Riverfront Times, September 11, 2019 by Riverfront Times

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GALLERY VILLAS COMBINES SUBURBAN AND URBAN LIVING St. Louis Developer Brian Hayden takes Urban living to new heights with his newest project Gallery Villas. Boasting the tagline “We are BurbCity,” Gallery Villas is a unique luxury living concept, featuring private garages and entrances within a mid-rise building. Hit the remote on your private garage and come home to luxury living complete with glass balconies, and modern luxury finishes, in the heart of Downtown St. Louis. At a time when St. Louis is bursting at the seams with innovation and progress, Hayden continues to raise the bar. Take a virtual tour at http://www.stlluxury.com/gallery-villas Hayden’s vision for BurbCity is to combine the comforts and security of the suburbs with the excitement and convenience of being an urbanite. Residents of Gallery Villas will enter the building by driving their vehicle up the ramp and into their own personal garage. Guests of residents will come through the front entrance, check in with the 24 hour guest services security desk, take an elevator to their designated level, and walk a brick sidewalk to the resident’s front door were they will ring the doorbell. Visit http://www.stlluxury.com to see more images! The 1, 2 and 3 bedroom Villas have luxurious finishes complete with designer cabinetry, quartz countertops, farmhouse sinks, LED under cabinet lighting, oversized walk-in showers with multiple heads, in shower seating, built in shampoo shelves, porcelain tile and mosaic accents, frameless glass shower doors, heated bathroom floors, 12 ft. ceilings with floor to ceiling windows, multiple directional sliding balcony doors leading to glass balconies, 1 and 2 car attached garages and additional parking available on the same level. Amenities include a fitness center, kitchen area with gathering space, outdoor grilling, conference and meeting rooms, indoor heated pool, hot tub and a game room complete with pool table and shuffleboard as well as plans for a rooftop pool in the future. “This has been a banner year for Downtown St. Louis,” said Hayden. “From the investments at Enterprise Center, the Stanley Cup win, amazing aquarium progress at Union Station and the announcement of MLS — our city stands stronger than ever. We are proud to support this with our surge of innovation at Gallery Villas. Today you’re not either in the “burbs” or in the city. Today there is BurbCity! Don’t miss out on this unique and innovative development. We are quickly pre-leasing for November move ins. #WeAreBURBcity

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THE LEDE

PHOTO BY THEO WELLING

“It feels so powerful, like just seeing all these people out here, and they’re here for us. They’re here for me and my work. It’s like, ‘Whoa, we can do this in our own communities, and it’s beautiful.’” ASIA JOHNSON-BRIMMAGE PHOTOGRAPHED SELLING HER ART AT CONSCIOUSFEST ON SEPTEMBER 7

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Publisher Chris Keating Interim Editor in Chief Doyle Murphy

E D I T O R I A L 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, MaryAnn Johanson, Roy Kasten, Jaime Lees, Joseph Hess, Kevin Korinek, Bob McMahon, Lauren Milford, Nicholas Phillips, Tef Poe, Christian Schaeffer Proofreader Evie Hemphill Editorial Interns Katie Counts, Joshua Phelps, James Pollard

COVER

Off the Road Our writer set out across Missouri â&#x20AC;&#x201D; and left his car at home

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

Cover illustration by

EVAN SULT

P R O D U C T I O N 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 Senior Account Executive Cathleen Criswell Account Managers Emily Fear, Jennifer Samuel Multimedia Account Executive Chris Guilbault, Jackie Mundy C I R C U L A T I O N Circulation Manager Kevin G. Powers

INSIDE The Lede Hartmann

News Feature Calendar

MO voters know more than we realize

14 22

Film

Linda Ronstadt: The Sound of My Voice | Official Secrets

Cafe

Short Orders

Culture

Out Every Night

TKO Grill

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

Meggan Sandusky at BEAST Craft BBQ | La Catrina | Original Jâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s | Yellowbelly

Alexandra Sinclair | Western Wear Night

Kevin Morby & William Tyler | Acoustic Music Festival | Sun Kil Moon

Savage Love 6

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Riverfront Times is available free of charge, limited to one copy per reader. Additional copies of the current issue may be purchased for $1.00 plus postage, payable in advance at the Riverfront Times office. Riverfront Times may be distributed only by Riverfront Times authorized distributors. No person may, without prior written permission of Riverfront Times, take more than one copy of each Riverfront Times weekly issue. The entire contents of Riverfront Times are copyright 2018 by Riverfront Times, LLC. No portion may be reproduced in whole or in part by any means, including electronic retrieval systems, without the expressed written permission of the Publisher, Riverfront Times, 308 N. 21st Street, Suite 300, St. Louis, MO 63103. Please call the Riverfront Times office for back-issue information, 314-754-5966.

HARTMANN Issue Smart Trust Missouri voters on Medicaid expansion — even as they elect Republicans who oppose it BY RAY HARTMANN

t’s time once again for Missouri voters to come to the rescue. I realize that sounds a bit strange. This is, after all, the sixteenth Trumpiest state in the nation. But there was actual cause for hope last week when statewide health advocates announced they were launching a campaign to place a Medicaid-expansion initiative on the 2020 ballot. It’s at least a decent possibility that Missourians would have the common sense to provide health care for more than 200,000 working people in the state who cannot afford

it. Not to mention saving some of their rural hospitals. Why bet on an electorate that has made Missouri one of the reddest states in the land and has elected an overwhelming Republican legislature that has targeted Medicaid as an evil worth sacrificing literally billions in federal dollars to oppose for several years? The answer is simple: Missouri voters are a lot smarter about issues than they are about electing politicians. In fact, if you look at 2018 statewide ballot items, the voters are on a four-game winning streak. Last August, Missouri voters overwhelmingly rejected Republican Gov. Eric Greitens’ top legislative priority of the prior year, a “right to work” measure designed to kill labor unions by allowing their members to opt out of paying dues. Using a state law that allows a public referendum to overturn new legislation, voters killed it by an astonishing 67-32 percent margin, a nut-sack kick

to the state’s Republican Party if ever there was one. Three months later, the voters gave similarly huge victory margins to three more important measures: a constitutional amendment to legalize marijuana for medicinal use; an initiated statute to increase the state minimum wage incrementally to $12 per hour by 2023; and the Clean Missouri initiative to reform lobbying, campaign-finance and redistricting practices by politicians. Taken together, you’d think conservative Missouri had been overtaken by Bernie Sanders’ Democratic socialists with the four state-ballot votes. These weren’t narrow defeats for Republican legislators. They were avalanches. Funny thing, though. The same voters gave even larger victory margins to the same spurned Republicans in the same 2018 election. They actually increased Republican super majorities in both the state House and Senate, giving

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the GOP bulletproof, 71 percent ownership of both chambers. And they elected extremist Josh Hawley to the U.S. Senate — in a landslide over centrist Senator Claire McCaskill — despite the fact that Hawley fiercely supported “right to work,” initially opposed medical marijuana and, at best, waffled on the other ballot measures favored by the voters. o figure. In the context of Medicaid expansion, the statewide-voter disconnect between issues and politicians offers some promise in 2020. That’s assuming, of course, that the health care advocacy coalition known as Healthcare For Missouri is able to gather the 172,000 signatures it says are needed to get an initiative on the ballot. I think that’s going to happen. This is not a wistful do-gooder dream, but rather a seriously funded enterprise that has bigmoney backing from the Missouri Hospital Association, BJC

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HARTMANN

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Healthcare, the Missouri Primary Care Association, the advocacy group Missouri Health Care For All and — get this — at least a couple of not-for-profits that take a play right out of the GOP/Greitens playbook by passing through donations from undisclosed donors. “Dark money” is a noxious thing exploited by Greitens and presently shielded from reform in Congress by Sen. Moscow Mitch McConnell. It shouldn’t exist. But look who’s using it this time: Financial backing for the Medicaid measure includes undisclosed donations from groups with names like Fairness Project and Sixteen Thirty Fund. Do I think the system needs reform so that groups like these should have to disclose donors? Absolutely. But unless and until that happens, it’s deliciously ironic that some dark money is flowing in to challenge a ma or Republican priority. Hunting ain’t fun when the rabbit’s got the gun. Whatever it takes to get Medicaid e pansion to the ballot is fine with me. How fitting it would be for Missouri voters — who twice voted against President Barack Obama — to embrace this erstwhile pillar of Obamacare. I think they would, and not purely because of the aforementioned phenomenon of supporting politicians and opposing the issues those pols favor. No, in the case, there’s something more basic at play: Expanding Medicaid for the working poor is not merely a matter of decency and common sense — which it is — but it’s also a cause that transcends the urban-rural divide that often splits Missouri so painfully. Republican talking points not withstanding, Medicaid is about health care, not handouts. One of the most shameful legacies of political opposition to Obamacare has been that nine rural hospitals have closed since 2014 in Missouri. That should disgust people in St. Louis as much as it does outstate, where communities are devastated by the loss of their essential medical institutions. Herb Kuhn, president of the Missouri Hospital Association, has been quoted in St. Louis and across the state in support of the Medicaid-expansion initiative, citing access to emergency care for rural residents as a key factor. But it’s what Kuhn told the Beck-

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Expanding Medicaid for the working poor transcends the urban-rural divide that often splits Missouri so painfully. er’s Hospital Review (not on my daily reading list) that most aptly captured the emotion that might buoy the initiative: “Let me tell you, when you close one of these hospitals in a rural community, it really brings out a lot of grief and loss,” Mr. uhn said. “Those five stages of grief — where there’s denial, anger, bargaining, depression and then acceptance — you see all those things on full display when you close a rural hospital. It is remarkable. I don’t think people fully understand and grasp how important they are in these communities.” I think that sort of sentiment will carry the day as much as the arguments more familiar to us in St. Louis. For my vote, the common-sense points you can find at missourihealthcareforall.org are plenty persuasive: “Right now, a single Missouri parent with one child cannot make more than a measly $381 a month and qualify for Medicaid coverage. More than 200,000 Missourians are uninsured and caught in the coverage gap — making too much money to get Medicaid, but not enough to get affordable health insurance. It is long past time for Missouri to join the 36 other states that have expanded Medicaid.” I’m plugging the group’s website because it’s where you can sign up — regardless of your politics — to get Medicaid expansion on the 2020 ballot. If it gets there, I’m pretty sure Missouri voters will do the right thing. Even as they keep electing Republicans. 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 and Jay Kanzler from 9 to 11 p.m. Monday thru Friday on KTRS (550 AM).

NEWS

Ex-cop Bailey Colletta, right, leaves court last year with Officer Randy Hays. | DOYLE MURPHY

Ex-Cop Admits Covering Up Beating Written by

DANIEL HILL

former St. Louis police officer admitted last week in federal court that she had lied to both the B and a grand ury when uestioned about the violent arrest of an undercover police o cer during police protests in 1 . Bailey olletta, , pleaded guilty to a federal charge of making false statements before a grand ury on riday. olletta admitted that she lied when she claimed to an B agent in une 18 that she didn’t know etective uther Hall, the undercover o cer, and that she hadn’t come into contact with him on the night of September 1 , 1 , when he was arrested as part of

a violent kettling of protesters at live and ourteenth streets that also trapped ournalists, medical students, downtown residents and two members of the military, and has since resulted in numerous federal lawsuits filed against the city. olletta further confessed that she had lied to a grand ury the day after she spoke to the B agent, making a series of false statements including when she claimed that Hall had been “brought to the ground very gently, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported. Hall, who is black and was assigned to cover the protests in an undercover role, has claimed that his fellow o cers beat him “like Rodney ing the night of the kettling, slamming him to the ground and pummeling him with fists, boots and batons in what Hall described as a “free-for-all. The beating resulted in a lip inury that re uired three layers of stitches, multiple herniated discs and a aw in ury that made it difficult for Hall to eat. Hall has been unable to work since the incident. olletta is set to be sentenced on ecember 1 . She faces a minimum of to months in prison under federal guidelines, but prosecutors are seeking to 5 months. olletta has also surrendered her license

to be a police o cer. olletta was one of four o cers charged in the incident, alongside ustin Boone, Randy Hays and hristopher Myers. All four were part of the force’s ivil isobedience Team assigned to the protests that night. Hays and olletta were dating at the time of the beating, according to court documents. awyers for the other three officers told the Post-Dispatch last month that they do not intend to plead guilty. But te t messages sent between the o cers in the days immediately before and after Hall’s beating appear to show they were e cited to treat protesters violently. The indictment includes transcripts of those messages, including one wherein Myers writes “let’s whoop some ass. That same day, Boone wrote that “ t’s gonna be a lot of fun beating the hell out of these shitheads once the sun goes down and nobody can tell us apart n another te t, Hays writes to Boone that “going rogue does feel good but cautions him to “make sure you have an old white dude as a witness because there are cameras around. et more te t messages were released as part of an a davit in anuary. n one, Boone reaches out to Hall and attempts to apologi e. “ feel like an apology will never be enough but would really like to speak to you in person so can apologi e face to face as a man and not through a te t message, Boone wrote, adding, “ hope you are healing both physically and mentally. can’t imagine what you have gone through this past week. Meanwhile, Boone and Hays were still in contact as well, e pressing less remorse for the beating itself and more for the fact they’d been caught. “ ’d ust like to apologi e to the man before someone gets in his ear and tries to turn this into something more than it was, Hays wrote on September , 1 , five days after the beating. Boone replied, “ A T That’s my biggest fear now that it’s getting around. Somebody puts money or race in his ear and he listens for some reason and it’s over before we get to say a word. Boone, Hays and Myers are due to appear in court ne t on ecember . n

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Fatal Police Confrontation Written by

DOYLE MURPHY

St. Louis police officer fatally shot a man after a struggle early last Thursday morning in north city, authorities say. Chief John Hayden says officers confronted 28-year-old Cortez Shepherd about 12:50 a.m. as he sat in his vehicle with a seven-year-old girl in the 3900 block of Garfield, which is in the Greater Ville neighborhood. Officers first approached because they saw multiple people around Shepherd’s vehicle. “This area is known for heavy drug activity,” Hayden told reporters this morning. “The officers always patrol this area to deal with that activity.” When officers got to the car window, they saw marijuana on Shepherd’s lap, the chief says. They ordered him to get out of the vehicle and ultimately pulled him out when he refused. When they started to search him, he fought back, Hayden says.

Cortez Shepherd was fatally shot. |FACEBOOK

During the struggle, the seven-year-old girl bolted out of the car and ran to her mother, who was nearby, according the chief. Shepherd started to pull a revolver from his pocket, Hayden says. One of the officers shot him once in the chest. An officer in the area rendered first aid until EMS arrived. Shepherd was taken to the hospital and soon died. Police recovered the revolver, which was fully loaded, police say. The officer who fired the fatal shot is 28 years old with three years on the force. The other officer is 24 years old and has been with the department for two years. Neither officer’s name was released. n

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Sick Man Serving 10 Years for Weed Written by

DANNY WICENTOWSKI

ven before Steven Sutherland’s conviction for felony mari uana possession earlier this year, the -year-old St. lair resident was not a healthy man. He’d already been diagnosed with chronic heart disease and Type diabetes and been given supplemental o ygen to treat his sleep apnea. Sutherland’s health, however, is now in the hands of the Missouri prison system. n April, after years of delays, a ury took less than twenty minutes to convict Sutherland on felony charges for possession of mari uana and drug paraphernalia. ne month later, a udge sentenced him to ten years in prison. Sutherland does have a prior criminal record, a felony conviction in 1 for mari uana possession. n the eyes of the court, the two-decade-old charge made Sutherland a “prior drug offender, thereby enhancing the possible prison sentence to that of a lass B felony, the level usually seen in violent crimes like armed robbery or certain se ual assaults. The lengthy sentence, says Sutherland’s public defender, Matt Huckeby, “is outside the norm, and unusual in my nine years as a public defender. The case began in anuary 15, when the ranklin ounty Sheriff’s epartment raided Sutherland’s home in the rural Missouri town of St. lair, about an hour’s drive southwest of St. ouis. n Sutherland’s basement, deputies recovered about 11 grams of mari uana and 1 mari uana plants, according to a probable cause statement filed at the time. n a phone interview from the ulton Reception and iagnostic enter, Sutherland recalls, “ hen they showed up on my front porch, was smoking a bowl and drinking a cup of coffee. Then an o cer grabbed me on the throat, swung me around. had a steel brace on my leg. Sutherland claims he’s been self medicating by using mari uana

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Steven Sutherland, 60, says he is not getting proper medical care. | COURTESY SUTHERLAND FAMILY for decades, a regimen that included obtaining a medical mariuana card from alifornia. n fact, he claims that he’d been ordering alifornia cannabis products through the mail until a few years ago when he could no longer afford it. He turned to a homegrow operation, which eventually brought the deputies to his front door. At the time, Sutherland maintains he was only growing weed for his own medicinal use, and he suggests that it was a would-be customer who vengefully directed the cops to the grow operation in the basement. The case dragged on for years, with delays mounting as Sutherland’s health deteriorated. After Sutherland missed multiple court dates due to hospital visits, newly elected ranklin ounty Prosecutor Matthew Becker took over the case in 1 . By then, of course, Missouri voters had legali ed medical mari uana. Huckeby, Sutherland’s defense attorney, argued in a pre-sentencing motion that the nationwide reform of mari uana laws and the state’s own courts which sentenced more than half of all drug possession cases to probation, not ail time supported leniency in Sutherland’s case. “Simply put, Huckeby wrote in

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the motion, “the movement of citiens in Missouri ... is indisputably away from criminal punishment for mari uana. By comparison, Huckeby noted that the ma imum sentence that Sutherland faced, fifteen years, was the same given to those convicted of voluntary manslaughter or second-degree rape. Beyond the disproportionate sentence, there was reason to believe that Sutherland’s claim of medicinal use wasn’t a smokescreen for a drug operation. Memos written by Sutherland’s doctors which he shared with RFT described numerous serious medical conditions, including brain disorders described as “likely progressive and affecting “cognitive ability. According to one memo, Sutherland’s various illnesses re uired the care of both a cardiologist and neurologist, as well as “chronic medications which re uire long-term maintenance and surveillance. n a subse uent letter entered into Sutherland’s case file prior to the une sentencing, a neurologist a liated with Mercy Hospital disclosed that she’d been treating Sutherland for sei ures since 1 and that she’d prescribed “multiple sei ure medication without much benefit. The doctor added, “ believe

medical use of mari uana may help his sei ure s . n court, however, ranklin ounty’s prosecutors focused on the si e of the bust uncovered in Sutherland’s home. “People shouldn’t get the impression that this was a guy with some oints, Becker told the Missourian in May. “This was not a marginal case. or Sutherland, though, his own health appears to have been pushed to the margins. n his remarks to RFT, he complained that prison staff confiscated a key component that fed o ygen to his PAP machine, which he needs to ensure that he keeps breathing at night. ater, medical staff put him on a constant o ygen feed the tube connected to Sutherland’s nose is visible in his prison mugshot but that means he has to endure an ill-fitting combination of o ygen tube and the PAP mask if he wants to sleep at night. Prison, though, is where Sutherland deserves to be, said ranklin ounty Assistant Prosecutor Matthew Houston in an interview with RFT. hile Sutherland deserves “appropriate medical care, the prosecutor noted that it was the udge, Michael right, who made the decision to sentence the convicted man to prison instead of probation. Then again, it was Houston, who represented ranklin ounty during Sutherland’s trial, who recommended to the udge that the defendant deserved a sentence of “no less than twelve years. f Sutherland’s health, Houston said, “ don’t know that that was considered at sentencing or not. But Houston is certain that the circumstances of Sutherland’s mari uana use had a lot to do with the way the case played out as well as the fact that Sutherland was allegedly arrested with guns in his home, weapons that, as a prior felon, Sutherland is not legally allowed to possess. n 15, prosecutors filed additional felony charges against him that carried decades of potential prison time. A trial was scheduled for ctober 1 . n late August, prosecutors dropped the pending felony charges and Sutherland agreed to drop his appeal of the conviction. o appeal means no possibility of a release from prison while that appeal was ad udicated. enerally, inmates must serve around percent of their sentence before becoming eligible for parole. Sutherland is afraid he won’t make it that long. “This has been a nightmare, he says. n

Your music has a history! SEPT 3 Motown Revue

SEPT 17 Coleman Hughes Project

SEPT 10 Love Jones the Band

6–8pm Forest Park • Museum’s North Lawn mohistory.org/twilight-tuesdays

SEPT 24 Tribute to Earth, Wind & Fire

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DAILY LUNCH BUFFET : WEEKDAYS - $9.99 WEEKENDS - $10.99

DINNER 7 DAYS A WEEK

MAKE YOUR DINNER SPECIAL WITH A BOTTLE OF WINE & GET OTHER 1/2 PRICE

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Crossing Missouri by rail, foot and scooter during a three-day journey revealed windows into the stateâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s proud and not-so-proud history.

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Traveling across Missouri with a backpack, a camera — and no car STORY & PHOTOS BY JAMES POLLARD Late on a Wednesday night in August, I found myself on foot, standing behind a line of cars in a Taco Bell drive-through, as one does.

The Amtrak River Runner had dropped us off about 9:40 p.m. in Kansas City, the final stop on a three-day, car-free trip across Missouri. Two buddies and I had just marched 1.6 miles to our hotel. We had eaten a late lunch five hours and 88 miles earlier at the Missouri State Fair in Sedalia. We were hungry — and looking to further punish our stomachs. Luckily for us, I had a $15 Taco Bell gift card. Unluckily for us, the inside dining room was closed. As we stood behind a long line of cars, a van pulled in behind us, window rolled down. “I don’t think you’ll be served unless you’re in a car,” the driver informed us. She opened her side door and invited us inside. My friends and I glanced at each other. It was 10:30 p.m., roughly. We’d walked fifteen minutes in the wrong direction before reaching our fast-food destination. We were not about to miss out on our Tex-Mex. This gift card had been burning a hole in my pocket for the past year. And since the stranger’s van wasn’t my car, I would not be breaking the “carfree” parameters I had created for the trip, right? We hunched in, moving her baby booster seat, and started chatting. She was a teacher and a graduate student from Springfield, in town for a concert. Unable to find

a babysitter, the married mother of two left her husband in charge of the kids for the night and went alone. My friends, two young politicos, engaged her in conversation about the current state of affairs in Missouri. “There’s pockets of goodness,” she said. “You have to seek them out.” Finally, we reached the window. Having then satisfied our stomach’s ill-fated desires, we parted ways. But that phrase, “pockets of goodness,” would stay with me. For three days in the middle of August, I traveled to Jefferson City, the state fair in Sedalia and Kansas City. I didn’t have a car — which in the Midwest can be pretty limiting. I couldn’t have found every nook in Missouri, but not driving myself opened up some new ones. I had not sought them out, but I had certainly stumbled upon some interesting pockets. However many were good depends on your definition of “goodness. But slouched on the sidewalk, chomp-

ing down on my $5 Chalupa Crave Case under a nearly full moon, I thought about the risky kindness of that stranger, whose name I didn’t quite catch. I had found one of those good pockets. —————

I n Je fferson C i ty , I saw Huck Finn and Jim stand atop a raft along the Mississippi River. Jesse James robbed a train by gunpoint. Notorious Kansas City political boss T.J. Pendergast, cigar in hand, attended a dinner. And Frankie shot her cheating man, Johnnie. Naturally, my car-free quest to find Missouri’s pockets of goodness had taken me to the state capitol building, its rotunda covered in white and under construction. More specifically, the House Lounge, home to Thomas Hart Benton’s mural, A Social History of the State of Missouri. Its expanse takes you from fur trading and trapping to coal mining, cattle farming and steamboats. But Benton, who had been given complete freedom in interpreting the theme, aroused quite the controversy with his finished product. He included more than just Missouri’s myths. When lawmakers had allocated funds for his two-year project, some didn’t want an honest social history. They wanted a specific social history. So depictions of a black man’s lynching, the persecution of Mormons, Native Americans cheated out of their land and

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Jim Dyke takes a vacation from his day job every year to paint caricatures at the Missouri State Fair, where his running commentary is as entertaining as his artwork.

OFF THE ROAD Continued from pg 15

poverty throughout the Great Depression drew the ire of some. It also drew thousands of Missourians to the state capitol. And while statesmen no longer lounge on the room’s couches, it has been open to the public ever since the mural’s completion in 1937. Restoration of the 82-year-old mural was completed last December. The capitol building, known for its many murals, successfully conserved this snapshot in time. But with 82 years of new history waiting to be captured, I wonder what we’ll be trying to paint over next. Listening to the echo of my footsteps as I walked through Missouri-mined limestone floors, staring at my feet in search of fossils, glancing at the annual composites on the walls, there was no denying it: This building quite literally contains history. Legislative assistant Adam Speak spoke with us about what it’s like working there. Speak painted a bleak portrait, where legislative assistants’ jobs depend on their boss’s electoral success every two years to work in a building where some drafting attorneys try to sneak opposing legislative goals into his bills. The 29-year-old fears working in a building where citizens bring concealed firearms and lawmakers have left them in bathroom stalls. “There’s definitely an element of masochism in it,” he said. “But it feels like I’m doing all that I can being here.” To relax, he retreats to the Upper Jax Fork River or the Current River when the legislature is out of ses-

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sion. While he says the non-traditional work environment is a major perk, he also quoted state Rep. Tracy McReery (D-88th District). “Being on the vanguard of history, even though you just get thrown into a buzzsaw every day — it’s still very rewarding,” he explained. Speak would know a thing or two about that buzzsaw. Having interned for Rep. Vicki Englund (D-94th District) until she lost her race, then hired by Rep. Stacey Newman (D-87th District) until her retirement, and now working with her replacement, Rep. Ian Mackey, he has seen a lot. None of the legislation he’s written has become policy. During Speak’s five years, Republicans have increased their supermajority in the Missouri House to 116 members from 110. He had his fingerprints on HB1558, passed last year, which made it a felony to threaten the sharing of sexually explicit images taken without consent. But it is his accomplishments outside of the legislative arena that he’s most proud of. Before Eric Greitens was accused of threatening revenge porn, the state legislature was caught up in its own sex scandals. On May 15, 2015, as Speak was finishing up his internship, thenSpeaker of the House John Diehl resigned after admitting to exchanging sexual texts with a nineteen-year-old intern. While Speak says there’s still a “long, long, long way to go,” he says those events made the capitol come to a public reckoning with harassment and assault in the workplace before the #MeToo movement. “That sort of put a spotlight on power differences within the

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building,” Speak said. “Staff, interns and electeds — and also with gender dynamics in the building as well.” Sexual harassment training was then taken more seriously, though still not good enough, according to Speak. He wrote an angry letter, collecting signatures from around the building. Having studied social work at the University of Missouri-Columbia, he played a minor role in helping revamp the program, working with many other social workers from around the building. “There’s always been some stiff resistance from people who think the changes and accommodations we make for gender equality in the workplace and for the power dynamics in the workplace are unnecessary,” he said. “But I think things are at least on the radar in that regard.” —————

After a stroll through the Gover-

nor’s Garden, we arrived at the white stone basement that is Jefferson City’s Amtrak station about a half hour before our train was scheduled to leave. As we rounded the corner, we were greeted by a gaggle of bags and their owners, sprawled about the benches. A Union Pacific freight train, unbeknownst to me, had taken our River Runner’s place on the westbound tracks, owned by the Union Pacific Railroad. So when 11:36 a.m. rolled around, a volunteer running the station informed us the ETA was now 11:47 a.m. At noon, I got a text: “Est arrival in JEF now 0:21 p.m.” But when the clock struck 12:21 p.m., rather than boarding a pas-

senger train, I was talking to Eric Sims, who was standing outside, staring in the distance as if he could will the freight train to move by concentrating. A 1986 Mizzou graduate, he had just dropped off his daughter for her senior year at his alma mater. She, of course, kept the car they had driven. He laughed, explaining that she’d bought him these train tickets home to Bolingbrook, Illinois, a southwest Chicago suburb. He couldn’t board the eastbound train to St. Louis, his connection, until the Union Pacific freight train got going. “It’s gon’ be a while,” the volunteer told us. The yellow freight cars sat on the tracks, perhaps glued there by the summer heat, their black wheels like flies stuck in a vat of honey. I had been looking forward to our next stop at the state fair, passing on lunch to save room for its assortment of fried goods and hoping to try some Rocky Mountain Oysters. “Is there hope?” one woman asked. “There’s always hope,” an unknown voice responded. Eventually, after several more new estimated arrival times, the Union Pacific’s caboose passed. I was buying the cheapest bag of Sun Chips ever (59 cents) and getting to know the other volunteer behind the counter, who runs the place with her husband. “I’ve always liked trains,” she said. “And it was something we could do together.” I didn’t even know the train had arrived until I heard a whistle around 1:20 p.m. By 1:45 p.m., more than two hours after our original departure time, I was

La Colmena sells Mexican candy and ice cream across from the Sedalia train station where David Gabriel, 19, was setting off on a westward odyssey.

aboard. In coach, there are two cushioned seats on each side of the aisle. It is not the most comfortable place to spend several hours, but they do recline slightly. And not too many people were riding Amtrak in the middle of a week late in the summer, so my friends laid across both seats to sleep. An hour later, I was standing in the Sedalia Amtrak station, more than three miles away from the state fair. Having already lost two hours from the delay, walking seemed out of the question. I broke down and dialed the advertised number for “transportation services.” Voicemail. My friends were slouched across the wooden row of chairs and seemed even more weary of this car-free social experiment. One of them found a taxi service, called one and we waited. Luckily, we had enough cash to pay for the cab. Once again, traveling without a car was proving di cult, and the reality was that — unlike a lot of people — we were fortunate enough to be able to opt out simply by making a phone call. After a brief wait, a cab pulled up and we got in. With a Christian rocker singing “Hallelujah” from the speakers, the $10 taxi took us to the state fair. —————

F ai rg oers strolled

u n d er rainbow umbrellas at the gates and into a field of tents. All sorts of smells met my nose. All sorts of tastes touched my tongue. And all sorts of people passed me by. As I would soon discover, the latearriving train was a blessing in disguise: I would not have known

what to do with six hours at the state fair. As navigated that field of tents, Jim Dyke and his caricature booth caught my eye. He has been accenting people’s features for 26 years at the fair, taking a vacation from his job as the editorial cartoonist for the Jefferson City News Tribune. During those years, the self-taught caricature artist has had countless people sit for a portrait, including Sheryl Crow and maybe Dolly Parton. “I’m almost 100 percent it was her,” he said. “But I wasn’t supposed to know it. But I think I did.” His sign says that if you’re really ugly, he’ll draw you for free. The owner of an African grey parrot named Lindbergh, he certainly has a way with words, describing the Missouri State Capitol Building, currently under construction, as the one “with the giant condom on it.” During the next four hours, a fried Snickers bar made its way into my mouth. I paid $8 for a freshly squeezed strawberry lemonade that consisted of freshly squeezed lemons pumped with red juice. I paid $9 for a monstrous skewer of chicken. I entered the pigsty and promptly left the pigsty. After hiking through an orange and yellow forest of tractors, I attended a bluegrass concert. I watched the bizarrely quirky due Allez Oups, composed of “Rob from Chinatown” and “the mistress of gravity,” Ms. Jane from Ukraine, balance plates and walk across wine bottles. As I left the state fair, I passed back by Dyke’s caricature tent. Remembering I still had one more question for him, I walked over.

“Would I have to pay for my caricature, or would it be free?” “You’re too good lookin’,” he told me. Whether he meant it, or knew that compliments are good for business, I can’t say. —————

After a d etou r through a large

sales tent, under which I had my left shoe cleaned and my odds of reaching eternal life called into question, we called the taxi. While choruses of hallelujahs played on our way there, what sounded like a personal rap mixtape recorded in a mid-Missouri basement played on our way back. The taxi dropped us off right outside the train station, across the street from a small store. hen we first arrived hours earlier, the store, brightly painted yellow with a blow-up Dora in the window, caught my eye. We still had some time to kill before the next train, so I crossed the street to check out La Colmena. Linda Leon sat behind the counter, a picture of her late mother on the wall. It had always been her mother’s dream to own a store with candy and party supplies. So on April 1, 2017, her father and siblings opened the shop, with most of its candy imported from Tijuana, Mexico. Leon’s parents are from Mexico. She was born in Washington, Missouri, and has lived in Sedalia for most of her life. And while business started slow, with little advertising outside of Facebook and word of mouth, she says it’s picking up. “It’s a nice, quiet place to live,” she said. “For it being mainly

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Mexican candy, and, obviously, Mexican ice cream, we have a lot of different backgrounds, ethnic groups that come in.” —————

As I left S ed ali a, I met a pinkhaired cowboy. I leaned up against the wooden fence facing the tracks, awaiting the evening train for Kansas City. My shirt stuck to my back, a backpack filled with my clothes and camera hanging from my shoulders most of the day. David Gabriel, nineteen, approached me at the Amtrak station, a backpack sitting firm against his back, a military bag bearing his name by a bench. He’d just been dropped off by a pickup truck and introduced himself. He had a slight Louisiana drawl, and he quickly began explaining his situation to me. I introduced myself as a reporter and explained I was traveling across the state without a car to write about what I found. He agreed to an interview and soon began telling stories, only to be interrupted by a whistle as we readied to get the train. Once aboard, he sat in the row across from me, explaining that he, too, is a writer, though he has his book written in his head. With a tattoo on his forearm of two nails forming the shape of a cross, surrounded by a crown of thorns, he later added that he is a certified preacher, though he admitted he doesn’t always act like it. He told me he was an orphan and lived homeless with his siblings as a child. Members of his family had been serving in the military since the Revolutionary War, save for his father, he said.

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Continued on pg 18

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Downtown Kansas City has a long jazz history that spills into present day with musicians such as Gregg Wright, who can and has played a little of everything during 40 years of performing.

OFF THE ROAD Continued from pg 17

“My father wasn’t that good,” Gabriel said. “I saw how my grandfather lived his life, and I decided I wanted better than what he did, so figured the military was best. Those plans ended when he was discharged from Fort Leonard Wood for disabilities he didn’t know he had. During his several months in basic training around St. Robert, he met a girl and says he fell in love. He had spent the past few weeks with her and her family at the Lake of the Ozarks. His girlfriend had dyed his hair pink after he failed to make some long jump. “Don’t make a bet you can’t win,” he said. That relationship fell apart when her ex-boyfriend showed up and he and the rival got into a tussle. Now Gabriel, who said he has been ranching since he was six years old, was headed west to work on ranches in Colorado and Utah, before reaching his final destination of Oregon. He said his mother calls it soul searching, and he thinks everyone should make a trip like his. For Gabriel, life is all about memories. His favorite? The day he was adopted. “How will you ever know where you belong if you haven’t been to all the places you could belong?” he said, describing his trip west. The teen, who once had a baby alligator named Elvis, said he doesn’t fear death. “Trample the weak and hurdle the dead,” they’d taught him at basic training, which he claimed was mentally challenging more than anything else.

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Tikka House is part of the world of cuisines at the River Market in Kansas City. While his nearly nine-monthlong westward journey across the country was just beginning, was entering the final hours of mine. After a few less-thanrespectful remarks about women and a brief lesson on chewing tobacco, we’d reached Kansas City. “The best piece of thing I can give,” said Gabriel, “is just don’t ever let anybody tell you who you can and cannot be.” —————

At 9: 40

p .m ., standing outside Kansas City’s grand Union Station, one of the city’s many fountains in front of me, I had some bad news. While our hotel, the Baymont by Wyndham, was on the same street as Union Station, it was a 30-minute walk. Unable to find public transport heading in that direction, we made the trek

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on foot uphill, past the World War I memorial. The Baymont had once been an apartment building, and a receptionist there echoed several others’ suggestion that we should check out the Kansas City Streetcar, a free trolley system that takes people from Union Station to the River Market. She also added that we should check out the 18th and Vine district. The streetcar was still on my mind the next morning as we made the same walk back, traveling once again with our packs against our backs. e finally reached the trolley and rode over to the River Market. After arriving, I met Cale Fichter, manager of Kansas City Soda, who chilled my Flathead Lake Huckleberry pop with an electric Black & Decker drill in two minutes. A sea of global produce,

from lemons and limes to pinata apples, parted, making way for a decent crowd of all ages, some dressed in business casual, others just casual. Tikka House offered Indian cuisine, Habashi House offered Middle Eastern cuisine, Taste of Brazil, Brazillian, and Corollo’s sold Italian Gelato and deli items. At Tikka House, spices sprinkled the back of my hand as tried flavors like Kansas City BBQ. After filling up on dolmas and falafel at Habashi House, a guitar cover of Billy Joel’s “You May Be Right filled the market. regg Wright, a Kansas City-based musician, has been playing the blues, rock, reggae and funk for more than 40 years, including three years at the market. He said the people around the market are supportive of his work and everyone is friendly. Contorting his face and body as he picked tune after tune, he didn’t have a direct answer when I asked his favorite song to play. “That’s too much, man, there’s just too many of them,” he said. “It depends how you feel that day. It could be any song, particularly, that day that might brighten your whole day up.” And thanks to Wright, for the rest of that afternoon I had “You May Be Right” stuck in my head. I couldn’t tell if that song was brightening my day or not, but meeting Wright certainly had done so — and invigorated my desire to visit the National Jazz Museum in Kansas City’s historic 18th and Vine area. So after taking the trolley down to the Power & Light district, I needed to figure out how to get there. As I considered taking a Continued on pg 21

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OFF THE ROAD Continued from pg 18

Byrd scooter, Eric Kwasnjuk rode up on one. A comedian and actor from Philadelphia, he has been driving across the country on his way to Los Angeles. After attending film school three years ago in South Africa, he says he is chasing his dream. “I want to work on other pilots and try to put out some good content,” he said. “Content that deals with stigma and shame, breaking through some things that we need to heal from today — but with humor.” Kwasnjuk soon enlisted me, briefly, as his cameraman for his latest endeavor. After filming a video of him falling off of his scooter, I set off on one myself. I rode it 30 minutes east to the National Jazz Museum, arriving in time to start my tour shortly after 2 p.m. With my train scheduled to depart at 4 p.m., I’d have an hour to spend there. (Otherwise I would have loved to visit the Negro League Hall of Fame next door.) Legends like Charlie Parker, Count Basie and Big Joe Turner are memorialized in the museum. It was artists like them who perfected Kansas City’s jazz identity, a blues-based style, in nightclubs around 18th and Vine, where the museum lies. The museum notes that Parker, a Kansas City, Kansas native, transformed African American blues with his “incredible technique” and “through harmonic and melodic innovations.” “Music is your own experience, your thoughts, your wisdom,” Parker once said, his words printed on the museum wall. “If you don’t live it, it won’t come out of your horn.” As I left the museum, a voice singing “you better hurry get aboard the train” could be heard from the loudspeakers. And on my way out, the words of Duke llington offered a final reminder about jazz’s roots. “Jazz is based on the sound of our native heritage,” an Ellington quote on the wall read. “It is an American idiom with African roots — a trunk of sound with limbs reaching in every direction.” So I walked more than 30 minutes from the museum to Union Station, listening to a jazz playlist along the way.

dow, the sky was so dark that, if it were not for the steady drum beat of the wheels along the track and the careful dancing of the train car, I would not have known it was moving. It was 9:30 p.m., and because of a one-hour delay, we were about an hour away from St. Louis. All together, the trip back took a little more than six hours. I wondered about the history of railroads in Missouri. On September 20, 1865, a train carrying George Taylor, president of the Pacific Railroad, and .R. arrison, company vice president, left Kansas City at 3 a.m., arriving at

St. Louis fourteen hours later. The rail connection would have been completed in 1864, but Confederate General Sterling Price raided the tracks in October 1864. Having ordered his troops to destroy every bridge west of Jefferson City, miles of track were torn up, many stations burned. Just about 60 hours prior to these musings, I had been on the train to Jefferson City. One of my editors had called me then, with some advice on how to best document my experiences. “Have a conversational relationship with your environment,” he had said. I thought about the many conver-

sations I’d had during the last few days. n that first train to the capital, I had met a woman who said she liked the connection the train allows. She was right — I would have never met people like David Gabriel or Eric Simms if it weren’t for the River Runner. I was reminded of a text I had sent to my friends, sitting in front of me at the time, as we rode with that pink-haired cowboy from Sedalia to Kansas City. “I met him as someone who will be a character in my story,” I wrote. “But he’s a real person who will live this life way after this train ride.” n

—————

S lu m p ed i n m y seat on the train,

I was not particularly in the mood to talk to anyone on my way home. Looking out the win-

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CALENDAR

BY PAUL FRISWOLD

THURSDAY 09/12 Night Music The St. Louis Symphony Orchestra performs its only al fresco performance of the season on Thursday, September 12, at 7 p.m. in Forest Park. Stéphane Denève leads the orchestra through a program of popular classical pieces (selections from Bizet’s Carmen and Berlioz’s Damnation of Faust) and classic pop songs (“Meet Me in St. Louis,” W.C. Handy’s “St. Louis Blues March” and John Williams’ main theme for Star Wars) from the foot of Art Hill. Admission is free and picnicking is encouraged, so bring the kids. A fireworks display will follow the concert. For more information, visit www.slso.org.

FRIDAY 09/13 Love on the Run This year’s Shakespeare in the Streets performance takes place in two different states, which has to be a first. Love at the River’s Edge is inspired by and lightly adapted from Shakespeare’s As You Like It, which is set in a duke’s court and a more bucolic forest. When a young woman is forced to flee her home because of governmentsanctioned abuse, she finds love and a new commitment to fighting for her rights in the woods. Act one of Love at the River’s Edge starts on Friday, September 13, and Saturday, September 14, at 7 p.m. at the corner of Page and Ferguson avenues in Pagedale (www. sfstl.com). The audience will then be transported by bus to the east side of the Mississippi River near the Golden Eagle Ferry in Calhoun County. At the play’s completion, the audience will travel by bus back to Pagedale. Admission is free but reservations are recommended.

Men’s Work The everyday black household is foreign territory to most of America. There have been a few TV shows (The Jeffersons at the richer end of the spectrum, Good Times

RIVERFRONT TIMES

Artist Howard Barry opens an exhibition of his drawings on Saturday. | HOWARD BARRY at the more financially tenuous that depicted fictionali ed domestic situations, but even those can be considered non-standard families. They certainly weren’t entirely relatable to Katherine Simóne Reynolds’ own upbringing. Inspired by this dearth of representation, Reynolds asked black male artists to address the idea of black home life from a male perspective. The exhibition Soft Scrub challenges stereotypes and reveals lessons learned about cleanliness, division of labor and

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social expectations. Soft Scrub opens with a free reception from 7 to 10 p.m. Friday, September 13, at the Luminary (2701 Cherokee Street; www.theluminaryarts. com). Participating artists include Vaughn Davis Jr., Mitchell Squire, Cameron Granger and Keyon Gaskin. The exhibit remains up through October 26.

Going to the Chapel While recovering from cancer surgery, French artist Henri Matisse

hired a night nurse who shaped the course of his remaining years. Monique, the young woman who got the job, was an amateur artist who befriended the old man and sat for several paintings. Their friendship remained close even after she took her vows as a Dominican nun. Monique, now Sister Jacques-Marie, asked Matisse if he would design the new chapel for the small French city of Vence, a challenge that the now 77-year-old artist spent four years pursuing. The story of Matisse

WEEK OF SEPTEMBER 12-18

Sister Jacque-Marie (Rachel Hanks) inspires Matisse (Joe Hanrahan) in A Model for Matisse | TODD DAVIS and Sister Jacques-Marie’s friendship and the creation of Matisse’s masterpiece was told in Barbara F. Freed’s documentary A Model for Matisse, which so inspired local actor and writer Joe Hanrahan that he adapted it for the stage with Freed’s help. The play A Model for Matisse makes its world premiere at 8 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday (September 13 to 21) at the .Zack (3224 Locust Street; www.midnightcompany. com). There are additional performances at 2 and 7 p.m. Sunday, September 15, and tickets are $20.

SATURDAY 09/14 The Art of Forward Motion Local artist Howard Barry has gained significant attention for his illustrations inspired by the Ferguson protests, but he’s not just an activist artist. Barry’s drawings are a form of physical therapy and mental therapy. He creates to relieve his frustration with the world and his own pain. Using ink, coffee and various computer programs for effects, Barry creates images of artists, musicians, civil rights pioneers and modern-day protesters, all with an eye for gesture and a gift for imbuing something of his subject’s character. James Baldwin’s luminous eyes reveal his hurt and anger with the country that rejected him for his blackness and homosexuality, while a

barefoot child pushing his way through cotton emerges from a page of sheet music for Billie Holiday’s “God Bless the Child.” Inertia, an exhibition of Barry’s artwork, opens with a free reception from 4 to 7 p.m. Saturday, September 14, at Gallery 210 on the University of Missouri-St. Louis campus (1 University Drive at Natural Bridge Road; www. gallery210.umsl.edu). The show remains on display through December 9.

Bigger, Better Hop There have been twenty previous editions of Schlafly’s Hop in the City, so you know the deal. You buy a tasting ticket, you get to sample more than 40 beers, plus four specially brewed beers, and there will be food and a couple bands. For year 21, there have been some important changes to the tried-and-true method. Tasting tickets are limited this time around, to keep the festival grounds from being overcrowded. The layout has also been reimagined so the lines should be more manageable, with more shade and seating available and greater quantities of each beer to safeguard against running out. Hop in the City takes place from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., with tasting time starting at noon on Saturday, September 1 , at the Schlafly Tap Room (2100 Locust Street; www. schlafly.com . Tickets are 5 to $40, and if you’re not into samples, you can buy singletons from Schlafly’s regular beer menu.

Rob Zombie’s third horror film series debuts Monday. | COURTESY OF FATHOM EVENTS

MONDAY 09/16 The Zombie Oeuvre Rob ombie’s deranged irefly family returns to the big screen with more blood ‘n’ guts in the highly anticipated 3 From Hell. Otis, Baby and Captain Spaulding are back in action, but doing what is unknown at this point. You may recall that the family was caught in a withering hail of gunfire at the end of The Devil’s Rejects, so perhaps Hell really did reject them and they’re alive and ready to get

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even with all their many enemies. 3 From Hell debuts with a nationwide three-night screening of the unrated version of the movie, courtesy of Fathom Events. You can see it locally Monday through Wednesday (September 16 to 18) at 7 p.m. at the Marcus Ronnies 20 Cine (5320 South Lindbergh Boulevard; www.fathomevents.com). The Monday showing includes an introduction from Rob Zombie and a limited-edition poster while supplies last. Tuesday night audiences get a bumper sticker designed by Rob Zombie, and Wednesday night’s crowd is treated to a double feature of The Devil’s Rejects and 3 From Hell. Tickets are $16.16.

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FILM

It’s a respectful sort of greatest hits collection for the singer who dominated the airwaves for most of the 1970s with a long string of hits, most of them cover versions of familiar tunes given a laid-back est oast makeover.

Even those who are mildly indifferent to their appeal will recognize the strength of Ronstadt’s voice and her perfectionist’s dedication to her art. That latter trait makes the second part of the film more interesting. Bored with touring, Ronstadt

spent much of the 1980s exploring new genres and expanding her vocal techniques, recording albums of classic torch songs and mariachi music and appearing on Broadway in The Pirates of Penzance. These uncommercial shifts were criticized at the time but in retrospect, they seem like further proof of the singer’s willful control over her art and her life. Ronstadt, who stopped performing in 2009 when Parkinson’s disease began to affect her voice, remains hauntingly absent through much of the film. e hear her voice providing recollections, but aside from a very brief shot at the beginning, filmmakers Rob pstein and effrey riedman teasingly keep the 72-year-old singer off screen until the very end, when they catch her in a living-room session with family members. Her voice weakened, she remains attentive to the harmonies, carrying her part softly before explaining to the filmmakers “this isn’t real singing.” n

[REVIEW]

careers and lives to expose wrongdoing, placing a human face on the headlines. More than 40 years and who knows how many political cover-ups since the Pakula film, these models still hold, outlining an ingenious contrast between the struggles of the press with the wall of silence protecting the powerful. We watch reporters negotiate with frightened sources, well-intentioned bureaucrats struggle with their consciences, reliable leads fall apart and powerful institutions place pressure on those who know their secrets. At best, these films can be history lessons and reminders of the significance of ideas like freedom of the press. At worst, they feed our paranoia and cynicism. Most of the time they do both. Official Secrets smoothly combines both political thriller traditions. It’s the story of Katharine Gun, a British government employee who leaked a confidential e-mail in hopes of preventing a war, and of the reporters at London’s Observer who published her story. Gun (played with strong emotion by Keira Knightley) was a translator working for Britain’s Government Communications Headquarters. In 2003 she received a group e-mail from the United States’ National Security Agency asking for assistance in digging up potential blackmail material on United Nations delegates from six countries who opposed the Bush administration’s plans to invade Iraq. Gun passed the e-mail on to a friend, where it gradually found its

way to Observer reporters Martin Bright and Ed Vulliamy (played respectively by earnest Matt Smith and flamboyant Rhys Ifans) at a time when their paper, like most media outlets in both the United States and the United Kingdom, was willing to accept — and parrot — the White House’s dubious stories about weapons of mass destruction. Director Gavin Hood follows the conventions of the genre faithfully, but skillfully juggles the heavy loads of historical data without losing sympathy for the human lives in his story. In an ironic twist on the Woodward/Bernstein model, it’s a story in which the labors of the press lead not to clarity but to an official obscurity. The film rightfully extols the efforts of both the Observer reporters and Gun’s legal team (led by Ralph Fiennes), but their achievements may be dampened by our awareness of what transpired afterward. But that’s the nature of the political thriller. At best, films like Official Secrets find authentic moments of heroism and celebrate ethical victories, but temper their admiration with the often bitter reality that they are celebrating small calculated triumphs but not decisive victories. Despite the high expectations created by All the President’s Men — in which Two Brave Knights Slay the Dragon of Yorba Linda — our admiration for the stories of Gun and others comes with the knowledge that there will be other dragons on the road ahead. n

[REVIEW]

Real Singing Linda Ronstadt’s voice has been stolen by Parkinson’s disease, but her dedication to her art rings true Written by

ROBERT HUNT Linda Ronstadt: The Sound of My Voice Directed by Rob Epstein and Jeffrey Friedman. Starring Linda Ronstadt, Bonnie Raitt, Dolly Parton and Emmylou Harris. Opens Friday, September 13, at Landmark Plaza Frontenac Cinema and the Tivoli Theatre.

ore than half a century ago, rock & roll announced via its ambassadors Danny and the Juniors that it was here to stay, and while its continued health may be a matter of question, that prophecy has remained remarkably accurate. Compared to other popular musical trends — the waltz, ragtime, Dixieland, big bands — the variety of musical styles casually tossed into a category big enough to hold both usty Springfield and Captain Beefheart has shown remarkable longevity. Some of this may just be nostalgia, some the result of a cultural dominance that began when teenaged America began throwing its economic weight around. It certainly didn’t hurt that the rise of rock & roll coincided with a period in which every form of media expanded and multiplied, every step of the path from transistor radios to cell phones, from hi-fi to i- i, driven by the music. Those same forces — nostalgia and a long media trail — may explain the current progression of aging rockers on movie screens. (So far this year: Bob Dylan, David rosby, Bill yman and .A. folk-rock. Coming soon: Robbie Robertson, Bruce Springsteen and Helen Reddy!) Linda Ronstadt: The Sound of My Voice fits the same mold as most of these — concert footage and television clips accompanied by personal recollections and testimonials from an assortment of famous friends and cohorts (Bonnie Raitt, Jackson Browne, Dolly Parton, Ry Cooder).

Linda Ronstadt’s idiosyncratic career shines in a new documentary. | GREENWICH ENTERTAINMENT

Warning Shot Official Secrets skillfully tells the story of the English whistleblower who tried to stop the U.S. invasion of Iraq Written by

ROBERT HUNT Official Secrets Directed by Gavin Hood. Written by Gregory Bernstein, Sara Bernstein and Gavin Hood. Based on the book by Marcia Mitchell and Thomas Mitchell. Starring Keira Knightley, Matthew Goode, Ralph Fiennes and Matt Smith. Opens Friday, September 13, at the Landmark Plaza Frontenac Cinema.

he topical political thriller, an ambitious attempt to combine contemporary history with the elements of espionage, suspense and film noir, usually follows one of two narrative models. The first was set by All the President’s Men, Alan Pakula’s 1976 account of the Woodward/Bernstein investigation of the Watergate break-in. The second model, established by films such as Silkwood and Erin Brockovich, focuses on the whistleblowers, the men and women who risk

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Located on both Page Avenue, as well as the upcoming location in the Saint Louis Galleria, Cluster Busters hopes to provide Saint Louis with high quality seafood at affordable prices. Cluster Busters offers both dine in and carry out seafood, with recipes from Chef Deion Woodard. You will find all your favorites dishes such as seafood, pasta, gumbo, and fried fish. Whether you want to try their flagship “Cluster Buster” or the Lobster Mac and Cheese, Cluster Busters offers something for everyone. Since 2017, Cluster Busters continues to grow as part of a staple of the North Saint Louis community, and is very excited to bring their offerings to the Galleria. Keep an eye out for menu additions as well as daily specials. Cluster Busters is also available for catering and private events, so consider them for your next event. At Cluster Busters, you’re invited to come catch this drip!

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Housed in a retro service station, J. Smugs GastroPit serves up barbecue that can fuel anyone’s fire. Married teams of Joe and Kerri Smugala and John and Linda Smugala have brought charred goodness to the Hill neighborhood, nestled among the traditional Italian restaurants, sandwich shops and bakeries. Part of St. Louis’ ongoing barbecue boom, the J. Smugs’ pit menu is compact but done right. Ribs are the main attraction, made with a spicy dry rub and smoked to perfection. Pulled pork, brisket, turkey and chicken are also in the pit holding up well on their own, but squeeze bottles of six tasty sauces of varying style are nearby for extra punch. Delicious standard sides and salads are available, but plan on ordering an appetizer or two J. Smugs gives this course a twist with street corn and pulled-pork poutine. Several desserts are available, including cannoli – a tasty nod to the neighborhood. Happy hour from 4 to 7pm on weekdays showcases half-dollar BBQ tastes, discount drinks, and $6 craft beer flights to soothe any beer aficionado.

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!

JSMUGSGASTROPIT.COM

BLK MKT EATS

CRAWLING CRAB

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.

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 NOT burritos right in your hand. The Swedish Fish layers Scandinavian YOUR AVERAGE SUSHI SPOT cured salmon, yuzu dill slaw, Persian cucumbers and avocado for a fresh flavor explosion. Another 9 SOUTH VANDEVENTER DINE-IN, TAKEOUT OR DELIVERY MON-SAT 11AM-9PM favorite, the OG Fire, features your choice of spicy tuna or salmon alongside tempura crunch, masago, shallots, jalapeño and 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

RIVERFRONT TIMES

SEPTEMBER 11-17, 2019

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CAFE

[REVIEW]

And in This Corner... Hidden gem TKO Grill packs an impressive punch Written by

CHERYL BAEHR TKO Grill 9766 St. Charles Rock Road, Breckenridge Hills; 314-551-2128. Mon.-Sat. 11 a.m.-9 p.m.; Sun. 1-5 p.m.

oronza “Tee” Cozart was never interested in opening a restaurant. In fact, she wasn’t all that interested in food, period, which is how her Breckenridge Hills spot, TKO Grill, came to be in the first place. A hairstylist by trade, Cozart was so busy running TKO Salon and doing her customers’ hair that she never made time to eat. Her mother, Margaret Forrest, did what any protective mom would do and took matters into her own hands, bringing Cozart homecooked meals to the salon so she could eat between appointments. The problem for Cozart was that there was no time between appointments. She was perpetually booked, and when she wasn’t, she was attending to the other responsibilities that came with running a salon. Not one to see food go to waste, Cozart offered her mom’s meals to her co-workers. They loved Forrest’s cooking so much that they began to ask for it. Eventually, the salon’s customers caught on, and they began to order it as well. Even non-customers heard about the food, and they’d stop by the salon to place orders, too. One thing led to another, and, just like that, o art was running a bona fide takeout operation out of her hair salon. When Forrest left St. Louis for North Carolina, Cozart wanted to carry on her food legacy — besides, her hungry co-workers and customers wouldn’t have let her live it down if she stopped offering the food they’d come to love. She

At TKO Grill, the stuffed peppers are filled with house-smoked turkey rib meat, rice and onions. | MABEL SUEN had the know-how; the dishes her mom had been bringing in were based on old family recipes Cozart grew up eating and learning to cook. Seeing that her customers remained satisfied once she’d taken over the cooking, Cozart decided to take the leap and open a standalone restaurant when the building next door to the salon became available. Cozart opened TKO Grill in September 2016, naming it after the salon where it all began. You’d assume that there is a boxing connection in the Cozart family, considering not only the name of the salon and restaurant, but also because the dishes bear names like “the Heavyweight” and the “Right Hook.” Even the restaurant — a counter-service operation simply appointed with black leather banquettes and brown lacquered tables bearing its logo — has a significant bo ing theme. The walls are covered with framed carica-

tures of local and national celebrities outfitted like they are about to step into the ring. The reality is less sexy: Cozart took over an already-named TKO Salon and simply liked the sound of it. However, Cozart likes to joke that she kept the name because she wanted to “knock out her competition,” and her signature dish, the turkey ribs, does just that. Despite the name, the meat is not, in fact, a rib but a cut off the turkey shoulder, around the scapula. The result is a shockingly succulent piece of meat that is shaped like a flattened pork rib and smoked over fruit wood that brings out the turkey’s subtle sweetness. Cozart drizzles the meat with “TKO Sauce” that is a cross between a vinegary Carolina barbecue sauce and sweet honey mustard. She’s restrained in how much she uses, however, simply drizzling the turkey with the sauce rather than smothering it. This allows the de-

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licious, lightly smoked meat to remain front and center. The “ribs” are not the only turkey dish that Cozart successfully prepares. Her pulled turkey, called the “Haymaker,” is also outstanding; infused with sweet wood smoke, the juicy meat is piled atop a buttery griddled bun and finished with ust a dash of “T Sauce.” The restaurant also offers a well-executed turkey burger. Thick, juicy and kissed with a whisper of black pepper spice, the meat is flavorful on its own but can be topped with tangy barbecue sauce, cheese and an onion ring for a more steakhouse-style offering. The only problem is that the bottom bun crumbled apart, rendering it di cult to eat. gave up and enjoyed it as an open-face, knife-and-fork endeavor. Wings, or “the Knockout,” are simply seasoned, smoked and finished on the grill, giving their

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Continued on pg 31

RIVERFRONT TIMES

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TORONZA COZART Continued from pg 27

tender flesh a touch of bittersweet char. Served skin-on, the exterior slightly crisps up, while inside, the meat remains juicy. This is a straightforward dish, but the flawless e ecution makes it transcendent. TKO Grill devotes a good portion of its menu to “kitchen sink” comfort food dishes such as the massive loaded baked potato smothered in bacon, turkey, nacho cheese, mushrooms, olives, salsa, jalapeños and sour cream. A loaded uesadilla, filled with molten cheese, ground beef and turkey sausage, is equally indulgent. Though I preferred the more nuanced dishes like the wings and turkey, these intentionally hot-messes seem tailor-made for a hangover or post-breakup meal. I was surprised by how successful a smokehouse like TKO Grill is at making pizza, in particular its barbecue chicken version. The St. Louis-style thin crust is smothered in a sweet and tangy barbecue sauce, then covered in tri-colored bell peppers, smoked chicken and mozzarella cheese. It’s as respectable a take on the barbecue pie as

Chef-owner Toronza “Tee” Cozart’s menu is inspired by family recipes. | MABEL SUEN it comes. Cozart’s classic soul-food side dishes are one of the restaurant’s brightest spots. Her green beans are soaked in a turkey- and whiteonion-infused cooking liquid that gives them just a touch of smoky flavor. Mac and cheese is a mar-

velous, gooey concoction of cheddar cheese and bell peppers with just a whisper of sweetness — an old family secret. Mashed potatoes are unlike any other version I’ve had and are akin to a warm, less vinegary German potato salad, but it’s Cozart’s baked beans

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that steal the show. Sticky with brown sugar and spiced with peppers, this hearty side dish rivals any pit beans in town. You’ll be tempted to ask for a double order of those beans, but resist that for the fall-spiced sweet potato pie or peach cobbler cake, which is basically a juicy peach version of a pineapple upsidedown cake. And if there is one thing just as popular as TKO Grill’s turkey “ribs,” it’s the banana pudding, which is positively silken and accompanied with vanilla wafers for dipping. When you taste that banana pudding — or the turkey “ribs,” or the wings — you understand why folks begged Forrest to keep coming back to the salon for more. In fact, the only thing you don’t understand is how Cozart was able to pass on her mom’s delectable cooking in the first place. It’s a good thing she did, though: If she had kept it all to herself, we may not have this delightful little eatery. That would’ve been a punch to the gut too unbearable to sustain.

TKO Grill “On the Ropes” turkey “ribs” ................ $7.50 ”Knockout” wings ................................. $7.50 BBQ chicken pizza (10-inch) ......................$6

SEPTEMBER 11-17, 2019

RIVERFRONT TIMES

SEPTEMBER 11-17, 2019

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SHORT ORDERS

[SIDE DISH]

Meggan Sandusky Keeps the Fire Burning at BEAST Craft BBQ Written by

CHERYL BAEHR

eggan Sandusky can’t help but laugh when she recalls the first time she talked to her now-husband, pitmaster avid Sandusky. “ cussed him out, Sandusky recalls. “ e were both in this young adult church group, and they had soccer teams. Someone made the mistake of telling avid it was semi-competitive, and at the first game we played against him, he had assembled a team of college players and an actual professional soccer player from Poland. hen we walked out on the field, we could ust hear them pinging balls against the wall. Here was, thinking this was a way for us all to get to know each other, and he was out there on the field trying to crucify people. n retrospect, Sandusky learned all that she needed to know about avid during that game. A fierce competitor and perfectionist to the point of obsession, he’s parlayed those personality traits into the acclaimed barbecue restaurants BEAST Craft BBQ (20 S. Belt West, Belleville, IL; 618-257-9000) and the newly opened BEAST Butcher & Block (4156 Manchester Avenue, 314-944-6003). However, if it wasn’t for Sandusky, the world may have lived without the B AST restaurants, or at least the barbecue. “ avid knew he wanted to open his own place, but he wasn’t sure e actly what he wanted to do, Sandusky e plains. “ riginally, we

Meggan Sandusky loves her role as the “sounding board” at BEAST Craft BBQ. | STEPHEN KENNEDY had looked at a place in Benton Park, but it wasn’t the right fit. e found the place in Belleville that was a former diner, and he considered going with that, but then found a smoker online for a good price. He’d always thought of doing barbecue, and finding the smoker really set the tone for everything. inding the smoker is ust one of the many ways Sandusky has impacted the arc of the B AST brand since she and her husband cofounded it in 1 . t’s been an une pected turn for a lifelong artist who went to school for media arts and animation. Though she dreamed of being an illustrator, Sandusky reali ed not long after she enrolled in college that making a career out of something she loved took the oy out of it for her. After leaving college without finishing her degree, Sandusky returned home to southern llinois, which is where she met avid. After a brief courtship and engagement, the pair had a daughter, and Sandusky decided to uit her ob in medical billing to focus on their family. t also freed her up to dive headfirst into the development of B AST raft BB , which opened about four years after the pair got married. rom designing the logo to taste-testing to mar-

Sandusky jokes about starting a restaurant version of the Real Housewives franchise, because of just how difficult it can be balancing the business with the personal. keting, Sandusky has served as the restaurant’s brand architect, a role that she relishes. However, her favorite part of the gig is something less tangible. “ really en oy being a wife and my role as avid’s support system, Sandusky says. “ know it sounds clich , and that it doesn’t sound like a large role, but really like being his sounding board and coming up with ideas together.

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She admits that those brainstorming and advice sessions are not always easy. n fact, there was a point in developing the new restaurant, B AST Butcher Block, when avid was so grumpy with her for uestioning one of his ideas that he didn’t get over it for months. “ e were in the space with our designers and architects, and avid was talking about how he wanted to do orean barbecue, Bra ilian barbecue and all these different barbecue concepts, Sandusky recalls. “ told him, People are going to come here for what you do. They want B AST, so give them B AST and have a little section of the restaurant where you can be as creative as you want.’ That’s how the Skullery came to be. Sandusky loves her role with B AST and the partnership she and avid have, both inside and outside of the restaurants. Still, she often okes about wanting to start a restaurant version of the Real Housewives franchise, focused on restaurant spouses because of ust how di cult it can be balancing the business with the personal. “ inety percent of what you talk about is shop, Sandusky says.

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SEPTEMBER 11-17, 2019

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MEGGAN SANDUSKY Continued from pg 33

“ hen we have free time and go out and do things, we still end up talking shop. e can’t go on vacation and have a meal together without thinking, Hmm, how can we incorporate this into our restaurants ’ Still, we love it. This is our life. verything about it is us. Sandusky took time away from the restaurants to share her thoughts on the St. ouis metro restaurant scene, her admiration for some of the strong women making waves in the city’s dining community and why breakfast for dinner is always a good idea. What is one thing people don’t know about you that you wish they did? Ha am the force behind all of avid’s good ideas. What daily ritual is non-negotiable for you? don’t have rituals. Routine is not something have ever been good at. t takes a lot of effort to give my family the routine that they need. live for the moment and love spontaneity. If you could have any superpower, what would it be?

This is a uestion tend to ponder often. used to think flying or teleporting would be the ultimate superpower. As a mom and wife, tend to lean more toward never needing sleep or maybe having the ability to duplicate myself. What is the most positive thing in food, wine or cocktails that you’ve noticed in St. Louis over the past year? There seems to be a resurgence of simple, uncomplicated cuisine. These dishes contain very few, but really great, ingredients that are familiar and inspire diners to try their hand at creating something similar at home. love seeing local restaurants with a small menu selection. t gives me the assurance that those few items will be really great, and it allows diners to be brave and try something new without being overwhelmed by a giant menu. What is something missing in the local food, wine or cocktail scene that you’d like to see? would love to see a great breakfast-for-dinner place. don’t mean a diner, either. on’t get me wrong, love going to a diner for breakfast at any hour. ust imagine going to armine’s Steak House or Annie unn’s and getting an ama ing steak with some perfectly cooked

eggs. would order that steak over the one that comes with a vegetable and potato any day. Who is your St. Louis food crush? Haha avid would not want me to say him, and wouldn’t anyway. guess it would have to be between oryn alic at Balkan Treat Bo and atie ollier at atie’s Pi a Pasta steria . love what they do. t’s awesome to see strong women behind such great restaurants. Who’s the one person to watch right now in the St. Louis food scene? Big things are happening in the city, and new food celebrities are popping up all over. t can be hard to keep up with it all when you are focused on your own business. really think that our very own erek raue is someone you need to keep an eye out for. He has his hands in much of the butchery and will be an anchor when we open the Skullery. reat things to come from him. Which ingredient is most representative of your personality? offee Strong, a little bitter and the driving force behind your day. ol If you weren’t working in the restaurant business, what would you be doing? have had the opportunity to

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e perience many different careers. lean more toward the creative arts. dropped out of college for media art and animation and have always been interested in pursuing that again. Name an ingredient never allowed in your restaurant. would never want to deny anyone from e periencing something ust because don’t care for it. There is one item really struggle with. know this is probably blasphemous considering the nature of my restaurant, but really dislike lamb. try it every once in a while hoping may change my mind. want to like it. What is your after-work hangout? Hangout hat’s that My best friends are seven and one am very simple, and don’t really go out. like being home with my family. What’s your food or beverage guilty pleasure? very time go to hicago have to go to evil awgs on She eld. absolutely love that place What would be your last meal on earth? This is simple. My mom’s fried chicken, mashed potatoes with white gravy and peas. She never makes it anymore. Maybe after reading this she will. n

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RIVERFRONT TIMES

SEPTEMBER 11-17, 2019

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[FIRST LOOK]

La Catrina Brings Festive Vibe to Southampton Written by

CHERYL BAEHR

erry Reyes and Enrique Robles were serious about wanting to open their own restaurant. Having worked together in Mexican spots around town for more than a decade, the friends felt that they were more than ready to strike out on their own. However, when they mentioned their plan to their friend Steve Resnic, they framed it as a joke — and when he joked back that they should start looking into it, and he wanted to help, the wheels were set in motion. Eight months later, their back-of-theenvelope musings have resulted in the lively restaurant and cantina La Catrina (5220 Hampton Avenue, 314-833-3357), which opened on July 25 in the Southampton neighborhood. As Reyes explains, the concept may be serving the familiar favorites people expect from a Tex-Mex-inspired eatery, but there are a few key factors that differentiate La Catrina from the rest. “Everyone can serve the same sort of things — for example, everyone has fajitas,” Reyes explains. “However, we are doing them the best

[FOOD NEWS]

Original J’s Barbecue Opening in U City Written by

CHERYL BAEHR

t. ouis has another smokehouse getting ready to fire up in its thriving barbecue scene this time from acclaimed chef Mike Randolph. Randolph and his wife i have announced their plans for Original J’s Barbecue (7359 Forsyth Boulevard), a Te -Me -style barbecue restaurant that will open in University ity in the former ortel’s Pi a en. Though no specific opening date has been provided, the Randolphs estimate that their

The fajitas are one of La Catrina’s most popular Tex-Mex specialties. | CHERYL BAEHR they can be done and make everything here from scratch. Plus, we want to create a good atmosphere.” Resnic, Reyes and Robles are confident that they’ve found the winning formula for what people want, and if their popularity is any indication, they are certainly on to something. Already, La Catrina has become a neighborhood favorite, its dining room and patio packed with regulars almost every night. Fortunately, the restaurant is able to accommodate such a crowd; between its large main dining room, its more secluded back room

and the spacious patio, the restaurant can easily seat 150 guests. Those seating areas are as vibrant as they are large. Inside, the restaurant is outfitted in bright shades of teal and coral and decorated in a Dia de los Muertos theme. There are booths and tables. The bar, which sits at the back of the room, can also seat approximately ten guests. For as lovely as the dining room is, La Catrina’s patio is the place to be when weather permits. The outdoor space has three large, covered booths that can seat up to ten people each, as well as high-top

tables adorned with colorful umbrellas. The patio has its own bar and a beautiful, turquoise and white mosaic tiled fireplace that creates a striking ambiance as soon as the sun goes down. On a lovely night, that fireplace makes a striking backdrop for enjoying one of La Catrina’s signature margaritas. Made with fresh lime juice, the refreshing cocktail is garnished with a float of Grand Marnier that is served in a hollowed-out lime — and if you are with a group, the restaurant is happy to serve the cocktail as a pitcher. Food is equally impressive. The restaurant serves expected dishes like tacos, queso, enchiladas, burritos and combination platters. Reyes’ favorite dish, the parrillada, is a massive platter of shrimp, chicken, chorizo, carne asada and outstanding carnitas, served sizzling hot with guacamole, beans and rice. Reyes is pleased with the response the restaurant is getting and is excited to be a part of the Southampton community. A father and husband, he knows that people, like him, are looking for a place to kick back and enjoy a good meal — an experience he is thankful to have the opportunity to provide. “I don’t think restaurants are about what you eat, but how you live,” Reyes explains. “These days, people work a lot and are so busy. Everybody deserves a little enjoyment in life. We’re here to provide that.” La Catrina is open Sunday through Thursday from 11:30 a.m. until 9:30 p.m. and Friday and Saturday from 11:30 a.m. until 10:30 p.m. n

that the breadth of menu new restaurant will be options will appeal to diners open within the ne t who like barbecue but want few months. more than a twelve-ounce escribed as a “caplatter of meat. sual, family-friendly “This is what i and restaurant featuring want to eat and what we are Te as-style barbecue e cited about at this point served as tacos, platin our lives, Randolph says. ters and bowls, rigi“ i isn’t a huge fan of havnal ’s will be a couning a big platter of smoked ter-service operation meat, and she had a huge that draws inspiration role in developing the half from the Randolphs’ of the menu that we hope former restaurant, Puwill appeal to a broader blico, as well as their travels through Te as. Mike and Liz Randolph will offer Tex-Mex favorites in a casual, range of people. As for that meat, Randolph n that spirit, diners family-friendly environment. | SPENCER PERNIKOFF emphasi es that riginal can e pect dishes like ’s will focus on Te as-style, pulled pork nachos, pect brisket chimichangas, chichar- Randolph says. “ ook at places slow-and-low cooking. ansas ity or Memphis smoking times of si teen hours rons with barbecue rub and a host like or ashville there’s nothing and simple salt and pepper seaof Te -Me side dishes. Though Randolph acknowledg- wrong with having a lot of barbe- soning. The restaurant will use Myron Mi on smokers and Mises the wealth of barbecue already cue in your town. Randolph e plains that the rig- souri oak for its barbecue. available in St. ouis, he doesn’t “The most important thing for see that as a problem for rigi- inal ’s idea draws heavily upon nal ’s. n fact, he feels like it’s an Publico, but it’s being presented us is to have reverence and rein a more approachable manner spect for Te as barbecue, Ranopportunity. “ don’t think that this is ust in terms of both format and price dolph e plains. “ e’re not setting another barbecue restaurant in point. He hopes the more casual out to say we have the best Te as St. ouis, but also don’t think a style will draw families stopping barbecue. The thing that is incity that loves its barbecue like St. in after a baseball game or for a stilled in us is that we are dedicatn uick bite to eat. He also hopes ing ourselves to the ideal. ouis has reached critical mass,

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SEPTEMBER 11-17, 2019

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SEPTEMBER 11-17, 2019

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BAR TAB

by Ellen Prinzi

Where we’re drinking: Yellowbelly (4659 Lindell Boulevard, 314-499-1509) What we’re drinking: The Yellowbelly ($10) When we’re drinking: Pre-dinner cocktail

f you’ve been to Yellowbelly in the Central West End, you know its cocktail game is on point. Regardless of the time of year, Yellowbelly’s rum-forward cocktails transport you to coastal destinations by way of perfectly mixed concoctions in a light and airy space. Co-owner Tim Wiggins is the mastermind behind the bar and a walking encyclopedia on all things rum. In fact, the entire bar program is designed around rum, which, as Wiggins explains, is a very misunderstood spirit. “People have a misconception that all rum drinks are sugary,” Wiggins says. “It’s a very overlooked spirit and has yet to be fully explored.” Indeed, most people’s experience with the sugarcane liquor begins and ends with rum and Coke or the occasional piña colada enjoyed on vacation. Wiggins feels that rum is on the verge of having its moment, and at Yellowbelly, he has created a variety of drinkable and balanced (read: not too sweet) cocktails. The namesake cocktail, “the Yellowbelly,” is perhaps Wiggins’ greatest creation on the menu. The recipe, which took him almost eight months of tweaking, is a mix of sweet, sour and spice — not a sickly saccharine stereotype. The visually appealing drink is made with a blend of Spanish rum, Jamaican rum and a locally made rum from Franklin County called Duckett Gold. The rest of the drink consists of a housemade coconut cream syrup that’s infused with locally made Big Heart Tea Co. “Cup of Sunshine” dust, freshly pressed pineapple juice, lime juice and ginger — the latter designed to cut through the sweetness. It’s served in a tall glass with crushed ice and finished off with a dusting of nutmeg and mint. The flavor immediately reminds you of drinking a more complex, less heavy piña colada. “The goal was to reverse engineer the piña colada,” Wiggins says, and the result is just that. It’s no surprise that the Yellowbelly is the best-selling cocktail on the list, but if that’s not your thing, Wiggins is more than happy to change your mind about rum-forward cocktails. Bending his ear about rum can leave your eyes glazed over. His knowledge and passion are evident, from his under-

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The Yellowbelly. | ELLEN PRINZI standing of the history of the spirit to his painstaking recipes that blend savory and sweet, often incorporating vegetables. Sitting at the bar and chatting about his cocktails is a treat for any connoisseur, or for anyone on a quest for the perfect drink. Wiggins was recently named a St. Louis Business Journal “30 under 30,” and after one conversation, it’s easy to see why he’s so deserving of the award. St. Louis is lucky to have such a knowledgeable and talented mixologist in the region. The Yellowbelly is an ideal way to enjoy all the beauty a rum-based cocktail can be and see Wiggins in his element. However, if you are really interested in exploring the spirit, the restaurant and bar is now offering rum flights — similar to a whiskey or tequila tasting. Either way, prepare to leave Yellowbelly with a newfound respect for rum and the non-sweet variety of rum-based cocktails. Ellen Prinzi is our bar columnist. She likes strong drinks and has strong opinions. You can catch more of her writing via Olio City, a city guide app she started in 2017.

SEPTEMBER 11-17, 2019

RIVERFRONT TIMES

Tuesdays SEPT 3–24 6–8pm Forest Park Museum’s North Lawn mohistory.org/twilight-tuesdays

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SEPTEMBER 11-17, 2019

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MUSIC + CULTURE

[HOMESPUN]

Tickling Fancy Alexandra Sinclair is bringing the piano back to St. Louis’ bar scene Written by

CHRISTIAN SCHAEFFER

ot too long ago, Alexandra Sinclair led a fairly buttoneddown existence. Having studied music education in college, she spent a few years teaching at an elementary school in the Rockwood district. But when her moonlighting gig — singing backing vocals and playing organ with Al Holliday & the East Side Rhythm Band — had the chance to tour overseas, Sinclair decided to take a sabbatical from teaching. Sinclair says that her rationale was still focused on her young wards: “I thought that I would do it now so I’ll be a better teacher for my students later,” she explains. Plus, playing Hamburg, Amsterdam and many of the Netherlands’ less-pronounceable cities wasn’t a terrible way to spend the fall. Like many local musicians, Sinclair still gives private lessons, including to many of her former elementary school students. Her mission, she says, is to demystify music as some higher-order concept and help ensure that parents of young children know how to incorporate rhythm and melody in their everyday routines. “This helps make it more accessible to everyone, not just the people with talent,” Sinclair says. “Talent is just an idea; everyone can and should participate in music.” Sinclair’s own musical evolution followed a variety-filled path The daughter of a musical-loving father, she began picking out tunes on the family piano as a toddler and began formal lessons at eight. High school turned her on to vocal jazz through choir class at Kirkwood High; by the time she went to college, she was gigging with a bar band and learning her way around the classic-rock fake book.

In recent months, Alexandra Sinclair has played regularly at Yaqui’s and the Dark Room in addition to backing up other St. Louis artists. | LISA DANKO All of those e periences filter through Sinclair’s current role, in which she occupies different positions as supporting player and solo act. She still plays and sings with the East Side Rhythm Band and sits in with rock-centric acts Grace Basement and Old Souls Revival; she even took the lead on r. ohn’s “ ualified, on both keys and vocals, on a recent tribute to the late, great Night Tripper at the Broadway Oyster Bar. But the past few months have seen Sinclair helming solo gigs at Yaqui’s on Cherokee and at the Dark Room’s Sunday brunch set. Sinclair’s entree into the scene was largely through her work with Holliday: Both of them taught at the School of Rock (where Sinclair’s first duty was to prep new singers for a Yes tribute — no small feat when you consider Jon Anderson’s pipes). She joined up with Holliday’s group as part of a trio of female vocalists, but when the band tackled a Joe Cocker covers set, she filled in on organ as well. From there, Sinclair has pulled double duty and helped fill out the sound of the band’s soulinspired arrangements. “I love Stax, I love that era of

“Talent is just an idea; everyone can and should participate in music.” music,” she says of playing with Holliday. “That was Al for me — high energy, great music. I just love the catalog.” Playing the organ may seem analogous to playing piano — all those black-and-white keys look the same, after all — but corralling the many tones, harmonics and moods of the Hammond B3 takes a special kind of discipline. “It’s like a woodwind instrument; it’s all tone-based,” Sinclair says of the organ. “It’s completely personal in the way that one person’s settings and tones are completely different. I consider myself a piano player mainly, but I love playing organ. It’s a completely different animal.” Sinclair sticks to the piano when she performs solo gigs, and though

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some of the settings where she plays may relegate her to “background music,” she views the role of entertainer with intense pride. “A lot of the people I look up to the most, as far as players and singers — James Booker, Donny Hathaway — a lot of these piano blues musicians start out in restaurants,” she says. “That’s their main gig. I’m very proud to have participated in that; I kind of pride myself on that ‘pianist in the corner’ role — I love that role.” Sinclair views these gigs at Yaqui’s and the Dark Room as a chance to stretch out as a player and a singer; she mixes in traditional jazz, boogie-woogie, ragtime and soul standards in her sets. She regularly highlights our city’s legends, from Scott Joplin to Hathaway, and Sinclair hopes to help make upright pianos a fi ture once again in local establishments. “I want to get the corner piano player back in town. The piano is such a key historical part of St. Louis, and it’s kind of a dying art,” Sinclair says. “In St. Louis, we’re so lucky to be in a city where you can make a living as a musician, but we can push it a little further.” n

SEPTEMBER 11-17, 2019

RIVERFRONT TIMES

SEPTEMBER 11-17, 2019

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[ Y E E H AW ]

A Passion for Cowboy Fashion Cherokee Street’s monthly Western Wear Night brings cowpokes of all stripes to the Whiskey Ring Written by

THOMAS CRONE

he Western Wear Night origin story starts simply enough. In November 2018, four St. Louisans donned their finest estern duds and went to show off their sharp looks at the Whiskey Ring. The reason? Because they wanted to. In that number: Piper McMahon, Jay Sanchez, Ryan Koenig and Lucas Hanner. The last member of that group had such fun that he decided the gang should get together again in another month, matching the date to oenig’s first and third Tuesday residencies at the Ring; it’d settle in as a third Tuesday tradition. Events can be born of such humble beginnings. With modest expectations, their number grew to a dozen people their second time together, which felt like A Thing, but it really felt like more of A Thing in January of this year, with the number doubling to 25 for the third outing. Fast forwarding a bit, Western Wear Night eventually topped 100 attendees (on a Blues playoff game night) and then a few more than that showed up in July. By the time that August’s event was held, more than 350 people stopped through the Whiskey Ring, taking in music from Austin’s Croy and the Boys, who performed with a variety of St. Louis musicians and burlesque performers. In addition to the entertainment, vendors were on hand with the Trading Post, selling Western wear and other sundries. Burger 809, a newcomer to Cherokee, supplied food in the form of $5 boxed dinners, featuring a burger, corn and beans. In other words, by August, Western Wear Night had most assuredly become A Thing. Seated in the tidy basement office of their home club on a recent weekend evening, Hanner and WWN Roundtable member Ron

August’s edition of Western Wear Night brought more than 350 people to the Whiskey Ring. | GABRIELLE BLANTON Strawbridge kick around their ideas on how something simple grew into a monthly promotion that’s planned well into next year. Strawbridge guesses that about 60 percent of the audience commits to the experience through their choice of clothing. “We have folks who dress like traditional cowboys and folks who aren’t traditional, but you have to say to them, ‘I love what you’re doing. That’s a 25-gallon hat and it works for you,’” he says. “Dressing up like a cowboy is what we all did as kids and what we’re doing — and enjoying — now. It’s nice to see everyone come out and enjoy themselves. You can come out, relax, have a really good time.” What the Roundtable is hoping to see is an event that draws beyond the characters that already inhabit Cherokee Street bars, even though that’s been the obvious base. After their last, breakthrough event, Hanner says that “we had people in their 60s and 70s out dancing in their Western wear. Was it Facebook that reached them? We do send word to KDHX. We had lots of people turn up for it that we didn’t know, and it was pleasing to see how excited everyone was about it. Amazing.” “We are weirdos down here on Cherokee Street,” Strawbridge adds. “It’s a night to be a weirdo, but in a safe space.” With this comment, the pair break out a flyer that hangs throughout the venue for their event. The sheet reads: “Western Wear Night House Rules: We do not tolerate racism, sexism, ableism, homophobia, transphobia, fatphobia or general hatefulness. You will

be asked to leave.” To that end, the pair agree that special event nights, when folks are dressed up (or dressed to perform), can bring out a gawker element. And that element, once some alcohol comes into play, can lead gawkers into talkers, gropers, etc. But with the whole of the Whiskey Ring’s staff, performers and Roundtable members all singing from the same hymn book, trouble has been light to nonexistent. That leaves an emphasis on fashion, yes. But also on music as much as anything else. As noted, longtime St. Louis multi-instrumentalist Ryan Koenig was at the first event, and some versions of his many bands (such as the Goldenrods and the New Missouri Fox Hunters) have been showcased to date. He provides the PA, the sound expertise, much of the booking of acts. His role, Hanner says, has been key to the growth of the event. On Tuesday, September 17, then, Western Wear Night celebrates Koenig. After that, Hanner says, future plans include a Halloween party on October 15 called Witches & Britches. “ t’ll be the first Halloween party of the season down here,” Hanner explains. “November will have our first anniversary party. Most likely, February will be the time that I want to share this crowd and fun and theme with the rest of the street. So I think we’ll have the B-Side, Yaqui’s and Earthbound all have their own Western Wear Nights and everyone will hang at their own party until 10 p.m. Then, the person that’s voted the best dressed at

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each bar will go outside, into the street, for the Cherokee Street Showdown. And at whatever bar sends out the best-dressed winner, the trophy will stay there until the next February.” With growth, Hanner hears from more and more folks who have some ideas that fly and others that die. Tossing out an example, Hanner says, “I got one for ya. I’ve got a friend with a line on some miniature ponies. They were asking me what the rules would be for bringing a couple of them to Western Wear Night. My reply was that it’d probably go okay; they allow dogs in, so why not ponies? I hope that happens in September, and I imagine it will. “It’ll be a good picture opportunity,” he continues. “But they’ll have to leave by 9 p.m. I don’t even wanna think about drunk people at 1 a.m. with miniature ponies around.” So far, the members of the Roundtable have been quite happy with their people. “I think the term ‘family’ is overused,” Strawbridge says. “And ‘community’ can be overused, too, and I wanna be mindful of that term. The first people at the event, we knew very well. It started out with four buddies who cared about each other, and that’s important to note.” “A lot of people are coming out who don’t normally do that on Cherokee,” Hanner says. “They’re enjoying this brotherly and sisterly love we have going.” The next Western Wear Night is set for Tuesday, September 17, at the Whiskey Ring.

SEPTEMBER 11-17, 2019

RIVERFRONT TIMES

SEPTEMBER 11-17, 2019

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OUT EVERY NIGHT

[CRITIC’S PICK]

Kevin Morby and William Tyler. | BARRETT EMKE/CHANTAL ANDERSON

Kevin Morby & William Tyler 6 p.m and 9 p.m., Thursday, September 12. Native Sound, Ohio and Cherokee. $35. www.facebook.com/nativesoundrecording. There’s a disheveled loucheness to Kevin Morby, and that’s not just because he appears all shirtless and bedroom-eyed on the cover of his latest, Oh My God. Even the opening title track suggests a certain dashed-off quality, as a syncopated piano riff gets pounded out on a sweetly out-oftune upright. But Morby has carved out a niche for himself as a maker of nuanced, harmonically rich indie rock; his latest al-

THURSDAY 12

ANTLERHEAD: Astronaut//Cosmonaut, Overnighter 8 p.m., $10. Fubar, 3108 Locust St, St. Louis, 314-289-9050. BRANT BJORK: w/ Ecstatic Vision, Spacetrucker, Killing Fever 8 p.m., $15-$18. The Firebird, 2706 Olive St., St. Louis, 314-535-0353. FATBOY SSE: 8 p.m., $20-$50. Fubar, 3108 Locust St, St. Louis, 314-289-9050. FLATFOOT 56: w/ 6’10, Bastard Squad 8 p.m., $13-$15. Blueberry Hill - The Duck Room, 6504 Delmar Blvd., University City, 314-727-4444. LITTLE LIZARD: w/ Sister Wizzard, Big Step 9 p.m., $7. The Heavy Anchor, 5226 Gravois Ave., St. Louis, 314-352-5226. THE MEDIUM: 8 p.m., $8-$10. Foam, 3359 Jefferson Ave., St. Louis, 314-772-2100. NAHKO AND MEDICINE FOR THE PEOPLE: 8 p.m., $32.50-$37.50. Delmar Hall, 6133 Delmar Blvd., St. Louis, 314-726-6161. POLYPHONY MARIMBA: 8 p.m., $15. Joe’s Cafe, 6014 Kingsbury Ave, St. Louis. SLAUGHTER BEACH, DOG: w/ Cave People, Early Animator 8 p.m., $13-$15. Off Broadway, 3509 Lemp Ave., St. Louis, 314-498-6989. TEDXGATEWAYARCH PRESENTS: CRASH COURSE: 6 p.m., $35-$75. The Pageant, 6161 Delmar Blvd., St. Louis, 314-726-6161.

bum employs subtle percussion, angelic choirs and a recurring saxophone that serves as a Greek chorus. Morby will be joined by noted instrumental guitarist William Tyler, whose just-released Lagniappe Sessions EP features covers of Fleetwood Mac, Yo La Tengo and Anton Dvorak. Natives Only: Morby and Tyler will be playing two sets at Cherokee Street’s Native Sound, the recording studio helmed by David Beeman and Ben Majchrzak. Expect an intimate set from both performers; check Native Sound’s Facebook page for ticket availability. —Christian Schaeffer

FRIDAY 13

BITCHIN BAJAS: w/ Wiggpaw, DJ Ghost Ice 9 p.m., $8-$10. Foam, 3359 Jefferson Ave., St. Louis, 314-772-2100. THE MANESS BROTHERS JUKE JOINT: 8 p.m., $5. Livery Company, 6728 S Broadway, St. Louis, 314-558-2330. MATT “THE RATTLESNAKE” LESCH: 7 p.m., $15. National Blues Museum, 615 Washington Ave., St. Louis. METH.: w ivid, verstayer, o n it, e L’orme 8 p.m., $7. The Sinkhole, 7423 South Broadway, St. Louis, 314-328-2309. MOONROCKET: 9 p.m., $5. Way Out Club, 2525 S. Jefferson Ave., St. Louis, 314-664-7638. MURIEL ANDERSON: 8 p.m., $15-$20. The Focal Point, 2720 Sutton Blvd, St. Louis, 314-560-2778. THE NATIVE SON: w/ the Good Deeds, Adam Gaffney 8 p.m., free. Off Broadway, 3509 Lemp Ave., St. Louis, 314-498-6989. PINK SWEAT$: 8 p.m., $15-$18. The Ready Room, 4195 Manchester Ave, St. Louis, 314-833-3929. STILL SHINE: w/ Silver Creek Bluegrass Band 9 p.m., $10. Old Rock House, 1200 S. 7th St., St. Louis, 314-588-0505. TROPICAL FUCK STORM: 8 p.m., $12-$15. Blueberry Hill - The Duck Room, 6504 Delmar Blvd., University City, 314-727-4444.

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SEPTEMBER 11-17, 2019

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[CRITIC’S PICK]

Jenny Roques is just one of the acts performing at Acoustic Music Fest. | TIM GEBAUER

Acoustic Music Festival 12 p.m. Sunday, September 15. The National Museum of Transportation, 2933 Barrett Station Road, Ballwin. $5 to $20. 314-965-6212. Acoustic music, especially that of the folk or Americana variety, has always had a certain fascination with trains. It stands to reason: Any traveling troubadour crisscrossing the country in search of the soul of America is gonna have some time to kill while riding the rails, and what more portable instrument is there than a good ol’ acoustic guitar? So it makes sense that the National Museum of Transportation is playing host to the Acoustic Music Festival this weekend, bringing a baker’s

OUT EVERY NIGHT Continued from pg 45

SATURDAY 14

AMERICAN FOOTBALL: 8 p.m., $25-$30. Delmar Hall, 6133 Delmar Blvd., St. Louis, 314-726-6161. BLINK-182 AND LIL WAYNE: w/ Neck Deep 7:30 p.m., $37.50-$127.50. Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre, I-70 & Earth City Expwy., Maryland Heights, 314-298-9944. CELEBRATION DAY: A TRIBUTE TO LED ZEPPELIN: p.m., . hesterfield Amphitheater, 1 eterans Place rive, hesterfield. THE COMMONHEART: 9 p.m., $12-$15. Blueberry Hill - The Duck Room, 6504 Delmar Blvd., University City, 314-727-4444. DIVIDED HEAVEN: w/ Bent Trees, Preacher Clark Band 9 p.m., $7. The Heavy Anchor, 5226 Gravois Ave., St. Louis, 314-352-5226. DIZZY ATMOSPHERE: 6 p.m., $16. Missouri Botanical Garden, 4344 Shaw Blvd., St. Louis, 314-577-9400. THE FIRMLY CROOKED: w/ the Hail Marys, Brasky, Stoker 8 p.m., $5. The Sinkhole, 7423 South Broadway, St. Louis, 314-328-2309. HEYLUV: 8:30 p.m., $10-$20. The Ready Room, 4195 Manchester Ave, St. Louis, 314-833-3929. HY-C AND THE FRESH START BAND: 7 p.m., $15. National Blues Museum, 615 Washington Ave.,

dozen of St. Louis’ best acts to perform relatively sans electricity and surrounded by locomotives (and, of course, buses, streetcars, planes, etc). Performers include Jenny Roques, Rum Drum Ramblers, River Kittens, the Red-Headed Strangers and more, and there will be food trucks and craft vendors on hand as well. There’s even talk of secret sets hidden throughout the museum, making for a unique experience sure to satisfy the explorer in all who attend. Where’s the Stag Though? This show was set up by erstwhile Stag Nite impresario Johnny Vegas, marking a reunion of sorts for many of the performers in attendance who frequented the Deer Beer event before Vegas packed it in. —Daniel Hill

St. Louis. JB SMOOVE: 8 p.m., $35. The Pageant, 6161 Delmar Blvd., St. Louis, 314-726-6161. JONAS BROTHERS: w/ Bebe Rexha, Jordan McGraw 7:30 p.m., $26.95-$496.95. Enterprise Center, 1401 Clark Ave., St. Louis, 314-241-1888. MICKEY SINGH: 9 p.m., $25-$50. The Firebird, 2706 Olive St., St. Louis, 314-535-0353. NILE: w/ Rec Riddles, Ackurate, Poet X 8 p.m., $5. Foam, 3359 Jefferson Ave., St. Louis, 314-772-2100. SHIVER: 9 p.m., free. Nightshift Bar & Grill, 3979 Mexico Road, St. Peters, 636-441-8300. SPOONFED TRIBE: w/ Surco 6 p.m., $12-$15. Atomic Cowboy Pavilion, 4140 Manchester Avenue, St. Louis, 314-775-0775. STEVE O’BRIEN & J REBEL: w/ Goodwill, Smileyboy, Marzo, Fraedo, Louie McDon 7:30 p.m., $10-$15. Pop’s Nightclub, 401 Monsanto Ave., East St. Louis, 618-274-6720. TRAVIS BARKER: 9 p.m., $15-$40. Ameristar Casino, 1 Ameristar Blvd., St. Charles, 636-949-7777.

SUNDAY 15

ACOUSTIC MUSIC & CRAFT FESTIVAL: w/ Rum Drum Ramblers, Cowboy Randy Erwin, Sadie Hawkins Day, Jack Grelle, River Kittens, Jenny Roques noon, $20. Museum of Transportation, 2933 Barrett Station Road, Kirkwood, 314-965-6212. THE DIP: 8 p.m., $15. Off Broadway, 3509 Lemp Ave., St. Louis, 314-498-6989.

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SEPTEMBER 11-17, 2019

RIVERFRONT TIMES

Wednesday, September 11 9:30PM

Sean Canan’s Voodoo Players Tribute To The Eagles

Thursday September 12 9PM

Al Holliday’s East Side Rhythm Band Friday September 13 10PM

Jakes Leg

Saturday September 14 10PM

Funky Butt Brass Band Sunday September 15 3:45pm

Kyle Lacy Band FREE SHOW!

Sunday September 15 8PM

Blues and Soul Diva Kim Massie Wednesday September 18 9:30PM

Sean Canan’s Voodoo Players Tribute To Wilco and Uncle Tupelo

RIVERFRONT TIMES

SEPTEMBER 11-17, 2019

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[CRITIC’S PICK]

Sun Kil Moon. | VIA ARTIST WEBSITE

Sun Kil Moon 8 p.m. Sunday, September 15. Delmar Hall, 6133 Delmar Boulevard. $20 to $30. 314-726-6161. On stage and off, Mark Kozelek can be a collossal, trolling, misogynist asshole. He can also be an artist of breathtaking wonder. Performing and recording largely, but not exclusively, under the Sun Kil Moon moniker, he dares anyone with a conscience to walk the fuck out and dump his records at Decluttr.com. And then the prick just goes on writing searing, honest fifteen-minute songs about gun massa-

OUT EVERY NIGHT Continued from pg 47

GWAR: w/ Sacred Reich, Against the Grain 7:30 p.m., $19-$24. Pop’s Nightclub, 401 Monsanto Ave., East St. Louis, 618-274-6720. LESLIE STEVENS: 8 p.m., $12-$15. Blueberry Hill - The Duck Room, 6504 Delmar Blvd., University City, 314-727-4444. RHEA BUTCHER: 8 p.m., $20. The Ready Room, 4195 Manchester Ave, St. Louis, 314-833-3929. SENSES FAIL: w/ Hot Mulligan, Yours Truly 7:30 p.m., TBA. Fubar, 3108 Locust St, St. Louis, 314-289-9050. STRANGE RANGER: w/ Frankie V, Kijani Eshe, Mark Plant 8 p.m., $10. Foam, 3359 Jefferson Ave., St. Louis, 314-772-2100. SUN KIL MOON: 8 p.m., $20-$30. Delmar Hall, 6133 Delmar Blvd., St. Louis, 314-726-6161. SWEETIE AND THE TOOTHACHES: 4 p.m., $15. National Blues Museum, 615 Washington Ave., St. Louis. WOODSHINE CONCERT: 2 p.m., free. Mount Pleasant Estates, 5634 High St., Augusta, 800-467-9463.

MONDAY 16

DANIEL ROMANO: 8 p.m., $12-$15. The Ready Room, 4195 Manchester Ave, St. Louis, 314-833-3929. THE DUST COVERS: w/ Kevin Buckley 7 p.m., free. Tick Tock Tavern, 3459 Magnolia Ave, St. Louis. ROCKY MANTIA & KILLER COMBO: 8 p.m., $10. BB’s Jazz, Blues & Soups, 700 S. Broadway, St. Louis, 314-436-5222.

TUESDAY 17

PAT JOYCE: 7 p.m., free. Evangeline’s, 512 N Euclid Ave, St. Louis, 314-367-3644.

cres and starving kittens, and recording a harrowing charity album for street kids in Argentina. Often, with just a guitar and a few haunting vocal loops, as on most of his single greatest album, 2014’s Benji, Kozelek never makes listening or choices easy. Truth, like Kozelek’s music, demands a brutal reckoning that, against all reason, can still be cathartic. Let It Bleed: The most common description of Kozelek’s songwriting is “stream of consciousness,” which is correct, if that stream is the opening of a vein in the soul. —Roy Kasten

ROGER CLYNE ACOUSTIC DUO: 8 p.m., $20-$35. Off Broadway, 3509 Lemp Ave., St. Louis, 314-498-6989. ST. LOUIS SOCIAL CLUB: 8 p.m., $10. BB’s Jazz, Blues & Soups, 700 S. Broadway, St. Louis, 314-436-5222. YOURS, MINE & OURS COMEDY: 8:30 p.m., $7. The Heavy Anchor, 5226 Gravois Ave., St. Louis, 314-352-5226.

WEDNESDAY 18

AGNOSTIC FRONT “VICTIM IN PAIN” 35TH ANNIVERSARY: w/ Prong 8 p.m., $20. Fubar, 3108 Locust St, St. Louis, 314-289-9050. BORIS: w/ Uniform 8 p.m., $18-$20. Delmar Hall, 6133 Delmar Blvd., St. Louis, 314-726-6161. THE EARLY NOVEMBER: w/ Have Mercy, Owel 8 p.m., $16-$19. Blueberry Hill - The Duck Room, 6504 Delmar Blvd., University City, 314-727-4444. THE MIDNIGHT: 8 p.m., $20-$59. The Ready Room, 4195 Manchester Ave, St. Louis, 314-833-3929. SORRY PLEASE CONTINUE: w/ Kenny Kinds, Jeremy Hellwig 8 p.m., $5. The Heavy Anchor, 5226 Gravois Ave., St. Louis, 314-352-5226. WOVENHAND: 8 p.m., $18-$20. The Firebird, 2706 Olive St., St. Louis, 314-535-0353.

THIS JUST IN 9TH ANNUAL NYE FRIENDS & FAMILY: Tue., Dec. 31, 6 p.m., $123-$183. Hilton St. Louis Frontenac, 1335 S. Lindbergh Blvd., Frontenac, 314-993-1100. THE ALLUSIONIST: Sat., Nov. 23, 8 p.m., $20. Blueberry Hill - The Duck Room, 6504 Delmar Blvd., University City, 314-727-4444. BADFISH: A TRIBUTE TO SUBLIME: W/ Little Stranger, Sat., Feb. 8, 8 p.m., $20-$25. The Pageant, 6161 Delmar Blvd., St. Louis, 314-726-6161.

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SEPTEMBER 11-17, 2019

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SEPTEMBER 11-17, 2019

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OUT EVERY NIGHT Continued from pg 49

BITCHIN BAJAS: W/ Wiggpaw, DJ Ghost Ice, Fri., Sept. 13, 9 p.m., $8-$10. Foam, 3359 Jefferson Ave., St. Louis, 314-772-2100. BLEACHED: W/ The Paranoyds, Mon., Sept. 30, 8 p.m., $18-$20. The Firebird, 2706 Olive St., St. Louis, 314-535-0353. BOB DYLAN & HIS BAND: Tue., Oct. 22, 8 p.m., $56.50-$126.50. Stifel Theatre, 1400 Market St, St. Louis, 314-499-7600. BREWTOPIA: Fri., Sept. 27, 9 p.m., $5. Brewskeez O’Fallon, 4251 Keaton Crossing Blvd., St. Charles, 636-329-0027. Sat., Oct. 19, 9 p.m., free. Nightshift Bar & Grill, 3979 Mexico Road, St. Peters, 636-441-8300. BRIAN MCKNIGHT: Wed., Nov. 13, 7:30 p.m., $42. River City Casino & Hotel, 777 River City Casino Blvd., St. Louis, 314-388-7777. CASHMERE CAT: Tue., Dec. 17, 8 p.m., $23-$25. The Ready Room, 4195 Manchester Ave, St. Louis, 314-833-3929. CATL: Fri., Sept. 20, 9 p.m., $5. Livery Company, 6728 S Broadway, St. Louis, 314-558-2330. A DRAG QUEEN CHRISTMAS: Sun., Dec. 1, 8 p.m., $39.50-$168. The Pageant, 6161 Delmar Blvd., St. Louis, 314-726-6161. THE FERBER BOYS: Thu., Sept. 19, 8:30 p.m., free. The Frisco Barroom, 8110 Big Bend Blvd., Webster Groves, 314-455-1090. THE FIRMLY CROOKED: W/ the Hail Marys, Brasky, Stoker, Sat., Sept. 14, 8 p.m., $5. The Sinkhole, 7423 South Broadway, St. Louis, 314-328-2309. FUTURE OF THE CITY MUSIC SHOWCASE: W/ Yiz, DJ Code Zero, Fri., Sept. 20, 6:30 p.m., $7-$20. Fubar, 3108 Locust St, St. Louis, 314-289-9050. IMMATURE: W/ Ray J, Day26, B5, J. Holiday, Fri., Nov. 15, 8 p.m., TBA. Chaifetz Arena, 1 S. Compton Ave., St. Louis, 314-977-5000. JAKE’S LEG: Fri., Nov. 29, 8 p.m., $15-$20. Delmar Hall, 6133 Delmar Blvd., St. Louis, 314-726-6161. JOSH MORNINGSTAR & BEN DANAHER: Fri., Oct. 4, 8 p.m., $10. Old Rock House, 1200 S. 7th St., St. Louis, 314-588-0505. KELLER & THE KEELS: Mon., Dec. 30, 8 p.m., $40$85. Old Rock House, 1200 S. 7th St., St. Louis, 314-588-0505. KELLER WILLIAMS’ GRATEFUL GRASS: W/ The HillBenders, Tue., Dec. 31, 9 p.m., $60-$85. Old Rock House, 1200 S. 7th St., St. Louis, 314-588-0505. KRIS KRISTOFFERSON: Wed., Nov. 20, 7:30 p.m., $38. River City Casino & Hotel, 777 River City Casino Blvd., St. Louis, 314-388-7777. THE LAST WALTZ TOUR: W/ Warren Haynes, Don Was, Jamey Johnson, Lukas Nelson,, Wed., Nov. 20, 7:30 p.m., $49.50-$150. Stifel Theatre, 1400 Market St, St. Louis, 314-499-7600. LEFTOVER CRACK: W/ Days N Daze, Cop/Out, Fri., Nov. 1, 8 p.m., $20. Fubar, 3108 Locust St, St. Louis, 314-289-9050. THE LISTON BROTHERS: Sat., Dec. 14, 8 p.m., $25$45. The Pageant, 6161 Delmar Blvd., St. Louis, 314-726-6161. LITTLE BIG TOWN: W/ Caitlyn Smith, Thu., Feb. 20, 8 p.m., $29-$99. The Fox Theatre, 527 N. Grand Blvd., St. Louis, 314-534-1111. LOKEY: Sat., Oct. 12, 9 p.m., free. Nightshift Bar & Grill, 3979 Mexico Road, St. Peters, 636-441-8300. THE LOWEST PAIR CONCERT: Fri., Sept. 20, 7:30 p.m., $10-$15. Espenschied Chapel, 317 County Road, Mascoutah, 618-566-7425. THE MANESS BROTHERS JUKE JOINT: Fri., Sept. 13, 8 p.m., $5. Livery Company, 6728 S Broadway, St. Louis, 314-558-2330. THE MARCUS KING BAND: Sun., Nov. 10, 8 p.m., $26-$31. The Pageant, 6161 Delmar Blvd., St. Louis, 314-726-6161. MAYDAY PARADE: W/ Dan from Story of The Year, Sun., Nov. 17, 8 p.m., $25-$28. Delmar Hall, 6133 Delmar Blvd., St. Louis, 314-726-6161. THE MEDIUM: Thu., Sept. 12, 8 p.m., $8-$10. Foam, 3359 Jefferson Ave., St. Louis, 314-772-2100. METH.: ivid, verstayer, o n it, e L’orme, Fri., Sept. 13, 8 p.m., $7. The Sinkhole, 7423 South Broadway, St. Louis, 314-328-2309. MICHAL MENERT: W/ Filibusta, $12-$15. Old Rock

House, 1200 S. 7th St., St. Louis, 314-588-0505. MIKE GORDON: Fri., Jan. 24, 8 p.m., $27.50-$30. Delmar Hall, 6133 Delmar Blvd., St. Louis, 314-726-6161. MIKE MATTHEWS PROJECT: Sat., Oct. 5, 9 p.m., free. Nightshift Bar & Grill, 3979 Mexico Road, St. Peters, 636-441-8300. MOONROCKET: Fri., Sept. 13, 9 p.m., $5. Way Out Club, 2525 S. Jefferson Ave., St. Louis, 314-664-7638. MY POSSE IN EFFECT: A TRIBUTE TO THE BEASTIE BOYS: W/ Eazy Duz It, DJ Mahf, Fri., Dec. 27, 8 p.m., $15-$20. Delmar Hall, 6133 Delmar Blvd., St. Louis, 314-726-6161. NILE: W/ Rec Riddles, Ackurate, Poet X, Sat., Sept. 14, 8 p.m., $5. Foam, 3359 Jefferson Ave., St. Louis, 314-772-2100. OAK RIDGE BOYS DOWN HOME CHRISTMAS: Sun., Nov. 24, 7:30 p.m., $29.50-$59.50. River City Casino & Hotel, 777 River City Casino Blvd., St. Louis, 314-388-7777. ONE NIGHT WITH JESSE DAYTON: Tue., Oct. 8, 7:30 p.m., $15. The Monocle, 4510 Manchester Ave, St. Louis, 314-932-7003. POSTAL MODERN: W/ Owning Up To This, Sonic Candy, Neon Dodongo, Sat., Oct. 5, 7 p.m., $10. The Firebird, 2706 Olive St., St. Louis, 314-535-0353. RED HANDED DENIAL: W/ Skyfallsdown, Fri., Sept. 20, 6:30 p.m., $10. Fubar, 3108 Locust St, St. Louis, 314-289-9050. ROBERT EARL KEEN: Fri., Nov. 1, 8 p.m., $35-$45. Sat., Nov. 2, 8 p.m., $35-$45. Off Broadway, 3509 Lemp Ave., St. Louis, 314-498-6989. SAMANTHA FISH: Sun., Dec. 8, 8 p.m., $25. Old Rock House, 1200 S. 7th St., St. Louis, 314-588-0505. THE SCHWAG: Fri., Nov. 1, 9 p.m., $12-$15. Old Rock House, 1200 S. 7th St., St. Louis, 314-588-0505. SCOTT HELMAN: Fri., Nov. 1, 8 p.m., $10-$12. The Ready Room, 4195 Manchester Ave, St. Louis, 314-833-3929. SPENCER CRANDALL: Sat., Oct. 12, 7 p.m., $5. Tin Roof St. Louis, 1000 Clark Ave, St. Louis, 314-240-5400. THE STANDBY: W/ The Ricters, The Astounds, Tue., Sept. 24, 8 p.m., $8. The Firebird, 2706 Olive St., St. Louis, 314-535-0353. STIR: Sat., Nov. 16, 8 p.m., $27.50-$30. Delmar Hall, 6133 Delmar Blvd., St. Louis, 314-726-6161. STRANGE RANGER: W/ Frankie V, Kijani Eshe, Mark Plant, Sun., Sept. 15, 8 p.m., $10. Foam, 3359 Jefferson Ave., St. Louis, 314-772-2100. TANYA TUCKER: Thu., Nov. 21, 7:30 p.m., $29.50. River City Casino & Hotel, 777 River City Casino Blvd., St. Louis, 314-388-7777. THANK YOU SCIENTIST: W/ Bent Knee, Tea Club, Thu., Nov. 14, 7:30 p.m., $20-$23. The Firebird, 2706 Olive St., St. Louis, 314-535-0353. THE DONALD WOODYARD INC. ALBUM RELEASE: Sat., Sept. 21, 9 p.m., free. Livery Company, 6728 S Broadway, St. Louis, 314-558-2330. THE LAST WALTZ ST. LOUIS FEATURING SEAN CANAN’S VOODOO PLAYERS: Sat., Nov. 30, 8 p.m., $15-$20. Delmar Hall, 6133 Delmar Blvd., St. Louis, 314-726-6161. THE REAL THING: A TRIBUTE TO FAITH NO MORE & MR. BUNGLE: W/ Vivid: A Tribute to Living Colour, Fri., Dec. 13, 8 p.m., $10-$15. Old Rock House, 1200 S. 7th St., St. Louis, 314-588-0505. TONKSGIVING 2019: W/ Ha Ha Tonka, Fri., Nov. 29, 8 p.m., $15. Off Broadway, 3509 Lemp Ave., St. Louis, 314-498-6989. TOO MANY ZOOS: W/ Birocratic, Fri., Feb. 7, 8 p.m., $18-$20. Off Broadway, 3509 Lemp Ave., St. Louis, 314-498-6989. THE URGE: W/ Fragile Porcelain Mice, Six Percent, Fri., Nov. 29, 8 p.m., $30-$45. The Pageant, 6161 Delmar Blvd., St. Louis, 314-726-6161. VARIALS: Sun., Oct. 20, 7 p.m., $15. Fubar, 3108 Locust St, St. Louis, 314-289-9050. VIRGIL DONATI: Wed., Oct. 9, 7 p.m., $15. Fubar, 3108 Locust St, St. Louis, 314-289-9050. WHITNEY SCREAMS: Sat., Oct. 26, 9 p.m., free. Nightshift Bar & Grill, 3979 Mexico Road, St. Peters, 636-441-8300. WILLIAM DUVALL: Fri., Feb. 14, 8 p.m., $20-$25. Blueberry Hill - The Duck Room, 6504 Delmar Blvd., University City, 314-727-4444. WINNETKA BOWLING LEAGUE: Sun., Oct. 20, 8 p.m., $16-$18. The Firebird, 2706 Olive St., St. Louis, 314-535-0353. n

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SEPTEMBER 11-17, 2019

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SEPTEMBER 11-17, 2019

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SAVAGE LOVE OPEN WIDE BY DAN SAVAGE Hey, Dan: My roommate is a gay man who is into getting fisted. A lot. We were FWBs until he moved into my place, at which point we agreed it would be better for us to not have sex anymore. It’s worked out fine, and he’s been here for a year. Here’s the problem: About two years ago, he got into fisting, and he has someone over every night to fist him. As soon as he comes home from work, he spends a good hour in the bathroom cleaning out, and then some guy comes over to fist him. Every single day. My roommate is a very attractive guy who doesn’t think he’s attractive at all. I’ve talked to him a few times about whether he’s being sexually compulsive, but he just laughs and says, “Well, you suck a lot of dick.” (I have a healthy but moderate sex life.) I am concerned that all this ass play is not healthy. As a friend, I want him to seek help for his sexual compulsion, his low self-esteem and his social isolation. As a roommate, I am tired of all these strange men coming into my home and the high water bill. Frequent Insertions Sincerely Trouble Someone “Fisting is a healthy and safe sexual activity so long as the participants are sober,” said Dr. Peter Shalit, a physician and author who works with many gay men. “There is a misconception that fisting damages the anal sphincter, loosens it and causes a loss of bowel control over time. This is absolutely false.” Devin Franco, a gay porn star who’s been getting fisted on a weekly basis for many years, backs up Dr. Shalit. “People who are only used to vanilla intercourse are sometimes shocked,” said Franco. “People will leave comments on my videos asking if I was in pain, even though I’m clearly always enjoying it. Fisting is actually the most pleasurable sexual act I’ve ever experienced — and seven years in, no negative health consequences and everything down there works ust fine, thanks. But exactly how does that work? How does someone like Franco get

a fist and or a ridiculously large sex toy in his butt? “A skilled fisting bottom can voluntarily relax the anal sphincter in order to accommodate a hand up to the wrist or further,” explained r. Shalit. “A skilled fisting top knows how to insert their hand it’s actually fingertips first, not a clenched fist and how to do it gently, taking their time, and using lots of lube. And, again, after the session is over, the sphincter returns to its normal state.” Which is not to say that people haven’t injured themselves or others engaging in anal play with large se toys, fists or even perfectly average cocks — people most certainly have. That’s why it’s crucial to take things slow, use lots of lube and go at it sober. “Fisting isn’t for everyone,” said Dr. Shalit. “In fact, most people are unable to relax their sphincter in this fashion.” But to figure out whether fisting is for you — to determine whether you’re one of those people who can rela their sphincter first you gotta wanna, and then you gotta try. “It actually took about two years for me,” said Franco. “That’s from the first time did anal play thinking, Maybe can get his whole fist in there,’ to the first time actually got a fist in my ass. Two years. And while fisting isn’t for everyone, FISTS, like Dr. Shalit said, it’s very clearly for your roommate. But enjoying the hell out of a particular sexual activity — even one that seems extreme to those who don’t enjoy it — isn’t by itself evidence of low self-esteem or sexual compulsion. “If FISTS thinks his roommate has low self-esteem,” said Dr. Shalit, “he’s done the right thing by telling him he should seek help. But that’s the end of his responsibility. Whether or not his roommate seeks help is up to his roommate. And it’s hard for me to agree that his roommate is being sexually compulsive based on what’s in the letter. Many men have sex every day, and the roommate’s sex life doesn’t seem to have any negative consequences except that FISTS doesn’t like it.” While Franco also doesn’t think getting fisted daily is proof that your roommate is out of control, fisting isn’t something he does every day. “Doing it daily sounds

“Here’s the problem: About two years ago, my roommate got into fisting, and he has someone over every night to fist him.” exhausting,” he said. “The act requires a lot of physical exertion. I personally need a little recovery time between sessions. But I do know guys who do it every day — maybe not a fist every day, but they play with large toys every day. But I couldn’t and I don’t.” All that said, FISTS, two of your cited reasons for not liking what your roommate is up to — strange men in and out of your apartment (and your roommate) and all that douching driving up your water bill — are legitimate complaints that you shouldn’t be shy about addressing. “To not have a lot of strangers in and out of the apartment is a reasonable ask of a roommate,” said Dr. Shalit. “But if the roommate sees a steady stream of FISTS’s hookups coming over, it could seem like a double standard. And I suppose he could ask for extra help with the water bill, but I’m skeptical that ‘cleaning out’ for fisting would actually cause a significant increase in the bill. Dr. Shalit recommends Anal Pleasure & Health by Jack Morin to anyone who wants to learn more about anal intercourse, fisting and other forms of anal play. “It’s the bible of anal sexuality,” said Dr. Shalit. Follow Devin Franco on Twitter @devinfrancoxxx, and check out his work at ustfor.fans devinfrancoxxx. Hey, Dan: My husband of nearly twenty years came out to me as bisexual about two months ago. He assured me he has no intention of looking outside our marriage for other sex partners. We’ve always had a kind of barrier sexually, and it seemed to fall away after he came

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out. We’ve since done all manner of things, including my using a dildo on him. (Thanks for all the tips over the years about anal!) It has been a fun and empowering experience overall. There is one thing I am having trouble with. He mentioned that he’d like me to peg him using a strap-on. I mean, of course he would, right? He’d like to actually feel my body against his. That would doubtless make the whole experience better for him. But I’m having a hard time wrapping my head around it. Does this require me, even if temporarily, to change my body? I’m feeling really vulnerable and insecure about it, like it means there’s something wrong with my body. I get panicky just thinking about it. (My husband has not done or said anything to make me feel bad about my body.) Using the dildo is no big thing, and I don’t understand why this feels so different and difficult. Pegging Feels Different You don’t have to do anything about this right now, PFD. Your husband only came out to you as bisexual two months ago! Your husband’s honesty pulled down that barrier you’d always sensed but could never name, and that’s wonderful and exciting. And you’re already exploring anal penetration with him on the receiving end, which is something many straight men also enjoy. If covering your genitals temporarily with a strap-on makes you feel awkward or unwanted, you don’t have to do it — not now, not ever. But I can’t imagine you think there’s something wrong with the bodies of lesbians who use strapons with their female partners, just as you don’t seem to think holding a dildo means there’s something wrong with (or inadequate about) your hands. If covering your vulva with a strap-on makes you feel negated or undesirable, there are dildo harnesses that strap on to your thigh, not your crotch, and could provide your husband with body-to-body closeness during penetration while still leaving your vulva and clit accessible for digital stimulation. Check out Dan’s podcast at savagelovecast.com mail@savagelove.net @fakedansavage on Twitter ITMFA.org

SEPTEMBER 11-17, 2019

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SEPTEMBER 11-17, 2019

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SEPTEMBER 11-17, 2019

RIVERFRONT TIMES

HAPPY HOUR SPECIALS CARNIVORE A PLACE TO MEAT