Faithful reader Patrick Vacek recently saw someone at the Webster University Center looking suspiciously funky. Mr. Vacek approached the visitor and found out he was George Clinton’s bass player, who was visiting Webster to pick up someone who was using the swimming pool.
Vacek then snapped the photo you see above.
Note: George Clinton once again refers to the forefather of funk and not the actual forefather.
Just when support for the local music scene was reaching it’s breaking point, comes even more good news on the horizon. Beyond the realm of mere bumper sticker patronage, proud citizens and local bands are stepping up to fill in the void of venues we so desperately needed.
Our friends at A to Z blog (by way of the RFT) have the scoop (as usual) on two new local venues. Brothers Brandon and Nate Drexeler (of Jumbling Towers) are bringing local music downtown again @ 2 Cents Plain on Olive Street, which will open in September according to Annie Zaleski’s interview. Annie also gave us the heads up on Foam, a coffeehouse/bar or sorts crafting its shows like it’s original brews (or so we understand) right on the corner of Jefferson and Cherokee, putting it in the heart of the continuously emerging Cherokee Station.
And while your support for the local music scene might be best exemplified by these fine cultural contributors, our friends from Cruisin’ Route 66 have a few casual methods to support the local scene. With all these new venues, now we just wonder which ones Beatle Bob will patronize each week.
Every year we hear the same set of songs playing continuously between Thanksgiving Day until December 26th. This July we decided to do something about it.
By offering a list of songs that includes entirely original Xmas tunes alongside the unique interpretations of holiday standards, we hope we’ll inspire you to explore holiday songs of all musical and religious traditions. And while you needn’t any particular set of spiritual beliefs (or at all) to enjoy them, here’s our offering at the altar of seasonal music, hoping maybe it will prod on a new inclusion to the musical canon of the holiday season.
Extra credit - Share your favorite holiday tunes in our last.fm group (like that John Denver and the Muppets Christmas Special we’re not supposed to share with you). We’ll have another raffle among members our last.fm group in a week’s time to win a physical copy of our Xmas in July mixtape. Sign up for your stocking stuffer now.
Warning: I didn’t actually witness any of this, I just talked to those who were present.
Yesterday, the councilor for a summer camp being held at Webster University reported seeing a very odd-looking man in the school’s University Center. Employees reported seeing him near the pool. Sources say he was non-threatening and quiet, but when he did talk, it was a low mumble that was nearly impossible to understand.
Who was this strange man?
About a month and a half ago I was pretty sure I couldn’t dance, and well I was a little worried since wedding season was coming around. Not to mention the potential embarrassment should my respective other have a better sense of musicality than me. Fortunately, Lauren had the same idea around the same time, and a few Lindy Swing dance lessons later, I feel like I can cut a rug.
But you can cut a rug too (although wood floors might be a bit easier). While we were still in class, we learned about the Monday Club in Webster Groves, a monthly Saturday-night celebration of swing dance (yeah, we thought it was an old fad too when we started). At the MC (or Monday Club) you can expect to pay a couple bucks to learn a whole new dance and it’s steps without the need for any experience (or partner, since you’ll be switching partners quite a bit). It might not make for the best date, but after the first hour’s lesson you can pick up a date on the massive 2000+ square feet of a wood dancefloor, and dance the night away with DJ’d music for the next three hours.
If you still think you can’t dance, this is the chance to do something about that (no need to be intimidated by the fancy footwork, just come back like we will). The next Monday Club will take place Saturday July. 28th from 7-11 PM, and the one-hour lesson will only set you back $6 (a bargain considering the $20 we paid to learn the whole thing separately). And although you might see some wallflowers on the way in to this venue with a domestic-resembling exterior, wallflowers are probably not the best inclusion on this date. (although we’ll offer a wallflower perspective while we were catching our breath via a FlickR photoset)
I love France, French, Français. When I visit big cities I can find Little Italy with ease or pass by Chinatown without a thought. Russian, Romanian, German, Dutch…it seems that the only city that has a decent French Quarter is the one and only Big Easy. Now, don’t get me wrong, we’ve got a rich French history here in the old Louis IX’s namesake city. I guess what I’m missing is the culture, the people…the opportunity to practice my French. I’d take residence in a true “Little France” area of town in an instant.
But maybe I’ve got hope this weekend in St. Louis’ Soulard district. Bastille Day* is on its way, complete with events all weekend set to project you into that angry French mob you’ve always wanted to be a part of. Off with his head!
Here’s the rundown from stlcamp.org:
21st ANNUAL SOULARD BASTILLE DAYS FESTIVAL
JULY 13TH - 15TH, 2007
FRIDAY, JULY 13TH
6:00 pm A farewell gathering at the corner of Russell and Menard for Queen Marie Antoinette & King Louis. Gather at Joanie’s, Johnny’s or The Bastille to send the King and Queen off to their dreaded fate. (more…)
[slideshow id=360287970199773723&w=426&h=320]
Just because you missed Blowfly’s show last week @ the Atomic Cowboy (even though we gave you advance notice) doesn’t mean you have to miss the debauchery. As your personal witness to this funky, if misogynistic, icon of free expression himself, here’s my perspective of his recent tour of St. Louis available as a FlickR slide set (for more photos).
At first you’ll see his appearance @ Apop records who threw a party in his honor. It was there his appetite for the fairer sex became apparent to even those who were not familiar with his music, although he told one young lady I was a “FBT; Female Bootyhole Tickler”. And despite or perhaps because of his unique manner of expression, he was able to charm the swarming crowd @ the Atomic Cowboy. Bill Streeter was also on hand at the concert venue to document the performance’s ongoings, so keep your eyes peeled on LoFiSTL.com for further video documentation of this Funky Thursday.
Because we believe one good turn deserves another, we’re giving you a second chance to snag a copy of our “Summer in the City” mixtape you probably read about earlier. For a full explanation of the mixtape, tracklisting, and communtity features, please refer to our original post. Just like before, this mp3 mixtape comes in single tracks for each side, just like a real mixtape. Well, try this second upload out yourself:
We also wanted to let more or you in on the mixtape madness, so we’re revamping the contest to win a physical audio cassette version of the mixtape. As of right now, everyone in our Last.fm group is eligible to win a copy. And in one week’s time we’ll post a video raffle drawing to select the winner. All you have to do to enter our raffle? - join the group by 3 pm next Friday July 6th. We think you’ll like hearing what other people in St. Louis are listening to anyway…we know we do.
We just got word that the original dirty rapper, Blowfly, is not only on tour for the first time in 35 years but will play at the Atomic Cowboy. The show will be this Thursday, June 28th for a mere $10 a head, but stick around for the weekly Funkbuffet, served as a natural accompaniment. And according to the Apop records culture bureau:
The original Rapp Dirty man himself is gonna be chillin’ over at Apop before the show at Atomic Cowboy this Thursday. He’ll be jammin’ and signin’ and bringin’ hella merch for y’all to pick up. In honor of his presence, we’ll be boozin and par-tayin it up from 6 pm until showtime. You can BYO–WHATEVER, but we’ll also be bringing the liquid funk.
But caution to those of you with innocent ears and loose morals; according to his website Blowfly says, “I am coming to St. Louis to stick my dick in that tight hole you call the arch!” Don’t say we didn’t warn you…
I’ve heard it over and over. It seems ska is teetering on a shoddy, slowly decaying limb in the social music scene compared to the surge of popularity it experienced in the early ninties. Just listen to some of the music in flicks from that era and don’t be surprised if you catch a couple lines of Reel Big Fish’s “Sell Out,” listen in on Toasters melodies in the background, or even hear some of Gwen Steffani’s pre-Hollaback Girl repitoire.
Locally, the ska bands have been washing out with the tide while we wait for the Fourth Wave. Swift Kixx broke up. Psycho Dad hung up its hat. Secret Cajun Band is on a hiatus. And then there was the Monskasities…
While the scene here in St. Louis may seem to be grasping and gasping for life between breaths for the next horn chorus, there are still staccatos of life peeking out through the spread. This Saturday, June 23 once local legends The Monskasities will be getting back together for a reunion show at The Creepy Crawl. These kids know how to have a good time and can balance their music with audience interaction and laughs. Doors are at 5:30. (Psycho Dad will also be playing a reunion set at this show!).
If you’re still craving more St. Louis ska, don’t forget the KDHX 88.1 Ska’s the Limit show hosted by the great Paul Stark on Friday nights at 8:00pm.
Or, pick up a record by MU330, the local ska band that actually made it to the national level (their name came from the music class where the original members met at SLU High School). They do remember to stay true to their STL roots and often make sure that we’re included for a show when they’re rolling through town. This past Winter, at a Christmas Eve-Eve show (Dec 23), the band even brought a multitude of presents and candy to pass around to the crowd and spread the holiday cheer.
St. Louis Ska Fest 6 will be coming up late in July as well, thought a lot of details are still floating in the air.
So if you’re up for it this Saturday night, put on those skanking* shoes, don your checkers, and take advantage of quality local ska nostolgia while it lasts.
*a note on skanking - don’t forget kids, that’s ska dancing, not street corner smut
Comic from Natalie Dee
