Blog: A to Z

Since 2007, Catholic Guilt's brazen brand of sonic warfare has become a staple in the experimental/noise rock community in St. Louis. Having won the title of the RFT's Best Noise Band of 2011, t... Continue reading "An Evening with Catholic Guilt and its Moonshine-Infused Paint" >

Grateful Dead tribute Dark Star Orchestra has collected a road record rivaling that of its hero, performing thousands of shows in the decade-plus. This Saturday, the seven-piece will make a sto... Continue reading "Win Tickets for Dark Star Orchestra at the Pageant" >

Now that Odd Future rapper Earl Sweatshirt is apparently back from Samoa, one of the music world's biggest mysteries is over. This means we can turn our attention to other matters. Such as this:... Continue reading "Who's the Surprisingly Knowledgable Music Fan on Jeopardy's Writing Staff? " >

Even though he's getting a chance to shine on a major label, don't call Brian Owens an overnight success. The Ferguson native has been making music on his own and with others for nearly ten yea... Continue reading "St. Louis' Brian Owens, No Stranger to the Spotlight, Releases New Single with Sony Distribution" >

Beach Boys fans are resilient, and they'll get over it. I want to begin there, because it's important to remember that the news that recently broke about the Beach Boys' reunion performance at t... Continue reading "The Beach Boys' Maroon 5 Grammy Collaboration and Four Other Fan Indignities" >

Most listeners know Craig Finn as the poetic frontman of The Hold Steady. His show Friday at Off Broadway (3509 Lemp Avenue, 314-773-3363) puts him in a quieter context as he plays songs from h... Continue reading "Craig Finn Talks About His Solo Tour and Why Most Christian Bands Suck" >

The check out at the Schnucks in Richmond Heights is a gridlock six carts deep and ten lanes wide. The soundtrack is a chorus of bar-code beeps. But if you walk away from the registers, toward... Continue reading "This Weekend, Catch Live Music at...Schnucks? " >

Heartless Bastards has moved from Dayton to Austin in the course of a career making dust rock. Its newest release, Arrow, is its most refined work to date. You can listen to it now a week ahea... Continue reading "Heartless Bastards at the Firebird, 2/8/12: Photos" >

Adele could soon become a Grammy paper champion. Oh sure. 21 is a worthy entrant for the coveted Grammy for Album of the Year. "Rolling in the Deep," after all, topped the 2011 Pazz and Jop Poll... Continue reading "Kanye West's Snub and the Proud History of Grammy Incompetence" >

Madonna is taking time out of her taxing virgin-blood drinking schedule long enough to fit in a lil' world tour, she'll bring all the hits and her terrifying biceps to the Scottrade Center on No... Continue reading "Madonna, The Spits Lead This Week's Show Annoucements" >

As first reported by LA Weekly, the youthful new-west hip hop collective known as Odd Future Wolf Gang Kill Them All (AKA Odd Future or OFWGKTA for short, and OFWGKTADGAFLLBBLSBFBN for long) is ... Continue reading "Earl Sweatshirt Comes Home, Releases New Song, Gets 50,000 Twitter Followers" >

The RFT Music Showcase is back: June 2nd on Washington Avenue. There will be dancing, drinking, sweating (hopefully not as much as last year -- holy hell it was hot) and, of course, the best s... Continue reading "Help Us Select The 2012 RFT Music Awards Nominees" >

February is Black History Month, the mere existence of which is a reminder that white people have spent a majority of America's existence being total dicks. When it comes to popular music, Cauca... Continue reading "Six Worst Musical Thefts by White People" >

​Five plaintiffs have filed suit against an East St. Louis nightclub after claiming to have suffered injuries during a no-holds-barred melee made infamous last April after video footage emerged a... Continue reading "Lawsuit Filed Over Brawl at Blackmon's Webbie Concert" >

Award season has been very, very good for T-Bone Burnett. The musical impresario has won just about every conceivable honor over his decades-long career, from a Golden Globe to a BAFTA Anthony ... Continue reading "T-Bone Burnett is Good at Winning Awards" >

Me Talk Pretty is on the up-and-up, and a big reason seems to be the bands live show, which features singer Uliana Preotu lending her considerable charm to win whatever crowd shows up on a give... Continue reading "Me Talk Pretty at the Pop's Nightclub: Photos" >

Overshadowed in death by the passing of Don Cornelius of Soul Train, St. Louis R&B and gospel singer David Peaston also died on February 1, 2012, from complications from diabetes. He was 54. Pea... Continue reading "David Peaston, R&B and Gospel Singer: 1957-2012" >

​Wale is Grandmaster of the sports reference. No musical artist brings as much wit, depth and knowledge to the craft. For instance, in the recently released ode to the former St. Louis baseball... Continue reading "Knock It Out the Park Like Albert Pujols: Top 25 Wale Sports References " >

Dan Johanning is known to many as the axe-wielding teddy bear of adrenaline-driven punks the Disappeared. He remains a huge advocate of St. Louis' original calling card: Rhythm & Blues. In addit... Continue reading "Punks Seek Horn Section for Soul and Funk Band the Jungle Fire" >

Diplomacy between nations doesn't always involve dignitaries or high-level negotiations. A group with a presence in St. Louis engages in "cultural diplomacy," which involves exchanging musical ... Continue reading "Finding Hip-Hop in Kazahstan and Country in India: American Voices Sets Up in St. Louis" >