We’re looking down the barrel of a stacked week of live music, with this Friday in particular bringing a plethora of excellent events well worth a St. Louis music fan’s time. Part of the reason Friday is so busy is that it’s Juneteenth, and multiple events we mention below mark the occasion with performances by some of the St. Louis music scene’s heaviest hitters. The St. Louis Symphony Orchestra’s “Soul of a People: A Juneteenth Celebration of Black Music” will focus on the considerable musical contributions from Black Americans over the decades, whereas The Key’s Juneteenth Joint is set to be a soulful, funky party focused specifically on Black St. Louis artists. Elsewhere, punk scene stalwarts Ultraman will celebrate 40 years as a band at Fubar Lounge on Friday, Taking Back Sunday will Emo Nite-ify Ball Park Village on Thursday, and Ben Folds will bring his …and a Piano tour to The Factory on Friday. Those looking for a more unique experience should look no further than Delmar Hall on Saturday night for the world premiere of Nikola Tesla “Light It Up” – An Original Rock Opera, brought to life by native St. Louisans and brothers Mark and John Rodgers—read on for more on that in our article from SLM’s Max Havey.
As always, we’d love to hear from you, so feel free to reply directly to this newsletter with any thoughts, questions, or story tips that you think should be on our radar.
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Eldraco Price via Bandcamp
Critic's Picks
JUNE 18 | BALLPARK VILLAGE
Taking Back Sunday with Bayside
What to Know: If the ongoing deluge of Emo Nite events on venue calendars across the region is any indication—not to mention the considerable popularity of St. Louis cover act Danger Party—angsty rock with pop-punk tendencies remains all the rage these days, especially amongst nostalgia-damaged millennials who were around for the genre’s early-aughts heyday. A key act of that era is New York’s Taking Back Sunday, who swings through town tonight with like-minded band Bayside in tow.
JUNE 19 | POWELL HALL
Soul of a People: A Juneteenth Celebration of Black Music
What to Know: The St. Louis Symphony Orchestra marks Juneteenth this year with its “Soul of the People” concert, celebrating the work of a wide range of Black musicians and their considerable contributions to American culture. Led by conductor Kevin McBeth, the SLSO and IN UNISON Chorus will be joined by singers LaKisha Jones (American Idol) and Ryan Shaw (America’s Got Talent) for an evening of songs by the likes of Stevie Wonder, James Brown, Sam Cooke, Bill Withers, and more. For a full setlist, head to the Spotify playlist organizers helpfully put together in advance of the show.
June 19 | THE KEY
The Juneteenth Joint
What to Know: Elsewhere in Grand Center, just around the corner from the SLSO’s Juneteenth party, The Key will also play host to some of St. Louis’ finest musicians using their talents to mark the occasion. The Juneteenth Joint will feature performances by The Dhoruba Collective, Blvck Spvde, Mak Sevn, Eldraco Price, Frankie DoWop, Moses, and P-Funk All-Star Ronkat Spearman, with DJ sets from TheBlackBruceWayne and DJ Sol. The event will also feature go-go dancers, local vendors, and an open funk jam.
JUNE 19 | FUBAR LOUNGE
Ultraman 40th Anniversary Show with Whoppers Taste Good, Modern Angst
What to Know: Long-running St. Louis punk act Ultraman marks four decades of existence with a 40th anniversary show at Fubar Lounge this Friday, bringing food core/beer metal pioneers Whoppers Taste Good and melodic punk act Modern Angst along for the ride. It’s an impressive milestone for the veteran act, and it comes in the wake of the band’s first release in nearly 20 years, 2024’s excellent Dead End Thoughts Under A Crawling Sky. For more on that record and the history of the band, point your internet at SLM’s chat with vocalist Tim Jamison published upon its release.
JUNE 19 | THE FACTORY
Ben Folds
What to Know: Ben Folds is by now certainly no stranger to St. Louis, having performed with the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra repeatedly in recent years and brought his popular Paper Airplane Request tour to town in 2017 and 2024. This week’s outing is a more stripped-down affair than those, however, dubbed Ben Folds and a Piano, which will see the prolific artist performing solo versions of songs from across his expansive catalog between bouts of storytelling and stage banter, making for a looser, more intimate event.
A MESSAGE FROM ST. LOUIS SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
Virtuosic contemporary bluegrass talent on the Powell Hall stage
Mandolin, guitar, bass, banjo, and violin come together, as Punch Brothers perform their genre-defying contemporary bluegrass music.
How does the Opera Theatre of Saint Louis build a season?
An opera season is not built around a single theme first. It takes shape through a complex mix of artistic vision and practical decision-making. Learn more from OTSL’s artistic director Patricia Racette.
It’s Electric
Electrifying rock opera Nikola Tesla “Light It Up” to premiere at Delmar Hall
The life of Nikola Tesla is one of the great American stories, and it is being brought to life onstage with Nikola Tesla “Light It Up” – An Original Rock Opera, which will have its world premiere at Delmar Hall on June 20.
Dynamic duo: With 15 years of theater production under their belts, brothers Mark and John Rodgers are the writers, composers, producers, and overall masterminds behind this rock opera. They grew up in St. Louis, attending Christian Brothers College High School and later Saint Louis University before making the jump out to Los Angeles to pursue music as a career. They made a name for themselves in the theater world with their touring multimedia production, The DaVinci Michelangelo Experience, which explores the rivalry between Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo.
Research phase: Starting in 2021, they began the four-year process of researching, writing, composing, and producing the project that would become Nikola Tesla “Light It Up.” Originally envisioned as a musical, the Rodgers brothers were interested in the relationship between Tesla and his rival, Thomas Edison. But after learning more about Edison’s underhanded dealings, they found there was far more interesting material to mine from Tesla’s life. “The more you find out about him, the more amazing he becomes,” Mark Rodgers says. “He invented everything. Everything that powers our world today, he invented.”
What to expect: For the premiere performance at Delmar Hall, Nelson will lead an eight-piece rock orchestra, complete with electric violin and cello, bringing the songs to life alongside cinematic visuals to accompany and enhance each of the 13 songs.
New Daybreak Forti-Fires powered by Pinpoint are here. HTE infused uses High Terpene Extract for louder flavor while THCA infused delivers extra potency. Find your fire.
Join St. Louis CITY SC on June 22 from 4–6 p.m. at their mini pitch in Cahokia Heights for some kids pickup soccer, meet CITY street team members, and more! Sign up here.
In case you missed it
⚽ How a St. Louis rapper set the tone for the U.S. Men’s World Cup run: Musician and artist educator Mvstermind wrote original music for World Cup documentary U.S. Against the World. Read Now »
🗓️ Top things to do in St. Louis this weekend: June 19–21: There’s no shortage of options for a range of interests. Read Now »
🏳️🌈 Celebrate Pride among drag queens and fine art at the Future is Femme Ball: The June 18 event at the 21c Museum Hotel will honor femme queens and trans folks with a party for a good cause. Read Now »
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