Bernell DorroughWell, Spring Break is over, which means we’re in the home stretch. Have you gone most of the year without engaging in some much needed live music madness? Then you know what you need to do. Here’s a preview of some of the best live music coming to town over the remainder of the school year-so put away the textbooks and pull out the planners, because there’s something on this list for everyone. Let’s get crackin’.
March 17
Chuck Berry
Blueberry Hill
Why you should go: In case you didn’t know, Chuck Berry, St. Louis native, basically created rock and roll guitar-playing. He may be old, but he still has it-the solos, the voice, the famous duck walk.
The damage: $25
Dream Theater
The Pageant
Why you should go: If you like prog-rock epics and guitar and drum heroics, these are your guys.
The damage: $29
March 18
Bane and Bear vs. Shark
The Creepy Crawl
Why you should go: Bear vs. Shark sounds like Fugazi if they were fronted by Bruce Springsteen, uniting post-punk and classic rock. Bane is one of the hardest hardcore bands from the already tough Boston scene. Both do what they do very, very well.
The damage: $10 21+/$12 under 21
March 19
Elefant
The Rocket Bar
Why you should go: They’re good looking, they have cool hair, they’re from New York and they play music influenced by late-70s, early-80s garage rock and post punk. This is probably cheaper than getting Strokes tickets from a scalper.
The damage: no price listed, though it’s usually about ten bucks at the Rocket Bar
March 21
Alisdair
The Creepy Crawl
Why you should go: To support your local hard rockers.
The damage: $7 21+/$9 under 21
March 22
The Dillinger Escape Plan
Pop’s
Why you should go: The DEP are the tightest, most insane sounding math/metal/hardcore band around today.
The damage: $12
Ted Leo and the Pharmacists
The Rocket Bar
Why you should go: the road dog of indie rock makes his third appearance in St. Louis in less than a year, and his mix of early punk, power-pop, and anthemic folk definitely goes down smooth live. Ted Leo is probably the best thing about indie rock right now, so respect the prescription these guys are bringing.
The damage: no price listed, though it’s usually about ten bucks at the Rocket Bar
March 24
TV on the Radio and the Panthers
The Rocket Bar
Why you should go: TV on the Radio is the latest cool band from NYC, mixing new wave, funk, and, of course, dance. The Panthers are a super-political rock outfit, also from NYC, who come at you with MC5 swagger-they also feature former members of the way underground art-punks Orchid.
The damage: no price listed, though it’s usually about ten bucks at the Rocket Bar
March 25
Murphy’s Law
Blueberry Hill
Why you should go: Murphy’s Law is one of the longest-lived New York Hardcore bands around. Frontman Jimmy G (the G stands for Gestapo, but don’t worry, these guys aren’t Nazis) is an affable hero for the punk scene-the last time they played here, he spent the entire show in the pit, leading singalongs of all of their underground favorites. Besides, these guys sing about drugs and booze.
The damage: $10/$12
The Dillinger 4
The Creepy Crawl
Why you should go: These Minnesota punk rockers have a bad attitude and a sense of humor, and are renowned for live antics that have ended up with members of the band headfirst in the toilet. The close confines of the Creepy Crawl seem like the perfect environment for this sort of action.
The damage: $10 21+/$12 under 21
March 30
Battle of the Bands
The Creepy Crawl
Why you should go: One of the combatants in this battle is the University’s own power-poppers the Hatch.
The damage: $7 21+/$9 under 21
April 5
Bayside and Madcap
The Creepy Crawl
Why you should go: Bayside might be the only emo band out there that’s worth a damn, and Madcap is experimental punk rockers trying to follow in the footsteps of everyone’s heroes, the Clash.
The damage: $7 21+/$9 under 21
April 6
Coheed and Cambria, Rainer Maria, Funeral For a Friend
Pop’s
Why you should go: Coheed and Cambria are getting a lot of buzz for their mix of punk energy and prog-rock sci-fi influence. Rainer Maria is probably the only emo band out there right now with a female member. And the Welsh Funeral For a Friend is huge on the other side of the pond, mixing hardcore and melodic alternative rock in new and exciting ways.
The damage: $12
April 8
Stereolab
The Pageant
Why you should go: Sexy grooves and sexy vocals make for sexy music.
The damage: $17.50
April 13
The Distillers
Pop’s
Why you should go: One of the latest punk bands to break through somewhat into the mainstream, the Distillers has one of the most convincing lead singers in rock today, Brody Dalle. Her voice shreds like Kurt Cobain or a pre-plastic surgery Courtney Love, and she writes good songs to showcase it.
The damage: $12
April 14
Death by Stereo
The Creepy Crawl
Why you should go: Hardcore smart-asses answer the question: what would it sound like if Agnostic Front and Iron Maiden were actually the same band? Politics, humor, and huge riffs make this Death one that’s not so painful.
The damage: $10 21+/$12 under 21
Kanye West and Dilated Peoples
The Pageant
Why you should go: Kanye West’s debut album has been getting solid reviews, and Dilated Peoples is a longtime underground hip-hop favorite. Also, it seems like this is the only hip-hop show coming to town for a long, long time.
The damage: $27.50
April 17
Stellastarr*
The Gargoyle
Why you should go: Hip college rock, played at a college . . . your college! They kinda sound like Interpol, kinda sound like the Police . . . hell, they kinda sound like a lot of bands, but they’re good despite wearing influences on their sleeves.
The damage: Cheap
April 19
Sebadoh
Blueberry Hill
Why you should go: These guys are the lo-fi kings of college rock. You know that band you just heard on KWUR? Chances are they’re influenced by Sebadoh.
The damage: $10
April 21
The Bouncing Souls and Avail
Pop’s
Why you should go: Fun, bounce up and down punk rock to make you feel like a kid again.
The damage: $13
April 24
Every Time I Die and Throwdown
The Creepy Crawl
Why you should go: Check out the band names. Hard-effing-core!
The damage: $10 21+/$12 under 21
April 26
The Fall
The Creepy Crawl
Why you should go: Other than Gang of Four, no band has influenced the current wave of dance-punk-funk bands-the Rapture, Liars, Radio 4, etc.-more than the Fall. See how the British originals get it done.
The damage: $12 21+/$14 under 21
April 27
The Strokes
The Pageant
Why you should go: Come on, you know you still like them even though “Room on Fire” wasn’t quite as good as “Is This It.” They’re still the coolest band in the mainstream.
The damage: Who knows, it’s sold out, but there’s always a scalper
This list is nowhere near complete, what with all of the great shows coming to town, so here are a few more you might be interested in…
If you like NU-metal: Three Days Grace at the Pageant, March 26; Godsmack and Ill Ni¤o at the Pageant, April 2; Switchfoot at the Pageant, April 6; Slipknot and Fear Factory at the Pageant, April 28
If you like emo/indie rock: Death Cab for Cutie and Ben Kweller at Mississippi Nights, March 27; Saves the Day at the Pageant, April 7
If you like jam bands/psychedelic rock: The Slip at Cicero’s, March 24; Yonder Mountain String Band at the Pageant, April 23
If you like Pantera side projects: Superjoint Ritual at Pop’s, April 8; Damageplan at Pop’s, April 11
And there are always more coming; surely I missed a few anyway. Keep updated on www.pollstar.com for all of your concert-going plans and enjoy the shows.
Helpful addresses and other info
Mississippi Nights
914 N. First St. on Laclede’s Landing
(314) 421-3853
Tickets through Metrotix (314) 534-1111
www.mississippinights.com
Blueberry Hill
6504 Delmar
(314) 727-0880
Tickets through Metrotix (314) 534-1111
www.blueberryhill.com
The Pageant
6161 Delmar
(314) 726-6161
Tickets through Ticketmaster (314) 421-4400
www.thepageant.com
Cicero’s
6691 Delmar
(314) 862-5999
Tickets available at www.ciceros-stl.com
Pop’s
1403 Mississippi Ave.; Sauget, Ill.
(618) 274-6720
Tickets through Ticketmaster (314) 421-4400
www.popsrocks.com
The Creepy Crawl
412 N. Tucker
(314) 851-0919
Tickets available at www.creepycrawl.com
The Rocket Bar
2001 Locust
www.rocketbar.net