Kristan Lieb

Har Mar Superstar | DJ Billy Brown
May 7, 2013
The Firebird

The boilerplate description for Har Mar Superstar marries the looks of a young Ron Jeremy with the music and stage presence of something between R. Kelly, the Neptunes and Tony Clifton -- but really, all comparisons fall short. Har Mar Superstar is one-of-a-kind.

See Also:
- Har Mar Superstar at the Firebird - Slideshow

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Bob Dylan | Dawes
April 23, 2013
The Peabody Opera House

He's leaving in the morning just as soon as the dark clouds lift: No photo credentials issued on this tour, but last night's main event looked kinda like this dude.

For Bob Dylan's visit to St. Louis last night -- his first since October 2010 and the fourteenth stop on his current tour -- the Peabody Opera House (14th and Market streets; 314-241-1888 ) stage was backed by a full-height semicircular black curtain with four lighthouse-grade spotlights suspended in front of it that occasionally commenced to glow like so many massive moons orbiting Planet Bob.

Bob Dylan has finally become what he has probably always dreamed of being: an old bluesman. That's a good thing, too. He's small in stature, smaller than ever, thin and bandy-legged. And he commands a stage like no other artist. Make no mistake about it: His bell still rings.

See also:
- Bob Dylan Alive and Kicking at the Chaifetz Arena, 10/21/10
- Elvis Costello and Bob Dylan at the Fox Theatre, 10/22/07

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Liz Miller

Mykki Blanco | DJ Billy Brown | 18&Counting
April 18, 2013
The Demo

Mykki Blanco cuts a commanding figure on stage. At last night's show at the Demo (4144 Manchester Avenue; 314-652-3366), the self-described "acid punk rapper" owned the room. The small venue was far from packed, but during Ms. Blanco's captivating, visceral 50-minute set of songs -- mostly off mixtape Cosmic Angel: The Illuminati Prince/ss -- felt like a sold-out Saturday night show.

This all wasn't lost on Mykki Blanco: She told the audience to enjoy the intimate show, as she'll probably be playing bigger venues the next time she's in town.

Based on last night's performance, no doubt she will be.

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Nick Zargoza

Purity Ring | Blue Hawaii
April 6, 2013
Plush

Its been a little over two years since Alberta-based musicians Megan James and Corin Roddick released their first song under the name Purity Ring. In that time, the pair have played Pitchfork, released the full-length Shrines, collaborated with Danny Brown and covered Soulja Boy. Their music blends hip-hop beats by Roddick with James' ethereal, feathery vocals, performed live with a haunting light show timed to match the music. And Saturday night they took a near sold-out crowd at Plush (3224 Locust Street; 314-535-2686) underground, transforming the stage into a hazy, supernatural cave.

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Todd Owyoung. Check out our complete slideshow here.

Taylor Swift | Ed Sheeran
Scottrade Center
March 18, 2013

When music editor Daniel Hill assigned me to review Taylor Swift's Red tour at Scottrade Center, I assumed I'd have to pull his Bieber shenanigans to live through it. Thousands of screeching teenagers? No Serious-Musicians-In-Capital-Letters? Pop songs about breakups? Welcome to my nightmare.

Except it wasn't. Instead, it was magical, in that I-believe-in-Tinkerbell kind of way.

See Also:
-Taylor Swift Is Saving America
-Taylor Swift Is Destroying America

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While Georgia Hubley sang "Cornelia & Jane," last night at the Pageant I thought about her band's Twitter handle, @therealYLT, and wondered if I expected to see the real Yo La Tengo or my imaginary "best live band ever" version of the group constructed of only the most exciting scraps of its 29-year career. I thought about the way the band's music integrates casually into my life and wondered if it is bad fan behavior to hope Yo La Tengo is anything but casual back. I was able to think in depth about such things while one of my favorite bands played its fourth downer in a row, during a set that mostly crawled through its ninety minutes.

See Also:
- Photos: Yo La Tengo and Calexico at the Pageant

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Jason Stoff

"Andrew is going to tell you a story while I get a drink. By the way, Andrew has extreme stage fright." And so Nate Ruess hangs his bandmate out to dry. Andrew hunches lower at his piano and tells us he'll need a few seconds to come up with a story, then starts talking about his grandpa and a car...there are some car components listed...really at this point the only reason anyone's interested is because we're sympathetic. But right then, guitarist Jack Antanoff, back at his mic after taping up his fingers, bails him out, sort of. "Tell 'em about the time in college you rubbed soap on that girl's boobs," he says.

See also:
- fun. at the Peabody Opera House photo slideshow
- The New fun. Fan's Guide to the Format
- Nate Ruess jumps off the drum riser at Lollapalooza 2012: GIF
- Gift Guide for Musicians We Love (and Love to Hate)

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Leigh Righton

Japandroids | Swearin'
The Firebird
November 20, 2012

Eyes closed, head bowed and rhythmically jogging in place with his guitar over his shoulder, Brian King looked like a linebacker psyching himself up for kickoff as David Prowse started in on the drums.

Japandroids dove into an extended introductory jam that gradually built to a crescendo, finally exploding into...a comedy set. In his fury, Prowse broke the kick drum, leaving several awkward minutes to fill, which King gamely did with an impromptu series of jokes. I'll spare the details of why hipsters make poor lovers, but the unfortunate beginning only made Japandroids more determined to "make up for it" by "tearing the house down".

See also:
-See Japandroids Tonight, Because The Band Might Break Up Tomorrow: An Interview With Guitarist Brian King
-Japandroids induces moshing at the Billiken Club
-Brian King's five-stack of Fender cabs: Japandroids' unofficial third member

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Jon Gitchoff. Full slideshow: Paul McCartney at the Scottrade Center.

70-year-old Paul McCartney tripped and fell face-first from his piano riser onto the stage at the Scottrade Center. It was halfway through the 35th song of a three hour set. He sprang back up, struck a pose like a cartoon thief caught in a spotlight, strapped on his guitar and started trading solos with his two guitarists.

Sir Paul has a reputation as the frivolous Beatle. When he wanted to speak out for those fighting for their civil rights in America in the late '60s, he wrote the pastoral "Blackbird" to comfort and encourage them. And he's spent much of the past half-century perfecting the art of arena sing-alongs.

But for all the silliness of his songs and his affable demeanor (he never would have tripped if he weren't practically skipping down the steps in the first place), Paul McCartney is deadly serious about his performances. When someone flubs a solo, as Rusty Anderson did during "And I Love Her," he makes him do it again so all these people who bought tickets hear the thing the way it was meant to be played. And when the most youthful grandpa on the planet falls down, he hauls himself up without so much as a wince.

See also:
-Slideshow: Paul McCartney at the Scottrade Center
-Paul McCartney's Six Best Moustaches
-Paul McCartney's Ram: An Appreciation

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Todd Owyoung

Lamb of God | Hatebreed | In Flames | Sylosis
The Pageant
November 7, 2012

Before I start trashing one of the most popular metal bands on the planet, let me offer my credentials: In 1989, I saw Sepultura at the Bridgeton Soccer club at just nine years old. I got in trouble for spray painting the Slayer logo on the side of someone's house at ten. I met Danzig when I was eleven. I've been playing in metal bands just about as long as I have had my own dick.

See also:
-Yob at Fubar, 9/13/12: Review and Photos
-Randy Blythe is Free! (For now)

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