our top eleven everything IT’S BEEN A QUICK twelve months, by my count. St. Louis has been cranking out the great shows, albums, parties, late night hangs and long studio days. Though Eleven’s rebirth is only a handful of months old—we relaunched in September of this year—our contributing writers have been living the musical life the whole time. Now, as 2012 becomes 2013, we take a moment to consider some of the memorable developments in the St. Louis music scene and beyond. Cheers to the year as it passes—cheers to the year on the way! Evan Sult, Eleven editor-in-chief LOAD IN’S BEST REGIONAL PRODUCT RELEASES FOR 2012 PHOTO: FLAMING LIPS’ WAYNE COYNE AT LOUFEST 2012 BY JARRED GASTREICH
by Dave Anderson 9. Boat Paddle Ukelele’s ML Style Soprano. Handmade ukuleles built in New Haven, MO. 8. Rein Custom Guitars Model R-1 Thomas Rein builds handmade guitars in Webster Groves, MO. 7. Analog Outfitters Sarge Amp Custom Amps and Repair from Champaign, IL.
Hand-built amps in St. Louis, MO. 2. Sarno Music Solutions Earth Drive Hand-built effects and preamps in Webster Groves, MO. 1. K-Line Guitars KL series set neck Hand built electric guitars in St. Louis, MO.
TOP ELEVEN THINGS I LEARNED FROM TOUR THIS YEAR by Paige Brubeck
6. JHS Effects Super Bolt Custom made pedals from Kansas City, MO.
1. Always take a shower if you have the opportunity.
5. Landry Amps LS100G3 Custom made amps in St. Louis, MO.
2. Don’t seek out pizza. Pizza will find you.
4. Bearfoot FX Green Machine Distortion Handmade effects in St. Louis, MO. 3. Reason Amps Reato 40
3. Comedy records make time disappear on long/late drives. 4. AAA membership is totally worth it. 5. Always use your food tickets if you’re
playing at a club that has a restaurant. No matter how delicious somewhere else might be, it’s not as good as a meal you’ve earned by showing up and playing rock and roll. 6. Contrary to the previous, never feel obligated to use all of your drink tickets. Seriously, it will be fine. 7. I’ve been vegetarian since high school and Mother’s in Brooklyn serves the best veggie burger I have ever had. 8. It doesn’t actually end up saving anyone any time to share drumsets. 9. The This American Life App (and in baseball season, the ESPN App) is as good at making time disappear as comedy records! And it’s so affordable. 10. E-Z Pass makes tour so much easier! Especially out east. It’s such a thrill when we avoid a long wait at a toll and digging for change—or a $20 bill, for certain tunnels. 11. This wasn’t something I learned this year, but it was as true in 2012 as when we learned it the hard way: get and use “The Club” for your band van.
TOP ELEVEN COOLEST THINGS TO HAPPEN TO / IN STL IN 2012 by Suzie Gilb Look, there probably won’t be any sort of world-stopping apocalypse in December 2012, regardless of what your Mayan
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