Straight Up Magazine February 2015

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Feb 2015

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Some High Notes Concerning World-Class Music Repair in the Metro East Great Hiking in the 618: Fults Hill Prarie Nature Preserve ~ February Submissions Living Literary Society ~ February Calendar of Events

February 2015

Issue

Charles Anderson

Serving Up Art, Music,StraightUpMagazine.net and Culture for the Metro Str8Up Area’s Enjoyment 1 Magazine

Inside Page

February 2015

Editors Word – February 2015 February 2015! The 31st monthly edition of Straight Up Magazine, ‘Serving Up Art, Music and Culture for the Metro-East’s Enjoyment’. The Metro East deserves its own arts and entertainment magazine. It’s here and it’s called Straight Up!!!

We are pleased to have Charles Anderson as the cover artist for the thirty-first Straight Up edition.

We always thank our writers for their poignant features. We appreciate our fans who have submitted their works for publication. And “Likes” to all you followers on Facebook!!!

Straight Up loves you!!!!

Like Straight Up on Facebook & receive daily entertainment updates, photos, videos & more.

The mission of Straight Up Magazine is to support local arts and artists and the businesses and organizations that support local arts and artists. Please feel free to contact us with ideas, comments, information, etc. that might assist us in our mission to serve you, the residents of the Metro region.

Enjoy Str8 Up. Tell your friends. Send us your work. And visit our website at StraightUpMagazine.net (You can scan our QRC on the cover). You’ll see Straight Up Magazine at over 300 area distribution locations. And we’ll see you at the clubs, theatres and festivals all over the Metro-East.

Contact Straight Up Magazine:

PO Box 412 – Belleville IL, 62222; (618) 416-2289 straightup@straightupmagazine.net.

The Editors thank you!!!

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Staff

February Credits

Editors: Dylan Seibert, Paul Seibert, Daniel Nygard, Layout Design Artists: Mark Polege, Michelle Reynolds, Dylan Seibert, Jacob Oliver, Seth Owens Sales: Paul Seibert, Mark Palmer, Michelle Reynolds Ad Artists: Mark Polege, Michelle Reynolds, Wil Sullivan Calendar: Dylan Seibert, Paul Seibert, Michelle Reynolds, Shenee Booth, Jacob Oliver, Seth Owens Website Design & Up-Keep: Mark Polege (MarkusDesignWorks.com), Michelle Reynolds Photography: Mark Polege (PhotographyofMarkPolege.com) Distribution: Shenee Booth, Brian Gardner, Daniel Nygard, Jacob Nelson, Kaila Ryan

Contributors

Cover Art:: Charles Anderson Cover Logo: Josh Rowan (JoshuaRowan.com) Photography: Dan Cross, Mark Polege, John Dorroh Occompanying Artwork: Jacob Oliver, Rawesome Creations Feature Writers: Dan Cross, John Dorroh, Jacob Oliver

Submissions

Alison Jane Lysakowski, Jennifer Isenhart All material in this publication and its affiiated on-line content are copyrighted to the individual contributors or Straight Up Magazine, LLC and may not be reproduced without written consent. We are very grateful to those who have submitted material to be considered for publication. However, the opinions and views of those contributing content to Straight Up do not necessarily reflect those of Str8 Up Magazine.

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Table of Contents

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February 2015

Some High Notes Concerning World-Class Music Repair in the Metro East

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Living Literary Society

February Calendar of Events

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February Submissions

by Jacob Oliver

by John Dorroh

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Contacts

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Great Hiking in the 618: Fults Hill Prarie Nature Preserve

by Dan Cross

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February 2015

Str8 Up Magazine Can Be Found At All of These

Conveniently Local Metro-Area Distribution Locations:

Alton

Alton Sports Tap AmTrak Chez Marilyn Doc Holiday’s Fast Eddie’s Bon Aire Frank’s Restaurant Jacoby Art Center Mike’s Ten Pin

Belleville

10th Street Baking Co 4204 Main Street Brewing Co. Adenaline Prints Almighty Tattoos Althoff CHS Art Dept Anthony’s Salon Bamboo Valley Buffet Bank of Belleville Beast Cafe Beatnik’s Bell Air Bowl Belle Clair Expo Cente Belleville Inr & Suites Belleville Main Street Belleville Public Libraries (West Main; East Washington) Ben’s Crafts & Floral Blissfull Living Studio Blue Agave BP Huck’s Locations (Carlyle Ave; N. Illinois St.) Bronx Zoo Boutique CeLeen Gallery Centerfield Bar and Grill Chamber of Commerce Christopher Mikal Photo.

Circa City Hall Club Escapade Conoco Phillips Crehan’s Irish Pub Dog Day Afternoon Drawing Fantasies by Kathy Dutch Hollow Barn Eckert Florist Effinger’s Garden Center 4

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(Now Available at Over 300 Locations!)

Facial Rejuvenation Center Fischer’s Restaurant Fletcher’s Kitchen & Tap Forgotten Treasures Geo’s Wings & More Governor French Gallery Grappa Growlers Green Forest Vapors Hair on Main Happy Hops Homebrew Hardee’s (S. Belt East) Harter’s Hobby House Hicks Bar-B-Que Hippie Daze Hite Auto Body and Repair Imo’s Pizza Junction Coffee Shop & Ice Cream (Formerly Peachy’s Frozen Yogurt) JR’s Last Call Katherine Frazier State Farm Kelso Auto Body League Lounge Lindenwood Univ Local Lucy’s Mabista Salon and Spa Main Street Café Mary’s Hidden Treasures Maytag Laundry Max’s One Stop Melodic Rhythms Metro East Gastroenterology Miscellanea House Nanylou’s Kitchen New Concepts Beauty & Barber North Belt West Liquor Olympic Restaurant Papa Vito’s (E. Washington & N. Belt West) Pitchers Sports Pub & Pizzeria Pizza World Plug N Play Computers Rain Tree Salon Renaissance Hair & Skin Care Rising Star Too

Schnucks Schmidt Art Center @ SWIC Sears Appliance & Hardware Seven Shop N Save Locations (Carlyle Ave, N. Belt West) Simply Sindy Smith Simply Thrift Sips n Splatters Splatter Mania Sole Survivor Leather & Art Southwestern IL College (Art Dept.,Cafe’, Film Dept.)

Spa Demi St E’s Medical Arts Bldg Stein Automotive Stillpointe Wellness Center Sullivan’s Super 8 Motel Sweet Sinsation The Abbey The West Main TOCO Shop Towne & Country Mart Weingarten Yellow Tomato Imports YMCA East

Cahokia

Cahokia Club KC Hanger Restaurant

Caseyville

America’s Best Inn & Suites First Western Inn Knollwood Retirement Mudbugs Bar & Grill Quality Inn and Suites

Centreville

Terry’s Home & Garden

Collinsville

Bert’s Chuckwagon Collinsville Public Library

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Dean’s Farmers Market Fifth Quarter Jim’Pawn & Jewelry Knights of Columbus Public Library Spring Garden Restaurant Swing City Music

Columbia

Chateau La Vin Columbia City Saloon Who Dat’s

Edwardsville

Auto Tire Aleste Office Bailey Cakes Bin 51 Bridal Couture Circle K Edison’s Entertainment Enclave & Enclave West Green Mobile Happy Up Toys Heroic Adventures Mark’s Appliances Public Library Run Well Sacred Grounds Southern IL University (The Alestle Office, Arts & Sciences Dept., Dunham Theatre, Lovejoy Library, Morris University Center) Stagger Inn...Again Stur Restaurant Teaspoon Cafe

Fairview Heights $1.98 Cleaners Best Western BP Huck’s Casey’s Caseyville Twshp Bldg China King City Hall Drury Inn

February 2015 Express Medical Care Fairview Lounge Fortel’s Pizza Den Guitar Center Hey Guys Comedy Club Jacob’s Herb Shop Jonnie’s Pizza Just One More Time Hooters Huck’s Lasting Impressions Floral Lilly’s Gyro MotoMart Phillip 66 Gas Mart (Bunkum Rd.) Public Library Quick Stop 2 Quiznos Ramada Inn Randalls Wine & Spirits Sahara Hair Studio Schnucks Sheraton Four Points St. Clair Bowl Sunshine Daydream Super 8 Motel Winchester Place Office VFW

Freeburg

Casey’s Deli Express Skootr’s West Tom’s Supermarket

Glen Carbon Glen Mart

Granite City

Apple Tree Restaurant Southwestern IL College (Cafe’, Fitness Center)

Highland

501 Blues Club CharlieDave’s BBQ Great Clips Highland’s Tru-Buy Randy’s House of BBQ

Lebanon

Artimis Fezziwig’s Marketplace Ghost Vapor Shop Hanger 18 Guitar Repair Shop Las Cabanas Lebanon Visitors Center Legendary Creations McKendree University (Art Dept., Gallery of Art, Hett Arts Center, Holman Library) MotoMart Public Library Tiadaghton House Whimsey Gifts

Maryville

Villa Marie Winery

Mascoutah

All Mart Smoke Shop American Legion Bee Hollow Mavrketplace Best Western Inn & Suites Boyce, Hund, & Associates Casey’s General Store Dauber’s Pharmacy Donna Mae’s Salon Han-Dee Mart Jo-Al Winery Mascoutah Steak House McDonald’s Moore’s Family Restaurant MotoMart Nite Deposit Sax Hometown Store Scott Credit Union Silver Creek Assisted Living St E’s Medical Plaza Tom’s Supermarket Visitor’s Center

O’Fallon

AC Computers Baymont Inn Candlewood Suites Casey’s Casa Azteca Circle K City Hall

CoffeeHouse Co & Salon Country Inn and Suites CVS Days Inn Drury Inn Egg and I Extended Stay First American Title Frieze Harley Davidson Gas Mart Gias Pizza Hemingway’s Zen Garden Hilton Garden Inn Hometown Barber Knights of Columbus Lake Point Dental LaParilla Restaurant Luckenbooth Gallery McDonald’s Memorial Healthcare/Therapy New Art Legacies Public Library RJ’s Computer Schnucks Shell St. E’s Medical Center Suburban Inn Subway Restaurants (Regency Park, E. US HWY 50) Super 8 Towne Lounge Vetta Sports Walgreens Wood Bakery YMCA

Pontoon Beach Mastermind Vodka

Sauget

Sauget Diner SW IL Welcome Center

Scott Air Force Base

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Chicago Chicken & Fish Ralph’s Barber Quick Mart Subway VFW #4183

Shiloh

Bank of Edwardsville David Anthony Barber Dierberg’s Golden Corral St. Louis Bread Quizno’s Walgreens Wings of Shiloh

Smithton

All Mart Century 21 Advantage No-Jacks Bar & Grill Schmitty’s Tom’s Supermarket

Swansea

Big Time Beads Concept Shoe Repair CVS First American Title Schnucks Dobbs Gas Mart Tourism Bureua of Southern IL Wild Birds Unlimited

Troy

Inksane Asylum Randy’s House of BBQ Public Library ZX Fuel

Waterloo

BoBecks Sports Bar & Grill City Hall Gallagher’s JV’s Bar and Grill Karban’s Knotty Pines Papa Vito’s Schorr Lake Vineyard

St. Louis

Broadway Oyster Bar & Grill HWY 61 Roadhouse Iron Barley Market Pubhouse Molly’s in Soulard Yaquis on Cherokee Str8Up Magazine

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February 2015 “Some High Notes Concerning World-Class Music Repair in the Metro East”

by John Dorroh

I was rummaging through a friend’s aunt’s house, helping sort belongings after she died, and came across an old saxophone in a weathered leather case. There was no note attached, nothing inside to lend a clue as to who this instrument had belonged to. We were in the dark about this tarnished but still-beautiful instrument.

After a bit of research – and snooping – Kent discovered that his Uncle Wheeler had been in a jazz ensemble back in the 1950’s and 60’s and had given it up after becoming consumed in a fast-track business career that involved extensive travel.

Kent took the sax to a repair technician in Mississippi near his aunt’s home and had it assessed, cleaned, and repaired. It was a true case of transformation from dust and tarnish to functionality. Within a month, he found a home for it as a high school student’s first instrument.

Recently I spent time with three individuals who make those kinds of transformations possible. Little did I know that I’d find these repair technicians living a few miles from my house in the Metro East.

Wade Johnstone, Jack Mayer, and Paul Dontigney are world-class technicians/artists/story-tellers who helped me understand the connections among science, history, and music, among other things.

“I’ve always repaired drums,” he told me. “…Most drummers don’t know proper tuning and set-up…I’ve always been a technician.”

Johnstone continued to tell me that one of the top technicians in the world, Uli Frost, came over from Paderborn, Germany to Melodic Rhythms to facilitate a drumtech clinic.

“He told me that everything I was doing at the time was being done the correct way,” said Johnstone, whose intuition had dictated certain protocols for repair and building.

“That’s really all I had to go on.”

Having the world’s top drum tech approve Johnstone’s work made him a very happy camper.

“Drums are more than musical instruments,” he told me. “They have to be set up properly and tuned. They’re complicated. You have to select the right hoops, wood, hardware…no vibrations or rattles,” he added.

I wanted to hear stories about dusty, dilapidated drums that had been resurrected and which were being enjoyed today. I did. I wanted to see beautiful finished products that caught my eye and made me want to sit down behind them and see if I had what it takes. I did that too. But most of all I was excited to learn that people from all over the world send or bring their drums or drum orders to Wade Johnstone, who lives just down the road.

Jack Mayer

Wade Johnstone

My first visit was to the repair shop and home of Wade Johnstone in Belleville.

Melodic Rhythms drum-building and repair is housed in a non-descript garage where Johnstone, who has an incredible life story, repairs, builds, and customizes drums. His history includes being a bandleader and a Ludwig drum restorer.

“I started playing drums at the age of five,” he told me. His uncle turned pro at the ripe old age of 14. That must have been quite an influence!

Johnstone, with the mind of an engineer, loves to tinker and solve problems. His fixation to detail led him to a job as a bench jeweler. But wait…there’s more.

The military gave him a run for his money as he maneuvered his way around a number of jobs. For instance, he was a communications specialist for a while and toyed with journalism, becoming Director of Broadcast operations. He built military radio stations in Honduras, Portugal, and Beirut where he was seriously wounded.

He worked in Washington DC, Israel, and Alaska, being entrusted with jobs from high-ranking officials who didn’t want anyone else for their projects.

His drummer bent, then, was not just an innate thing that he did because he was good at it. Rather his love of repair, building, and customization was enhanced by the skills that he picked up from his uncle, the jobs he held in the military, and from a certain degree of aptitude.

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Another musician/technician/story-teller that I met is Jack Mayer, who lives in Edwardsville and owns Re-Tune Band Instrument Repair. He deals with the business end with his customers in his kitchen, but down in the basement is where the magic happens. Mayer has serious relationships with various members of the wind instrument family.

We took the steep stairs down into the abyss where I saw an orderly work space.

“This is where I work,” he said. “Excuse the mess,” he said, pointing to the right.

Actually, I didn’t see a mess.

There were several saxophones in various states of existence. Even though they were beautiful in their own way, I saw a few that couldn’t possibly be revived. But the beforeand-after pictures assured me that that nothing is impossible with Mayer.

He was working on a vintage saxophone that had a damaged piston. He walked me through what had happened, describing in great detail what he was having to do in order to make the repair. There were physics lessons galore! Me with my science background began to think ahead, trying to recall my lessons on tone, pitch, and frequency.

“You’ll never get your time back in money,” I said.

He agreed. “But I love this stuff….the labor-intensive problems that are more tedious….not the run-of-the-mill repairs that I can complete in less than an hour.”

As Mayer described his work, I could see in his mannerisms, inflections, and how

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February 2015 he described his work that I was dealing with a man of passion. There was no doubt that it was far more than a job. I appreciate that.

He surprised me with the fact that most of his business comes from outside of the Edwardsville area. “…from the East,” he said. Mayer comes from a musical family on Long Island, New York. I supposed I was expecting to hear a fantastic story, so I tried to pull one out about him being a child prodigy but it just didn’t happen; he sounded “too normal.” But in the case of most musicians and artists that I know, there’s usually a twist, something unusual in their life story.

Mayer spent more than a decade in a dental school, working up to a position in dental impressions.

“I liked it when I got to spend time with patients and help them with their problems….but that changed. “I was required to be with so many patients in X amount of time and it just got to be too much…” he said. I understood completely.

“There was too much stress.”

Mayer views his business as a three-legged stool.

“There’s the mercantile portion,” he said, “the art and science part, and the music itself.”

I walked away from his shop with a better understanding of “how the pieces fit.” Not only does Mayer repair musical instruments but he brings life back into what could have been a dead piece of metal. The transformations don’t come easy, with hours of intense re-shaping, re-building, and breathing life back into them.

Pulling from his love of details and problem-solving, Mayer does his own magic that is rare in a time of mass production.

Paul Dontigney, Jr.

done quickly…and I do it.”

Just as Johnstone and Mayer passionately resurrect potentially dead instruments, Dontigney has his own stories to share.

“There was this vintage 1966 Silvertone, Sears and Roebuck that was scratched and in pitiful condition. The owner sort of gave it to me a challenge. When I finished it, the guy said to keep it as a gift….just wanted to see what you can do.”

Dontigney also utilizes a mobile tech service and can install drum triggers. Really, I don’t think that there’s anything dealing with a guitar that he can’t do. A vast array of instruments, parts and equipment populate his Lebanon Brickstreet shop waiting for new homes, rounding out his storefront business.

Just as Craig Ferguson used to end his show with “What did you learn from the show tonight?” I have to admit that I confirmed what I already suspected. Musical instrument technicians are artists, at least these three are. They seem to have the knack to utilize the skills accumulated in their life experiences to repair, build, and customize.

Furthermore, every instrument has a story to tell, even if there’s no note inside its case to tell what it is. Musical instruments deserve respect, which begins with understanding. And that is what I learned this week.

Wade Johnstone, Melodic Rhythms, Belleville: 618-233-0659 Jack Mayer, Re-Tune Instrument Repair, Edwardsville: 618-659-1855 Paul Dontigney, Hangar 18 Guitar Repair, Lebanon: 618-537-8870

Paul Dontigney’s Hangar 18 is located in historic downtown Lebanon in a familyowned space which serves as three shops in one. He repairs and customizes guitars for individuals and music groups from all over the world – New Zealand, Chicago, and all over the Metro East and St. Louis.

“I started tinkering as a young kid,” said Dontigney. He’s worked for stores in Fairview Heights and Pontoon Beach, but wanted to open his own place, which he did in the fall of 2013.

Dontigney is certified for 14 manufacturers and suppliers with hopes to add to the list.

“Some endorsements are difficult to obtain,” he admitted, “but I’ll continue to work on those.”

He’s worked on guitars for the bass player for Black Sabbath, and has a connection with James McKay of the Temptations, Head East, and the Trans-Siberian Orchestra.

“Sometimes I don’t know whose guitars I’m dealing with…someone needs something

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Calendar of Events

February 2015

February 1st (Sunday)

Aerie’s Winery (Grafton) - Stan Corliss every Sunday; 2p-6p Big Daddy’s 618 (Belleville) - Karaoke every Sunday; 7p Columbia City Saloon (Columbia) - Mike Lacey every Sunday; 3p-6p Crehan’s Irish Pub (Belleville) - First Sunday Jam with Paul Bonn and The Bluesmen; 4p-8p Dutch Hollow Barn (Belleville) - Every Sunday Jam Session; 7p Fast Eddie’s Bon Air (Alton) - Anthony, 2p; The Big Game, 7p JRs Last Call (Belleville) - Karaoke every Sunday Mike’s Ten Pin (Alton) - Mondinband every Sunday; 9:30p-1:30a *Miscellanea House (Belleville) - Old Fashioned Sunday Social; 1-3p Schatze’s (Belleville) - Karaoke; 9p Schmidt Art Center @ SWIC (Belleville) - SWIC Art Faculty Exhibit featuring sculptures, ceramics, paintings, photographs, mixed media pieces and digital images by faculty members Paula McAteer, Guy Weible, Don Bevirt, Spyros Karayiannis, Dan Lowery, Wayne Shaw, Doug Eskra, Dale Threlkeld, Sherry Wimmer, Brad Eilering, Todd May, Shawn Niebruegge, Dawn Blum, Nancy Friederich, Denise Schilling, Andrew Brandmeyer and Cory Sellers. exhibit continues through February 26 Stagger Inn…Again (Edwardsville) - Open Mic Night

February 2nd (Monday)

Big Daddy’s 618 (Belleville) - Monday Trivia; hosted by Delish Trish; 7p Broadway Oyster Bar (St. Louis) - Soulard Blues Band; 9p-1a Cicero’s (St. Louis) - Weekly Shakedown Mondays with The Stone Sugar Shakedown; All ages; $6 + $3 minor surcharge; Free pizza 8p-9p; Music 9p-12a; JRs Last Call (Belleville) - Karaoke every Monday Schatze’s (Belleville) - Karaoke every Monday; 9p

February 3rd (Tuesday)

Bike Surgeon (Shiloh) - Tuesday Night Metro East Road Ride; 5p Highway 61 Roadhouse (Webster Groves) - Open Mic Blues Night every Tuesday with Matt Davis and Darrow Washington; 7:30p11:30p *Miscellanea House (Belleville) - Living Literary Society meetup 6p-9p *Pitchers Pub (Belleville) - Tenacious Trivia every Tuesday; 8p Schatze’s (Belleville) - Karaoke every Tuesday; 9p Village Inn (Pontoon Beach) - J Christopher every Tuesday; 7p-11p

February 4th (Wednesday)

4204 Main Street Brewing Co (Belleville) - Open Mic Night with Brad Noe; 7p-11p Cigar Inn (Belleville) - Live Jazz, Cigar/Scotch Night; 9p Crehan’s Irish Pub (Belleville) - Karaoke every Wednesday and Thursday Fast Eddie’s Bon Air (Alton) - Jay & Waylon; 6p *Hey Guys Comedy Club (Fairview Heights) - Open Mic every Wednesday; 7:30p 8

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Mike’s Ten Pin (Alton) - Mondinband every Wednesday; 9:30p-1:30a PSOP/SWIC (Belleville) - Line Dancing; Our instructor, Carol Schwartz, will show you new line dances and techniques each week. This is a great group to dance with, so sliiiide on over.

Cost is $2 per session. 1:30-3p Schatze’s (Belleville) - Karaoke every Wednesday; 9p Schmidt Art Center @ SWIC (Belleville) - Gateway East Artist Guild Membership meeting; Curator Nicole Dutton will provide a guided tour of the current SWIC Faculty Exhibit; 6p Schmitty’s (Smithton) - Open Mic Night with Jeff Schmitz; 7p Stagger Inn…Again (Edwardsville) - Open Mic Night *Stur Restaurant (Edwardsville) - Pat Liston; show starts at 6:30pm *The Hett @ McKendree University (Lebanon) - The 5 Browns Julliard School’s quintet of siblings, all virtuoso pianists; 7:30p *Villa Marie Winery (Maryville) - Wine All You Want Wednesdays; “Group Therapy”; leave the men at home, ladies, for an evening of guaranteed fun; every first Wednesday; this month’s theme: You’re Breaking My Heart; 6p-9p Who Dat’s - formerly Randy’s (Troy) - Open Mic Jam; 7p-11p Wild Country (Collinsville) - The Taping of St. Louis Country with WIL gang, Derrick, Danny, Bo & Judy! $5 for everyone, FREE w/ valid College ID! 7p-1a Wood River Roundhouse (Wood River) - Imperial Swing Dance Lessons (beginners classes start first Weds of every month); 6:30p-9p

February 5th (Thursday)

4204 Main Street Brewing Co (Belleville) - Whiskey Dixon; 7p 501 Blues Club (Highland) - Thursday Night Open Mic Jam Session; 8p Bubby and Sissy’s (Alton) - Karaoke Dance Party; 9:30p-1:30a Cigar Inn (Belleville) - Live Jazz; 9p Columbia City Saloon (Columbia) - Karaoke; 8p-12a Crehan’s Irish Pub (Belleville) - Karaoke every Thursday Downtown (Belleville) - The Belleville Running Club holds group runs in downtown Belleville every Thursday night at 6p and Saturday morning at 8a. Thursday night runs meet at the parking lot at A and Jackson (Baja Cali).

Fast Eddie’s Bon Air (Alton) - American Idle; 7p Geo’s Wings (Belleville) - Bike Night every Thursday night Jailhouse Rock (Trenton) - Class Act Karaoke JRs Last Call (Belleville) - DJ Schwen Looking Glass Playhouse (Lebanon) - Young Frankenstein, The Musical; 7p *Miscellanea House (Belleville) - Open Mic NIght every Thursday; 7p Schatze’s (Belleville) - Karaoke every Thursday; 4pm Schmitty’s (Smithton) - Big Mike Aguirre acoustic; 8pm Silver Creek Saloon & Grill (Belleville) - Well Hungarians; Every Thursday Night Stagger Inn…Again (Edwardsville) - Live Music The Abbey (Belleville) - Singer/Songwriter Night Every Thursday; 7p-10p

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Calendar of Events

February 2015

The Station House (St. Louis) - Electronic Thursday; Novafreak + Xelence Wild Country (Collinsville) - Free Dance Lessons w/ JoyceWarren; 7:30p-10p

February 6th (Friday)

4204 Main Street Brewing Co (Belleville) - Catfish Willie; 7p Aerie’s Winery (Grafton) - Stan Corliss every Friday; 5p-9p Alton Little Theatre (Alton) - Miss Abigail’s Guide to Dating, Mating and Marriage; mature comedy; 7:30p American Legion (Edwardsville) - Live music “On The Hill” with Lanny and Julie; public always welcome; 8p Chateau La Vin (Columbia) - Casey Reeves; 7:30p Cigar Inn (Belleville) - Live jazz; 9p Columbia City Saloon (Columbia) - Party Rock; 9p-1a Crehan’s Irish Pub (Belleville) - Live music; 8p-12a Dunham Hall Theatre @ SIUE (Edwardsville) - Opera Theatre; Marc Schapman, Sabbatical Presentation; free event; 7:30p Fast Eddie’s Bon Air (Alton) - Live music Geo’s Wings (Belleville) - Live music Governor French Academy Art Gallery (Belleville) - Nowrooz (An Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity); collaborative photographic exhibit of Parinaz Massoumzadeh and Kimia Emani presenting beautiful traditions of Persian New Year festival; opening reception 6p-8p; exhibit continues through April 28 Hemingway’s Zen Garden (O’Fallon) - Slow Down Scarlett Acoustic; 7p *Hey Guys Comedy Club (Fairview Heights) - Bob Zany; 8p and 10p Highway 61 Roadhouse (Webster Groves) - Jason Garms; 7p-10p Hurricane’s (Collinsville) - Zydeco Crawdaddies; 7p-11p Jailhouse Rock (Trenton) - Class Act Karaoke *Knights of Columbus Watering Hole (O’Fallon) - The Joe Metzka Band Laurie’s (Edwardsville) - Live music; 9:30p Lilly’s Lounge (Alton) - Karaoke *Lindenwood University Auditorium (Belleville) - A Musical Thriller: Sweeney Todd, The Demon Barber of Fleet Street; 7:30p Looking Glass Playhouse (Lebanon) - Young Frankenstein, The Musical; 7p Nicks Pub (St. Louis) - Clusterpluck; 10p *Papa Vito’s (Belleville) - Live music with Ryan Spriggs; 7p Piasa Winery & Pub (Grafton) - Open Mic Night every Friday night from 7p-11p Schatze’s (Belleville) - Live music; 9p Shenanigan’s (Belleville) - DJ or Live Music Silver Creek Saloon (Belleville) - Live music; 9p Stagger Inn…Again (Edwardsville) - Live Music *Stur Restaurant (Edwardsville) - Live music every Wednesday, Friday and Saturday The Abbey (Belleville) - Live music with Neal Connors; 8p-12a

The Station House (St. Louis) - Reggae Friday; Lioness and The Bredren Reggae Band The Wildey Theatre (Edwardsville) - Rich Guzzi Comedy Hypnosis, America’s best hypnotist; 8p Zapata’s Mexican Restaurant (Swansea) - Karaoke every Friday; 7p-11p

February 7th (Saturday)

4204 Main Street Brewing Company (Belleville) - Brad Noe; 7:30p11:30p Aerie’s Winery (Grafton) - Stan Corliss every Saturday; 2-9p Alton Little Theatre (Alton) - Miss Abigail’s Guide to Dating, Mating and Marriage; mature comedy; 7:30p BoBeck’s Sports Bar & Grill (Waterloo) - Live DJ spins your favs; 9p Chateau La Vin (Columbia) - Eric Brooks; 7:30p Chubby’s (Alton) - Eastside Acoustic every Saturday; 7p-11p Cigar Inn (Belleville) - Karaoke Night Columbia City Saloon (Columbia) - Solid Rock; 9p-1a Crehan’s Irish Pub (Belleville) - Live music; 8p-12a Downtown (Belleville) - The Belleville Running Club holds group runs in downtown Belleville every Thursday night at 6p and Saturday morning at 8a. Saturday morning runs meet at the parking lot behind the St Louis Bread Company.

Downtown (Lebanon) - Chocolate Rendezvous; Purchase your Choco late Rendezvous Passport at The Lebanon Visitors Center January 30th thru February 7th. Passports are $7 per person Fast Eddie’s Bon Air (Alton) - Live music Fairview Lounge (Fairview Heights) - Michael Cottrell; 8p Geo’s Wings (Belleville) - Karaoke every Saturday night; 8p Hemingway’s Zen Garden (O’Fallon) - Jeremy Wright; 7p *Hey Guys Comedy Club (Fairview Heights) - Bob Zany; 8p and 10p Holistic Journey (Fairview Heights) - First Saturday Healing Fair $20 mini sessions 11a-4p Jerry Costello Lock and Dam (Modoc) - Kaskaskia Eagle Fest; eagle watching, rain or shine; 9a-3p Katy Cavins Center (O’Fallon) - 3rd Annual O’Fallon Garden Club Trivia Night and Silent Auction - Jimmy Buffet theme; benefiting O’Fallon Community Beautification; doors at 6p; games begin at 7p

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Calendar of Events

February 2015

Laurie’s Place (Edwardsville) - Every Saturday Jam Session w/ Mo’ Pleasure; 2p-6p Lilly’s Lounge (Alton) - Karaoke *Lindenwood University Auditorium (Belleville) - A Musical Thriller: Sweeney Todd, The Demon Barber of Fleet Street; 7:30p Looking Glass Playhouse (Lebanon) - Young Frankenstein, The Musical; 7p *Miscellanea House (Belleville) - Open Mic Poetry / Songwriter Jam Night; Bring your instruments and plug in; All writers and musicians welcome! 5p *No-Jacks Bar & Grill (Smithton) - DJ & Karaoke Every Saturday; 9p *Papa Vito’s (Belleville) - Live music with Landon; 7p Phil’s Bar & Grill (Wood River) - Karaoke/DJ; 9p-2a Regency Conference Center (O’Fallon) - 2nd Annual Caritas Family Solutions Gala; silent and live auctions, entertainment, dancing; benefiting CARITAS Family Solutions; live music by Tess Boyer (of The Voice); cocktail reception 6p; dinner; 7p Schatze’s (Belleville) - Live music; 9p Shenanigan’s (Belleville) - DJ or Live Music Silver Creek Saloon (Belleville) - Live music; 9p Spectators (Alton) - Country Karaoke; 9p-1a Stagger Inn…Again (Edwardsville) - Live Music *Stur Restaurant (Edwardsville) - Live music every Wednesday, Friday and Saturday The Bootleg (St. Louis) - EGi w/ The Stone Sugar Shakedown; 21 & up; Doors at 8p The Cyclery and Fitness Center (Edwardsville) - Saturday Morning East Side Road Ride; 7a The Old Rock House (St. Louis) - Old Salt Union; 9p The Station House (St. Louis) - Nasty Rumor Presents: Trapstep, Mini City, Gold Dash The Wildey Theatre (Edwardsville) - Shameless, the Garth Brooks Experience - Garth Brooks Tribute; 8p

Looking Glass Playhouse (Lebanon) - Young Frankenstein, The Musical; 2p Mike’s Ten Pin (Alton) - Mondinband every Sunday; 9:30p-1:30a *Miscellanea House (Belleville) - Old Fashioned Sunday Social; 1-3p Schatze’s (Belleville) - Karaoke; 9p Schmitty’s (Smithton) - Catfish and the Big Boss Blues Band acoustic; 2p Silver Creek Saloon (Belleville) - Rogers and Nienhaus; 4-8p Stagger Inn…Again (Edwardsville) - Open Mic Night

February 9th (Monday)

Big Daddy’s 618 (Belleville) - Monday Trivia; hosted by Delish Trish; 7p Broadway Oyster Bar (St. Louis) - Soulard Blues Band 9p-1a Cicero’s (St. Louis) - Weekly Shakedown Mondays with The Stone Sugar Shakedown; All ages; $6 + $3 minor surcharge; Free pizza 8p-9p; Music 9p-12a; JRs Last Call (Belleville) - Karaoke every Monday Schatze’s (Belleville) - Karaoke every Monday; 9p

February 10th (Tuesday)

Bike Surgeon (Shiloh) - Tuesday Night Metro East Road Ride; 5p Highway 61 Roadhouse (Webster Groves) - Open Mic Blues Night every Tuesday with Matt Davis and Darrow Washington; 7:30p11:30p *Miscellanea House - Living Literary Society meetup every Tuesday; 6p-9p

February 8th (Sunday)

Aerie’s Winery (Grafton) - Stan Corliss every Sunday; 2p-6p Alton Little Theatre (Alton) - Miss Abigail’s Guide to Dating, Mating and Marriage; mature comedy; 2p *Belle Clair Expo Center (Belleville) - St Louis Area Automotive Swap Meet; 6a-1:30p Big Daddy’s 618 (Belleville) - Karaoke every Sunday; 7p Broadway Oyster Bar (St. Louis) - Pierce Crask; 2p-5p / No BS! Brass Band; 8p-11p Columbia City Saloon (Columbia) - Mike Lacey every Sunday; 3p-6p Crehan’s Irish Pub (Belleville) - Live music every Sunday; 4p-8p Dutch Hollow Barn (Belleville) - Every Sunday Jam Session; 7p Eckert’s (Belleville) - Dine with Anna and Elsa; lunch, dancing, singing, crafts and photos with the Princesses; 11a and 1p Fast Eddie’s Bon Air (Alton) - Live music; 2p and 7p JRs Last Call (Belleville) - Karaoke every Sunday *Lindenwood University Auditorium (Belleville) - A Musical Thriller: Sweeney Todd, The Demon Barber of Fleet Street; 2p 10

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Calendar of Events

February 2015

*Pitchers Pub (Belleville) - Tenacious Trivia every Tuesday; 8p Schatze’s (Belleville) - Karaoke every Tuesday; 9p Village Inn (Pontoon Beach) - J Christopher every Tuesday; 7p-11p

February 11th (Wednesday)

4204 Main Street Brewing Co (Belleville) - Open Mic Night with Brad Noe; 7p-11p Cigar Inn (Belleville) - Live Jazz, Cigar/Scotch Night; 9p Crehan’s Irish Pub (Belleville) - Karaoke every Wednesday Fast Eddie’s Bon Air (Alton) - Live music; 6p *Hey Guys Comedy Club (Fairview Heights) - Open Mic every Wednesday; 7:30p Mike’s Ten Pin (Alton) - Mondinband every Wednesday; 9:30p-1:30a PSOP/SWIC (Belleville) - Line Dancing; Our instructor, Carol Schwartz, will show you new line dances and techniques each week. This is a great group to dance with, so sliiiide on over. Cost is $2 per session. 1:30-3p Schatze’s (Belleville) - Karaoke every Wednesday; 9p Schmitty’s (Smithton) - Open Mic Night with Jeff Schmitz; 7p Stagger Inn…Again (Edwardsville) - Open Mic Night *Stur Restaurant (Edwardsville) - Live music every Wednesday night featuring Night Train The Station House (St. Louis) - Mr. Wendell Buie; no cover; 9p Who Dat’s - formerly Randy’s (Troy) - Open Mic Jam; 7p-11p Wood River Roundhouse (Wood River) - Imperial Swing Dance Lessons (beginners classes start first Weds of every month); 6:30p-9p

Schatze’s (Belleville) - Karaoke every Thursday; 4p Schmitty’s (Smithton) - Scrambled; 8p Silver Creek Saloon & Grill (Belleville) - Well Hungarians; Every Thursday Night Stagger Inn…Again (Edwardsville) - Live Music The Abbey (Belleville) - Singer/Songwriter Night Every Thursday; 7p-10p The Station House (St. Louis) - Electronic Thursday; Lusid + Heavy Mellow The Wildey Theater (Edwardsville) - An Affair to Remember, the classic Cary Grant / Deborah Kerr romantic comedy film; prefilm party includes Champagne fountain, chocolate fountain and a rose for the ladies at 6p; film at 7p Wild Country (Collinsville) - Free Dance Lessons w/ JoyceWarren; 7:30p-10p

February 13th (Friday)

4204 Main Street Brewing Co (Belleville) - Hot Flash Duo; 7p Aerie’s Winery (Grafton) - Stan Corliss every Friday; 5p-9p *Belle Clair Expo Center (Belleville) - Region’s Largest Yard Sale; Bargains, Treasures and Finds! New and Used merchandise – Everything you can imagine or want for you and your home.

4-7p Chateau La Vin (Columbia) - Hilary Scott Duo; 7:30p Cigar Inn (Belleville) - Live jazz; 9p Columbia City Saloon (Columbia) - Shameless Hacks; 9p-1a

February 12th (Thursday)

4204 Main Street Brewing Co (Belleville) - Live Music every Thursday night; 7p 501 Blues Club (Highland) - Thursday Night Open Mic Jam Session; 8p Bubby and Sissy’s (Alton) - Karaoke Dance Party; 9:30p-1:30a Cigar Inn (Belleville) - Live Jazz; 9p Columbia City Saloon (Columbia) - Karaoke; 8p-12a Crehan’s Irish Pub (Belleville) - Karaoke every Thursday Downtown (Belleville) - The Belleville Running Club holds group runs in downtown Belleville every Thursday night at 6p and Saturday morning at 8a. Thursday night runs meet at the parking lot at A and Jackson (Baja Cali).

Fast Eddie’s Bon Air (Alton) - Live music; 7p Geo’s Wings (Belleville) - Bike Night every Thursday night *Hey Guys Comedy Club (Fairview Heights) - Bruce Veach; 7:30p Jailhouse Rock (Trenton) - Class Act Karaoke JRs Last Call (Belleville) - DJ Schwen *Lindenwood University Auditorium (Belleville) - Lindenwood Speakers Series; Judy Shepard; what can be done to make the world a more accepting place for everyone regardless of race, religion, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, and expression; free and open to the public; 6:30p *Miscellanea House (Belleville) - Open Mic NIght every Thursday; 7p StraightUpMagazine.net

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Calendar of Events

February 2015

Crehan’s Irish Pub (Belleville) - Rogers and Nienhaus; 8p-12a Fast Eddie’s Bon Air (Alton) - Live music Geo’s Wings (Belleville) - Live music Hemingway’s Zen Garden (O’Fallon) - Live Acoustic Music with Gary; 7p *Hey Guys Comedy Club (Fairview Heights) - Mike Mercury; 8p and 10p Hidden Lake Winery (Aviston) - Valentines Day Dinner with music by Kerry Steinman Highway 61 Roadhouse (Webster Groves) - Hoosiers and a Hatchet; 7p-10p Jailhouse Rock (Trenton) - Class Act Karaoke *Knights of Columbus Watering Hole (O’Fallon) - Tim the DJ Laurie’s (Edwardsville) - Live music; 9:30p Lilly’s Lounge (Alton) - Karaoke Lucky’s (Belleville) - Clark Rowden *No-Jacks (Smithton) - D.C. Cusanelli; 7-11p *Papa Vito’s (Belleville) - Live music with Stephen Koritta; 7p Piasa Winery & Pub (Grafton) - Open Mic Night every Friday night from 7p-11p *Pitchers Pub (Belleville) - Billy and The Jets; Saint John and Farmer Jesse; The Oncomings; The Fufops; The Mhurs; Spaceride!!!; Free with suggested donation of $5 or a canned food item to be donated to Salvation Army; 8p Schatze’s (Belleville) - Live music every Friday; 9p Shenanigan’s (Belleville) - DJ or Live Music Silver Creek Saloon (Belleville) - Live music; 9p Stagger Inn…Again (Edwardsville) - Live Music *Stur Restaurant (Edwardsville) - Live music every Wednesday, Friday and Saturday The Abbey (Belleville) - Live music with Boulderdash; 8p-12a The Hangar 9 (Carbondale) - Chicago Farmer w/ Old Salt Union; 19 & up; $5; 10p The Station House (St. Louis) - Zion; DJ Michael Kuelker; Dub Heezy; DJ Trouble; 21 & up no cover; 18 and up $5; 9p The Wildey Theatre (Edwardsville) - Defending The Caveman; the hilariously insightful play about the way men and women relate; 8p Zapata’s Mexican Restaurant (Swansea) - Karaoke every Friday; 7p-11p

*Belle Clair Expo Center (Belleville) - Region’s Largest Yard Sale; Bargains, Treasures and Finds! New and Used merchandise – Everything you can imagine or want for you and your home.

8a-2p Big Daddy’s 618 (Belleville) - Mardis Gras Party with DJ; 7p Blum House (Collinsville) - Open Mic Valentines Poetry Night; 7-9p BoBeck’s Sports Bar & Grill (Waterloo) - Live DJ spins your favs; 9p Broadway Oyster Bar (St. Louis) - Mardi Gras Party with Aaron Kamm and the One Drops; 21 & up; 3p-7p Chubby’s (Alton) - Eastside Acoustic every Saturday; 7p-11p Chateau La Vin (Columbia) - Hilary Scott Duo; 7:30p Cigar Inn (Belleville) - Karaoke Night

February 14th (Valentines Saturday)

7 West Bar and Grill (Trenton) - Double Shot 2720 Cherokee (St. Louis) - The Schwag; 8p-1a; 18 & up; $10; $3 minor surcharge 4204 Main Street Brewing Company (Belleville) - Avery Hill; 7:30p11:30p Aerie’s Winery (Grafton) - Stan Corliss every Saturday; 2-9p Althoff High Heritage Hall (Belleville) - Trivia Night; 7p American Legion (Edwardsville) - Live music “On The Hill” with Jack Twestin; public always welcome; 8p

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Calendar of Events

February 2015

Columbia City Saloon (Columbia) - Live music; 9p-1a Crehan’s Irish Pub (Belleville) - Live music; 8p-12a Cutters (Belleville) - Old Salt Union; 8p Downtown (Belleville) - The Belleville Running Club holds group runs in downtown Belleville every Thursday night at 6p and Saturday morning at 8a. Saturday morning runs meet at the parking lot behind the St Louis Bread Company.

Eckert’s (Belleville) - Murder Mystery Dinner Theater; high drama comedy, a love story, plus zombies; you can play a zombie too; costumes encouraged; 5:30p Fast Eddie’s Bon Air (Alton) - Live music Geo’s Wings (Belleville) - Karaoke every Saturday night; 8p Hemingway’s Zen Garden (O’Fallon) - Live Music Feat: Lizzie Weber and Tim Ryan; 7p *Hey Guys Comedy Club (Fairview Heights) - Mike Mercury Valentines Dinner Package; 6p; plus second show at 10p Hidden Lake Winery (Aviston) - Valentines Day Dinner with music by Stephen Koritta Highway 61 Roadhouse (Webster Groves) - Pardi Gras with the Zydeco Crawdaddies, 1p-5p; North of the Quarter with special guest Mark “Sunny Boy” Mason, 6p-10p Hough Park (Belleville) - Mutual Aide Picnic – Belleville Solidarity Group; Free food, free clothes, free hygiene items, free home supplies. Bring what you can, take what you need. Come join us in Solidarity as we come together as a community; every second Saturday. 1-5p Laurie’s Place (Edwardsville) - Every Saturday Jam Session w/ Mo’ Pleasure; 2p-6p League Lounge (Belleville) - Pull Toyz Lilly’s Lounge (Alton) - Karaoke *Midtowne (Belleville) - Chocolate Crawl starting and ending at Nannylou’s Kitchen, 1926 West Main Street (formerly The Pour House); everything chocolate, one shop at a time; almost 20 neighborhood merchants have sweet treats waiting for you as you “crawl” the historic Midtowne shopping district; 10a-2p *No-Jacks Bar & Grill (Smithton) - DJ & Karaoke Every Saturday; 9p *Papa Vito’s (Belleville) - Live music with Ryan Spriggs; 7p Phil’s Bar & Grill (Wood River) - Karaoke/DJ; 9p-2a *Pitchers Pub (Belleville) - Mardis Gras Party Shuttle to Soulard; shuttles start at 8a; plus live music by D.C. Cusanelli; 6-9p Schatze’s (Belleville) - Live music every Saturday; 9p Shenanigan’s (Belleville) - DJ or Live Music Silver Creek Saloon (Belleville) - Live music; 9p Spectators Sports Bar and Grill (Alton) - Country Karaoke; 9p-1a Stagger Inn…Again (Edwardsville) - Live Music *Stur Restaurant (Edwardsville) - Live music every Wednesday, Friday and Saturday The Cyclery and Fitness Center (Edwardsville) - Saturday Morning East Side Road Ride; 7a

The Station House (St. Louis) - Drop The Brass Tour; Filibusta, Goodness Gracious, Ryan Viser, and Blaze Luminous; 18 & up; $10; 9p-1a The Weingarten (Belleville) - Valentines Dinner and Dance; doors at 6p; dinner at 6:30; music by Sweet N Sour, 7-11p The Wildey Theatre (Edwardsville) - Defending The Caveman; the hilariously insightful play about the way men and women relate; 8p The Wine Tap (Belleville) - Wine and Dine Valentines Day; music by St Louis Jazz Trio; 5p

February 15th (Sunday)

Aerie’s Winery (Grafton) - Stan Corliss every Sunday; 2p-6p Big Daddy’s 618 (Belleville) - Karaoke every Sunday; 7p Columbia City Saloon (Columbia) - Mike Lacey every Sunday; 3p-6p Crehan’s Irish Pub (Belleville) - Live music every Sunday; 4p-8p Dutch Hollow Barn (Belleville) - Every Sunday Jam Session; 7p Fast Eddie’s Bon Air (Alton) - Live music; 2p and 7p JRs Last Call (Belleville) - Karaoke every Sunday Mike’s Ten Pin (Alton) - Mondinband every Sunday; 9:30p-1:30a *Miscellanea House (Belleville) - Old Fashioned Sunday Social; 1-3p Schatze’s (Belleville) - Karaoke Schmitty’s (Smithton) - Tom Hall of the Geyer Street Sheiks acoustic; 2p Stagger Inn…Again (Edwardsville) - Open Mic Night

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Calendar of Events

February 2015

The Wildey Theatre (Edwardsville) - Zulal, Armenian A Cappella Folk Trio (Sponsored by Armenian Relief Society) ; 2:30p

February 16th (Monday)

Big Daddy’s 618 (Belleville) - Monday Trivia; hosted by Delish Trish; 7p Broadway Oyster Bar (St. Louis) - Soulard Blues Band; 9p-1a Cicero’s (St. Louis) - Weekly Shakedown Mondays with The Stone Sugar Shakedown; All ages; $6 + $3 minor surcharge; Free pizza 8p-9p; Music 9p-12a; JRs Last Call (Belleville) - Karaoke every Monday Schatze’s (Belleville) - Karaoke every Monday; 9p

February 17th (Tuesday)

Bike Surgeon (Shiloh) - Tuesday Night Metro East Road Ride; 5p Chez Marilyn (Alton) - Zydeco Crawdaddies Fat Tuesday Mardi Gras Celebration; 6p-10p Hemingway’s Zen Garden (O’Fallon) - Celtica every third Tuesday; 7p Highway 61 Roadhouse (Webster Groves) - Open Mic Blues Night every Tuesday with Matt Davis and Darrow Washington; 7:30p11:30p *Knights of Columbus Watering Hole (O’Fallon) - The Sophisticated Jazz of The Philosophers; 7p *Pitchers Pub (Belleville) - Tenacious Trivia every Tuesday; 8p *Miscellanea House (Belleville)- Living Literary Society meetup every Tuesday 6p-9p Schatze’s (Belleville) - Karaoke every Tuesday; 9p Village Inn (Pontoon Beach) - J Christopher every Tuesday; 7p-11p

February 19th (Thursday)

4204 Main Street Brewing Co (Belleville) - D & A; 7p 501 Blues Club (Highland) - Thursday Night Open Mic Jam Session; 8p Broadway Oyster Bar (St. Louis) - Emily Wallace; 5p-8p / Turkuaz; 9p-1a Bubby and Sissy’s (Alton) - Karaoke Dance Party; 9:30p-1:30a Cigar Inn (Belleville) - Live Jazz; 9p Columbia City Saloon (Columbia) - Karaoke; 8p-12a Crehan’s Irish Pub (Belleville) - Karaoke every Thursday *Downtown (Belleville) - Belleville Main Street Downtown Diva Night; an exciting ladies night out! Starting at Miscellanea House; After party at Margarita’s; 5-8p Downtown (Belleville) - The Belleville Running Club holds group runs in downtown Belleville every Thursday night at 6p and Saturday morning at 8a. Thursday night runs meet at the parking lot at A and Jackson (Baja Cali).

Fast Eddie’s Bon Air (Alton) - Live music; 7p Geo’s Wings (Belleville) - Bike Night every Thursday night Gridiron Grill (Breese) - Jimmy Maraventano Jailhouse Rock (Trenton) - Class Act Karaoke JRs Last Call (Belleville) - DJ Schwen *Miscellanea House (Belleville) - Open Mic NIght every Thursday; 7p Schatze’s (Belleville) - Karaoke every Thursday; 4p Schmitty’s (Smithton) - Slow Down Scarlett; 8p

February 18th (Wednesday)

4204 Main Street Brewing Co (Belleville) - Open Mic Night with Brad Noe; 7p-11p Cigar Inn (Belleville) - Live Jazz, Cigar/Scotch Night; 9p Crehan’s Irish Pub (Belleville) - Karaoke every Wednesday Fast Eddie’s Bon Air (Alton) - Live music; 6p *Hey Guys Comedy Club (Fairview Heights) - Open Mic every Wednesday; 7:30p Mike’s Ten Pin (Alton) - Mondinband every Wednesday; 9:30p-1:30a PSOP/SWIC (Belleville) - Line Dancing; Our instructor, Carol Schwartz, will show you new line dances and techniques each week. This is a great group to dance with, so sliiiide on over.

Cost is $2 per session. 1:30-3p The Station House (St. Louis) - Bicker Stout & Cheesecakes Band Schatze’s (Belleville) - Karaoke every Wednesday; 9p Schmitty’s (Smithton) - Open Mic Night with Jeff Schmitz; 7p Stagger Inn…Again (Edwardsville) - Open Mic Night *Stur Restaurant (Edwardsville) - Live music every Wednesday night featuring Night Train Who Dat’s - formerly Randy’s (Troy) - Open Mic Jam; 7p-11p Wood River Roundhouse (Wood River) - Imperial Swing Dance Lessons (beginners classes start first Weds of every month); 6:30p-9p

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Calendar of Events

February 2015

Silver Creek Saloon & Grill (Belleville) - Well Hungarians; Every Thursday Night Stagger Inn…Again (Edwardsville) - Live Music The Abbey (Belleville) - Singer/Songwriter Night Every Thursday; 7p-10p The Station House (St. Louis) - Electronic Thursday; SubCulture Takeover Wild Country (Collinsville) - Free Dance Lessons w/ JoyceWarren; 7:30p-10p

February 20th (Friday)

4204 Main Street Brewing Co (Belleville) - Champagne Fix; 7p Aerie’s Winery (Grafton) - Stan Corliss every Friday; 5p-9p Chateau La Vin (Columbia) - Lisa Jones; 7:30p Cigar Inn (Belleville) - Live jazz; 9p Columbia City Saloon (Columbia) - UltraViolets; 9p-1a Crehan’s Irish Pub (Belleville) - Live music; 8p-12a Fast Eddie’s Bon Air (Alton) - Live music Geo’s Wings (Belleville) - Live music Hemingway’s Zen Garden (O’Fallon) - Scott Keller; 7p *Hey Guys Comedy Club (Fairview Heights) - Kevin McCaffrey; 8p and 10p Highway 61 Roadhouse (Webster Groves) - Diesel Island; 7p-10p Jailhouse Rock (Trenton) - Class Act Karaoke *Knights of Columbus Watering Hole (O’Fallon) - Falling Martins Laurie’s (Edwardsville) - Live music; 9:30p Lilly’s Lounge (Alton) - Karaoke Metcalf Theater @ SIUE (Edwardsville) - Playwright Suzan-Lori Parks’ VENUS; The true story of a 19th century Hottentot woman shipped from Africa to England and displayed as a freak, turned into a chilly but gripping play; With a cast of four and a chorus of five, thirty-one scenes, and a number of original songs, 7:30p *Papa Vito’s (Belleville) - Live music with Judy Koen Trio; 7p Piasa Winery & Pub (Grafton) - Open Mic Night every Friday night from 7p-11p Schatze’s (Belleville) - Live music every Friday; 9p Schmitty’s (Smithton) - Joe W Smith of Throw The Horns acoustic Shenanigan’s (Belleville) - DJ or Live Music Silver Creek Saloon (Belleville) - Live music; 9p Skootr’s West (Freeburg) - Clark Rowden Stagger Inn…Again (Edwardsville) - Live Music *Stur Restaurant (Edwardsville) - Live music every Wednesday, Friday and Saturday The Abbey (Belleville) - Live music with Voland and Boyer; 8p-12a The Firebird (St. Louis) - The Sun and The Sea; Search Parties; Hidden Lakes; The Feed; 18 & up; $8; 9p The Station House (St. Louis) - Reggae Friday; Tasi, Dub Heezy, and Trouble Zapata’s Mexican Restaurant (Swansea) - Karaoke every Friday; 7p11p

February 21st (Saturday)

4204 Main Street Brewing Co (Belleville) - Parti Gras with Lil Sister Aerie’s Winery (Grafton) - Stan Corliss every Saturday; 2-9p *Belle Clair Expo Center (Belleville) - Belleville Flea Market; Southern Illinois’ Premier Indoor/Outdoor Market – Over 600 tables and 300-400 vendors selling antiques, collectibles, merchandise – old and new. Indoor/Outdoor Year Round. $2 parking; Free admission; 9a-4p BoBeck’s Sports Bar & Grill (Waterloo) - Live DJ spins your favs; 9p Chubby’s (Alton) - Eastside Acoustic every Saturday; 7p-11p Cigar Inn (Belleville) - Karaoke Night Columbia City Saloon (Columbia) - Kingdom of Solice; 9p-1a Crehan’s Irish Pub (Belleville) - Live music; 8p-12a Downtown (Belleville) - The Belleville Running Club holds group runs in downtown Belleville every Thursday night at 6p and Saturday morning at 8a. Saturday morning runs meet at the parking lot behind the St Louis Bread Company.

Eckerts (Belleville) - Daddy Daughter Dinner; a great opportunity for dad’s and daughters to spend memorable time together; dinner, dessert, keepsake photo and limo ride; 5:30p Fast Eddie’s Bon Air (Alton) - Live music Geo’s Wings (Belleville) - Karaoke every Saturday night; 8p *Hey Guys Comedy Club (Fairview Heights) - Kevin McCaffrey; 8p and 10p Highway 61 Roadhouse (Webster Groves) - Cigar Box Guitar meeting; 9:30a-11a Laurie’s Place (Edwardsville) - Every Saturday Jam Session w/ Mo’ Pleasure; 2p-6p Lilly’s Lounge (Alton) - Karaoke Metcalf Theater @ SIUE (Edwardsville) - Playwright Suzan-Lori Parks’ VENUS; The true story of a 19th century Hottentot woman shipped from Africa to England and displayed as a freak, turned into a chilly but gripping play; With a cast of four and a chorus of five, thirty-one scenes, and a number of original songs, 7:30p *Miscellanea House (Belleville) - Open Mic Poetry / Songwriter Jam Night; Bring your instruments and plug in; All writers and musicians welcome! 5p *No-Jacks Bar & Grill (Smithton) - DJ & Karaoke Every Saturday; 9p

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Calendar of Events

February 2015

*Papa Vito’s (Belleville) - Live music with Brad Noe; 7p Phil’s Bar & Grill (Wood River) - Karaoke/DJ; 9p-2a Schatze’s (Belleville) - Live music every Saturday; 9p Shenanigan’s (Belleville) - DJ or Live Music Silver Creek Saloon (Belleville) - Live music; 9p Spectators Sports Bar and Grill (Alton) - Country Karaoke; 9p-1a St. Clair Country Club (Belleville) - Masterworks Chorale Annual Gala Dinner and Auction; cocktail, dinner, auctions plus an exciting performance by The Chorale and members of The Children’s Choruses Stagger Inn…Again (Edwardsville) - Live Music *Stur Restaurant (Edwardsville) - Live music every Wednesday, Friday and Saturday The Cyclery and Fitness Center (Edwardsville) - Saturday Morning East Side Road Ride; 7a The Station House (St. Louis) - Skankin’ Saturday; Richy Rych The WIldey (Edwardsville) - Sing-A-Long closed screening of Disney’s “Frozen” with follow-along lyrics on screen; costumes welcome; 2p

February 22th (Sunday)

Aerie’s Winery (Grafton) - Stan Corliss every Sunday; 2p-6p *Belle Clair Expo Center (Belleville) - Belleville Flea Market; Southern Illinois’ Premier Indoor/Outdoor Market – Over 600 tables and 300-400 vendors selling antiques, collectibles, merchandise – old and new. Indoor/Outdoor Year Round. $2 parking; Free admission; 9a-4p Big Daddy’s 618 (Belleville) - Karaoke every Sunday; 7p Columbia City Saloon (Columbia) - Mike Lacey every Sunday; 3p-6p Crehan’s Irish Pub (Belleville) - Live music every Sunday; 4p-8p Dutch Hollow Barn (Belleville) - Every Sunday Jam Session; 7p Fast Eddie’s Bon Air (Alton) - Live music; 2p and 7p JRs Last Call (Belleville) - Karaoke every Sunday *Lindenwood University Auditorium (Belleville) - Belleville Philharmonic “Young at Heart: Pops & Art” Concert; Peter and the Wolf is the centerpiece of this musical adventure combining kids, art, storytelling and around-the-world adventure; 3p Metcalf Theater @ SIUE (Edwardsville) - Playwright Suzan-Lori Parks’ VENUS; The true story of a 19th century Hottentot woman shipped from Africa to England and dis played as a freak, turned into a chilly but gripping play; With a cast of four and a chorus of five, thirty-one scenes, and a number of original songs, 2p Mike’s Ten Pin (Alton) - Mondinband every Sunday; 9:30p-1:30a *Miscellanea House (Belleville) - Old Fashioned Sunday Social; 1-3p Schatze’s (Belleville) - Karaoke every Sunday; 9p Schmitty’s (Smithton) - Brian Curran, 12p-3p; Sweetwater, 4p-7p Stagger Inn…Again (Edwardsville) - Open Mic Night The Weingarten (Belleville) - Bridal Fashion Show and Vendor Fair; 1-4p

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The WIldey (Edwardsville) - Sing-A-Long closed screening of Disney’s “Frozen” with follow-along lyrics on screen; costumes welcome; 2p Villa Marie Winery (Belleville) - Open Mic featuring Paul Jarvis; last Sunday every month; bring on all those aspiring musicians and groups - especially singer/songwriters! 3p-7p

February 23th (Monday)

Big Daddy’s 618 (Belleville) - Monday Trivia; hosted by Delish Trish; 7p Broadway Oyster Bar (St. Louis) - Soulard Blues Band; 9p-1a Cicero’s (St. Louis) - Weekly Shakedown Mondays with The Stone Sugar Shakedown; All ages; $6 + $3 minor surcharge; Free pizza 8p-9p; Music 9p-12a; JRs Last Call (Belleville) - Karaoke every Monday Schatze’s (Belleville) - Karaoke every Monday; 9p

February 24th (Tuesday)

Bike Surgeon (Shiloh) - Tuesday Night Metro East Road Ride; 5p Brickstreet Arts (Lebanon) - Art with Allie Painting Party; 6:30p-8:30p Highway 61 Roadhouse (Webster Groves) - Open Mic Blues Night every Tuesday with Matt Davis and Darrow Washington; 7:30p11:30p *Lindenwood University Auditorium (Belleville) - Travel & Adventure Film Series: “Canada’s National Parks” by Dale Johnson; Presented by The Belleville Rotary Club; net proceeds

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Calendar of Events

February 2015

will benefit Community Interfaith Food Pantry; 7p *Miscellanea House (Belleville) - Living Literary Society meetup every Tuesday; 6p-9p *Pitchers Pub (Belleville) - Tenacious Trivia every Tuesday; 8p Schatze’s (Belleville) - Karaoke every Tuesday; 9p Village Inn (Pontoon Beach) - J Christopher every Tuesday; 7p-11p

February 25th (Wednesday)

4204 Main Street Brewing Co (Belleville) - Open Mic Night with Brad Noe; 7p-11p Cigar Inn (Belleville) - Live Jazz, Cigar/Scotch Night; 9p Crehan’s Irish Pub (Belleville) - Karaoke every Wednesday Dunham Hall Theatre @ SIUE (Edwardsville) - Concert Band Performance; 7:30p Fast Eddie’s Bon Air (Alton) - Live music; 6p *Hey Guys Comedy Club (Fairview Heights) - Open Mic every Wednesday; 7:30p Metcalf Theater @ SIUE (Edwardsville) - Playwright Suzan-Lori Parks’ VENUS; The true story of a 19th century Hottentot woman shipped from Africa to England and displayed as a freak, turned into a chilly but gripping play; With a cast of four and a chorus of five, thirty-one scenes, and a number of original songs, 7:30p Mike’s Ten Pin (Alton) - Mondinband every Wednesday; 9:30p-1:30a PSOP/SWIC (Belleville) - Line Dancing; Our instructor, Carol Schwartz, will show you new line dances and techniques each week. This is a great group to dance with, so sliiiide on over.

Cost is $2 per session. 1:30-3p Schatze’s (Belleville) - Karaoke every Wednesday; 9p Schmidt Art Center @ SWIC (Belleville) - Student Music Recital; 3p Schmitty’s (Smithton) - Open Mic Night with Jeff Schmitz; 7p Stagger Inn…Again (Edwardsville) - Open Mic Night *Stur Restaurant (Edwardsville) - Live music every Wednesday night featuring Night Train Who Dat’s - formerly Randy’s (Troy) - Open Mic Jam; 7p-11p Wood River Roundhouse (Wood River) - Imperial Swing Dance Lessons (beginners classes start first Weds of every month); 6:30p-9p

and Jackson (Baja Cali).

Dunham Hall Theatre @ SIUE (Edwardsville) - St Louis Brass Band with SIUE Wind Symphony Concert; 7:30p Fast Eddie’s Bon Air (Alton) - Live music; 7p Geo’s Wings (Belleville) - Bike Night every Thursday night Jailhouse Rock (Trenton) - Class Act Karaoke JRs Last Call (Belleville) - DJ Schwen Metcalf Theater @ SIUE (Edwardsville) - Playwright Suzan-Lori Parks’ VENUS; The true story of a 19th century Hottentot woman shipped from Africa to England and dis played as a freak, turned into a chilly but gripping play; With a cast of four and a chorus of five, thirty-one scenes, and a number of original songs, 7:30p *Miscellanea House (Belleville) - Open Mic NIght every Thursday; 7p Schatze’s (Belleville) - Karaoke every Thursday; 4p Schmitty’s (Smithton) - Tailgate Troubadours; 8p Silver Creek Saloon & Grill (Belleville) - Well Hungarians; Every Thursday Night Stagger Inn…Again (Edwardsville) - Live Music The Abbey (Belleville) - Singer/Songwriter Night Every Thursday; 7p-10p *The Hett @ McKendree University (Lebanon) - Panel Discussion: Marketing Yourself in the Digital Age, with comedian Paul F Tomkins, Nicole Hudson, Travis Sheridan and Chris Reimer; 6p

February 26th (Thursday)

4204 Main Street Brewing Co (Belleville) - Live Music every Thursday night; 7p 501 Blues Club (Highland) - Thursday Night Open Mic Jam Session; 8p Broadway Oyster Bar (St. Louis) - Aaron Kamm and the One Drops; 21 & up; 9p Bubby and Sissy’s (Alton) - Karaoke Dance Party; 9:30p-1:30a Cigar Inn (Belleville) - Live Jazz; 9p Columbia City Saloon (Columbia) - Karaoke; 8p-12a Crehan’s Irish Pub (Belleville) - Karaoke every Thursday Downtown (Belleville) - The Belleville Running Club holds group runs in downtown Belleville every Thursday night at 6p and Saturday morning at 8a. Thursday night runs meet at the parking lot at A StraightUpMagazine.net

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Calendar of Events

February 2015

The Station House (St. Louis) - Electronic Thursday; Kid Kosher and Soul Savant Wild Country (Collinsville) - Free Dance Lessons w/ JoyceWarren; 7:30p-10p

February 27th (Friday)

4204 Main Street Brewing Co (Belleville) - Sky High; 7p Aerie’s Winery (Grafton) - Stan Corliss every Friday; 5p-9p Belle Clair Expo Center (Belleville) - 40th Annual RV and Camper Show; The Great Outdoors Awaits You! 3p-8p Cigar Inn (Belleville) - Live jazz; 9p Columbia City Saloon (Columbia) - Cardboard Room; 9p-1a Crehan’s Irish Pub (Belleville) - Live music; 8p-12a Fairview Lounge (Fairview Heights) - Open Mic Night; 7p Fast Eddie’s Bon Air (Alton) - Live music Geo’s Wings (Belleville) - Live music Hemingway’s Zen Garden (O’Fallon) - Tim Ryan; 7p *Hey Guys Comedy Club (Fairview Heights) - Scott Long; 8p and 10p Highway 61 Roadhouse (Webster Groves) - Bedlam Brothers Birthday Bash; 7p-10p Jailhouse Rock (Trenton) - Class Act Karaoke Laurie’s (Edwardsville) - Live music; 9:30p *Knights of Columbus Watering Hole (O’Fallon) - 2 Marks and a George Lilly’s Lounge (Alton) - Karaoke Metcalf Theater @ SIUE (Edwardsville) - Playwright Suzan-Lori Parks’ VENUS; The true story of a 19th century Hottentot wom an shipped from Africa to England and displayed as a freak, turned into a chilly but gripping play; With a cast of four and a chorus of five, thirty-one scenes, and a number of original songs, 7:30p *No-Jacks (Smithton) - Stan Denton; 7-11p *Papa Vito’s (Belleville) - Live music with Joe Truttman / Ron Wooley Duo; 7p Piasa Winery & Pub (Grafton) - Open Mic Night every Friday night from 7p-11p Schatze’s (Belleville) - Live music every Friday; 9p Shenanigan’s (Belleville) - DJ or Live Music Silver Creek Saloon (Belleville) - Live music; 9p Stagger Inn…Again (Edwardsville) - Mondinband; 10p-2a *Stur Restaurant (Edwardsville) - Live music every Wednesday, Friday and Saturday The Abbey (Belleville) - Live music with Clark Rowden; 8p-12a The Station House (St. Louis) - Reggae Friday; Massive HI FI The Wildey Theatre (Edwardsville) - Winter Concert Series featuring Sarah Jane and the Blue Notes with food by Bella Milano; 6p Zapata’s Mexican Restaurant (Swansea) - Karaoke every Friday; 7p-11p

Aerie’s Winery (Grafton) - Stan Corliss every Saturday; 2-9p Alton-Wood River Sportsmans Club (Godfrey) - Dogs of Society Elton John Tribute; 9p *Belle Clair Expo Center (Belleville) - 40th Annual RV and Camper Show; The Great Outdoors Awaits You! 10a-8p Belleville West High School Auditorium (Belleville) - 10th Annual Belleville Parks and Recreation Department Daddy ` Daughter Dance; spend a special night with your little princess; pasta dinner from SeVen Restaurant; music by Phil Elmore’s Mobile Music Machine; plus a complementary professional photograph; pre-reservations required; 6p-8:30p BoBeck’s Sports Bar & Grill (Waterloo) - Live DJ spins your favs; 9p Chubby’s (Alton) - Eastside Acoustic every Saturday; 7p-11p Cicero’s (St Louis) - Vitamen A Cigar Inn (Belleville) - Karaoke Night Columbia City Saloon (Columbia) - Baywolfe; 9p-1a Crehan’s Irish Pub (Belleville) - Live music; 8p-12a Downtown (Belleville) - The Belleville Running Club holds group runs in downtown Belleville every Thursday night at 6p and Saturday morning at 8a. Saturday morning runs meet at the parking lot behind the St Louis Bread Company.

Dunham Hall Theatre @ SIUE (Edwardsville) - Music Department Alumni Concert; 7:30p Fast Eddie’s Bon Air (Alton) - Live music Geo’s Wings (Belleville) - Karaoke every Saturday night; 8p

February 28th (Saturday)

4204 Main Street Brewing Company (Belleville) - D.C. Cusanelli; 7:30p-11:30p 18

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Calendar of Events

February 2015

*Hey Guys Comedy Club (Fairview Heights) - Scott Long; 8p and 10p Hemingway’s Zen Garden (O’Fallon) - Slow Down Scarlet Acoustic Duo; 7p Laurie’s Place (Edwardsville) - Every Saturday Jam Session w/ Mo’ Pleasure; 2p-6p Lilly’s Lounge (Alton) - Karaoke Metcalf Theater @ SIUE (Edwardsville) - Playwright Suzan-Lori Parks’ VENUS; The true story of a 19th century Hottentot woman shipped from Africa to England and displayed as a freak, turned into a chilly but gripping play; With a cast of four and a chorus of five, thirty-one scenes, and a number of original songs, 7:30p *Miscellanea House (Belleville) - Open Mic Poetry / Songwriter Jam Night; Bring your instruments and plug in; All writers and musicians welcome! 5p *No-Jacks Bar & Grill (Smithton) - DJ & Karaoke Every Saturday; 9p *Papa Vito’s (Belleville) - Live music with Joe Truttman / Ron Wooley Duo; 7p Phil’s Bar & Grill (Wood River) - Karaoke/DJ; 9p-2a Schatze’s (Belleville) - Live music every Saturday; 9p Shenanigan’s (Belleville) - DJ or Live Music Silver Creek Saloon (Belleville) - Live music; 9p Spectators Sports Bar and Grill (Alton) - Country Karaoke; 9p-1a Stagger Inn…Again (Edwardsville) - Live Music *Stur Restaurant (Edwardsville) - Live music every Wednesday, Friday and Saturday The Cyclery and Fitness Center (Edwardsville) - Saturday Morning East Side Road Ride; 7a *The Hett @ McKendree University (Lebanon) - The Masterworks Chorale and Children’s Choruses: Broadway Pops; 7:30p The Station House (St. Louis) - Unresolved; 18 & up; $5 minor surcharge; 8:30p-1a The Wildey Theatre (Edwardsville) - An Evening With Leon Russel; 8p

Crehan’s Irish Pub (Belleville) - Live music every Sunday; 4p-8p Dutch Hollow Barn (Belleville) - Every Sunday Jam Session; 7p Fast Eddie’s Bon Air (Alton) - Live music; 2p and 7p JRs Last Call (Belleville) - Karaoke every Sunday Metcalf Theater @ SIUE (Edwardsville) - Playwright Suzan-Lori Parks’ VENUS; The true story of a 19th century Hottentot wom an shipped from Africa to England and displayed as a freak, turned into a chilly but gripping play; With a cast of four and a chorus of five, thirty-one scenes, and a number of original songs, 2p; A Talkback post-show discussion of the play will be held on Sunday, February 22 with Dr. Sandra Weissinger, Assistant Professor of Sociology and Criminal Justice Studies.

Mike’s Ten Pin (Alton) - Mondinband every Sunday; 9:30p-1:30a *Miscellanea House (Belleville) - Old Fashioned Sunday Social; 1-3p Schatze’s (Belleville) - Karaoke every Sunday; 9p Stagger Inn…Again (Edwardsville) - Open Mic Night

March 2nd (Monday)

Big Daddy’s 618 (Belleville) - Monday Trivia; hosted by Delish Trish; 7p Broadway Oyster Bar (St. Louis) - Soulard Blues Band; 9p-1a Dunham Hall Theatre @ SIUE (Edwardsville) - Jazz Combo Concert; 7:30p JRs Last Call (Belleville) - Karaoke every Monday Schatze’s (Belleville) - Karaoke every Monday; 9p

March 1st (Sunday)

Aerie’s Winery (Grafton) - Stan Corliss every Sunday; 2p-6p BB’s Jazz, Blues and Soups (St. Louis) - HALO presents the 5th annual Blues Cause for Paws benefiting homeless animals of the St. Louis/Metro-East area. Eight hours of blues music, raffles, 50/50 & pot-shots. Lots of cool things to win! HALO merchandise will be sold! 100% of proceeds will be donated to area “no-kill” animal rescue organizations. Bring your dancing shoes! It’s gonna be a party! Scheduled to appear: Felix Reyes, David Herrero, Preston Hubbard & CB William K Edwards; 12p; Kingdom Brothers; 1p; Rich McDonough & Rough Grooves & Paul Bonn & the Bluesmen; 2p; Brother Jefferson; 3p; Miss Jubilee & The Humdingers; 4p; The Jeremiah Johnson Band; 5p; Big Mike Aguirre & The Blu City All-Stars; 6p; Al Holliday & East Side Rhythm Band; 7p *Belle Clair Expo Center (Belleville) - 40th Annual RV and Camper Show; The Great Outdoors Awaits You! 10a-4p Big Daddy’s 618 (Belleville) - Karaoke every Sunday; 7p Columbia City Saloon (Columbia) - Mike Lacey every Sunday; 3p-6p StraightUpMagazine.net

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Calendar of Events

February 2015

March 3rd (Tuesday)

Bike Surgeon (Shiloh) - Tuesday Night Metro East Road Ride; 5p Dunham Hall Theatre @ SIUE (Edwardsville) - University Choir Concert; 7:30p Highway 61 Roadhouse (Webster Groves) - Open Mic Blues Night every Tuesday with Matt Davis and Darrow Washington; 7:30p11:30p *Miscellanea House (Belleville) - Living Literary Society meetup every Tuesday; 6p-9p *Pitchers Pub (Belleville) - Tenacious Trivia every Tuesday; 8p Schatze’s (Belleville) - Karaoke every Tuesday; 9p *The Hett @ McKendree University (Lebanon) - Film Art Series “All the President’s Men”; 1976; part detective story, part conspiracy thriller; two young reporters run down a story that will change the country forever; Robert Redford / Dustin Hoffman; 7:30p Village Inn (Pontoon Beach) - J Christopher every Tuesday; 7p-11p

March 4th (Wednesday)

4204 Main Street Brewing Co (Belleville) - Open Mic Night with Brad Noe; 7p-11p Cigar Inn (Belleville) - Live Jazz, Cigar/Scotch Night; 9p Crehan’s Irish Pub (Belleville) - Karaoke every Wednesday Fast Eddie’s Bon Air (Alton) - Live music; 6p *Hey Guys Comedy Club (Fairview Heights) - Open Mic every Wednesday; 7:30 Mike’s Ten Pin (Alton) - Mondinband every Wednesday; 9:30p-1:30a PSOP/SWIC (Belleville) - Line Dancing; Our instructor, Carol Schwartz, will show you new line dances and techniques each week. This is a great group to dance with, so sliiiide on over.

Cost is $2 per session. 1:30-3p Schatze’s (Belleville) - Karaoke every Wednesday; 9p Schmitty’s (Smithton) - Open Mic Night with Jeff Schmitz; 7p Stagger Inn…Again (Edwardsville) - Open Mic Night *Stur Restaurant (Edwardsville) - Live music every Wednesday night featuring Night Train *The Hett @ McKendree University (Lebanon) - John Lithgow: Stories

By Heart features the well-know actor in his critically acclaimed, one-man theatrical memoir; 7:30p *Villa Marie Winery (Maryville) - Wine All You Want Wednesdays; “Group Therapy”; leave the men at home, ladies, for an evening of guaranteed fun; every first Wednesday; this month’s theme: Lucky! 6p-9p Who Dat’s (Troy) - Open Mic Jam; 7p-11p Wood River Roundhouse (Wood River) - Imperial Swing Dance Lessons (beginners classes start first Weds of every month); 6:30p-9p

Bubby and Sissy’s (Alton) - Karaoke Dance Party; 9:30p-1:30a Cigar Inn (Belleville) - Live Jazz; 9p Columbia City Saloon (Columbia) - Karaoke; 8p-12a Crehan’s Irish Pub (Belleville) - Karaoke every Thursday Downtown (Belleville) - The Belleville Running Club holds group runs in downtown Belleville every Thursday night at 6p and Saturday morning at 8a. Thursday night runs meet at the parking lot at A and Jackson (Baja Cali).

Fast Eddie’s Bon Air (Alton) - Live music; 7p Geo’s Wings (Belleville) - Bike Night every Thursday night Jailhouse Rock (Trenton) - Class Act Karaoke JRs Last Call (Belleville) - DJ Schwen McKendree University Gallery of Art (Lebanon) - Rod Bradfield: Painting, Drawing, Sculpture; artist reception 4-7p; exhibit continues through March 21. *Miscellanea House (Belleville) - Open Mic NIght every Thursday; 7p Schatze’s (Belleville) - Karaoke every Thursday; 4p Silver Creek Saloon & Grill (Belleville) - Well Hungarians; Every Thursday Night Stagger Inn…Again (Edwardsville) - Live Music The Abbey (Belleville) - Singer/Songwriter Night Every Thursday; 7p-10p Wild Country (Collinsville) - Free Dance Lessons w/ JoyceWarren; 7:30p-10p

March 6th (Friday)

4204 Main Street Brewing Co (Belleville) - Brad Noe; 7p Aerie’s Winery (Grafton) - Stan Corliss every Friday; 5p-9p Cigar Inn (Belleville) - Live jazz; 9p Columbia City Saloon (Columbia) - Live music; 9p-1a Crehan’s Irish Pub (Belleville) - Live music; 8p-12a

March 5th (Thursday)

4204 Main Street Brewing Co (Belleville) - Live Music every Thursday night; 7p 501 Blues Club (Highland) - Thursday Night Open Mic Jam Session; 8p 20

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Calendar of Events

February 2015

Dunham Hall Theatre @ SIUE (Edwardsville) - University Orchestra Concert; 7:30p Fast Eddie’s Bon Air (Alton) - Live music Geo’s Wings (Belleville) - Live music Hemingway’s Zen Garden (O’Fallon) - Slow Down Scarlet Acoustic Duo; 7p *Hey Guys Comedy Club (Fairview Heights) - Dwight York; 8p and 10p Jailhouse Rock (Trenton) - Class Act Karaoke Laurie’s (Edwardsville) - Live music; 9:30p Lilly’s Lounge (Alton) - Karaoke Melody Inn (Pocahontas) - Buffalo Road; 7p No-Jacks (Smithton) - D.C. Cusanelli; 7-11p *Papa Vitos (Belleville) - Live music; 7p Piasa Winery & Pub (Grafton) - Open Mic Night every Friday night from 7p-11p Schatze’s (Belleville) - Live music every Friday; 9p Shenanigan’s (Belleville) - DJ or Live Music Silver Creek Saloon (Belleville) - Live music; 9p Stagger Inn…Again (Edwardsville) - Live Music *Stur Restaurant (Edwardsville) - Live music every Wednesday, Friday and Saturday The Abbey (Belleville) - Live music; 8p-12a The Demo (St. Louis) - CaveofswordS Record Release Party with Adult Fur, Zagk Gibbons, and Middle Class Fashion

Zapata’s Mexican Restaurant (Swansea) - Karaoke every Friday; 7p-11p

March 7th (Saturday)

4204 Main Street Brewing Company (Belleville) - Live music every Saturday; 7:30p-11:30p Aerie’s Winery (Grafton) - Stan Corliss every Saturday; 2-9p Art Park Ost & Gallery 1410 (Granite City) - Featured Str8Up Artist Renee Canetta “When Souls Collide”; Opening reception 7p-9p BoBeck’s Sports Bar & Grill (Waterloo) - Live DJ spins your favs; 9p Chubby’s (Alton) - Eastside Acoustic every Saturday; 7p-11p Cigar Inn (Belleville) - Karaoke Night Columbia City Saloon (Columbia) - Live music; 9p-1a Crehan’s Irish Pub (Belleville) - Live music; 8p-12a Downtown (Belleville) - The Belleville Running Club holds group runs in downtown Belleville every Thursday night at 6p and Saturday morning at 8a. Saturday morning runs meet at the parking lot behind the St Louis Bread Company.

Fast Eddie’s Bon Air (Alton) - Live music Geo’s Wings (Belleville) - Karaoke every Saturday night; 8p Hemingway’s Zen Garden (O’Fallon) - Scott Keller; 7p *Hey Guys Comedy Club (Fairview Heights) - Dwight York; 8p and 10p Laurie’s Place (Edwardsville) - Every Saturday Jam Session w/ Mo’ Pleasure; 2p-6p Lilly’s Lounge (Alton) - Karaoke

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February 2015 *Miscellanea House (Belleville) - Open Mic Poetry / Songwriter Jam Night; Bring your instruments and plug in; All writers and musicians welcome! 5p Morris University Center @ SIUE (Edwardsville) - Collinsville Area Camera Club “Photoshop Elements for the Aspiring Photographer”; 8a-4p *No-Jacks Bar & Grill (Smithton) - DJ & Karaoke Every Saturday; 9p *Papa Vitos (Belleville) - Live music; 7p Phil’s Bar & Grill (Wood River) - Karaoke/DJ; 9p-2a Schatze’s (Belleville) - Live music every Saturday; 9p Shenanigan’s (Belleville) - DJ or Live Music Sheraton Four Points (Fairview Heights) - A Night in Las Vegas; gala benefit for Camp Ondessonk; dinner, silent auction, prizes and music by Tip Belz and The Funatics with Joe Camel; doors at 5:30p Silver Creek Saloon (Belleville) - Live music; 9p Spectators Sports Bar and Grill (Alton) - Country Karaoke; 9p-1a Stagger Inn…Again (Edwardsville) - Live Music *Stur Restaurant (Edwardsville) - Live music every Wednesday, Friday and Saturday The Cyclery and Fitness Center (Edwardsville) - Saturday Morning East Side Road Ride; 7a The Wildey Theatre (Edwardsville) - The Real Macaws; including Michael “Supe” Grande (Ozark Mountain Daredevils), Terry Jones Rogers and Scott Nienhaus (Younger Than Yesterday,

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Rogers and Nienhaus, 4&20), Tim Pollitte(Younger Than Yesterday, 4&20), with special guest Steve Scorfino (Pavlov’s Dog, REO); 7:30p

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February 2015

Straight Up Star Contact List Adrenaline Prints 126 East Main St Belleville, IL 62220 618-277-9600

Hey Guys Comedy Club 5225 North Illinois Street Fairview Heights, IL 62208 618-416-6434

Beast Cafe 20 South Belt West Belleville, IL 62220 618-257-5000

Hippie Daze 1508 West Blvd Belleville IL 62220 618-277-3293

Beatnik’s 115 East Main Belleville IL 62220 618-355-4600

Knights of Columbus 402 East US 50 O’Fallon IL 62269 618-632-6229

Belle Clair Expo Center 200 South Belt East Belleville IL 62220 618-233-0052

Lindenwood University - Belleville 2600 West Main Street Belleville, IL 62226 (618) 239-6000

Belleville Main Street 510 West Main Belleville IL 62220 618-233-7522

McKendree University Hett Arts Center 400 North Alton Street Lebanon IL 62254 618-537-6863

Bike Taxi Belleville IL 62220 618-203-1090

Melodic Rhythms 110 North High Belleville IL 62220 618-233-0659

Community Kindness Resale Shop 500 East Main Street Belleville, IL 62220 618-222-9980 Fischer’s Restaurant 2100 West Main Street Belleville, IL 62220 618-233-1131 Fezziwig’s Marketplace 220 West St Louis Street Lebanon IL 62254 618-537-8422 Gage Mary Kay marykay.com/kirsteng 618-698-1427 Gateway East Artist Guild geag.net Hangar 18 Guitar Repair 204 West St Louis Street Lebanon IL 62254 618-537-8870

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Melodic Rhythms 572 Memorial Drive Breese IL 62230 618-526-7588 Michael Rousseau, Esq. 10 South Jackson Belleville IL 62220 618-235-5870 Miscellanea House 1111 West Main Belleville IL 62220 618-416-8520 No-Jacks Bar and Grill 4001 State Rt 159 Smithton IL 62285 618-235-2356 Papa Vito’s Restaurant 318 East Washington Belleville IL 62220 618-277-6200

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Papa Vito’s Restaurant 4205 North Belt West Belleville IL 62226 618-277-6200 Papa Vito’s Restaurant 223 West Mill Waterloo IL 62298 618-939-5200 Pitchers Pub & Pizzeria 104 West Main Belleville IL 62220 618-233-4800 Spa Demi 1017 West Main Belleville IL 62220 618-530-9559 Stein Automotive 1215 West Main Street Belleville, IL 62220 618-233-8786 Stillpointe Wellness Center 2135 Dorothy Drive Belleville IL 62223 618-531-8814 Stur Restaurant 4 Club Center Court Suite A Edwardsville IL 62025 618-307-9613 TOCO Shop 825 West Main Belleville IL 62220 618-257-8626

USA Karate 4503 North Illinois Street Swansea, IL 62226 618-234-6471 Tiadaghton House 111 West St Louis Street Lebanon IL 62254 618-808-0311

Villa Marie Winery 6633 East Main Maryville IL 62062 618-345-3100

February 2015

Welcome To The Stage...

Open mics, jam sessions, spoken word, comedy Check calendar for specific details Sunday

Thursday

Crehan’s Irish Pub (Belleville)

501 Blues Club (Highland)

Dutch Hollow Barn (Belleville)

Miscellanea House (Belleville)

Stagger Inn...Again (Edwardsville)

The Abbey (Belleville)

Tuesday

Friday

Highway 61 Roadhouse (Webster Groves)

Piasa Winery & Pub (Grafton)

Wednesday

Saturday

4204 Main Street Brewing Co. (Belleville)

Laurie’s Place (Edwardsville)

Hey Guys Comedy Club (Fairview Heights)

Miscellanea House (Belleville)

Schatze’s (Belleville) Stagger Inn...Again (Edwardsville) Who Dat’s (Troy) StraightUpMagazine.net

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February 2015 Living Literary Society

By Jacob Oliver The more and more people you talk to these days about poetry, or any form of writing really, you’ll start to hear this idea that there just aren’t enough poets in this town. Don’t buy into the myth. There are always great minds, in every corner of the Earth, with little or no outlet for their creative works. The main issue is usually not that the writers aren’t around, but that they are not yet aware of all the local opportunities to share their work. January 21st marked the first biweekly Living Literary Society meet-up. It was held at a cafe at 1111 West Main Street, Belleville, IL 62220 with the serendipitous name of Miscellanea House. Now, the serendipity comes when we see that the word Miscellanea is defined as miscellaneous items, especially of the literary composition type, that are put in the same place together. So there seemed like simply nowhere better than there to hold the event, as it is all about bringing all the local lone-wolf writers together to form one big pack of wordsmiths, to inspire and help each other grow in their craft.

Now this isn’t an event where you take turns getting up from your seat and going up to the front of the room to say your piece into a microphone. Instead, you’ll walk in on a Tuesday to see everyone sitting comfortably on a couch or chairs, forming a circle throughout the room, casually sipping their tea or coffee and listening to someone read out of their spiral notebook, or perhaps a favorite book of theirs. It can really eliminate some of the anxiety that can come with standing up on your own in-front of everyone, sharing something that you’ve maybe never shared with anyone before. This is meant to be a place where no one has to hide or feel nervous, because everyone is on the same level. There is also a creative writing workshop element involved. Various activities and literary exercises can give a great start for what to write about and also give people a chance to make a poem on the spot, or to collaborate with their fellow poets.

Of course anyone is also welcome to come just to watch and be a fly on the wall for the whole experience; perhaps testing the waters while they try to decide whether or not they want to share something the next week. It’s a really great environment to simply sit and have some coffee and a sandwich, while the room is vibrant with meaningful words all around you.

So if you’ve been tearing pieces of paper out of various notebooks and you’re tired of the wadded up pages filling your trashcan, quit throwing them away. Never fall into the false-belief that your creative work is worthless. Come and join those that think the best through reading and writing. Whether you know someone who loves to weave words together, or that someone is you, The Living Literary Society is at Miscellanea House every other Tuesday from 6p.m. to 9p.m. to welcome you with open books. We’ll see you there!

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Chocolate Crawl

February 2015

MID TOWNE BELLEVILLE

SATURDAY 10AM

FEB 14 2PM TO

STARTING AT NANNYLOU’S KITCHEN AND ENDING 1926 WEST MAIN STREET M E RC H A N T S F RO M 6 T H T O 2 6 T H S T R E E T S

Valentine’s Day just got sweeter! MidTowne Belleville’s Chocolate Crawl is free to the public.

Find a pink heart in participating merchant windows to shop and enjoy FREE chocolate sweets.

(While supplies last). Pick up your golden ticket at NannyLou’s for participating shops.

Return at 2 p.m. with your stamped golden ticket for the Grand Prize drawing.

For more information contact Rain Tree Salon at (618) 257-2500.

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February 2015

Great Hiking in the 618: Fults Hill Prairie Nature Preserve

by Dan Cross

Finding a beautiful, remote, and challenging place to hike in the 618 is not easy. Sure, there are parks with flat, paved bike paths (more and more all the time) that are a great way to get some fresh urban air and exercise. But if you want a real wilderness experience and a strenuous hike that will literally get your heart pumping, you may be surprised to find out that such a place exists on the east side, just 25 miles from Columbia, Illinois.

And steep it is! After leaving your car in the small, easy-to-miss parking area just off Bluff Road, you have your choice of two trails (which are really opposite ends of one big mile-and-a-half loop). Either way you go, the trails instantly become seriously steep, climbing 250 vertical feet up the side of the bluffs. Most people choose to go up the southernmost trail, which begins right in the parking area as a long, long wooden staircase that zigzags up and up and up. When the stairs finally end, the climb does not. The trail continues upwards through the trees, finally topping out in stunning open grasslands which reward you with a spectacular, open view of the bottomlands, the mighty Mississippi, and the hills of Missouri across the valley.

It’s called Fults Hill Prairie Nature Preserve, on the bluffs overlooking the marshes and floodplains of the American Bottoms, seven miles south of Valmeyer, Illinois. It is a rare and wonderful place, not just because it is one of the best hiking areas around here. It is one of the only unspoiled (and unplowed) portions of the great tall grass prairie’s that once covered most of Illinois, the Prairie State. The reason this little patch survived? It was too steep for farmers to bother with. So it just sat there, undisturbed, until 1970, when it was finally purchased by Illinois Department of Natural Resources and declared a preserve. Because of its ecological significance, the area was designated as a National Natural Landmark by the U.S. Department of the Interior in 1986.

Thank God it was too steep to plow!

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If the climb is too much for you to do all at once, several little spur trails along the way lead to lovely (and dangerous) viewpoints on the rocky bluffs. There are no railings, and the cliffs are sheer and high, so you need to exercise extreme caution here, particularly if you go with children or dogs.

The main trail is not too scary or precarious, so if you are squeamish about heights, just skip the spur trails and stay on the main path. You will still get lots of glorious views.

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February 2015 Once you ascend above the limestone outcroppings, you enter an interesting geologic phenomenon. The tawny colored soil on the bluff tops is called loess, formed during the last ice age. As the glaciers receded, massive amounts of sediment were left behind from the grinding action of the shifting ice sheets. These sediments were blown across the wide Mississippi river valley and deposited in thick layers on the bluff tops. Most soils were deposited by water, so winddeposited soils like these are relatively rare. In North America, loess is more likely to be found on the east side of river valleys (like Fults Hill) due to the prevailing west winds.

Eventually, the trail will begin to turn to the left toward the bluffs again, and then the fun begins anew. There are no staircases on this portion of the trail, but several places have steps of stone and railroad ties set into the hillside, and you will thank the trail builders for them, as the way down is every bit as steep and long as the way up. You may find the descent the most physically demanding part of the hike, as going down is often much harder on the knees and thighs than going up. If this is the case for you, you might consider going up the north trail and coming down on the stairs, where you will have handrails to help you ease yourself down.

If you are a fitness freak, you can even run the trail, like the guy I saw who lapped me on the loop trail three times during my leisurely hike.

Leaving the loess and the grasslands behind, the trail levels out and becomes a broad, pleasant pathway that leads away from the cliffs (and the big views) and into a peaceful, unspoiled forest. This is the longest portion of the trail, but also the easiest. As you catch your breath from the climb and let your pounding heart calm down, you can entertain yourself by looking for wildlife. The bluffs are a favorite hangout for hawks and vultures, which love to ride the thermals and uplifts produced by the cliffs. Many species of waterfowl and other birds migrate along the river corridor, thanks to the wetlands below.

Whether you want to run, power walk, or stroll slowly and enjoy the views, Fults Hill is one of the premier hikes on the east side, and surprisingly unknown.

For more information about Fults Hill Prairie Nature Preserve, visit the official DNR page at http://dnr.state.il.us/ lands/Landmgt/parks/r4/fhp.htm or call the Randolph County State Recreation Area at (618) 826-2706.

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February 2015 *** I’d do anything To go back to when I was thirteen I wanna show the younger me I was not as hopeless as I seemed I’d show her my words, I’d compliment her songs I’d prove to her there’s something to keep living for I know she’d be grateful And she’d finally live in truth.

I’d do just about anything To let her walk in these big shoes For just one day, One hour, One minuteA few moments would suffice, Just her knowing that we will be all right.

If she could see the light, She’d just keep writing She’d even try some drawing If she only knew…

If only I had known…

If I could just send her a letter I’d let her know I’m happy now, That I’m even more profound.

I’d promise her worries were obsolete.

I know that with just a little proof, She’d believe me. *** - Alison Jane Lysakowski “I wrote this as a tribute to my 13-year-old self. I hope it can inspire young people to look forward to the future, and provide assurance to them that however hard life is, it will become awesome if you focus on making it so. It just takes time. I wrote this when I was 20, and I’m now 26. It becomes more relevant as time goes by.” <3 30

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February 2015

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