As the saying goes, when God closes a door, he opens a window, and while I’ve always found this to be an imperfect metaphor—as anyone who has ever locked their keys in their home can attest, it is much harder to jam one’s corn-fed Midwestern body through a secretly-unlocked-in-case-of-emergencies window than it is to simply stroll through a doorway—it’s one that is rather appropriate for readers of this newsletter this week. That’s because, as you’ll see in our main stories below, while the long-running St. Louis party act Dr. Zhivegas is preparing to close the door on its 30 years spent inspiring booties to shake on the dance floor, new act Picture That, composed of St. Louis natives and twin sisters Allison and Shawn Durham, will throw the window open at their much-anticipated debut show at CBGB this week. And just in case that window is too small for you to wriggle through, we’re gonna stretch this metaphor, much like so many windows of the past, far beyond its breaking point and suggest a few others worth your consideration: Read on for why we think you might be able to fit your body into Lil Wayne’s upcoming show, or maybe the double-hung Pelican/Russian Circles one, or perhaps the Cherokee Street Mardi Gras affair this week, for which windows will be in abundance.
As always, we’d love to hear from you, so feel free to reply directly to this missive with any thoughts, questions, or story tips that you think should be on our radar.
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Russian Circles. Photo by William Lacamontie.
Critic's Picks
FEBRUARY 22
Cherokee Street Brass Band Blowout and Mardi Gras Music Crawl
Mardi Gras season is once again upon us, and with it all of the beads and lukewarm Bud Light that a city overflowing with full-tilt drunken revelers can handle. But what if your tolerance for such Fat Tuesday delights is much lower than that of your average St. Louisan? Fret not, for outside of the environs of Soulard there awaits a decidedly more sophisticated affair, albeit one with no less of a party vibe. Across town, Cherokee Street kicks off its annual festivities at 4 p.m. with the Mardi Gras Music Crawl, which sees several local artists performing for free at numerous Cherokee Street businesses including the Hop Shop, Moshmellow, the Whiskey Ring, Good Strangers, Yaquis, Tschüss, and 'Ssippi. From there, the party moves to the Golden Record for the 4th Annual Brass Band Blowout, where St. Louis' finest second-line acts—the Funky Butt Brass Band, the Saint Boogie Brass Band, and the Red & Black Brass Band—will join forces on stage to form what is arguably the most horny group of players the St. Louis area has to offer. It's sure to be a high-energy hoot of an event—and unlike other Mardi Gras bashes in town this month, the odds that you drop your phone into a port-a-potty before all is said and done are mercifully low. Various locations, Cherokee Street.
FEBRUARY 28
Lil Wayne with Hot Boys, Big Tymers, Mannie Fresh, Birdman
When Kendrick Lamar was announced as this year’s performer for the Super Bowl Halftime show, one Dwayne Michael Carter Jr.—better known to most as Lil Wayne—was feeling pretty low. The legendary rapper had expressed a desire to perform on that stage when the big game came to his hometown, and although Kendrick was in the midst of a record-shattering run that clearly earned him the honor, Weezy and his legions of fans immediately regarded his lack of inclusion as a slight. So loud was the outcry that Kendrick even addressed it on his latest album, November’s GNX, in which he made the case that he’d earned his spot while also making clear his respect for Wayne. “Used to bump Tha Carter III / I held my Rollie chain proud / Irony, I think my hard work let Lil Wayne down,” he rapped on opening track “Wacced Out Murals.” Still, even if this year wasn’t right for Weezy to take the world’s biggest stage, that doesn’t mean he can’t still pack 'em into some big ones. Hence, February 28 will see Wayne performing at the 22,000-capacity Enterprise Center, flanked by the rest of his Hot Boys supergroup as well as frequent collaborators Big Tymers, a.k.a. Birdman and Mannie Fresh. The show is one of only a handful since the Hot Boys reunited for the first time in more than 15 years this past November, and given the turmoil and legal issues that frequently swirl among the Cash Money label and its alums, fans should probably get in while the getting is good on this one. Enterprise Center, 1401 Clark.
MARCH 3
Russian Circles with Pelican
Mum’s the word at The Pageant on February 16, as instrumental act Russian Circles teams up with mostly instrumental act Pelican for a night wherein each group will let their drums and guitars do the talking for them instead of allowing somebody to yell from the front of the stage a whole bunch. Each band hails from Chicago, and each band has spent decades honing and refining their densely composed, nearly uncategorizable sounds, resulting in legions of diehard fans who cannot agree on what to call this music they so enjoy. Is it post-metal? Post-rock? Metalcore? Hardcore? In truth, it doesn’t matter. As concisely pointed out by Pelican bassist Bryan Herweg in an interview with the Ottawa Sun, the bands’ lack of lyricism only adds to the mystery: “If we had some big burly man in front screaming, we'd be classified as metal. If we had some scrawny guy we'd be emo. As it is, no one can pin us down." Regardless of the decided unimportance of genre trappings, this show meanwhile represents something of a homecoming affair for Russian Circles, as two-thirds of its members—guitarist Mike Sullivan and drummer Dave Turncrantz—are ex-pats, with the latter putting in some memorable time with the great Riddle of Steel. The Pageant, 6161 Delmar.
Newly Announced Shows
Devo, GloRilla, Rebirth Brass Band, and Darkest Hour are among the acts that recently announced shows in St. Louis. Check out our concert calendar of more than 100 upcoming shows.
A MESSAGE FROM CARDINAL GLENNON CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL
Join Cardinal Glennon Children's Hospital May 3 at Glennon LIVE
Glennon LIVE returns May 3 with an unforgettable night featuring Keith Urban! This exclusive concert benefits Cardinal Glennon Children’s Hospital, bringing music and mission together for a great cause.
How The Regional Arts Commission of St. Louis fuels the city’s growth
For four decades, RACSTL has helped make the city a national hub for the arts while driving economic development, creating jobs, and enhancing tourism. Read more about the nonprofit's impact and its plans for the future.
SEEING DOUBLE
Picture That to perform debut show at CBGB
Twins Allison and Shawn Durham will be joined by Dubb Nubb and Nothing Party at the February 24 show.
Experience Beethoven’s revolutionary Ninth Symphony, conducted by Gemma New, with the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra at Stifel Theatre. A monumental celebration of joy, unity, and community—don’t miss it! Get tickets.
Make your next gathering stress free! Enter to win Butler's Pantry's Hors d'oeuvres Collection ($450 value), featuring delicious small bites for up to 12 guests.
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