Straight Up Magazine Dec. 2013

Issue #

17

Dec. 2013

FREE

Metro East Teen is Raising the Bar and Reaching for the Sky ~ Coffee is Secondary, Its About the People - The Abbey ~ December Calendar of Events ~ To Tree or Not to Tree ~ Comics ~ Submissions

December 2013

Serving Up Art, Music, and Culture for the Metro East’s Enjoyment

Mark Polege

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Inside Page Editors Word – December 2013

December 2013

It is now the 17th edition of Straight Up Magazine, ‘Serving Up Art, Music and Culture for the Metro-East’s Enjoyment’. St. Louis has its arts and entertainment magazines.

The Metro East deserves its own. And it’s called Straight Up!!!

We are pleased to have award winning photographer Mark Polege as the cover artist for this seventeenth Straight Up edition! See more on Mark in our Submissions section.

We 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 and receive daily entertainment updates, photos, videos and 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 260 area distribution locations. And we’ll see you at the clubs, theatres and festivals all over the Metro-East.

Happy Holidays to ALL!!!

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

December Credits

Managing Editors: Dylan Seibert, Paul Seibert Content Editors: Dylan Seibert, Paul Seibert Layout Design Artists: Mark Polege, Michelle Reynolds, Callib Carver Sales: Paul Seibert Ad Artists: Mark Polege, Wil Sullivan Wanted Poster: Michelle Reynolds Calendar: Dylan Seibert, Paul Seibert Website Design: Mark Polege (MarkusDesignWorks.com) Photography: Mark Polege (PhotographyofMarkPolege.com)

Contributors

Cover Art: “City Stream” by Mark Polege (PhotographyofMarkPolege.com) Cover Logo: Josh Rowan (JoshuaRowan.com) Photography: Callib Carver (The Abbey), Dan Cross (Bicentennial Park) Feature Writers: Brenton Ebersole, Callib Carver, Dan Cross, Robyn Kirsch Comics: Brian Gardner, Lyndsee Geyer, Wil Sullivan

Submissions

Mark Polege – Photography Brooke Lobb – Creative writing and watercolors All material in this publication is 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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December 2013

Str8 Up Magazine Distribution Locations: Alton Alton Sports Tap AmTrac Chez Marilyn Doc Holiday’s Frank’s Restaurant Jacoby Art Center Mike’s Ten Pin Belleville 10th Street Baking Co Abbey, The Acropolis Restaurant Almighty Tatoos Althoff CHS Art Dept Anthony’s Salon Antique House Bar & Grill At Home Computer Repair Bamboo Valley Buffet Beatnik’s Bell Air Bowl Belle Clair Expo Center Belt Line Mart Ben’s Crafts & Floral Big Reggie’s Blue Agave BP Hucks - Carlyle Ave. BP Hucks - N. Illinois Bronx Zoo CeLeen Gallery Centerfield Bar and Grill Chamber of Commerce Christopher Mikal Photo.

Circa City Hall Club Escapade Conoco Phillips Crehan’s Pub Dutch Hollow Barn Eckert Florist Effinger’s Garden Center Facial Rejuvenation Center Fletcher’s Kitchen Geo’s Wings Governor French Gallery Grappa Growlers Hair on Main Happy Hops Homebrew Hardees Harters Hobby House Hicks Bar-B-Que Hippie Daze

Hite Auto Body and Repair Imo’s Pizza Katherine Frazier State Farm Kelso Auto Body Lindenwood Univ Local Lucy’s Lucinda’s Grill and Café Mabista Salon and Spa Main Street Café Mary’s Hidden Treasures Maytag Laundry Max’s One Stop Melodic Rhythms Mom’s Soul Food MotoMart My Vintage Addiction North Belt West Liquor Olympic Restaurant Papa Vito’s Patriot Restaurant Pitchers Pub Plug N Play Computers Public Library Rising Star Too Schnucks Sears App and Hrdwe Shop N Save Simply Thrift Sips n Splatters Sole Survivor Leather & Art Southwestern IL College St E’s Medical Arts Bldg Sullivan’s Super 8 Motel Sweet Sinsation TOCO Shop Towne & Country Mart Weingarten YMCA East Cahokia Cahokia Club KC MarkO’s Grill Spinner’s Restaurant Caseyville Amer.’s Best Inn & Suites First Western Inn Knollwood Retirement Mudbugs Bar & Grill Quality Inn and Suites

Metro East Teen is Raising the Bar and Reaching for the Sky Coffee is Secondary, Its About the People - The Abbey December Calendar of Events To Tree or Not to Tree Comics Submissions

Centreville Terry’s Home & Garden Collinsville Dean’s Farmers Market Knights of Columbus Public Library Spring Garden Restaurant Swing City Music Columbia Columbia City Saloon Edwardsville Auto Tire Bailey Cakes Bin 51 Bridal Couture Circle K Edison’s Entertainment Enclave & Enclave West Green Mobile Handee-Mart (BP) Happy Up Toys Heroic Adventures Mark’s Appliances Public Library Random Happiness Run Well Sacred Grounds Southern IL University Stagger Inn Teaspoon Cafe Fairview Heights $1.98 Cleaners Best Western BP Hucks Casey’s Caseyville Twshp Bldg China King City Hall Drury Inn Express Medical Care Fortels Pizza Guitar Center Jacob’s Herb Shop Jonnie’s Pizza Just One More Time Hooters Hucks Lasting Impress. Floral Lilly’s Gyro

MotoMart Phillips 66 Gas Mart Public Library Quick Stop 2 Quiznos RaaQQa Food Mart 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 BP Hucks Casey’s Tom’s Supermarket Granite City Apple Tree Restaurant SWIC Café & Fitness Ctr Highland Great Clips Highland’s Tru-Buy Randy’s Smokehouse Lebanon Artimis Fezziwig’s Marketplace Ghost Vapor Shop Las Cabanas Lebanon Visitors Center Legendary Creations Mama Gusto’s McKendree University MotoMart Public Library Sasafras Way Photography Tiadaghton House Whimsey Gifts Mascoutah All Mart Smoke Shop American Legion Bee Hollow Marketplace Boyce Hund & Assocs Casey’s General Store Dauber’s Pharmacy Han-Dee Mart Jo-Al Winery LaQuinta Hotel & Suites

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Mascoutah Steak House MidAmerica Inn & Suite McDonald’s Moore’s Family Restaurant Moto Mart Nite Deposit Sax Hometown Store Scott Credit Union St E’s Medical Plaza Tom’s Supermarket 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 Frieze Harley Davidson Gas Mart Gias Pizza Hemingway’s Zen Garden Hilton Garden Inn Hometown Barber Lake Point Dental Luckenbooth Gallery McDonald’s Memorial Healthcare Memorial Therapy New Art Legacies Public Library RJs Computer Schnucks Settle Inn Shell St. E’s Medical Center Suburban Inn Subway Towne Lounge Vetta Sports Walgreens Wood Bakery YMCA

Sauget Sauget Diner SW IL Welcome Center Scott Air Force Base Chicago Chicken & Fish Ralph’s Barber Quick Mart Subway 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 No-Jacks Tom’s Supermarket Swansea Big Time Beads Concept Shoe Repair CVS Schnucks Dobbs Gas Mart Tourism Bureua of IL S. Wild Birds Unlimited Troy Inksane Asylum Randy’s Smokehouse Speedy Scrappers Troy Public Library ZX Fuel Waterloo BoBecks Sports Bar and Grill City Hall Gallagher’s JV’s Bar and Grill Karban’s Knotty Pines Knotty Pines Papa Vito’s Schorr Lake Vineyard

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Arts

December 2013

Metro East Teen is Raising the Bar and Reaching for the Sky

by Robyn Kirsch

It is a rare thing in today’s day and age to find a teenager who is focused on what she wants to accomplish and overcome beyond video games and ‘your own world’. Fifteen-year-old Morgan Ladyman of Dupo and a freshman at Gibault Catholic High School, however, has set a new precedent. “I think school and (my extracurriculars) give me better resources to use my time wisely,” Morgan said confidently.

Taking all honors courses at Gibault, one would think Morgan’s load would be full--and, one would be sorely mistaken.

For someone with such a petite frame, Morgan sure can sing! Especially with her adept yodeling skills. In addition to that, she creates a presence on stage; one that most become comfortable with and embrace with appreciation for its impact. “I just heard yodeling on the radio and started practicing until I got it,” Morgan said.

At a recent dinner event, Morgan was recognized with the Waterloo Optimist Youth Appreciation Award (female). “I was awarded with the Youth Appreciation Award recently,” Morgan said humbly.

“I’m able to attend Gibault High School because I was awarded the Fifth Annual Music Scholarship which helps my parents out a lot (monetarily) too.”

Playing setter on the varsity volleyball team and point guard on the girls’ basketball team are only two of the many extracurricular activities that Morgan participates in. Not long ago, she set two youth records while participating in track as well. Her mother, Connie Ladyman, said Morgan continues to raise the bar with accomplishments like winning the 2012 Gateway Easy Young Achievers Award and the D.A.R.E. Essay contest.

She was on the Freshman Homecoming Court to boot.

“I think of it as practice for when I get to college. It will (instill) a work ethic that will last,” Morgan said of her regimented schedule. From early morning to late night, she goes, non-stop.

Utilizing roles in St. Louis and local Metro East musical productions like ‘Babes in Toyland” in St. Louis; “Annie” in Granite City Summer Stage, and “Wizard of Oz”, Morgan is able to put herself in another frame of light, Connie said. Her biggest role thus far was that of the central character of Dorothy in last summer’s “Wizard”, Morgan said.

More recently, at the Shrewsbury Theater, Morgan played the lead female role of Fiona in “Shrek”. According to Morgan, she was one of the youngest leading role performers, which she found to be a valuable learning experience. The cast for that play, Morgan said, ranged from youth to elders, with her somewhere in the middle, having fun and learning loads.

“I love kids; I hope to be a teacher some day. Being in a (production) where I was able to be a role model, which is all I could ask for, was a great experience,” Morgan said. “I love spending time with kids, whether it’s playing a game of soccer or kickball outside - I love it. All I want is to be someone who (youngsters) can look up to.”

This summer, Morgan won the 2013 Belleville Chamber of Com-

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merce Junior Idol Competition singing “Cowboy Sweetheart”, which demonstrated her yodeling skills. Yodeling is just one of Morgan’s many talents. She is truly a “jack of all trades” with skills and participation in the following: piano, flute, a member of the Knights of the Altar, Liturgical Choir, Scholar Bowl Team, Speech and Math teams, Yearbook Committee, a Girl Scout, Science Olympiad and she finds time to volunteer at the St. Vincent DePaul Food Pantry.

By winning first place at the 2013 Junior Idol Competition, she was able to be a contestant in the WIL 92.3 Dereoke Jingle Fest Contest. Morgan was one of 11 performers chosen to compete at the finals in November.

Though Morgan was not one of the top finalists, Connie said the radio station personnel told Morgan she would still be an opening act for the Jingle Fest concert at the St. Charles Family Arena on December 12th.

“My husband and I are so proud of her. We support her 100 percent with what she aspires to be and we couldn’t have asked for anything more,” Connie said.

What’s this girl’s favorite thing to do? According to Morgan, it’s to watch YouTube videos of Broadway Plays and behind the scenes of major theater productions. Making day trips to New York City to see shows on Broadway is one way Morgan and Connie spend quality time together and have been throughout Morgan’s childhood since her mother works for an airline company.

“It just gives me a realistic idea of what to expect. I love theater, and it’s something I can never learn too much about,” Morgan said.

Watch for this rising star on a stage near you. See and hear Morgan Ladyman performing at: Youtube.com/watch?v=qli3F0vr16Y Contact: ladymanfam4@yahoo.com Photos courtesy Connie Ladyman.

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Business Profile

December 2013 November

Coffee is secondary, it’s about the people — The Abbey

by Callib Carver

The Abbey started out, in 2001, as a small coffee bar inside Jim Orlet’s gift shop, The Vineyard. “There used to be a cafe by Ace Hardware that closed.” Orlet said, going on to say he frequented that cafe before it closed. He thought there needed to be a new cafe in the area. That’s how the Abbey was born, or rather founded.

“It’s a family effort,” said Orlet, who is the youngest of ten. He has three sisters and an uncle who work at the cafe.

“We tried to build an atmosphere of service and coffee is secondary,” Orlet said. Walking into The Abbey, which now sits on Belleville’s West Main next to Commerce Bank, you can see that this isn’t just a business for Orlet. Nor for the members of his family and his employees that give us that daily dose of caffeine we need to get going. Plus The Abbey uses fair trade beans for some of their coffee which pays the bean farmers a just wage and Orlet said it’s just the right thing to do.

Orlet purchased the current site from the Oblate priests who he said didn’t necessarily want to sell the land, “But to the right person, we might,” Orlet said.

Joe Orlet poses with his nephew and the owner of The Abbey, Jim Orlet, at the end of the lunch rush. During their lunch or dinner rush hours, you can find both Joe and Jim on the floor serving customers.

Orlet broke ground in 2012. He said he hadn’t planned on building a new place for The Abbey. But he couldn’t grow Volland and Boyer are more focused on the music; they’re not worried about in his old building in The Arcades. being rockstars. Which not only speaks to them as musicians, but fits The Abbey While numerous customers say The Abbey’s coffee and food are perfectly. exquisite none of them seem to come here just for that. “It’s nice and friendly, you The Abbey hosts special events and they are making plans to host a few feel like you belong,” said Annabelle Gillespie. She was returning to The Abbey more in 2014; such as wine tasting or having the Old Salt Union return for anfor her second time. “The atmosphere, it’s relaxing,” said Tony Lepkowski, who other show. They will also be booking more private events on Saturday evenings. was a first time customer.

But before the they ring in the New Year there will be a Christmas movie night Unlike some of the more corporate cafes, The Abbey is deeply rooted in on December 15, starting at 6:30 pm. Both the community of Belleville. Orlet has music “Christmas Vacation” and “It’s a Wonderful nights every Thursday, Friday, and Saturday Life” will be shown. There will be popcorn for where local musicians can come and play. In kids and small adult plates available during the addition to Singer/Songwriter Thursdays, Jazz show.

Fridays, or their special event Saturdays, Orlet Looking back on it all, Orlet took a is open to most kinds of music. “Quality moment and said, “I never thought I could live musicians,” as Orlet put it, is definably what off making coffee.” He laughed for a moment, makes the music nights a success.

“My favorite part... The customers. Seeing On November 22, Kelly these people every day.”

Volland and Tony Boyer of “BVD” played an acoustic set at The Abbey, which was well received by the crowd in a packed house. “The band is awesome,” said Linda Rhein, a first What: The Abbey time customer, who sat at a table just a few Where: 5801 West Main, Belleville feet from the small stage with Lepkowskie.

When: Seven Days a Week “It’s nice to just put songs to an acoustic guitar,” said Boyer, and Volland added, “We get People sing along with Kelly Volland and Tony Boyer, not pictured, as Contact: 618-277-8373 to see the crowd, and talk about the songs.” http://www.thebellevilleabbey.com/ they play their acoustic set for The Abbey’s Friday music night.

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December Calendar of Events December 1st (Sunday)

December 2013

Aerie’s Winery (Grafton) - Stan Corliss 2pm-6pm Alton Square Mall (Alton) - Dark Horse Art Works Exhibit featuring Barry Clayton, Kerry Ellen, Ken Church, Tiffany JohnsonCade, and Haley M. Freeman; through January 5 American Legion Post 1255 (Belleville) - Wounded Warrior Benefit Meat Shoot; 11am Barnes & Noble (Fairview Heights) - Grinch Day; Children’s Storytime; 11am Belle Clair Fairgrounds (Belleville) - Art and Craft Fall Fair; 10am-4pm Cahokia Mounds State Historic Site (Collinsville) - 10th Annual Fall Indian Market Purchase holiday gift items made by Native American artists and craftpersons; will have jewelry, painting, herbals, weaving, baskets, pottery, bronze work and more. 9am-5pm. Free.

Club 111 (Pontoon Beach) - Crossing Mason; 6pm Columbia City Saloon (Columbia) - Mike Lacey; 3-6pm Downtown (Belleville) - Santa on the Square; Through December 24th Downtown (Millstadt) - Weihnachtsfest Parade; St. Nicholas arrives; begins at noon Dutch Hollow Barn (Belleville) - Every Sunday Jam Session; 7pm Eckert’s (Belleville) - Gingerbread House Workshops; here is your chance to create a beautiful display for the holidays. We provide all of the supplies and the guidance. You provide the creativity! Great for young and old. $14/Gingerbread House. Join us between the hours of 10am and 4pm.

Eckert’s (Belleville) - Join us for Breakfast with Santa on the farm! Reservations are suggested. Breakfast will be provided from 8 am until noon. The meal includes: scrambled eggs, crisp bacon, biscuits and homemade sausage gravy. $15/child; $12/adult.

Eckert’s (Belleville) - Holiday Storytime; Kids will be enjoy hearing the story of the gingerbread man. After the story is over, each child can make a gingerbread craft. Fun for kids of all ages. FREE. Story will be told at 9 am and 11 am in the Garden Center.

Fast Eddie’s Bon Air (Alton) - Acoustic Asylum; 2pm; Ultraviolets; 7pm Gateway Center (Collinsville) - The Great Train Expo; America’s Coast to Coast Train Show; traveling train show featuring operating model railroads, train dealers, collectors, hands-on exhibits, demonstrations and workshops; 10am-4pm Hatheway Hall @ Lewis & Clark College (Godfrey) - The Gothard Sisters; Fierce, fast fiddling and a splash of lively step dancing are only a couple of reasons the Gothard Sisters will make you wish you were Irish; 3-5pm Jacoby Arts Center (Alton) - Holiday Show featuring 22 regional artists; Exhibit continues through January 4.

Jacoby Arts Center (Alton) - Call for Art for January Comic Book Art Exhibit; now through December 20 Lewis & Clark Community College (Godfrey) - Limited 6

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Edition Christmas; 3pm Mike’s Ten Pin (Alton) - Mondinband; 9:30pm-1:30am Mudbugs (Caseyville) - Every Sunday Open Mic Blues Jam; 7-11pm National Shrine of Our Lady of the Snows (Belleville) - Tails, Trails and Twinkles; Canine friends to enjoy a walk through the lights with Scotty leading the way. Enjoy refreshments, music and pet blessings. “Barket” and Expo begins at 4pm; Walk begins at 5:30pm Pop’s (Sauget) - Mike Judy Presents Emilie Autumn; w/ William Control and Davey Suicide; 6:30pm; $20 flat $2 minor surcharge Schatze’s (Belleville) - Karaoke Schmidt Art Center @ SWIC (Belleville) - Arny Nadler’s Gilt, Mel Watkin’s The True Scale of Trees, Sherwin Tibayan’s American Rephotographs, and John M. Goessmann’s Paintings 1993-2003; exhibit runs through December 12th Stagger Inn…Again (Edwardsville) - Open Mic Night

December 2nd (Monday)

Columbia City Saloon (Columbia) - The piano artistry of Pat Joyce; 1-4pm Discovery Garden at LaVista Park (Godfrey) - Garden Workday; 9am–12pm Dunham Hall @ SIUE (Edwardsville) - Singer’s Society; 6pm7pm Dunham Hall Theatre @ SIUE (Edwardsville) - Steel Band Concert; 7:30pm-9:30pm Lewis & Clark Community College (Godfrey) - DJ @ Reid Café’; 11am Pop’s (Sauget) - Clairy Browne & The Bangin’ Rackettes; Mike Judy Presents; w/ The Missouri Lowlifes, TBA; 7pm; $12 advance, $15 day of show, $2 minor surcharge Schatze’s (Belleville) - Karaoke SeVen (Belleville) - Park Avenue Trio every Monday; 8-11pm

December 3rd (Tuesday)

Dunham Hall Theatre @ SIUE (Edwardsville) - Choir Concert; General Admission-$12; Seniors & Under 18 Years-$9; SIUE Students admitted free with ID; 7:30-9:30pm Hemingway’s Zen Garden (O’Fallon) - Celtica; 7:30pm Pitcher’s (Belleville) - Tenacious Trivia; 8pm Public Safety Building (O’Fallon) - O’Fallon Garden Club Annual Holiday Potluck and Wreath Making Party; 6:30pm Schatze’s (Belleville) - Karaoke

December 4th (Wednesday)

Bike Surgeon (Shiloh) - Surgeon Yoga; stretch and relax! All you need is a yoga mat. For all ages and skill levels; 7pm Cigar Inn (Belleville) - Live Jazz, Cigar/Scotch Night Crehan’s Irish Pub (Belleville) - Karaoke Every Wed Dunham Hall Theatre @ SIUE (Edwardsville) - Band Concert; 7:30pm-9:30pm; General Admission-$12; Seniors & Under 18 Years-$9; SIUE Students admitted free with ID Fast Eddie’s Bon Air (Alton) - Scott & Karl; 6pm

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December 2013

7pm

Gateway Center (Collinsville) - Festival of Trees Grappa Growlers (Belleville) - Wine Tasting; 5-7pm Hemingway’s Zen Garden (O’Fallon) - Live Acoustic Music;

Lewis & Clark Community College (Godfrey) - Children’s Concert w/ Alton Symphony Orchestra; @ Hatheway Hall Auditorium; 10am Lincoln Theatre (Belleville) - A Happy Christmas; Mike Williamson & Company in their new holiday show filled with your favorites; 1:30pm Matinee; Group rate $15, Individuals $17; reservations @ 815-229-6852 Mike’s Ten Pin (Alton) - Mondinband; 9:30pm-1:30am Pop’s (Sauget) - Mushroomhead 20th Anniversary Tour; w/ special guests One Eyed Doll, BKC, Ten Story; 6pm; $15 advance, $17 day of show, $2 minor surcharge PSOP/SWIC (Belleville) - Line Dancing; 1:30pm-3pm; 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.

Randy’s Smokehouse (Troy) - Open Mic Jam; 7-11pm Schatze’s (Belleville) - Open Mic; with AfterHours Entertainment & your host Banyon Hanner; 7-11pm Stagger Inn…Again (Edwardsville) - Open Mic Night The Hett @ McKendree College (Lebanon) - “The Sounds of Christmas”; starring Elisabeth Von Trapp and the Carolian Brass, features the beloved music of the von Trapp family (“The Sound of Music”) performed by Maria’s granddaughter and an exceptional brass quintet; 7:30-9pm Wild Country (Collinsville) - The Taping of St. Louis Country With WIL gang, Derrick, Danny, Bo & Judy! Open 7pm-1am; - $5 for everyone, FREE w/ valid College ID! Wood River Roundhouse (Wood River) - Imperial Swing Dance Lessons; 6:30-9pm

December 5th (Thursday)

1:30am

Bubby and Sissy’s (Alton) - Karaoke Dance Party; 9:30pm-

Cigar Inn (Belleville) - Live Jazz Columbia City Saloon (Columbia) - Open Mic Jam Night Facial Rejuvenation (Belleville) - Winter Skin Care Open House 1-8pm Fast Eddie’s Bon Air (Alton) - Radio Star; 7pm Hemingway’s Zen Garden (O’Fallon) - Live Acoustic Music; 7pm Jailhouse Rock (Trenton) - Class Act Karaoke Lovejoy Library @ SIUE (Edwardsville) - Dr. Marc Schapman, Faculty Voice Recital; 7:30-9pm Pop’s (Sauget) - Psychostick & Axe Murder Boyz; presented by The Beard w/ Conquer As They Come, John Boi, Candy Coated Evil, & Freakz R Us; 6:30pm; $13 advance, $15 day of show, $2 minor surcharge Schatze’s (Belleville) - Bike Night with Live Music Schmidt Art Center @ SWIC (Belleville) - SWIC Guitar

Ensemble; 7-8pm Silver Creek Saloon & Grill (Belleville) - Well Hungarians; Every Thursday Night The Abbey (Belleville) - Singer/Songwriter Thursday; Every Thursday night from 7-10pm Stagger Inn…Again (Edwardsville) - Live Music Wild Country (Collinsville) - Free Dance Lessons w/ Joyce Warren; 7:30-10pm

December 6th (Friday)

Barnes & Noble (Fairview Heights) - Polar Express Storytime; Children’s Event; 7pm Bee Hollow Market (Mascoutah) - Wine Tasting; In conjunction with Miracle on Main Lighted Christmas Parade; 4-9pm Belle Clair Fairgrounds (Belleville) - Edwardsville Illinois Kennel Club annual all breed dog show Benjamin Godfrey Memorial Chapel (Godfrey) - Sounds Of South America & Spain presented by Lewis & Clark Music Department; 7pm CeLeen Gallery and Gifts (Belleville) - Art After Five; A monthly art “happening” in Downtown Belleville; 5-8pm Cigar Inn (Belleville) - Live Jazz Club Escapade (Belleville) - Art After Five; A monthly art “happening” in Downtown Belleville; 5-8pm Columbia City Saloon (Columbia) - Live Music; 9pm Crehan’s Irish Pub (Belleville) - Live Music Downtown (Belleville) - Art After Five every First Friday; A monthly art “happening” in Downtown Belleville. This month: Sole Survivor Gallery, Club Escapade, CeLeen Gallery and Gifts, Grimm and Gorly Florist, La Sweet Caffe, Local Lucy, Pairabelles at Rising Star, Peachy Yogurt Bar and other venues; Map provided at Sole Survivor Gallery; See individual listing above and below; 5-8pm Downtown (Mascoutah) - Miracle on Main Lighted Christmas Parade; Experience the Magic of Mascoutah with the annual Lighted Christmas Parade. Starts at 6pm Eckert’s (Belleville) - Join us for breakfast with Santa on the farm at dinner-time! The event is exactly like our traditional Breakfast with Santa...just at night! Reservations are suggested. Breakfast will be provided from5pm - 8pm. The meal includes: scrambled eggs, crisp

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December Calendar of Events

December 2013

bacon, biscuits and homemade sausage gravy. $15/child; $12/adult.

Fast Eddie’s Bon Air (Alton) - Spin the Bottle; 8pm Gateway Center (Collinsville) - Madrigal Dinner Theater; a spectacular gourmet holiday banquet set in Medieval times. Hosted by a King & Queen and members of the Royal Court - singers, dancers, tumblers, non-singing comic roles (jesters,) a royal storyteller, jugglers, serving wenches and stewards and generally a batch of mischievous children - young princes and princesses. The banquet courses are served during the show. It is an incredibly fun event for both the audience and the cast! 4-9pm Grimm and Gorly Florist (Belleville) - Art After Five; A monthly art “happening” in Downtown Belleville; a variety of local arts, fine crafts and florals; 5-8pm Hemingway’s Zen Garden (O’Fallon) - Live Acoustic Music; 7pm Jailhouse Rock (Trenton) - Class Act Karaoke La Sweet Caffe (Belleville) - Art After Five; A monthly art “happening” in Downtown Belleville. Featuring a rotating selection of French and local fine art; 5-8pm Lewis & Clark Community College (Godfrey) - KSHE/ American Red Cross Blood Drive; 10am Lewis & Clark Community College (Godfrey) - Sounds of South America & Spain; 7pm; Lilly’s Lounge (Alton) - Karaoke Local Lucy’s (Belleville) - Art After Five; A monthly art “happening” in Downtown Belleville; 5-8pm Lovejoy Library @ SIUE (Edwardsville) - Rachel Cange, Senior Voice Recital; 5:30-6:30pm Mama Gusto’s (Lebanon) - Rogers and Nienhaus; 7-11pm Pairabelles at Rising Star (Belleville) - Art After Five; A monthly art “happening” in Downtown Belleville; Upcycled Collage Art; 5-8pm Papa Vito’s (Belleville) - Ryan Spriggs; 7pm Peachy Yogurt Bar (Belleville) - Art After Five; A monthly art “happening” in Downtown Belleville. Featuring a rotating selection of fine art; 5-8pm Piasa Winery & Pub (Grafton) - Open Mic Night every Friday night from 7-11pm Pop’s (Sauget) - Between The Rivers: Farewell Show w/ The 45, River City Sound, I Have A Bomb, & This Is Our Dance; $3 advance, $5 day of show, $2 minor surcharge; 7pm Sacred Grounds (Edwardsville) - The Gogh-Getters present: Senza Fine, a new series of paintings by Kerry Smith. Opening reception 7-9pm; exhibit continues through February 7.

Salem Community Theatre (Salem) - A Christmas Carol; This classic Dickens holiday show follows Ebenezer Scrooge on his exhilarating and terrifying journey to discover the true meaning of Christmas.

Schatze’s (Belleville) - Live Music Shenanigan’s (Belleville) - DJ or Live Music Silver Creek Saloon & Grill (Belleville) - New Crime Theatre; 9pm-1am 8

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Sole Survivor Gallery (Belleville) - Art After Five; A monthly art “happening” in Downtown Belleville. “The Solo One” New works by Mark Wodarcyzk; plus Steve Rye works in leather; 5-8pm The Abbey (Belleville) - Friday Night Jazz; Every Friday night from 7-10pm Stagger Inn…Again (Edwardsville) - Live Music The Wildey Theatre (Edwardsville) - Winter Concert Series featuring Great Rivers Choral Society; 7pm Union United Methodist Church (Belleville) - US Air Force Band of MidAmerica presents Wishes in Blue; Free concert; 7:30pm

December 7th (Saturday)

Alton Sports Tap (Alton) - Owlz; 8pm-12am American Legion (Mascoutah) - George Portz Winter Bluegrass Concert; George Portz and Friends, Thunder and Lightning Cloggers, Brenda Cook, Cajun music; 7pm Barnes & Noble (Fairview Heights) - Educator Holiday Shopping Event; 9am Barnes & Noble (Fairview Heights) - Downton Abbey Tea Party; 2pm Belle Clair Fairgrounds (Belleville) - Edwardsville Illinois Kennel Club annual all breed dog show; 8am Belle Valley School (Belleville) - Illinois Math & Science Academy Winter Wonder FUNshop BoBeck’s (Waterloo) - Live music with Father Jack; 9pm Chez Marilyn (Alton) - Streetbeat; 8-11pm Cigar Inn (Belleville) - Karaoke Night Columbia City Saloon (Columbia) - Live Music; 9pm Crehan’s Irish Pub (Belleville) - Live Music Downtown (Lebanon) - Hometown Christmas on the Brickstreet Eckert’s (Belleville) - Gingerbread House Workshops; here is your chance to create a beautiful display for the holidays. We provide all of the supplies and the guidance. You provide the creativity! Great for young and old. $14/Gingerbread House. Join us between the hours of 10am and 4pm.

Eckert’s (Belleville) - Join us for Breakfast with Santa on the farm! Reservations are suggested. Breakfast will be provided from 8 am until noon. The meal includes: scrambled eggs, crisp bacon, biscuits and

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December 2013 homemade sausage gravy. $15/child; $12/adult.

Eckert’s (Belleville) - Holiday Storytime; Kids will be enjoy hearing the story of the gingerbread man. After the story is over, each child can make a gingerbread craft. Fun for kids of all ages. FREE. Story will be told at 9 am and 11 am in the Garden Center.

Fast Eddie’s Bon Air (Alton) - Hoosier Daddy’s, 3pm; Spin the Bottle, 8pm Gateway Center (Collinsville) - Madrigal Dinner Theater; a spectacular gourmet holiday banquet set in Medieval times. Hosted by a King & Queen and members of the Royal Court--singers, dancers, tumblers, non-singing comic roles (jesters,) a royal storyteller, jugglers, serving wenches and stewards and generally a batch of mischievous children--young princes and princesses. The banquet courses are served during the show. It is an incredibly fun event for both the audience and the cast! 4-9pm Hemingway’s Zen Garden (O’Fallon) - Live Acoustic Music; 7pm Laurie’s Place (Edwardsville) - Every Sat - Jam Session w/ Mo’ Pleasure; 2-6pm Lewis & Clark Community College (Godfrey) - KSHE/ American Red Cross Blood Drive; 9am Lilly’s Lounge (Alton) - Karaoke Lindenwood University (Belleville) - 2nd Annual Breakfast with Santa; Crafts, Photo with Santa, Breakfast with Santa, Create a letter to Santa, and more; 9-11am Lovejoy Library @ SIUE (Edwardsville) - Doug McCausland, Sr Saxophone Recital; 7:30-8:30pm National Shrine of Our Lady of the Snows (Belleville) - Food Trucks and Fireworks; An evening of family fun. Food trucks are the rage, and almost everyone loves fireworks. Food Truck Vendors include: Steak Louie, The Meltdown, Destination Desserts and Walk Away Waffles. The food trucks from 5:30 - 8:30pm; fireworks begin at 9:30pm No-Jacks Bar & Grill (Smithton) - DJ & Karaoke Every Saturday; 9pm Papa Vito’s (Belleville) - The Funatics; 7pm Phil’s Bar & Grill (Wood River) - Karaoke/DJ; 9pm-2am Pop’s (Sauget) - Dimefest 2013 presented by Pops & The Beard with Cemetery Gatez a tribute to Pantera, Lifer a tribute to Down, Slampig, Shotgun Bayonet; 6:00pm; $8 advance, $10 day of show, $2 minor surcharge Salem Community Theatre (Salem) - A Christmas Carol; This classic Dickens holiday show follows Ebenezer Scrooge on his exhilarating and terrifying journey to discover the true meaning of Christmas.

Schatze’s (Belleville) - Live Music Schmidt Art Center @ SWIC (Belleville) - Creative Kids Art Class: “Printmaking Gift Wrap,” 12:30 p.m.

Schmidt Art Center @ SWIC (Belleville) - Family Workshop: “Make Your Own Pendant Necklace,” 2-4pm SeVen (Belleville) - Pat Liston; 9pm-12am Shenanigan’s (Belleville) - DJ or Live Music

Silver Creek Saloon & Grill (Belleville) - Social Remedy; 9pm-1am Spectators Sports Bar and Grill (Alton) - Country Karaoke; 9pm-1am St Paul’s UCC (Belleville) - Handel’s Messiah, Part I; 30th Anniversary Celebration; 7:30pm Stagger Inn…Again (Edwardsville) - Live Music The Cyclery and Fitness Center (Edwardsville) - Saturday Morning East Side Road Ride; 7am

December 8th (Sunday)

American Legion Post 1255 (Belleville) - Dance Club Meat Shoot; 12pm Belle Clair Fairgrounds (Belleville) - Edwardsville Illinois Kennel Club annual all breed dog show; 8am Club 111 (Pontoon Beach) - Crossing Mason; 6pm Columbia City Saloon (Columbia) - Mike Lacey; 3-6pm Downtown (Lebanon) - Hometown Christmas on the Brickstreet Dunham Hall Theater @ SIUE (Edwardsville) - Suzuki Recital; 2-4pm Dutch Hollow Barn (Belleville) - Every Sunday Jam Session; 7pm Eckert’s (Belleville) - Gingerbread House Workshops; here is your chance to create a beautiful display for the holidays. We provide all of the supplies and the guidance. You provide the creativity! Great for young and old. $14/Gingerbread House. Join us between the hours of 10am and 4pm.

Eckert’s (Belleville) - Join us for Breakfast with Santa on the farm! Reservations are suggested. Breakfast will be provided from 8 am until noon. The meal includes: scrambled eggs, crisp bacon, biscuits and homemade sausage gravy. $15/child; $12/adult.

Eckert’s (Belleville) - Holiday Storytime; Kids will be enjoy hearing the story of the gingerbread man. After the story is over, each child can make a gingerbread craft. Fun for kids of all ages. FREE. Story will be told at 9 am and 11 am in the Garden Center.

Fast Eddie’s Bon Air (Alton) - Scott & Karl, 2pm; Whiskey Dixon, 7pm Jacoby Arts Center (Alton) – LIVE at Jacoby: Sunday

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December Calendar of Events

December 2013

Afternoon Jam Sessions; Bud Shultz, clarinetist and leader of the “You Can’t Beat Experience” Jazz Band, presents a performance opportunity for jazz musicians every 2nd Sunday of the month. Sessions begin at 3pm and run until 6pm. Come listen and dance! Tickets are $12.50 general admission, $10 for seniors and students. Cash bar and beverages will be available.

Lewis & Clark Community College (Godfrey) - Switchback; 2pm Mike’s Ten Pin (Alton) - Mondinband; 9:30pm-1:30am Morris University Art Gallery @ SIUE ( Edwardsville) Saturday Studio Exhibition Reception; 2-4pm Mudbugs (Caseyville) - Every Sunday Open Mic Blues Jam; 7-11pm Salem Community Theatre (Salem) - A Christmas Carol; This classic Dickens holiday show follows Ebenezer Scrooge on his exhilarating and terrifying journey to discover the true meaning of Christmas.

Schatze’s (Belleville) - Karaoke Stagger Inn…Again (Edwardsville) - Open Mic Night

December 9th (Monday)

Columbia City Saloon (Columbia) - The piano artistry of Pat Joyce; 1-4pm Discovery Garden at LaVista Park (Godfrey) - Garden Workday; 9am-12pm Salem Community Theatre (Salem) - A Christmas Carol; This classic Dickens holiday show follows Ebenezer Scrooge on his exhilarating and terrifying journey to discover the true meaning of Christmas.

Schatze’s (Belleville) - Karaoke SeVen (Belleville) - Park Avenue Trio every Monday; 8-11pm Signal Hill Lutheran Church (Belleville) - The Brass Rail Players community theater organization auditions for the metro-east premiere of “Nunsense - The Mega Musical”; 7pm The Hett @ McKendree College (Lebanon) - The United States Air Force Band of MidAmerica; 7:30pm

The Hett @ McKendree College (Lebanon) - The United States Air Force Band of MidAmerica; 7:30pm

December 11th (Wednesday)

Bike Surgeon (Shiloh) - Surgeon Yoga; stretch and relax! All you need is a yoga mat. For all ages and skill levels; 7pm Cigar Inn (Belleville) - Live Jazz, Cigar/Scotch Night Columbia City Saloon (Columbia) - Open Mic Jam Night Crehan’s Irish Pub (Belleville) - Karaoke Every Wed Fast Eddie’s Bon Air (Alton) - Jay & Waylon; 6pm Hemingway’s Zen Garden (O’Fallon) - Live Acoustic Music; 7pm Lewis & Clark Community College (Godfrey) - Christmas Celebration Free Cookies & Milk; 11am Lewis & Clark Community College (Godfrey) - Carols and Stories; 12pm Mike’s Ten Pin (Alton) - Mondinband; 9:30pm-1:30am Pop’s (Sauget) - Stone Temple Pilots with Chester Bennington; 105.7 The Point HoHo Show; $45 flat, $2 minor surcharge; 7pm 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; 1:30-3pm Randy’s Smokehouse (Troy) - Open Mic Jam; 7-11pm Salem Community Theatre (Salem) - A Christmas Carol; This classic Dickens holiday show follows Ebenezer Scrooge on his

December 10th (Tuesday)

Dunham Hall Theater @ SIUE (Edwardsville) - Faculty Percussion Ensemble Concert Dan Smithiger; This is a free event; 7-9pm Hemingway’s Zen Garden (O’Fallon) - Celtica; 7:30pm Gateway Center (Collinsville) - Collinsville Area Women’s Connection; 12:15-2pm; $13 Pitcher’s (Belleville) - Tenacious Trivia; 8pm Salem Community Theatre (Salem) - A Christmas Carol; This classic Dickens holiday show follows Ebenezer Scrooge on his exhilarating and terrifying journey to discover the true meaning of Christmas.

Schatze’s (Belleville) – Karaoke Signal Hill Lutheran Church (Belleville) - The Brass Rail Players community theater organization auditions for the metro-east premiere of “Nunsense - The Mega Musical”; 7pm 10

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December 2013 exhilarating and terrifying journey to discover the true meaning of Christmas.

Schatze’s (Belleville) - Open Mic with AfterHours Entertainment & your host Banyon Hanner; 7-11pm Stagger Inn…Again (Edwardsville) - Open Mic Night Wild Country (Collinsville) - The Taping of St. Louis Country with WIL gang, Derrick, Danny, Bo & Judy! Open 7pm-1am; - $5 for everyone, FREE w/ valid College ID! Wood River Roundhouse (Wood River) - Imperial Swing Dance Lessons; 6:30-9pm

December 12th (Thursday)

Alton Little Theatre (Alton) - A Christmas Pudding (Musical) Holiday Benefit Show; A holiday confection told in song, stories and poems, A Christmas Pudding celebrates the season with lighthearted whimsy and solemn reflection. This collection of Christmas memoires featuring tales by Charles Dickens, Mark Twain, Shakespeare, Emily Dickinson, George Bernard Shaw and more is interwoven with traditional melodies familiar from ages gone by. A Christmas Pudding is a treasury of literary and musical gifts, a true recipe for Christmas celebration. 7:30pm Bubby and Sissy’s (Alton) - Karaoke Dance Party; 9:30pm1:30am Cigar Inn (Belleville) - Live Jazz Fast Eddie’s Bon Air (Alton) - Ultraviolets; 7pm Grappa Growlers (Belleville) - Holiday Beer and Wine Tasting; 5-7pm Hemingway’s Zen Garden (O’Fallon) - Live Acoustic Music; 7pm Jailhouse Rock (Trenton) - Class Act Karaoke Salem Community Theatre (Salem) - A Christmas Carol; This classic Dickens holiday show follows Ebenezer Scrooge on his exhilarating and terrifying journey to discover the true meaning of Christmas.

Schatze’s (Belleville) - Bike Night with Live Music Schmidt Art Center @ SWIC (Belleville) - Gilt, The True Scale of Trees, American Rephotographs, and Paintings; final day for this exhibit Silver Creek Saloon & Grill (Belleville) - Well Hungarians; Every Thursday Night Stagger Inn…Again (Edwardsville) - Live Music The Abbey (Belleville) - Singer/Songwriter Thursday; Every Thursday night from 7-10pm The Wildey Theatre (Edwardsville) - The Bank of Edwardsville presents A Christmas Story; 8pm Wild Country (Collinsville) - Free Dance Lessons w/ Joyce Warren; 7:30-10pm

lighthearted whimsy and solemn reflection. This collection of Christmas memoires featuring tales by Charles Dickens, Mark Twain, Shakespeare, Emily Dickinson, George Bernard Shaw and more is interwoven with traditional melodies familiar from ages gone by. A Christmas Pudding is a treasury of literary and musical gifts, a true recipe for Christmas celebration. 7:30pm Argosy’s Music Hall @ Argosy Casino (Alton) - Marine’s Benefit Toys For Tots starring Steve Davis; Bring a new, unwrapped toy for Toys for Tots and receive one FREE ticket to either show, or purchase a ticket for $10! Steve Davis’ “Memories of Elvis” show makes the King come alive! 8pm Bee Hollow Market (Mascoutah) - French Wines & Chocolate; Sommilier Ted Fuehne will guide you through an outstanding selection of French wines paired with chocolate. 4-7pm Belle Clair Fairgrounds (Belleville) - Holiday Craft Show; 4-8pm Caddy Shack (Caseyville) - Park Avenue Trio; 8pm Chez Marilyn (Alton) - The Owls classic rock; 9pm Cigar Inn (Belleville) - Live Jazz Columbia City Saloon (Columbia) - Live Music; 9pm Crehan’s Irish Pub (Belleville) - Live Music Downtown (Lebanon) - Christmas With Dickens on the Brick Street Eckert’s (Belleville) - Join us for breakfast with Santa on the farm at dinner-time! The event is exactly like our traditional Breakfast with Santa...just at night! Reservations are suggested. Breakfast will be provided from5pm - 8pm. The meal includes: scrambled eggs, crisp ba-

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December 13th (Friday)

Alton Little Theatre (Alton) - A Christmas Pudding (Musical) Holiday Benefit Show; A holiday confection told in song, stories and poems, A Christmas Pudding celebrates the season with StraightUpMagazine.net

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December Calendar of Events

December 2013

con, biscuits and homemade sausage gravy. $15/child; $12/adult.

Fast Eddie’s Bon Air (Alton) - All Mixed Up; 8pm Hemingway’s Zen Garden (O’Fallon) - Live Acoustic Music; 7pm Jailhouse Rock (Trenton) - Class Act Karaoke Lilly’s Lounge (Alton) - Karaoke Looking Glass Playhouse (Lebanon) - Charles Dickens “A Christmas Carol”; 7:30pm Lovejoy Library @ SIUE (Edwardsville) - Claire Kukielski, Violia Recital; 4-4:50pm Papa Vito’s (Belleville) - Ryan Spriggs; 7pm Piasa Winery & Pub (Grafton) - Open Mic Night every Friday night from 7-11:00pm Pop’s (Sauget) - Shooting Star w/ tbd; $15 advance, $15 day of show, $2 minor surcharge; 7pm Salem Community Theatre (Salem) - A Christmas Carol; This classic Dickens holiday show follows Ebenezer Scrooge on his exhilarating and terrifying journey to discover the true meaning of Christmas.

Schatze’s (Belleville) - Live Music Shenanigan’s (Belleville) - DJ or Live Music Silver Creek Saloon & Grill (Belleville) - Bitter Pill; 9pm Stagger Inn…Again (Edwardsville) - Live Music The Abbey (Belleville) - Friday Night Jazz; Every Friday night from 7-10pm Towne Lounge (O’Fallon) - Steve Ewing; 10pm

December 14th (Saturday)

Eckert’s (Belleville) - Gingerbread House Workshops; here is your chance to create a beautiful display for the holidays. We provide all of the supplies and the guidance. You provide the creativity! Great for young and old. $14/Gingerbread House. Join us between the hours of 10am and 4pm.

Eckert’s (Belleville) - Join us for Breakfast with Santa on the farm! Reservations are suggested. Breakfast will be provided from 8 am until noon. The meal includes: scrambled eggs, crisp bacon, biscuits and homemade sausage gravy. $15/child; $12/adult.

Eckert’s (Belleville) - Holiday Storytime; Kids will be enjoy hearing the story of the gingerbread man. After the story is over, each child can make a gingerbread craft. Fun for kids of all ages. FREE. Story will be told at 9 am and 11 am in the Garden Center.

Fast Eddie’s Bon Air (Alton) - Hoosier Daddy’s, 3pm; All Mixed Up, 8pm Gateway Center (Collinsville) - I’ll Be Home For Christmas Elvis Concert; Doors @ 6pm; Show @ 7pm Gateway Center (Collinsville) - Alter Reality Games Gateway Center (Collinsville) - St. Louis Regional Gun & Knife Hemingway’s Zen Garden (O’Fallon) - Live Acoustic Music; 7pm Johnny’s Sidebar (Collinsville) - Pat Liston; 10pm-1am Laurie’s Place (Edwardsville) - Every Sat - Jam Session w/ Mo’ Pleasure; 2-6pm Lewis & Clark Community College (Godfrey) - Music From Santa’s Workshop; 3pm

Alton Little Theatre (Alton) - A Christmas Pudding (Musical) Holiday Benefit Show; A holiday confection told in song, stories and poems, A Christmas Pudding celebrates the season with lighthearted whimsy and solemn reflection. This collection of Christmas memoires featuring tales by Charles Dickens, Mark Twain, Shakespeare, Emily Dickinson, George Bernard Shaw and more is interwoven with traditional melodies familiar from ages gone by. A Christmas Pudding is a treasury of literary and musical gifts, a true recipe for Christmas celebration. 7:30pm Argosy’s Music Hall @ Argosy Casino (Alton) - Marine’s Benefit Toys For Tots starring Steve Davis; Bring a new, unwrapped toy for Toys for Tots and receive one FREE ticket to either show, or purchase a ticket for $10! Steve Davis’ “Memories of Elvis” show makes the King come alive! 7pm Big Daddy’s 618 (Belleville) - 5th Annual Ugly Sweater Party; DJ starting at 9pm Belle Clair Fairgrounds (Belleville) - Holiday Craft Show; 10am-5pm BoBeck’s (Waterloo) - Live music with Vote For Pedro; 9pm Cigar Inn (Belleville) - Karaoke Night Columbia City Saloon (Columbia) - Live Music; 9pm Crehan’s Irish Pub (Belleville) - Live Music Downtown (Lebanon) - Christmas With Dickens on the Brick Street; 12

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December 2013 Lewis & Clark Community College (Godfrey) - “Christmas Memories” Concert; 7pm Lilly’s Lounge (Alton) - Karaoke Looking Glass Playhouse (Lebanon) - Charles Dickens “A Christmas Carol”; 7:30pm No-Jacks Bar & Grill (Smithton) - DJ & Karaoke Every Saturday; 9pm Papa Vito’s (Belleville) - The Funatics; 7pm Phil’s Bar & Grill (Wood River) - Karaoke/DJ; 9pm-2am Salem Community Theatre (Salem) - A Christmas Carol; This classic Dickens holiday show follows Ebenezer Scrooge on his exhilarating and terrifying journey to discover the true meaning of Christmas.

Schatze’s (Belleville) - Live Music Shenanigan’s (Belleville) - DJ or Live Music Silver Creek Saloon & Grill (Belleville) - Borderline; 9pm-1am Spectators Sports Bar and Grill (Alton) - Country Karaoke; 9pm-1am Stagger Inn…Again (Edwardsville) - Live Music The Cyclery and Fitness Center (Edwardsville) - Saturday Morning East Side Road Ride; 7am The Hett @ McKendree University (Lebanon) - Falstaff (Verdi): Met at the Hett; Join a worldwide audience from your “better than front row seat” for the New York Metropolitan Opera’s Emmy award-winning Live in HD series of high-definition simulcast transmissions. Presented with subtitles; $18 adults, $15 seniors, $10 student/child; 12pm The Wildey Theatre (Edwardsville) - The Nutcracker; Turning Point Academy of Dance; 2pm and 7:30pm

December 15th (Sunday)

Alton Little Theatre (Alton) - A Christmas Pudding (Musical) Holiday Benefit Show; A holiday confection told in song, stories and poems, A Christmas Pudding celebrates the season with lighthearted whimsy and solemn reflection. This collection of Christmas memoires featuring tales by Charles Dickens, Mark Twain, Shakespeare, Emily Dickinson, George Bernard Shaw and more is interwoven with traditional melodies familiar from ages gone by. A Christmas Pudding is a treasury of literary and musical gifts, a true recipe for Christmas celebration. 2pm Belle Clair Fairgrounds (Belleville) - Holiday Craft Show; 10am-4pm Club 111 (Pontoon Beach) - Crossing Mason; 6pm Columbia City Saloon (Columbia) - Mike Lacey; 3-6pm Downtown (Lebanon) - Christmas With Dickens on the Brick Street; Dutch Hollow Barn (Belleville) - Every Sunday Jam Session; 7pm Eckert’s (Belleville) - Gingerbread House Workshops; here is your chance to create a beautiful display for the holidays. We provide all of the supplies and the guidance. You provide the creativity! Great for young and old. $14/Gingerbread House. Join us between the hours of 10am and 4pm.

Eckert’s (Belleville) - Join us for Breakfast with Santa on the farm! Reservations are suggested. Breakfast will be provided from 8 am until noon. The meal includes: scrambled eggs, crisp bacon, biscuits and homemade sausage gravy. $15/child; $12/adult.

Eckert’s (Belleville) - Holiday Storytime; Kids will be enjoy hearing the story of the gingerbread man. After the story is over, each child can make a gingerbread craft. Fun for kids of all ages. FREE. Story will be told at 9 am and 11 am in the Garden Center.

Fast Eddie’s Bon Air (Alton) - Hoosier Daddy’s, 2pm; Spin the Bottle, 7pm Gateway Center (Collinsville) - Alter Reality Games Gateway Center (Collinsville) - St. Louis Regional Gun & Knife Jacoby Arts Center (Alton) - Make and Take Gift Fair for Kids; Kids can choose from a wide variety of cool gift items to make for family and friends. We provide the materials and our Santa Elf helpers provide the how-to instructions. 11am-4pm Looking Glass Playhouse (Lebanon) - Charles Dickens “A Christmas Carol”; 2pm and 7:30pm Mike’s Ten Pin (Alton) - Mondinband; 9:30pm-1:30am Mudbugs (Caseyville) - Every Sunday Open Mic Blues Jam; 7-11pm Salem Community Theatre (Salem) - A Christmas Carol; This classic Dickens holiday show follows Ebenezer Scrooge on his exhilarating and terrifying journey to discover the true meaning of Christmas.

Schatze’s (Belleville) - Karaoke Silver Creek Saloon & Grill (Belleville) - Gypsy Jones; 9pm1:30am St. Luke’s Catholic Church (Belleville) - Belleville Philharmonic Chorale; Christmas Wonders; 3pm Stagger Inn…Again (Edwardsville) - Open Mic Night The Wildey Theatre (Edwardsville) - The Nutcracker; Turning Point Academy of Dance; 2pm

December 16th (Monday)

Columbia City Saloon (Columbia) - The piano artistry of Pat Joyce; 1-4pm Discovery Garden at LaVista Park (Godfrey) - Garden Workday; 9am–12pm

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December Calendar of Events

December 2013

Pop’s (Sauget) - 105.7 The Point HoHo Show; Cage The Elephant w/ Special Guest: Foals; $28 adv, $30 dos, $2 minor surcharge; 7pm Schatze’s (Belleville) - Karaoke SeVen (Belleville) - Park Avenue Trio every Monday; 8-11pm

December 17th (Tuesday)

Hemingway’s Zen Garden (O’Fallon) - Celtica; 7:30pm Lewis & Clark Community College (Godfrey) - Music Department Holiday Concert; 7pm Pitcher’s (Belleville) - Tenacious Trivia; 8pm Schatze’s (Belleville) - Karaoke

December 18th (Wednesday)

Bike Surgeon (Shiloh) - Surgeon Yoga; stretch and relax! All you need is a yoga mat. For all ages and skill levels; 7pm Cigar Inn (Belleville) - Live Jazz, Cigar/Scotch Night Columbia City Saloon (Columbia) - Open Mic Jam Night Crehan’s Irish Pub (Belleville) - Karaoke Every Wed Fast Eddie’s Bon Air (Alton) - Scott & Karl; 6pm Grappa Growlers (Belleville) - Beer Tasting; 5-7pm Hemingway’s Zen Garden (O’Fallon) - Live Acoustic Music; 7pm Lewis & Clark Community College (Godfrey) - Dance Demo; 6pm Mike’s Ten Pin (Alton) - Mondinband; 9:30pm-1:30am Pitcher’s Pub (Belleville) - A Special Night of Comedy with Andy Beningo and Aaron Kleiber; 8pm 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. 1:30-3pm Randy’s Smokehouse (Troy) - Open Mic Jam; 7-11pm Schatze’s (Belleville) - Open Mic with AfterHours Entertainment & your host Banyon Hanner; 7-11pm Stagger Inn…Again (Edwardsville) - Open Mic Night Wild Country (Collinsville) - The Taping of St. Louis Country with WIL gang, Derrick, Danny, Bo & Judy! - $5 for everyone, FREE w/ valid College ID! 7pm-1am Wood River Roundhouse (Wood River) - Imperial Swing Dance Lessons; 6:30-9pm

7pm

Jailhouse Rock (Trenton) - Class Act Karaoke Lewis & Clark Community College (Godfrey) - December Performance - College For Life Drama Class 2013; 9:30am Pop’s (Sauget) - X-Mas Juggalo Bash; presented by WhoopX2 & The Beard with Otice, Freakz R Us, Unsolved Homicide, Hazmat FTG, Ill Est., Chainsaw Magavin, POW, Repatalleon, Cash Reap, Proven Effective, Lockdown; Hosted By TRIPLESIX; $10 advance, $12 day of show, $2 minor surcharge; 6:30pm Schatze’s (Belleville) - Bike Night with Live Music Silver Creek Saloon & Grill (Belleville) - Well Hungarians; Every Thursday Night Stagger Inn…Again (Edwardsville) - Live Music The Abbey (Belleville) - Singer/Songwriter Thursday; Every Thursday night from 7-10pm Wild Country (Collinsville) - Free Dance Lessons w/ Joyce Warren; 7:30-10pm

December 20th (Friday)

Cigar Inn (Belleville) - Live Jazz Columbia City Saloon (Columbia) - Live Music; 9pm Crehan’s Irish Pub (Belleville) - Mondinband; 9pm-1am Eckert’s (Belleville) - Join us for breakfast with Santa on the farm at dinner-time! The event is exactly like our traditional Breakfast with Santa...just at night! Reservations are suggested. Breakfast will be

December 19th (Thursday)

1:30am

Bubby and Sissy’s (Alton) - Karaoke Dance Party; 9:30pm-

Cigar Inn (Belleville) - Live Jazz Cahokia Mounds State Historic Site (Cahokia) - Cahokia Archaeological Society Christmas Potluck; Come join the Cahokia Archaeological Society for a Holiday Potluck. 7pm Downtown (Belleville) - Diva Night; Start at Hospice of Southern Illinois; end at Baja Cali; 5-8pm Fast Eddie’s Bon Air (Alton) - Radio Star; 7pm Hemingway’s Zen Garden (O’Fallon) - Live Acoustic Music; 14

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December 2013 provided from5pm - 8pm. The meal includes: scrambled eggs, crisp bacon, biscuits and homemade sausage gravy. $15/child; $12/adult.

Fast Eddie’s Bon Air (Alton) – Featherstone Drive; 8pm Hemingway’s Zen Garden (O’Fallon) - Live Acoustic Music; 7pm Jailhouse Rock (Trenton) - Class Act Karaoke Lilly’s Lounge (Alton) - Karaoke Papa Vito’s (Belleville) - Free Crown Valley Wine Tasting plus Joe Truttman and Ron Wooley Duo; 7pm Piasa Winery & Pub (Grafton) - Open Mic Night every Friday night from 7-11pm Pop’s (Sauget) - 105.7 The Point HoHo Show; Sick Puppies and Switchfoot; $25 adv, $28 dos, $2 minor surcharge; 6:30pm Schatze’s (Belleville) - Live Music Shenanigan’s (Belleville) - DJ or Live Music Silver Creek Saloon & Grill (Belleville) - Whiskey Dixon; 9pm1am Stagger Inn…Again (Edwardsville) - Live Music The Abbey (Belleville) - Friday Night Jazz; Every Friday night from 7-10pm The Wildey Theatre (Edwardsville) – Irving Berlin’s holiday classic film “White Christmas”; complete with a Wildey Christmas Party; 7pm Towne Lounge (O’Fallon) - Blue Fruit Snacks; 9pm

December 21st (Saturday)

Belle Clair Fairgrounds (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. Free admission; 8am-5pm BoBeck’s (Waterloo) - Live music with Hollywood Five; 9pm Chez Marilyn (Alton) - Mondinband; 8pm-12am Cigar Inn (Belleville) - Karaoke Night Columbia City Saloon (Columbia) - Live Music; 9pm Crehan’s Irish Pub (Belleville) - Live Music Eckert’s (Belleville) - Gingerbread House Workshops; here is your chance to create a beautiful display for the holidays. We provide all of the supplies and the guidance. You provide the creativity! Great for young and old. $14/Gingerbread House. Join us between the hours of 10am and 4pm.

Eckert’s (Belleville) - Join us for Breakfast with Santa on the farm! Reservations are suggested. Breakfast will be provided from 8 am until noon. The meal includes: scrambled eggs, crisp bacon, biscuits and homemade sausage gravy. $15/child; $12/adult.

Eckert’s (Belleville) - Holiday Storytime; Kids will be enjoy hearing the story of the gingerbread man. After the story is over, each child can make a gingerbread craft. Fun for kids of all ages. FREE. Story will be told at 9 am and 11 am in the Garden Center.

Fast Eddie’s Bon Air (Alton) - Red Rock; 3pm; Featherstone Drive; 8pm Hemingway’s Zen Garden (O’Fallon) - Live Acoustic Music; 7pm

Laurie’s Place (Edwardsville) - Every Sat - Jam Session w/ Mo’ Pleasure - 2-6pm Lilly’s Lounge (Alton) - Karaoke No-Jacks Bar & Grill (Smithton) - DJ & Karaoke Every Saturday; 9pm Papa Vito’s (Belleville) - Ryan Spriggs; 7pm Phil’s Bar & Grill (Wood River) - Karaoke/DJ; 9pm-2am Schatze’s (Belleville) - Live Music Shenanigan’s (Belleville) - DJ or Live Music Silver Creek Saloon & Grill (Belleville) - Twisted Road; 9pm1am Spectators Sports Bar and Grill (Alton) - Country Karaoke; 9pm-1am Stagger Inn…Again (Edwardsville) - Live Music The Cyclery and Fitness Center (Edwardsville) - Saturday Morning East Side Road Ride; 7am

December 22nd (Sunday)

Belle Clair Fairgrounds (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. Free admission; 8am-5pm Cahokia Mounds State Historic Site (Cahokia) - Winter Solstice Observance; Meet at the reconstructed Woodhenge. Arrive by 6:50am to hear an explanation of the discovery, form and function of this ancient post circle calendar. Free Club 111 (Pontoon Beach) - Crossing Mason; 6pm Columbia City Saloon (Columbia) - Mike Lacey; 3-6pm Dutch Hollow Barn (Belleville) - Every Sunday Jam Session; 7pm Eckert’s (Belleville) - Gingerbread House Workshops; here is your chance to create a beautiful display for the holidays. We provide all of the supplies and the guidance. You provide the creativity! Great for young and old. $14/Gingerbread House. Join us between the hours of 10am and 4pm.

Eckert’s (Belleville) - Join us for Breakfast with Santa on the farm! Reservations are suggested. Breakfast will be provided from 8 am until noon. The meal includes: scrambled eggs, crisp bacon, biscuits and homemade sausage gravy. $15/child; $12/adult.

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December Calendar of Events

December 2013

Eckert’s (Belleville) - Holiday Storytime; Kids will be enjoy hearing the story of the gingerbread man. After the story is over, each child can make a gingerbread craft. Fun for kids of all ages. FREE. Story will be told at 9 am and 11 am in the Garden Center.

Fast Eddie’s Bon Air (Alton) - Red Rock, 2pm; Ultraviolets, 7pm Mike’s Ten Pin (Alton) - Mondinband; 9:30pm-1:30am Mudbugs (Caseyville) - Every Sunday Open Mic Blues Jam; 7-11pm Schatze’s (Belleville) - Karaoke Stagger Inn…Again (Edwardsville) - Open Mic Night

December 23rd (Monday)

Columbia City Saloon (Columbia) - The piano artistry of Pat Joyce; 1-4pm Discovery Garden at LaVista Park (Godfrey) - Garden Workday; 9am-12pm Schatze’s (Belleville) - Karaoke SeVen (Belleville) - Park Avenue Trio every Monday; 8-11pm

December 24th (Tuesday)

Hemingway’s Zen Garden (O’Fallon) - Celtica; 7:30pm Pitcher’s (Belleville) - Tenacious Trivia; 8pm Schatze’s (Belleville) - Karaoke

December 25th (Wednesday)

Cigar Inn (Belleville) - Live Jazz, Cigar/Scotch Night Crehan’s Irish Pub (Belleville) - Karaoke Every Wed Mike’s Ten Pin (Alton) - Mondinband; 9:30pm-1:30am Schatze’s (Belleville) - Open Mic with AfterHours Entertainment & your host Banyon Hanner; 7-11pm Stagger Inn…Again (Edwardsville) - Open Mic Night Wild Country (Collinsville) - The Taping of St. Louis Country with WIL gang, Derrick, Danny, Bo & Judy! $5 for everyone, FREE w/ valid College ID! 7pm-1am Wood River Roundhouse (Wood River) - Imperial Swing Dance Lessons; 6:30-9pm

December 26th (Thursday)

1:30am

7pm

Bubby and Sissy’s (Alton) - Karaoke Dance Party; 9:30pm-

Warren; 7:30-10pm

December 27th (Friday)

7pm

Cigar Inn (Belleville) - Live Jazz Columbia City Saloon (Columbia) - Live Music; 9pm Crehan’s Irish Pub (Belleville) - Live Music Fast Eddie’s Bon Air (Alton) – Ultraviolets; 8pm Hemingway’s Zen Garden (O’Fallon) - Live Acoustic Music;

Jailhouse Rock (Trenton) - Class Act Karaoke Lilly’s Lounge (Alton) – Karaoke Papa Vito’s (Belleville) - Joe Truttman and Ron Wooley; 7pm Piasa Winery & Pub (Grafton) - Open Mic Night every Friday night from 7-11pm Schatze’s (Belleville) - Live Music Shenanigan’s (Belleville) - DJ or Live Music Silver Creek Saloon & Grill (Belleville) - Rough Riders; 9pm1am Stagger Inn…Again (Edwardsville) - Live Music The Abbey (Belleville) - Friday Night Jazz; Every Friday night from 7-10pm The Weingarten (Belleville) - Park Avenue Trio; 6pm The Wildey Theatre (Edwardsville) - An Evening of Acoustic Music featuring local youth bands; The Wildey Theatre and Jimmy G Productions presents An Evening of Acoustic Music featuring

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Cigar Inn (Belleville) - Live Jazz Fast Eddie’s Bon Air (Alton) - Wherehouse Project; 7pm Hemingway’s Zen Garden (O’Fallon) - Live Acoustic Music;

Jailhouse Rock (Trenton) - Class Act Karaoke Schatze’s (Belleville) - Bike Night with Live Music Silver Creek Saloon & Grill (Belleville) - Well Hungarians; Every Thursday Night Stagger Inn…Again (Edwardsville) - Live Music The Abbey (Belleville) - Singer/Songwriter Thursday; Every Thursday night from 7-10pm Wild Country (Collinsville) - Free Dance Lessons w/ Joyce 16

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December 2013 Happenstance, Something About Sunday and Fairside Banner. This is an opportunity to see young talent unplugged during the holiday season.

This is a must see show that showcases young artist in a family friendly environment. 7pm Towne Lounge (O’Fallon) - Hill Williams; 8pm

December 28th (Saturday)

Belle Clair Expo Center (Belleville) - A Tribute to Elvis Presley starring Bill Cherry, Live in Concert. Plus Reba McEntire tribute artist Cheryl Crenshaw. Plus The ExSpence Account Show Band direct from Grace Land. The ultimate Elvis and Reba Las Vegas Style Show. One night only. Cocktails and food available. Doors at 6pm. Show at 7pm BoBeck’s (Waterloo) - Pre-New Year’s Party with Out Of Focus; 9pm Cigar Inn (Belleville) - Karaoke Night Columbia City Saloon (Columbia) - Live Music; 9pm Crehan’s Irish Pub (Belleville) - Live Music Doc Holiday’s (Alton) - Down Pour; 9pm Fast Eddie’s Bon Air (Alton) - Acoustic Asylum, 3pm; Ultraviolets, 8pm Hemingway’s Zen Garden (O’Fallon) - Live Acoustic Music; 7pm Laurie’s Place (Edwardsville) - Every Sat - Jam Session w/ Mo’ Pleasure; 2-6pm Lilly’s Lounge (Alton) - Karaoke No-Jacks Bar & Grill (Smithton) - DJ & Karaoke Every Saturday; 9pm Papa Vito’s (Belleville) - Billy Barnett; 7pm Phil’s Bar & Grill (Wood River) - Karaoke/DJ; 9pm-2am Pop’s (Sauget) - Make Me Break Me X-Mas; presented by The Beard Productions; with Make Me Break Me, Break These Walls, Trayswyre, Burning Down Oceans , Playing In Traffic, TBA; $5 advance, $8 day of show, $2 minor surcharge; 6:30pm Schatze’s (Belleville) - Live Music Shenanigan’s (Belleville) - DJ or Live Music Silver Creek Saloon & Grill (Belleville) - Hicktown; 9pm-1am Spectators Sports Bar and Grill (Alton) - Country Karaoke; 9pm-1am Stagger Inn…Again (Edwardsville) - Live Music The Cyclery and Fitness Center (Edwardsville) - Saturday Morning East Side Road Ride; 7am

Schatze’s (Belleville) - Karaoke Stagger Inn…Again (Edwardsville) - Open Mic Night Towne Lounge (O’Fallon) - Mr T and the Houseshakers; every last Sunday; 4pm

December 30th (Monday)

Columbia City Saloon (Columbia) - The piano artistry of Pat Joyce; 1-4pm Discovery Garden at LaVista Park (Godfrey) - Garden Workday; 9am–12pm Schatze’s (Belleville) - Karaoke SeVen (Belleville) - Park Avenue Trio every Monday; 8-11pm

December 31st (Tuesday) NEW YEAR’S EVE

Hemingway’s Zen Garden (O’Fallon) - Celtica; 7:30pm Jacoby Arts Center (Alton) - New Years Eve Party - Back by popular demand! Celebrate New Year’s Eve and dance the night away.

Featuring the music of Nightlife. Classic Rock, Oldies, Motown. $40 Couples; $20 Individual; 9pm-1am Jailhouse Rock (Trenton) - New Year’s Eve Party ! Jeff ‘Elvis’ Caldwell; Accompanied by Vinyl Frontier Band; Free admission for all with great music and Elvis show... we’ll serve appetizers and you are invited to bring some too! Toast to ring in the New Year!! 9pm Pitcher’s (Belleville) - Tenacious Trivia; 8pm Schatze’s (Belleville) - Karaoke Silver Creek Saloon & Grill (Belleville) - New Year’s Eve with Social Remedy; 9pm The Wildey Theatre (Edwardsville) - A Rock and Roll New Year’s Eve Party featuring the Robert Perry Band with the Original Mojos; doors open at 7pm

January 1st

(Wednesday)

Cigar Inn (Belleville) - Live Jazz, Cigar/Scotch Night

Columbia City Saloon (Columbia) - Open Mic Jam Night Crehan’s Irish Pub (Belleville) - Karaoke Every Wed Hemingway’s Zen Garden (O’Fallon) - Live Acoustic Music;

December 29th (Sunday)

7pm 8pm

Club 111 (Pontoon Beach) - Crossing Mason; 6pm Columbia City Saloon (Columbia) - Mike Lacey; 3-6pm Dutch Hollow Barn (Belleville) - Every Sunday Jam Session; Fast Eddie’s Bon Air (Alton) - Scott & Karl, 2pm; Radio Star,

Mike’s Ten Pin (Alton) - Mondinband; 9:30pm-1:30am Mudbugs (Caseyville) - Every Sunday Open Mic Blues Jam; 7-11pm StraightUpMagazine.net

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December Calendar of Events

December 2013

7pm

Jacoby Arts Center (Alton) - Call for Art for March Graffiti Art Exhibit; now through March 1 Mike’s Ten Pin (Alton) - Mondinband; 9:30pm-1:30am 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. 1:30-3pm Randy’s Smokehouse (Troy) - Open Mic Jam; 7-11pm Schatze’s (Belleville) - Open Mic with AfterHours Entertainment & your host Banyon Hanner; 7-11pm Stagger Inn…Again (Edwardsville) - Open Mic Night Wild Country (Collinsville) - The Taping of St. Louis Country with WIL gang, Derrick, Danny, Bo & Judy! $5 for everyone, FREE w/ valid College ID! 7pm-1am Wood River Roundhouse (Wood River) - Imperial Swing Dance Lessons; 6:30-9pm

January 2nd (Thursday)

1:30am 7pm

Bubby and Sissy’s (Alton) - Karaoke Dance Party; 9:30pmCigar Inn (Belleville) - Live Jazz Hemingway’s Zen Garden (O’Fallon) - Live Acoustic Music;

The Wildey Theatre (Edwardsville) - The Ozark Mountain Daredevils; 8pm

January 4th (Saturday)

Cigar Inn (Belleville) - Karaoke Night Columbia City Saloon (Columbia) - Live Music; 9pm Crehan’s Irish Pub (Belleville) - Live Music Gateway Center (Collinsville) - Let’s Go Fishing Show; Adults:$7, Ages 6-15: $3.50, Ages 5 and under: Free. 9am-4pm Hemingway’s Zen Garden (O’Fallon) - Live Acoustic Music; 7pm Laurie’s Place (Edwardsville) - Every Sat - Jam Session w/ Mo’ Pleasure; 2-6pm Lilly’s Lounge (Alton) - Karaoke No-Jacks Bar & Grill (Smithton) - DJ & Karaoke Every Saturday; 9pm Phil’s Bar & Grill (Wood River) - Karaoke/DJ; 9pm-2am Schatze’s (Belleville) - Live Music Shenanigan’s (Belleville) - DJ or Live Music Spectators Sports Bar and Grill (Alton) - Country Karaoke; 9pm-1am Stagger Inn…Again (Edwardsville) - Live Music

Jailhouse Rock (Trenton) - Class Act Karaoke Schatze’s (Belleville) - Bike Night with Live Music Silver Creek Saloon & Grill (Belleville) - Well Hungarians; Every Thursday Night Stagger Inn…Again (Edwardsville) - Live Music The Abbey (Belleville) - Singer/Songwriter Thursday; Every Thursday night from 7-10pm Wild Country (Collinsville) - Free Dance Lessons w/ Joyce Warren; 7:30-10pm

January 3rd (Friday)

Cigar Inn (Belleville) - Live Jazz Columbia City Saloon (Columbia) - Live Music; 9pm Crehan’s Irish Pub (Belleville) - Live Music Gateway Center (Collinsville) - Let’s Go Fishing Show; Adults:$7, Age 60+:$5, ages 6-15: $3.50, Ages 5 and under: Free. 11am9pm Hemingway’s Zen Garden (O’Fallon) - Live Acoustic Music; 7pm Jailhouse Rock (Trenton) - Class Act Karaoke Lilly’s Lounge (Alton) - Karaoke Piasa Winery & Pub (Grafton) - Open Mic Night every Friday night from 7-11pm Schatze’s (Belleville) - Live Music Shenanigan’s (Belleville) - DJ or Live Music Stagger Inn…Again (Edwardsville) - Live Music The Abbey (Belleville) - Friday Night Jazz; Every Friday night from 7-10pm 18

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Culture

December 2013

This Land Is Your Land: Belleville’s Bicentennial Park

by Dan Cross

When I moved to Belleville in 1996 (after growing up in Minneapolis, a city famous for its beautiful lakes and parks), one of the things that surprised me most about the Metro East was the scarcity of public land and parks suitable for hiking and biking.

I remember walking through the brush along Richland Creek between Illinois Street and Route 161 (trespassing, actually, back then) and wondering why it had never occurred to the city to build trails there.

Lakes and wetlands with public access were even rarer. The few that existed were privately owned, either by wealthy individuals or sportsmen’s clubs who charged money for access. The dismal lack of parks was a major reason why I never saw myself settling here for good.

Seventeen years later, I’m still here, and glad about that, because the park system in Belleville has undergone an amazing transformation. Since I moved here, the city has paved bike trails along Richland Creek all the way from Southside Park to Centennial Park on Rt. 161, and the Metro BikeLink Trail now runs nearly 13 miles along the MetroLink from Memorial Hospital to SWIC, with more miles planned. The Skate Park is open and thriving, sculptures have been installed all over town, and now, Belleville has a fantastic new addition to its park system: Bicentennial Park.

The 43-acre park was once a pay-to-fish operation called the Angler’s Club, which fell into disrepair and was eventually abandoned. The clubhouse was destroyed by fire in 2008. The City of Belleville purchased the land in 2009 for a cool million dollars, well above the assessed value for the land, causing much controversy among the anti-tax crowd. The city has spent another 1.1 million (almost half of that from grants and donations) to develop the park, which now includes a playground, a gazebo, modern restrooms, a wheelchair-accessible fishing dock, and aerators to improve the water quality in two of the five ponds. Another fun feature of the park is the large,

windblown “kinetic” sculpture called “Whimsical Palm” by perennial Art on the Square favorite, Andrew Carson.

Some critics think it has been a waste of money, calling the place “a swamp pit”. But another name for swamp, of course, is “wetland”—widely accepted as one of the world’s most diverse and endangered ecosystems.

And it is true that Bicentennial Park contains a lot of this wetland. Stroll past the ponds on a summer evening and you will hear a spectacular chorus of frogs. Along with fish (which you can now pursue for free, if you have a license), the park is home to turtles, herons, deer, raccoons, even an active colony of beavers, which have built dams in one of the more remote parts of the park.

So, however you feel about the use “Whimsical Palm” kinetic sculpture by Andrew Carson of your tax money to pay for such a place, it is now your land. So go check it out. Even in the colder months, it is a wonderful place to walk, with lots of broad, leafy trails through the woods and along the marshes. In the winter, you don’t need to worry about ticks, chiggers, or poison ivy, so this is an ideal time to do some bushwhacking and see what you can discover.

Bicentennial Park is located just off the newly constructed South 17th Street/Belleville Crossing corridor between South Belt and the Oliver Joseph Dealership on Highway 15.

Belleville Bicentennial Park at 4811 Belleville Beaver dam Crossing. Open 6am-10pm daily.

Raccoon tracks

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Culture

December 2013

To Tree or Not to Tree

by Brenton Ebersole

It is the holiday season and the time for putting out all the traditional decorations is upon us. Arguably, the most recognized icon in the western world’s Christmas is the evergreen Christmas tree, decorated with lights and ornaments. One great question needs to be brought to light: have you ever considered the cost on our Mother Earth’s resources to create these trees?

Plastic trees are popular because they can be packed away well until it’s time to decorate for next season. They do not, however, last forever.

They become brittle or fade in attics after some years and need to be replaced. This in mind, they are not the lasting, clean, time proof alternative they have been presented to be. Once they need to be discarded, they will not biodegrade for many years and will leach chemicals into our land and watersheds. With no substantial recycling programs in place, these become quite large additions to a landfill.

Believe it or not, cut trees can arguably be an even greater impact on our world. Their lifetime before harvest depends upon many factors including the species grown, the weather and the desired size. Most of the trees marketed today in Illinois range from five to eight feet in height. To produce an average size scotch or white pine takes about eight or nine years of care. Spruce trees, the most popularly cut species, can take up to an astounding eleven years to reach standard size!

The effort involved in planting, fertilizing, watering, pruning, shaping, harvesting, transporting and selling these cut trees is really astounding. The impact, ecologically and agriculturally, is astronomical. Each year, Americans alone cut over thirty million mature trees to keep them for less than two months. Imagine the benefit if some of these trees were left rooted; how much oxygen a million evergreens produce and how much water could they retain and disperse in flood prone areas.

A progressive alternative method to consider is a live, potted evergreen tree. These trees get to spend the holiday season being the center of attention and a part of the festivities. The tree then gets to live on - spruce trees can survive for over a hundred years planted in the right conditions.

You can keep the tree as a new part of the family and plant it in your yard.

Over the holidays and through the years, a home could eventually have their own stand of Christmas memories. There are also programs to donate them to be planted as part of water shed relief efforts.

Another fun, fresh concept to consider is to make an upcycled tree.

With a little imagination, any piece of a tree of any species can be put into a traditional Christmas tree stand and be beautifully decorated for the holiday season. With some tinsel, popcorn, lights, ornaments and a bit of creative vision, one can take pride in putting a refreshing new take on the holiday season. Since most of the materials are gathered or purchased as wasted or broken items, the cost is quite lower than buying a cut or artificial tree.

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Good choices for creating an upcycled tree include any living, already damaged limb - a cutting taken where the specimen is growing in a poor shape or a bad direction. Even bare, clean, dead branches with good shape or whole, dead, sapling trees can look quite beautiful.

These trees leave plenty of room for decorations, which can be upcycled creations as well!

If you do already have or will still want a cut tree, after the holidays, it can be moved outside and be redecorated for the wild bird friends around your yard. To place outdoors, either dig a shallow hole and repack the earth around the tree’s trunk or anchor the tree in a bucket full of damp sand sufficiently large and heavy enough to keep the tree up right. Stakes could be added for extra support in windy areas.

Decoration possibilities are limited only by your imagination. Examples include draping the branches with strings of popcorn and cranberries. Fruit, leftover bread items and pine cones covered with peanut butter or honey then dipped in birdseed or grains can also be added. For best results, push theses edible ornaments well into the tree’s structure. For weeks to come, enjoy watching the birds enjoy their belated Christmas present.

Traditions are wonderful. They can, however, be changed when adaptation is needed. The ecological impact of Christmas tree agricultural production that could better be spend on organic food production is a pressing call for reform. Embrace the change and help the holidays grow more sustainable and enjoyable for generations to come.

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Comics

December 2013

Follow Str8Up on Facebook for daily updates on the arts, music and culture of the Metro East...

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Submissions

December 2013

Mark Polege Mark’s interest in photography began shortly after his family relocated to St.Louis’ Concordia Seminary neighborhood where his father studied to become a Lutheran minister in the mid 1980’s. While spending alot of time on the campus with its gothic buildings, Mark learned a deep appreciation for architecture.

After lying dormant for more than 10 years, Mark’s interest in photography took on a whole new artistic breath with his move to rural, southeastern North Dakota. From 1998 to 2004 he spent the next 6 years combing back roads in search of abandoned farms and forgotten places, recording them on 35mm film. What began as a documentation of places found turned into a passion for shape, texture, and shadow...all captured in timeless black & white. Mark then returned to the St.Louis region, this time landing in the Metro-East in 2004.

Some of Mark’s North Dakota collection appeared in coffeehouses and galleries on both sides of the river from 2006 to 2008. Mainly known for his black & whites, Mark’s work has grown into vibrant color, while maintaining his compositional basis in the roots of his black & whites.

See Mark’s work, visit his website at: PhotographyofMarkPolege.com

See his newest work on his Facebook page at: Facebook.com/ PhotographyofMarkPolege

“Dark Alley”

Brooke Lobb I am from Troy, Illinois and am currently residing in St. Louis. My days are spent working for a disability rights and advocacy agency in Alton. By night, I am a starved artist soul, finding a creative outlet in many aspects, particularly focusing on writings and visual art. My free time and days off are spent as a house artist and co-owner of Concrete Ocean Art Gallery in St. Louis whereat most of my work is inspired and created. I prefer the short, existential and sometimes vague style my writing mostly portrays and I have an undying respect for the unpredictability and transparency of watercolors.

Contact information: lobb.brooke@yahoo.com; 618-972-2686

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December 2013 Brooke Lobb (cont.)

“Sinceri-Tea”

by Brooke N. Lobb The girl wakes up and she gets dressed and she’s gone about her day, running errands, whatnot. And when she gets back it’s the early evening and mail’s come in and there’s a couple of bills and a letter from a friend of hers, a postcard and a small brown box. She thinks it’s curious, she usually knows when to expect boxes; they’re usually something she’s ordered and is excited about, anticipating, impatient for days or weeks. She loves opening boxes and usually does that first apart from the rest of the mail.

This day is no exception except of course that she hasn’t been anticipating this box. So she doesn’t even go inside, she stands on the porch and she begins to open the box, but she needs a knife she quickly realizes so she opens the front door and walks to the kitchen and gets a knife from the block on the counter and begins cutting through the tape that’s bent and stretched from her pulling but wouldn’t give. She cuts through and pulls the flaps open.

There’s another box inside. She pulls it out. It’s a box of tea. It’s not a brand she’s heard of before. It’s called Especial-Tea For You. It’s just a brown box and the name of it is handwritten and it’s missing all nutritional facts.

She sits down at her kitchen table and opens it up and takes a bag out, her finger grazing the string to the paper tab which also has something written on it: Agili-tea — that time we played twister at a house warming party.

Her eyebrows knit closer together. She picked out another one: Dependibili-tea — a trait that I should have exhibited more often and… her lips parted.

She picked out another one: Hypersensitivi-tea — you have never ever been that way; I cringe thinking how I said you were.

She picked out another and another and another: Immovabili-tea — that’s me, for you. Brevitea — I am so sorry.

Fertili-tea — I still believe we could make the healthiest, loved, babies too.

Until there was only one left. The others were in an untidy heap outside of the box. Her right hand, holding the final one up, was trembling. Her left hand, over her mouth, was wet with tears. She read the last tea bag’s tab: Honest-tea — I can be very wrong. I always miss you when you’re gone.

I am sorry and I promise this is not an empty gesture.

“Under My Umbrella”

Str8 Up Magazine is accepting submissions of artwork, photography, poetry, creative writing, etc. for possible publication in print and on the web. To have your work considered, send hard copy or disc to P.O. Box 412 in Belleville, IL 62222. Digital submissions should be 300dpi and can be e-mailed to editor@straightupmagazine.net.

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December 2013

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