baraba, had just received permits to start construction on what would be St. Louis’ first microcinema. Then the pandemic hit, and the pair were forced to adapt, transforming the parking lot behind the space into a COVID-friendly outdoor mini-theater. “In our plans, we knew we had the back parking-lot area, and we always planned that would be someplace we would expand in the future,” says Watson. “As it turned out, it kind of flipped our plans 180, where we had to figure out the backlot first and put the inside on the back burner.” As they say in the business, “The show must go on!” Baraba and Watson quickly deviated from their original intentions and set up a way to screen films behind their building and their neighbor’s, the Heavy Anchor. Folks gather with their chairs in the backlot on show night; it almost feels like they’re sitting on the tailgate of their cars in the drive-in theaters of yesteryear. But, for Watson and Baraba, showing films on the backlot was less about nostalgia and more about necessity. “It was just our only option at the time. There are things I love about it. There’s a different atmosphere when you’re watching a movie outside versus when you’re watching it inside. There’s a somewhat looser vibe among people, I think,” says Watson. “We’re right on Gravois, so we get street noise,

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The backlot has moved to the front burner for the theater. | COURTESY ARKADIN CINEMA & BAR and we get people shouting. We did a movie the other day, and a guy was looking for his lost cockatiel bird in the alley behind the theater.” Of course, the weather can be unpredictable, and doesn’t always follow the schedule. They had some extremely cold screenings this past May, with temperatures in the low 40s during Hitchcock’s Rear Window. And already, this summer has seen some nights where you could cut that St. Louis humidity with a knife — nights like this end in sweat for Watson and Baraba after they load equipment back inside following the showing. As COVID-19 restrictions have loosened due to increased vaccinations, the theater has made a few adjustments since the screenings first began to take place outside. “We’ve increased our capacity a little bit, and we’re being more thoughtful with our space as we are letting more people in,” says Baraba. “Right now, we sell 40 tickets online, and then we see how the house looks once all the guests get there. Depending on how groups sit together can change, night to night, how many guests we feel safe having on the backlot. We can fit about 40 to 0 guests right now. And outside, we know the transmission of COVID

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is very low, so we have relaxed mask-wearing back there.” July sees the return of the former “Strange Brew” series, long associated with Webster University. After spending over ten years at Schlafly Bottleworks in Maplewood and a brief period at Urban Chestnut, Arkadin seems like the perfect place for this St. Louis staple to land. Watson and Baraba reached out to Jon Scorfina, who hosted Strange Brew for years, through mutual friends and set up bringing the screenings back. Kicking off the film series revival is the 1989 film The Wizard on July 7, starring Fred Savage and the future frontwoman for Rilo Kiley, Jenny Lewis. In a press release on the Arkadin website, Scorfina describes the movie as “a strange flick where three kids travel across the country to play in a Nintendo contest.” For what is essentially an hour-and-a-halflong Nintendo advertisement, The Wizard is a fun-filled, nostalgic trip for all aging millennials to enjoy. Arrive early to take part in a Super Mario Bros. 3 tournament like the one in the film, and you might win a prize. And what does the rest of summer look like through the lens of Arkadin’s camera? “In August, we have a few things coming up, but I can’t be super specific,” says Baraba. “It

does have something to do with Vincent Price, and it’s a pretty exciting event with a special guest.” Arkadin will also be showing a new animated film, Cryptozoo, on August 20. The film follows the events of a zoo full of cryptids, animals whose existence has never been proven (think Bigfoot or the Loch Ness Monster) after the government decides to weaponize them. Arkadin will be showing the film on release night, and it will be the first place you can see it in town. Surrounding that release, the theater will also be showcasing other trippy animated films throughout the rest of the month. In addition, Arkadin will continue its ongoing series “Filmed in St. Louis,” which features films that were, well, filmed in St. Louis. The theater has previously shown Stryker Spurlock’s Part Time, and most recently, The Great St. Louis Bank Robbery. The following entry features everyone’s favorite antihero, Snake Plissken, in John Carpenter’s classic Escape from New York. Each “Filmed in St. Louis” feature will be accompanied by a unique short film. “We have a local documentary filmmaker, he goes by Mike the Eye, and he’s done little history videos about the streets of St. Louis,” says Watson. “We partnered with him to do little short films looking at the locations of movies that were filmed in St. Louis. He did one for The Great St. Louis Bank Robbery, and he’s working on one for Escape from New York.” Renovations for the inside of the Arkadin Cinema & Bar have yet to commence, but the filmloving couple have their permits and are ready to start building the sets. They’re moving forward with construction this summer, with plans to begin showing movies inside by the end of the year. Despite the change in their original plan, things have panned out nicely for the two. “I think it’s been sort of a blessing in disguise in the sense that it let us kind of do a slower rampup, build up a little bit of our audience,” Watson says, “and I think people have really enjoyed the backlot, and we now know that’s probably a key piece of our business model moving forward.” For the full schedule of events and ticketing information, visit arkadincinema.com.

Saint Louis Music Park is ready for its big debut. | VIA SAINT LOUIS MUSIC PARK

[VENUES]

Saint Louis Music Park Announces Inaugural Concert Lineup Written by

JAIME LEES

he big debut of Saint Louis Music Park (750 Casino Center Drive, Maryland Heights; 314-451-2244) suffered a bit of a setback when its concert season was clubbed in the knee like Nancy Kerrigan last summer by COVID-19. The pandemic brought all entertainment in St. Louis to a grinding halt last year, and we’re just now getting some of it back. Most people feel safe to attend outdoor concerts now, and Saint Louis Music Park is aiming to deliver all of that and more with a proper grand opening later this summer. (The property also includes a beer garden and a lovely lake for chilling at pre-show.) With the new outdoor venue located in Maryland Heights, most locals have been thinking it will be “Baby Riverport” — meaning that it will be like the smaller, fresh version of the Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre, which has provided the St. Louis area with summer shed-style entertainment since 1991. The concerts that had to be canceled last year for the 4,500-seat venue’s debut were missed (they’d had Kesha, Big Freedia, Primus, Goo Goo Dolls, Steve Miller Band, Wilco, Judas Priest and more booked), but many of the same en-

tertainers were rescheduled for this year, and there are tons of other artists added to the Saint Louis Music Park lineup, too. The venue’s current full schedule is below, with more shows to be announced. Visit saintlouismusicpark.com for more information or to buy tickets. Aug. 3: Blackberry Smoke w/The Allman Betts Band and The Wild Feathers Aug. 4: Jason Mraz w/Southern Avenue Aug. 5: Brothers Osborne w/Travis Denning and Tenille Townes Aug. 7: Lindsey Stirling w/Kiesza Aug. 13: Wilco + Sleater-Kinney and special guest NNAMDI Aug. 14: The Urge w/Soul Asylum, Local H and Juliana Hatfield Aug. 21: Counting Crows w/Sean Barna and Matt Sucich Aug. 27: Rise Against w/Descendents and The Mezingers Aug. 28: Trippie Redd w/Iann Dior and SoFaygo Aug. 31: Louis the Child w/Jai Wolf Sept. 3: Flogging Molly + Violent Femmes w/Thick Sept. 5: Quinn XCII w/Chelsea Cutler Sept. 7: Needtobreathe w/Switchfoot and The New Respects Sept. 8: Coheed and Cambria & The Used w/Meet Me At The Altar Sept. 12: 3 Doors Down w/Chayce Beckham Sept. 14: Primus w/The Sword Sept. 15: 311 w/Iration and Iya Terra Sept. 16: Faith No More w/F*cked Up Sept. 17: Rod Wave Sept. 23: Brett Eldredge w/Morgan Evans Sept. 25: Judas Priest w/Sabaton Sept. 28: Machine Gun Kelly w/jxdn and carolesdaughter Oct. 2: Alice Cooper w/Ace Frehley Oct. 9: Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats w/Margo Price

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CALENDAR

THURSDAY, JULY 1 The Way Out Club’s Last Hurrah Throughout July. The Way Out Club, 2525 South Jefferson Avenue. We have some good news and we have some bad news. The bad news is that the Way Out Club is still closing. But the good news is that they’ve extended their farewell festival. Instead of hosting one final week of shows, the club will now be hosting an entire month of shows as a goodbye to the beloved St. Louis institution. The shows will run each night from July 1 through 31. Owner Bob Putnam reached out to us himself to let us know about the change in plans. He said once word got out that the club would be closing after 27 years he was contacted by many entertainers who wanted to play the farewell party. So many great entertainers, in fact, that “it would be silly not to extend the party.” So that’s what they did, giving everyone a few more days to raise a glass to one of St. Louis’ weirdest bars/venues before it goes away for good. Coming Soon: The artists on deck haven’t been announced yet, but Putnam promises that the schedule is coming soon, so we’ll have that information for you as soon as we can at riverfronttimes.com. —Jaime Lees

FRIDAY, JULY 2 SLAM’s Stunning New Exhibit Friday, July 2, 2021, through Sunday, January 2, 2022. Saint Louis Art Museum, 1 Fine Arts Drive. Free. 314-721-0072.

For those who can’t get enough of the stunning architecture that surrounds us all over the world, the Saint Louis Art Museum’s newest exhibit will be up your alley. Architectural Photography from the Collection: 1850-2000 presents a photographic look at some of the amazing work that human hands have constructed over a period

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Maxi Glamour collaborates with fellow freaks this week at the Crack Fox. | VIA THE ARTIST of 150 years. SLAM has compiled these works almost entirely from the museum’s permanent collection, along with some recently gifted works, and they are all seen here together for the first time. Observing these pieces of art side by side will give you the opportunity to understand what compelled these artists to become fascinated with the subject of their work. From the top of a skyscraper to the complex details in medieval structures, the exhibit covers structures from across the globe and through time. Build Your Own Story: The exhibit, running through the end of the year, features works by Francis Firth, Maxime Du Camp, Julius Shulman and Bernice Abbott. An extraordinary reason for running out and seeing the exhibit is a work by Leavitt Hunt and Nathan Baker, who were the first Americans to photograph Egypt’s ancient ruins. —Jack Probst

First Fridays: Top Gun 9:30 a.m. Friday, July 2. Saint Louis Science Center, 5050 Oakland Avenue. Free. 314-289-4400.

sound barrier! July’s theme is all about the science and technology of the 1986 Tom Cruise/Val Kilmer film Top Gun. Find out how well you know your wingmen Goose, Maverick and Iceman with Top Gun trivia. Flex your STEM muscles with the building-wide Top Gun game! (No word on if a volleyball court is being erected for the evening, but we wouldn’t count it out.) There will also be speakers and other activities, along with food and drink specials. The event runs during normal daytime hours of 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Headed to an Aircraft Carrier Near You: This year sees the 30th anniversary of Top Gun, and the release of the sequel no one asked for, Top Gun: Maverick. (Tom Cruise isn’t ready to back down yet, and we guess the next Mission: Impossible script wasn’t quite ready.) Catch it in theaters November 19 (or wait 45 days and watch it at home on Paramount+). —Jack Probst

SATURDAY, JULY 3 Modernadada Release Party

6 p.m. Saturday, July 3. The Crack Fox, 1114 Olive Do you feel the need ... the need Street. $10 online/$15 in person. for speed? First Fridays are back 314-828-5064. at the Saint Louis Science Center, and this time they’re breaking the

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Maxi Glamour is a demon of

many flavors standout star of Netflix’s “Dragula”; lithe burlesque performer; endlessly inventive wigmaker and costumier; potent political activist; and critical Black (sometimes blue) voice within a racially divided city’s art scene so you may have missed that they’re also a musical artist of increasing renown with a new album release to celebrate. Modernadada is an introspective digital environment built from dreams and discord in roughly equal measure, with Maxi as our changeling guide. Combine the highs of returning to live music with the cream of the city’s drag scene, and this show is pretty much guaranteed to be the wildest ride in town. Early Birdies: The show kicks off with free vegan barbecue (and probably baklava) from 6-8 p.m. and includes sets from DJ Steezo, AHNA, DJ Sainte, DJ Saylor and poet/wildfemme Joss Barton, so plan on showing up hungry and thirsty in all the ways. —Evan Sult

Out Every Night Now you’ve got the shot (and only then), put it to work by getting out to play Compiled by

DANIEL HILL THURSDAY 1

BILLY BARNETT BAND: 7 p.m., $15. BB’s Jazz, Blues & Soups, 700 S. Broadway, St. Louis, 314-436-5222. CAROLYN MASON: 7:30 p.m., $15-$20. Blue Strawberry Showroom & Lounge, 364 N. Boyle Ave., St. Louis, 314-256-1745. AN EVENING WITH PTAH WILLIAMS: 7 p.m., free. Evangeline’s, 512 N. Euclid Ave., St. Louis, 314-367-3644. THE GHOST OF PAUL REVERE: w/ One Way Traffic 7 p.m., $17.50. Tower Grove Park - Stupp Center, Grand Ave. & Arsenal St., St. Louis. LEAH OSBORNE: 5 p.m., free. Broadway Oyster Bar, 736 S. Broadway, St. Louis, 314-621-8811.

FRIDAY 2

BUTCH MOORE: 4 p.m., free. Broadway Oyster Bar, 736 S. Broadway, St. Louis, 314-621-8811. DIALOGUE: w/ Velcrowolf 8 p.m., $10. The Sinkhole, 7423 S. Broadway, St. Louis, 314-328-2309. EL KABONG BLUES BAND: 7 p.m., free. Evangeline’s, 512 N. Euclid Ave., St. Louis, 314-367-3644. GRANGER SMITH: 8 p.m., $30-$35. The Pageant, 6161 Delmar Blvd., St. Louis, 314-726-6161.

WEEK OF JULY 1-7

Matt F. Basler plays the Sinkhole with Post Sex Nachos and the Lizardones on Saturday, July 3. Keep an ear out for his new single, “I Wanna **** Your ***.” | MATT ROMER HOT CLUB OF COWTOWN: 7:30 p.m., $30-$35. Blue Strawberry Showroom & Lounge, 364 N. Boyle Ave., St. Louis, 314-256-1745. JOE METZKA BAND: 7 p.m., $15. BB’s Jazz, Blues & Soups, 700 S. Broadway, St. Louis, 314-436-5222. NOAH GLEN AND THESE DIRTY CHORDS: w/ Daren Gratton 8 p.m., $10. The Heavy Anchor, 5226 Gravois Ave., St. Louis, 314-352-5226. SHAVED CAT PROJECT: w/ Misplaced Religion 7:30 p.m., $12. Red Flag, 3040 Locust St., St. Louis, 314-289-9050. VOODOO DYLAN & THE DEAD: 7 p.m., $12. Tower Grove Park - Stupp Center, Grand Ave. & Arsenal St., St. Louis.

SATURDAY 3

ALL ROOSTERED UP: noon, free. Broadway Oyster Bar, 736 S. Broadway, St. Louis, 314-621-8811. BROCK WALKER & FRIENDS FEATURING SYLVIA HERRON: 3 p.m., $15. BB’s Jazz, Blues & Soups, 700 S. Broadway, St. Louis, 314-436-5222. HELLZAPOPPIN CIRCUS SIDESHOW REVUE: 8 p.m., $20-$40. Red Flag, 3040 Locust St., St. Louis, 314-289-9050. JOE METZKA BAND: 7 p.m., free. Evangeline’s, 512 N. Euclid Ave., St. Louis, 314-367-3644. LITTLE DYLAN: 7 p.m., $7. Tower Grove Park Stupp Center, Grand Ave. & Arsenal St., St. Louis. LOVE JONES “THE BAND”: 7 p.m., $15. BB’s Jazz, Blues & Soups, 700 S. Broadway, St. Louis, 314-436-5222. MATT F BASLER: w/ Post Sex Nachos, The Lizardtones 8 p.m., $10. The Sinkhole, 7423 S. Broadway, St. Louis, 314-328-2309. RAHLI: w/ Trady Tray, Pagedale Zo, KipJonDoe, Barbiebeejamminn, Zaae Chosen, Bashfromthegang, Young Sauc33 8 p.m., $15-$20. Pop’s Nightclub, 401 Monsanto Ave., East St. Louis, 618-274-6720. RHODA G: 8 p.m., $20-$25. Blue Strawberry Showroom & Lounge, 364 N. Boyle Ave., St. Louis, 314-256-1745. SOMORE: w/ Tony Sculfield, Turae, Darius Bradford 8 p.m., $40-$75. Stifel Theatre, 1400 Market St., St. Louis, 314-499-7600.

SUNDAY 4

ETHAN JONES: 2 p.m., free. Broadway Oyster Bar, 736 S. Broadway, St. Louis, 314-621-8811. FREDDY SPENCER PROJECT: 3 p.m., $15. BB’s Jazz, Blues & Soups, 700 S. Broadway, St. Louis, 314-436-5222. JANET EVRA: 11:30 a.m., free. Evangeline’s, 512 N. Euclid Ave., St. Louis, 314-367-3644. SKEET RODGERS & INNER CITY BLUES: 3 p.m., $15. BB’s Jazz, Blues & Soups, 700 S. Broadway, St. Louis, 314-436-5222.

MONDAY 5

MINDFUL MONDAY FEATURING RACE SIMMONS: 7 p.m., $15. BB’s Jazz, Blues & Soups, 700 S. Broadway, St. Louis, 314-436-5222. NEIL SALSICH: 2 p.m., free. Broadway Oyster Bar, 736 S. Broadway, St. Louis, 314-621-8811. SOULARD BLUES BAND: 9 p.m., free. Broadway Oyster Bar, 736 S. Broadway, St. Louis, 314-621-8811.

TUESDAY 6

DONNY N FRIENDS: 7 p.m., free. Blue Strawberry Showroom & Lounge, 364 N. Boyle Ave., St. Louis, 314-256-1745. ERIKA JOHNSON & FRIENDS: 7 p.m., $15. BB’s Jazz, Blues & Soups, 700 S. Broadway, St. Louis, 314-436-5222. JACKSON STOKES: 5 p.m., free. Broadway Oyster Bar, 736 S. Broadway, St. Louis, 314-621-8811.

WEDNESDAY 7

BIG RICH MCDONOUGH & THE RHYTHM RENEGADES: 7 p.m., $15. BB’s Jazz, Blues & Soups, 700 S. Broadway, St. Louis, 314-436-5222. DREW SHEAFOR AND FRIENDS: 8 p.m., free. Blue Strawberry Showroom & Lounge, 364 N. Boyle Ave., St. Louis, 314-256-1745. MO TEMPO JAZZ: 6 p.m., free. Blue Strawberry Showroom & Lounge, 364 N. Boyle Ave., St. Louis, 314-256-1745. THE S&S VOODUO PLAYERS: 9 p.m., free. Broadway Oyster Bar, 736 S. Broadway, St. Louis, 314-621-8811. WEDNESDAY NIGHT JAZZ JAM: 6 p.m., free. Grandel Theatre, 3610 Grandel Square, St. Louis, 314-533-0367.

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SAVAGE LOVE QUEER QUICKIES BY DAN SAVAGE Hey Dan: I just attended the nauseating wedding of my 30-year-old niece to her boyfriend of several years. Both of them seem as gay as possible but they are diehard religious fanatics. I can list 50 signs these two are gay and once you point it out to someone who isn’t a Bible-thumper they go, “Yeah, that makes so much sense.” The bride’s father, who was also the minister, praised them for not moving in together before the wedding — another sign. I personally find hetero abstinence until age 30 to be highly suspicious. In fact, refraining from heterosexual intercourse until that age only seems realistic if someone is gay or asexual. Our extended families are all religious blowhards, and we’re the only queer-friendly outlet in the family. I want badly to let the newlyweds know it’s OK to question the complexities of sexuality and that we’re here to support them. I fear they’ll live for decades in awkwardness because my niece’s minister father is beyond judgmental and insists love (and marriage) can only exist between one MAN and one WOMAN. Is there any tactful way to ask someone if they’re gay? Or to at least offer support if they are closeted? How do we let them know our little corner of the family will love and support them? I wish someone had asked me when I was trying to figure it out. Union Not Concealing LGBTQ Energy Why would you go to that wedding when it’s still possible to plead pandemic? And avoid having to sit in a room full of unpleasant people and their equally unpleasant friends? Both real and imaginary? A group of people who are also highly likely to be unvaccinated? Anyway, UNCLE, if you’re out to the family about being queer and/ or being queer-friendly — it’s unclear what you ultimately figured out about yourself — your work here is done. Your niece knows queer people exist because you exist; she knows queer people live

openly because you live openly. So she knows she has options and she knows she has at least one family member she can turn to. Now if you were to take the next step — a radical step — and actually call your niece on the phone and asking her if she’s queer ... if you were to list all the traits you regard as proof both she and her husband are queer ... it’s possible she might suddenly come out. Unlikely, UNCLE, but possible. But it’s almost certain you would be scratched from the guest list for all future family events — whether or not your niece comes out — which seriously tips the scales in favor of making that call. Hey Dan: Recently my nephew informed the whole family that he is gay. We all said supportive things and I told him about a “coming out” series of movies (“Boys Life”), and he appreciated the gesture. Now I come to the REAL reason for my writing to you. Though I enjoy the company of women — I am a man — my secret is that I find pleasure in sucking the pecs of muscular males. In my college days I made several male students and professors QUITE happy, and I got pleasure from these encounters as well. Occasionally, when the opportunity presented itself, I came while being dominated by a muscular man with big nips and it was heaven. My family knows nothing about this “other side” of me. I find myself envying my nephew’s openness. Perhaps a naive question, Mr. Savage, but are there others out there like me? Pensively Examining Complex Sexuality P.S. Maybe one day I can take the same brave step my nephew has. Yes, PECS, there are other bi guys out there. Some are into muscular pecs (although we just call them tits now), some keep this side of themselves from their spouses and families (which exacerbates bisexual invisibility and poor mental health outcomes among bisexuals), and some really get off on being dominated (because, like, that shit is hot). So you are definitely not alone. P.S. Today could be the day. Hey Dan: Just wanted to say thanks for the push I needed to

“At first I thought this was just some passing kink, but then I decided to experiment with trans sex workers. I got very aroused and enjoyed these encounters.” come out as bisexual to my family. I told my parents a couple weeks ago and just told my sisters. Surprise response? My oldest sister is also bisexual. Not the response I was expecting but it was a moment of recognition for both of us. I’m 31 years old, and for years I convinced myself that labels weren’t important, but I feel like a huge weight was lifted off me. This is who I am and it is important. Thanks for talking about bisexual visibility for a long time. For some reason it took that repetition for me to feel like my bisexuality mattered and that coming out is important for me and the whole LGBTQ+ community. Proudly Unmasking Silenced Heart Welcome out, PUSH, and how cool to learn you have — that you’ve always had — a queer sister! Hey Dan: I’m a man. As a teenager I had crushes on women but I was usually too shy to do anything about it. I had a girlfriend for two years and I enjoyed her romantically and sexually. After the relationship ended — and after struggling to find women that were attracted to me — I decided to explore my sexuality. This is when I discovered trans women and became very confused. I am very aroused by them, even more than to cis women, and this is very confusing to me because they were women with very feminine appearances but their genitals were still masculine. At first I thought this was just some passing kink but then I decided to experiment

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with trans sex workers. I got very aroused and enjoyed these encounters. Does this make me gay? I have never felt anything towards a cis or trans man and can’t picture myself doing anything with one. I have always identified as straight but this makes me think the label doesn’t fit. Also I haven’t told anyone else but my friends think trans women are men and doing anything with them sexually is gay. Are they right? Complications Implicating Straightness Your friends are wrong. You’re a straight guy who likes dick — dick, not dudes. And luckily for you, CIS, there are plenty of dicks out there that aren’t attached to dudes. While it might feel like a complicated and complicating way to be a straight guy, CIS, the straight label still applies. Hey Dan: “LGBT” patterns are neurotic, preventable and treatable. The Left has been lying about this for decades. Friskiness is one thing, perversion is another. Early-life problems in parental bonding are the root of most conditions of sexual irregularity. Sharon Offers An Opposing View Lemme guess, Sharon-RhymesWith-Karen: Many, many years ago you caught your husband with a cock in his mouth — the same husband who was never big on initiating sex (at least with you) — and somehow your husband managed to convince you it was just one of those things, just one of those frisky things, a trip to the moon on cocksucker wings, just one of those things. I’m here to tell you there wasn’t just one. Your husband has sucked more cock than you know, SOAOV, and less cock than he’d like. And for the record: LGBT describes people, not patterns, and everything you claim — that we’re neurotic, that we can be cured, that we failed to bond with one parent or bonded too much with another — was debunked decades ago. I would urge you to do a little reading but your time might be better spent checking in on your husband. Where is he right now? mail@savagelove.net @FakeDanSavage on Twitter www.savagelovecast.com

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