Riverfront Times December 26, 2018 by Riverfront Times

DECEMBER 26, 2018 - JANUARY 8, 2019 I VOLUME 40 I NUMBER 52

THE BEST OF 2018: FILM | NEW RESTAURANTS | LOCAL MUSIC riverfronttimes.com

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THE LEDE

“ I sell homemade soaps, and I have a relationship with Gooseberries because I make my soaps from recycled oils. I’d asked Gooseberries if they had oil from the kitchen that they don’t use any more. They give it to me and I filter it and make soap out of it. Once I started doing that they offered to sell it for me, and I thought that was really nice. So I did that and they invited me, if I wanted, to come sell the soaps at the craft fair. ” — Nathalie vaN GerreviNk, photoGraphed at Gooseberries’ holiday

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PHOTO BY THEO WELLING

NiGht Market oN deceMber 19 DECEMBER 26, 2018 - JANUARY 8, 2019

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

SPEND SOME OF THAT

Publisher Chris Keating Editor in Chief Sarah Fenske

HOLIDAY CASH!

E D I T O R I A L Arts & Culture Editor Paul Friswold Music Editor Daniel Hill Digital Editor Jaime Lees Staff Writers Doyle Murphy, Danny Wicentowski Restaurant Critic Cheryl Baehr Film Critic Robert Hunt Editorial Interns Tom Hellauer, Desi Isaacson, Dustin Steinhoff Contributing Writers Mike Appelstein, Allison Babka, Sara Graham, Roy Kasten, Jaime Lees, Joseph Hess, Kevin Korinek, Bob McMahon, Nicholas Phillips, Tef Poe, Christian Schaeffer, Lauren Milford, Thomas Crone, MaryAnn Johanson, Jenn DeRose, Mike Fitzgerald Proofreader Evie Hemphill Cartoonist Bob Stretch

COVER The Late Greats They lived big and, in many cases, died too soon. Remembering the people we lost in 2018

RIFLES & SHOTGUNS

A R T Art Director Evan Sult Contributing Photographers Mabel Suen, Monica Mileur, Micah Usher, Theo Welling, Corey Woodruff, Tim Lane, Nick Schnelle P R O D U C T I O N Production Manager Jack Beil

Written by

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M U L T I M E D I A A D V E R T I S I N G Sales Director Colin Bell Senior Account Executive Cathleen Criswell, Erica Kenney Account Managers Emily Fear, Jennifer Samuel Multimedia Account Executive Michael Gaines, Christine Knoll, Jackie Mundy Event Coordinator Grace Richards

Cover design by

EVAN SULT

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

INSIDE

HAND GUNS

The Lede News Feature Calendar

Anastasia | December Rail Jam | New Year’s Eve Spectaculaire | Alabama Story | New Year’s Eve

Film

Robert Hunter’s favorites of 2018

SAFES & KNIVES

Cafe

Cheryl Baehr’s list of 2018 favorites

VOTED BEST GUN SHOP OF 2015

-2015 RIVERFRONT TIMES BEST OF ST. LOUIS

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9 14 24

30 37

Music & Culture

Out Every Night

Ryan Koenig | Cracker & Camper van Beethoven

Savage Love

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NEWS

‘Newspaper’ Has a Target: Rivals of Lewis Reed Written by

DANNY WICENTOWSKI

ewis Reed, the president of the St. Louis Board of Aldermen, maintains that his re-election campaign is not behind the a recent wave of negative Facebook video ads targeting one of his opponents — but he does like the ads, he says, enough that he’d like to see his campaign buy and “repackage” them as official campaign materials. The attack ads are posted to the Facebook page for something called “the St. Louis Guardian.” It claims to be newspaper, although the Facebook page lists a non-functioning website, one registered to a former video and graphics specialist whom Reed hired during his unsuccessful 2013 campaign for St. Louis mayor. All three ads posted this month to the page take aim at state Senator Jamilah Nasheed (D-St. Louis), who announced her own campaign for the aldermanic presidency in January. The first ad, posted December 3, begins with an ominous assertion

Lewis Reed likes the work of a “newspaper” run by a former campaign worker. | DANNY WICENTOWSKI that “when horses see Jamilah Nasheed, they run.” The video highlights Nasheed’s vote as a state representative for a 2010 bill that sought to legalize the processing and selling of horse meat. What the ad doesn’t mention, however, is that while the bill indeed passed the Missouri House, it died in a Senate committee and never got close to becoming law. The ad also claims that the bill “allows sellers to deceive consumers by not requiring them to label products,” even though the bill’s text contains an explicit provision requiring products be labeled as horse meat. In an interview last week, Reed said he believes the ad’s horse slaughter-centric content is “good and informative,” though he al-

lows that his own campaign team would “have to tweak” the ad’s content if his campaign were to license the spot for official use. The aldermanic president contends that Nasheed’s history is a legitimate source of voter interest. “It’s important for people to know how their legislators are voting,” he says, adding that Nasheed’s vote reflects her values. “If she had her way, we would have horse slaughterhouses.” In response, Nasheed campaign spokeswoman Lindsay Pattan called the advertisements “grossly distorted,” and an example of dirty politics. “The average voter finds behavior like this shameful,” Pattan said in a statement to RFT. “Jamilah Nasheed has always worked for the people of St. Lou-

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is, they know her, and they know misleading, anonymous attacks shouldn’t be taken seriously.” Beyond the particulars of the horse slaughter bill, the ad itself raises questions, particularly the prominent blue banner running across the bottom of the video stating that it was paid for by “the St. Louis Guardian Newspaper.” No such entity appears in an online search of businesses registered with the Missouri Secretary of State. Yet the St. Louis Guardian has gone to some lengths to suggest it’s a legitimate news outlet. Its Facebook cover photo, for example, features the front page of a newspaper, complete with volume and edition numbers, a tagline — “The News Behind The News” — and a selection of variously formatted news stories copied from the Associated Press around a central headline in a large font: “ST. LOUIS CITY HALL...THE BATTLE FOR ROOM 230.” The page’s “about” section states, “The STL Guardian is a weekly print newspaper. Our primary focus is covering news that is prevalent in the local St. Louis community. Our weekly publication highlights issues relating to the social, economic and political climate in the local area. We go deeper into issues that other news media outlets steer away from. The STL Guardian prides ourselves on the in-depth research that we conduct on our featured stories.” However, the page contains almost no original content. Its posts are largely dedicated to sharing

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‘NEWSPAPER’ Continued from pg 9

stories published by other local media outlets — and, yes, sharing video attack ads against Nasheed. After the December 3 ad highlighting the equine horror allegedly elicited by the state senator, the page promoted two additional video ads that similarly target her voting record. A URL listed on the Guardian’s Facebook page’s “About” section leads to a non-functioning website. A records search lists the site’s registrant as Anthony McDonald Sr., with an address that matches the address connected to multiple businesses McDonald has registered with the Missouri Secretary of State. McDonald has a history with the Reed campaign. Campaign finance records show McDonald was paid more than $1,500 for video production and PR services during Reed’s 2013 campaign for mayor. McDonald also donated $2,900 to Reed. Notably, the address listed in McDonald’s campaign contribution to Reed is the same one he used to register to the St. Louis Guardian website. Reed tells the RFT that he’s known McDonald “for a long, long time,” but claims he was unaware of McDonald’s role with the Guard-

Ex-Cop Guilty in Dog Death Written by

DANNY WICENTOWSKI

ore than a year has passed since Manchester resident Barry Armfield shot and killed his neighbor’s dog. Last week, a St. Louis County judge found Armfield guilty of animal abuse, convicting the retired St. Louis County police officer on a single Class-A misdemeanor. Six-year-old Australian cattle dog Ruger was discovered by his owners on October 4, 2017, wounded and trailing blood. He died hours later. After the incident, Armfield claimed the dog had cornered him, “barking and showing its teeth,” purportedly forcing the then-62year-old to fire on the animal. The pistol Armfield used was a commemorative firearm he’d received upon retiring from the county police department. But though investigators confiscated the weapon, they did not arrest Armfield.

The St. Louis Guardian’s debut offers some opinion and some AP stories. | DANNY WICENTOWSKI ian or that he had produced the ads attacking Nasheed. Still, Reed says he perceives opportunity in the Guardian’s product, and says he’s reached out to the Facebook page to inquire about “purchasing the rights to utilize some of the core concepts within those videos.” McDonald returned our messages seeking comment soon after we published a story about his publication online. In a phone conversation last Tuesday, he insists the Guardian is a real newspaper, even if its only original work at that point has been attack ads targeting Nasheed. The website, McDonald says, is “in development.” But the op-

According to a police report, a Manchester officer initially approached Armfield as he was washing his driveway, and the report notes that the driveway’s surface appeared to be stained with “fresh spattered blood that contained small strands of hair.” The officer also reported that he could detect the odor of alcohol and that Armfield’s eyes appeared “glassy, bloodshot.” In his first interview with police, Armfield denied shooting the dog. It was only after officers returned his home two more times that he finally admitted to shooting at Ruger. He told police that the animal had acted aggressively and cornered him. In an interview with the RFT in November 2017, Armfield said he felt bad about Ruger’s death, but insisted the shooting was “justified.” He also denied drinking that evening, and questioned why Ruger’s owners, Jackie Dukart and Bob Holtz, had allowed their pet to run loose in the neighborhood. “It’s their fault,” Armfield suggested to the RFT. “They neglected the animal.” St. Louis County Judge John Newsham apparently disagreed. Last week, he found Armfield guilty and sentenced him to pay a $700 fine. That punishment provides “some comfort,” Jackie Dugar wrote

eration is not a “fake newspaper,” he insists, nor is it intended as a vehicle to support Reed or attack his opponents. “We’re very nontraditional,” McDonald explains. “We have the liberty to publish things at our own discretion.” In fact, soon after we first published our story online, the Guardian’s Facebook page fired back with a promise that it would be releasing print copies — and, on Friday, the first ones surfaced. The premiere issue’s front page includes both some Associated Press stories and an editorial lambasting the RFT for the “fake newspaper” claim. McDonald’s journalistic efforts

have come even as he admits to pitching his services directly to the Reed campaign. On December 14, McDonald’s YouTube channel posted what appeared to be a brand-new campaign ad for Reed. The spot featured Reed stumping on the problem of crime in St. Louis and ended with a “Re-Elect Reed” campaign logo, as well as a declaration that it had been paid for by Reed’s campaign committee. Reed, though, says he’s not behind the ad. He points out that the footage was cut from two separate video ads that his mayoral campaign produced in 2016 and 2017. As for McDonald, he acknowledges making the ad, but contends that he did so “independently,” saying it was a “mock video” intended to sell its services to Reed. He says he sees no problem with publishing a newspaper while soliciting business from a political candidate it will ostensibly be covering. Yet after the RFT reported on McDonald’s activities last week, he deleted the “mock video” from his YouTube channel. Last week, Reed told RFT that he is not paying McDonald. But that could change. “If indeed Anthony has done the Guardian, that sounds like the best news ever for us,” Reed says. “I will explore any means that I can to get an agreement together with him.” n

Ruger’s killer faced a judge last week. He left with a fine. | COURTESY OF DAN KOLDE in a statement. “Ruger was a good dog and a beloved member of our family. We are taking some comfort in the fact the Court recognized that Ruger did nothing to deserve the fear, pain, and suffering

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that Barry Armfield inflicted upon him. While nothing will ever bring Ruger back to us, we hope today’s verdict sends the message that animal abuse will not go unpunished in our community.” n

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They lived big and, in many cases, died too soon. Remembering the people we lost in 2018

ne invented the green bean casserole. One predicted the rise of Vladimir Putin. Another brought St. Louis’ restaurant community together, with a generous social media presence and a merrily named fourteen-seat passenger bus. What unites the people whose lives we celebrate in this

year-end issue? The answer, on its face, is grim: We remember them today because we lost them this year. Yet there is more than sadness in these pages. Reading these tributes, there is a clear sense of lives with purpose, with passion. Chief Wahoo aside, these are people who left this world a bit better than it was when they came into it. We remember them today not necessarily as the biggest names that died in 2018, but the ones that made a personal impact on us. The ones whose stories intrigue us, whose quests impressed us, whose presences inspired us. May we learn from the lives they lived as we contemplate a new year without them.

that’s been repeated just twice by other California high school girls. Later, Dole qualified for two Olympic track and field trials, where she finished fifth in 1976 and seventh in 1980. Netflix’s current fictionalized tribute to the pioneering wrestling league features a Samoan American wrestler named Carmen “Machu Picchu” Wade, played by Britney Young, a clear tribute to Dole’s legacy. In her final years, Dole dealt with a number of health problems, many of which were born from her career in wrestling, and had been staying in an assisted living facility. By 2008, her weight had begun to get the best of her as she climbed up to 425 pounds, although she would later cut it back down to 235 pounds. But like all volcanoes, though it erupted hundreds of times within the wrestling ring, the fire inside Dole would inevitably lay dormant. On Jan. 2, 2018, Dole passed away from unknown complications. She was 60 years old. — Xander Peters

ILLUSTRATIONS BY GREG HOUSTON

Thomas Bopp

Emily “Mount Fiji” Dole

Amateur astronomer and discoverer of Comet Hale-Bopp Oct. 15, 1949–Jan. 5, 2018

Pioneer of female professional wrestling Sept. 28, 1957–Jan. 2, 2018

In the late 1980s, to reach the peak of women’s professional wrestling was to be among the cast members on the hit sports show GLOW: The Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling. Hitting the airwaves in 1986, the all-female wrestling program consisted of women assigned flamboyantly cartoonish alter egos that couldn’t have been further from political correctness, like Matilda the Hun, Babe the Farmer’s Daughter, and the tag team Hollywood & Vine. Considering the stress they put on their bodies, the female wrestling pioneers practically worked for free, making between $300 and $700 a week. There were no

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dental benefits, just the risk of never lost a match, which makes losing teeth in the ring; no medi- sense when you consider that she cal insurance for the inevitable stood 5 feet, 11 inches tall and broken collarbones and concus- weighed in at 350 pounds. A proud Samoan sions. Their only American woman, guarantee at the an actress by any end of the day was fair definition, an pain and exasperaaccomplished athtion — and, when lete, Dole was by the bright lights far the most recogdimmed and the nizable character roar subsided, the on GLOW, with her glory. tree trunk-like arms But among the and shoulders as many talented lawide as a volcano’s dies who initially outer rim. Prior to scratched the surher time as a proface of women in Emily “Mount Fiji” Dole fessional wrestler, professional wrestling, none of them are remem- Dole was remembered for her abilbered quite like the one they ity to toss a shotput more than 50 dubbed “Mountain Fiji.” Legend feet as a teenager at Buena Park has it Emily “Mount Fiji” Dole High School in California — a feat

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Thomas Bopp wasn’t looking for a comet when he peered into a telescope on Saturday, July 22, 1995. In fact, he wasn’t looking for anything. By day, the 47-year-old worked for a cement company, where he made a passing mention of his interest in astronomy to Jim Stevens, who ran an auto parts store in Phoenix. It was a hobby started when Bopp was just a boy growing up in Youngstown, Ohio, when his father gave him his first telescope. Stevens, it turned out, was also interested in telescopes. By night, the two became amateur astronomers, going stargazing with Stevens’ homemade telescope in the Arizona desert, with Steven serving as Bopp’s mentor. That was exactly what they Continued on pg 16

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the Late Greats of 2018 On Jan. 23, 2018, with one last were doing that night when Ste- long tail visible to the naked eye more to upend the genre’s seemvens trained his lens on a cluster to millions of people in the north- ingly predictable conventions conflict within a story to resolve, of stars in the Sagittarius constel- ern hemisphere. It was the big- than that of the Nebula and Hugo Le Guin passed away peacefully lation shortly after 11 p.m. Ste- gest, most visible comet since the Award-winning novel, which at her home in Portland. Her famimagined a world whose human ily did not cite a cause other than vens was eager for Bopp to take Great Comet of 1811. The comet brought some mis- inhabitants have no fixed gender; poor health due to old age. Le a look. But what he didn’t realize was he had aimed his telescope fortune, too. In March 1997, 39 instead, their sexual roles are de- Guin was 88 years old. — Xander Peters directly at an unidentified flying members of California death cult termined by context and express object — what Bopp would later Heaven’s Gate committed mass themselves only once a month. suicide, believing their bodies She would later refer to the sto- Mark E. Smith describe as “a little fuzzy glow.” In reality, it was a 46-mile- would be transported to an alien ry as a “thought experiment.” Irascible frontman of the Fall wide hunk of ice 577 million spacecraft following the comet. In “I eliminated gender to find out March 5, 1957–Jan. 24, 2018 the spring, when the what was left,” Le Guin told the “If it’s me and your granny on miles away, hurtling comet was the closest Guardian in 2005. It remains one bongos, then it’s a Fall gig.” through space toward to the Earth, Bopp’s of speculative fiction’s academic Earth. A young Mark E. Smith started brother and sister- touchstones to this day. The stakes were the Fall in the Manchester suburb in-law were killed The only daughter of two anof Prestwich after that infamous high — comets are by a car while photo- thropologists, Ursula Kroeber was 1976 Sex Pistols show in Manchesa coveted catch for graphing the comet. born the youngest of four children ter that inspired the majority of astronomers, since “This has been the in Berkeley, California, in 1929. attendees to start bands the next they are conventionbest week of my life,” Her father studally named after those day. It was the only he told National Geo- ied Native Ameriwho discover them. time in his life that graphic. “And the can tribes based in But first Bopp and Smith would (unworst.” California, while Stevens had to notify wittingly) succumb In recent years, her mother, TheoHarvard University Thomas Bopp to rock cliché. He Bopp worked as a dora Kracaw Kroeto officiate the discovspent the next 40 shuttle driver at a ber, gained promiery. This was not an years trying his best easy task in the Arizona desert in Toyota dealership. He died at a nence in the same to dismantle rock & hospital in Phoenix at age 68 from field with Ishi in the ’90s. roll and the music Two Worlds, which After studying the object for liver failure. industry from the “I can find another job, but chronicled the life several minutes to make sure inside. it was not a star, Bopp got in his this is something that happens and death of the Though he looked car and drove 20 miles to a truck once in 10,000 lifetimes,” he told state’s “last wild Inlike an ill-tempered stop to try and call Western Union Newsweek when he quit his job dian.” Throughout postal clerk or subMark E. Smith from a pay phone to send a tele- to bask in the glow of Hale-Bopp. her youth, with dinstitute teacher, gram to the Central Bureau of the The comet is expected to next pass ner-table talk of lost worlds never Smith was punk and disorderly — Lee DeVito far out of earshot, Le Guin would to the very core. With the Fall, International Astronomical Union Earth in 4897. use her family’s deep understand- he built a sound antithetical to at Harvard University, because ing of the world as a jumping-off the idea of musical proficiency, yes, you could still send telegrams Ursula K. Le Guin point as she immersed herself in favoring instead spontaneity and in the ’90s. The Western Union Trailblazing speculative novelist mythology, classic fantasies and creative tension, laced it with bitrepresentative didn’t have an ad- Oct. 21, 1929–Jan. 22, 2018 dress, so Bopp hung up and got in More than twenty novels, not the science fiction magazines of ing, clever, often poetic lyrics, and his car and drove home. Around 3 counting several early works that the day. ended up with something every In 1951, she graduated from bit as inspirational as Gang of Four a.m., he barged into his bedroom, remain unpublished. A dozen woke his wife, found the address books on poetry. More than 100 Radcliffe College, then earned a or Wire. The Fall were a band that in an astronomy book, and sent short stories, collected throughout master’s degree in romance liter- (to their horror, perhaps) influature from Columbia enced generations of punk, new the telegram with the comet’s co- multiple volumes. University in 1952. wave and alternative rock bands, ordinates. Seven essay collecFrom there, Le Guin and Smith became a de facto role The next morning, Bopp got a tions. Thirteen books was awarded a Ful- model to those for whom the uncall from the International Astro- for children. Five volbright fellowship to derground was more than just a nomical Union. Unbeknownst to umes of translation, study in Paris. While temporary lifestyle choice. What Bopp, another astronomer — a including the Tao aboard a steamer set other post-punk band had enough real astronomer, Alan Hale, with a Te Ching of Lao Tzu for France, she met cultural cachet to score a major ladoctorate in astronomy and every- and selected poems the historian Charles bel record deal (again), during the thing — had also spotted the com- by the Chilean Nobel Le Guin, whom grunge revolution of the 1990s? et within minutes of him, and had Prize winner Gabrishe married a few already emailed the coordinates ela Mistral. Oh, and a The unforgettable songs and months later. Later anthems piled up like discarded to Harvard from his home in New guide for writers. in life, the two would ex-band members (a cohort more Mexico. But once again, the stars Even stingily settle down and start than 60 strong) — “Totally Wired,” aligned for Bopp: By what he later speaking, the career Ursula K. Le Guin a family in Portland, “Mr. Pharmacist,” “The Classidescribed as “bizarre chance,” an of author Ursula K. Oregon, where they cal,” “Hip Priest,” “Glam Racket,” IAU associate director happened Le Guin — one of the to be in the office that Sunday and twentieth century’s pioneering lived in a Victorian house on a “Ghost in My House,” “Big New received the telegram. The comet, science fiction and young adult steep street just below the city’s Prinz.” Did you ever hear the formally designated C/1995 O1, writers — was prolific. Arguably Forest Park. As the Paris Review Fall’s cover of disco standard would be named Hale-Bopp, after her most enduring work, The Left noted during an interview with “Lost In Music”? If the albums both astronomers. Hand of Darkness, inspired legions Le Guin in 2013, perhaps appro- aren’t enough to slake your thirst, Bopp quit his day job to attend of genre writers, including con- priately for a science fiction au- the Fall recorded twenty-plus live to the media maelstrom that fol- temporary savants such as Neil thor and much like the worlds sessions with equally legendary lowed. In 1997, the comet reached Gaiman, J.K. Rowling, John Scalzi she’d bend within her fiction’s British DJ John Peel over the BBC’s perihelion, or its closest point to and Margaret Atwood, author of narratives, their home appeared public radio airwaves between the sun. It lit up the night sky for The Handmaid’s Tale. Some crit- “larger on the inside than it does 1978 and 2004. more than eighteen months, its ics argue that no single work did from without.” Despite this fearsome produc-

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the Late Greats of 2018 tivity, Smith kept the Fall proudly ternate future. Their breakup was “unprofessional.” If during a con- equally as seismic, though she recert Smith would drink himself joined the band for a brief time in into oblivion, unplug an amp (or the 1990s. Smith died at 60 after a long batfive), mess up keyboard settings, change up the setlist, or recruit tle with cancer, but was still doa new drummer fifteen minutes ing shows, in a wheelchair, in the before showtime, what of it? As year before he passed, and never Smith himself barked, it’s just ceased writing and releasing mu“creative management, cock!” sic regularly. There will likely Smith was the Fall’s only con- never be a pop star quite like him — Matthew Moyer stant member during the band’s again. 40-plus years of intense creative drive (they were contemporaries Gary Burden of Joy Division, just to put things Essential album cover artist of the in perspective): one or more al- 1970s bums a year, restless, constantly May 23, 1933–March 9, 2018 changing music, grueling touring As an elder millennial, I sort of schedules that have the logistical straddle two worlds: the analog sense of darts thrown at a map and the digital. I didn’t have a cell of the world, and a bandleader phone until I was a junior in high who apparently hasn’t eaten solid school, but I’ve been downloading food in decades (subsisting on a music since the days of Napster liquid diet, as they say) dedicated and Limewire. That being said: I to spontaneity, conflict, and un- remember what it felt like to hold certainty in day-to-day business a CD, tape or record and cherish it affairs. in a different way than we do now Smith anecdotes are almost as — an era when we just pay $10 a legion as Fall anthems, suffused month for unlimited streams of with a sui generis cranky mys- almost every album of every arttique. There’s the apocryphal ist ever. story of him catching some of his I specifically remember being bandmates dancing to “Rock the in the gigantic Tower Records in Casbah” at an afterparty in the New Orleans and flipping through ’80s and summarily delivering an entire wall of darkwave/indusslaps to every offender, or when trial CDs, mesmerized by how he almost singlehandedly bottled many they had. Or going home Mumford & Sons off the stage in with a brand-new batch of music the early ’00s; the time he fired a and sitting on the floor in my bedsound engineer for eating a salad, room unraveling the album artand fired a drummer on the un- work and reading the lyrics along lucky percussionist’s wedding day; to the music. or when he agreed to It was quite a play on British chat different age, and show Later... With some of the folks Jools Holland with that helped make it the contractual conso were the geniusdition that the titular es behind some of host not play “boogiethose album covers. woogie piano anyEnter: Gary Burwhere near the Fall.” den. His neverending If you dig classic embrace of chaos folk-rock, you proband tension had an ably remember the Gary Burden ugly side; he could cover of Joni Mitchbe vile and abusive ell’s Blue album, a to those closest to him. And yet, close-up, high-contrast midnightmost remained loyal, believing in blue portrait of Mitchell gazing their flawed leader’s vision. That downward. It’s melancholic and included the long-suffering Han- rich and, most of all, it evokes ley brothers and Smith’s most fa- feeling in the viewer. Burden demous creative foil, guitarist and signed that. The former architect ex-wife Brix Smith. Brix was the was a sought-after album demost iconic member of the Fall, signer starting in the late ’60s for after Smith, a glammed-up Ameri- many a rock & roller, from Mitchcan punk who contributed unfor- ell, the Doors and Crosby, Stills, gettable serrated riffs to pivotal Nash and Young to current artists albums including The Wonderful like Conor Oberst, best known for and Frightening World of the Fall his work in the emotive indie-folk and The Frenz Experiment. Photos project Bright Eyes. and video from her tenure in the “Gary always wanted the album Fall are electrifying viewing, like packaging to reflect the spirit transmissions from a strange al- of the music and the wishes of

the artists as much as possible,” would form the basis of his new Oberst said in a recent article in religion, Scientology. By the time the New York Times. “He was of- Lerma joined Scientology at 16 ten at odds with record labels at the urging of his mother, the when they sought to cut costs at church had been banned in severthe expense of what he and the al Australian states and stripped artist had envisioned. Gary usu- of its tax-exempt status by the ally won those battles.” IRS, which deemed it a commerWhile studying architecture at cial operation for Hubbard’s benUC Berkeley, Burden met Cass El- efit — though a U.S. appeals court liot of the Mamas and the Papas, later recognized it as a religion in who would ultimately 1969. be the one to turn him Lerma signed a “bilon to designing album lion-year contract” to covers for a living. “I serve in Scientology’s met her and she asked elite Sea Org, a parame to do a remodel of military force that her home in Laurel some have described Canyon,” Burden said as a totalitarian orgain a 2015 video internization, according to view with NPR’s World the Washington Post. Café. “So she’s the one But his status among who said, ‘You know, Arnie Lerma fellow Scientologists Gary, you should make changed when Lerma our new cover; you know how to and Hubbard’s daughter, Suzette, design stuff,’” he recalled. fell in love (a claim that has been The rest, you could say, is his- strongly disputed by the church). tory. After a lifetime of contribut- Lerma’s entanglement with Sciening his own art to the music com- tology ended after other Sea Org munity, Burden died this year on members allegedly threatened to March 7. No cause was given. mutilate him if he didn’t cancel As time seems to slip faster be- his elopement with Suzette Hubneath us and technology speeds bard. the world up, Burden’s death is a Exiled from the religion that had reminder to slow down and look been his home for years, Lerma at the details, to feel the textures became one of Scientology’s fiercand edges and maybe sit with — est critics. By 1994, he was posting and breathe with — a piece of al- public court documents involving bum art. It’ll most likely enhance the church online in the alt.relithe entire musical experience. gion.scientology newsgroup that — Chris Conde “included testimony from former church officials who describe Scientology as a dangerous cult that Arnie Lerma brainwashes and blackmails its Ex-Scientologist who became members and harasses defectors Scientology’s fiercest critic and critics,” which earned him Nov. 15, 1950–March 16, 2018 Ever heard the story of Xenu, intimidating visits from men in the genocidal alien dictator who, dark suits at his Arlington home, when faced with overpopulation according to the Post. In 1995, Letroubles 75 million years ago, rma was the first to post the “Fishbrought billions of his subjects man Affidavit” — documents subto Earth to execute with a lethal mitted by ex-Scientologist Steven combination of volcanoes and Fishman that included criticisms hydrogen bombs; their disem- of the church as well as the docbodied spirits to cling to humans trine of Xenu, which Scientology and their removal can only be officials argued was copyrighted achieved through the teachings of and a trade secret. The church accused Lerma of the Church of Scientology? If so, copyright infringement and trade you can thank Arnie Lerma. Arnaldo Pagliarini Lerma was secret misappropriation, leading born in Washington, D.C., in 1950, to a raid of his home by his home to a mother who was an execu- by federal marshals, Scientology tive secretary to the Sudanese attorneys and data technicians. ambassador and a father who The church’s Religious Technolwas a Mexican agriculture offi- ogy Center sued Lerma, his intercial — and who divorced months net service provider and Post reafter his birth, according to Le- porters for quoting the affidavit. rma’s autobiography. His mother A federal judge found the reportwas a Scientology official in the ers had not violated copyright for D.C. church around 1968, about quoting a publicly available court three decades after American sci- document, but Lerma was held ence fiction writer L. Ron Hub- liable for a small number of nonbard published the first texts that Continued on pg 18

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the Late Greats of 2018 willful copyright violations and ordered to pay a $2,500 penalty. The court, however, stated in its 1995 ruling that it was convinced “that the primary motivation of RTC in suing Lerma, DGS and the Post is to stifle criticism of Scientology in general and to harass its critics.” Lerma continued his crusade against Scientology on his website, Lermanet, which became a resource for other critics, and gave interviews on the subject in print news stories, television and radio. On March 16, Lerma, 67, shot his wife, Ginger Sugerman, in the face with a handgun at their Georgia home before killing himself, according to the local newspaper the Sylvania Telephone. Sugerman, 58, survived and told Tony Ortega — the former Village Voice editor who runs The Underground Bunker, a site that keeps a sharp eye on the world of Scientology — that her husband was taking oxycodone in his last months to deal with back pain and that his paranoia had increased. Ortega last reported that Sugerman, also a former Scientologist, was raising funds for her continuing surgeries and for efforts to honor Lerma’s work,

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despite his last atrocity. — Monivette Cordeiro

the ground up. In 1945, while selling her own handmade purses on the side, she met Gerson “Gus” Leiber, a Brooklyn-born Army Judith Leiber sergeant and modernist painter Holocaust survivor and designer of stationed in Budapest. By 1947, extravagant handbags they were married and living in Jan. 11, 1921–April 28, 2018 If you can’t connect the dots be- New York City. In New York, she worked for tween the words “handbag” and “art,” you’re probably not versed handbag manufacturers and hit an early career high in the distinctive work in 1953 when First of Judith Leiber, the Lady Mamie Eisenlate Hungarian dehower arrived at the signer who took a Inaugural Ball carsignature concept rying a small, bedaz— whimsical metal zled clutch crafted by clutches adorned with Leiber. Credit went to Swarovski crystals and her employer (designsemi-precious stones er Nettie Rosenstein), — and ran with it in but this turn of events vivid fashion for deforeshadowed a trend cades. of powerful women Born Judit Peto into Judith Leiber — from queens and a Jewish family in Budapest in 1921, she escaped the movie stars to first ladies Lady worst atrocities of the Holocaust Bird Johnson, Nancy Reagan, Barand weathered World War II in a bara Bush, Hillary Clinton and Budapest apartment in the Jew- Laura Bush — clutching Leiber’s ish ghetto reportedly shared by 26 shimmering creations at highpeople. Although she aimed for a profile events. In 1963, the couple officially job in the cosmetics industry, she instead became the first woman dove into the luxury handbag to work at the Hungarian Hand- business together via Judith bag Guild, where she perfected Leiber Inc., with Gerson on the design and fabrication skills from business end and Judith handling

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design, fabrication and marketing. In the decades that followed Leiber took her playful, over-thetop aesthetic to the limit while challenging the confines of minaudières — decorated metal clutches only big enough to carry what she summed up as “a handkerchief, lipstick and a $100 bill.” Beyond meticulous attention to detail and unapproachable price tags, one of the most remarkable aspects of Leiber’s work is the juxtaposition of refined materials and techniques with nostalgic, child-like, even lowbrow themes and concepts. Her unapologetically extravagant minaudières — which have taken shape in dazzling cupcakes, ladybugs, cameras, cell phones, bundles of asparagus, Tutankhamen-inspired monkeys, burgers, fries and cocktails — have long been slyly witty staples for A-list celebrities on often-humorless red carpets. Although the Leibers sold their business in 1993 for a reported $16 million (Judith stayed on board as designer until 1997), the Judith Leiber brand is still intact and active, offering a reverent continuum of the 5,000-plus designs its co-founder created

the Late Greats of 2018 rockabilly session guitarist Grady Martin) reportedly wanted to redo his part, but Law and Snoddy insisted it remain. After its release, “Don’t Worry” went to No. 1 on Billboard’s singles chart and musicians in particular loved the buzzy sound. Snoddy says Nancy Sinatra was in Nashville and wanted that exact sound for a recording session, but by that point the original “broken” amp had completely died. So he began figuring out how to re-create the fuzz, designing and building a preamp effects box to capitalize on the curiosity. He sold the design to Gibson, which turned it into the Maestro FuzzTone FZ-1, the first commercially available guitar distortion pedal. While the distorted guitar sound was pioneered by players like Howlin’ Wolf guitarist Willie Lee Ted Dabney Johnson and Link Wray (most notably on the revolutionary 1958 instrumental hit “Rumble”) in the decade leading up to his invention, Snoddy was Glenn Snoddy Recording engineer and inventor of the the first to capture that fuzzy lightning in a bottle (or, rather, box). fuzz tone The Gibson pedal (which initially May 4, 1922-May 21, 2018 Glenn Snoddy’s contribution to the sold for $40) wasn’t an immediworld of music wasn’t a song or a ate hit and the company ramped style of playing. It was more like he down production of them until 1965, when Rolling Stones guitarhelped discover a new color. A recording engineer in Nash- ist Keith Richards used his FZ-1 on ville in the early 1960s, Snoddy the band’s seminal hit, “Satisfachelped capture and re-create tion.” Gibson sold 40,000 pedals in what is commonly called “fuzz the wake of that song’s success, aftone,” the distorted, overdriven ter reportedly moving a grand toeffect that helped shape the sound tal of three over the course of the previous two years. of modern rock & roll. The fuzz tone And it was all, quite sound became the literally, by accident. foundation of ’60s Already a recording and ’70s rock & roll, veteran (he’d worked leading the way for on pivotal sessions other popular pedfor Patsy Cline, Hank als, including the Williams and Johnny Fuzz Face, beloved Cash), Snoddy was by Jimi Hendrix and manning the console Pete Townshend, and for a session with prothe Big Muff, which ducer Don Law and saw a revival in the country singer Marty Glenn Snoddy Robbins, who was recording his late ’80s/early ’90s, the key to the 1961 single “Don’t Worry.” A bro- guitar sounds of bands like Mudken amplifier that the bass was honey, Smashing Pumpkins and running through created a dirty many other alternative rock acts sound about halfway into the re- of the time. Snoddy, who’d later open Nashcording that caught the attention of everyone working on the track. ville’s Woodland Sound recording “The transformer in the ampli- studio (home to many important fier blew up,” Snoddy told Mur- sessions, including the one for freesboro, Tennessee’s Daily News the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band’s “Will Journal in 2016 about the happy the Circle Be Unbroken”), died on accident. The bassist (country and May 21. He was 96. — Mike Breen throughout her colorful career. In 2005, Judith and Gerson opened the Leiber Collection in Springs, New York, to “house their works of art and to chronicle their careers.” While both are represented in major museum collections (he’s in the Museum of Modern Art and the Brooklyn Museum; she’s in the Smithsonian and the Met), the Leibers were thoughtfully showcased side by side in a trio of recent exhibitions while they were both in their 90s. After 72 years of marriage, Judith and Gerson died at home within hours of one another, both from heart attacks, on April 30, 2018. As for the shimmering body of work she began building long before “bling” was even a blip on Merriam-Webster’s radar, Judith Leiber presented her intricate evening bags as defiant status symbols, conceptual confections and wacky conversation pieces. All you need to enjoy one is a big bank account, a sense of humor sized to match and, as Leiber once suggested, an escort to carry the items that don’t fit in your minaudière. — Bryan Rindfuss

Ted Dabney Electronics engineer and co-founder of Atari (May 2, 1937–May 26, 2018)

In the beginning was a word. And the word was pizza. Pizza parlors, to be exact — the ones lit by the blinking screens of arcade cabinets and populated by animatronic critters. In the mid1960s, such establishments only existed in ambitious schemes cooked up by Ted Dabney and Nolan Bushnell, two friends then employed as engineers by California-based electronics company Ampex. Dabney agreed to join Bushnell in his business venture, which combined the former’s technological and electronics expertise (gained in the ’50s at the Navy’s electronics school on Treasure Island in the San Francisco Bay) with the latter’s unbridled creativity and experience working as a carnival barker during college. Unsurprisingly, the duo’s initial efforts failed to bear the intended fruit (or dough, for that matter), but they did mark the genesis of electronic gaming as a cultural institution. What started out as a far-fetched dream would soon become a household name: Atari. At the time, coin-operated arcade cabinets were largely analog machines: pinball, fortune tellers, skee-ball. Dabney and Bushnell were intent on replicating the mechanical complexity of these games first on a computer, and later on a television set. Programming and buying computers was cost-prohibitive, so Dabney — inspired by how a TV set’s vertical and horizontal move the picture back and forth — devised a way to move digital shapes across a screen using a universal platform that was cheaper to build and easier to manage and store. “Ted came up with the breakthrough idea that got rid of the computer so you didn’t have to have a computer to make the game work,” one of Atari’s first employees, Allan Alcorn, told the New York Times in June. “It created the industry.” Bushnell pitched the new motion circuit technology to arcade manufacturer Nutting Associates, who helped the duo produce the first-ever commercially-available coin-operated cabinet video game, Computer Space, in 1971. The sci-fi themed game netted

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Dabney and Bushnell enough royalties to found their own company, first called Syzygy and quickly renamed Atari. The company broke into the mainstream in 1972 with the release of Pong, a simplified departure from Computer Space that simulated table tennis with two lines and a dot. By the end of 1974, Atari sold more than 8,000 units of the game at $937 a pop. Unfortunately, Dabney reaped a much smaller reward than his partner. He learned that Bushnell had applied for a patent without his consent, submitting Dabney’s designs under his own name. Bushnell’s charisma pushed Dabney to a lower rung of Atari, leaving him frustrated enough to sell his ownership for $250,000 in 1973. Disillusioned by the perils of success, Dabney largely bowed out of the industry. In the meantime, Bushnell pushed Atari into living rooms with a series of video consoles. In the late ’70s, Bushnell enlisted Dabney to help develop a new venture — a restaurantslash-arcade called Pizza Time, later renamed Chuck E. Cheese’s. After further disputes split the pair up again, Dabney retreated from the entertainment industry for good. Dabney died of esophageal cancer on May 26. — Jude Noel

Mike Arnold Owner-operator of St. Louis’ Gus Gus Fun Bus November 11, 1963–June 21, 2018

Mike Arnold, a tireless booster of the St. Louis food and drink scene, was run down on June 21 by a stolen Ford F-150. A pair of downtown carjackers, fresh off pepper-spraying two women, apparently saw the bearded 54-yearold filming them with his cell phone, veered off the road and intentionally slammed him with the two-and-a-half ton truck, authorities say. They then crashed into a pole and were arrested within moments. In a way, it was a very St. Louis crime: stupid and needlessly violent with an element of smalltown familiarity. Arnold had become a favorite character in the city’s hospitality industry. He worked for 30 years for AAA, but it was his alter ego as the gregarious driver of the fourteen-seat party bus (dubbed “Gus Gus Fun Bus” by one of his children) and unofficial St. Louis ambassador that endeared him to brewers, restaurateurs and bartenders. He delighted in a good

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the Late Greats of 2018 beer and gutsy young chefs who gambled on optimism. He used his ever-growing Twitter following to celebrate their work and introduce others to his favorite spots around town. In between, he offered congratulations on new babies, raised money for any number of causes and delivered weather reports with paternal advice to take care on the roads. At home, he was a father of eight who lifted sitting kids, chair and all, in his arms and danced them through the air, a husband whose wife woke to his voice: “Good morning, Angel.” He and his wife first purchased Gus Gus Fun Bus because it was one of the few vehicles big enough to accommodate their blended famMike Arnold ily. On the day Arnold was hit, he was downtown for a festival, a celebration of local food and chefs. He obviously knew about the city’s darker side. Anyone who has spent any time here is familiar with the violence that can so easily overwhelm. The wickedness, the dog-dumb brutality of his own death was a reminder of that St. Louis. And if you want to fit his killing into that worldview, you can. But you will overlook what he saw in St. Louis. You will miss the feisty beer-makers, the Cardinals’ baseball games and the restaurants that get better every year. You will miss the fun. — Doyle Murphy

Vladimir Voinovich Soviet dissident and dystopian satirist Sept. 26, 1932–July 28, 2018

By the time of his death, Vladimir Voinovich was never mentioned without some variation of his title: satirist. Sometimes it was “famed satirist” or even “master satirist.” But the Russian writer, who spent his life alternatively fleeing and critiquing his homeland’s leaders, told interviewers that he found the label exasperating. He saw himself as a realist. “What I describe here is only what I saw with my own eyes,” Voinovich writes in the introduction of his dystopian epic Moscow 2042. Of course the book, described by one reviewer as “the Soviet Catch-22,” is a ridiculous piece of fiction. The novel follows Russian dissident writer Vitaly Karsev, who essentially functions as Voinovich’s stand-in as he bumbles

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“Next time, I’ll write a utopia,” vertisers, but Carlisle never found his way into a time-traveling expedition 60 years into the future. He Voinovich joked to an American the same success as other “stars” arrives in a Moscow governed as a crowd a few years ago. “People like Clara Bow or Ginger Roger. city-state by “pure Communism,” keep saying that all the bad things Typecast as a wholesome virgin or a system wherein bathrooms are I write come true, so I’m going upbeat gal, Carlisle eventually retired from cinema afunder the jurisdiction of the “Bu- to write something ter marrying British reau of Natural Functions” and good.” Instead, he sufactor James Blakeley newspapers are printed directly fered a heart attack. in 1942. “I’ve played on toilet paper. sweet young heroAbove it all is the Generalissimo The master satirist ines long enough,” — a strongman keeping the popu- died July 28. He left she said. lation under control on the com- his prophetic gifts for After her acting bined strength of religious dogma, the next generation of career, Carlisle mana ludicrous cult of dissidents and trouaged the Elizabeth personality and the ble-makers — and stories of comic auArden salon in Bevsecret police. erly Hills. She died at The book was thoritarianism that, the age of 104 (or 106, a hit in the West with each passing Mary Carlisle depending on who when it was pub- headline, seem less you ask) at the Motion Picture and lished in 1987 (it and less fantastical. — Danny Wicentowski Television Fund retirement comwas banned in Sovimunity for actors in Woodland et Russia). Decades Hills, California. — Maija Zummo later, contempo- Mary Carlisle rary scholars noted “Baby starlet” who made more than 60 that the novel’s dys- films in a decade Chief Wahoo topian merger of Feb. 3, 1914-Aug. 1, 2018 Cleveland Indians mascot and racial the KGB, the Com- A radiant 1930s film ingénue flashpoint munist state and known for her fresh face, porce- 1947-2018 the church foreshadowed the rise lain skin and blond hair, Mary Chief Wahoo, the racist redof Vladimir Putin, creating a real- Carlisle appeared in more than 60 faced symbol that has adorned ity with odd parallels to the fic- films in the course of her short ca- the sleeves and ballcaps of the tional Moscow of 2042. reer, everything from Bing Crosby Cleveland Indians’ uniforms since Voinovich noticed the similar- crooners to B-movie horror films 1947, has succumbed at last to his ity too. “I think it’s pretty close,” — the last of which was the low- inevitable fate, possibly timed to he admitted to The Daily Beast in budget vampire thriller Dead Men Cleveland’s imminent date in the 2015. Walk, released in 1943. national spotlight with the 2019 By then, he had already lived Born Gwendolyn Witter in Bos- MLB All-Star Game. many disparate roles: Born to a ton in 1912 or 1914 — according A much-floated and entirely Jewish mother and journalist fa- to the Washington Post, she would plausible theory is that MLB comther, he served as a loyal Soviet frequently say her true age was missioner Rob Manfred, a vocal soldier in World War II, a wan- “none of your business” — she opponent of Wahoo’s continued nabe poet under Stalin, a dissident was discovered at fourteen while use, told Cleveland the summer writer under Khrushchev and eating lunch at Universal Studios showcase would only be bestowed then a satirist in exile in West Ger- with her mother. Studio execu- on the city if the offensive symbol many, where he penned Moscow tive Carl Laemmle Jr. saw her and was no longer around. MLB’s very 2042. Welcomed home during the demanded she be given a screen public announcement of delibpresidency of Mikhail Gorbachev, test, reportedly saying, “This girl erations between the team and he finally attained acceptance in has the most angelic face I ever the league on the Wahoo front in his own homeland. saw.” But it wasn’t advance of the All-Star game anAnd then, like an until after she com- nouncement lent a certain undeabsurdist plot in pleted her formal niable credence to the conjecture. one of Voinovich’s education — and In recent years, the team had own works, Putin bluffed her way into “scaled back” the use of Wahoo in took control. Once a chorus girl casting favor of a primary “Block C” logo, again, Voinovich call at Metro-Gold- but the image was still beloved became an outspowyn-Mayer, thanks among diehard fans, prominent ken dissident, as the to her uncle Robert’s in the team shop and regularly author rebuked the film connections — worn by the team. regime’s repression that she pursued a Team owner Paul Dolan anof the media and career on the big nounced last year, though, that political opponents, screen. Wahoo at last would be eliminatas well as the war in Her first part was ed, at least as an official logo on the Chechnya. an uncredited ap- team’s uniforms. Given MLB’s visVladimir Voinovich Indeed, Voinovpearance in the ible crusade, Dolan, who had over ich managed to live Academy Award- the years acknowledged Wahoo’s long enough to become his own winning 1932 drama Grand Ho- problematic existence and recepsort of time traveler. In his final tel, starring Joan Crawford, Greta tion outside of the city, could at years, he witnessed a backsliding Garbo and John Barrymore.That least save face with ardent Wahoo Russia controlled by bureaucrats same year she was named a “Baby supporters — many of whom now who projected breathtaking con- Star” — a PR designation for star- wear “Keep the Chief” or “Long fidence in their leader, even as lets deemed to be on the cusp of a Live the Chief” apparel to games the country’s hard-won freedoms big film career — by the Western — by saying Major League Baseunraveled under that leader’s fist. Association of Motion Picture Ad- ball, not the Indians, was to blame.

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the Late Greats of 2018 Last year, the logo was paraded around for the full season, an outlandish farewell tour for a symbol that most everyone outside of Cleveland has long acknowledged represents an enduring harm to Native American communities. It was and is a grotesque caricature that belongs in a museum, if not a garbage can. Chief Wahoo first appeared in 1947, created by cartoonist Walter Chief Wahoo Goldbach, who was only seventeen at the time. (Goldblach died in 2017.) The image was meant to “convey a spirit of pure joy and unbridled enthusiasm,” at a time when Native American racism was still rampant. The team name was “inspired” by former Native American player Louis Sockalexis, in the sense that fans enjoyed taunting and jeering him for the duration of his very brief career, one cut short by alcoholism. That is the legacy that current Wahoo apologists so passionately claim to be honoring. In 1951, the logo evolved into the Red Sambo still in use today. His death is mourned and pro-

tested by thousands of Clevelanders who believe that professional baseball has been infiltrated by snowflake social justice warriors and race hucksters who are promoting racism where none exists for their own political and financial gain. The Chief is unfortunately survived on the professional sporting stage by the Washington Redskins’ name and by dozens, if not hundreds, of similarly offensive logos and nicknames of high schools across the country. — Sam Allard

Hamiet Bluiett Progressive jazz titan Sept. 16, 1940–Oct. 4, 2018

Hamiet Bluiett, a master of the unwieldy baritone sax as well as the more nimble clarinet, served as a living bridge between blues-based, pre-bebop traditionalism and progressive improvisational jazz. Bluiett came into the world in similarly significant liminal territory — he was born in St. Louis, but raised directly across the river in Brooklyn, Illinois, the first town in

the United States incorporated by stuff that children like, old people, African Americans. At age four the whole works — what’s wrong he began piano lessons; at nine, with all that? “I was one of the guys, when we clarinet studies; and in college at Southern Illinois University, he went into the loft situation, I told took up the baritone saxophone. the guys, ‘Man, we need to play He left college without graduat- some ballads. You all playing outing, but with an abiding admira- side, you running people away. I tion for the bari sax. “I fell in love don’t want to run people away.’” He founded the with the instrument on forward-thinking first sight, even before World Saxophone I knew what it sounded Quartet and the like,” he said in a 1991 Black Artists Group, interview. “But I never and played with thought its mission was iconic improvisers to mumble in the back including Sam Rivrow. I thought it should ers, Babatunde Olabe a lead voice.” tunji and Charles By many accounts, Mingus. His work Bluiett was a mass of was influenced not contradictions: Despite just by the soul and forging new paths in R&B he grew up the St. Louis and New Hamiet Bluiett with, but by West AfYork loft jazz scenes, he remained always committed to rican musics and hocket-style call melody. His idol was not a bebop and response. Yet had he chosen pioneer like Parker (neither Char- a more commercial path, his dialie nor Leo) but Harry Carney, a mond-hard, satin-smooth clarinet baritone saxophonist in Duke El- tone would have fit right into a traditional big band à la Ellington. lington’s band. The controlled fury of his bariEven while he was a blazing star in the avant-garde loft scene, tone attack was matched by a Bluiett respected popular appeal, crusty demeanor and raspy voice. saying things like, “We should (Bassist Kent Kessler recalls a set play more music for women, play Continued on pg 22

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the Late Greats of 2018 at the Chicago Jazz Fest in which Bluiett was to improvise with the DKV Trio; there was no rehearsal, no discussion. Bluiett simply showed up onstage, stuck out his hand and said “Bluiett” before they began.) In 2002, Bluiett was diagnosed with prostate cancer. As part of his holistic treatment, he switched to a vegetarian diet, which he claimed changed his music. “Blues came out of pork and alcohol,” Bluiett told St. Louis Magazine in 2011. “I can’t hang with the meat eaters all the way — I’m not saying it’s good or bad; it was just different.” After a series of strokes and seizures that began in January of this year, Bluiett was taken off respiratory support in October. — Jessica Bryce Young

William Shearer Immunologist Aug. 31, 1937–Oct. 9, 2018

It was 1979 when Dr. William Shearer first met seven-year-old David Vetter, the Texas boy who was born without an immune system and lived in a series of NASAdesigned plastic bubbles. Many years later, Shearer recalled that first meeting on his

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blog. “He immediately put his Medicine in 1970. He later served arms in the gloves extending from a pediatrics and immunology resihis plastic isolator system to shake dencies in St. Louis before moving my hand and began quizzing me to Baylor College of Medicine and to make sure I understood that he Texas Children’s Hospital, where was special and was competent he treated David. David’s was a lonely life. His enough to care for him,” Shearer older brother died from SCID, wrote. Theirs would be a brief rela- and his parents knew if they had tionship; David died in 1984 at another boy there was a 50/50 age twelve after an unsuccessful chance he could also have the bone marrow transplant. Despite hereditary disease. As soon as he was born, David was its brevity, the relaplaced into his first tionship would have plastic bubble. Any a lasting legacy. objects like toys had “He was like his fato be sterilized and ther at the hospital, placed through a seanother dad,” David’s ries of air locks, and father told the New he could never touch York Times. “They another human. had a real strong rapUnder Shearer’s port, and David loved care, the case of Dahim.” vid — a handsome Shearer died this boy who loved Star October from compliWars and the Texas cations from polymyOilers — captivated ositis, an inflammato- William Shearer audiences around ry disease that causes muscle weakness. Born in Detroit the world, with Shearer serving in 1937, he earned a bachelor’s as its face. While Shearer often degree in chemistry from Univer- remarked upon David’s resilsity of Detroit and a Ph.D. in bio- ience, observing David’s despair chemistry from Wayne State Uni- at living in isolation — he reportversity, and graduated from the edly had recurring nightmares Washington University School of about his condition — caused

DECEMBER 26, 2018 - JANUARY 8, 2019

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him to debate the ethics of keeping the boy trapped in his plastic cage. At one point, he suggested removing David from the bubble and trying other treatment methods, but David’s parents pushed for keeping him in until a suitable bone marrow donor could be found. In 1984, Shearer performed the long-awaited procedure. It didn’t work, and David soon became sick from a lymph node cancer caused by an undetected virus in the marrow. He lived his final fifteen days outside of his bubble in a hospital room, where his mother kissed him for the first time. Shearer appeared on television to announce David’s death, which he would later call one of the most difficult times of his life. But his story with David wasn’t over: With samples of David’s blood, Shearer determined that David died from an infection from the Epstein-Barr virus, and identified a gene that causes immune deficiencies. His discoveries would help create a test for the condition in newborns. Thanks in part to Shearer’s research, children with immune diseases are now able to live Continued on pg 23

the Late Greats of 2018 without plastic bubbles. Today more than 90 percent can be successfully treated with bone marrow and stem cell transplants within their first 28 days of life. After David’s death, Shearer founded the David Center at Texas Children’s, a wing focused on treatment of immune diseases named in honor of his former patient and friend. He later focused his research on HIV and AIDS, participating in studies that led to the treatment and prevention of HIV and AIDS in children. “People often ask what’s the measure of someone’s life, but very few people stood as tall as David,” Dr. Shearer told the Houston Chronicle in 2009. “More than any scientist, he taught us by his life.” — Lee DeVito

Dorcas Reilly Inventor of the green bean casserole July 22, 1926–Oct. 15, 2018

She may not be a household name, but Dorcas Reilly is a household

staple: Her iconic Campbell’s Soup for just six ingredients: a can of green bean casserole is served in Campbell’s condensed cream of more than 20 million American mushroom soup, milk, soy sauce, homes each Thanksgiving and, black pepper, green beans and the rest of the year, acts as a quint- crispy French-fried onions. It was essential comfort dish that can be a wholesome home-cooked meal crafted in an Atomic popped in and out Age that celebrated of the oven in less canned goods and than 30 minutes. convenience cooking, Reilly, a 1947 but its combination graduate of Drexel of creamy, crunchy University’s Home and salty has stood Economics prothe test of time. gram, was one of Today, more than the first two full60 years later, Camptime employees at bell’s estimates that Campbell’s Camden, upward of 40 perNew Jersey, home cent of its condensed economics departmushroom soup sales ment, working in are used to make Reilthe test kitchen to Dorcas Reilly ly’s casserole — the develop new recirecipe is even printed pes. Originally invented in 1955 as on the back of the can. “Dorcas would often share that a “green bean bake” for an Associated Press story asking for the first time she made her faa vegetable side dish made with mous recipe, it did not receive the pantry staples, the casserole calls highest rating in Campbell’s inter-

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nal testing,” wrote the company in an October memorial for Reilly’s passing. “Yet, it was her persistence and creativity that led to an enduring recipe that will live on for decades to come.” Reilly worked for the company off and on from the 1940s to the 1980s, when she retired as manager of the Campbell’s Kitchen in 1988. In addition to her lasting bean legacy, she also invented hundreds of other soup-infused recipes including a tuna noodle casserole, tomato soup cake and tomato soup sloppy Joes. In 2002, Campbell’s donated Reilly’s original recipe card to the National Inventors Hall of Fame in Alexandria, Virginia, placing her patented legacy alongside the likes of Thomas Edison, the Wright Brothers and Steve Wozniak. “I’m very proud of this,” she said of the recipe in a Campbell’s video, “and I was shocked when I realized how popular it had become.” — Maija Zummo

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CALENDAR

BY PAUL FRISWOLD

THURSDAY 12/27 The Czarina Enigma In the century since the Russian Revolution led to the murder of the czar and his family, various stories have emerged from behind the gunsmoke: a purported survivor. Invariably the youngest daughter of the Imperial family, Anastasia, is claimed to have been the lone royal to escape. What child of little means — and in the aftermath of World War I, there were many such children in Europe — doesn’t dream of being the heir of an important family? Perhaps that’s why there were a spate of young women who came forward in the following years, claiming to be Anastasia. One such story inspired the new musical from the creative team that made Ragtime. Anastasia is about a young woman in 1920s Paris who claims to be the daughter of the late Czar Nicholas II. The most compelling bit of evidence she has is the Soviet officer who hunts her through the city. Only a handsome conman and a kindly aristocrat can help her escape to tell her story. Anastasia is performed at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday through Friday, 2 and 7:30 p.m. Saturday and 1 and 6 p.m. Sunday (December 26 to January 6) at the Fox Theatre (527 North Grand Boulevard; www.fabulousfox.com). Tickets are $30 to $104.

Anastasia may be more than she appears to be. | MATTHEW MURPHY, MURPHYMADE tators. All competitors must sign a waiver and have either a lift ticket or season pass.

MONDAY 12/31 It’s the Berries If the modern take on New Year’s Eve isn’t for you and your time machine is on the fritz, there’s al-

ways Das Bevo’s New Year’s Eve Speakeasy Party. It’s the perfect theme for an old beer baron’s hideaway, which naturally includes an appropriately underground party area. Miss Jubilee provides the hot jazz soundtrack for the night, there’s an open bar and food stations will keep you fueled. Period attire is encouraged — there’s a costume contest — and if you splash out on the VIP

SATURDAY 12/29 Hit the Powder Hidden Valley is officially open for business, and already it’s time for the first ski and snowboard contest of the year. The December Rail Jam takes place at 6 p.m. Saturday, December 29, at Hidden Valley (17409 Hidden Valley Drive, Wildwood; www.hiddenvalleyski.com). The competition is open to snowdogs in the intermediate and advanced categories (self-designated), with prizes for those who place and giveaways all afternoon. Admission is $10 for competitors and free for spec-

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DECEMBER 26, 2018 - JANUARY 8, 2019

Make your New Year’s Eve spectaculaire. | STEVE TRUESDELL

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ticket option, you get an invite to the pre-party cocktail soiree up in the actual windmill. The party lasts from 9 p.m. to 1a.m., Monday, December 31, at Das Bevo (4749 Gravois Avenue; www.dasbevo.com), and tickets are $100, or $150 for VIP. (For complete listings of all the New Year’s Eve fun in St. Louis this year, please turn to the following pages.)

Ah, Venice Lola Van Ella’s New Year’s Eve Spectaculaire is perhaps the most anticipated burlesque event of the year thanks to its sheer size and ambition. This year’s show, A Midnight Masquerade, takes its cue from the carnival of Venice, vintage circus and the luxe royal balls of the eighteenth century. Of course there are burlesque performers — Jeez Loueez, Evelyn Invert, Alexis Bevels and Lola Van Ella — as well as cirque and variety acts, the Spectaculaire Orchestra and other surprises. There are multiple ticket options, including midnight buffet options for vegetarian and carnivore, but at the bare minimum you’ll see an amazing show and enjoy a Champagne toast at midnight. Guests are encouraged to dress to

HAPPY

HOLIDAYS

WEEKS OF DECEMBER 26-JANUARY 8 the theme and, yes, wear masks. A Midnight Masquerade takes place from 9 p.m. to 2 a.m. Monday, December 31, at the Casa Loma Ballroom (3354 Iowa Avenue; www. vanellastudios.com). Tickets are $45 to $350.

THURSDAY 01/03 Use the Force, Vladimir The St. Louis Blues season hasn’t been great, guys. The team has eaten blowout loss after blowout loss, there’s already a new coach and there are few signs — if any — of improvement at the moment. And now the champs, the Washington Capitals, skate into St. Louis for a crucial early January game. Alex “Russian Machine Never Break” Ovechkin can smell blood, which

prise Center (1401 Clark Avenue; www.stlblues.com). Tickets are $36 to $179.

FROM

Ciggfreeds

FRIDAY 01/04 Book Fight

liquid & lace

What is it about books that makes some people so afraid? Senator E.W. Higgins is up in arms about Garth Williams’ new book The Rabbits’ Wedding, a children’s story about two rabbits who marry. Higgins’ main objection is that one of the rabbits is white and the other is black, and in Alabama in 1959, even the hint of miscegenation — and in a children’s book, no less — is cause for alarm. Higgins demands it be removed from all Alabama libraries. One librarian, Emily Wheelock Reed, refuses to pull it. Books, and the ideas with their pages, are worth fighting for,

Who knew two bunnies could make so much trouble? | COURTESY OF THE REPERTORY THEATRE ST. LOUIS is never a good thing. The Blues are the underdogs, no doubt about it. But what about that other group of underdogs, the Rebel Alliance? They were on the back foot, and then a dusty farmboy showed up, blew up the Death Star and started a run for glory. This particular terrestrial hockey game is Star Wars Night at the rink, so clearly the Blues are gonna blow the doors off of the Caps and start a resurgence, one that will lead to the playoffs, and maybe more. Will you be there? The game starts at 7 p.m. Thursday, January 3, at the Enter-

Reed argues. Kenneth Jones’ play Alabama Story is based on a true story. Williams, the illustrator of Stuart Little and the Little House on the Prairie books, had no idea his picture book about a rabbit wedding would spark a political fight that threatened the well-being of an entire state. The Repertory Theatre St. Louis presents Alabama Story to open the second half of its season. Performances are Tuesday through Sunday (January 2 to 27) at the Loretto-Hilton Center (130 Edgar Road; www.repstl.org). Tickets are $19 to $92. n

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DECEMBER 26, 2018 - JANUARY 8, 2019

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New Year’s Eve 2018 A guide to all the excitement Das Bevo Speakeasy Party

NEW YEAR’S EVE

CELEBRATION! DECEMBER 31 ST

6:00PM – 1:30AM

Das Bevo’s speakeasy party includes an open bar with plenty of giggle water, appetizers and live music by Miss Jubilee & Rum Drum Ramblers. Photo booth and costume contest; food stations open from 9 to 11 p.m., with bar open until 12:30 a.m. Champagne toast at midnight. Mon., Dec. 31, 9 p.m.-1 a.m., $100-$150, www.brownpapertickets. com/event/3920725. Das Bevo Biergarten, 4749 Gravois Ave., St. Louis, 314-224-5521.

New Year’s Eve Pirate Party Watch 2018 walk the plank at Rhone Rum Bar’s pirate party. Enjoy live entertainment by Soulard Island Dudes, a free photo booth and sailboat races. Guests can compete in the pirate costume contest, a limbo contest and a conch-blowing competition. Mon., Dec. 31, 8 p.m.-1:30 a.m., $20 cover, pirateparty.ezregister.com. Rhone Rum Bar, 2107 Chouteau Ave, St. Louis, 314-241-7867.

NYE Live! Close out 2018 with the cast of Vanderpump Rules. Tom Sandoval and crew Tom Schwartz, Ariana Madix & Katie Maloney host an all-inclusive party with access to four venues, premium drinks, Stella Artois midnight toast, DJ, confetti and midnight ball drop. Mon., Dec. 31, 7 p.m., www.nye-live.com/ st-louis?utm_source=website&utm_ medium=calendar. Ballpark Village, 601 Clark Ave, St. Louis, 314-345-9481.

AWESOME FOOD SPECIALS

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Family-Friendly New Year’s Eve The rink opens at noon for ice skating and the party begins at 4 p.m. with children’s characters, performers, hot chocolate and an early New Year’s Eve countdown culminating with fireworks at 8 p.m. Mon., Dec. 31, 4 to 8 p.m., free admission. Kiener Plaza, 500 Chestnut St, St. Louis.

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DECEMBER 26, 2018 - JANUARY 8, 2019

Irish New Year’s at Pat’s 6 p.m. in St. Louis is midnight in Ireland, so celebrate early with the fourth annual Irish New Year’s Toast. Tickets include complimentary Jameson, a Guinness toast, and live Irish music on both floors. Limited general

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admission and VIP tickets available. Mon., Dec. 31, 4 to 11:45 p.m., $10, 314-647-7287, www.facebook.com/ events/1368370613298402/. Pat Connolly Tavern, 6400 Oakland Ave., St. Louis.

Black Tie Dinner & Dance Party The first annual Black & Gold New Year’s Eve Dance Party is happening at O’Fallon’s newest dance venue. Live music from Rhythm of the Nite, food catered from Madison’s Cafe, open bar, party favors, balloon drop and Champagne toast at midnight. Doors open at 7 p.m. $100 for general; $110 for VIP. Dance Pizazz, 6722 State Highway N, St. Charles. 636-441-6854, nikki@dance-pizazz.com.

Casino Queen New Year Guests enjoy a buffet, a DJ on the casino floor, a countdown to midnight with party favors, photo opportunities with Vegas showgirls, and giveaways to Las Vegas every hour. Mon., Dec. 31, 8 p.m. to 1 a.m., www.casinoqueen.com/stlouis/ promotions/. Casino Queen, 200 S. Front St., East St. Louis, 618-874-5000.

Drunken Fish New Year’s Eve Choose from a party package with premium open bar, DJ, appetizer and sushi bar and midnight toast from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m., or the four-course dinner from 4 p.m. to midnight. Mon., Dec. 31. The Drunken Fish-Central West End, 1 Maryland Plaza, St. Louis, 314-367-4222.

Evangeline’s ‘70s NYE Welcome to the ‘70s with an open bar, groovy cocktails, Champagne toast, live bands and special ‘70s-themed dinner buffet. Mon., Dec. 31. Evangeline’s, 512 N Euclid Ave, St. Louis, 314-367-3644.

Johnny’s West NYE Enjoy cold drinks, good food and music by SUPERJAM. Only $5 at the door. Free valet parking, free Champagne. Mon., Dec. 31. Johnny’s West, 12068 Dorsett Rd, Maryland Heights, 314-736-5646.

New Queer’s Eve III Dress to transgress, with performances

by Maxi Glamour, Klaude, Kingdom, James Bøndage, Phanta Gorea, Sweet Tea Skank and Vinca Minor. DJs bring the best in Industrial, Goth, EBM and more. Mon., Dec. 31, 9 p.m. to 1 a.m., $5-$10. 314-621-6900, www.facebook. com/events/498230960672580/. The Crack Fox, 1114 Olive St., St. Louis.

New Year’s Eve Cruise Dinner, dancing and breathtaking views of the St. Louis skyline. Featuring a three-course dinner, open bar, DJ entertainment and a midnight Champagne toast. 21 and older. Mon., Dec. 31, 9 p.m. to 1 a.m., $99, 877-9821410, info@gatewayarch.com, www. gatewayarch.com/experience/riverboatcruises/specialty-cruises/. Gateway Arch Riverboats, 11 N. 4th St., St. Louis.

Mollys in Soulard NYE Party St. Louis’ largest patio offers seven open bars, DJs, dancing, two balloon drops, Champagne toasts, VIP buffets and VIP reserved tables and cabanas, plus a light show. Mon., Dec. 31, 9 p.m. to 1:30 a.m. GA $75; VIP $95. 314-241-6200 x5, www.facebook.com/ events/474152503107339/. Mollys in Soulard, 816 Geyer Ave., St. Louis.

New Year’s Eve Bash Celebrate at a hotel and enjoy brunch the next day. Four plans to choose from. Mon., Dec. 31, 6 p.m. to 1 a.m., $70$215, 314-726-5400, www.cpclayton. com/specials-packages-en.html. Clayton Plaza Hotel, 7750 Carondelet Ave., Clayton.

New Year’s Speakeasy Soiree Celebrate the new year Prohibitionstyle. Enjoy a premium open bar, hors d’oeuvres, DJ and a midnight toast. Mon., Dec. 31, 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. 612North Event Space and Catering, 612 N. 2nd St., St. Louis, 314-899-0612.

NYE 2019 Ballroom Bash Alton’s Best Western Premier presents the band Flatliner, an open bar, appetizer buffet, party favors and Champagne toast at midnight. Mon., Dec. 31, 8:30 p.m. to 12:30 a.m., $65. 618-4621220, bwpremieralton.com/event/bestwestern-premier-presents-flatliner-fornye-2019/. Best Western Premier Alton, 3559 College Avenue Alton, Illinois.

Roaring ‘20s New Year’s Eve Dress as ‘20s icons for a party with a premium open bar, the Jesse Gannon Experience and DJs Gary Mac and Marc Buxton. Champagne toast at midnight. Mon., Dec. 31, 8 p.m., $100-$1,150. Angad Arts Hotel, 6550 Samuel Shepard Dr, St. Louis, 314-561-0033.

Russo’s Bash at Spazio Westport Featuring live music by All Mixed Up Band & Allegro DJ, full open premium bar, passed appetizers, four-course dinner, food truck midnight snack, photo booth and more. Hotel accommodations available. Mon., Dec. 31, 7 p.m.-1 a.m., $90, 314-576-0400, russosgourmet. com/nye/. Spazio at Westport, 12031 Lackland, Maryland Heights.

Burlesque 2019 Extravaganza Four-course dinner, burlesque, an open premium bar, confetti cannon launch and Champagne toast at midnight. Mon., Dec. 31, 7 p.m. to 1 a.m., $100-$200, 314-436-7000, theboomboomroomstl. com/new-years-eve-2019/. The Boom Boom Room, 500 N. 14th St., St. Louis.

Spectaculaire New Year’s Eve Van Ella Productions presents a masquerade ball featuring circus, variety and burlesque performers and the Spectaculaire Orchestra, plus a DJ. Champagne toast, balloon drop and midnight buffet. Masks are encouraged. Mon., Dec. 31, 9 p.m. to 2:30 a.m., $45-$350, 314.384.2532, www.vanellastudios.com. Casa Loma Ballroom, 3354 Iowa Ave, St. Louis.

360 Rooftop NYE Party Ring in 2019 high above the streets of St. Louis from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. with a premium open bar, buffet from 9 to 11 p.m., fireworks, Champagne toast, roaming performers, DJ Chris Brown and late-night snacks. All-inclusive $150 tickets at 360-stl.com/events. Mon., Dec. 31, 9 p.m.-1 a.m., $150, 314-641-8842, www.360-stl.com/events. Three Sixty St. Louis, 1 S. Broadway, St. Louis.

C I S U M E V I L

New Year’s Eve Ball Three ticket packages available. Two include a open bar, draft beers, wine and a variety of mixers and soft drinks and a plated dinner. General admission provides access to the party just after dinner. Mon., Dec. 31, 7 p.m. to 12:45 a.m., $100-$349, Clubcontagious@sbcglobal.net, www.contagiousparty.com/. Marriott St. Louis Airport, 10700 Pear Tree Lane, St. Louis, 314-423-9700.

K I TC H E N O P E N 7 DAYS A W E E K

BRUNCH SATURDAY & SUNDAY Ultimate New Year’s Eve Party All-inclusive celebration with live music, gourmet buffet dinner, open bar, a Champagne toast, balloon drop and ive music from the Number One Party Band. 21 or older. Mon., Dec. 31, 8 p.m. to 1 a.m. packages start at $169-$379. 314-655-1234, www.hyatt.com/en-US/ hotel/missouri/hyatt-regency-st-louisat-the-arch/stlrs/news-events. Hyatt Regency St. Louis at the Arch, 315 Chestnut St., St. Louis. n

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FILM

[YEAR IN REVIEW]

A Very Good Year Our film critic praises the best movies of 2018 Written by

ROBERT HUNT

ow best to summarize the state of the cinema circa 2018? Can I reduce it to 280 characters and cast it into the void of Twitter? Do we offer a eulogy for the things we lost in 2018? Goodbye to Charles Aznavour and Burt Reynolds, Aretha Franklin and Dorothy Malone! Farewell to Bernardo Bertolucci and Nicolas Roeg! Adieu, FilmStruck! Rest in peace, the once reliable idea of movie distribution, of films actually opening in theaters before appearing in the streaming ether! Netflix giveth (three of the films singled out for praise below are in fact produced by the former purveyors of the Red Envelope) and Netflix taketh away (the chance for non-subscribers to see these films in anything but extremely limited releases). The films that meant the most in 2018 weren’t based on comic books (with one exception), and they weren’t designed to create tie-in merchandise or prop up an already over-extended franchise. From a legendary auteur’s experiment nearly a half-century in the making to challenging examinations of race, gender, politics and power, the films that stood out in 2018 were the work of filmmakers who drew from their own emotions or looked at the world around them to create films that asked who we were, how we got here and what are we going to do to get by. The year’s best movie and the major cinematic event of 2018 was one that by some accounts shouldn’t even exist (just as many naysayers denied its existence for decades). Begun in 1970, Orson Welles’ The Other Side of the Wind finally emerged in complete

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Peter Bogdanovich and John Huston in Orson Welles’ magisterial The Other Side of the Wind. | COURTESY OF NETFLIX

BlacKkKlansman’s John David Washington and Laura Harrier. | © 2018 FOCUS FEATURES form long after its creator and most of its cast had left the planet. (The story of his struggle can be found in several places, including Morgan Neville’s excellent documentary They’ll Love Me When I’m Dead.) Amazingly, the film that Welles shot almost in its entirety but was prevented from guiding through post-production and edit-

DECEMBER 26, 2018 - JANUARY 8, 2019

ing isn’t just a novelty or a fanciful reconstruction. It’s a passionate meditation on art, masculinity and aging, a masterpiece that fits comfortably between Welles’ other unconventional late works The Immortal Story and F for Fake. No film in 2018 seemed so absolutely necessary as Spike Lee’s BlacKkKlansman, a powerful

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work that used the model of the black action films of the 1970s to examine racial representation on the screen, even as it provided a painful reminder of how the racism of the Klan has survived well into the 21st century. The latter point gives the film its stunning coda, an emotional gut punch that left me in a daze long after the lights came up. As the author of Taxi Driver and Raging Bull and the director of American Gigolo and Mishima: A Life in Four Chapters, Paul Schrader had secured a spot in film history that not even years of straight-to-streaming Nicolas Cage vehicles could destroy. With First Reformed he delivered his finest film in years, a profound essay on suffering and sacrifice that also managed to tie in his favorite themes and influences (Bresson, Vertigo and his own Taxi Driver), apply them to contemporary issues of terrorism, capitalism and the environment, and place the whole thing solely on the shoulders of Ethan Hawke, who delivered a performance that should have every other actor drooling with envy. If Spike Lee spoke directly to some of the problems facing Amer-

Ethan Hawke plays a troubled priest in First Reformed. | COURTESY OF A24

Alfonso Cuarón’s gorgeous Roma. | CARLOS SOMONTE/NETFLIX.COM

Sam Rockwell and Christian Bale portray W. and Dick in Vice. MATT KENNEDY/ANNAPURNA PICTURES 2018 ©

ica today, Adam McKay’s Vice is his supporting act, the warm-up comic to Lee’s heartfelt polemic, with on-target mimicry from Christian Bale and Amy Adams and an inventive style of political forensics that is all its own. Vice is a new kind of political movie, an analytical comedy that turns the deadpan progressivism of a Michael Moore documentary into a slick, smart and angry satire. I’ve been mostly indifferent to Alfonso Cuarón’s films (Gravity, Children of Men, a Harry Potter episode), so the semi-autobiographical Roma was something of a surprise. Set in Mexico City in the early ’70s, it’s a look at the past without sentimentality or nostalgia. Cuarón’s majestic black-and-white cinematography gives the film an unreal quality, a sense of ordinary life made bigger than life. These were the top five, but far from the only films of note. Others of special interest included Armando Iannucci’s The Death of Stalin, a dark look at life under totalitarianism with a brilliant supporting performance by Michael Palin; the Coen Brothers’ The Ballad of Buster Scruggs, a playful but morbid anthology of irony and hardship in the Old West; Sebastián Lelio’s A Fantastic Woman, a modern melodrama about a transgender woman with a star-making performance from Daniela Vega; Lynne Ramsay’s You Were Never Really Here, an intense psychological drama dominated by Joaquin Phoenix and the year’s second film to draw on the legacy of Taxi Driver; and Debra Granik’s Leave No Trace, a minimalist drama about PTSD, alienation and the difficulty of finding a place to call home. Bubbling under the top ten: If Beale Street Could Talk, Suspiria, The Favourite, Sorry to Bother You, Happy as Lazzaro and Lizzie. And finally, if you’re looking for the year’s worst film, I’m afraid I’m going to disappoint you. Sure, I may think that a certain overblown science fiction spectacle was a juvenile exercise in selfindulgence so horrendous that it made me look back almost fondly at last year’s Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets, but you won’t find me saying that here. If you can’t say nothin’ nice ... oh, you saw Ready Player One, too? n

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AS M T S I HR OPENNECW YEARS & CHILL MONDAY TACO TUESDAY $1 WING WEDNESDAY LATIN THURSDAY (INTERNATIONAL & TOP 40) SHISHA WEEKENDS (FRI & SAT)

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THAT 90S JAM

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THE DISCO TECHS: 1 YEAR ANNIVERSARY

$10, 8PM AT ATOMIC COWBOY

COMEDY SHOWCASE

$10, 8:15PM AT THE IMPROV SHOP

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NEW YEARS EVE '90S FREAKOUT THE MIGHTY PINES HILLARY FITZ BAND

8PM AT THE IMPROV SHOP

FRIDAY, JAN 4

8:15PM AT THE IMPROV SHOP

$20-25, 9:30PM AT ATOMIC COWBOY

THIS DAY IN HISTORY COMEDY SHOWCASE

CLASSES. SHOWS. FOOD. BAR.

TEEN SPIRIT

$5, 10PM AT HANDLEBAR

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RIVERFRONT TIMES 25 RIVERFRONT TIMES 33

Authentic MexicAn Food, Beer, And MArgAritAs!

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The fast-fresh, made-to-order concept has been applied to everything from pizza to pasta Louis, The fast-fresh, made-to-order concept has been applied to everything from pizza to pasta in in St.St. Louis, butsushi the sushi burrito surprisingly no Gateway home opened near Saint but the burrito surprisingly had had no Gateway CityCity home untiluntil BLKBLK MKTMKT EatsEats opened near Saint University lastItfall. was worth the wait, though, because combines bold flavors and Louis Louis University last fall. wasIt worth the wait, though, because BLKBLK MKTMKT EatsEats combines bold flavors and convenience a perfectly wrapped package that’s for those a rush. Cousins co-owners convenience into ainto perfectly wrapped package that’s idealideal for those in ainrush. Cousins andand co-owners Kati Fahrney andTurigliatto Ron Turigliatto a casual menu of high-quality, all-natural ingredients that Kati Fahrney and Ron offeroffer a casual menu full full of high-quality, all-natural ingredients that fitfit NOT YOUR AVERAGE SUSHI SPOT everything you love about sushi and burritos right in your hand. The SwedishSUSHI Fish layers Scandinavian NOT YOUR AVERAGE SPOT everything you love about sushi and burritos right in your hand. The Swedish Fish layers Scandinavian 9 SOUTH VANDEVENTER DINE-IN, OR DELIVERY MON-SAT 11AM-9PM cured salmon, yuzu dill slaw, Persian cucumbers and avocado for aTAKEOUT freshORflavor explosion. Another 9 SOUTH VANDEVENTER DINE-IN, DELIVERY MON-SAT 11AM-9PM cured salmon, yuzu dill slaw, Persian cucumbers and avocado for aTAKEOUT fresh flavor explosion. Another favorite, the OG Fire, features your choice of spicy tuna or salmon alongside tempura crunch, masago, 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 shallots, andkick. piquant namesake sauce;with Persian andinavocado soothe yourinto tongue fromjalapeño the sauce’s All burrito rolls come stickycucumbers rice wrapped nori or can be made poké from the sauce’s kick. All burrito rolls come with sticky rice wrapped in nori or can be made into poké bowls, and all items can be modified for vegetarians. bowls, and all items can be modified for vegetarians.

Housedininaaretro retroservice servicestation, station,J.J. Smugs Smugs GastroPit GastroPit serves Housed servesup upbarbecue barbecuethat thatcan canfuel fuelanyone’s anyone’sfire. fire. Married teams of Joe and Kerri Smugala and John and Linda Smugala have brought charred Married teams of Joe and Kerri Smugala and John and Linda Smugala have brought charredgoodness goodness theHill Hillneighborhood, neighborhood,nestled nestled among among the the traditional totothe traditional Italian Italianrestaurants, restaurants,sandwich sandwichshops shopsand andbakerbakeries. Part of St. Louis’ ongoing barbecue boom, the J. Smugs’ pit menu is compact but done right. Ribs ies. Part of St. Louis’ ongoing barbecue boom, the J. Smugs’ pit menu is compact but done right. Ribs arethe themain mainattraction, attraction,made madewith with aa spicy spicy dry dry rub turkey are rub and and smoked smokedtotoperfection. perfection.Pulled Pulledpork, pork,brisket, brisket, turkey and chicken are also in the pit holding up well on their own, but squeeze bottles of six tasty sauces of 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 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. 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 Several desserts are available, including cannoli a tasty discount nod to the neighborhood. 4 to 7pm on weekdays showcases half-dollar BBQ– tastes, drinks, and $6 craftHappy beer flhour ights from to 4 soothe to 7pmany on beer weekdays showcases half-dollar BBQ tastes, discount drinks, and $6 craft beer flights to aficionado. soothe any beer aficionado.

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314.727.6500 314.727.6500 622 N AND SOUTH RD. N AND ST.622 LOUIS, MOSOUTH RD. ST. LOUIS, MO 63130 63130 Bobby’s Place is named after Bobby Plager, a former St. Louis Blues defenseman and cultural icon of the As one of the premier vegetarian restaurants in the St. Louis area, Frida’s has earned accolades for Bobby’s Place Place is Bobby Plager, a former St. Louis defenseman cultural of the As onehearty of the premier vegetarian restaurants in the St. Louis area, Frida’s has earned accolades for the ex70’s. Bobby’s is named locatedafter in Valley Park and on Hampton Ave.,Blues and both locationsand offer their icon respective serving meals that are as tasty as they are nourishing. Owners Natasha Kwan-Roloff (also 70’s. Bobby’s is located Parkcan andfeel on at Hampton Ave., andPlace bothislocations offer theirwide respective serving hearty meals that are as tasty as they are nourishing. Owners Natasha Kwan-Roloff (also the exneighborhoods arePlace a place where in ourValley patrons home. Bobby’s known for their ecutive chef) and Rick Roloff elevate vegetarian cuisine by marrying high-quality, local ingredients with are a place where ourfresh patrons feel at home. Bobby’s Place is known for their wide ecutive chef) and All Rickitems Roloffare elevate cuisine locallittle ingredients varietyneighborhoods of flavors of Chicken Wings, their meatcan Hamburgers and Chicken Sandwiches, and their not innovative flavors. madevegetarian from scratch, havebynomarrying butter orhigh-quality, sugar and use to no oilwith – but variety of fl avors of Chicken Wings, their fresh meat Hamburgers and Chicken Sandwiches, and their not innovative fl avors. All items are made from scratch, have no butter or sugar and use little to no oil –newest but too thin Pizzas that come out on a rectangular metal tray. A wide assortment of freshly made appetizers, with the fl avors and creativity at Frida’s, you won’t miss anything. The University City restaurant’s too thinsalads Pizzasand that pastas come out rectangular metal tray. Aany wideofassortment of sports freshlyon made with theImpossible flavors and Burger creativity Frida’s, you won’t miss anything. Thethe University City juiciness restaurant’s newestand sandwiches, canon beaenjoyed while watching your favorite the appetizers, many flat – aatmassive plant-based patty that has texture and of meat sandwiches, salads and pastas can be enjoyed while watching any of your favorite sports on the many flat hithitisisthe the Impossible Burger – a massive plant-based patty that has the texture and juiciness of meat and screen TVs throughout the Bar & Grill. Beer you say? Well we have 16 local and regional tap handles of often fools carnivores. Frida’s award-winning signature namesake burger is no slouch, either, with its screen TVs throughout the Bar & Grill. Beer you say? Well we have 16 local and regional tap handles of often fools carnivores. Frida’s award-winning signature namesake burger is no slouch, either, with its your favorites and countless bottles and cans to wet your whistle. Bobby’s Place is known for a $6.99 daily slaw topping and local bun. The menu also boasts decadent favorites like tacos, wraps, your favorites and countless bottles and cans to wet your whistle. Bobby’s Place is known for a $6.99 daily tahini-chipotle tahini-chipotle slaw topping and local bun. The menu also boasts decadent favorites like tacos, wraps, lunchlunch special and aand wide variety of drink specials. There is always something going onon at Bobby’s Place, pizzas and desserts, and that just just launched launchedininApril. April.Beer Beerand andwine wineareareavailable, available, special a wide variety of drink specials. There is always something going at Bobby’s Place, pizzas and desserts, andaanew newSunday Sunday brunch brunch that whether that something is Trivia Night, BeerBeer Pong, DJ Music, or live bands. A full barbar with signature drinks many of Frida’s menu items can be modifi ed for vegan or gluten-free diners. whether that something is Trivia Night, Pong, DJ Music, or live bands. A full with signature drinks and and many of Frida’s menu items can be modified for vegan or gluten-free diners. and shots will compliment a good nightnight out with friends at Bobby’s Place. and shots will compliment a good out with friends at Bobby’s Place.

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314.449.6328 314.769.9940 5257 SHAW AVE, 2661 SUTTON BLVD, 314.449.6328 314.769.9940 LOUIS, MO MAPLEWOOD, MO 5257 ST. SHAW AVE, 2661 SUTTON BLVD, 63110 63143 ST. LOUIS, MO MAPLEWOOD, MO 63110 63143 Carnivore fills a nearly 4,000-square-foot space on The Hill with a dining area, bar lounge, and adjoining There aren’t many businesses named after Adam Sandler movies, but at the Blue Duck, the food is as outdoor gracefully guarded by aspace bronze at the main entrance. Always embracing change, whimsical its “Billy Madison” reference. founded in Washington, Mo.,Duck, ownersthe Chris Carnivore fills patio a nearly 4,000-square-foot onsteer The Hill with a dining area, bar lounge, and adjoining There aren’tas many businesses named after Originally Adam Sandler movies, but at the Blue foodand is as Joepatio and Kerri Smugala, with business partners and Casie Lutker, launched Carnivore STL this Karmen Rayburn opened the Blue Duck’s Maplewood outpost in 2017, bringing with them a seasonal outdoor gracefully guarded by a bronze steer Chef at theMike main entrance. Always embracing change, whimsical as its “Billy Madison” reference. Originally founded in Washington, Mo., owners Chris and summer. As the Hill’s only steakhouse, Carnivore offersand a homestyle menu at budget-friendly prices menu full of American comfort-food dishesMaplewood that are elevated with a dash bringing of panache. Start theameal with Joe and Kerri Smugala, with business partners Chef Mike Casie Lutker, launched Carnivore STL thisap- Karmen Rayburn opened the Blue Duck’s outpost in 2017, with them seasonal pealing to the neighborhood’s many families. Steak, of course, takes center stage with juicy fi let mignon, the savory fried pork belly, which is rubbed with coffee and served with a sweet bbq sauce and root vegsummer. As the Hill’s only steakhouse, Carnivore offers a homestyle menu at budget-friendly prices apfull of American comfort-food dishes that are elevated with a dash of panache. Start the meal with top sirloin, strip steak and ribeye leading the menu. Customize any of the succulent meats with sautéed menu etable slaw. For the main event, the Duck’s signature DLT sandwich substitutes succulent smoked duck pealing to the neighborhood’s many families. Steak, of course, takes center stage with juicy filet mignon, savory fried pork belly, which is rubbed with coffee and served with a sweet bbq sauce and root vegmushrooms, grilled shrimp, or melted housemade butters, such as garlic-and-herb and red wine reduc- the breast instead of the traditional bacon, adding fried egg and honey chipotle mayo along with lettuce top sirloin, strip steak and ribeye leading the menu. Customize any of the succulent meats with sautéed etable slaw. For the main event, the Duck’s signature DLT sandwich substitutes succulent smoked duck tion, on top of the flame-seared steak. Other main dishes include a thick-cut pork steak (smoked at J. and tomato on toasted sourdough. Save room for dessert; the Blue Duck’s St. Louberry pie – strawberries mushrooms, grilled shrimp, or melted housemade butters, such as garlic-and-herb and red wine reducinstead of the traditional bacon, adding fried egg and honey chipotle mayo along with lettuce Smugs) and the grilled chicken with capers and a white wine-lemon-butter sauce. St. Louis Italian tradi- breast and blueberries topped with a gooey buttercake-like surface – is a worthy tribute to the Gateway City. tion, on topget of their the fldue ame-seared steak.Ravioli, Othersmothered main dishes a thick-cut pork steak J. and tomato on toasted sourdough. Save room for dessert; the Blue Duck’s St. Louberry pie – strawberries tions in the Baked in include provel cheese and house ragu,(smoked and in theatArancini, Smugs) and balls the grilled withand capers and a white wine-lemon-butter sauce. Louis new Italian tradiand blueberries topped with a gooey buttercake-like surface – is a worthy tribute to the Gateway City. risotto stuffedchicken with provel swimming in a pool of meat sauce. With an St. exciting brunch tions get their due in the Baked Ravioli, smothered in provel cheese and house ragu, and in the Arancini, menu debuting for Saturday and Sunday, Carnivore should be everyone’s new taste of the Hill. risotto balls stuffed with provel and swimming in a pool of meat sauce. With an exciting new brunch menu3 debuting 6 R I V for E R Saturday F R O N T and T I MSunday, E S DCarnivore E C E M B Eshould R 2 6 ,be2everyone’s 0 1 8 - J Anew N U Ataste R Y of8 ,the2 0Hill. 19 riverfronttimes.com

CAFE

[YEAR IN REVIEW]

Bright Lights, Our City These ten new restaurants were the best in St. Louis in a very good year Written by

CHERYL BAEHR

udo House on the cover of Food & Wine. Zoe Robinson in Vogue. Travel and Leisure touting St. Louis as America’s next great food city. 2018 again saw the national spotlight cast its glow on the St. Louis food scene, and the city did not disappoint. Credit for St. Louis’ ascent into the pantheon of great American food cities goes to the pioneers and innovators who have spent the last decade (and more) elevating its profile. This year, many of them continued their run with thrilling new restaurants, their most personal concepts yet. At the Benevolent King, Ben Poremba found himself back in the kitchen, often alongside his mother, exploring the cuisine of his youth. Gerard Craft’s Cinder House is a sleek, trendy hotspot in the Four Seasons Hotel; it’s also an earnest homage to the woman who taught him to love food. Anthony Devoti, a supremely talented chef who spent twelve years quietly running one of the city’s best restaurants, turned that concept into a celebration of his Italian roots. And of course, there is the inimitable Zoe Robinson, whose dazzling Billie-Jean feels like the restaurant she was born to run. You cannot talk about St. Louis restaurants in 2018, however, without noting a slate of prominent closures, two of which would have made this list. Mike Randolph’s Privado would have likely topped it, but Randolph shuttered the restaurant not yet a year into its run. And if the Privado news was surprising, Randolph shocked the city when he announced

Located on a leafy block in Clayton, Billie-Jean is our critic’s choice for the top new restaurant of the year. | MABEL SUEN that he would also close his acclaimed Público by the end of the year. Meanwhile, Squatters Café was always conceived of as a temporary project for chef Rob Connoley while he worked to open Bulrush, but coupled with the demise of beloved and wellreceived spots including Quincy Street Bistro, Parigi, Vista Ramen, Element and Porano Pasta, it stung. Add this month’s closure of the landmark Cardwell’s at the Plaza, and the scale of loss starts to feel significant. These closures have made me question whether we’re less coming into our own as a food city and more in the midst of a bubble that is bursting. But then I look at the restaurants on this list, as well as the other worthy new spots that did not make the top ten, and I’m convinced the present and future are bright. It’s not the national spotlight that is making them shine; that brightness comes from within. St. Louis has more good restaurants today than it’s had at any point in recent history, and it’s regularly adding even more, including the promising Savage, which opened

in the fall and wasn’t reviewed in time to make this list. With that sort of growth, there are bound to be fits and starts along the way — not a bubble, but an evolution. And now that we’ve tasted what these chefs have to offer, there’s simply no going back.

1. Billie-Jean 7610 Wydown Boulevard, Clayton | 314-797-8484

Zoe Robinson jokes that when she and her longtime collaborator, chef Ny Vongsalay, first embarked on their wild ride into the restaurant business some 30 years ago, they were too young to know better. Back then, she was a server, barely out of her teens and unexpectedly running her first restaurant after its former owners got into a heated dispute. Vongsalay had just made it to the U.S. after fleeing war-torn Laos. The pair instantly clicked, forging a friendship over a shared love of food that would last decades and usher them into the upper echelon of the city’s dining scene. Each restaurant they’ve opened — Café Zoe, Zoe Pan Asian Café, Bobo Noodle Company, I Fratellini, Bar Les

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Freres — has been stylish, innovative and well-executed, but their latest concept, Billie-Jean, is their most personal, and also their best. Billie-Jean is such a flawless blend of their personalities and culinary backgrounds that it may as well be an edible biography. Thrillingly modern, the restaurant effortlessly slips between Robinson’s contemporary American polish and Vongsalay’s Southeast Asian roots, resulting in such wonderful dishes as Hamachi crudo, baked quail eggs and its signature mahogany glazed spare ribs. When Robinson spoke about Billie-Jean earlier this year, she said that she feels her confidence and point of view have matured with each concept, leading her to a place where she can boldly put herself out there, head held high. With Billie-Jean, she has every reason to be proud.

2. Louie 706 De Mun Avenue, Clayton | 314-300-8188

Some restaurants remain vivid in the city’s dining consciousness even after they close. Matt McGuire’s King Louie’s is one of those places. After the end of the

DECEMBER 26, 2018 - JANUARY 8, 2019

Continued on pg 38

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restaurant’s South American slant is a beautiful love song to Assuncao, made even more thrilling by being sung in such a stunning setting (the view from the eight floor of the Four Seasons is simply aweinspiring). Assuncao passed away in 2009, living long enough to see Craft established as a chef, but not so long as to see the restaurant she inspired. With Cinder House, Craft makes sure her memory lives on — and that her worldclass cooking can touch all of us.

YEAR’S BEST OPENINGS Continued from pg 37

restaurant’s twelve-year run, McGuire went to work for the best of the best, making a name for himself as a front-of-the-house guru. The ghost of King Louie’s never left, however, and when McGuire felt ready, he jumped back into the role of restaurateur, opening the wonderful Louie in Clayton’s DeMun neighborhood. Louie has been open less than a year, but it already feels like an institution, blending into the charming environs with both style and substance. McGuire jokes that King Louie’s was a neighborhood restaurant without a neighborhood; DeMun fills that void, giving you the sense that this was the place McGuire was meant to open all along.

3. Cinder House

4. The Benevolent King 7268 Manchester Road, Maplewood | 314-899-0440

Levant brings Syrian home cooking to a stylish space in the Central West End. | LEXIE MILLER

999 North Second Street | 314-881-5759

Gerard Craft was a picky eater as a kid, and might have subsisted off such bland fare as buttered noodles for his entire childhood were it not for his beloved nanny, Cecelia “Dia” Assuncao. Hailing from

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Brazil, Assuncao dazzled young Craft with her impeccable South American cooking, instilling a passion for food that ultimately led to his career as a renowned

DECEMBER 26, 2018 - JANUARY 8, 2019

chef. Craft’s latest concept, Cinder House, succeeds not because it is a beautiful, delicious restaurant — though it is indeed those things — but because it is personal. The

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One of Ben Poremba’s most foundational culinary memories came in his mom’s kitchen in Israel, where as a kid he helped her roll chicken-filled Moroccan cigars called briouat. Fast-forward a few decades, and Poremba has found himself back in the kitchen, paying homage to his culinary roots with his Moroccan-inflected restaurant and bar the Benevolent King. This is a return to cooking for the James Beard-nominated Poremba, who stepped into the role of restaurateur since opening his wildly successful sister restaurants, Elaia and Olio, in Continued on pg 39

YEAR’S BEST OPENINGS Continued from pg 38

2012. At this Maplewood hotspot, he is as comfortable, and skillful, as ever. Poremba draws upon his Moroccan roots, creating a menu of ever-changing small plates that delight at every turn. Add an innovative bar program, overseen by the wildly talented Tony Saputo, and the Benevolent King is nothing short of spectacular.

5. J. Devoti Trattoria 5100 Daggett Avenue | 314-773-5553

If you ask chef Anthony Devoti, he’s been running an Italian restaurant ever since he opened the acclaimed Five Bistro twelve years ago. Tomatoes plucked from the garden, basil fresh from his mom’s patio, a fierce commitment to nose-to-tail cooking — if you wanted to know what it’s like to eat in the Old Country, you had to look no further than his restaurant. The problem was that not many diners realized as much. Located on the Hill, Five Bistro was surrounded by Americanstyle Italian joints, and its more modern (and subtle) charms flew under many diners’ radar. Want-

ing to reclaim what it means to be an Italian restaurant, Devoti closed Five this past year, reopening as the delightful J. Devoti Trattoria. More explicitly Italian than Five, J. Devoti Trattoria showcases the chef’s skill at making flawlessly executed, refined cooking feel accessible. It doesn’t get more authentically Italian than that.

6. Yellowbelly 4659 Lindell Boulevard

Tim Wiggins, the cocktail genius behind Retreat Gastropub, loves rum. In fact, he’s so enamored with the spirit that when he and Retreat co-owner Travis Howard prepared to open a new concept, they decided to build an entire restaurant around it. Wiggins and Howard were determined to avoid the kitschy grass skirts and ceramic barware that characterized the tiki bars of the 1960s and ’70s. They wanted to honor that tradition — and its drinks — but in an updated way. Their modern sea-and-spirits spot Yellowbelly does so swimmingly. Though not a Hawaiian restaurant per se, Yellowbelly takes the islands as a jumping-off point for its seafood-focused fare, including such fun dishes as spam-and-crabfried rice, deviled crab fritters

with passion fruit mustard and ultra-fresh tuna poke. Developed in conjunction with Top Chef alum Richard Blais, offerings like the signature “Oysters and Pearls” make you wonder if anything could be better than fresh Kumamotos accented with beads of frozen cocktail sauce. The answer, of course, is yes: Pairing them with one of Wiggins’ outstanding cocktails is as good as it gets.

up eating in his mom’s kitchen. Levant fills that niche with aplomb, serving not only Middle Eastern staples like hummus and kabobs, but also traditional specialties you’d find in someone’s home in Syria — even while the striking décor evokes a modern Damascus nightclub. Before Hameed opened Levant, we didn’t know we were missing such cuisine; now we can’t imagine being without it.

7. Levant

4310 Fyler Avenue | 314-621-2337

386 North Euclid Avenue | 314-833-4400

Ahmad Hameed has cooked all over the world, counting some of the Middle East’s most luxurious hotels — including the seven-star Emirates Palace in Abu Dhabi — as former employers. These days, he’s applying his culinary firepower to his debut restaurant, the Syrian-inspired gem Levant. Hameed arrived in the United States in 2015 and cooked at his brother’s restaurant Ranoush before opening Levant this past June. He was intent on filling a void. While he found plenty of local spots, including his brother’s place, that served fine versions of the food of his homeland, he missed the authentic, homecooked Levantine cuisine he grew

8. Alphateria Mandy Estrella understands that, as a non-Dominican specializing in Dominican food, she is bound to raise some eyebrows. Once you get a taste of her cooking, however, all doubts about her capability to deliver authentic Caribbean cooking subside. Estrella may hail from Missouri, but after falling in love with Dominican cuisine (and, not coincidentally, a Dominican) while living in Florida, she decided to devote herself to learning every aspect of it. That exploration continued after she returned to the Midwest. She first catered to the local Latin community, then got her food in front of diners at regular pop-ups around town under the name Plantain Girl. This March, Continued on pg 41

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gourmet sausages. Last December, Cawthon and his wife opened their storefront on Cherokee, where he has continued his run as the sausage king of St. Louis. Try his Belgian style hand-cut fries, which are inarguably the best fries in town, and you might also call him the potato king of St. Louis.

YEAR’S BEST OPENINGS Continued from pg 39

Estrella finally found a permanent home, opening a food counter inside Alpha Brewing Company called Alphateria. Estrella’s delightful Caribbean restaurant may be no larger than a concession stand, but she’s producing positively dazzling food that honors the Caribbean culinary tradition. Her reputation now firmly established, those raised eyebrows are fewer and farther between.

10. The Clover and the Bee 100 West Lockwood Avenue, Webster Groves | 314-942-1216

9. Frankly on Cherokee 2744 Cherokee Street | 314-325-3013

If you’ve never eaten at Frankly on Cherokee, you might balk at the notion that a fast-casual sausage shop could be inspired by an Italian fine-dining restaurant in LA’s toniest suburb. But that’s precisely where owner Bill Cawthon traces back the roots of his wonderful restaurant. After graduating from the Culinary Institute of America, Cawthon worked in high-end restaurants around Manhattan before landing at the elegant Culina inside the Four Seasons Beverly Hills. There, he learned an appreciation for simple, straightforward

The Clover and the Bee lives up to the high mark set by its sister, Olive + Oak. | MABEL SUEN cooking and the importance of letting food speak for itself. He brought this philosophy with him when he moved back to his native St. Louis, working for Gerard Craft and Bill Cardwell before

launching the Frankly Sausages food truck. Originally envisioned as a way to provide food service for Six Mile Bridge Beer, Frankly took on a life of its own, garnering a loyal following for its thoughtful

Mark Hinkle has another hit on his hands with the Clover and the Bee, Olive + Oak’s charming little sister. Conceived as a fast-casual daytime answer to the impossibly busy, evenings-only Olive + Oak, the Clover and the Bee has grown in its first year into a sophisticated, full-service breakfast, lunch and dinner spot, its popularity proving that Hinkle and chef Jesse Mendica know the recipe to the magic sauce that Webster Groves diners have been craving. The secret is nothing crazy — well-executed café fare by day, Italian-inflected specialties by night — but it’s done so well and delivered in such a lovely, comfortable setting that it becomes something magical. The Clover and the Bee proves that lightning can strike twice — and on the same block at that. n

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SHORT ORDERS

[SIDE DISH]

Peno Chef Makes His Music in the Kitchen Written by

CHERYL BAEHR

ohn Komotos has been around food his whole life, whether it was watching his dad and grandmother cook in the family kitchen or washing dishes to earn spending money at thirteen. But while those experiences set him on course for a career in the restaurant business, it was music that had his heart. “My whole life, I thought I was going to be a rock star,” Komotos says. “I was in a lot of bands growing up and consider myself a good musician and songwriter. It was my main goal, but what really damaged it was when Napster came along. Good talent really took a hit when all of that started happening, so it didn’t really work out for me. Well, I guess it did.” Reflecting on how he got to be chef Pepe Kehm’s right-hand man at Peno Soul Food (7600 Wydown Boulevard, Clayton; 314-899-9699), Komotos understands that the kitchen was always calling him, even while he pursued his passion for music. He worked in restaurants around St. Louis, including Cardwell’s at the Plaza under acclaimed chef Bill Cardwell. But Komotos admits he did not take the job seriously in his youth. “If I would’ve focused solely on cooking, I’d probably be a restaurant owner by now, but I spent my twenties traveling and being a madman,” Komotos says. “I was the class clown who would come in hungover. I could always hold down a job, but I never saw myself as chef material.” That began to change when Komotos found himself in Los Angeles, working in that city’s vibrant restaurant scene. He began to view the kitchen as

Formerly an aspiring rock star, John Komotos sees a connection between playing music and cooking. | JEN WEST a career, and worked at Hot’s Kitchen in Hermosa Beach for six years. But after getting burnt out, he moved from there to a series of bad jobs that nearly caused him to leave the business. Fed up and overwhelmed by LA’s high cost of living, Komotos returned to St. Louis this past March, working for Sugarfire Smokehouse before landing at Peno. Now serious about his craft — he credits having kids as his life’s turning point — he is eager to show what he’s learned over the years. Peno is the right spot to do that, he says, because he and Kehm both view food as a soulful experience. For Komotos, that’s how he bridges the divide between his two passions. “When I am cooking, I zoom in like I am playing music,” Komotos explains. “It’s like a spiritual experience; I understand it and can go different routes to get the essence out of every ingredient as best as I can.” Komotos took a break from the kitchen to share his thoughts on the St. Louis food scene, what’s most impressed him since returning home from Los Angeles, and why you should pay attention to

anyone who has come up through Bill Cardwell’s kitchen. What is one thing people don’t know about you that you wish they did? I am in tune with the Earth; it’s important to me to feel connected that way and for it to come through in my cooking. What daily ritual is non-negotiable for you? Yerba mate in the morning. If you could have any superpower, what would it be? Time travel. Or the ability to dissect the good and evil in people. What is the most positive thing in food, wine or cocktails that you’ve noticed in St. Louis over the past year? I’ve just moved back after over a decade on the West Coast, and I’m loving the energy in the Grove and the restaurants on South Grand. Both have great new chefs and innovative menus. What is something missing in the local food, wine or cocktail scene that you’d like to see? I’d love to see more local chefs going back to their roots and beautifully execute some old foods from

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the past. Who is your St. Louis food crush? Ted Drewes. Who’s the one person to watch right now in the St. Louis dining scene? I’ve been out of the St. Louis scene for some years, but I’m pretty confident in saying anyone who worked for Bill Cardwell and is currently a local chef. Which ingredient is most representative of your personality? Toasted chile de arbol. If you weren’t working in the restaurant business, what would you be doing? Music, watercolors and gardening. Name an ingredient never allowed in your restaurant. Molasses. What is your after-work hangout? My house. What’s your food or beverage guilty pleasure? A fatty grilled mid-rare ribeye. What would be your last meal on earth? Vietnamese chicken and rice porridge with authentic fish sauce, fresh chile, limes and crushed peanuts. n

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“Starry Sky” cookies are named for their resemblance to a night sky with bright stars. | TOM HELLAUER

[FIRST LOOK]

Dottie’s Flour Shop Serves Freshly Made Pies, and More, in Ladue Written by

TOM HELLAUER

hen Dottie Silverman, baker and co-owner of Dottie’s Flour Shop (9783 Clayton Road, Ladue; 314-692-8776), had the chance to make her love of baking a career, she didn’t pass it up. “If you’re lucky enough to know what your passion is, what a missed opportunity it is not to pursue it,” Silverman says. Formerly a litigator, Silverman now applies herself to developing and baking an ever-rotating variety of pies, cookies and other goods at the Ladue bakery. Silverman met her business partner and Dottie’s co-owner, Jessica Lucas, through their children’s school. The pair began selling baked goods out of Fozzie’s Sandwich Emporium, which was owned by Lucas and her husband Mark. Business eventually picked up so much that they needed a brick-andmortar location. Lucas and Mark had recently closed their other eatery, Humble Pie, providing the perfect space. After the pair traded their pizza ovens for a convection one, constructed a wall and reconfigured the space, the modest retail area and baking kitchen opened in November. Lucas and Silverman have enjoyed adding a physical presence to their thriving business, with a shop nestled cozily in a brick-and-stone alley. “The wonderful thing about having this little shopping district here is you really do get to know your customers and your neighbors,” Silverman says. “This business is very much about relationships to us, with customers, vendors and

the community at large.” While a storefront is new for Dottie’s, the pies and cookies are the same as ever: inventive and tasty. Silverman, while admiring traditional flavors, also likes to put her own spin on things. In her spiced peach pie, a bit of coriander and cardamom adds an unexpected twist. However, she does not experiment in the kitchen simply for the sake of it. By mixing sweet and savory flavors, Silverman strives to create not just “something that tastes different, but something that tastes better,” she says. To that end, Dottie’s utilizes softer than average dough, similar to that used in empanadas, in its signature pies. Seasonal pies provide the opportunity to rethink the shop’s offerings every six weeks, something in which Silverman delights. The gingerbread apple pie and “Not Hot Cocoa Pie” are holiday favorites, although Lucas and Silverman stress that pie is an all-year affair. “As much as people affiliate pies with Thanksgiving, truthfully some of the most gorgeous pies are made in the spring and summer, especially here in the Midwest when we’re able to visit local orchards, strawberry and blueberry fields,” Silverman says. If customers have their heart set on a particular pie that’s not in season, Lucas and Silverman do their best to accommodate. They also take specialty orders for birthdays and other occasions and offer several vegan options. Pie pops and a wide array of cookies are more specialties on offer at the new storefront. Lucas and Silverman have an impressive online shop and retail collection as well, most of it locally sourced. Hawthorne Honey from Compton Heights and Stringbean Coffee from Brentwood are just two items carried on the retail side. For some items, they give a portion of proceeds to charitable causes, such as building schools and wells in developing countries. “We don’t carry anything we wouldn’t put in our own homes,” Lucas says. Dottie’s Flour Shop is open Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. n

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MUSIC & CULTURE

[HOMESPUN]

18 for 2018 The 9 best albums and 9 best songs out of St. Louis this year Written by

CHRISTIAN SCHAEFFER

Grace Basement Mississippi Nights

t. Louis is blessed with one of the finest music scenes in the country. Every night of the week, talented local artists hit the city’s many stages, strumming, plucking, bashing, blowing and crooning their way through sets sure to keep the people dancing. The sheer number of gifted songwriters, instrumental virtuosos and airtight acts that call the river city home can be staggering to keep track of, and even more difficult to cover. But that won’t stop us from trying. Each week, in fact, our Homespun column looks at a new release by a local act and picks the brains of the artists responsible in an effort to catalog St. Louis’ best and brightest. Now, as the year draws to a close, critic Christian Schaeffer presents his picks for the best albums and singles of the year. This is the music that made St. Louis move in 2018.

Black Spade Hopeless & Romanticizing

Opening his album with excerpts from a Nina Simone interview and some intricately harmonized voices tips Black Spade’s hand that his latest album will be a smartly jazz-inflected affair. The rest of Hopeless & Romanticizing follows through on that promise, with a

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Naming your rock & roll record after one of this city’s most storied, venerated and mourned rock & roll clubs would be a provocation from someone less mildmannered than Kevin Buckley. As it stands, his band Grace Basement’s latest record doesn’t so much channel the Landing of yore as use it as a signpost of youth and memory. The combination of Buckley’s many gifts — an inviting and occasionally yearning voice, control of simple and direct rock & roll dynamics, an intrinsic understanding of guitar-driven songcraft from the Beatles to Sonic Youth — has helped make Grace Basement one of the most consistently accomplished bands in town. The band’s move away from acoustic roots music toward a reinvigoration of a twin-guitar foursome is a welcome reminder of its impressive range. The Fade Good Dream Gone

ALBUMS

dusty vibraphone lick carrying the water for “Dance 4 Me” and layering Spade’s soulful vocals over spare guitar and errant percussion on “Fly Monarch.” He remains a generous host, with choice spots by Tef Poe, Arshad Goods and Bianca Fitzpatrick, but Hopeless shows Black Spade’s own reimagining of hip-hop as borne out of spacey soul and underground jazz.

Metro East-dwelling rock band the Fade kicks off its first full-length with “All That for This,” coating descending guitar arpeggios in an aqueous vibrato while singer/guitarist Ryan Spriggs uses a stomping, glammy chorus to move from ennui to fervor. “All That for This” lays out much of what follows on the remaining nine tracks — darktinted guitar interplay, dynamic contrast and Spriggs’ bruised and

DECEMBER 26, 2018 - JANUARY 8, 2019

haunting vocals, which sound tailor-made to be sung into a cheap microphone in a darkened bar. Falling Fences II

While Joe Stickley and Sean Canan’s Falling Fences sprang from their weekly gig at McGurk’s, on II the band steps away from its acoustic origins and wraps Stickley’s voice and lyrics with twinguitar energy and, on several tracks, electric piano and a full horn section. Canan’s fluency with some of the best American rock and pop music from the past 60 years is a boon to this record — most tracks hew close to an Americana/indie hybrid reminiscent of early Wilco, but the players will drop in the occasional reggae uptick or Beach Boys-inspired vocal arrangement. Foxing Nearer My God

“I want it all,” Conor Murphy sings on the title track to Foxing’s third album, and that ambition and scope allows the band to create its most fully realized record to date. Production from former Death Cab for Cutie guitarist Chris Walla certainly didn’t hurt, but the dexterity of the band and the breadth of its influences produce a sound more assured than ever, even with the departure of founding member Josh Coll. Local fans watched Foxing start out as a cinematic emo band; now music lovers at sold-out shows across the country cheer on a borderless rock group capable of honest-toGod rafter-shaking anthems. Al Holliday & the East Side Rhythm Band 4963

4963 is the street number of Al Holliday’s house, and he treats the modest south-side spot as the headquarters for his ten-person R&B group, the East Side Rhythm Band. 4963 is also the band’s third

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record, and it finds Holliday and company at a place of assuredness in their sound and approach. While Holliday pulls liberally from the playbooks of his heroes — Leon Russell, the Band, Allen Toussaint — his skill at arranging keeps the horn-heavy, harmony-laden tracks from feeling overstuffed. Holliday’s duet with Kenny DeShields, “Wake Up America,” speaks to the album’s undercurrent of political consciousness nestled amid heartand-soul humanism. Le’Ponds I Was Dancing with My Dream Team

It was just about two years ago that Lisa Houdei let her songs emerge out of a long hibernation, releasing them on a small, insular and inviting album called Heat. Since then Houdei has gigged relentlessly, linked up with some of the dudes from Jr. Clooney and dropped a sophomore release that doubles down on what made her debut so entrancing. I Was Dancing with My Dream Team is generous with its delights — heavy reverb on the vocals, plenty of Real Estate twang on the guitars — with Houdei’s shape-shifting vocals showing her faculty with Alvvays-esque dream pop and operatic torch songs. Mikey Wehling Antique Electronique

For most of Mikey Wehling’s musical life, his electric guitar has been his most expressive instrument, and a vital force in groups including Messy Jiverson and his own trio the Reverbs. But a chance encounter with two antiquated pieces of 1960s gear — a Univox drum machine and an Ace Tone combo organ — inspired the all-instrumental Antique Electronique. The album is made up of fifteen tracks, none more than two minutes long and all based around the pre-set groove spat out by the Univox and embellished by organ. It’s a funky, dusty trip into a deep-shag

carpeted hotel bar with Wehling, bearded and grinning, behind the console. Middle Class Fashion EGO

The only thing boring about electro-pop quartet Middle Class Fashion is how consistently great it’s been across four distinctly different albums. On its latest, EGO, the band eases up on the piano-driven pomp of earlier releases and borrows some of the icy, cavernous production from blown-out hip-hop. Jenn Malzone remains an engrossing focal point, but it’s the contributions of the band’s two most recent additions, Katie Lindhorst and Lindsey McDanel, that have given the band crucial crunch and bite.

SONGS Bottle Rockets “Stovall’s Grove” (from Bit Logic)

If the Pacific, Missouri, honkytonk Stovall’s Grove was once a hidden gem for country music enthusiasts, Brian Henneman has blown the saloon doors off the sucker. The clientele will likely forgive him after hearing this loving and funky tribute, but one has to wonder after hearing John Horton’s licks: How much wah-wah guitar is allowed at Stovall’s? Damon Davis “Sunkissed Icarus” (from Darker Gods)

Lost among Damon Davis’ world-

building art installation Darker Gods in the Garden of the LowHanging Heavens, which debuted at the Luminary this summer, is that the multi-disciplinary artist released an immersive full-length album amid a gallery’s worth of photographs, sculpture and film. This track centers the artist’s fascination with classical mythology amid the black experience, creating an archetypal figure both familiar and remixed. Davis Kathriner “Breakfast Table” (from Losing Habits)

Danny Kathriner and Ben Davis first made music together in the early ’90s alt-country band Wagon, but this year’s collaboration gave the pair a chance to match their words and music with a few decades of experience and maturity behind them. That hardwon wisdom is at the core of this kitchen-sink drama, which finds Kathriner and guest vocalist Laura Cantrell trying to communicate across an emotional gulf that neither seems able to cross. Essential Knots “Weight” (single)

Seth Porter took his time in setting the table for his first band since the Blind Eyes disbanded, and the debut single from his new group finds the singer and guitarist trading in some of his old group’s nervy pep for a slower but surer approach to jangle pop.

His best songs have always cast an eye toward the slow but relentless creep of maturity and entropy, and “Weight” does so while pulling off an energizing bassline and tightly chorused guitars. The Knuckles “Private Life” (from Set 2)

The Knuckles, the fruitful partnership of Rockwell Knuckles and Aloha Misho, continues to find fertile ground in the space between his baritone flow and her high-flying R&B stylings. “Private Life” is a model song from the pair’s latest EP. Against spare piano and pulsing bass, the singers critique class, culture and consumerism from both sides of the velvet rope. Sorry, Scout “Never Asked for It” (from the Never Asked for It EP)

Local quartet Sorry, Scout marries spindly art-rock with clear dashes of political progressivism. The title track of its debut EP, “Never Asked for It,” is quick, brash and immediate, providing a platform for singer Randi Whitaker’s powerful vocals and incisive lyrical commentary against Nate Jones’ nailgun of a guitar riff. Tonina “Historia de Un Amor” (from Black Angel)

It is both a little misleading but also perfectly fitting that most people’s introduction to Tonina Saputo will come through her Spanishlanguage album. For an artist who

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mixes jazz, folk and soul elements, and who can move from upright bass to acoustic guitar and work comfortably within those idioms, this torch song gives just a taste of her talents. NPR thought so too, putting “Historia” as its 47th best song of year. YOUPEOPL “You Peopl” (from ...are we)

Chan Evans and Brandon Mason started YOUPEOPL as a way to meld their political frustrations with a rock & roll idiom, but much of the group’s debut EP takes a slower, more spacious approach. Its closing track was inspired by political unrest at home and abroad, but Evans’ soulful, multi-tracked vocals and artfully opaque lyrics ring out against a rising swell of apocalyptic art-rock. From a Cloud “Veggie Tales” (from Live from Bird Cloud)

After a decade of making quiet bedroom pop (and playing in bands including Shady Bug and Vanilla Beans), Todd Anderson rebranded as From a Cloud and released two pretty different albums in 2018. That includes two versions of “Veggie Tales,” a meditation on mortality. A live band version is limned with electric piano and strummy chords, while the EP Forever Crushed uses the same cadence and tempo combined with amorphous synths and boom-bap drum machines to set the reflective mood. n

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OUT EVERY NIGHT

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Ryan Koenig. | NATE BURRELL

Ryan Koenig 8 p.m. Saturday, December 29. The Focal Point, 2720 Sutton Boulevard. $12. 314328-4810. To put it mildly, it’s been a hell of a year for Ryan Koenig. The singer and multiinstrumentalist was badly injured in a car accident while on tour with Pokey LaFarge in South Carolina last fall, and his recovery has kept him off the road. But a steady string of local gigs and collaborations has kept him busy, and this week he celebrates the release of The Focal

THURSDAY 27

BOB KAMOSKI: 6 p.m., free. Broadway Oyster Bar, 736 S. Broadway, St. Louis, 314-621-8811. EL MONSTERO: THE DEFINITIVE PINK FLOYD EXPERIENCE: 8 p.m., $27.50-$50. The Pageant, 6161 Delmar Blvd., St. Louis, 314-726-6161. JEREMIAH JOHNSON ACOUSTIC DUO: 4 p.m., free. Hammerstone’s, 2028 S. 9th St., St. Louis, 314-773-5565. JOE METZKA BAND: 7 p.m., $5. BB’s Jazz, Blues & Soups, 700 S. Broadway, St. Louis, 314-436-5222. LIZZIE WEBER: w/ Allie Vogler 7:30 p.m., $10. Foam Coffee & Beer, 3359 Jefferson Ave., St. Louis, 314-772-2100. POKEY LAFARGE: 8 p.m., $20. Off Broadway, 3509 Lemp Ave., St. Louis, 314-498-6989. RICH MCDONOUGH & RHYTHM RENEGADES: 8 p.m., free. Hammerstone’s, 2028 S. 9th St., St. Louis, 314-773-5565. TORREY CASEY & THE SOUTHSIDE HUSTLE: 10 p.m., $5. BB’s Jazz, Blues & Soups, 700 S. Broadway, St. Louis, 314-436-5222.

FRIDAY 28

THE BOTTLESNAKES: 9:30 p.m., free. The Frisco Barroom, 8110 Big Bend Blvd., Webster Groves, 314-455-1090. CEDRIC BURNSIDE PROJECT: 7 p.m., $15. BB’s Jazz, Blues & Soups, 700 S. Broadway, St. Louis, 314-436-5222. EL MONSTERO: THE DEFINITIVE PINK FLOYD EXPERIENCE: 8 p.m., $27.50-$50. The Pageant, 6161 Delmar Blvd., St. Louis, 314-726-6161. THE GORGE: w/ DayBringer, Mystic Will 8 p.m., $8. The Sinkhole, 7423 South Broadway, St. Louis, 314-328-2309.

Point Recordings Volume 1. The recording, made one year ago at the storied Maplewood listening room, finds Koenig covering the likes of Jerry Jeff Walker and Margo Price, and displaying the breadth of talent that was so evident on his 2017 solo album Two Different Worlds. With Friends Like These: Koenig will be joined on stage by his wife and musical partner Kellie Everett, his Rum Drum Rambler bandmates Mat Wilson and Joey Glynn, and a host of other local folk and roots luminaries. —Christian Schaeffer

WISHING ALL OUR PATRONS

Happy NewYear!

IF ONLY, IF ONLY: w/ Early Humans, Eat Sleep Catapult, Armenta, Kennedy Music 7 p.m., $10-$12. The Firebird, 2706 Olive St., St. Louis, 314-535-0353. JASON COOPER BAND: 10 p.m., $5. BB’s Jazz, Blues & Soups, 700 S. Broadway, St. Louis, 314-436-5222. JD HUGHES’ 4TH ANNUAL SOUL SOUP CONCERT: 7 p.m., $10. The Bootleg, 4140 Manchester Ave., St. Louis, 314-775-0775. JEREMIAH JOHNSON: 10 p.m., $8. Broadway Oyster Bar, 736 S. Broadway, St. Louis, 314-621-8811. LUCKY DAN & NAKED MIKE: 7 p.m., $5. Hwy 61 Roadhouse and Kitchen, 34 S Old Orchard Ave, Webster Groves, 314-968-0061. THE MASON-MULLER ALL STAR JAZZ BAND: 8 p.m., $12-$15. The Focal Point, 2720 Sutton Blvd, St. Louis, 314-560-2778. NEW WAVE MUSIC GROUP: w/ Tigg, DJ Gotti 8 p.m., $10. Fubar, 3108 Locust St, St. Louis, 3 14-289-9050. POKEY LAFARGE: 8 p.m., $20. Off Broadway, 3509 Lemp Ave., St. Louis, 314-498-6989. ROLAND JOHNSON & SOUL ENDEAVOR: 8 p.m., $3. Hammerstone’s, 2028 S. 9th St., St. Louis, 314-773-5565. SAINT OEAUX: w/ Q Hall, Indiana Rome, Real Early 8 p.m., $10-$15. Pop’s Nightclub, 401 Monsanto Ave., East St. Louis, 618-274-6720. THE SCHWAG: 9 p.m., $10. Old Rock House, 1200 S. 7th St., St. Louis, 314-588-0505. THAT ‘90S JAM 5 YEAR ANNIVERSARY: w/ DJ Nico, DJ Agile One, James Biko 8 p.m., $7-$13. The

AT HOI, WE APPRECIATE YOUR BUISINESS

Continued on pg 53

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[CRITIC’S PICK]

Gone crackin’. | BRADFORD JONES

Cracker and Camper Van Beethoven 8 p.m. Monday, December 31. The Pageant, 6161 Delmar Boulevard. $40 to $50. 314-726-6161. Before Cracker there was Camper Van Beethoven, though it’s surprising either band survived “Take the Skinheads Bowling,” much less leader David Lowery’s militant disdain for a music industry that’s become a “cyber-Bolshevik campaign of mass collectivization for the good of the state,” as he once put it. But survive they have, and while neither has released any new music in some four years, both bands serve to remind that an alternative universe of ’90s rock was

OUT EVERY NIGHT Continued from pg 51

Ready Room, 4195 Manchester Ave, St. Louis, 314-833-3929. WE ARE WARM: w/ Synthetic Sun, The Monolithic 8 p.m., $5. Delmar Hall, 6133 Delmar Blvd., St. Louis, 314-726-6161.

SATURDAY 29

AFTER MIDNIGHT: 9 p.m., free. Nightshift Bar & Grill, 3979 Mexico Road, St. Peters, 636-441-8300. ALL ROOSTERED UP: noon, free. Broadway Oyster Bar, 736 S. Broadway, St. Louis, 314-621-8811. AMERICANA NIGHT: w/ Drifters Mile, Barnum Jack, Richie Darling 7 p.m., $5. The Ready Room, 4195 Manchester Ave, St. Louis, 314-833-3929. BARBARA CARR BAND: 7 p.m., $10. BB’s Jazz, Blues & Soups, 700 S. Broadway, St. Louis, 314-436-5222. BEAU DIAMOND ALBUM RELEASE SHOW: w/ joebryant., People Seen In Cars, Fight Back Mountain 9 p.m., $5. Foam Coffee & Beer, 3359 Jefferson Ave., St. Louis, 314-772-2100. BOO BOO DAVIS & THE RENEGADES: 10 p.m., $10. BB’s Jazz, Blues & Soups, 700 S. Broadway, St. Louis, 314-436-5222. CLUSTERPLUCK: 9 p.m., free. The Frisco Barroom, 8110 Big Bend Blvd., Webster Groves, 314-455-1090. EL MONSTERO: THE DEFINITIVE PINK FLOYD EXPERIENCE: 8 p.m., $27.50-$50. The Pageant, 6161 Delmar Blvd., St. Louis, 314-726-6161. END OF THE YEAR BASH: w/ Calloway Circus, City of Parks, Sixes High, Roeco 6 p.m., $10-$12. The Firebird, 2706 Olive St., St. Louis, 314-535-0353.

always worth defending: a space where country and folk music can be funny without being a complete joke, where you can be punk without being an ideologue, and where you can always dance away the piss-take blues. A New Year’s Eve party with these two ’90s icons promises the most apt celebration of the absurdity of everything that a pre-, post-, or smackdown-the-middle Gen Xer could want. Take the Professor Bowling: Lowery has taken his insider knowledge of the biz and mathematics chops to the classroom, specifically the University of Georgia, where he teaches courses on digital technology and copyright and quantitative finance. —Roy Kasten

THE HEAVY HOLIDAZE SUPER SHOW: w/ Rocksteady: a tribute to No Doubt, Dodge Swinger: a tribute to Clutch, Gravitational Constant: a tribute to Type O Negative, The Real Thing: a tribute to Faith No More/Mr. Bungle 8 p.m., $10-$12. Old Rock House, 1200 S. 7th St., St. Louis, 314-588-0505. JAKE’S LEG: 10 p.m., $8. Broadway Oyster Bar, 736 S. Broadway, St. Louis, 314-621-8811. LIGHTNING WOLF CD RELEASE: w/ Voidgazer, the Nokturnal, Electric Bear Trap 8 p.m., $5. Fubar, 3108 Locust St, St. Louis, 314-289-9050. NEW YEAR’S EVE WEEKEND COMEDY FESTIVAL: w/ Mike Epps, Sommore, DC Young Fly, Guy Torry 8 p.m., $49-$99. Chaifetz Arena, 1 S. Compton Ave., St. Louis, 314-977-5000. POKEY LAFARGE: 8 p.m., $25. Off Broadway, 3509 Lemp Ave., St. Louis, 314-498-6989. ROB LEE & NEUTRAL GROUND: 9 p.m., $3. Hammerstone’s, 2028 S. 9th St., St. Louis, 314-773-5565. ROCKY & THE WRANGLERS: 4 p.m., $5. BB’s Jazz, Blues & Soups, 700 S. Broadway, St. Louis, 314436-5222. THE ROOT DIGGERS: w/ Mound City Slickers, Three Crooked Men 9 p.m., free. Schlafly Tap Room, 2100 Locust St., St. Louis, 314-241-2337. RYAN KOENIG: 8 p.m., $12-$15. The Focal Point, 2720 Sutton Blvd, St. Louis, 314-560-2778. THE DISCO TECHS: 1 YEAR ANNIVERSARY: w/ Break Night Flip, Mark Lewis 8 p.m., $10. The Bootleg, 4140 Manchester Ave., St. Louis, 314-775-0775. THE REVEREND PEYTON’S BIG DAMN BAND: 8 p.m., $17-$20. Blueberry Hill - The Duck Room, 6504 Delmar Blvd., University City, 314-727-4444. TIM & LISA ALBERT: 3 p.m., free. Hammer-

1546 S. Broadway IN HISTORIC SOULARD

314.241.019 0

•

G R AV I T Y S T R I N G S . C O M

Continued on pg 54

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stone’s, 2028 S. 9th St., St. Louis, 314-773-5565. TORCHLIGHT PARADE: w/ Dirtyking 7:45 p.m., $8-$10. Fubar, 3108 Locust St, St. Louis, 314-289-9050. WAITING FOR FLYNN: w/ Bleach, Thámes 8 p.m., $5. Delmar Hall, 6133 Delmar Blvd., St. Louis, 314-726-6161.

SUNDAY 30

BRIAN CURRAN: 2 p.m., free. Broadway Oyster Bar, 736 S. Broadway, St. Louis, 314-621-8811. ERIC LYSAUGHT: 6 p.m., free. Broadway Oyster Bar, 736 S. Broadway, St. Louis, 314-621-8811. GUITAR MADNESS: w/ Tony Campanella, John McVey, Jeremiah Johnson 8 p.m., $12. Off Broadway, 3509 Lemp Ave., St. Louis, 314-498-6989. LIL BABY: 8 p.m., $45-$70. Ambassador, 9800 Halls Ferry Rd, North St. Louis County, 314-869-9090. MUSIC UNLIMITED BAND: 9 p.m., $10. BB’s Jazz, Blues & Soups, 700 S. Broadway, St. Louis, 314-436-5222. POETIC JUSTICE OPEN MIC: 7 p.m., $5-$40. The Ready Room, 4195 Manchester Ave, St. Louis, 314-833-3929. SAMANTHA FISH NEW YEARS PARTY: 8 p.m., $20$70. Old Rock House, 1200 S. 7th St., St. Louis, 314-588-0505. SHINE ON: w/ El Monstero 5 p.m., $50-$1,500. The Pageant, 6161 Delmar Blvd., St. Louis, 314-726-6161. THIRD SIGHT BAND: 5 p.m., $10. BB’s Jazz, Blues & Soups, 700 S. Broadway, St. Louis, 314-436-5222. YONDER MOUNTAIN STRING BAND: w/ Old Salt Union 8 p.m., $35-$40. Delmar Hall, 6133 Delmar Blvd., St. Louis, 314-726-6161.

MONDAY 31

BREACH OF PEACE: 8 p.m., $10. Pop’s Nightclub, 401 Monsanto Ave., East St. Louis, 618-274-6720. CRACKER, CAMPER VAN BEETHOVEN: 9 p.m., $40$50. The Pageant, 6161 Delmar Blvd., St. Louis, 314-726-6161. FUNKY BUTT BRASS BAND: 10 p.m., $15. Broadway Oyster Bar, 736 S. Broadway, St. Louis, 314-621-8811. KINGDOM BROTHERS BAND: 7 p.m., $20. BB’s Jazz, Blues & Soups, 700 S. Broadway, St. Louis, 314-436-5222. LOVE JONES “THE BAND”: 7 p.m., $20. BB’s Jazz, Blues & Soups, 700 S. Broadway, St. Louis, 314-436-5222. MC LYTE: 8 p.m., $115. St. Louis Union Station Hotel, 1820 Market St, St. Louis, 314-231-1234. NEW YEAR’S EVE WITH SONIC MISCHIEF: 9 p.m., [WEEKEND]

BEST BETS

Five sure-fire shows to close out the week

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 28 JD Hughes w/ Janet Evra, Big Mike’s Soul Blues Jam, Two Cities One World 7 p.m. The Bootleg, 4140 Manchester Avenue. $10. 314-775-0775.

St. Louis has a long list of year-end traditions happening this weekend — El Monstero, the Schwag, Pokey LaFarge, to name a few — but JD Hughes can compete with any of them. His fourth annual Soul Soup Concert offers up a hearty helping of the blues alongside funk and soul fusion for a show benefiting the St. Louis Area Foodbank. Hughes himself pulls out all the stops, with both a solo set of acoustic songs and a full-on Steely Dan tribute, for which he’ll be joined by his backing band the Fuze along with a special appearance by Brother Francis of Broth-

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free. Nightshift Bar & Grill, 3979 Mexico Road, St. Peters, 636-441-8300. NYE BEACH GOTH LUAU: w/ Dracla, Beach Bodies 8 p.m., $12-$25. Foam Coffee & Beer, 3359 Jefferson Ave., St. Louis, 314-772-2100. NYE SPEAKEASY PARTY WITH MISS JUBILEE: 9 p.m., $100. Das Bevo Biergarten, 4749 Gravois Ave., St. Louis, 314-224-5521. SAMANTHA FISH NEW YEARS PARTY: 8 p.m., $20$70. Old Rock House, 1200 S. 7th St., St. Louis, 314-588-0505. SEAN CANAN’S VOODOO PLAYERS STEVIE WONDER NYE: 9 p.m., $15-$20. Off Broadway, 3509 Lemp Ave., St. Louis, 314-498-6989. THE MIGHTY PINES: ‘90S FREAKOUT: w/ The Hillary Fitz Band 9 p.m., $20-$25. The Ready Room, 4195 Manchester Ave, St. Louis, 314-833-3929. YONDER MOUNTAIN STRING BAND: w/ Old Salt Union 9 p.m., $69.50-$75. Delmar Hall, 6133 Delmar Blvd., St. Louis, 314-726-6161.

THURSDAY 3

AMANDA GRACE: 7 p.m., free. Evangeline’s, 512 N Euclid Ave, St. Louis, 314-367-3644. BLASTAR: w/ Ish, Dragon Falcon 9 p.m., free. Schlafly Tap Room, 2100 Locust St., St. Louis, 314-241-2337. CLODPOLL: w/ Grocer, Steven Senger, Faulter 9 p.m., $5. Foam Coffee & Beer, 3359 Jefferson Ave., St. Louis, 314-772-2100. MATTIE & ALLIE: 7 p.m., $5. Alpha Brewing Company, 1409 Washington Ave., St. Louis, 314-651-0936. ROME HERO FOXES: w/ Sensor Shake, American Basswood 7 p.m., $10-$12. The Firebird, 2706 Olive St., St. Louis, 314-535-0353. 2019 WELCOME PARTY: w/ Freight Train Rabbit Killer, Molly Gene One Whoaman Band, The Maness Brothers 8 p.m., free. Off Broadway, 3509 Lemp Ave., St. Louis, 314-498-6989.

FRIDAY 4

FRUITION: 8 p.m., $15. Old Rock House, 1200 S. 7th St., St. Louis, 314-588-0505. I ACTUALLY: w/ Durango, Beau Diamond 9:45 p.m., free. Schlafly Tap Room, 2100 Locust St., St. Louis, 314-241-2337. THE MIKE DILLON BAND: 8 p.m., $10. Pop’s Blue Moon, 5249 Pattison Ave., St. Louis, 314-776-4200. MOUNTAIN SPROUT: 8 p.m., $12. Off Broadway, 3509 Lemp Ave., St. Louis, 314-498-6989. NEIL SALSICH: 9:30 p.m., free. The Frisco Bar-

Continued on pg 58

er Francis and the Soultones.

New Wave Music Group Launch Party w/ Tigg, Luh Ron 8 p.m. Fubar, 3108 Locust Street. $10. 314-289-9050.

No, not that kind of new wave. The brains behind this new label aim to reclaim the name for a broader purpose: to push a new movement of Midwestern rap, trap and outsider hip-hop. This kick-off party features Tigg in a big way, as he headlines a ten-act lineup with St. Louis rapper Luh Ron as the special guest. Local artists take note: The new label is on the lookout for talent, and a big part of this launch is the open mic from 8 to 9 p.m.

Nordista Freeze w/ Future Crib, Pealds, Dewdrop 9 p.m. CBGB, 3163 South Grand Boulevard. $5. No phone.

Maybe it’s the raucous parties he throws in his hometown of Nashville or his annual Freezefest, but Nordista Freeze’s reputation as a promoter and partier tends to outshine just how good his own musical output really is. Continued on pg 58

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wednesday december 26 9:45 pm Urban Chestnut Presents

the voodoo players tribute to prince friday december 28 10 pm

jason nelson band saturday december 29 10 pm

jakes leg says goodbye to 2018 monday december 31 10 pm

new years eve with funky butt brass band BOB will be closed from january 1-4 for some building maintenance and will reopen on january 5

happy new year!

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OUT EVERY NIGHT Continued from pg 54 room, 8110 Big Bend Blvd., Webster Groves, 314-455-1090. YESSONGS: A TRIBUTE TO YES: w/ Thrak USA: Tribute To King Crimson 8 p.m., $12-$15. Delmar Hall, 6133 Delmar Blvd., St. Louis, 314-726-6161.

SATURDAY 5

AMPLE WARNING: 9 p.m., free. Nightshift Bar & Grill, 3979 Mexico Road, St. Peters, 636-441-8300. MISS JUBILEE: 9:30 p.m., free. The Frisco Barroom, 8110 Big Bend Blvd., Webster Groves, 314-455-1090. PEPPERLAND: THE BEATLES REVUE: 8 p.m., $10. Off Broadway, 3509 Lemp Ave., St. Louis, 314-498-6989. PLAY IT FORWARD BENEFIT SHOW: 7 p.m., $10. The Ready Room, 4195 Manchester Ave, St. Louis, 314-833-3929. RIVER CITY ALLSTARS: 8 p.m., $12-$15. The Bootleg, 4140 Manchester Ave., St. Louis, 314-775-0775. SECOND ANNUAL MISSISSIPPI NIGHTS REUNION: 7:30 p.m., $10. Delmar Hall, 6133 Delmar Blvd., St. Louis, 314-726-6161. WHISKEY AND THUNDER: w/ Backwash, Haze Bond 7 p.m., $10. The Ready Room, 4195 Manchester Ave, St. Louis, 314-833-3929.

WEDNESDAY 9

GREG LASWELL: 8 p.m., $15. Old Rock House, 1200 S. 7th St., St. Louis, 314-588-0505. GREGORY ALAN ISAKOV: 8 p.m., $22.50-$26. The Ready Room, 4195 Manchester Ave, St. Louis, 314-833-3929. NOT MY WEEKEND: w/ The Cinema Story, Second To All, The Radio Buzzkills, Kerplunk: A Tribute to Green Day 7 p.m., $10-$12. The Firebird, 2706 Olive St., St. Louis, 314-535-0353.

BEST BETS

Continued from pg 54

Not that his penchant for throwing a good show is separate from his life as a songwriter; Freeze and his band inject a party vibe into sonic set pieces that are full of grand musical gestures. The result is a theatrical kind of rock opera that can feel up close and personal with Freeze’s sweet, off-center singing or huge and foreboding with a keen sense of progression. For all its grandiosity, Nordista Freeze still feels fun and accessible, which is a balance most bands of this ilk fail to keep.

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 29 A Christmas Hangover w/ Cree Rider, Cara Louise Band, Donald Woodyard, Inc., The Sons of Ill Repute, The Fighting Side, Carson C. Mann 8 p.m. The Livery Company, 6728 South Broadway. Free. 314-558-2330.

With many homeless shelters shuttered by the city, members of the music community — in this case Brad and Auset Sarno — are helping to provide those in need with warm clothes. This show is to the benefit of For the People Homeless Outreach: Bring blankets, hand warmers or cash. Even without the charity, though, this show provides a rare retreat of Americana, folk and

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THIS JUST IN ACTION BRONSON: W/ Roc Marciano, Meyhem Lauren, T-Dubb-O, Indiana Rome, Wed., Feb. 27, 8 p.m., $30-$35. Pop’s Nightclub, 401 Monsanto Ave., East St. Louis, 618-274-6720. BEAU DIAMOND ALBUM RELEASE SHOW: W/ joebryant., People Seen In Cars, Fight Back Mountain, Sat., Dec. 29, 9 p.m., $5. Foam Coffee & Beer, 3359 Jefferson Ave., St. Louis, 314-772-2100. FACE TO FACE – ACOUSTIC: Wed., Feb. 20, 8 p.m., $25. Fubar, 3108 Locust St, St. Louis, 314-289-9050. FLOGGING MOLLY: W/ Lucero, Sun., March 10, 7:30 p.m., $35-$45. The Pageant, 6161 Delmar Blvd., St. Louis, 314-726-6161. FROST MONEY: Fri., Feb. 8, 8 p.m., $10-$15. Pop’s Nightclub, 401 Monsanto Ave., East St. Louis, 618-274-6720. INTERVALS: W/ Veil of Maya, Strawberry Girls, Cryptodira, Wed., April 24, 6:30 p.m., $20-$23. Delmar Hall, 6133 Delmar Blvd., St. Louis, 314-726-6161. LIL MOSEY: Sat., March 9, 8 p.m., $25-$100. Pop’s Nightclub, 401 Monsanto Ave., East St. Louis, 618-274-6720. LIZZIE WEBER: W/ Allie Vogler, Thu., Dec. 27, 7:30 p.m., $10. Foam Coffee & Beer, 3359 Jefferson Ave., St. Louis, 314-772-2100. NYE BEACH GOTH LUAU: W/ Dracla, Beach Bodies, Mon., Dec. 31, 8 p.m., $12-$25. Foam Coffee & Beer, 3359 Jefferson Ave., St. Louis, 314-772-2100. S.L.U.M.FEST HIP HOP AWARDS: Sat., Jan. 12, 8 p.m., $5. The Bootleg, 4140 Manchester Ave., St. Louis, 314-775-0775. SOMO: Sat., April 20, 8 p.m., $20-$25. Delmar Hall, 6133 Delmar Blvd., St. Louis, 314-726-6161. SONGWRITERS’ SHOWCASE: W/ Ian Fisher, Lisa Houdei, Bo Bulawsky, Teshua Parker, Fri., Jan. 11, 8 p.m., $10. Off Broadway, 3509 Lemp Ave., St. Louis, 314-498-6989. n

many flavors of rock. And although “A Christmas Hangover” is a tidy enough tagline, we reckon this show will cause many more hangovers than whatever goes down on Christmas.

Beau Diamond and the Collective Dream Band Release Show w/ joebryant., People Seen in Cars, Fight Back Mountain 9 p.m. Foam Coffee & Beer, 3359 South Jefferson Avenue. $5. 314-772-2100.

Living in that middle-ground between folk and garage rock, Beau Diamond and the Collective Dream Band help make up the bedrock of St. Louis music. This city has such a good reputation for grooming opening acts and providing local lineups for national shows, but Diamond and company seem poised to become the center of attention, not just support. Produced and recorded by Ryan Wasoba at Bird Cloud, Analog Soul in a Digital Age shows that Diamond’s solid songwriting has hit its prime — with the spacefaring-single “Coffee Thoughts” serving as proof positive. —Joseph Hess

Each week we bring you our picks for the best concerts of the weekend. To submit your show for consideration, visit riverfronttimes. com/stlouis/Events/AddEvent. All events subject to change; check with the venue for the most up-to-date information.

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DECEMBER 26, 2018 - JANUARY 8, 2019

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SAVAGE LOVE TWO BREAKUPS, ONE BRAKE ON BY DAN SAVAGE Hey, Dan: I’m a thirtysomething straight woman married for sixteen years. Eighteen months ago, I met a man and there was an immediate attraction. For the first fifteen months of our relationship, I was his primary sexual and intimate partner, as both sex and intimacy were lacking in his marriage. (My husband knew of the relationship from the start and is accepting for the most part.) After my lover’s wife found out about me, she suddenly became very responsive to my lover’s sexual and emotional needs. My lover has told his wife that he will not let me go. He has also told me that he is not willing to let his wife go. She isn’t happy about being in a triad relationship, but she allows him to continue seeing me with limitations. I am no longer his primary sex partner, and I have been relegated to the back seat. He claims to love us both, yet his wife and I both struggle knowing the other exists. Recently while out shopping, my lover asked me to help him pick out a Christmas gift for his wife. I got upset because I am in love with him, and I have made him my priority (over my husband), but I am not his priority. I love this man, and we feel we are soul mates. My lover has said that if we fall apart, he will have to find a new secondary partner because his wife can never give him the soulful fulfillment he needs. Should I continue in this relationship? Soul Mate Avoids Choice Knowingly You complain about being relegated to the back seat, SMACK, but it’s your husband whose existence only comes up in parenthetical asides. You also describe this relationship as a triad when there are four people involved (you, your lover, your lover’s wife, and your husband), which technically makes this a quad. And from the sound of things, only one member of this messy quad seems happy — your

lover, the guy who refuses to make you a “priority” over his wife. And while you’ve convinced yourself that your lover feels as strongly for you as you do for him — “we feel we are soul mates” — it kindasorta sounds to me like you may be projecting, SMACK. Because in addition to asking you to pick out Christmas gifts for his wife, your lover and alleged soul mate regards you as expendable and replaceable. And he’s told you as much: He intends to “find a new secondary partner” if you two part because his wife doesn’t “give him the soulful fulfillment he needs.” That’s not how people talk about their soul mates, and it’s certainly not something a guy says to someone he regards as his soul mate. Soul mates are typically told they’re special and irreplaceable, but your guy sees you as one of many potential seconds out there, and therefore utterly replaceable. Here’s what you ought to do: You aren’t interested in being your lover’s secondary partner (nor are you much interested in being your husband’s wife), so you’ll have to call your lover’s bluff. And the only card you have to play — and it’s a weak hand (all hands with just one card are) — is to dump your lover unless he leaves his wife for you. Success rests on the outside chance your lover was bluffing when he said he’d replace you, but I suppose it’s possible he regards you as the irreplaceable one and only said those hurtful things to make you think he wouldn’t choose you when you are the one he would’ve chosen all along. If it turns out that this was the case, SMACK, you’ll wind up with your soul mate… who happens to be kindasorta cruel and manipulative. Calling your lover’s bluff — ending a relationship that, in its current form, brings you no joy — is your only hope of having this guy to yourself. But the likelier outcome is that you’ll be left alone (with, um, your husband). Hey, Dan: My boyfriend and I met at a bondage party a year ago. He’s not into bondage (he tagged along with a kinky friend). We hit it off in the chill-out room and started seeing each other. He told me it was OK for me to keep going to bondage parties and seeing some

You describe this relationship as a triad when there are four people involved (you, your lover, your lover’s wife, and your husband), which technically makes this a quad. guys I play with one-on-one. Then right after we moved in together, he said he doesn’t want me playing with anyone else because we are in love. Which means I can’t get tied up at all anymore because he has zero interest in bondage. He can’t see why I’m upset, and I’m not sure what to do. Boy In New Drama So now that you’re in love, and now that you’ve signed a lease, and now that you’re trapped, BIND, now — NOW — your vanilla boyfriend yanks back the accommodation that convinced you to date him in the first place? There’s only one thing you can do: DTMFA. Hey, Dan: I am 30 and male, and I have been with my girlfriend for five years. For a slew of reasons (we have almost no interests/hobbies in common, our personalities are completely different, we aren’t sexually compatible), I have decided to end it. She’s a good, smart, well-educated person for whom I wish only the best. I’m thinking of breaking up with her sometime this week or halfway through next year. I know you believe someone should tell a partner about these sorts of feelings ASAP to avoid robbing them of time they could have spent fixing the situation or moving on. Something inside me tells me that my case is different. My girlfriend is a graduate student in a non-tech/STEM field (read: hard to find jobs) and has a decent amount of school debt.

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We also have a dog. We live in a city where the rents are high and it’s harder to find a place that will allow dogs. (She will definitely be taking the dog.) The thing is, she would almost certainly want to move out immediately if we broke up. I’m worried that if she tried to absorb the financial hit of a breakup, it might torpedo her education and life plans. I am at a loss for what to do. She’s leaving in a week to visit her family for a month. Should I dump her before then so she can lean on them? Should I wait until she graduates but dodge questions about where I’m willing to move if she gets a job offer somewhere else? Deciding Ultimately Means Pain As a general rule, one should never drag out an inevitable breakup. We should break up with people promptly to spare our exes the humiliation of thinking back over the last few months or (God forbid!) the last few years and recalling every painfully ambiguous or deceitfully upbeat conversation about Our Shared Future. Another good reason to break up with someone promptly: A person (not the person) your ex could spend the rest of their life with might cross their path two months from now—and if they’re still with you then or still reeling from a very recent breakup, they won’t say yes (old-fashioned) or swipe right (newfangled). But there are exceptions to every rule, DUMP, and I think your case qualifies. And as with many exceptions to many rules, your exception honors the spirit of the rule itself. Both reasons I cite for breaking up with someone promptly — to spare your soon-to-be ex’s feelings, to get out of the way of your soon-to-be ex’s future — are about being considerate of your soon-tobe ex. And that’s just what you’re doing: You want to end this relationship now, but you’re going to wait six months because you don’t want to derail your soon-to-be-ex girlfriend’s education or career prospects. So out of consideration for her, DUMP, you should coast for a bit longer. Find Savage Love swag at savagelovecast.com/shop! mail@savagelove.net @fakedansavage on Twitter ITMFA.org

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RIVERFRONT TIMES

DECEMBER 26, 2018 - JANUARY 8, 2019

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