Riverfront Times, March 20, 2024

FRONT BURNER

MONDAY, MARCH 11. The AP retracts distribution of a photo of the Princess of Wales with her kids, and what had been a low-level internet conspiracy suddenly goes into hyperdrive. The former Kate Middleton had abdominal surgery and planned to take time off royal duties until Easter — but then why stage a photo? Is she quitting the royal life? Mad at Prince William? Dead? Why do we even care? In St. Louis, Fontbonne University says it will close in 2025 as the enrollment cliff wreaks havoc on small private colleges But don’t cry for Wash U: It’s made a deal to purchase Fontbonne’s campus, continuing its ongoing march to gobble up all of St. Louis (or at least the parts worth having).

TUESDAY, MARCH 12. Horrible news: A 14-year-old boy is stabbed to death outside his junior high school in Jennings Justin Brooks was a star athlete who loved football, one of nine kids born to a single mom. Also, contrary to what St. Louis Police Major Janice Bockstruck told the St. Louis Board of Aldermen last week, the Post-Dispatch reports that police officers are crashing their vehicles more. “Department data show annual crash totals, after declining in previous years, spiked 44 percent four years ago to 143, hit 148 in 2022 and reached 151 the next year.” Wait, you’re

Previously On LAST WEEK IN ST. LOUIS

saying the police lied to us??

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 13. Bad news involving a different north county kid attacked by their peers just outside their school: The Hazelwood East student captured on video being brutally beaten last Friday now has brain bleeding, a skull fracture and frontal lobe damage. The family of Kaylee Gain has set up two GoFundMe campaigns and Gain is increasingly becoming a conservative cause célèbre. Hedge fund manager — and anti-DEI activist — Bill Ackman even kicks in $10,000, apparently because Gain is white. (What, you don’t see Ackman helping the family of Justin Brooks, do you?)

THURSDAY, MARCH 14. It’s 314 Day and the Super Bowl of the UFL is coming to St. Louis! (Yes, the UFL is the new XFL — kakaw!) Also coming, maybe, is a tornado? City residents are bombarded with calls and text messages from the city’s emergency alert system ordering them

to take shelter — we got a total of 15 — yet no tornado actually makes it to the city. When has St. Louis ever been this wound up about the mere threat of violence? Also, the Business Journal steps in to ruin local celebrations with some Debbie Downer shit: The city is still losing residents, even as Charlotte and Orlando grow. Is this news? What did y’all think would happen when we converted all those two-family flats into gray-hued homes for DINKs? As for Governor Mike Parson, he offers his take on the city’s population loss: “One of the problems they have is you’ve got to figure out how to deal with the crime situation. That’s got to be a priority because if there’s anything negative about St. Louis that I see from this position, that’s the No. 1 thing that’s going to come to the forefront and people are going to talk about.” Always full of perceptive insight and helpful solutions, our guv.

FRIDAY, MARCH 15. The Cardinals give Oliver Marmol a two-year extension, be -

6 QUESTIONS for hearse-driving gas station attendant Mark McDonald

If you frequently traverse South Grand Boulevard in the area just south of Tower Grove Park, you’ve probably noticed the sleek looking hearse frequently parked in front of the Phillips 66 at Humphrey Street. Maybe you thought it was the mascot for the station, à la the old Sinclair dinosaur, or maybe you thought it was for sale. Maybe one day when you stopped for gas you asked Mark McDonald, the guy working the register, “Hey, what’s up with that hearse always parked out front?”

Well, the hearse is how McDonald gets to work. He’s long been a fan of that specific means of conveyance. He likes that they’re different and he likes their classic, timeless aesthetic. We think he has a point. From Twisted Metal to the Addams Family to the mythology behind the music of Father John Misty, hearses have something going on that Camrys and Impalas don’t.

The RFT caught up with McDonald to ask him what it’s like to have a hearse for a set of wheels. This conversation has been edited for length and clarity.

How long have you been working at Phillips 66?

How long has it been, 100 years? No, about 19 years or so.

How long have you driven the hearse to work?

About three and a half years. It was my retirement present to myself.

Where did you retire from?

Here. I came back two months later.

How did you settle on a hearse for a retirement present?

Because I like it. It’s a classic. And my dad was in the funeral business for 50 years. We started out in Mexico, Missouri. A little place called Arnold Funeral Home, and then we traveled around Missouri before coming to St. Louis, and he started working for Hofmeister.

Do you ever get the sense like it’s haunted or anything like that?

No, not this one. Back in the ’80s I had a ’63 combination ambulance-

cause apparently stability is more important than, you know, winning. Also, the entire Velda City Police Department resigns. It’s only three officers and the chief, but even so. After they change the locks, St. Louis County says Pagedale will take over. One north county fiefdom down …. 90-plus to go.

SATURDAY, MARCH 16. It’s a beautiful day and the trees are in glorious bloom But winter is coming (back): Freezing temps are forecast for early next week. On the national front, former President Donald Trump warns of a “bloodbath” if he’s not elected. Sounds ominous! Back home, the Circuit Attorney’s Office charges a drug dealer named Glenn Bailey with killing Wash U doctoral student Amarnath Ghosh as Ghosh walked through the Academy neighborhood on February 27. Security footage reportedly shows Bailey trailing Ghosh just before the shooting. In sports news, City SC notches yet another tie, 3-3, but at least the Blues clinch a critical win.

SUNDAY, MARCH 17. It’s chillier, but isn’t that perfect weather for getting crunk in Dogtown? St. Patrick’s Day is time to party, and St. Louis’ collective insistence on pushing the limits of opencontainer laws may be one of our defining qualities.

hearse. It could be weird sometimes.

How does this one ride?

Like a battleship.

—Ryan Krull

Mark McDonald’s ride stops ’em dead. | RYAN KRULL

PORTA-POTTY WATCH

When: 11:03 a.m. January 23

Where: Pine Street and Memorial Drive, Downtown

What: a subservient porta-potty supplicating itself to its all-powerful master, the Gateway Arch

No seriously, what’s going on here? Just playing the odds, we’re forced to assume one of St. Louis’ dumb cops drove an SUV into an inanimate object again. January was months ago, what’s with the holdup? ’Twas a scene too beautiful for a digital photo and we just got the film back. Good things come to those who wait.

15 SECONDS of FAME PERV TEACHER OF THE WEEK VICTORIA FOWLER

The latest Missouri teacher to face criminal charges for molesting a kid admitted to the statutory rape of a 16-year-old boy — but she won’t see a day in jail.

Victoria Fowler, 30, a teacher in Bakersfield, Missouri, was exposed last August, when the mother of a student discovered nudes Fowler had sent to him.

Confronted by the Ozark County Sheriff’s Department, Fowler admitted to having sex with the boy three times in the summer of 2023, mostly in the back seat of his car. The boy, however, said the sexual contact had started back in May, when he was still her student — and that they’d had intercourse approximately 15 times.

Fowler was sentenced to five years of supervised probation after pleading guilty to sexual contact with a student. Alas, she’s just the most recent Missouri educator to make headlines for being a lady perv, leading us to an important question: What’s with these teachers? And what could possibly be the appeal of messing with a smelly, sweaty teen boy?

Seriously, are the full-grown men of rural Missouri that unappealing?

Victoria Fowler avoided jail time. | OZARK COUTY JAIL

A tale of two cities. | MADISON PREGON

Prosecutors Pile Charges on Pervy Pediatrician

Dr. Craig Spiegel is being held in jail, for now, as he awaits trial

BY RYAN KRULL

The St. Louis pediatrician accused by federal prosecutors of swapping prescription pills for sex has been indicted by a grand jury and faces a slew of additional charges. Craig Spiegel, 67, now faces 17 counts of illegal distribution of controlled substances and 6 counts of making false statements related to health care matters.

Federal authorities claim that since 2014 Spiegel has written bogus prescriptions to women in exchange for sexual favors, nude photographs and cash. The doctor stands accused of issuing more than 1,200 prescriptions for drugs deemed medically unnecessary. Many of these prescriptions were provided to women whom he had treated as children under his pediatric practice.

The six charges of making false statements stem from the women Spiegel issued the bogus prescriptions to having the costs of those drugs covered by Medicare and Medicaid.

April Bingham, 46, is also facing one charge of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances related to Spiegel’s alleged scheme. The indictment says that Spiegel traded drugs for sexual favors with Bingham and that Bingham also distributed controlled substances under Spiegel’s DEA registration. Spiegel allegedly knew that Bingham was selling some of the pills he prescribed her to others and he used the names of Bingham’s ex-husband, mother and friends to conceal from pharmacies how frequently he was writing prescriptions for Bingham.

Bingham also connected the doctor to others with whom he could trade drugs for sexual favors, the indictment says.

Prosecutors claim that Spiegel was aware that many of these women had dangerous addiction issues, yet he continued to prescribe opioids, Xanax

and amphetamines to them. One woman for whom Spiegel prescribed medications died of an overdose.

An affidavit from a Drug Enforcement Administration officer outlines Spiegel’s modus operandi in soliciting sex for drugs. The agent recounts the case of one of Spiegel’s patients, identified only as C.S., who was introduced to the doctor through a friend with the promise that he would fill any prescription request if she gave him a “hand job” while topless. Subsequently, C.S. received prescriptions for painkillers and stimulants from Spiegel on multiple occasions through this arrangement.

Spiegel also allegedly directed other women to send him nude photos in exchange for prescriptions or to remove their tops while in his office and watch him masturbate.

In the case of a woman identified as N.L., Spiegel continued to prescribe Adderall, oxycodone and Xanax in exchange for sexual favors despite being aware of N.L.’s severe substance abuse issues and high risk of overdose. When combined, the three narcotics provide a euphoric high, but are also extremely dangerous. N.L. tragically died of an overdose in her home in April 2022.

Prior to her death, Spiegel texted N.L., “Surprise surprise. No pictures!!” He later added: “I guess there is no point in getting upset. Our interaction is usually a one-way street. I do the things that I promised. You promise much, but seldom follow through. I am not sure why you waste your breath promising anything.”

Much of Spiegel’s incriminating communication appears to have oc-

RFT Founder to Challenge Wagner

Ray Hartmann is running for Congress

BY SARAH FENSKE

On last Thursday’s episode of Nine PBS’ Donnybrook, longtime panelist Ray Hartmann made a surprising announcement: He is retiring from the show — and journalism, too.

curred through text messages, which are now in the possession of prosecutors. They contend that the “overwhelming” evidence against Spiegel is one of the reasons he should be denied bond.

At a detention hearing on March 11, prosecutor Amy Sestric argued that Spiegel ought to remain in custody as his case works its way through the courts. She said that an acquaintance of Spiegel’s came forward recently to say she had concerns about Spiegel being a potential flight risk. This acquaintance, also a doctor, said that Spiegel has previously talked about gaining Israeli citizenship and how difficult it is to be extradited back to the U.S. from Israel.

Spiegel’s attorney, William Goldstein, said that the doctor would be willing to surrender his passport as part of an arrangement allowing him to await his day in court out of jail. He stressed that Spiegel has significant family ties to the St. Louis area and that he has surrendered his license to practice medicine.

A judge has yet to rule one way or the other on Spiegel’s bond.

Sestric argued that the government has “overwhelming” evidence against Spiegel, including thousands of text messages.

At Spiegel’s hearing, Sestric referenced one of those text exchanges, initiated by Spiegel when he knew the feds were about to bring charges.

In that exchange, Spiegel texted someone to ask: “Are you talking to the feds?”

They responded, “No.”

To which Spiegel replied, “Good.” n

The Riverfront Times’ founder and longtime columnist before starting his St. Louis Insider Substack, Hartmann seldom, if ever, missed a week on the show he helped to launch. Of the five current panelists, he and Post-Dispatch columnist Bill McClellan are the only two who were there at the show’s debut in 1987.

But he has good reason to give up his soapbox: Hartmann is running for Congress. On Friday, he filed the paperwork to challenge U.S. Representative Ann Wagner (R-Ballwin).

“I really think this is the most important election of our lives,” he says. “This is not a fire drill. It’s a fire. Women in our community and in the Second Congressional District are facing the loss of reproductive freedom — that’s the biggest single issue of our time. And God forbid, if Donald Trump wins the election, we need someone who will stand up to him, not enable him.”

Of Wagner, Hartmann says, “No matter what she says about Trump — and sometimes she’ll say something — she always comes back to enabling him.”

Hartmann mentions the fact that Wagner’s fellow member of Missouri’s Republican delegation, Josh Hawley, had to chastise Wagner earlier this month for suggesting the bill that would compensate St. Louisans exposed to radioactive nuclear waste due to the feds’ malfeasance was too expensive. “We need somebody who will fight for the district,” he says. “On multiple occasions, she’s either calling for less money to be involved or not do it at all unless there’s a pay-for,” he says. “I’ve never heard of anybody abandoning the people of their own district like that.”

Hartmann had a long career in journalism after founding the RFT as a 24-year-old, and there’s a long record of him staking out positions not just on Donnybrook panels but also in the columns he’s written for the RFT. Is he worried that opposition researchers will pore over his old columns looking for statements that might embarrass him?

“No,” he says, laughing. “It’s about time somebody read them.” n

Dr. Craig Spiegel swapped drugs for sex or cash with at least 25 people, prosecutors say. | SCREENSHOT

St. Louis Needs to Learn to Drive

Mandatory driver’s ed could do wonders for Missouri

BY LIZ CHIARELLO

Idon’t remember the first time I was almost run over in my neighborhood, but I do remember the last. This morning, as my fivemonth-old puppy and I crossed the street at Connecticut and Spring, some dude in a red sedan turned left without stopping and came inches from mowing us down. He was treated to a string of expletives and then I guess went back to his TV show or Candy Crush or other such nonsense.

The time before that, I dared to cross Grand at a crosswalk. For the uninitiated, a crosswalk is those white painted lines in the street that indicate a pedestrian crossing. Most St. Louisans ignore them, but in other cities they mean “stop.” I got halfway across the street when I glanced up to see a terrified driver jamming his brakes. I leapt onto the sidewalk and barely caught my breath when I heard his passenger yell out, “There’s no stop sign here.” “IT’S A CROSSWALK!,” I roared.

Walking in St. Louis is a dangerous game. You had better hope that you kissed your loved ones goodbye when you brave the mean streets of St. Louis, because the drivers here would kill you as soon as look at you. Why people who are so friendly everywhere else turn ruthless on the road is beyond me. The consequences of bad driving range from the slightly annoying (like going 45 mph on the highway) to the tragic (like the five-year-old boy killed in Bevo Mill last week).

Lawmakers are ready to take action. Alderwoman Cara Spencer has proposed booting cars that have traffic violations. However, this approach assumes that bad drivers get caught, which is simply not the case. Unless we are willing to empower citizens to issue citations and apply boots, there is just too much bad driving for law enforcement to manage, and letting police officers decide who to stop is a recipe for discrimination. Mayor

Tishaura Jones favors bringing back red light cameras, but doing so creates perverse incentives for camera companies that profit from every ticket, and research demonstrates that cameras are not enough to discourage reckless driving. As for me, I would

prefer crosswalk buttons that activate those spiky metal things that they use at car rental places to prevent you from backing up, but those might be cost-prohibitive.

Besides, all of these proposed solutions double down on surveillance and enforcement. What if we looked to education instead? As a transplant from Texas, I was shocked when my husband, a St. Louis native, told me he never had to take driver’s ed. In fact, Missouri is one of only 13 states that requires no driver’s education of any kind. What results is the intergenerational transmission of bad driving— parents pass their poor driving skills on to their kids who pass it on to their kids (sorry parents, but you know it’s true). Driver’s ed should be available in all public schools and completion

should be required before getting a driver’s license.

Driver’s ed would teach St. Louisans some basic skills like knowing when it’s your turn (making a left at a green light that is not a left arrow? PEDESTRIANS have the right of way!), how to merge (people merging are not trying to steal your firstborn child. They are just following the rules of the road), and, of course, that a red light means “stop.” It would also teach them advanced skills like driving among bicyclists, how to parallel park and how to identify a crosswalk.

Education would have a bigger impact if St. Louis developed a plan for our city that actually made sense. Our current system of streets cobbled together by random intersections and errant stoplights makes driving hard.

Lanes shift or end without warning, turn lanes are never long enough, and insufficient cutouts for buses and delivery trucks impede traffic flow. Add to that the serious lack of signage and lane markers that are impossible to see in the dark, and even the best drivers struggle.

If we want St. Louisans to drive well, we must make it easy and efficient to do so. Pedestrians owe a courtesy to drivers too. Darting across Kingshighway or Vandeventer wherever you feel like it is not viable. By now, I sound like a broken record, but USE THE CROSSWALK!

One thing is clear: Something has to change. St. Louis pedestrians can no longer bear the sense of impending doom that haunts them when they step out of the house, even in so-called “walkable” neighborhoods. Drivers should not have to take their lives into their own hands to go to a ballgame or pick up groceries. Let’s give new drivers a fighting chance by teaching them the rules of the road and give all drivers roads that are easy to navigate.

And to the guy in the red sedan: I hope that Candy Crush gives your phone a virus and your favorite show gets cancelled. Maybe then you will learn to keep your eyes on the road. n

Liz Chiarello is an associate professor in the department of sociology and anthropology at Saint Louis University. Her research examines technology, law and the overdose crisis. Her book Policing Patients comes out this fall.

Lightning illuminates a cloud on March 13 in Florissant. Predictions of severe storms last week largely didn’t come to fruition. | ZACHARY LINHARES

Writer Liz Chiarello sees how motorists make South Grand unsafe for many pedestrians. | BRADEN MCMAKIN

MISSOURILAND

Sunday, Bawdy Sunday

March 17’s celebration brought revelers to Dogtown for an epic St. Patrick’s Day

PHOTOS AND WORDS

BY ZACHARY LINHARES

Every year the streets of Dogtown are shut down by thousands of St. Louisans eager to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day. This past Sunday’s celebration was no different, with endless pours of alcohol, the sweet sound of bagpipes, a serious amount of drunken debauchery and a whole lot of weed.

Residents along Tamm Avenue hosted parties where people slugged back Guinness and hung out of apartment windows. Partygoers wore green and did what all good St. Louisans would at a St. Patrick’s Day celebration: got wasted and celebrated a holiday they don’t fully understand.

At the end, little was left but trash in the streets, stomachs full of beer and crowds of people dreading work in the morning. In short, it was a holiday St. Louis could be proud of. n

CULT — OR CULTURAL MISUNDERSTANDING?

When a church of African immigrants was accused of kidnapping, city officials started asking bigger questions, with no easy answers

The headlines were shocking. A woman had broken free from her kidnappers, who had been holding her in a south St. Louis church. She’d been bound by rope and was bleeding from the head. After she made her desperate escape to a nearby residential street, she led police back to the church, where they arrested three African immigrants and charged them with kidnapping.

And then things got even wilder.

Prosecutors questioned whether the Mount of Olives Ministry in the city’s Patch neighborhood could be tantamount to a cult. St. Louis police officers found a room of women wearing white veils who seemed freaked out to be interrupted. They also found a series of makeshift basement bedrooms, suggesting people were staying for days on end. The City of St. Louis swiftly condemned the church building.

The kidnapping charges against three parishioners are making their way through court (two of the three men remain locked up at the City Justice Center). But church leaders appear to be persuading city officials that the kidnapping does not signify a violent cult in the midst of south city.

Instead, they say, the apparent red flags spotted by police and building inspectors on their visits suggest a cultural misunderstanding.

Defense attorney Chris Combs represents Grace Kipendo, 28, one of the

three men arrested. Combs has argued in two separate bond hearings for Kipendo that not only did police arrest the wrong men for the kidnapping, but that Mount of Olives Ministry has been painted unfairly by police, prosecutors and the media.

Combs said that Mount of Olives is a Christian church comprised mostly of African immigrants. Services are conducted Swahili.

“Calling them a cult is racist,” Combs told St. Louis Circuit Court Judge Heather Hays. “I have no problem saying that.”

Troubling Allegations

It’s safe to say that both police and prosecutors were extremely troubled by what they encountered when the kidnapped woman led them to Mount

BY RYAN KRULL

of Olives Ministry.

In court, Assistant Circuit Attorney Chris Faerber described cult-like conditions and said he’d be reaching out to federal prosecutors with an expertise in international trafficking cases. He said that officers at the scene reported members of the church referring to women as “angels,” and that there was a “white room” where there were women referred to as “good angels” who wore white veils.

“Officers tried to lift their veils to check on their well-being and the women started screaming,” Faerber told Judge Hays.

Faerber quoted one of the officers at the scene who said, “If I hadn’t seen this with my own eyes, I wouldn’t have believed it.”

Police had initially been called to the nearby 8300 block of Minnesota Avenue because the victim was “crying out to passersby who were not members of the church,” according to Faerber.

According to the police probable cause statement, the victim said she was kept locked in a room where she was beaten and given only water. After police arrived, the victim led officers to a different room, one that wasn’t the “white room,” which had its doorknob broken off and, inside, a bucket being used as a makeshift toilet.

Continued on pg 17

In the basement beneath Mount of Olives Ministry, police found a series of makeshift bedrooms, including this one.

CULT OR CHURCH

Continued from pg 15

In addition to Kipendo, two other men — Pasi Heri, 32, of Dutchtown, and Mmunga Fungamali, 25, who had just arrived in the United States from Canada days before his arrest — were charged with felony kidnapping and assault.

Kipendo’s attorney Combs said that while the victim is indeed a victim, police arrested the wrong men, in part due to a language barrier between many of the people involved and the police. Combs said the church has been active since at least 2018 and has never before had an incident.

“No one is denying there is a victim in this case,” he said, even while arguing that Kipendo wasn’t the one who was responsible for her injuries. “Grace was there to translate between the victim’s mother and the officers. He can’t believe he’s gotten wrapped up in this.”

Kipendo is active-duty U.S. military and until last year was serving in Germany. He is originally from the Congo and became a U.S. citizen in 2010.

Combs added, “There are some serious issues in this case that are going to come to light,” and those issues have to do with the language barrier between the police and others involved.

At Kipendo’s February 26 bond hearing, the sister and mother of the victim were in court to support Kipendo, Fungamali and Heri. So were about a dozen other church members. Combs said that the victim in the case had been brought from Kansas City to St. Louis for mental health treatment before her ordeal.

The prosecutor, Faerber, said that the victim’s family had put her in the church for what they termed “healing.” He added that even though the victim was supposedly in protective custody at an undisclosed hospital, some church members figured out what hospital she was at and began calling there, trying to speak to her. One of these callers identified himself as a “DA” for the city, though notably St. Louis has circuit attorneys, not district attorneys.

In court that day, Judge Hays acknowledged there were “many conflicting facts” in the case and ruled that Kipendo should remain held without bond.

Heri’s and Fungamali’s bond hearings were delayed so that a Swahili interpreter could be present. They were subsequently denied bond as well, although Heri was released late last week pending trial.

On February 26, an RFT reporter went to the Mount of Olives Ministry and talked to a man in the parking lot who said he was Pastor Dany Stephen. Stephen said that someone had slapped the victim but that it wasn’t any of the three men arrested.

“Why are you holding these three people, innocent people?” he said.

Like the victim, Stephen said he was visiting the church from Kansas City. He said he’d worked with the victim’s family when they were new to the U.S.

Stephen was present in the courtroom along with other parishioners at the first of the three men’s bond hearings, but subsequently headed back to the other side of the state.

It wasn’t his first time bearing witness to the fallout from a violent crime. Stephen was the person who discovered a horrendous scene nine years ago at his sister-in-law Marie Chishahayo’s Kansas City home.

He found the home in disarray, her two- and three-year-old daughters se-

verely burned. The three-year-old required skin grafts at a local hospital. The two-year-old soon died.

Police later determined the burns had been administered by Chishahayo’s nine-year-old son with the blessing of his mother, who had caught one of her daughters touching her own vagina and “showing the other children how to do it.”

When authorities asked why she would allow her son to burn his sisters with a heated knife, Chishahayo said, “God told him to.”

Inside the Church

When news got out that a kidnapping had gone down at the church next door and that prosecutors alleged

cult-like conditions within, Robin Jernigan was not surprised.

Jernigan said she knew something bad was going to happen “ever since they moved in here.”

For the past nine years she’s lived at her current home on Minnesota Avenue in the Patch neighborhood. Her backyard abuts the Mount of Olives Ministry church property.

Jernigan said that men have regularly hung out behind the church in the area that backs up to her backyard. She said they broke branches off trees, sharpened them and threw them at her dog. They threw rocks at her dog, too, she said.

“I got to sit outside with a pistol,” she said, adding that one church member

Grace Kipendo, 28, was active-duty military before being charged with kidnapping. | VIA SLMPD

Mmunga Fungamali, 25, just arrived in St. Louis last month. He now faces charges too. | VIA SLMPD

Pasi Heri, 32, also faces felony kidnapping and assault charges. | VIA SLMPD

The church building at the center of the kidnapping case is located on Marceau Street in the Patch neighborhood. | ZACHARY LINHARES

regularly wore a makeshift security outfit and stationed himself between the church’s property and hers.

Jernigan said it’s “mostly men” she’s seen hanging out outside the building, and she recognized two of the men who were arrested.

For all of Jernigan’s queasy feelings, it was the suggestion that church members were living — or, potentially, being held — in makeshift rooms in the basement that quickly got the attention of the City of St. Louis. While churches enjoy some flexibility in municipal building codes, residential use is not among them. The city condemned the church on February 26 to buy a little time to see what was really going on.

When the city reinspected the premises on March 5, the RFT tagged along

at the invitation of church members.

Much of what we saw was what you’d expect to see at any church, including a sanctuary with pews.

However, the church basement includes a long back hallway with approximately 10 small rooms branching off from it.

Church officials said they are “prayer rooms,” and in court, defense attorneys for the three arrested men have acknowledged that roughly three to five people lived at the church at any given time. However, the site visit showed the church was capable of housing many more than that. Each of the rooms contained multiple beds and personal items, including an ironing board, a stereo, toys and a child’s sippy cup.

The room where the victim claimed

she was held captive was a different story — a bare-bones room sectioned off with a curtain.

On the day church members showed the inspectors, and the RFT, the room, it had no bed, no personal items, just two uncomfortable chairs. On one, someone had placed a potted plant.

“This Is Cultural”

At Mount of Olives, church supporters and city officials say that prayer and worship can be days-long affairs, even lasting weeks or an entire month. That puts the church in an unusual position in terms of how it is zoned.

Both sides say they are working collaboratively to figure out how to accommodate both the church and public safety. The kidnapping is a serious crime that will have to be adjudicated — but for now, services are again allowed at the site where it happened, with the city’s blessing. The city lifted the condemnation notice and allowed

the church to reopen one day after the reinspection.

On March 12, the church’s lead pastor, Anna Nyassa, and others affiliated with the church met with members of the city’s Building Division as part of what the city calls a “fact-finding mission.”

“I’m told the meeting was generally positive,” said City Hall spokesman Conner Kerrigan. “With a focus on finding a solution that satisfies the church’s method of worship without compromising the health, safety or welfare of the public or the community.”

Pastor Arlie Singleton, who shepherds a nearby church, was also in the meeting, and said it was “amicable, gracious.”

Singleton says that much of what occurred can be chalked up to a cultural misunderstanding. He says he has firsthand experience with Mount

Top, Pastor Arlie Singleton accompanied building inspectors (and an RFT photographer) on a tour of the church. They found a typical Protestant church upstairs, but bedrooms downstairs that suggested people were staying for days on end, if not weeks. | ZACHARY LINHARES

CULT OR CHURCH

Continued from pg 18

of Olives; for a year, the Friendship Assembly of God church where he’s pastor shared the church building on Marceau Street with them. Singleton’s congregation moved to nearby Lemay in 2019, selling the building to Mount of Olives.

Singleton says he understands how the church could have struck city officials as unusual. Some of what they did struck Friendship Assembly of God parishioners as unusual, too. Services run very, very long. It’s common for groups of people to spend 48 hours at a time in the church fasting and praying. Church leaders often stay in the facility from Friday until Sunday. Occasionally, some worshippers will spend as long as 30 days in the church fasting and praying, and then go back to their normal lives after the month is up.

“That is a natural part of what they would do that is outside of the way that we would typically use our church in the United States,” Singleton says. “This is cultural.”

Though this likely strikes many people as strange, Singleton adds, none of it is nefarious. (In some ways, these extended prayer retreats might be akin to what monks have done for centuries.)

“They were having church the way they understand a church,” Singleton says. “They were given the occupancy permit to have a church. So they thought they were fine.”

At the most recent meeting between the city and Mount of Olives, the church elaborated that people aren’t living there, that they just have a very long way of worshiping, involving prayer that can take weeks. The city and the church are, for lack of a better term, trying to “square that circle” and find a way for Mount of Olives parishioners to worship in a way that is culturally appropriate to them without putting anyone’s safety at risk.

Blair Gadsby, a religious studies PhD student at Arizona State University who researches religious practices in Mombasa, Kenya, says that nothing about what was going on at Mount of Olives strikes him as inherently odd. In his experience in Mombasa, for instance, it is not at all uncommon for parishioners to sleep in churches.

As for the notion of women in white getting agitated when police approach, he said, “Let’s just compare it to if a police officer went into a situation and tried to lift up a Muslim woman’s veil, how would we feel about that?”

As for the room with the “angels,” Singleton says Nyassa tells him it was a bad translation.

From an optics standpoint, it does not help the church that leadership has yet to issue any sort of public

statement — something you would expect of most congregations if their property had been used for a brutal kidnapping.

Church members the RFT has spoken to say such a statement is forthcoming, and has been for some time.

Singleton says there’s reason for the delay.

“The people who are the leaders of the church are the ones that don’t speak English good enough to communicate without being concerned that they’re going to do it wrong,” Singleton says. “So it’s the younger people in the church who are actually more likely to communicate, but they’re not the leaders.”

Singleton is an adroit explainer for the church and its religious practices, but the alleged kidnapping is beyond his explanations.

“The church does not condone beating people,” Singleton says. “However, in the Congolese culture, it might be acceptable if a man beat his wife. They might not think anything of it. People come over, and it may not be that it wouldn’t happen. But it’s not what the church teaches.”

Singleton says the victim was previously brought to the church by her mother last May, suffering an unspecified psychological issue. She appears to have remained living there at least part time until the incident in February.

That night, the church was hosting a group of parishioners partaking in a 31-day fast. (One of the arrested men, Fungamali, flew in from Canada specifically for the fast.) On the other side of the church, the young woman suffered another psychological breakdown.

Singleton says that, based on his conversations with Nyassa, everyone’s best guess is that the woman became violent and someone at the church ac-

tually tied her up as a way of restraining her. Singleton says this “wasn’t to be malicious” but rather “so that she wouldn’t either harm herself or keep destroying stuff.”

But despite the unresolved questions around what was done to her, and who was responsible, Missouri law is pretty squarely on the church’s side when it comes to being allowed to continue to operate, according to attorney Dave Roland, litigation director of the Freedom Center of Missouri.

That’s because, according to Roland, in addition to First Amendment protections prohibiting any government action that limits the free expression of religion, and additional protections under the state constitution, Missouri has the Religious Freedom Restoration Act, one of the strongest state laws in the country.

“That basically means that the government has got to have an extraordinarily good reason before they can do anything that infringes on a religious belief,” he says. “As long as the behavior is substantially motivated by the religious belief, it is protected.”

But, Roland adds, “When it comes to kidnapping, that’s a different matter.”

An Injured Victim

To Roland’s point, although a lot of the drama that has played out around the church could be rooted in cultural misunderstanding, that does nothing to explain why a woman who was herself very familiar with the church has claimed she was kidnapped there.

No one on any side of this issue disputes there was a woman with rope marks on her wrists and ankles who led police to a room where she said she was held against her will and forced to use a makeshift toilet. And the makeshift toilet does appear to be docu-

mented on body cam footage.

And while Combs, the defense attorney for Kipendo, says his client is innocent, he also says he’s spoken to people involved with the church who say they know who actually tied up the woman. It’s unclear why the church doesn’t present that individual for the sake of the two men who remain in jail on kidnapping charges.

Each of the three accused kidnappers has appeared in court at least once. None of their attorneys has claimed that the woman did not suffer abuse while inside the church.

“She was tied up, but what the reason was for it is a little bit unclear,” says Justin Summary, the attorney for Fungamali. “It’s tough to gather whether this had anything at all to do with the church.”

“There’s a language issue. There’s a cultural issue. There’s a woman, the victim, who’s had some kind of issues of her own,” Summary adds. “All those things are kind of muddying the waters as to what actually happened.”

Summary notes that his client, at least, has given him a lot to work with in terms of building a defense. For instance, the probable cause statement says that the victim was initially held against her will starting on Wednesday, February 21, and made her escape three days later, in the early hours of Saturday. But Fungamali didn’t fly into St. Louis for the first time until that Wednesday, when he arrived from Canada around 10 p.m. He says he didn’t even get his bags and make his way to the city proper until Thursday.

“It’s like a bad episode of Locked Up Abroad,” says Summary. “He’s never been in the United States before and arrives and is arrested 36 hours later. So he’s, you know, confused as to what’s going on.” n

A bus parked outside Mount of Olives Ministry on March 1 carries a hopeful message. | ZACHARY LINHARES

CALENDAR

BY RIVERFRONT TIMES STAFF

THURSDAY 03/21

Glow Up

The Saint Louis Zoo (1 Government Drive) is hosting its first-ever Animals Aglow lantern festival this spring, with more than 60 larger-than-life lanterns depicting animals, plants and traditional Chinese elements. Zoogoers will be able to stroll through the Chinese Dragon Corridor tunnel, pose with dozens of giant glowing animals, play with interactive displays like the Moonlight Swings or color-changing Star Stepping Pads, and catch nightly Chinese cultural performances. Animals Aglow has partnered with Tianyu Arts & Culture, Inc., an international event design and manufacturing company headquartered in Zigong, in the Sichuan province of China, for the special event. Artisans with Tianyu make the lanterns by hand by weaving thousands of LED lights over metal frames before covering the structures in colorful silks. The event will feature traditional handicrafts such as aluminum braiding and inner-bottle painting (handpainted pictures created inside glass, crystal and other materials) for purchase at Tianyu’s tent, which will be located in the center of the zoo near Ice Cream Oasis. There will also be a specialty menu including steamed pork buns, firecracker chicken, dumplings in chili crisp broth and the beloved fish-shaped pastries called taiyaki. The nighttime event will take place from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday through May 5. Ticket prices for Wednesdays through Thursdays are $16.95 for members and $19.95 for non-members, and for Fridays through Sundays tickets are $20.95 for members and $23.95 nonmembers. They can be purchased online at stlzoo.org.

Look At It

Philadelphia’s Ed Bassmaster, popular YouTuber and star of the shortlived CMT prank show The Ed Bassmaster Show, brings his chameleonic brand of comedy off screen and onto the stage at Red Flag (3040 Locust Street) this Thursday, March 21. Bassmaster’s comedy M.O. is to disappear into a character, not unlike Sacha Baron Cohen becoming Ali G, Bruno or Borat. And then he stays there, committing fully to the bit and baffling any unsuspecting members

of the public unfortunate enough to cross his bath. Practically speaking, this means that for just one price of admission you will almost surely be getting a whole roster of entertainment, and half of the excitement will be in finding out just who shows up. Doors are at 7 p.m., with the show starting an hour later. General admission is $25, and there are meet-andgreet packages for $75 or $150. More info at redflagstl.com.

Show Me a Soul

The Crucible gets all the buzz thanks to the fact that witch hunts are never not in style, and it’s hard not to be deeply moved by Death of a Salesman , but for our money Arthur Miller’s greatest play is All My Sons Premiering in 1947, at a time when World War II’s V-Day parties were

still raging, the drama focuses on two Midwestern families being forced to grapple with guilt and truth and the consequences of greed. Unsurprisingly, the whole thing was ripped from the headlines, with a real-life Ohio manufacturing scandal not so different from today’s problems at Boeing cobbled onto a structure straight out of Henrik Ibsen. Miller, then a struggling playwright, vowed to give up his theatrical ambitions if this play wasn’t successful — and so even if you prefer The Crucible , you have this heartbreaker of a play to thank for it. All My Sons opens at the Jewish Community Center (2 Millstone Campus Drive, Maryland Heights) on Thursday, March 21 and runs through April 7. Showtimes and ticket prices vary. See showpass. com/all-my-sons/ for more information.

SATURDAY 03/23

Dog and Bunny Show

Egg-cited for Easter? You know you are. But why should we humans have all the fun? This year, bring your fur babies on down to the Doggy Easter Bunny Photobooth at Lola & Penelope’s (two locations including 7742 Forsyth Boulevard, Clayton) for a chance to meet the holiest of holiday leporids. At the Clayton pet boutique, the Easter Bunny himself will take a break from hopping down the bunny trail to meet and take photos with pets and their families. Photos are $5 for one and $10 for two or more, with proceeds to be donated to Second Chance Ranch. Photo sessions last five min-

The Saint Louis Zoo’s first-ever Animals Aglow lantern festival celebrates Chinese culture with dozens of giant glowing animals. | VIA TIANYU ARTS & CULTURE INC.

utes, and pets are asked to be kept on a leash or in their carrier. Before hopping off, the Easter Bunny will hide eggs throughout both the Clayton and Town & Country locations for your doggo to sniff out. Each egg will reveal coupons, treats and more, with one golden egg holding the lucky ticket to a free Easter basket and the chance to spin the Lola Rewards Wheel to win more prizes. All the holiday fun runs from 1 to 3 p.m. on Saturday, March 23. To reserve your photo shoot, visit lolaandpenelopes.com.

SUNDAY 03/24

Buzz Off

Old Bakery Beer Co.’s ninth annual Buzz’d Beer Festival returns this month — and if you like beer, this one’s for you. On Sunday, March 24, from 1 to 5 p.m., stop by Old Bakery Beer Co. (400 Landmarks Boulevard, Alton, Illinois) to enjoy an expansive lineup

of more than 50 craft beers from renowned local breweries, including this year’s special dessert-themed beer: The Tiramisu ale, with a 7.5 percent ABV, is brewed with rum, barrel-aged coffee, vanilla and chocolate. To go along with the beer’s unveiling, Sugarwitch will be selling Tiramisu ice cream sandwiches, and Old Bakery Beer’s menu will be available at an additional cost as well. After Old Bakery added to last year’s already extensive list, beer enthusiasts can expect to see beverages from a slew of area breweries including 2nd Shift Brewing, 4 Hands Brewing Company, Brick River Cider Co., Narrow Gauge, Schlafly and more. Each brewery has been asked to showcase a beer during the festival that includes a pollinated ingredient to help increase the awareness and importance of native pollinators. They will also be handing out free wildflower seeds and donating 10 percent of ticket sales to the Piasa Palisades Sierra Club. Each general admission

WEEK OF MARCH 21–27

ticket ($35), includes a commemorative glass, four-ounce pours from more than 50 different beers and the chance to see the Granite City band Lofty’s Comet. Discounted designated driver tickets ($10) will also include a commemorative glass and two nonalcoholic beverages from the bar. Purchase your tickets for the Buzz’d Beer Festival at oldbakerybeer.com.

TUESDAY 03/26 Feed Her!

In what very well may be the most disgusting — and strangely interesting — event happening in the entire city this week, Vegan Deli & Butcher has teamed up with Arkadin Cinema & Bar (5228 Gravois Avenue) for a special dinner-and-a-movie event on Saturday, March 23. “So what’s so odd about that?” you might be asking. Well, the movie is 2009’s Human Centipede, a horror film in which two college students become the subjects of a sadistic science experiment wherein a deranged German doctor attempts to create the creature in the film’s title by surgically removing peoples’ knee caps and sewing them together mouth to anus. In other words, it’s pretty much the last movie anyone would ever want to associate with dinner, and in fact is likely to turn the more squeamish members of the audience off the very concept of

eating for a long time. Nevertheless, to pay homage to the film, Vegan Deli is serving “Mouth to Crack” tacos, which they describe as “a vegan take on Jack in the Box tacos. Crispy corn shell, ‘meat’ filling, lettuce, cheese, hot sauce built in and ranch on the side.” (We’ll admit, that does sound delicious, despite the circumstances.) Dinner starts at 6 p.m. followed by a Gwar pre-show and cocktails from 7 to 8 p.m. The movie starts at 8 p.m. Tickets are $19 and include three tacos each. They can be purchased at arkadincinema.com. n

You know your furry friend would love the chance to meet the Easter Bunny. | VIA FLICKR/LEXKY

YouTuber Ed Bassmaster will bring his character-driven comedy to Red Flag this week. | VIA TICKETMASTER

Thoroughly Baked

If you want a real New York-style bagel — dense and chewy — Baked & Boiled’s charming storefront has you covered

There are only so many words for chewy. I looked them up. Coriaceous was one, leathery was another, so was rubbery and so was tough; I liked dry as old boots. “Chewy,” my thesaurus seems to suggest, is not a good thing to be.

It’s not true.

It is true, however, that bagels can be wily. You can’t necessarily tell from the outside how they’re going to be on the inside. For instance, the plain one you just bought in the dining car of the Texas Eagle (starting in Chicago and pitstopping in St. Louis sometime next month) looked decent enough; feasibly could have passed for one at Shelsky’s of Brooklyn. That’s what you told yourself, anyway, when hope — in the moment — sprung eternal and you shelled out for that knock-your-block-off puck in the Cafe car.

On the beauty continuum, Baked & Boiled, which opened on Ninth Street across from the Soulard Soap Laundromat

in September, is as far from an Amtrak caboose as croquembouche is from Bunny Bread; it’s knock-your-socks off lovely here. Spanking white floors and snowy tile walls, sunlight glittering in the windows. I actually drew a breath. And then, once the dazzle wore off, my eyes lensed to the golden mean of this canvas, and swooned again.

How much do I love the display case, circa 1950, left behind by the storefront’s former occupant the Sweet Divine? I’ll count some ways: I love the bespoke antiquity of the wood and glass, I love the pullout drawers, and how the bagels — at the start of the day, anyway — are packed like gentlemen’s socks at Gimbels. If a rainbow was made of bread, this case would be the end of it.

Alex Pifer is the owner here, having worked her way up from Clearwater, Florida, where she grew up, through North Carolina and Ohio to St. Louis. She operated a pop-up bagel business at Wild Olive Provisions for a time. Most recently, she worked at Farmhaus, still does every so often.

The bagels she makes (inspired by Clearwater Bagels, guess where?) are boiled in a salty, malty bath, she says, which results in a chewy buoy not often found in the supermarket.

Aside from Pifer’s husband, this is a woman-powered business. And that includes Judith, the stand mixer.

“It’s a Bible story,” Pifer explained. And while I was going on to learn that Biblical Judith cut off her boyfriend’s head, chef and baker Katie Fitzgerald — visible in the kitchen from the counter — was muscling a giant sausage of dough; heaving it, slapping it, knifing it into chunks.

Bagels, by definition, are denser breadstuffs with pleasantly elastic, chewy skins. But personally, I think there’s room for puff. I want my bagel to sigh a little when I squeeze in. And there’s an allowance (isn’t there always?) for some artisanal imperfection — some shagginess. There’s that here. A crusty cheddar jalapeno is raggle-taggle with its bubbly crust of cheese, and turned

BAKED & BOILED BAGELS

1801 South Ninth Street, 314-571-9017.

Mon., Thu., Fri., 6:30 a.m.-2 p.m., Sat.-Sun., 7 a.m.-2 p.m. Closed Tues. and Wed.

Baked & Boiled features a variety of housemade bagels with schmears and fillings.

BY ALEXA BEATTIE

PHOTOS

VEGAN DELI & BUTCHER

Continued from pg 25

out to have a marked lingering heat. The cinnamon raisin is rugged and glossy, bumped with juicy dried fruit, and pricked on the inside with cinnamon that tastes fresh off the stick. And you won’t fail to notice the densely poppyseeded poppyseed which stands out from the pack like Batman at a nursery sing-song.

Baked & Boiled dances on the line between a cozy, homespun operation and an extremely professional enterprise. Minus the giant 20-gallon tilt skillet and wall of boss ovens, I was reminded a little of my grandmother’s kitchen — close and warm, moist with steam and nice smells. You can sit, if you want, at one of two stools that front the action. Or you can plop in the window where that sunlight glitters, where it glints off your cup of Kuva coffee and refracts gold through a beautiful and very large jar of honey on the counter.

Pifer recommended the salt bagel with my prosciutto goat cheese sandwich — the day’s special when I went. I was wary, but somehow the big flakes are only gently saline. The prosciutto was allowed to bring its own salt to the party, and it got on well with the sweet fig jam that was also there.

All Pifer’s bagels are made with 25 percent whole wheat flour and I could certainly pick up a warm, brown wheatiness in this one. If it had been advertised as a bread bun, I’d have loved it, but thinking “bagel,” I was left a little wanting.

That day, a chalk sandwich board out front said “Lox Smith.” And it’s pretty much true. At Baked & Boiled, fish eaters can have their (real) lox, and so can vegans have their variety. Pifer won’t dish on her carrot-curing methods, which produce slivers of vegetable that are delicately sweet and the gorgeous color of a persimmon. I didn’t mind; the “salmon” was loxy enough for me, however it came about.

So I’m on the fence, and bagels put me there in a big way. What are they supposed to be? Pretty? Shaggy? Chewy and soft? Dense but puffily so? People want different things from bagels, and while density isn’t my thing, it might be yours. At Baked & Boiled, like I said, it’s a spectrum: A bit of this, a bit of that. Buy them all, I guess?

“Can I buy this?” I said, running my finger longingly down the glassy flank of the shop’s great honey pot, realizing instantly the absurdity. I have only so many cups of tea, so many slices of toast left in this life of mine. Sad. Because the honey is even more seductive, not just local from Enough, Missouri, but made — with gratitude

SAUCED

and therefore added sweetness? — by rescued bees at Rad Rex Farms. (The answer, BTW, was no.)

I can’t remember if there’s an actual bell on the door, or if I’m just conjuring one. Because Baked & Boiled is that kind of place — a little shop on a corner across from a soap laundromat with a little tinkle announcing (with increasing frequency as the light comes up) that yet another person is hungry for their breakfast.

Baked & Boiled owner Alex Pifer based her recipe on one she ate in her native Florida.

Customers can choose from savory and sweet options.

One zingy combo: The pepper cheddar bagel with scallion cream cheese.

Wood You Rather

From St. Louis, Foeder Crafters uses Missouri oak to supply the beer world

BY TONY REHAGEN

When discussing his business, Dan Saettele often starts with a story about its previous ownership: In 2013, woodworker and homebrewer Matt Walters was hired to build a bar for Dogtown’s newest brewery, Heavy Riff Brewing Company. The brewers were so impressed with Walters’ craftsmanship that they asked him if he could also build them a foeder.

“Sure,” Walters is said to have replied. “What’s a foeder?”

Walters soon learned that a foeder (a Dutch word pronounced food-er) is a large wooden vessel used to age or ferment beer. Originally used by the French to produce wine, the foeder was adopted by Belgians in the 1800s for use in aging their sour ales. Fast forward about 200 years and American craft brewers getting into wild ales, sours and lambics were clamoring for oversized barrels. And, as Walters discovered, the best wood to make a foeder was oak, particularly the Missouri white oak that was plentiful right in his backyard.

Walters’ work on that first foeder impressed Heavy Riff co-owner Justin Saffell — and plenty of other area brewers — enough for Saffell to convince Walters to start a business together. Today, Foeder Crafters of America (10844 Indian Head Industrial Boulevard, foedercrafters. com) is the world’s largest American manufacturer of the vessels, with their handcrafted foeders featured in more than 500 brewhouses, wineries, cideries and distilleries on five continents.

“We make them differently than they do in Europe,” says Saettele, a former loan officer who worked with Walters before buying the company from him in 2020. “[Walters] didn’t have the knowledge or baggage of history; he just made them the way he thought they should be made.”

Traditionally, foeders have been made like barrels — using flat-side staves that are simply pressed and held together with the metal hoops and pressure. But Foeder Crafters instead uses interlocking finger-jointed staves, which make the vessel air-

tight, essentially as if it was one solid piece of wood.

The other key differentiator in Foeder Crafters’ wares is the type of wood. Missouri is the country’s most prodigious producer of white oak, a hardwood that endures at least 80 years of the state’s harshest winters and most brutal summers before being ready for harvest. Oak also undergoes a unique decaying process called tylosis, where the wood cells swell up to fill gaps in the growth rings, making the wood practically leak-proof. Plus, Missouri white oak imbues liquid with spices, like vanilla, and a toastiness that winemakers, distillers and brewers all over the world covet for their respective concoctions.

The oak used by Foeder Crafters has

been air-dried for at least two years. The staves are then cut, assembled and steamed. They also usually char the interior at least a little to get rid of the pungent “green” of raw oak. The foeders range in size from 500 liters to 10,000 gallons, $8,000 to $75,000, and come in either horizontal models that sit in racks like wine barrels or vertical ones, which resemble a typical stainless vat with a conical bottom that makes it easier to clean.

Foeders initially became popular in the beer scene because they were ideal for aging mixed-culture fermentation beers that use wild yeasts and lactic acid bacteria, like sours and wild ales, but brewers have started using them for just about anything. For instance, Florissant’s Narrow Gauge has been

prolific in offering slightly funkier, foeder-aged versions of their IPAs and pale ales. And Saettele says that lately, brewers all over have been using Missouri oak to put a different spin on their lagers.

“The wood gives a lager a more pillowing mouth feel,” he says. “A foederaged lager is much softer.”

So, no matter where you are in the U.S. or even sometimes abroad, when you see “foeder-aged” on a beer can or wine or whiskey bottle, or walk into a brewery and see the pale wooden vessel, you can bet that it comes from Saettele’s St. Louis factory.

“I love walking into a brewery wearing my Foeder Crafter t-shirt,” he says. “When brewers see it, they treat us like rock stars.” n

Above, some of the remarkably elegant finished products. Below, the raw materials. | ZACHARY LINHARES

Dan Saettele is the owner of Foeder Crafters of America. | ZACHARY LINHARES

Grape Minds Drink Alike

Intertwine Wine Bar aims to give Dutchtown a sexy and sophisticated space

BY PAULA TREDWAY

Dutchtown is now home to a sophisticated wine bar, thanks to the husband-and-wife team of Earl and Tasha Smith, who also own the nearby Cross Grand photography studio.

Intertwine Wine Bar (4710 Virginia Avenue) opened to the public on Thursday, March 14 — 314 Day, for those who celebrate — with plans to cater to a 25-and-older crowd. It’s the latest venture for the Smiths, who have deep ties to the neighborhood.

“Doing it in Dutchtown was super special for us, because this is where we live,” Tasha tells the RFT. “We serve on several boards in Dutchtown and we have another business here. We just wanted to help be a part of the changed narrative for Dutchtown.”

Opening a wine bar has been a dream of Tasha’s for the last 10 years. She says there’s nothing like sitting down and having a glass of wine while chatting with her family and friends.

But it wasn’t until she was getting some coffee at Starbucks that the name Intertwine hit her.

“They had a sign and it said ‘intertwining’ and I was like, ‘I want to intertwine wine with the community and with health,’” she says. “I just want to intertwine all things together, family and business. Intertwining the idea of being able to offer generational wealth to our children. So I just texted [Earl] one day and I was like, ‘I got the name!’”

In remodeling the multifamily building, which dates back to 1905, Tasha wanted a space to make her neighbors feel comfortable and welcomed. She envisioned an inviting, calming and relaxing environment with an upscale atmosphere replete with exposed brick, greenery, dark green leather sofas and a handmade wooden bar and tables.

“Realistically, we’re in the middle of Dutchtown, one of the most underserved neighborhoods,” says Tasha. “So we don’t want to offer a service or a space here that makes our neighbors feel uncomfortable, but something that makes them come in and be like, ‘Wow.’”

To start, the two will be serving 12 house wines, which will include red, white and sparkling, but as people start visiting they plan to ask for suggestions. Down the road, they hope to add spirits, including whiskey, to the offerings as well.

“That’s my next move,” Tasha says. “This is phase one, getting this up and

“I want to intertwine wine with the community and with health.”

running, but at some point I want to have his and hers — a wine and whiskey mix. I am creating my own wine beginning to end, and crafting is on. So there will be whiskies and stuff, but we probably just aren’t going to have everything.”

Intertwine’s next phase will involve remodeling the upstairs into an exclusive members-only wine club, Tasha says, which will allow members to choose a bottle of wine, head upstairs and enjoy more of a private atmosphere. The upstairs will also be used for Wellness Wednesday, which will offer women the opportunity to come together and discuss health-related matters.

“So upstairs, there were two things that were really, really important to me,” Tasha explains. “One, a space to talk about all things medical, because as a woman who’s getting older there are things that I am going through that nobody ever told me and I’m like, ‘Why don’t we talk about these things?’ But then also on Mondays the upstairs

will be allocated for area partners, like if you have a resource or service that you want to offer the community, we’ll offer the upstairs to them. It’s also our way of paying it forward.”

But the upstairs space won’t be the only more exclusive corner of the new space. Earl has plans of his own — plans that are decidedly less focused on health and wellness.

“Another part of this is a detached garage,” Earl says. “I’m converting it to a cigar club called Pass the Torch. It will be another hidden feature, so if you know, you know.”

Earl and Tasha hope their ambitious plans, when executed, will serve as an inspiration to the rest of the Dutchtown community — and St. Louis at large — and help to display the great potential of the storied neighborhood.

“We’re the underdogs right now,” Tasha says. “We’re just slowly waking up, and we’re here. So I want people to know that — that we’re here and we’re fun.” n

Intertwine’s owners have big plans for the space, including a cigar club, a selection of whiskies and a membersonly wine club.

PHOTO BY PAULA TREDWAY

The Cat’s Meow

From humble barn cat to best-selling local beer, Sunny the cat’s legacy

lives on forever

at 2nd Shift Brewing

2nd Shift Brewing’s beloved New England-style IPA, Sunny Cat, owes its inspiration — and name — to the orange tabby immortalized on its label, Sunny.

According to Libby Crider, co-owner of 2nd Shift Brewing, Sunny lived the first few years of his life as a barn cat before he decided to join the Crider family. The lovable kitty moved with the brewery from its original location in New Haven, Missouri, to Sublette Avenue, where he assumed his role as 2nd Shift’s honorary mascot.

Customers from across the region flocked to 2nd Shift not only for the bragworthy beer and incredible space, but also to pamper the four-legged barback. Sunny enjoyed the sunshine in the Hill until 2019, when he sadly left for cat heaven at the grand old age of 15.

Upon hearing the news, 2nd Shift patrons brought in framed pictures of Sunny and even cross-stitched memorabilia. To this day, they continue to swap favorite memories of the cat.

To officially honor Sunny, the brewery

launched the Sunny Cat ale five years ago, in March 2019. On the can’s current label, Sunny sits upright on his favorite green couch, which matches his grassy green eyes. The bright colors contrast a deep, sky blue background. Candyce Fritsch, 2nd Shift’s creative director and the artist behind the label, explains, “A stout label should probably look different than a lager label.” She says Sunny Cat is “a sunny day beer,” so it made sense that the art depicts the happy orange tabby on a cloudless day.

It’s true — the taste of a Sunny Cat beer almost requires a sunny day, or vice versa. Crider agrees, saying her ideal Sunny Cat day is “sitting on [her] patio on a sunny day knowing if Sunny were with [them] he’d be on the porch weaving in between [their] legs.”

It’s difficult to find a more refreshing brew. The ale’s notes of tangerine peel create a bright and citrusy flavor, with a perfect amount of subtle haziness that makes the taste softer than a regular IPA. The warm orange color and easygoing flavor notes are both odes to Sunny’s complexion

and carefree disposition. Sunny Cat stays on tap (unless it’s sold out) at 2nd Shift and boasts citywide popularity, particularly during the summertime.

Crider co-owns 2nd Shift with her husband, Steve; both are huge animal people. The space is dog friendly, and the current brewery cat, Simon, a well-loved tuxedo cat, greets patrons on the patio looking for a playmate. I can imagine a decadent dessert brew named after him.

“We’re proud to be known as the animalfriendly brewery,” Crider says.

No matter the erratic St. Louis weather, the orange tabby’s likeness will soon again be seen across corner store shelves and stained wooden countertops. Take note! Sunny days lie ahead.

“He was the bestest boy, we miss him, and his legacy lives on.” n

The Beer: SUNNY CAT

The Brewery: 2ND SHIFT Simon, 2nd Shift’s current resident cat, took up the job after Sunny left for cat heaven.

BY LAUREN HARPOLD

This is the first column in a series about the inspiration for the art gracing the cans or bottles of local brews. Got a suggestion for writer Lauren Harpold to explore next? Email her at harpoldlp@gmail.com

PHOTO BY ZACHARY LINHARES

Meat and Greet

Manileño offers Filipino cuisine in a sunny space off South Grand

BY ALEXA BEATTIE

There’s something about Manileño that has us really hoping it does well. It might be the smiley faces of the family who runs it; it might be the grit and determination behind the realization of a dream, and it could much more simply be the food.

This Filipino restaurant opened in mid-February at 3611 Juanita Street, just off South Grand Boulevard, in the Tower Grove South neighborhood of St. Louis. Formerly occupied by Sno, it is owned by Rocky Torio and her brothers, Resty, Randy and Rolando Torio.

Rocky Torio’s mom, Josie Seele, is “boss” here; she’s the one in the kitchen, cooking up delicious meals she’s been making for her family for decades.

Typical of the food in Manila (where Rocky grew up), it’s a meaty menu. For dinner, she recommends the kare-kare (oxtail stew) made with house-ground peanut butter, eggplant, bok choy and shrimp paste. For lunch, head for the shish kebab. These generously long skewers of sweet-and-charry chicken or pork come with rice and two spring rolls.

Definitely don’t skirt dessert. There’s a lot of purple in this display case, but few words to say enough about the ube pandesal, and even fewer for the mini ube ensaymada, which is a sweet, buttery dough pastry topped with cheese. Pancit, an encompassing word for traditional Filipino noodle dishes, is made at Manileño with stir-fried bihon (rice sticks), chicken or pork, vegetables and Chinese sausage.

This is generally a sunny place. Noon light falls in at just the right moment when office workers are either in need of an ube latte or are starting to think about lunch. Sit on high stools in the cafe portion of the restaurant, or be the envy of all and take your latte and kebabs back to your desk. The latte is an absolute beauty and, unlike so many frou-frou coffee drinks, it’s lovely and strong in the (house-blended) coffee department.

The large space has 4,000 square feet spread across two floors, with seating for 175 people. Upstairs is a whopper of a room with a pleasant bar.

SAUCED

Having climbed the handsome staircase, we were struck by the comfortable acoustics: The large room feels small on the ears, pleasantly padded, almost felty. This seems to suggest that, even in a room this size, it will be a great place for good conversation. It felt even nicer once we had sat down on some of the mod emerald chairs and then — to test — a similarly desirable daffodil-hued sofa.

According to Rocky and her brothers, it’s possible that, by late spring, the restaurant will be roasting whole pigs. (Yes, with an apple in their mouth.) “But with 10 hours or more cooking time, it’s a lot of work,” Rocky says. “But well worth it.”

The bakery is open 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday. The restaurant is open for lunch from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesday to Friday and for dinner from 4 to 8 p.m. Tuesday through Friday. Weekend brunch is available from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Manileño is closed Monday. n

Manileño is a two-story, 4,000-square-foot space with seating for 175 people.

PHOTOS BY MICHELLE VOLANSKY

A decadent strawberry pastry is just one of the restaurant’s many dessert options.

A Clean Burn

Proper Cannabis’ solventless Black Maple #22 live rosin checks all the boxes

BY GRAHAM TOKER

Ever since I started smoking weed, hash has felt like an ancient, forbidden door. The first time I ever tried it, I felt like I was starting up the final challenge on Legends of the Hidden Temple and I upset Olmec.

More recently, I’ve taken a modern academic approach filled with podcasts. A recent takeaway from an episode revolved around the language used to describe hash and its numerous subgenres based on how the trichomes were extracted from the plant and then processed. When browsing a menu for a product to review, I found there were nine different categories of hash concentrates.

The last time I bought hash at a dispensary, there was something lost in translation and I wound up with a solvent extraction. I’m not trying to yuck anyone’s yum, but BHO just ain’t it for me. Instead I’ve been riding a newer wave of interest for solventless extractions — just the plant and water and pressure, baby, all you need.

I settled on some rosin, which uses a marijuana plant that is freshly harvested and then broken down to the buds and frozen. Then, the frozen plant material is “washed” in a cold water and ice bath, a solventless extraction, and the trichomes are separated from the plant material, then dried in a freeze dryer before being pressed between warmed metal plates. Voilà, that’s rosin. If you didn’t press the trichomes after they dried, you’d have yourself full-melt bubble hash. That’s how I understand it, anyway, but I’m sure some would argue I’m wrong.

I scanned all my options on Proper Cannabis’ site and placed an order of the Black Maple #22 live rosin for pickup. I went down to Proper’s Crestwood location to pick up my order, and as usual, indecision began to immediately poke holes in my purchasing plan. Looking at the menu while I checked in, the Dark Rainbow live rosin caught my eye, and that interest was seconded by the front desk attendant. As a longtime faithful GMO

REEFERFRONT TIMES

smoker, a cross between GMO and Rainbow Belts F1 is right up my alley. When I got buzzed to the back, I asked if I could change my order. Unfortunately they were sold out of Dark Rainbow, so I decided to stick to my guns and followed through on the Black Maple #22. I’ve enjoyed this strain/cultivar as flower, and I particularly like the gassy sweetness it brings. This batch of its rosin form clocked in at 89.5 percent total cannabinoids with 5.1 percent total terpenes. I double-checked with the budtender that I was indeed getting a solventless product, and she assured me that it was copacetic. While at the register, I cashed in a penny preroll coupon and also got a package of the Goodnight Dreamberry gummies, a low 2.5 milligram

I had a dab of the Black Maple and it smacked my face off pretty hard. I got a big rush of lemon-lime flavor on the inhale, with additional gas and candy notes.

Puffco setting, and subsequent dabs on a rig between 520 and 555 degrees, didn’t leave residue like the mediumtemp vaporizer hits. So that was nice to see.

The effects I incurred over the course of smoking the one gram rosin jar were fairly clear headed, but with bouts of giggles and mellow relaxation. I enjoyed it during the daytime and felt that it didn’t interfere too much with my ability to get off the couch after smoking. After one session with the Black Maple, I wandered around a grocery store and was mesmerized by some dragon fruit. I had to get it for a future snack.

each dose of THC, CBD and CBN to aid sleep. All in, I was at $68.

I’m not sure if this was a snafu, but my first dab session with the Black Maple didn’t finish great. I started with a dab in my Puffco Proxy on the green setting (the second to lowest temperature setting). The first hit was flavorful, with the familiar sweet gas profile I’ve enjoyed in the past. When I went to clean everything at the end of this smoking session, I saw a bit of residue in the freshly cleaned bowl that I had to clean out again with a Q-tip and isopropyl alcohol. I haven’t experienced this with other solventless rosins I’ve tried at the same temperature setting, so I wanted to try again on the blue, or lowest, temp setting.

The blue temp dabs on the lower

Another session was my first smoke of the day. I had a dab of the Black Maple around 550 degrees on my glass rig and it smacked my face off pretty hard. I got a big rush of lemonlime flavor on the inhale, with additional gas and candy notes in the same sphere of flavors and terpenes I had previously with the concentrate. The rosin also had a nice sheen after resting post-whip, accenting the rosin like butter on a biscuit. I didn’t let a little coughing get in the way of indulging in the rosin again for a second dab closer to 525 degrees. I didn’t get the pronounced citrus terps on the lower temp dab but it was a nice smooth smoke session to start off a day.

Proper’s rosin checked a lot of boxes that I personally am looking for with a solventless rosin: great color, clean burn, nice flavor and a greased-up post-whip appearance indicating solid terpene content. If you’re looking for a great place to start, Proper has a wide range of strains/cultivars available as rosin, so if there’s a flavor profile you’re comfortable with, they probably have it.

Give hash a chance, flower smokers. Or whatever you wanna call it. n

This hash by any other name would taste just as sweet. | GRAHAM TOKER

CULTURE

What’s in a Name?

People’s Joy Parade LLC hits Cherokee Street Foundation with a cease and desist as a bitter tug-of-war escalates

BY SARAH FENSKE

The nonprofit seeking to continue the People’s Joy Parade on Cherokee Street has been slapped with a letter ordering it to cease and desist.

The letter comes from People’s Joy Parade LLC, an organization started by a trio of longtime parade organizers and registered with the state one year ago. Its lawyer says it owns the name “People’s Joy Parade” — and will do what it takes to protect it, including blocking the Cherokee Street Foundation from continuing the event on its usual date (Cinco de Mayo) and location (Cherokee Street).

For a parade designed to bring joy and build community, the bitter tugof-war may seem more than a bit ironic. But the future of the event now hangs in the balance.

It’s a future many south city residents feel invested in. Since 2009, the weird and wacky parade with its ragtag bands, quirky costumes and community spirit has been a key part of Cherokee Street’s Cinco de Mayo celebration.

That’s why neighbors were shocked to see posts in neighborhood Facebook groups on March 6, announcing, “Cinco de Mayo canceled the People’s Joy Parade.”

Emily Thenhaus, executive director of the Cherokee Street Foundation, which mounts Cinco de Mayo, says the nonprofit did no such thing. She told the RFT two weeks ago that the announcement followed a dispute between the nonprofit and the People’s Joy Parade LLC that began last year.

Thenhaus says the foundation was surprised to see some of the parade’s longtime organizers, including its principal coordinator Jenny Callen, create an LLC under its name last March. And soon after, the LLC posted on social media that the event would be moving away from Cherokee Street. It took the foundation hiring

the LLC to run the parade to forge a fragile peace.

This year, Thenhaus says, the foundation had decided not to pay the LLC to run the parade and instead give grants directly to participating artists. When it shared that news earlier this month, the LLC responded the next day by putting up the cancellation notices.

Thenhaus vowed last week that the parade would go on, same time, same place. But that situation has gotten more complicated.

Last week, a lawyer representing People’s Joy Parade LLC wrote a letter to Thenhaus and also shared it with the RFT. In it, attorney Steven Hoffmann wrote, “Let me be clear: the People’s Joy Parade will not be subject to a hostile takeover by the Foundation, and you are hereby directed to cease and desist any and all activities that constitute trade name, trademark, and/or servicemark infringement, as described below.”

Hoffmann continued, “In short, the People’s Joy Parade is not an asset that the Foundation or Cinco de Mayo may own, control, or use to secure grants for itself. This letter is an attempt to make clear that unfair and underhanded tactics will not be tolerated, and that the People’s Joy Parade and its legal entity, People’s Joy Parade, LLC, reserve to themselves the continuing, exclusive right to use and control all of their logos, trade marks, service marks, trade names, and other intellectual property. Accordingly, they may take any appropriate actions in the future to secure these rights in accordance with law.”

In a statement to the RFT on

differently abled persons from completing the parade route.” Last year, as a compromise, the foundation offered a golf cart for those with mobility issues.

Callen also writes that the Cherokee Street Foundation’s decision to seek funding for the parade from the Missouri Arts Foundation came without her group’s knowledge — and presented problems. The LLC had hoped to apply for similar grants. “To our knowledge, we cannot apply for these grant opportunities if Cherokee Street Foundation has already applied for grant funding for People’s Joy Parade,” she writes.

In his letter, Hoffmann notes that his clients found Thenhaus’ comments to the RFT last week “demeaning and hurtful.” At this point, it’s hard to imagine the two sides working through their disagreement — and that has people who love the parade and the creativity it fosters worried.

Wednesday, the Cherokee Street Foundation says it’s been surprised by attempts to wrest control of an event that’s long been a collaboration between artists and Cherokee Street residents and business owners. “How could a few individuals unilaterally decide to take a parade away from the people and place in which it was started?” their statement asks.

The statement continues, “The Cherokee Street Foundation is not trying to own the parade; we don’t believe it can be owned. Anyone is welcome to celebrate the People’s Joy. We are simply changing the way our organization supports this grassroots effort by offering direct grants to artists and parade participants instead of providing funding exclusively for Peoples Joy Parade, LLC. We believe this is a more equitable and transparent use of funds that will result in broader participation and future stability for the parade.”

Hoffmann’s letter, however, says the dispute is about more than funding. He writes that there has been a “breakdown in communication between the People’s Joy Parade organizers and the Cinco de Mayo organizers” that has been “centered around the People’s Joy Parade’s request for an altered parade route that would be more accessible to disabled persons. The expression of these concerns seems to have morphed into an ‘us versus them’ attitude on the part of the Foundation. That is regrettable.”

Asked for details, Callen explains that the route Cinco de Mayo put in place in 2022 without others’ input “has an incline up a hill that prevented artists who use wheelchairs and other

Even so, a person who was there at the parade’s inception sees a simple solution. As the RFT reported in 2015, the People’s Joy Parade began after St. Louis-based artist Sarah Paulsen was inspired by a parade she witnessed in Peru. Paulsen and Lyndsey Scott, a staffer at the Cherokee-based Community, Arts & Movement Project, or CAMP, brought together artists and other community members to try something with a similar community feeling.

Paulsen notes that some key players at the Cherokee Street Foundation, including board member Jason Deem, were part of the planning from the beginning. The foundation, in its various permutations, has long handled everything from permits to barricades. “I don’t want them to be painted as villains in this story,” she says.

Paulsen also credits Callen for her work to keep the parade going all these years: “She’s done a great job sustaining it.”

But she doesn’t necessarily buy into Callen’s plans for the future: “To me, I just think if Jenny needs to own the name and do this in other places, that’s not the spirit of this. Cherokee Street should still be able to have a parade.”

Paulsen, for one, plans to keep going and participating, despite the call to cease and desist.

She adds that if Callen insists on owning the name, maybe the parade should just continue without it. “The parade was never just a name. It was about the bands who showed up and the people who showed up and rejoiced with each other, being fabulous in the street. That’s the point. Not the name.” n

Revelers enjoy the 2023 People’s Joy Parade — which only happened due to a compromise between two factions of organizers. Now the agreement appears to be splitting apart. | THEO WELLING

[FAMOUS FELINES]

One Cool Cat

A super chill local therapy cat made it to the finals in his bid to become the Cadbury Bunny

BY PAULA TREDWAY

ABelleville-area Humane Society stray turned therapy cat, Rorschach, made it to the finals in his bid to become a superstar in next year’s Cadbury commercial, reaching the “Creme 16” before being knocked out. It’s an unfortunate loss, but as his owner and handler Paige Krisby told the RFT in an interview upon his inclusion in the top 32 finalists, he’s a chill cat. He’s probably OK with it.

“So this is actually the second year I entered him,” explained Krisby. “He doesn’t mind anything, so I was like,

some. I’m just glad he gets to, because he’s the only therapy animal from the whole 32.”

The idea of entering Rorschach into the Cadbury Bunny contest stemmed from Krisby’s drive to spread the word about therapy cats — a rarity both in St. Louis and in the U.S.

“With Pet Partners there’s only 130 registered cats in the U.S., and you don’t really hear about it too often,” she said. “He’s the only one registered with the headquarters in St. Louis.”

Rorschach has been registered through Pet Partners since last June and currently visits Friendship Village, an assisted living facility in south St. Louis County, once a month.

“We visit Fontbonne University too, but since they’re closing I think we’ll have our last visit here soon,” she noted. But this is a cat in demand, Krisby made clear: “We’re approved to start visiting at the [Veterans Affairs Jefferson Barracks Hospital] here soon too.”

Krisby adopted Rorschach from the Belleville Humane Society in 2022 and couldn’t believe how sweet of a cat he was. After a few outings and noticing how well he did with other people, dogs and loud noises, Krisby took him in to be tested for his therapy license.

‘Why not give it a go?’”

Krisby wasn’t exaggerating when it comes to that “anything.” Rorschach is that rare cat who enjoys meeting strangers, traveling around in a car and even walking on a leash. He’s also down for being dressed in costumes — so impersonating the Cadbury Bunny was no sweat. Perched in the Cadbury cardboard box, surrounded by Cadbury eggs, disguised as the bunny itself, you can barely see any difference between the two.

Cadbury Bunny tryouts started on February 20, and will end on March 23. This year, all voting is done on Cadbury’s Instagram (@cadburyusa) stories through bracket voting. The competition consists of five total rounds of voting, and Rorschach made it to the third round, ultimately being eliminated last Thursday.

“I’m just honored to even be picked for the top 32,” Krisby told the RFT. “If he would be in a commercial, I think that’d be awe-

“The cat gets screened by the veterinarian to make sure they’re in good enough shape to do it and then you get evaluated,” she said. “It has a lot of steps. They had to be around a dog, they had to be petted by a crowd, awkward hugging, multiple people petting them at once, loud noises — and he passed!”

Dedicated Rorschach fans and newcomers alike can follow Rorschach and his sister Momo on Instagram (@momo_and_rorschach) or on Facebook. n

Rorschach may not be the next Cadbury Bunny, but his therapeutic services are already in high demand. |

COURTESY PHOTO

MUSIC

Nick Gusman’s Restless Heart

Talented and prolific, the songwriter/performer wins new fans wherever he goes

BY STEVE LEFTRIDGE

When Nick Gusman answers the door of his Tower Grove South bungalow, he’s wearing a Tshirt from a writers’ week festival for high school students that I booked him for back in 2019. Performing on stage in the high school auditorium, Gusman had been in solo acoustic-and-harmonica folkie mode, playing and singing songs from his thennew debut album, Dear Hard Times. Despite playing for an audience of teenagers who had never willingly listened to folk music much less had ever heard of Nick Gusman, the troubadour nonetheless won the kids over, one of whom later told me that he “didn’t think he liked that kind of music” but that he loved the songs and sounds coming out of Gusman that day. It’s an effect that Gusman frequently invokes.

Gusman wore the writers’ week shirt because he knew I was coming over. He’s that kind of guy. He also offers me a bottle of Stella Artois seconds after I walk in. “Let’s drink ’em all!” he says, breaking into a new six-pack. (We do.) He’s in a celebratory mood: It’s the day before his 39th birthday. In a few hours, he’s going to play a duo set with fellow country singer-songwriter Nick Lowery at the Hi-Hat, and he’s preparing to release two new albums of original material, one with his Americana-rock band Nick Gusman & the Coyotes and another of his own folkier material as a solo artist, plus a songbook. But we’ll get to all of that.

Sitting in Gusman’s music room, we’re about a three-iron away from the house where he grew up near Tower Grove Park. As we talk, he sits on the piano bench in front of a rustic, tan George Stick baby grand, on top of which sits a record player that spins a copy of Bessie Smith’s 1920sera Empty Bed Blues LP, which Gusman bought in Chicago. Acoustic and electric guitars hang along one wall, including his latest, an FG-140 Yamaha that he pulls down and puts in my lap for a test ride at one point. Also in my lap occasionally is Ginsberg, a black and white cat, one of two that live with Gusman and his girlfriend, Tiera.

The other wall is filled with flyers from shows Gusman has played in his various

band and solo configurations along with a bookshelf filled with biographies of his songwriting heroes (Dylan, Prine, Waits, Springsteen, Parsons, Guthrie), a tattered copy of On the Road and collections of poetry by T.S. Eliot and Carl Sandburg.

That booklist would likely be unrecognizable to the teenage Gusman when he was attending Oakville High School back in the early aughts in the grips of a different obsession. “I lived for skateboarding,” he says. “My friends and I would eat, drink, sleep, breathe skateboarding. We’d skateboard all day, come home and watch skate videos, make our own videos. We were just obsessed with it.”

Musically, the skater scene came with bands like 311 and Sublime, and young Nick also soaked in his older siblings’ Beastie Boys and Nirvana fandoms. The rootsy music that would define his career as an artist was nowhere on his radar as a teen. Yet somewhere in his DNA, acoustic guitars and harmonicas were making primordial vibrations. “My grandfather played music all around St. Louis and had his own band,” Gusman says. “Country music. He liked Hank Williams. I have his guitar.”

While Gusman’s own parents were not musical, he does remember a formative moment around age 11 when his parents were divorcing and his father turned to country weepers to cope. “My dad would listen to Tim McGraw’s ‘Don’t Take the Girl,’” Gusman recalls. “I’m not really into that kind of country music, but that song slaps. It’s such a well-written song. That was actually the first song that made me think of a new level of depth of sensitive songwriting. And I also knew that my dad was listening to that over and over again because of what he was going through. I

something new. I had various jobs, and I would ride the train and listen to headphones all day, and I wrote a ton of songs.”

The Windy City was the perfect place to indulge his fascination with old music as he hung out in the city’s classic blues clubs. “I was always looking back, trying to find out where the early influences came from,” he says. “I went from listening to modern music to trying to explore the oldest blues stuff I could find.”

realized that music is an emotional thing. It’s not only a fun thing.”

In his senior year, Gusman borrowed a buddy’s guitar, learned to play “The House of the Rising Sun,” bought an Epiphone electric and almost immediately started writing his own songs. Then a major turning point occurred after high school when Gusman discovered Bob Dylan in, of all places, a Starbucks. Remember when Starbucks sold CDs? Gusman bought the soundtrack to No Direction Home, the 2005 Scorsesedirected Dylan documentary, and he became a changed man.

“I was, like, ‘This is the best shit I’ve ever heard,’” Gusman says. “I’d never heard anything this raw. There were covers on there, too, and I had to find out where it all came from, all this old blues and folk, and I got way into that.”

Dylan cracked upon a love of folk and country that connected Gusman back to his own lineage, and the vocal stylings of his grandfather’s old favorite, Hank Williams, can still be heard in Gusman’s singing today. “[Williams] was a huge influence for me on how to sing,” he says. “He does all these voice breaks and goes all over, a little yodel here and there, just the cry stuff that he goes. That’s how I learned to sing more emotionally.”

In his 20s, Gusman lived in a four-family building on Finkman Street in Princeton Heights, which he recalls was “full of musicians” with whom he cut his teeth as a player, staying up all night picking and hitting local open mics. When he was 23, he moved to Chicago for an 18-month vagabond adventure, exploring the city’s musical heritage and writing songs. “I was in study mode,” he says. “I was listening to a ton of music, trying to be isolated and see

Worried that he needed to find a “real job,” Gusman moved back to St. Louis and took a position with AT&T as a technician, working on the poles and installing service in customers’ homes, a job he held for more than five years and which “sucked my soul dry,” he says. Gusman’s passion was for writing and performing music, and at the time he was co-writer and singer for punky alt-country rockers Moon Glampers. “I worked 10 to 12 hours a day, so I would show up for practice in my work uniform and work boots,” he remembers. “I was late, and I was so tired, and everything sucked. I got to a point where I was like, ‘I like music way too much to be living this way. I’m spending all my time installing people’s fucking internet.’”

On the cusp of turning 30, Gusman quit his AT&T job to focus on making music while paying the bills through handyman work. (You may have rested your beers on some of Gusman’s handiwork: He built the booths inside the Heavy Anchor and the outdoor bar at Off Broadway.) At this point, Gusman plays me a Moon Glampers-era recording of himself singing a hick-punk cover of Johnny Cash’s “Folsom Prison Blues,” with Gusman’s hillbilly whine atop a bed of distorted guitars.

At the same time, Gusman was writing quieter, folkier material (he plays me one of those songs, too) that wasn’t a great fit for Moon Glampers’ more raucous approach, so he left the band with designs on making his first album (taking a few Glampers along with him). While forming his own band, he met fiddler and ’70s-throwback party animal Sean Kamery at an open mic night in which the two spontaneously became musical brothers. “We played for an hour that night and just clicked hard,” he remembers. “I immediately said. ‘You should be in my band.’”

His Dear Hard Times, released in 2018, was recorded at Native Sound Recordings with 21 different musicians. “I was inviting musicians who were way more established than me to help me on these songs,” he says. “Nothing was rehearsed. Everyone would just hear the demos and work them out in the studio. I was paying shitloads of money, but I was loving it.” And was making his own album as fulfilling as he’d dreamt back when he was toiling away at a day job? “Way more fulfilling,” he says. “I remember

Nick Gusman was inspired by Hank Williams and Bob Dylan. | RYAN STANLEY

“I remember the first day after being in the studio, I was listening to the recordings and crying while I was driving around. I was like, ‘Holy shit. This is what I’ve been missing out on?’”

the first day after being in the studio, I was listening to the recordings and crying while I was driving around. I was like, ‘Holy shit. This is what I’ve been missing out on?’”

Dear Hard Times established Gusman as a talented tunesmith of beyond-hisyears narrative depth, timelessly appealing melodies, unshitty lyrics and a graceful vocal delivery. Next, working with a growing tribe of pickers, he made a self-titled band album billed as Nick Gusman & the Coyotes, an excellent twang-rock record filled with Gusman’s river ditties, honky-tonk moaners, heartbreak ballads, roots-rock janglers, cowboy tunes and fingerpicked folk songs. That album led to extensive touring for Gusman and his band, including two trips to Europe in 2022 and 2023, with shows in Germany, Switzerland, Belgium and the Netherlands.

The successes of his first two albums only made Gusman want more, and he has been on a songwriting tear in the last couple of years. “I’ve been writing more and more on the piano,” he tells me as he plays a progression of rolling, walking chords. He shows me drafts of a song he recently finished — a handwritten version, heavily edited with words scratched out and replaced, and a typed-out second version. “The handwritten one is straight from my brain to that,” he says. “There might be more revisions later, but they’ll come as I play them out and decide I might have another rhyme or a better word to plug in.”

In other words, Gusman is always working, always moving forward, always looking toward the next thing. Or, as is the case in 2024, several things. His recent explosion of creativity has resulted in two new albums, both of which have been fully recorded and are planned for releases later this year. The full-band album with the Coyotes (Kamery on fiddle, Garrett Rongey on

lead guitar, Tony Hall on keys, Justin Haltmar on bass and Jeremy Reidy on drums) is Lifting Heavy Things, a rowdier, more rocking affair than the last Coyotes record.

Gusman plays me some unmastered tracks from the album, which sound like he’s carrying the torch for St. Louis’ rich altcountry history. The new songs sound like Whiskeytown or early Wilco if Paul Westerberg were writing and singing, except louder and shit-kickier. The music takes the listener on a wide-ranging tour: “Sound of a Broken Heart” has Gusman belting out a big classic rock melody; “Stray Dog” is a bloozy, fiddle-abetted slow-burner; “Shortcut the Mountain” flexes the band’s jammy side; “Trucker” is a honky-tonk party-starter written and sung by Rongey as Gusman goes crazy on the harp; “Tokyo Hotel” is a gorgeous ballad with backup vocals by local twang siren Mattie Schell; closing track “We Got a Job to Do” is Gusman’s manifesto, the mission statement of a rock & roll lifer.

The other album in the can might as well be titled Another Side of Nick Gusman, as it comprises songs that represent his folkier, quieter compositions, recorded in drumless arrangements with local producer Sam Golden, whom Gusman calls “maybe the best musician in St. Louis.” He plays a track from the solo album called “The King of Mistakes,” a beautiful broken-hearted country ballad that features a swirling organ solo played by Golden.

Gusman listens intently as the song plays, looking up only to comment on the organ solo: “Isn’t that sick?” he says with a broad smile.

But two new albums can’t come close to containing all the songs Gusman wants to get out there. He wants to release a songbook that contains the lyrics and chords to 100 of his songs, followed by audio recordings of those songs in 10-song batches. Many of the compositions are songs that Gusman might have played out a time or two but gave up on after the initial reaction.

“I’m so self-conscious about things,” he says. “I don’t mean that in a debilitating way, but sometimes as an artist, you play a song one time and the people don’t react, and you think, ‘Oh, that sucked,’ and you just put it away. But I shouldn’t. I think I should put them out in that raw form, all the songs, and that will give people a chance to come back to them and find one that they attach themselves to. It’s just worth getting them out there.”

So a 100-song book of compositions and 10 upcoming albums of those original songs? It’s a wildly ambitious project, but one that Gusman is determined to see through. And with Nick Gusman’s talent, his restless heart and his track record for pursuing his passions, there’s no reason to doubt he can do it. n

Second to Nun

Sydney Sweeney shows her star power in Immaculate, a batshit psycho-thriller just like they used to make

BY CRAIG D. LINDSEY

Immaculate

Directed by Michael Mohan. Written by Andrew Lobel. Opens March 22.

The Sydney Sweeney train keeps chugging along, as the physically blessed actress/influencer takes command of the box office one movie genre at a time. Anyone But You, the silly Much Ado About Nothing redo she did with that pretty boy from Top Gun: Maverick, shocked the hell out of everyone by making more than $200 million worldwide. What wasn’t shocking was how much Madame Web, the sisterly superhero movie she co-starred in

with Dakota Johnson, was reviled by critics and audiences. (It wasn’t her fault; it was another installment of Sony’s Spider-Man Universe, in which a studio stubbornly continues to keep a comic book franchise going by just doing half-assed origin stories about the antiheroes.)

This month’s Sydney Sweeney movie has her stepping away from the audience-friendly confines of rom-coms and action blockbusters and diving deep into some gory, ghoulish, Rrated shit with Immaculate. Sweeney gets chaste as hell as Sister Cecilia, an aspiring American nun who arrives in a convent in the Italian countryside. Even before she gets the hang of things, our virginal heroine soon discovers she will be the mother of an immaculately conceived child.

Clocking in at 89 minutes — for which I am downright appreciative — Immaculate gets the down-and-dirty danger going at a pleasantly swift pace. Sweeney (who also serves as a producer) and director Michael Mohan (who also directed her in the Amazon Prime erotic thriller The Voyeurs) continue their union as a director-star team out to make 21st-century exploitation thrillers. Using a script from

first-time screenwriter Andrew Lobel, they create a nasty, nutty addition to the nunsploitation genre.

You don’t have to be a diehard fan of Italian horror to know that everyone involved in this is clearly getting their giallo on. (Even composer Will Bates goes all Ennio Morricone in the score, throwing in full-bodied but foreboding harpsichords and church organs.) Sweeney’s sister-in-trouble is surrounded by supporting characters you’d regularly find in a sordid scarefest set in Dario Argento country. There’s the studly but shady father (Alvaro Morte); Cecilia’s fellow sister and confidant (Benedetta Porcaroli), who immediately starts getting suspicious; the staunch sister (Simona Tabasco) who keeps looking at Cecilia sideways. We also got a crew of masked nuns with holes in their hands, slinking around and making sure secrets stay hidden by taking out those who wanna break out and talk.

Immaculate unfortunately doesn’t indulge in any kinky, erotic freakiness (although we do get titillating shots of Sweeney and Tabasco wearing sheer nightgowns and bathing in a huge-ass tub). The movie makes up for it with wall-to-wall macabre madness. It seems like the sort of batshit psycho-

thriller Lucio Fulci used to drop all the time in the ’70s. I’m surprised there isn’t a scene — a Fulci staple — where a dummy that’s supposed to be one of the characters falls off a cliff, getting facially fucked up by jagged rocks all the way down.

It’s kinda fascinating, even admirable, seeing Sweeney and Co. make a horror flick that proudly embraces its lurid lunacy. Even when the story goes down predictable avenues, Mohan still keeps everything creepy and suspenseful. And I must say Sweeney has the whole babe-in-the-woods thing down pat. Her protagonist comes into this clueless, goes through several stages of hell and eventually chooses violence in the chaotic climax — and that’s even before she gives birth to the supposed second coming of Jesus. (Yeah, that scene is bonkers!)

Considering how Sweeney literally ends up bloody and screaming, I’m actually impressed that this young lady — a consistent object of online desire ever since her role as the usually nude Cassie on Euphoria — is ready and willing to freak out audiences with Immaculate, and look like a gotdamn mess in the process. This kid may be a movie star after all. n

Sydney Sweeney plays Sister Cecilia, the newest member of a convent with secrets. | COURTESY OF NEON

OUT EVERY NIGHT

Each week, we bring you our picks for the best concerts of the next seven days. To submit your show for consideration, visit https://bit.ly/3bgnwXZ. All events are subject to change, so check with the venue before you head out. Happy showgoing!

THURSDAY 21

ADAM ANT: w/ the English Beat 8 p.m., $40-$60. The Pageant, 6161 Delmar Blvd., St. Louis, 314-726-6161.

BRISCOE: w/ Max McNown 8 p.m., $15. The Golden Record, 2720 Cherokee Street, St. Louis.

THE BUTTERY BISCUIT BAND: 9 p.m., $9. Broadway Oyster Bar, 736 S. Broadway, St. Louis, 314-621-8811.

DIRT BUYER: w/ Brennan Wedl, Twin Junkyard 8 p.m., $12. The Heavy Anchor, 5226 Gravois Ave., St. Louis, 314-352-5226.

ERIC LYSAGHT: 4:30 p.m., free. Broadway Oyster Bar, 736 S. Broadway, St. Louis, 314-621-8811.

THE FAITHFUL STRAYS: 7 p.m., $10. BB’s Jazz, Blues & Soups, 700 S. Broadway, St. Louis, 314-436-5222.

HARD BOP MESSENGERS: 7:30 p.m., $15. Blue Strawberry Showroom & Lounge, 364 N Boyle Ave, St. Louis, 314-256-1745.

HEAVY PAUSES: w/ NNN Cook and Damon Smith, Furthest 8 p.m., donations. CBGB, 3163 S. Grand Blvd., St. Louis.

JOSHUA RADIN: w/ Maddie Poppe 7:30 p.m., $45$60. City Winery St. Louis, 3730 Foundry Way, Suite 158, St. Louis, 314-678-5060.

MARC BROUSSARD: 8 p.m., $25. Delmar Hall, 6133 Delmar Blvd., St. Louis, 314-726-6161.

MIKE DOUGHTY: 8 p.m., $25. Blueberry Hill - The Duck Room, 6504 Delmar Blvd., University City, 314-727-4444.

PAUL BONN AND THE BLUESMEN: 7 p.m., $5. Hammerstone’s, 2028 S. 9th St., St. Louis, 314-773-5565.

PAUL NEIHAUS: 3 p.m., $5. Hammerstone’s, 2028 S. 9th St., St. Louis, 314-773-5565.

SHOVELS & ROPE: w/ Al Olender 8 p.m., $30. Off Broadway, 3509 Lemp Ave., St. Louis, 314-498-6989.

SIERRA HULL: 8 p.m., $35-$45. The Sheldon, 3648 Washington Blvd., St. Louis, 314-533-9900.

FRIDAY 22

3 PIECE AND A BISCUIT TRIO: 8 p.m., $15. BB’s Jazz, Blues & Soups, 700 S. Broadway, St. Louis, 314-436-5222.

AARON KAMM AND THE ONE DROPS: 8 p.m., $15. Old Rock House, 1200 S. 7th St., St. Louis, 314-588-0505.

ALARM WILL SOUND: w/ Damon Davis, Bora Yoon, Aloha Mischeaux, Rockwell J. Knuckles, Isaiah Taylor, Inversion Vocal Ensemble 7:30 p.m., $20. Kirkwood Performing Arts Center (KPAC), 210 E Monroe Ave, Kirkwood, 314-759-1455.

ARM’S LENGTH: 7:30 p.m., $22. Off Broadway, 3509 Lemp Ave., St. Louis, 314-498-6989.

BOB SCHNEIDER: 7 p.m., $32-$42. City Winery St. Louis, 3730 Foundry Way, Suite 158, St. Louis, 314-678-5060.

ELLIOTT SHARP: 8 p.m., $10-$12. The 560 Music Center, 560 Trinity Ave., University City, 314-421-3600.

LES LULLIES: w/ Still Animals, Hotel Party 8 p.m., $12-$15. The Sinkhole, 7423 South Broadway, St. Louis, 314-328-2309.

MARTY ABDULLAH & THE EXPRESSIONS: 8 p.m., $5. Hammerstone’s, 2028 S. 9th St., St. Louis, 314-773-5565.

MIKE ZITO: 8 p.m., $25. Delmar Hall, 6133 Delmar Blvd., St. Louis, 314-726-6161.

MOLD GOLD: w/ Riddle M, Wilson Ridge, Low Cloud 8 p.m., $10. The Heavy Anchor, 5226 Gravois Ave., St. Louis, 314-352-5226.

NICK GUSMAN: 4 p.m., $5. Hammerstone’s, 2028

[CRITIC’S PICK]

Alarm Will Sound w/ Damon Davis, Bora Yoon, Aloha Mischeaux, Rockwell J. Knuckles, Isaiah Taylor, Inversion Vocal Ensemble

7:30 p.m. Friday, March 22. Kirkwood Performing Arts Center, 210 East Monroe Avenue, Kirkwood. $20. 314759-1455.

Almost exactly 10 years ago, we published a Q&A in these pages with Alarm Will Sound managing director Gavin Chuck, who asserted that the 20-member orchestral ensemble, whose players live all across the country, was on “a mission to make St. Louis our second home.” A decade in, that mission seems complete, with the group making regular stops in our fine city and being warmly welcomed by St. Louis audiences. But Alarm Will Sound also seems to know that the right thing to do when putting down roots is to make nice with the neighbors — and so, this week sees the group teaming up with some of St. Louis’ biggest talents for an

S. 9th St., St. Louis, 314-773-5565.

ONE HALLELUJAH: 6:30 p.m., $35.95-$121. Stifel Theatre, 1400 Market St, St. Louis, 314-499-7600.

PHIL’S KARAOKE ALL STAR SHOWCASE: 7:30 p.m., $15. Blue Strawberry Showroom & Lounge, 364 N Boyle Ave, St. Louis, 314-256-1745.

POP’S LOCAL SHOWCASE: 7:30 p.m., $10-$15. Pop’s Nightclub, 401 Monsanto Ave., East St. Louis, 618-274-6720.

SHOOTING STAR: 8 p.m., $20-$45. River City Casino & Hotel, 777 River City Casino Blvd., St. Louis, 314-388-7777.

SUPERTASK: 7:30 p.m. Red Flag, 3040 Locust Street, St. Louis, 314-289-9050.

TIM MCGRAW: 7 p.m., $35.75-$279.50. Enterprise Center, 1401 Clark Ave., St. Louis, 314-241-1888.

BOOGIE T: 8 p.m., $34.50-$49.50. The Factory, 17105 N Outer 40 Rd, Chesterfield, 314-423-8500. THE CHUGS: w/ The Alley Oops, Chainstay, Killing Fever 8 p.m., $10. The Sinkhole, 7423 South Broadway, St. Louis, 314-328-2309.

CLUSTERPLUCK ALBUM RELEASE PARTY: w/ Horseshoes & Hand Grenades 8 p.m., $20. Old Rock House, 1200 S. 7th St., St. Louis, 314-588-0505.

THE EMO NIGHT TOUR: 8 p.m., $15. The Hawthorn, 2231 Washington Avenue, St. Louis, 314-887-0877.

HEALTH: 7:30 p.m. Red Flag, 3040 Locust Street, St. Louis, 314-289-9050.

JOHN MCVEY BAND: 8 p.m., $5. Hammerstone’s, 2028 S. 9th St., St. Louis, 314-773-5565.

LEDISI: 8 p.m., $37.50-$127.50. Stifel Theatre, 1400 Market St, St. Louis, 314-499-7600.

MARK HARRIS II AND THE AVENGERS: 7:30 p.m., $25. Blue Strawberry Showroom & Lounge, 364 N Boyle Ave, St. Louis, 314-256-1745.

MIA BORDERS: 9 p.m., $12. Broadway Oyster Bar, 736 S. Broadway, St. Louis, 314-621-8811.

NIGHDRATOR: w/ Year of the Vulture, Ditch Dogge, Lowlands 8 p.m., $10-$15. CBGB, 3163 S. Grand Blvd., St. Louis.

THE RETRONERDS: 6 p.m., $6. The Attic Music Bar, 4247 South Kingshighway Blvd., 2nd Floor, St. Louis, 314-376-5313.

RICH MCDONOUGH & THE RHYTHM RENEGADES: 2 p.m., $5. Hammerstone’s, 2028 S. 9th St., St. Louis, 314-773-5565.

ambitious collaboration coming to the Kirkwood Performing Arts Center. As part of its latest program, HEARD, the group will join with FarFetched Collective founder and singular talent Damon Davis to premiere an excerpt from Davis’ forthcoming sci-fi opera Ligeia Mare. Davis himself will narrate the piece, with St. Louis artists Rockwell Knuckles, Aloha Mischeaux and Isaiah Taylor performing as Cassius, Joyce and Cosmo, respectively. The evening will also see the ensemble teaming with the Chicago-born experimental electroacoustic composer and musician Bora Yoon for her work Casual Miracles, with the whole affair meant to “intertwine music and storytelling to share how composers convey their personal narratives through music,” according to press materials.

Howdilly Doodilly: Notably, HEARD is heading to the big city next week. No, not STL; we’re talking about New York, where some of St. Louis’ finest will find themselves performing at no less than Carnegie Freakin’ Hall on Tuesday. Stop by any time, Alarm Will Sound — you’re about as good a neighbor as one could hope for.

—Daniel Hill

TRIXIE DELIGHT TRIO & CAMELA WIDAD: 6 p.m., $6. The Attic Music Bar, 4247 South Kingshighway Blvd., 2nd Floor, St. Louis, 3143765313.

VINCE SALA: w/ Cleo Grant Jazz Duo 6 p.m., free. Alpha Brewing Company, 4310 Fyler Ave., St. Louis, 314-621-2337.

SATURDAY 23

ALL ROOSTERED UP: noon, free. Broadway Oyster Bar, 736 S. Broadway, St. Louis, 314-621-8811.

BEYOND FM SHOWCASE #6: 7:30 p.m., $10. Pop’s Nightclub, 401 Monsanto Ave., East St. Louis, 618-274-6720.

BLUE SPARKS: 7 p.m., free. Das Bevo Biergarten, 4749 Gravois Ave., St. Louis, 314-224-5521.

SINAI VESSEL: w/ Hot Joy, Last Dance 3 p.m., $10-$14. Central Stage, 3524 Washington Avenue, St. Louis, 314-533-0367.

SUPERFUN YEAH YEAH ROCKETSHIP: 8 p.m., $15. Blueberry Hill - The Duck Room, 6504 Delmar Blvd., University City, 314-727-4444.

UP ALL NIGHT: A ONE DIRECTION PARTY: 9 p.m., $20. Off Broadway, 3509 Lemp Ave., St. Louis, 314-498-6989.

THE VERVE PIPE: 7 p.m., $30-$38. City Winery St. Louis, 3730 Foundry Way, Suite 158, St. Louis, 314-678-5060.

VOODOO WHO: 8 p.m., $20-$25. Delmar Hall, 6133 Delmar Blvd., St. Louis, 314-726-6161.

WILDMANN: 8 p.m., $20. BB’s Jazz, Blues & Soups, 700 S. Broadway, St. Louis, 314-436-5222.

WINTER JAM TOUR 2024: 6 p.m., $15-$59.99. Enterprise Center, 1401 Clark Ave., St. Louis, 314-241-1888.

SUNDAY 24

BROTHER JEFFERSON: 3 p.m., $5. Hammerstone’s, 2028 S. 9th St., St. Louis, 314-773-5565.

DALE HOLLOW: 8 p.m., $12. Blueberry Hill - The Duck Room, 6504 Delmar Blvd., University City, 314-727-4444.

ERIC LYSAGHT: 9 p.m., free. Broadway Oyster Bar, 736 S. Broadway, St. Louis, 314-621-8811.

ERIK BROOKS: 8 p.m., $5. Hammerstone’s, 2028 S. 9th St., St. Louis, 314-773-5565.

GENESIS JAZZ PROJECT: 4 p.m., $15. BB’s Jazz, Blues & Soups, 700 S. Broadway, St. Louis, 3 14-436-5222.

NICK GUSMAN: w/ Emily Wallace, Bobby Stevens 7 p.m., $15-$18. City Winery St. Louis, 3730 Foundry Way, Suite 158, St. Louis, 314-678-5060.

TEAR DUNGEON: w/ Maximum Effort, Prunes, Paternity Test 8 p.m., $10. The Sinkhole, 7423 South Broadway, St. Louis, 314-328-2309.

WHITMORE: w/ Hard Handed, Dark Surface, Keep 7 p.m., $13-$15. Red Flag, 3040 Locust Street, St. Louis, 314-289-9050.

THE YALE WHIFFENPOOFS: 7 p.m., $25. Blue Strawberry Showroom & Lounge, 364 N Boyle Ave, St. Louis, 314-256-1745.

MONDAY 25

ANDY COCO & CO.: 4 p.m., free. Broadway Oyster Bar, 736 S. Broadway, St. Louis, 314-621-8811.

KEVIN BUCKLEY: 7 p.m., free. Yaqui’s on Cherokee, 2728 Cherokee St, St. Louis, 314-400-7712.

MARSHALL CRENSHAW: 7:30 p.m., $38-$48. City Winery St. Louis, 3730 Foundry Way, Suite 158,

Alarm Will Sound. | WOJCIECH WANDZEL

St. Louis, 314-678-5060.

SOULARD BLUES BAND: 9 p.m., $8. Broadway Oyster Bar, 736 S. Broadway, St. Louis, 314-621-8811.

TIM ALBERT AND STOVEHANDLE DAN: w/ Randy 7 p.m., $5. Hammerstone’s, 2028 S. 9th St., St. Louis, 314-773-5565.

THE VON TRAMPS: w/ Cindy Lawson, Victory Kid, Bruiser Queen 7 p.m., $12-$15. The Sinkhole, 7423 South Broadway, St. Louis, 314-328-2309.

TUESDAY 26

BAILEN: w/ Bel 8 p.m., $25. Off Broadway, 3509 Lemp Ave., St. Louis, 314-498-6989.

BLUE COUNTY PISTOL: w/ Glory N’ Perfection, The May Day Orchestra 8 p.m., $10-$13. The Sinkhole, 7423 South Broadway, St. Louis, 314-328-2309.

COMBICHRIST: w/ Dead Animal Assembly Plant, Esoterik, Cultus Black 8 p.m., $30-$49.50. Red Flag, 3040 Locust Street, St. Louis, 314-289-9050.

DANNY PANKRATZ: w/ Mere Harrach, Jesse Rae 7 p.m., $10. Jack’s Joint, 4652 Shaw Ave., St. Louis, 314-773-6600.

DREW LANCE: 4 p.m., free. Broadway Oyster Bar, 736 S. Broadway, St. Louis, 314-621-8811.

ETHAN JONES: 9 p.m., free. Broadway Oyster Bar, 736 S. Broadway, St. Louis, 314-621-8811.

JOHN MCCAULEY (DEER TICK): 8 p.m., $30. The Golden Record, 2720 Cherokee Street, St. Louis.

NAKED MIKE: 7 p.m., $5. Hammerstone’s, 2028 S. 9th St., St. Louis, 314-773-5565.

WEDNESDAY 27

ENTRAIL ASPHYXIATION: w/ Vile Desire, Socket 8 p.m., $12. The Sinkhole, 7423 South Broadway, St. Louis, 314-328-2309.

JOHN MCVEY BAND: 7 p.m., $5. Hammerstone’s, 2028 S. 9th St., St. Louis, 314-773-5565.

MARGARET & FRIENDS: 3 p.m., $5. Hammerstone’s, 2028 S. 9th St., St. Louis, 314-773-5565.

VOODOO THE BAND: 9 p.m., $14. Broadway Oyster Bar, 736 S. Broadway, St. Louis, 314-621-8811.

WALTER PARKS & J CHAMBER: w/Posey Lulu 7:30 p.m., $25. City Winery St. Louis, 3730 Foundry Way, Suite 158, St. Louis, 314-678-5060.

UPCOMING

THE 16TH ANNUAL GATEWAY BLUES FESTIVAL: Fri., March 29, 8 p.m., $59-$175. Stifel Theatre, 1400 Market St, St. Louis, 314-499-7600.

ALVVAYS: Tue., May 7, 8 p.m., $30-$45. The Pageant, 6161 Delmar Blvd., St. Louis, 314-726-6161.

ARMAND HAMMER + L’RAIN: Sun., April 7, 8 p.m., $25. Off Broadway, 3509 Lemp Ave., St. Louis, 314-498-6989.

BIT BRIGADE AND GALACTIC EMPIRE: Sat., May 11, 8 p.m., $22. Off Broadway, 3509 Lemp Ave., St. Louis, 314-498-6989.

CAGE THE ELEPHANT: Thu., Sept. 12, 6:30 p.m., $35-$169.50. Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre - St. Louis, MO, 14141 Riverport Dr, Maryland Heights.

CAN YOU FEEL THE PUNK TONIGHT - A PUNK

ROCK CELEBRATION OF DISNEY: Sat., May 11, 8 p.m., $30-$40. The Pageant, 6161 Delmar Blvd., St. Louis, 314-726-6161.

A CELEBRATION OF LIFE FOR LISA MCMICHAEL: W/ Bruiser Queen, Vallencourt, Sewer Urchin, Devil Baby Freak Show, Sat., June 15, 4:30 p.m., $10. Off Broadway, 3509 Lemp Ave., St. Louis, 314-498-6989.

CHRISTIAN MCBRIDE AND INSIDE STRAIGHT: Fri., May 24, 8 p.m., $40-$50. The Sheldon, 3648 Washington Blvd., St. Louis, 314-533-9900.

DEERHOOF: Sat., April 6, 8 p.m., $20. Off Broadway, 3509 Lemp Ave., St. Louis, 314-498-6989.

EARTHLESS: Wed., April 10, 8 p.m., $22. Off Broadway, 3509 Lemp Ave., St. Louis, 314-498-6989.

EMMALINE NIGHT 1: Fri., April 5, 7:30 p.m., $25. Blue Strawberry Showroom & Lounge, 364 N Boyle Ave, St. Louis, 314-256-1745.

EMMALINE NIGHT 2: Sat., April 6, 7:30 p.m., $25. Blue Strawberry Showroom & Lounge, 364 N Boyle Ave, St. Louis, 314-256-1745.

[CRITIC’S PICK]

Tear Dungeon w/ Maximum Effort, Prunes, Paternity Test

8 p.m. Sunday, March 24. The Sinkhole, 7423 South Broadway. $10. 314-328-2309.

Austin-based Tear Dungeon’s entire schtick is perhaps best encapsulated by the music video for its song “My House,” released as part of its 2022 album Carl, whose cover is the exact same as 1985’s The Best of the Doors except Jim Morrison’s body has been augmented with a bunch of poorly drawn tattoos that include the word DOARZ on his stomach, a Gucci Mane-style ice cream cone on his face and an alligator head eating one of his nipples. At the video’s outset, two men in gimp masks and tighty whiteys enter a brightly lit kitchen, whereupon one reaches into the back of his underwear and pulls out a lightbulb, which he then smashes and mixes in a glass with water and Swiss Kriss herbal laxative. Over a soundtrack that was so aptly summed up

FANGIRL FANTASY: TAYLOR SWIFT VS OLIVIA RO-

DRIGO DANCE NIGHT: Fri., April 26, 8 p.m., $18. Blueberry Hill - The Duck Room, 6504 Delmar Blvd., University City, 314-727-4444.

GARY CLARK JR: Thu., May 16, 7:30 p.m., $49.50-$99.50. The Factory, 17105 N Outer 40 Rd, Chesterfield, 314-423-8500.

HOT WATER MUSIC: W/ Quicksand, Sun., June 16, 8 p.m., $40. Delmar Hall, 6133 Delmar Blvd., St. Louis, 314-726-6161.

I DON’T KNOW HOW BUT THEY FOUND ME: Sat., April 13, 7:30 p.m., $25. Delmar Hall, 6133 Delmar Blvd., St. Louis, 314-726-6161.

IRON & WINE: Sat., July 6, 8 p.m., $37.50-$47.50. The Pageant, 6161 Delmar Blvd., St. Louis, 314726-6161.

JANET JACKSON AND NELLY: Fri., June 21, 8 p.m., $39.95-$499.95. Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre, I-70 & Earth City Expwy., Maryland Heights, 314-298-9944.

JELLY ROLL: Wed., Oct. 23, 7 p.m., $35.50-$155.50. Enterprise Center, 1401 Clark Ave., St. Louis, 314-241-1888.

NOAH KAHAN: Tue., June 4, 8 p.m., $49.50-$345. Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre, I-70 & Earth City Expwy., Maryland Heights, 314-298-9944.

OUMOU SANGARÉ: Sat., April 13, 8 p.m., $35-$45. The Sheldon, 3648 Washington Blvd., St. Louis, 314-533-9900.

PATTI LABELLE: Sat., May 11, 7 p.m., $59.50$124.50. The Factory, 17105 N Outer 40 Rd, Chesterfield, 314-423-8500.

PHISH: Tue., July 30, 7:30 p.m.; Wed., July 31, 7:30 p.m., $59.50-$105. Chaifetz Arena, 1 S. Compton Ave., St. Louis, 314-977-5000.

P!NK: Sat., Aug. 10, 6:30 p.m., $39.95-$299.95. The Dome at America’s Center, 701 Convention Plaza, St. Louis, 314-342-5201.

PORTUGAL. THE MAN: Mon., May 6, 8 p.m., $41$56. The Pageant, 6161 Delmar Blvd., St. Louis, 314-726-6161.

THE POSTAL SERVICE & DEATH CAB FOR CUTIE: Tue., May 7, 7:30 p.m., $38-$122.75. Chaifetz Arena, 1 S. Compton Ave., St. Louis, 314-977-5000. PRIMUS & COHEED AND CAMBRIA: Sat., Aug. 3, 7 p.m., $49.50-$125. Centene Community Ice Center, 750 Casino Center Dr, Maryland Heights.

by the Austin Chronicle as “the Melvins, except soaked in piss and rolled in broken glass” that we’re not even gonna take a stab at our own description, the pair then take turns chugging the concoction and spitting it into each other’s mouths while a chorus of shouted vocals — “This is my house / Get the fuck away from my house” — plays on. From there the scene predictably devolves into the both of them shitting and vomiting blood all over each other until the less-thantwo-minutes-long track ends and the video smash-cuts to a title card that says “Directed by Wes Anderson.” If you just read all of that and your reaction is one of curiosity rather than revulsion, you are precisely the kind of sick freak who needs to get their ass to the Sinkhole on Sunday for some full-tilt Austin weirdness.

QUEENSRYCHE: Sat., April 6, 8 p.m., $40. Delmar Hall, 6133 Delmar Blvd., St. Louis, 314-726-6161.

ROB ZOMBIE AND ALICE COOPER: Sun., Sept. 1, 6 p.m., $35-$149.50. Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre - St. Louis, MO, 14141 Riverport Dr, Maryland Heights.

SAMMY HAGAR: W/ Loverboy, Sat., Aug. 31, 7 p.m., $35-$499.50. Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre, I-70 & Earth City Expwy., Maryland Heights, 314-298-9944.

SARAH MCLACHLAN: Mon., June 10, 7:30 p.m., $40.50-$110.50. St. Louis Music Park, 750 Casino Center Dr., Maryland Heights, 314-451-2244.

SARAH SHOOK & THE DISARMERS: W/ Sunny War, Sat., April 6, 7 p.m., $18. Club Riveria, 3524 Washington Ave., St. Louis, 314-531-8663.

SHANNON AND THE CLAMS: Mon., June 10, 8 p.m., $20-$25. Off Broadway, 3509 Lemp Ave., St. Louis, 314-498-6989.

SILVERSUN PICKUPS: Thu., April 25, 8 p.m., $150. The Hawthorn, 2225 Washington Avenue, St. Louis.

SLOWDIVE: W/ Drab Majesty, Sat., May 4, 8 p.m., $37.50-$50. The Pageant, 6161 Delmar Blvd., St. Louis, 314-726-6161.

STEVIE NICKS: Tue., May 7, 7 p.m., $54.50-$996. Enterprise Center, 1401 Clark Ave., St. Louis, 314-241-1888.

STIR: Fri., April 12, 8 p.m., $30. Delmar Hall, 6133 Delmar Blvd., St. Louis, 314-726-6161.

SWANS: Fri., May 10, 8 p.m., $30. Delmar Hall, 6133 Delmar Blvd., St. Louis, 314-726-6161.

—Daniel Hill

Fine Pedigree: The secret identities of the masked men who make up Tear Dungeon can all be found in the ranks of fellow Austin stalwarts Sweet Spirit and A Giant Dog, so if you’re into those acts and not afraid of a little fake blood, you’ll find a lot to like at Sunday’s show.

JIGJAM: Fri., March 29, 8 p.m., $25. Off Broadway, 3509 Lemp Ave., St. Louis, 314-498-6989.

JOE SATRIANI & STEVE VAI: Tue., April 30, 7:30 p.m., $49.50-$124.50. The Factory, 17105 N Outer 40 Rd, Chesterfield, 314-423-8500.

JUDAS PRIEST: Sun., May 5, 7:30 p.m., $49.50$175. St. Louis Music Park, 750 Casino Center Dr., Maryland Heights, 314-451-2244.

KHRUANGBIN: Wed., Oct. 2, 8 p.m.; Thu., Oct. 3, 8 p.m., $52.50-$89.50. The Factory, 17105 N Outer 40 Rd, Chesterfield, 314-423-8500.

KING GIZZARD AND THE LIZARD WIZARD: Thu., Sept. 5, 8 p.m., $59.50-$89.50. The Factory, 17105 N Outer 40 Rd, Chesterfield, 314-423-8500.

LAKE STREET DIVE: Tue., July 16, 8 p.m., $30-$75. Centene Community Ice Center, 750 Casino Center Dr, Maryland Heights.

MELISSA ETHERIDGE AND INDIGO GIRLS: Tue., Aug. 13, 7 p.m., $57-$101.50. St. Louis Music Park, 750 Casino Center Dr., Maryland Heights, 314-451-2244.

THE MOUNTAIN GOATS: Sat., April 20, 8 p.m., $49.50. Delmar Hall, 6133 Delmar Blvd., St. Louis, 314-726-6161.

TEDESCHI TRUCKS BAND, MARGO PRICE: Tue., Aug. 6, 7 p.m. The Fox Theatre, 527 N. Grand Blvd., St. Louis, 314-534-1111.

THE DECEMBERISTS: Fri., May 17, 8 p.m., $42$62. The Pageant, 6161 Delmar Blvd., St. Louis, 314-726-6161.

THE WALLFLOWERS: Tue., July 16, 8 p.m., $29.50$49.50. The Pageant, 6161 Delmar Blvd., St. Louis, 314-726-6161.

THIRTY SECONDS TO MARS: Fri., Aug. 2, 7 p.m., $35-$129.50. Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre, I-70 & Earth City Expwy., Maryland Heights, 314-298-9944.

USHER: Fri., Oct. 25, 8 p.m., $45.50-$295.50. Sat., Oct. 26, 8 p.m., $45.50-$245.50. Enterprise Center, 1401 Clark Ave., St. Louis, 314-241-1888.

VAMPIRE WEEKEND: Thu., July 25, 7 p.m., $39.50-$89.50. Centene Community Ice Center, 750 Casino Center Dr, Maryland Heights.

WAXAHATCHEE: Fri., Aug. 23, 8 p.m., $35-$50. The Pageant, 6161 Delmar Blvd., St. Louis, 314-726-6161.

WILLIE NELSON, BOB DYLAN, JOHN MELLEN-

CAMP: Sun., Sept. 8, 3:30 p.m., $29.50-$400. Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre - St. Louis, MO, 14141 Riverport Dr, Maryland Heights. n

Tear Dungeon. | VIA ARTIST BANDCAMP

SAVAGE LOVE

Dom and Dommer

BY DAN SAVAGE

I’m having a weird reaction to someone I’m involved with. I find myself wanting to punish him for the slightest transgressions and scold him or give him the silent treatment until he apologizes. The poor guy hasn’t done anything very wrong — nothing wrong wrong — he’s just failed to meet my unreasonably high expectations for him. To make matters worse, we seem to have fallen into some sort of role play, verbally at least, where I order him around. He seems to want me to punish him and give him orders and I’m doing both, but I’ve never been a Dom or had a sub or whatever it is we’re doing. Honestly, I’m confused about what we’re doing but he seems to be inviting it somehow. How do I navigate this? Problems Understanding Nuances In Situationship Here

“This situation reminds me of the kinkster classic Secretary,” said the Funny Dom. “It’s a fascinating look at a Dom and a sub who don’t fully understand their identities or how to pursue the dynamic functionally. It’s sweet and hot watching Maggie Gyllenhaal and James Spader fall into a problematic spanking scene, but in real life we know better.”

The Funny Dom is the pen name of a 44-year-old Daddy based in Melbourne, Australia. A longtime kink practitioner and educator, the Funny Dom has been “holding light-hearted (but stern!) space” for Doms, subs and switches online since the start of the pandemic.

“It sounds like these two have developed a kind of Dom/sub dynamic,” said the Funny Dom. “PUNISH should think of it like a particular kind of dance they’re both loosely following. And while it’s all well and good for her to say he’s inviting it, it takes two to tango.”

Maybe your boyfriend already knew he was a sub when you met and he’s subtly training you to dominate him. But since you seem to enjoy punishing him, PUNISH, and since your boyfriend seems to enjoy being punished by you, this sounds less like a problem and more like the beginning of a beautiful (and very hot) relationship.

“It’s obvious from the way PUNISH and her boyfriend respond to each other’s behavior that D/s resonates for both of them,” said the Funny Dom. “They have a real opportunity here to explore a big juicy part of their identities. But to take those steps, they need to have a conversation about the moves they’ve both been pulling — and what those moves mean to them — and then discuss whether they’d like to

pursue this dynamic further. And if so, how they can pursue it mindfully.”

One of you needs to say, “Hey, what are we doing here,” and since you’re the one who wrote to me first, PUNISH, I think you’re the one who needs to say it. “To start the conversation they can watch a decent kinky movie together,” said the Funny Dom, “something like Secretary or Love & Leashes — a much less problematic and even sweet depiction of a male sub dynamic — and then talk about what they liked, what they didn’t like and what, if anything, reflected what’s happening between them. They can also grab a how-to book — and there are many — and look for a kink class or workshop to attend together and independently.”

One how-to book you might want to pick up and read with the boyfriend: The Funny Dom’s Guide to Kink (Vol. 1 and Vol. 2), which is available now.

“PUNISH and her boyfriend — really, all couples who are interested in kink — need to remember that kink is a big, hot, transformative, messy, wonderful adventure,” said the Funny Dom, “and it shouldn’t be done in a non-conscious vacuum, folks.”

In other words, PUNISH, you gotta talk about it. Or as we like to say here at Savage Love, Inc., you gotta use your words.

Cis-het dude here in my 30s. I’ve had to spend several multi-month periods away from my wife over the last couple years for work. During the last long separation, I started writing letters — long letters, horny letters, emotional letters and lots of smut. I let her in on some of my kinks. As it turns out, she’s pretty vanilla and she asked me to pull back on the kink. Since the letters and stories were gifts, I obliged. I’m not great at talking about my feelings and desires but I can write them down. Not everything was horny but I never got much of a response. For example, I wrote her an “ice cream menu” with codes aligning with different themes and kinks. The idea was that she could pick what she wanted to read in future notebooks. I got a couple requests, but she never used the menu system, let alone asked for “lavender honeycomb” or “mint chocolate chip” options. (Yes, vanilla was also on the menu!)

I guess the issue here is that I feel like I’m not getting much back. Are these projects worth pursuing? Should I put my kinks (mostly subby stuff with me as the sub) back in my stories or does that come across like I’m trying to pressure her? We’re going to be back together full time for the next couple years. I love the heck out of this woman — that’s why I married her — but it doesn’t feel good to be the unreciprocated lust letter writer.

Boy Overconfidently Oversharing Kink Stories

“First of all, one cis-het bloke to another, a big bloody well done on the beautiful and creative outlet BOOKS found and explored, and here’s to making space for sharing, vulnerability, and playful kinky discussions,” said the Funny Dom. “Our fellow cis-het blokes could do with more of this. Unfortunately, I’m thinking BOOKS’ transformation from a not-very-comfortablespeaking-about-feelings-and-desires guy to something like a coked-up-Aaron-Sorkinlike pen pal may have overwhelmed his partner.”

You say it wasn’t your intent to make your wife feel pressured, but it sounds like she feels pressured, BOOKS, and it sounds like you actually are disappointed she hasn’t responded in kind and embraced your kinks.

“He’s gotta remember that no one asked him to cook this five-course meal,” said the Funny Dom. “Before anyone does something like that for you, you gotta discuss tastes, appetites and menu options before playing chef. Kink-dynamic-wise, sending someone smut and possible scenarios for play that place your partner in the Dominant role — without clearly ascertaining whether that’s who they are or what they want — is a form of manipulation you often see in relationships that have been essentially vanilla but now one person wants to explore kink.”

So, what can you do?

“BOOKS shouldn’t put the pen down,” said the Friendly Dom, “but he should keep the writing for himself — start an anonymous blog or write for a smut-lit eroticatype platform — and then, when he’s home, have a face-to-face conversation with his partner how he’s feeling and, most importantly, how she’s feeling and whether she wants to explore any of this at all. And if not, well, BOOKS needs to take that into account before spending the next umpteen years together. Fundamental kink compatibility is not like simply going for different footy team. It’s bloody vital to a functional relationship.”

Follow the Funny Dom on Instagram and Threads @thefunnydomreturns. He’s available for one-on-one online coaching sessions with couples and individuals.

My last relationship collapsed because my ex-boyfriend needed a sexual performance I couldn’t deliver. Everything else was spectacular, and we really did love each other, but I’m one of those rare gay men who insists on monogamy. (We do exist, Dan.) Which means I couldn’t agree to him exploring domination and degradation with other men. We had excellent vanilla sex and he said he was satisfied but he kept asking for my permission to get dominated by other men. I felt I had no other option than to end

our relationship.

I know my ex-boyfriend didn’t choose his kinks to sabotage our relationship. I did, however, hope that exploring them through porn and fantasy would be enough for him, but it sadly wasn’t. It’s two years after the breakup and I am happy to report that we are friends. He’s been seeing someone for six months and it’s getting serious, and his new boyfriend dominates and degrades him in ways I simply could not because I loved him too much to do things like that. I still have love for my ex and want what’s best for him and it’s very hard for me to interact with his new boyfriend knowing how he treats my ex. It is hard for me to see their relationship as a loving or healthy one. Do I say something to my ex? I want to start by saying, “I’m happy for you, but….” But what comes after the “but”?

The Loving Vanilla Ex

Here’s what you say to your ex: “I’m happy for you.” No “but,” just a period.

Zooming out: BDSM and Dom/sub dynamics don’t do anything for you. So, it’s not that you couldn’t do these things with your ex because you loved him too much to dominate or degrade him — it’s not that you’re too loving and virtuous for that shit — it’s that you don’t wanna to do these things with anybody because those things don’t make your dick hard.

Now, I’m gonna assume that like most vanilla vers gay men, TLVE, ass fucking makes your dick hard and ass fucking in the context of an intimate relationship feels loving and healthy. But let’s say you weren’t into ass fucking and someone decided to fuck your ass anyway. You wouldn’t experience ass fucking under those circumstances as loving; you would experience ass fucking under those circumstances as violence. Well, just as you’re capable of experiencing ass fucking as a loving act because you love having your ass fucked by someone who loves you, your ex-boyfriend is capable of experiencing domination and degradation as a loving act because he loves being dominated and degraded by someone who loves him.

Consensual BDSM, Dom/sub play, erotic humiliation: not for you, you don’t get it, you don’t have to do it. But hundreds of millions of straight people don’t see how one man fucking another man in the ass could ever be a loving act. They don’t get it. And luckily for you, straight people don’t get to tell you how you’re allowed to love your next boyfriend, TLVE, and you don’t get to tell your ex-boyfriend how he’s allowed to love his current boyfriend.

Got problems? Yes, you do. Send your question to mailbox@savage.love! Podcasts, columns and more at Savage.Love