Attention, St. Louis. I'm bored. In a rut. Have spring fever. You can help.

By Annie Zaleski Tue., Apr. 29 2008 at 10:23 AM

Categories: This Just In

St. Louis, I have a confession to make: Lately I've felt restless. Bored. In a rut. Perhaps this is spring fever talking -- although the heat I have to blast at home to stay warm begs to differ. (It's almost May. Why am I still wearing sweaters?) Either way, the whys and wherefores of my moods are beside the point.

aBut I am looking for the shock of the new, as it were. (Click on the link; it's an obscure new-wave song by Trees I love; I'll post the MP3 of it below.) What bands should I go to see? What places should I go to find new musical gems of all stripes? Are there any music stores, news nuggets or general community goings-on that I'm missing?

I'm being totally serious. I feel like I'm wearing a well-worn tread to the same places and seeing the same people. Give me some new places, people and sounds to experience. I'm all ears. Post in the comments what I should be seeing and doing, and where I should be going.

-- Annie Zaleski

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bored, help!, in a rut, shock of the new, st. louis, trees

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william.elliott.whitmore.
Or a <i>free</i> show.
The Billiken Club is featuring a fee show with Caribou Thursday evening.
Crown Candy? You BEST be gettin' a m'f'n' BLT, bia! Oooooo they be so guuuuuutT!!! There's always the Museum of Transport out off Dougherty Ferry. Thrill a minit! G0rpa. Go to the Hideaway and listen to some Neil Diamond tunes played lightly on a pie-ann-er while the local aging bar-broads lean over the pianist and croon away. Drive over der river to get 40's and drink 'em in Pops' parking lot. Find the sekret entrance to the S. Side Underground Casino. Write a thousand songs while you quietly (or not so?) lose yr mind and yr eyeballs blow out! -jw
I've been listening to Sage Francis and Solilloquists of Sound for some tasty, kicky hip-hop. They're not new groups, but I hadn't heard of them and am really enjoying their crisp, smarty pants lyrics. "Mark It Place" by SOS is pretty awesome! And so is "Different" by Sage. And May 6, Old Rock House is having a group of pretty talented soul singers, inc. Yahzarah . . called the Suite Soul Spot. Soul is fresh!
I've been listening to Sage Francis and Solilloquists of Sound for some tasty, kicky hip-hop. They're not new groups, but I hadn't heard of them and am really enjoying their crisp, smarty pants lyrics. "Mark It Place" by SOS is pretty awesome! And so is "Different" by Sage. And May 6, Old Rock House is having a group of pretty talented soul singers, inc. Yahzarah . . called the Suite Soul Spot. Soul is fresh!
Things to be excited about: 1. Warm weather. Seriously. Fuck those last couple of days. Cold-ass weather is so last month, which means... 2. Baseball, hopefully fatality-free this year. Whatever happens this season, it's fun to watch a young team, and it's important to move on from last year's misfortunes and mistakes. 3. The new venues - absolutely - it's great to see so many new places, because there you get people who are excited to be doing what they're doing, and who are welcoming and engaging to the bands, as opposed to- 4. Did anyone see the little Craigslist musician forum spontaneous flare up of "fuck you, Creepy Crawl" posts, which then all got deleted? Highly amusing, and something I hope they noticed. I'm not sure they have the cache around here anymore to continue treating people (bands) like shit. Do they? 5. Awesome bands, in and around town, putting out some amazing albums, playing sold out gigs, etc. - but we all know this, right? 6. Record store day - great idea, like to see it (and the stores) continue for a long time. 7. The demise of the record industry! Something entirely new and undreamt of taking its place! 8. Chuck Berry's old house could be going on the National Register of Historic places soon. Local bands support local preservation societies, play benefit shows for them, etc., helping to foster interest and raise money for preserving our shared musical heritage. Things to check out: 1. The "Popless" column at www.avclub.com 2. The St. Louis Public library - in this day and age of ripping CDs and everything, they've got a surprising amount of really dope shit, in just about every genre you can think of, and the discs aren't even all scratched to hell. I somehow feel less guilt about this than I would torrenting, etc. 3. The South City band scramble - unfortunately I'll be out of town, but this sounds like it would be a blast. 4. Ziggy Stagdust - 7.25.2008 - leaner, meaner, stronger, faster... 5. Bill Streeter's Lo-Fi series - an absolute must.
Go see the Cannanes in early June! And I third Crown Candy Kitchen.
Come to a BBQ at my house. You have a standing invite.
Everyone invited! All ages FREE-for-all-FUN! Saturday all day Cinco De Mayo street festival on Cherokee! Drink on the streets! Go to all those restaurants you know are awesome but never go to! Hear a bunch of awesome music you never listen to! Buy a bunch of cool stuff to give to your lame friends who don't go! Hang out in a crowd not all made up of the same race for once! (If you wanted to, you could even time your visit to coincide with Bunnygrunt's performance at the outdoor stage next to Apop Records at 1:30 in the afternoon. If you wanted to. Just saying.) And I so so so second Scott's suggestion of Crown Candy. Now that's livin'! And while you're up in North City visit the Scott Joplin House. Or the Black History Wax Museum. Awesome! Matt
1) Visit the AKC Museum Of The Dog out in West county (Queenie Park). It's one of the coolest little known places in STL. And yes, if you have a dog, you can bring it. 2) Crown Candy Kitchen. C'mon - how often are you in North City? 3) Hang out in Tower Grove Park. Forget Mokabee's (the place has gone downhill since they renovated it) and head on over to the Hartford Cafe on Hartford and Roger. If you're lucky, Travis will be working, and will be playing some 50s/60s French pop. 4) Go across the river and drink at the Stagger Inn on a Friday night.
I could say my band,(May 13th at Cicero's), but that's way too easy. Seriously, though, People Noise from Kentucky are at Cicero's tonight. Opening for them is my friend and resident Ryan Adams expert Dave P, performing with a full band as Simply Esoteric. Just sayin' I second the Gramophone recommendation as well and i'll raise you one Rock Star Nightclub. They're amazing over there, very Old Rock House very Lucas School House...
check out the Gramophone. it's in the grove area about a block from the Atomic Cowboy & etc...it's a new live music bar. non smoking so you don't smell like an ashtray when you go home. hopefully more ROCK bands will start playing there.