Riverfront Times, April 10, 2024

FRONT BURNER

MONDAY, APRIL 1 . It’s April Fool’s Day , yet brands with bad jokes seem weirdly restrained this year. Maybe they got the day off after a raucous Easter ? Sadly on the clock today: the Loop Trolley , which rides again. Drivers start training today, and later this month will again offer free rides that no one wants since the damn thing goes nowhere. Also, everyone’s talking about women’s basketball . The PostDispatch reports that tonight’s Elite 8 NCAA game is the most-watched college basketball game ever. In addition to beating LSU, Caitlin Clark & Co even beat the Blues in ratings — shocking in a city where men’s sports have long been king.

TUESDAY, APRIL 2 . It’s a super low turnout election day and MSD gets the rate increase it wants! Not doing quite so well: the conservative culture warriors seeking to infiltrate local school boards. 97.1 FM shit disturber Marc Cox goes 0-13 in his quest to find school board candidates who oppose the “woke agenda.” That includes David Kirschner and David Randelman in the Lindbergh district, who the RFT revealed were backed by a PAC with ties to a local exec that spent $20K on the race. Flipping the trend, in Maplewood , the city’s first Black mayor, Nikylan Knapper , loses to a write-in challenge

Previously On LAST WEEK

IN ST. LOUIS

from former mayor Barry Greenberg

Two Maplewood school board members allied with Knapper also go down to defeat. Knapper drew ire by hiring a friend to be city manager and eliminating a public forum from city council meetings — proving, perhaps, that politics really is local

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 3 . There’s hail and cold rain . What happened to the summer-like temperatures we saw Sunday? The feds announce they’re paying for two more federal prosecutors in St. Louis as part of their Violent Crime Initiative , first pioneered in Houston in 2022. And with that, Jane Dueker and the pro-police crowd seize on a new talking point: St. Louis crime is so out of control, the feds are sending TWO NEW PROSECUTORS !!! Yawn. The fearmongering around Kim Gardner was at least interesting.

THURSDAY, APRIL 4 . The Cardinals’ home opener brings seemingly all of St. Louis downtown; you can’t find a

6 QUESTIONS with Dana Sandweiss of Access MO

As the Cardinals season got underway last week, a different season was already in full swing: the sprint to collect signatures to get a constitutional amendment protecting abortion rights on the Missouri ballot. If pro-choice activists can collect 171,000 signatures, Missourians will get a chance to vote this fall on whether abortion should be legal up until the point of fetal viability.

Last Thursday, as a sea of red and white streamed into Busch Stadium, we caught up with Dana Sandweiss, who runs the Access MO political action committee. She was at the corner of Walnut and Eighth streets with a few other volunteers, collecting more than a few of those signatures from fans walking by. This conversation has been edited for length and clarity.

How’s the reception been so far?

It’s positive. Not as positive as before the soccer game, but more positive than before the Blues game. Maybe comparable to the Blues.

Oh, wow. You could do a whole sociology paper on that.

It’s so interesting!

Has anyone ever been really unkind?

Not really. When one person was verbally abusive to me, it caused other people to come up and sign. I was like, alright, I’ll take it.

Where did that happen?

That was before the Bill Burr concert, who I thought was a progressive.

I know everyone’s favorite Secretary of State, Jay Ashcroft, is going to do everything he can to gum up the works. How are things looking in that regard?

I’m very positive that we’re going to qualify and get on the ballot.

How many signatures do you think you personally have collected?

parking spot anywhere near Busch Stadium for less than $60. Should have taken the MetroLink ! Only … a man who threw an unknown liquid at Judge David Mason as they rode the MetroLink is in court today, and gets probation — when he was already on it. That’ll teach him.

FRIDAY, APRIL 5 . It’s a rare East Coast earthquake, confirming that nowhere is safe and Midwest is best . Alas for everyone’s favorite Morgan Ford bar: Stella Blues suffers a catastrophic kitchen fire around 11 a.m. and closes indefinitely. There’s now a GoFundMe Meanwhile, Wash U students hold a sit-in to protest on behalf of cafeteria workers who had to endure a strange fraternity-related incident last month. Kappa Sigma and Alpha Phi apparently romped through the Bear’s Den shouting racial slurs at each other and throwing eggs. Classy. Naturally, Wash U says it’s investigating. Perhaps also worthy of an investigation: KSDK reports that motorists who paid official-looking

parking lot attendants at a city-owned lot on Opening Day were slapped with city-issued tickets. The Treasurer’s Office says it’s not its fault: “All our staff are identified in uniform and their vests state City of St. Louis Parking Division on the back of their vests. If someone is in an un-uniformed vest — this is a fraudulent and unauthorized attempt to collect your money.” Now, we can’t help but think that, when downtown is packed with revelers, the city should have attendants out there taking money — not ticketing people who paid the scam artists who are.

SATURDAY, APRIL 6 Bel-Nor is disbanding its police department — another department down, 90-something more to go. Downtown St. Louis is again the place to be, with the Cardinals , City SC , the Battlehawks and even a weird-ass convention in town.

SUNDAY, APRIL 7 . The Treasurer’s Office now says it will forgive the parking tickets it levied on people hit by scammers who staked out a city-owned lot That’s big of them! Also, Iowa loses in the NCAA finals , but accomplished an impressive feat: They made America care about women’s hoops . Even LeBron is now a fan! Meanwhile, everyone is gearing up for the eclipse . Is it too late to get glasses?

Way over 1,000. Maybe 2,000. It’s over 1,000 for sure.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of this work?

People, for the most part, are so grateful. They’ve been looking for us. They say, “I’ve been looking for you. I’m so glad you’re here.” —Ryan Krull

Dana Sandweiss was out hustling for signatures on Opening Day. | RYAN KRULL

“The worst thing that Twitter, Facebook & other social media platforms has done to communication is dumb people who use [sic] to just say stupid shit could be ignored because they had no platform.”

Mayoral Dad Virvus Jones, posted without irony on Twitter dot com

—

WEEKLY WTF?!

Luckily for the driver it was somebody else’s car. | CHICKEN JOE WEISBROD

CAR WATCH

When: the morning of Tuesday, April 2

Where: just north of Chippewa on Jamieson, harrowingly close to a building

What: a vehicle that tried and failed to execute a full flip Jesus Christ, is everyone OK? Apparently, because they were nowhere to be found when onlookers arrived on the scene.

Oh, so it was stolen: Naturally! Its owner arrived shortly after the wreck and said it had disappeared the day before. What’s that cop in the photo up to? Probably trying to figure out how the hell the driver managed to flip the thing — it’s not even a Tahoe!

15 SECONDS of FAME LOSER OF THE WEEK MARC COX

We’ll admit we seldom tune in to KFTK (97.1 FM), the virulently rightwing, Audacy-owned station that seems to hate the city from which it broadcasts. Not only does it air notably dumb guy Brian Kilmeade’s show, but its lineup also includes Mark Reardon and Dana Loesch — and their outrage feels stale at a time when you can easily hear your halfsenile uncle parrot the same Fox News talking points without the interruption of advertisers.

So we couldn’t help but snicker when the biggest takeaway from last week’s municipal elections in St. Louis is

that KFTK’s morning host, Marc Cox, is a loser. Yes indeed. Cox put his weight behind 13 candidates at school boards around the St. Louis metro handchosen to “stop the woke agenda.” He even threw a rally in their support in St. Charles. All 13 went down to defeat.

Could it be that people no longer trust Audacy now that George Soros himself has invested $400 million in its stock? (Shouldn’t have taken that Soros money, Marc!) Or is it that no one is listening when KFTK spews its bile? Either way, you love to see it.

Does anyone listen to Marc Cox? Apparently not. | SCREENSHOT

Sheriff Bans Phones After Feces Photo

Another week, another photo showing horrifying conditions inside the St. Louis City Justice Center

BY RYAN KRULL

St. Louis Sheriff Vernon Betts is reportedly no fan of Corrections Commissioner Jenifer Clemons-Abdullah, yet he followed her playbook last week after taking flak for a photo of a detainee left in horrendous conditions.

On April 1, the RFT reported on a photo that attorney Susan McGraugh snapped of her client, Lamarr Pearson, who was lying on the floor of a jail cell in his own excrement. Pearson is paralyzed, with no control of his bowels. He told McGraugh he’d been lying there in that state for two or three days.

At the time of the photo, Pearson was in a holding area of the jail for people who have been arrested but not yet formally booked into the City Justice Center.

As other outlets covered the photo, the city’s Department of Public Safety told KMOV’s Justin Andrews that Pearson had not been officially booked into the City Justice Center at the time the photo was taken, implying he was in a holding area controlled by Sheriff Betts.

That was a slightly more detailed

KDHX to Volunteers: Stop Leaking Emails to the RFT

According to newly leaked emails to the RFT, it’s a big no-no

BY DANIEL HILL

According to a recent batch of internal communications that were sent to KDHX’s volunteers and subsequently leaked to the RFT, station leader-

took this photo of her client at the City Justice Center. | PROVIDED

statement than the one previously given to the RFT, and Betts insisted to the TV station that Pearson was not in an area controlled by his department when the photo was taken.

But nevertheless, Betts has now taken steps to ban phones in the part of the jail that he controls.

A letter signed by Betts and posted at the courthouse downtown, and ad-

ship would very much like its volunteers to stop leaking its internal communications to the RFT

In a missive sent to KDHX’s volunteers, Director of Volunteer Connections Andrea Dunn makes the downright shocking assertion that the station’s internal communications “are being shared with the media, namely the RFT” (gasp!), as well as with a group of the station’s former volunteers who in the last year were either fired or quit in solidarity with those who were. Dunn takes aim at the “volunteer or volunteers who have continuously not heeded the request for confidentiality” and announces that the station is “actively investigating who may be behind the sharing of our communications.” She also makes it crystal clear that all of the station’s vol-

curity, and it is essential to comply with directives issued by the deputies.”

The letter echoes a similar directive issued by Clemons-Abdullah in January soon after a different attorney photographed a detainee with an untreated, cantaloupe-sized hernia protruding from his stomach.

Not long after the RFT published that photo, a sign went up in the Justice Center, saying, “Beginning January 15, 2024, no cellular devices or any type of recording/photography devices will be allowed inside the facility. All previous authorizations for cellular devices are no longer authorized.” It was signed by Clemons-Abdullah.

The RFT has previously described the relationship between the corrections commissioner and the sheriff as frosty. Betts previously said of her: “Somebody has told that lady that Vernon Betts wants to take over the jail… She’s got this wild hair up her butt that I want to run the jail.”

According to one attorney, jail staff continued to allow attorneys to bring phones into the jail after ClemonsAbdullah’s directive, though they have to fill out a form first.

To McGraugh’s mind, the bans on attorneys’ phones miss what should be the point of photos that show maltreatment of jail detainees.

dressed to attorneys and other court personnel, reads in full: “Prior to entering the Justice Center, all attorneys and court personnel must securely store their cell phones, electronic devices, and any other contraband items. Please note that attorneys and court personnel may be subject to searches upon entry to the Justice Center. Please remember that this facility prioritizes se-

unteers are easily replaceable, writing, “We continue to receive applications every week from people who want to be here in service to our community, not in opposition to KDHX,” and further describes the countless unpaid hours of work said volunteers freely give to the station as a “privilege — not [a] right.”

At issue, according to Dunn, is the fact that the station is unable to plan events for its volunteers due to the fear that outside groups might learn about them and show up uninvited.

“We have been slow to schedule our next social gathering — a gathering meant to be a fun and intimate opportunity for you to get to know each other better — because anything we schedule at this point will be known to these outside groups, and we

“I don’t know why everyone is acting like the problem is the camera,” she says.

McGraugh isn’t the only defense attorney taken aback by Betts’ order.

“Sheriff Betts is the best evidence for why the judges should take control of the sheriff’s department,” says attorney Terry Niehoff. “When he is not forcing his deputies to campaign for him, he is coming up with these idiotic ideas.” n

must assume that there will be ‘protestors’ and press who will attempt to infiltrate and intimidate,” Dunn writes.

The catalyst for this whole kerfuffle is more than likely a recent event that KDHX’s volunteers were invited to attend, which the RFT then apparently predictably showed up to uninvited. On the evening of March 27, the local chapter of the Recording Academy held a mixer that was sponsored by KDHX Board President Gary Pierson’s law firm Capes Sokol, and on the day prior Executive Director Kelly Wells sent out an internal communication inviting volunteers to attend, which was then leaked to the RFT

That event was set to take place on the Hill. The RFT is also located on the Hill.

Attorney Susan McGraugh

Aldermen Reject Shelter Plan

A bill to ease the process for opening new homeless shelters in St. Louis was voted down

BY KALLIE COX

Acontentious debate that took up more than two hours of the St. Louis Board of Aldermen meeting last Friday led to a tie vote that effectively killed a bill that would make it easier to place shelters for the unhoused in the city.

Board Bill 227, sponsored by Ward 7 Alderwoman Alisha Sonnier and co-sponsored by Aldermanic President Megan Green, would reform the city’s plat and petition process for approving shelters.

After a lengthy discussion, seven alders voted in favor of the bill and seven against it, with one person voting present. The vote effectively killed the legislation this session.

“No” votes came from Aldermen Bret Narayan, Joe Vollmer, Tom Oldenburg and Michael Browning and Alderwomen Anne Schweitzer, Sharon Tyus and Pam Boyd, with Alderwoman Cara Spencer abstaining.

Those in favor of the legislation argue it’s necessary to help the city’s unhoused, pointing out the impossibility of the city’s current plat and petition process, which has led to no new shelters being built in the city in 15 years. They also say it would provide more opportunity for public comment.

The alders in opposition to the change hurled comments attacking Sonnier, claiming she didn’t adequately listen to their wards and accusing the bill of taking away residents’ voices.

“In the United States of America, last time I heard, it takes a democracy of 51 percent in a vote,” 5th Ward Alderman Joseph Vollmer said, bungling an explanation of the city’s current plat and petition process. “To have 33 percent of a petition to create something different in your neighborhood sounds a little communistic to me.”

Sonnier fired back saying it shouldn’t be considered “communistic” to vet facilities meant to help people in need.

At least one alder opposed to the bill referred to unhoused people as “these people,” which drew pushback from another member, and others seemed to regard them as nuisances. The alders in opposition didn’t seem to acknowledge that the bill would require public hearings and grant temporary shelter operation licenses that could be revoked and reviewed if problems arose.

Ward 12 Alderwoman Sharon Tyus said she is concerned about the level of crime a

shelter might bring to communities.

“Don’t act like there’s not crime associated with a lot of these things, because it is,” Tyus said after ranting about Covenant House, a youth social services organization in her ward.

Tyus frequently mentioned another controversial topic during the debate — building tiny homes for unhoused people on the site of the city’s former jail, known as the Workhouse. The Stakeholder Steering Committee commissioned by the mayor vehemently opposes the idea. Tyus said she thinks the encampment is a great idea.

Tyus worries that shelters will continue to be predominantly in north St. Louis and will negatively impact Black and Brown seniors who own homes in the area, based on the desires of St. Louisans who don’t live there, a phenomenon she calls “plantation politics.”

“Which is you put [a shelter] someplace where you don’t have to put up with it. And

KDHX LEAKS

Continued from pg 9

Specifically, we’re located in the same building as the event space where the mixer was held, on the same floor, literally two doors down. Being that they made it so easy — we’d argue that, in fact, they came and crashed our party, not the other way around — we sent our intrepid staff photographer Zachary Linhares out on the long journey past the elevator that gets stuck sometimes and the bathrooms with the bewilderingly black toilets to see what he could see.

Zach hit the RFT’s Slack within 10 minutes of the event’s kickoff and alerted us that, “I’ve been in some awkward situations and man this takes the cake.” (Sorry not sorry, Zach!) He’d apparently chatted with Pierson for a few minutes, who reportedly didn’t seem terribly enthusiastic about the situation but at least didn’t kick him out (that wouldn’t have been very neighborly,

then, when you have problems, they don’t have enough police to address those problems,” she said.

Ward 14 Rasheen Aldridge, whose ward includes north St. Louis, voted for the change, along with Alderman Shane Cohn and Alderwomen Daniela Velazquez, Shameem Clark Hubbard, Laura Keys and President Green.

Some of the alders who voted no argued that there wasn’t enough time to fully vet the bill so that the concerns of their wards could be heard.

Aldridge pointed out that discussions on this topic date back to at least September. He said Sonnier has done the work, fostering community discussions in various wards including his own, and done a good job of collaborating with the alders who actually responded to her attempts.

“We have to do something, we have to figure out how do we make the process a fair process that works for the community,”

Aldridge said.

“If we continue to do things how we are doing them now, we may go another 15 years where there isn’t a shelter opened or a special residential facility when we do know that we have rising rents and we’re probably going to see an increase in population,” Sonnier added.

In closing statements, Sonnier voiced her disappointment with her fellow board members, mentioning that a member of the unhoused community asked to be her guest as they discussed the bill today, but later backed out saying they couldn’t stand to hear themselves debated and dehumanized by elected officials.

“I could not be like, ‘Yes, come anyway because I can promise you [it will be fine].’

I knew that might come up in the conversation, so I want to apologize to those [unhoused] members,” Sonnier said.

By the end of the discussion after nearly two and a half hours of grueling rebuttals, Sonnier became emotional and wiped away tears as she gave her closing remarks.

“You all would not categorize me as someone who has a drug addiction or somebody who has a serious mental health issue, but I have struggled with housing insecurity myself,” Sonnier said. “Not for being any less of a human being, [...] but for being someone that’s born into society that doesn’t have the best safety nets. For having a mother who got involved in a domestic violence incident, and we had to relocate instantly and we didn’t have the first and second months’ rent available.”

The fight to reform the city’s shelter approval process is not over, Sonnier promised.

“As long as I have a seat and I’m alderwoman of the seventh we are going to be having this conversation, we are going to get something done,” Sonnier said. “If that’s not today, it’ll be in a month, it’ll be in two months, but it will happen.” n

we would have a need for one for future publishing purposes (like this article!) and then made his exit.

So it’s understandable that Dunn would come down in such a heavy-handed manner on those who would dare to leak the station’s missives. After all, what if they try to throw an event inside the home of someone whom they don’t want to attend? It’d be downright menacing of that person to show up, and we certainly can’t have that.

“By sharing these communication pieces, you are encouraging and inciting these groups and their followers to continue their harassment of your fellow volunteers and the staff,” Dunn writes. “Enough is enough. If you have issues and concerns, there are protocols in place for you to express them. You MAY NOT continue to put your fellow volunteers in vulnerable situations, and you certainly cannot continue to jeopardize the future of this station.”

after all). Zach stuck around for an hour or so, snapped a photo of Pierson just in case

So definitely do not leak future communication pieces to the RFT. Got that? n

The St. Louis Board of Aldermen, shown at its swearing-in one year ago, said “no” to reforming the process for new shelters last week. | BRADEN MCMAKIN

KDHX Board President Gary Pierson, photographed at an event in the RFT’s very own building. |

ZACHARY LINHARES

Kroenke Who?

Forget the NFL. The UFL Battlehawks set a new attendance record at their home opener Saturday

WORDS AND PHOTOS BY ZACHARY

LINHARES

Four years have passed since the Battlehawks built their nest in St. Louis, and while the league the team plays in has changed, it’s now clear: The Kaw is the Law. For this year’s season opener on April 6, a record-setting 40,317 fans stormed the Rams’ former stomping grounds to watch a hard-fought win over the Arlington Renegades.

Battlehawks fans kicked off the game with a massive party in the parking lots outside of the Dome at America’s Center. They ate barbecue, drank copious amounts of beer, smoked weed, played cornhole and ridiculed Stan Kroenke. They also established themselves as the most eccentric sports fans in St. Louis, with Battlehawks beer bongs, facepaint, wings, gladiator suits, bird suits, luchador masks and wrestling belts.

Inside the Dome, the noise was palpable, with never-ending “Ka-Kaws” from the crowd. After Battlehawks wide receiver Marcell Ateman scored the first touchdown of the game, fans responded by throwing confetti and beach balls. When Arlington responded just minutes later, fans berated the Renegades with a barrage of “you suck” and raised middle fingers.

Battlehawk fans are relentless and passionate — perhaps even the best fans in XFL UFL football. St. Louis should be proud.

A CELEBRATION OF THE UNIQUE AND FASCINATING ASPECTS OF OUR HOME

If You Build It in East St. Louis…

Will They Come?

Jackie Joyner-Kersee and Mark Mestemacher have big ambitions for a long-neglected city

BY CHRIS ANDOE

River barge magnate Mark Mestemacher has a rich history of establishing and supporting wrestling programs for young people around the region. That includes the East St. Louis Wrestling Club, which he founded in 2008 and housed in the Jackie Joyner-Kersee Center.

But just one year later, the JJK Center shut down due to financial problems, laying off 32 employees. Mestemacher, who lived in Edwardsville, had stayed in his lane, and hadn’t had much, if any, involvement with the Center outside of his program. In the wake of the closure, someone suggested he meet with the legendary Olympian.

The meeting changed his life.

“We cried 45 minutes out of that first hour,” Mestemacher, now 67, recalls. “The need was so great, and she had such a desire to make a difference in the lives of people.”

Long before she won Olympic gold in the decathlon and the long jump, Jackie Joyner grew up in an underprivileged neighborhood in East St. Louis. But in the 1960s, she watched a space-age geodesic domed building being erected in nearby Lincoln Park, which would open as the Mary Brown Community Center. “It became my second home,” Joyner-Kersee recalls.

The center gave her many opportunities and enriched her life — opportunities she wanted to provide others. But at that time, in 2009, her dream was slipping away.

With their shared passion for helping children, a love of sports, and deep religious faith, the two bonded instant-

ly. Mestemacher took their connection as a sign from God that he needed to adopt Joyner-Kersee’s dream for East St. Louis as his own. He joined the Center’s board and personally paid off the substantial debts. After two years of rebuilding the organization, the Center resumed operations in 2012.

“There were people who suggested bankruptcy,” recalls former board member Debra Aerne. “But Jackie was against that, and they” — JoynerKersee, Mestemacher and other board members — “didn’t want anyone to be able to say they were cheated by the Center. They wanted to protect Jackie’s name.”

Mestemacher, at least, has now gone far beyond that. The nonprofit organization that his work with JoynerKersee helped to inspire, Lansdowne UP, is investing in East St. Louis in a

The homes in Lansdowne Park are gearing up for a big reveal on May 4. | ZACHARY LINHARES

EAST ST. LOUIS

Continued from pg 15

way that might seem unfathomable to anyone who’s driven through the city.

In 1950, East St. Louis was the fourthlargest city in Illinois, with a population north of 82,000. Today, only 17,000 call the beleaguered community home. No market rate subdivision has been built there in at least 50 years.

Lansdowne Park, with homes slated to go on the market in just a few weeks, will be the first.

Wrestling With Bigger Ideas

After his life-changing meeting with Joyner-Kersee, Mestemacher’s focus expanded far beyond wrestling and into the city that raised her.

“Facing the Center’s athletic fields, there was a row of derelict drug houses and overgrown lots,” Mestemacher says. “The wrestling club bought them, tore them down and hired the coaches and the kids to clean up the land. Many of these boys don’t have father figures, so this was another opportunity for the coaches to spend time and mentor them.”

Funded by Mestemacher, the East St. Louis Wrestling Club continued to acquire land, and to direct mentoring and job training programs. One day their alarmed accountant informed them that based on revenue, the club had morphed into the largest wrestling organization of its kind in the nation. Concerned that it came off as a moneylaundering operation, they were advised to form a separate organization for the non-wrestling activities.

The accountant’s concerns were well-founded. When they tried to spin off Lansdowne UP, it took 18 months of auditing to convince a skeptical IRS.

As Aerne explains, there’s now an entire ecosystem radiating out of the Jackie Joyner-Kersee Center, which includes Mestemacher’s education and development nonprofit Lansdowne UP, of which Joyner-Kersee is on the board, urban farming partnerships with the Donald Danforth Plant Sciences Center and the University of Illinois, and a building trades partnership with Southwestern Illinois College.

Lansdowne UP is taking the lead on the residential development side — and it’s doing it in a way that gets current neighbors involved rather than displacing them.

The nonprofit has purchased more than 2,600 lots in the Lansdowne area of East St. Louis, which is anchored by the Jackie Joyner-Kersee Center and bordered by I-64 to the south, I-55 to the north, 9th Street to the west and 40th Street to the east.

The approximately 250-acre area is already graced by the attractive Jones Park, with its mature trees, horseshoe lake and a pavilion similar to the one

in Carondelet Park, but thanks to Lansdowne UP, most of the surrounding area is park-like as well. That’s due to their “Lawns for Learning” initiative, which teaches landscaping skills in the mornings and life skills in the afternoons.

“Our people are paid to learn,” Mestemacher says. “We’ll do things like create a menu and teach them how to shop and then prepare the meal.”

The supervisors at Lansdowne UP are called mentors, and each has only a handful of employees to oversee.

The nonprofit was able to successfully rehab four existing homes, with three more underway. But the vast majority of lots were vacant or had homes too far gone to repair, and those parcels have been cleared. Once garbage and undergrowth are taken away, the lots are mowed and lovingly maintained by the Lawns for Learning participants in their easily recognizable Lansdowne UP shirts or hoodies.

Lansdowne UP has even helped three of its employees start their own lawn businesses, which the organization now contracts with.

God Had Other Plans

For more than a century, when St. Louisans said they were “going to the East Side,” it meant they were up to no good. But Joyner-Kersee says despite that reputation for vice, East St. Louis was always a city of churches.

“This is a community built on faith,” the warm and approachable JoynerKersee says. “East St. Louis is blessed to have a lot of good people. Ninety percent are awesome people who want a safe community and aren’t part of all that other junk that’s going on.

“While the population is only

17,000, it swells to 30,000 on Sunday,” she laughs.

That vice and virtue duality comes into focus as Mestemacher gives a reporter a tour in his unassuming minivan. He pulls over near a group of men loitering outside of an old brick corner store. “These guys are selling drugs,” he says as he watches them, completely unconcerned with his conspicuous presence. He watches unflinchingly, as if face to face with the opposing side in a holy war for the children of East St. Louis.

“Satan is a powerful force,” he says. For the lots they’ve cleared behind the Jackie Joyner-Kersee athletic fields, Mestemacher had drawn up plans for condos with storefront retail, but the Illinois State Police expressed interest in the land as a potential site for its new $55 million district headquarters. Lansdowne UP completed the RFQ and offered the agency the site for one dollar. Their proposal was selected, and now a 62,500-square-foot building, along with a 21,000-square-foot warehouse, is slated for the site.

“I let God take the lead, and that’s why I don’t worry too much about mapping out the next steps,” Mestemacher says. “The townhome project is an example. That was my idea, but God had other plans.”

Those plans have fascinating, and sometimes jarring, ways of revealing themselves. While Mestemacher was initially focused almost exclusively on the areas east of the train tracks dividing Lansdowne, a chance occurrence changed that. Mestemacher was driving west of the tracks one pitchblack night when suddenly a child appeared feet from his headlights, and he slammed on the brakes.

“I nearly killed a kid!” he recalls. For Mestemacher, that was God telling him to expand his focus to that area of town, which he has now done.

While on the board, Aerne said she found Mestemacher’s generosity to be humbling, and asked how he could give so much away. “He said it’s easy because he doesn’t see it as his money,” she recalls.

The way Mestemacher sees it, God’s providing the funds to help East St. Louis, and he is merely the steward.

A Neighborhood Rises

For most of us, East St. Louis feels like it’s a world away, so it’s easy to forget just how close it is. From the river, you can get to Lansdowne Park in about 10 minutes, and from the bright new suburban-style streets, the Arch looms prominently. After all, Lansdowne is as close to the Arch as IKEA.

Joyner-Kersee says that her hometown was once a place where the entire neighborhood helped raise children. “Even the adults who were doing something they weren’t supposed to be doing would tell us kids, ‘This isn’t what you should be doing,’” she laughs. That neighborhood vibe vanished with the population, leaving the remaining residents barricaded in a sea of disinvestment.

Beginning with Lansdowne Park, a 20-home suburban-style subdivision where modern farmhouse-style homes face a central common space for gathering and play, Lansdowne UP aims to restore the sense of neighbors looking after neighbors.

Lansdowne Park’s first homeowners are Mark and Carol Mestemacher. “If we’re going to make a difference, we’re going to live here,” he says. “It’s hard to

Mark Mestemacher, left, found himself inspired by Jackie Joyner-Kersee’s passion for her hometown. Now he’s even bought a home there. | ZACHARY LINHARES

invest in young people and talk to them about a better way of life, and then go home to a different community.”

Although the couple bankrolled the entire development, they went through the process of purchasing their $360,000, 1,600-square-foot ranch so the neighborhood has a comp for lenders.

Most of the neighborhood is now built out, with no empty lots. If not for the St. Louis skyline, you could easily think you’re in St. Charles County. The bright and airy one- and two-story houses have open floor plans, high ceilings, and gorgeous kitchens and bathrooms.

The neighborhood has raised the hopes of East St. Louis natives, including Lecia J. Rives, the Jackie JoynerKersee Center’s COO.

“After winning the double gold medals at the 1988 Seoul Olympics, Jackie took 100 East St. Louis students to the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade,” Rives says. “And I was one of them. It was my first time on a plane. After that I’d send her letters and she’d actually reply. After earning my law degree, I went to work for the State’s Attorney’s Office in Chicago, but I just felt called to come back.”

Lansdowne UP’s Director of Administration Kevin Green was living in his native New Orleans when his mother-in-law passed away, and he and his wife, Monique Spann Green, returned to East St. Louis to clean out her home. More than a decade later, they are still here. The couple says they answered the Lord’s call to minister to local people who have lost faith.

“My wife remembers the early ’60s, the beautiful tree-lined streets. The high school was integrated then. The enormity of the work here is daunting, but we’re seeing a glimmer of hope. Green, who is Black, says there are people who call any development “gentrification,” but when afforded the opportunity, he sits down with critics to find understanding.

A big reason for bringing the middle class back into East St. Louis is to restore its tax base, so it may seem counterintuitive to seek TIF funding for the project. But Mestemacher explains that local taxes are unusually high because so few are paying in. “Taxes are important, but they need to be reasonable taxes,” he says. With the 20-year,

hometowns, and East St. Louis is no exception, even when there’s nothing left to come home to.

“The neighborhood will be long gone, but folks in their 50s, 60s, 70s will come back and hang out where their houses used to be,” Mestemacher says. “They’ll play music, picnic, like they’re in a park.”

The prevailing thought among many stakeholders is that a sizable number of people with roots in East St. Louis would like to move back. “If you build it, they will come,” seems like a convincing mantra when people are coming even when nothing has been built.

Speaking of roots, millions are being poured into urban farming programs and infrastructure aimed at combating food insecurity in East St. Louis and the surrounding area. Rising next to the JJK Center and the Lansdowne UP offices is a 100-meter passive solar greenhouse, which will be the first of its kind in the U.S. It will have the capacity to produce 30,000 pounds of food per year, with an energy bill of a few dollars a day. This effort is part of the Jackie Joyner-Kersee Food, Agriculture, Nutrition (FAN) Innovation Center, which is a collaboration between the JJK Foundation, the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center and Lansdowne UP.

The dynamic partnership provides educational and professional development programming in agriculture, STEAM, food innovation, nutrition, physical activity and entrepreneurialism to youth and community members.

Agriculture is Mestemacher’s field of study and his business. As a partner in Ceres Consulting LLC, he owns and operates barges that ship agricultural products throughout America’s inland waterways. The cost of buying a barge has doubled in recent years, but since Ceres was founded in 1986, they were already well-equipped before the increases.

Love Thy Neighbor

75 percent tax abatement for the new homes, the owners in Lansdowne Park will pay rates similar to surrounding communities in the Metro East. The thought is once the TIF expires, many more people will be living in East St. Louis, causing rates to decrease.

How did Lansdowne UP arrive at the mid-to-upper $300K price point? That’s what the homes cost to construct. The organization won’t make any profit.

And while Lansdowne Park is not exactly cheap, the next development will consist of stylish container homes ideal for first-time homebuyers.

Community Roots

People are often pulled back to their

While Jackie Joyner-Kersee can run fast, few can run longer, farther and faster than St. Louisans running from poor Black people. This has left our region hollowed out, and all the silver bullets we’ve deployed to try to fix it, from stadiums to highways to malls to trains and trolleys, haven’t worked. There are some who believe the answer lies in returning to the places we’ve run away from, investing in and lifting up the people who are there, and even living among them.

In the coming days, Jackie JoynerKersee and those she’s inspired will invite the entire metro to come out to see what they’ve been up to. Imagine if we all showed up, like any good neighbor responding to a housewarming invitation, and sincerely wished them well. n

The homes are one and two stories with open floor plans and high ceilings, much like the developments they’ll be competing with for buyers. | ZACHARY LINHARES

Construction scenes reflect off the windows of a newly built home. | ZACHARY LINHARES

BY RIVERFRONT TIMES STAFF

THURSDAY 04/11

Turning Back Time

There are not many true divas in the world, but Cher is unquestionably among their number. For 60 years the Goddess of Pop has been a mainstay of American music and popular culture, showing remarkable staying power and a peerless ability to adapt with shapeshifting sound and timeless style. Befitting a talent who has a Grammy, an Emmy, an Oscar and multiple Golden Globe Awards to her single name, the mononymous icon is now also the subject of a Tony Award-winning jukebox musical about her life and times. The Cher Show, coming to Stifel Theatre (1400 Market Street) this week, features 35 of Cher’s hit songs and chronicles her astonishing musical career, as well as her TV show with Sonny Bono and her marriages to two rock-star husbands. The pageantry and performance is enough to turn even the most casual Cher fan into a true believer in life after love. Tickets start at $31.50 and the show runs Wednesday, April 10, and Thursday, April 11, only. More info at stifeltheatre.com.

Hidden Talent

Spring is finally springing in the Gateway City, and with the temperate weather comes new exhibitions at the Saint Louis Art Museum (1 Fine Arts Drive). One of the most interesting of the new batch is Concealed Layers: Uncovering Expressionist Paintings, on view through August 4. According to press materials, this exhibit takes visitors “behind the scenes and below the surface for an inside look at art from the museum’s permanent collection.” It stems from a three-year analysis of the museum’s German Expressionism collection conducted from an art conservation standpoint, research that used infrared reflectography, X-radiographs and other modern means to bring to light new and exciting discoveries. Of the 48 paintings studied, 11 are shown in the exhibition, along with images and examples of the tools and materials used during research. The exhibit features stick-figure studio graffiti found in Oskar Kokoschka’s The Painter II as well as a previously undiscovered lake scene in August Macke’s Landscape with Cows, Sailboat and Painted-in Figures, and also sees Ernst Ludwig Kirchner’s early

painting Portrait of a Woman regaining its original title — Portrait of Gerti — thanks to an inscription found on the back. The exhibition is free to attend, and the museum is open daily from Tuesday through Thursday and Saturday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Fridays from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. For more details, head to slam.org.

The Cats’ Meow

The Amur Tiger Triplets born at the Saint Louis Zoo (1 Government Drive) last November made their public debut last month — and let’s just say we’ve never seen anything cuter. The zoo says three-and-a-half-month-old cubs Darya (female), Ussuri (male) and Sungari (male) were first allowed into the outdoor enclosure in Big Cat Country on March 6, and quickly got down to the business of being tiger kittens: pouncing, exploring, getting tongue baths and getting a little independence from mom Reka. (Proud dad Maxim gets sole proprietorship

Of course you want to go check out the tiger cubs at the Saint Louis Zoo. You’d have to be some kind of monster not to. | ZACHARY LINHARES

A Saint Louis Art Museum exhibit explores the hidden elements in its collection. | COURTESY SLAM

CALENDAR

Continued from pg 19

of the indoor enclosure while the kittens are outside.) And yes, they love to wrestle each other! The zoo reports that, as of mid-March, the triplets weighed between 35 and 41 pounds. “They’re nursing a little less, eating more meat and love chewing on bones,” the zoo reports. That’s all great news: Amur tigers are critically endangered, and the triplets are the first successful tiger births in the Saint Louis Zoo in a decade — which means they’re not just adorable, they also play an important role in keeping Amur tigers from extinction. Why not celebrate that success and head on down to cheer them on yourself? The zoo is open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and admission, as if you didn’t already know, is free. For more information on the tiger cubs, visit stlzoo.org/news/ amur-tiger-cubs.

SATURDAY 04/13

Bubbleheads

Are you a would-be artist looking to get your work into the hands of others without being compensated? Are you really into spheres? Do the vending machines near the exits of the grocery store fill you with glee whenever you pass them? If you answered “yes” to any of these questions – and maybe

even if you didn’t – you’ll want to get in on the Bubble Art Exchange. This week, 31 Art Gallery (3520 Hampton Avenue) invites you to participate in a unique version of a community art swap. The gallery will offer a box filled with plastic bubble containers, and within each of those is art from your fellow St. Louisans who are also participating in the swap. “Current bubbles in the Tank have decorated tokens, stickers (some are rolled or folded), buttons, keychains, found items and

tiny collages,” according to press materials from the gallery. To get in on the fun, all you have to do is bring your art to the gallery and they’ll provide a free bubble; then you pick a new piece of art from the tank. 31 Art Gallery will also provide wooden tokens that folks can take home and decorate to use in the swap. While you’re there you’ll also want to take in some of the art in the gallery – at present there are works from Jared Minnick, Maxine Thirteen, Andy Dykeman, Kerry Smith,

Erik Thompson, Steven Hayes, Willie Gates, Katie Chilman, Mark Regester, Paola Scharberg and guest artists Jeremy Rabus and Neeka Allsup on display. Admission is free, and all ages are invited to participate. The swap runs each Saturday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. and continues through April 27. Find more details at 31artgallery.com.

SUNDAY 04/14

Ball and Chain

The old Chain of Rocks Bridge has finally gotten a major and muchwelcomed upgrade. On Sunday, April 14, the Great Rivers Greenway is unveiling its new Chain of Rocks Park (10840 Riverview Drive) with a Grand Opening Celebration from 2 to 4 p.m. Taking place on the Missouri side of the bridge, the celebration will feature live music from the Saint Boogie Brass Band as well as food from Falafel Saha and Destination Desserts. There will be plenty of free, family-friendly activities, including an 8-mile group bike ride with Trailnet beginning at Chouteau Island Trailhead at 1 p.m., zine making with Simiya Sudduth (the artist who created the park’s new mural) from 2 to 4 p.m., yoga with Yoga Buzz from 2:45 to 3:45 p.m., a Missouri History Museum-guided tour from 2:45 to 3:14 p.m. and an all-day photo booth. CARE STL will also be at the park with adoptable dogs looking for their forever homes. Attendance is free. For more information, visit greatriversgreenway.org/bridge.

TUESDAY 04/16

Off to the Races

If all you know of horse racing is the Kentucky Derby (or, even worse, Seabiscuit), it’s past high time you explored the racing mecca just 15 miles east of downtown St. Louis. The old Fairmount Park is now FanDuel Sportsbook & Horse Racing (9301 Collinsville Road, Collinsville, Illinois) because of course it is — but it retains the low-key charms associated with its previous name. Collinsville lacks the bucolic grace you might associate with horse-racing, but that’s just the point: This gritty Rust Belt track is the real thing, and that includes the money at stake. The racing season kicks off Tuesday, April 16, with Horse Hooky Tuesday, a weekly event until the season ends on Saturday, November 16. Race days are Tuesday (beginning at 1 p.m.) and Saturday (beginning at 7:30 p.m.), though inveterate gamblers can stop by seven days a week for simulcast action. Admission is free, but your wager is not. Find full details and make dinner reservations at fairmountpark.com.

31 Art Gallery’s Bubble Art Exchange offers participants of all ages a unique way to share their artistic pursuits with strangers. | COURTESY 31 ART GALLERY

The Cher Show chronicles the life and times of one of the world’s biggest stars. | COURTESY PHOTO

Scripted Genius

Stew’s craft cocktails and Asian-inspired food are reasons to brave any storm

Iloved it before I even went. Based on the menu, I knew Stew’s Food & Liquor was going to be special.

I don’t mean that the food on the online menu tipped me off (even though it did). I’m talking about the script of it — the handwriting it’s written in. Actually, two different hands are responsible for this scratch. Owner Nate Burrows wrote the drinks portion; chef and owner Brent Petty penned the food. The third owner, Kristen “Stew” Leahy, probably has penmanship a little too neat for this Basquian work of art. “I tried my best,” Petty says of his contributions, looking ashamed. Either way, whoever it belongs to, this graffito could pass for the work of a 10-year-old boy — a boy with soil under his fingernails, a length of string and a buckeye in his pocket. It was a thundery night. A tornado warning had been issued for the City of St. Louis. The roads were silvery with rain; there weren’t many people about. But on South 10th Street, pinched between Soulard row houses, a little hatch was open. Light was falling out and Petty was sizzling things in pans — laughing, yukking it up. Stew’s is a hobbity place — snug and low-ceilinged. You can bump your head on these ducts

and you couldn’t swing a cat even if you felt like it. There are seats for four at the bar, a few low tables and a couple of high ones, and some picnic benches outside (a total of 55 or so seats). At times, the door seems to swing open and shut with the regularity of a Taylor Swift concert turnstile. It’s busy. There are butts in the chairs and a crowd is forming.

This isn’t fancy food. It’s just really good food. It’s the kind of nosh you might hope to cook up at home on a Saturday when you’ve pulled out a few books and decided to make an effort for a change.

For instance, in theory, you could whip up some edamame hummus. You could cobble together a cucumber salad sweet with rice vinegar and tamari. And you might think to thread a few half-hats of shiitake onto a skewer and brush them with something soyish. But the truth is they wouldn’t taste like they do at Stew’s. Your wonton chips would be wanting (no deep fryer), and you probably wouldn’t have the wherewithal for buffalo popcorn chicken (“Stew’s way”) that has exactly the right nuggetiness and is lifted to cosmic heights by the brainwave addition of a faintly chewy mozzarella “fondue.” This is late-night food of the gods. Or hobbits.

Yes, in the main, the menu leans East. A coconut curry might have been spicier, but we respected — and were glad of — the decision to make it creamy and mild. It’s a generous noodle bowl with fingers of chicken that taste smokily street-foodish — as though they’ve been tonged over a makeshift grill on some faraway, sunblazed roadside. We wondered if the gentle soy beans in that hummus could have been more exciting if their slick of ruddy chile oil had had more heat. And if the Brussels sprouts — crispy in places and doused with delicious sweet chile sauce — could still be eaten in great quantity since they were only vegetables. We decided they could. That sauce, those little pops of crunch provided by a scattering of crispy rice, turned those little common cabbages into things of beauty.

As for the drinks, we knew the “and Liquor” in the restaurant’s name probably didn’t mean 99 Bananas. We fully expected to be in for some superior treats. I got off to a bang with something dainty: a lychee gimlet — a little ballerina of a drink, perfectly poised between faintly tart and faintly sweet, and wisped with strawberry.

Continued on pg 24

STEW’S FOOD & LIQUOR

1862 South 10th Street. Mon.-Thurs., 5 p.m.-12 a.m., Fri., 5 p.m.-1 a.m., Sat., 3 p.m.- 1 a.m. Closed Sun.

BY ALEXA

BEATTIE

PHOTOS BY MABEL SUEN

Stew’s edamame “hummus” with sesame, chile oil, miso and wonton chips.

STEW’S FOOD & LIQUOR

Continued from pg 23

“Aren’t you driving?” I said to my friend, who was sucking the life out of her own bev, called Fat Man in a Yellow Suit. It was easy to see why she was behaving that way; it’s a sno-cone rum drink with Haitian and Jamaican rums and some tropical fruits. With a hint of clove from a tiny wash of Angostura bitters around the lip, it tasted, rather joyously, of Christmas.

Meanwhile, I had a few more “liquors” of my own. The Desperado sounded good to me: Espolon tequila, pineapple and cucumber. And once I’d done away with the straw and slurped through the huge bollards of ice, the taste was certainly lovely. But something felt wrong. Being picky and egregiously entitled, I asked for a second — but in a different glass. It turned up a few moments later in something short-stemmed and graceful, the ice crushed to tiny beads. It was one of the best cocktails I’ve had.

But back to the genius of this printed menu. What was it about that chicken scratch that had me putting on my shoes and heading out into the rain? I think it was this: the whiff of authenticity, a scent of fun, the rumor I’d heard of three young people taking a risk, going for gold and maybe already striking it rich. For what it’s worth, I’m done with QR codes. I’ve had it with that cool convenience. Because cozying up together over a

paper menu because some goofball chef’s handwriting isn’t just bad, it’s tiny, is one more intimacy we are losing to the technology age. We need to get closer. For all sorts of reasons, and in all kinds of ways, this can happen at Stew’s.

Clockwise from top left, Stew’s frozen Irish coffee, coconut curry, popcorn chicken, edamame hummus, and shiitake mushroom skewer.

Cocktails include a frozen Irish coffee, the Fat Man In A Yellow Suit and the Desperado.

The trio behind Stew’s: Nate Burrows, Kristen “Stew” Leahy and chef Brent Petty.

A Sterling Track Record

How a historic railroad inspired art for Narrow Gauge’s Fallen Flag hazy IPA

The label art on Double Dry Hopped Fallen Flag, a hazy IPA straight out of north St. Louis County, reveals a history of connection between city and county.

The connection was physical — and steamy. In the late 1800s, West End Narrow Gauge Railroad ran from Grand Boulevard at Olive Street in the city all the way to its final destination, a small station house in Florissant. At a reasonable price of 16 cents for 16 miles, the rail line brought passengers to and fro in about an hour each way.

The electrification of towns and rails paved the way for a streetcar to replace the locomotive in 1891, marking the end of Narrow Gauge Railroad after only 13 years of service. Forty years later, the trolley serviced its final passengers. No longer a hub for public transportation, the station house assumed a new role as an ice cream and soda shop until it, too, shuttered in 1964.

The widening of Graham Road a few years later forced the station house to relocate, and it found a lasting home in Tower Court Park. The New Historic Florissant Inc. purchased the building in 1970. Now a National Historic Landmark, it’s hosted everything from a cheesecake bakery to a design shop. There are plans to reopen it as a pizzeria this spring, but in the meantime, it plays a starring role as an illustration on a beer can from Narrow Gauge Brewing Company.

Narrow Gauge owner Jeff Hardesty

knew he wanted to incorporate local history into his craft when he began brewing in the basement of Cugino’s restaurant in Florissant in 2016. He dug into Florissant’s history and unearthed the story of the humble rail station.

Hardesty also knew he wanted to incorporate art. Inspired by a brewery in Massachusetts, he began hand-sketching drawings for Narrow Gauge’s labels. Remarkably, both he and Cugino’s manager, Jeremy Hegger, have rich artistic talent. Hardesty says, “Art was always one of my favorite subjects as a kid. I always enjoyed drawing and got into photography in high school.” The two produce all the brewery’s art in-house.

Hegger, however, has the hand behind the Fallen Flag label sketch. Hardesty brags on Hegger, saying, “It seems like everything he would draw just got better and better.”

Based on this label, he’s not wrong. The sublime detail on the can depicts the Florissant rail station building as a storage room for hops, which spill out the front door like hay from a barn. Intricate cross hatching creates shadows around the peaked roof and in the worn station window. Hegger even managed to include the population and elevation detail on the “FLORISSANT” sign that Boy Scouts hung as an Eagle Scout project back during the station’s restoration in 1971.

“Fallen Flag” is a railroad term, refer-

ring to a railroad company that has merged with or been taken over by another rail, subsequently losing its original name. The West End Narrow Gauge Railroad became a fallen flag in 1891.

One hundred and twenty-five years later, in the time leading up to Narrow Gauge Brewing Company’s opening, Hardesty began developing its flagship brew. Officially on tap for the first time in June 2016, DDH Fallen Flag marked the beginning of a new brewery for St. Louis, and a new market: the hazy IPA. Hardesty led the charge for hazy IPAs in the region, and he says Fallen Flag “set the brewery at the forefront in the world of making hazy IPA.”

The ale is hop heavy but balanced by fruity notes of citrus, melon and passionfruit. An English malt, pearl, adds subtle biscuit and nutty profiles. If you’re a fan of hazy IPAs, look no further! And make sure to look out for the Florissant rail house on your way.

The West End Narrow Gauge Railroad had the goal of better connecting the city to north county. While the initiative did not last long, the railroad paved the name and image for a modern connection between the city and north county: a craft brewery. n

The Beer: DOUBLE DRY HOPPED FALLEN FLAG HAZY IPA

The Brewery: NARROW GAUGE BREWING COMPANY

The art for Narrow Gauge’s Double Dry Hopped Fallen Flag hazy IPA was created by Cugino’s manager Jeremy Hegger.

Lauren Harpold tells the stories behind the art gracing the cans or bottles of local brews. Got a suggestion for her to explore next? Email her at harpoldlp@gmail.com

BY LAUREN HARPOLD

PHOTO COURTESY NARROW GAUGE

4TOP

TONY REHAGEN’S NON-ALCOHOLIC LOCAL BREWERY BEER PICKS

Non-alcoholic beer isn’t what it used to be.

Some of us are old enough to remember when you needed to stay sober at a bar but still wanted something approximating a beer, you’d meekly ask the poor bartender to dig in the darkest corners of the cooler for that lone sixer of dusty O’Doul’s, only to take a sip and realize it tasted nothing like beer.

Well, those days are down the drain. While overall U.S. sales of beer have plateaued, non-alcoholic beer sales were up 32 percent between 2022 and 2023. And the trend has hit home, with two pillars of St. Louis craft beer, Schlafly and 4 Hands, both releasing NA versions of iconic brands in recent months. (A third brewing elder, Urban Chestnut, is also dipping a toe into the space.)

“We’ve been flirting in that space for the last two years,” says Kevin Lemp, president and CEO of 4 Hands, referring to the Liquid Rain non-alcoholic IPA collab they did with local NA OG Wellbeing Brewing a couple years ago. “We don’t feel like it’s just a Dry January play anymore. We see year-round opportunities.”

That fits the national narrative — NoLo is no longer just for Lenten loopholes and Sober October. In general, people are consuming less these days, with Gen Z boozing it up 20 percent less than millennials, who, in turn, were teetotalers compared to their Gen X parents.

Part of the reason is kids are much more health-conscious, both in terms of physical and mental wellbeing. Legal weed as a lower-calorie, less-hangover-inducing alternative for getting fucked up is definitely another factor. But interestingly, according to NielsenIQ, 82 percent of people buying NA beer, wine and spirits are also buying the full-octane stuff.

So, what gives?

“We see people who do drink and are on a night out, who want to slow it down,” says Lemp. “So, they throw non-alcoholic beer into the mix.”

Of course, the other key to NA’s recent success is the mega-leap forward in quality. Previously, non-alcoholic beers were made either by boiling the alcohol off a batch of beer or halting fermentation — both robbing the finished product of the full flavor, aroma and feel of an actual brew. Now brewers have an array of high-

tech tools at hand, from membrane filtration to vacuum evaporation to modified yeasts that won’t produce ethanol in the first place.

Lemp says 4 Hands contracts with Madison, Wisconsin-based Octopi Brewing, which uses a special filtration technique to produce NA versions of St. Louis staples: City Wide Hoppy Pale, Full Life Lager and Incarnation IPA, all of which taste frighteningly close to their namesakes, with less than .5 percent ABV.

“We use the exact same ingredients as we do to make the real beers,” says Lemp. “And we feel like we’re drinking a well-crafted beer that just doesn’t have the alcohol.”

That’s a bold claim, and full disclosure: I have yet to drink an NA that tastes exactly like an alcoholic beer. But we, as a civilization, are definitely getting closer. Here is a roundup of St. Louis non-alc

Schlafly Non-Alcoholic Pale Ale

The NA version of this STL mainstay brings the same English yeast and hops, but with only 35 calories. Schlafly doesn’t spill on its process except to say it doesn’t use dealcoholization, and the malt-forward flavor of the original is still present in the lighterbodied brew.

4 Hands City Wide Hoppy Pale

This NA brings the hops, with Centennial, Citra and Simcoe varieties providing the fruity aroma and crisp, bitter finish. More flavorful than most NAs I’ve had and really refreshing out of a cold can.

Urban Chestnut Pilot NA

If you’re looking for non-alcoholic lager, look to the local lagering experts at Urban

Chestnut

Brewing Company. Brewmaster

and owner Florian Kuplent says they’ve figured out a way to brew this beer without having to remove the alcohol, leaving the desirable flavors and aromas. Right now, it’s only available at the breweries and a few test accounts around town, but Kuplent says the positive response has them viewing wider distribution in the near future.

Wellbeing Victory Citrus Wheat

One of the global pioneers in non-alc beer that started right here in St. Louis, Wellbeing is still a leader in the sector (and they’ve since joined forces with Schlafly, which brews and distributes their line of NA beers). This is a personal favorite, bright, light and orange-zested with electrolytes to help you rehydrate after a workout — or drinking session.

offerings that are leading the way:

HEIDI DREXLER

The Final Countdown

Bulrush’s Rob Connoley is a finalist for a James Beard Award for Best Chef: Midwest

BY IAIN SHAW

Rob Connoley of Bulrush has been named as a nominee in the Best Chef: Midwest category of the James Beard Foundation’s (JBF) 2024 Restaurant and Chef Awards. The shortlist was announced last week. Connoley is now competing with five other chefs for the honor, with results to be announced in Chicago on June 10.

Connoley says he’s “super excited” to be featured in the final round.

“I do a quirky little restaurant that doesn’t make a lot of sense to a lot of people, so I honestly never thought I would get beyond the semifinalist round, so it’s a little bit overwhelming to even imagine how

Going Schmear

The Union Loafers team opens a provisions market in Shaw with its Bagel Union basics and more

BY IAIN SHAW

The team behind Union Loafers Cafe and Bread Bakery and Bagel Union has now opened a “little provisions store” selling bagels, cream cheese, a variety of salads and other products at 2232 Thurman Avenue in Shaw. The as-yet-unnamed market is set initially to operate on just Saturdays and Sundays, with this past weekend being its first in business.

The roughly 1,500-square-foot former gas station at the intersection of Thurman and Cleveland avenues has served as Loafers’ commissary kitchen for the past three years, and the majority of the footprint will still be kitchen space.

“It gets used six days a week, cooking all the proteins, smoking, making all our sauces, pickling,” says co-owner Ted Wilson. “It’s our full-on kitchen, while Tower Grove Avenue is our full-on bakery.”

The idea of opening a customer-facing storefront has always been simmering in the background, and Wilson says that although he thinks the concept will evolve and take shape gradually over a number of months, now is the right time. “We’re curious to see how it goes,” he says. There is no seating inside the retail space, but

this could have happened,” he says. “That said, I’ve got an amazing team right now and I’m just super excited because I think local people understand this means I get to represent the city, the state, the region in the competition and show that St. Louis is as good as or better than some of the other cities in the region.”

The other nominees for Best Chef: Midwest include two Minneapolis-based chefs, Ann Ahmed of Khâluna and Christina Nguyen of Hai Hai, Dan Jacobs and Dan Van Rite of Milwaukee’s EsterEv, and Tim Nicholson of the Boiler Room in Omaha, Nebraska.

Connoley is St. Louis’ sole representative among the final round of nominees, but that only underlines the scale of his achievement — with so much competition, making it past the semifinalist stage to an elite final group of five or so nominees is extremely difficult.

This is Connoley’s first final-round nomination in the JBF awards. After being a semifinalist several times before, he said he’s thrilled to have pushed on to that final round.

“I don’t know what we did,” he says. “I

think the job of a chef is to build a team and surround yourself by amazing people and give them what they need to fly. And that’s what we’ve really been working on at Bulrush, sometimes better than others, but right now I think we’re hitting it. I told my team last week that regardless of the

“The job of a chef is to build a team and surround yourself by amazing people and give them what they need to fly. And that’s what we’ve really been working on at Bulrush.”

outcome, I know we have done our absolute best, every single plate, every single night for months and months now, and so if we don’t [get nominated], it’s not because of what we’ve not done well, it’s because someone’s done better than what we have done.” n

inspired by New York bodega sandwiches, or could riff on the building’s past by doing gas station-style sandwiches with a Loafers twist.

“We’re keeping it open,” he says. “We’ve got plans for a biscuit egg sandwich, a Reuben, cheesesteaks. Nothing is off the table, but each weekend, the focus will be that sandwich — we won’t have a full-on menu, we just don’t have the space.”

Wilson added that after using the Thurman Avenue location solely as a commissary for so long, he and the team are looking forward to being able to provide a place for their Shaw neighbors to enjoy foodstuffs from Union Loafers and Bagel Union right on their doorstep.

“We’ve been in that neighborhood for three years, and other than a few pop-ups haven’t really gotten a chance to engage with people,” he says. “Our real goal is to respond to the neighborhood, see what the neighborhood needs and what’s a good fit.”

The market will showcase the talents of the Loafers and Bagel Union team – and Wilson says that’s not limited to food and drink.

Wilson says that in the summer they may add a few tables outdoors. The space also has a small parking lot, and after the initial opening period, Fiddlehead Fern’s coffee trailer will set up in the lot to serve coffee to customers at the market.

The market sells take-home bagels and cream cheese from Bagel Union. “I felt like we needed a little outpost for bagels in the city,” Wilson says. They’ll also be selling signature Union Loafers items like the bakery’s chicken and smoked trout salads,

Buttonwood Farm chicken stock and buttermilk dressing. With plans underway for a Union Loafers pastry department, Wilson says the market will eventually stock a selection of sweets.

Wilson says the market will also offer a sandwich special every weekend, taking advantage of the kitchen’s grill. For the first weekend, they served up a New Jersey-style pork roll sandwich with Taylor ham on a housemade Kaiser roll. Beyond that, Wilson says the sandwiches could be

“We’ve got a couple of ceramicists and artists on staff, so they’re going to be selling some of their stuff there,” he says. “It’s going to be kind of a little hodgepodge of all of our stuff and our staff. I think it’ll take us a couple months to really find our voice with it.”

The market doesn’t have a name yet, but Wilson likes the idea of riffing on the building’s legacy as a former gas station. Initially, the market will be open only on Saturdays and Sundays, but Wilson says that over time that could expand to include a few weekdays. Follow Union Loafers and Bagel Union on Instagram for updates. n

The as-yet-unnamed market occupies the space that formerly housed a gas station at the intersection of Thurman and Cleveland avenues. | IAIN SHAW

Connoley is competing against five other chefs for the title of Best Chef: Midwest. | MICHELLE VOLANSKY

REEFERFRONT TIMES 35

Rice Rice Baby

Good Taste Edibles’ Fruitfetti

Rosin Crispies take your favorite childhood treat to the next level

BY ZOOIE GREEN

Nothing is better than your favorite childhood snack — except, maybe, your favorite childhood snack and weed.

Back in the day, I could smash some Rice Krispies Treats. I’m not talking about the prepackaged ones you purchase from the store, either. I’m referring to the real thing, the decadent, buttery, oh-so-marshmallowy variety that only comes from a home oven, with a generous amount of that most important ingredient, love, baked into the mix. I routinely begged my mom to make me a batch from scratch, and she dutifully would. Homemade Rice Krispies Treats with peanut butter smeared on the top was

the key to my heart as a kid.

As an adult, I can assure you that I still have an abiding affinity for these decadent rectangles of sweetened rice cereal. But now that I’m older and wiser, I’m also happy to eschew the peanut butter for a different secret ingredient: cannabis.

And so my interest was piqued when I saw that Blue Sage Cannabis Deli had Good Taste Edibles’ Fruitfetti Rosin Crispies on its online menu. This version uses the familiar fruity rice cereal with melted marshmallows and butter recipe and adds an infusion of cured rosin to further elevate the tasty snack. Each bag is filled with 10 pieces clocking in at 10 milligrams of THC each, for a total of 100 milligrams per package.

I put in an online order at Blue Sage, snagged the goods for $36 and headed home for what my best friend and I call “High Time.” High Time consists of the two of us chatting on the phone together while getting stoned in our respective bathtubs. It’s a top-shelf bonding experience, and I recommend all those wishing for closer relationships to their friends to give it a go sometime.

To get ahead of the game, I eagerly wolfed down three of the treats.

They’re everything you hope for in such a foodstuff — the perfect balance of sweet and chewy, nice and sticky with a fruity kick similar to Fruity Pebbles (my absolute favorite cereal of all time). Though I could taste the cannabis in these, it didn’t stop me from enjoying every bite. I think I even detected a hint of Love in there.

Fifteen minutes in I drew my bath, lit my candles, put Seinfeld on my laptop (a High Time favorite) and called my bestie. Another 15 minutes into our conversation, I could feel the edibles kicking in, creating an overall calm and relaxed haze throughout my body. The higher I got, the funnier everything became. For example, I took a little scroll through X (formerly Twitter), where I was sent into hysterics when I came across a tweet that read, “I hate when people accuse me of lolly gagging when I’m quite clearly dilly dallying,” and let me tell you, I thought that was the funniest shit ever to exist. I still do, if I’m being honest.

After my phone call was done and this High Time session was over, I continued to sit in the bath, where I decided to sing Jesse McCartney’s “Beautiful Soul” at the top of my lungs to my cat, Luna.

“I don’t want another pretty face, I don’t want just anyone to hold. I don’t want my love to go to waste, I want you and your beautiful soul,” I belted.

As usual, an ungrateful Luna did not appreciate the free concert she was given, nor the moving sentiment I’d just sent her way. But that won’t stop me from trying again another time.

After a relaxing and refreshing twohour stint in the bath, I switched Seinfeld over from my laptop to my TV, satiated my munchies with a couple of brownies (though the temptation to eat some more Rosin Crispies was certainly there, I fear it would have turned into something of a selfperpetuating cycle had I gone that route) and snuggled up with Luna before slowly drifting off to a solid eight hours of sleep.

I would definitely purchase these again. Not only did they taste amazing and get me to the level of high that I enjoy being at (that would be the “serenading the cat” level of high), they actually also helped me relax and sleep the whole night, which is something I tend to struggle with. It’s truly the perfect bedtime snack, and if you’re a fiend for Rice Krispies Treats like I am, you’ll find they’re a 10 out of 10.

Good Taste Edibles’ Fruitfetti Rosin Crispies deliver great taste and smooth highs in a colorful fashion. | ZOOIE GREEN

Work to Be Done

Webster’s new Ferguson and Beyond exhibit examines a decade of social upheaval through an artistic lens

BY ANGELO VIDAL

On the evening of March 22, scores of artists, academics and community members filed inside the intimate, narrow halls of Webster University’s Hunt Gallery for the unveiling of an art show centered on St. Louis’ tumultuous racial history.

Ferguson and Beyond: Artistic Responses to a Decade of Social Upheaval, open now through April 26, is at once a glimpse back in time and a mirror of the present moment. As

we approach the 10th anniversary of the Ferguson Uprising, the exhibition urges viewers to contemplate the fatal shooting of Michael Brown Jr. by police officer Darren Wilson and the outpouring of protests and social activism that ensued both locally and around the world. It asks critical questions: What progress has been made? What work is left to be done?

The gallery is adorned with paintings, photography, sculptures, videos and poetry by artists of color whose deeply personal work is informed by their lived experience. Notable contributors include Damon Davis, Lillian Gardner, Cheeraz Gormon, William Morris, Jon Henry, Yvonne Osei and more.

“Many of the artists were in the streets of Ferguson,” Terri Reilly, Webster professor and co-curator of the exhibition, told attendees. “Their art asks us to reflect and then act.”

Despite the gravity of the evening’s central topic, the atmosphere on opening night crackled with festive energy. Familiar faces exchanged warm embraces, a gentle chorus of “pardon me” punctuated the constant brushing of

shoulders, and the soft clink of plastic cups filled with complimentary wine was something like a symphony.

The energy shifted, however, as attendees gathered around the podium for the exhibition’s opening remarks. Every person in the room was eager to hear from two special guests: Michael Brown Jr.’s father, Michael Brown Sr., and stepmother Cal D. Brown.

The Brown family speaks out

When Cal D. Brown stepped up to the podium, a solemn reverence fell over the crowd. The already congested room squeezed tighter as folks vied for a better view. iPhones and cameras emerged to capture the moment, and I, too, edged closer to the front, tape recorder in hand.

“Good evening,” Cal Brown said. The crowd echoed her greeting like a congregation at Sunday Mass. “August 1, 2014, Michael Brown, Jr. graduated from high school,” she continued. “He sat in a Chinese restaurant in Ferguson and he said, ‘The world will know my name. I’m going to shake the world. I may have to go away for a while, but I’m gonna come back and heal my city.’”

We know the end of this story all too well. Eight days later, on August 9, 2014, the unarmed 18-year-old was shot and killed after an encounter with Officer Wilson in Ferguson. Mrs. Brown concluded, “When I stand in spaces like this, I’m reminded of the words that he said himself.”

Amidst applause and heartfelt grunts of approval, Michael Brown Sr. took center stage. He spoke about the work he and his wife are doing at the Michael Brown Sr. Chosen for Change Organization, a nonprofit he founded to support grieving families impacted by gun violence and police terror. The Browns are part of a growing number of families who, after losing a loved one to state violence, have decided to turn their pain into purpose by taking on roles as advocates, running foundations in their loved one’s honor, and accompanying other impacted families in establishing communities of healing. But the pain of losing one’s child never truly goes away.

“It’s hard to bounce back after losing your loved one,” Brown Sr. said. “I struggle every day missing Mike. It’s 10 years now, and it still feels like

[VISUAL ARTS]

Damon Davis’ All Hands on Deck, now on display as part of the Ferguson and Beyond exhibit, transforms a signal of surrender into one of solidarity. | ANGELO VIDAL

the same year everything happened. Personally, I don’t think too much has changed, but we got a whole lot of work to do. I’m standing here telling you I’m gonna stand with the people who want to do the work.”

Brown Sr.’s voice carried conviction born of experience. Though his sincerity was undeniable, it was clear he had delivered retellings of his family’s tragedy hundreds of times before. Perhaps that is what it has taken to get people to listen.

The Brown family’s sentiments underscore the main message of Ferguson and Beyond: that there remains an urgent need for collective action to address the root causes of violence and inequality in our communities. But how is art going to help us get us there?

How art helps us move through Ferguson and beyond

“Through every period of societal turmoil, regardless of place, artists have played a pivotal role in reflecting and shaping public discourse through their work,” Reilly writes in “Ferguson and Beyond: A Collective Undertaking,” an essay accompanying the exhibition. “Their work ignites change, challenges societal norms, fosters a collective consciousness and asks the viewer to reflect, question and collectively act against injustice.”

Reilly draws parallels between the artistic community’s response to the deaths of Michael Brown Jr. and George Floyd and the historic Black Arts Movement of the 1960s and 1970s. Both movements arose during a time when Black people around the world were engaged in struggles for

liberation and equality and sought to promote Black determination and pride through cultural production.

Damon Davis’ All Hands on Deck, one of the works on display at the exhibition, is a prime example. Created during the 2014 protests, All Hands on Deck comprises photographs of Black hands raised in the air, which Davis initially pasted onto boarded-up storefronts along West Florissant Avenue, where they shared space with other protest art. Images of the storefronts were broadcast around the world. Davis’ artwork transformed a signal of surrender (“hands up, don’t shoot”) into one of resistance and solidarity.

“All Hands on Deck was my way of weaponizing art to create a counternarrative centered on the unity and love I saw every time I went out to protest,” says Davis. “It sought to raise the morale of the protest community to continue the fight.”

Davis and the rest of the artists showcased in Ferguson and Beyond form a collective coalition of people who demand change.

“Hate wants us to stop. Injustice wants us to go home,” Reilly insists. “No. We must collectively act, and the work in this show is asking you to do that.”

n

Ferguson and Beyond will be open at Webster University’s Cecille R. Hunt Gallery (8342 Big Bend Boulevard) through April 26 and is free to attend. The gallery is open Tuesdays and Thursdays 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Wednesdays 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. and 2 to 5 p.m., and Fridays 2 to 5 p.m. For more info, visit webster.edu/art/huntgallery.php.

Michael Brown Sr. spoke at the exhibit’s opening reception. | COURTESY WEBSTER UNIVERSITY

MUSIC

The End of an Era

Lo-Fi Cherokee’s founder said goodbye with one last round of south city’s quirkiest music festival

BY SARAH FENSKE

Bill Streeter has a simple reason for saying goodbye to the festival he started 14 years ago.

“I’m tired,” he says. “It’s a passion project I don’t really feel the passion for anymore.”

Lo-Fi Cherokee has long been one of St. Louis’ most unique experiences, a music festival that instead of featuring a dozen-plus stages features a dozenplus music video shoots. As Streeter, the founder of St. Louis-based video production company Hydraulic Pictures, has explained, the concept was something of an accident. A local record company had asked him to shoot a music video every week, but when they asked off-handedly if he could instead do it all in one day, he decided to go for it. To his surprise, crowds followed. But the festival has never made any money, nor has it even tried to, and it takes a fair amount of work. The 12 acts in this year’s festival were the smallest number Lo-Fi has hosted; one year, there were 19. It takes time to solicit bands, assess their submissions and book a dozen-plus different venues — and that’s even before the mad sprint of Streeter and his crew of shooting all those music videos in a single day. For the people who show up on Cherokee to catch a shoot or two and grab a drink between performances, it may feel low-key and south-city casual, but it’s a sizable undertaking even before it comes time to release a dozen-plus music videos.

And for Streeter, too, there’s a sense of wanting to go out on top. “I’m 56,” he says. “I don’t want to be doing this when I’m 60.”

Last Saturday’s festival, which kicked off at 11 a.m.Saturday and ended with a big block party sponsored by the neighborhood, did just that. Lo-Fi Cherokee has proudly booked all-new artists every year, with no act ever invited back for a second go-round. This year, fittingly, brought it full circle,

with singer-songwriter Beth Bombara, who played the inaugural festival, making her return.

She was joined by some big St. Louis names, including the Playadors, Mo Egeston All-Stars, Red & Black Brass Band and Matt F. Basler, as well as up-and-comers that had Streeter genuinely excited. He talks up Ricky Dortch, who played Yaqui’s at 3:30 p.m., and Tawaine Himself, who took the stage at Clements Lock & Security at 5 p.m. (Yes, Cherokee’s coolest Thursday-night-only bar opened up on Saturday for the festival.) Just talking about the artists has Streeter reminiscing about memorable Lo-Fi shoots — including one in an elevator and one in a bed. “Beth Bombara was in that band,” he recalls. Son Volt has participated. The Bottle Rockets. Tonina. He’s proud of how the festival has elevated good local acts that deserve greater appreciation and even brought ones together. Stan Chisholm, a.k.a. 18andCounting, first got his backing band TheOnlyEnsemble together for a Lo-Fi Cherokee performance. “They’ve been together ever since,” Streeter says. If Streeter sounds a little excited, well, he did get there. After he finally sent out the solicitation for artists in January, that familiar feeling kicked

in and now he was all in on this year’s festivities, even thought he can’t shake the feeling that it’s time for him to move on. “My whole life, I feel like I’ve been doing things longer than I should,” he says. He’s not making that mistake this time.

Now the question may well be what replaces the festival for Cherokee Street, if anything. Streeter began the Lo-Fi brand as a music blog, and he anticipates continuing to do projects under that label — maybe pop-up shows in unusual places, or a smaller video-centric event. But the

festival has been a highlight of Cherokee Street’s calendar every year since 2012, other than a two-year hiatus during the pandemic. People have gotten used to a street party that introduces them to great bands in intimate settings. Streeter says he’s not averse to handing it off.

“If someone approached me and wanted to take over, I’d be fine with that,” he says. He’d want to be involved on some level (“I wouldn’t want it to become something it was never intended to be,” he says). But, “I wouldn’t mind someone else taking it over.”

Will someone? It’s Cherokee Street; creative people are everywhere, and it certainly seems possible someone would want to run with it. But Streeter knows there’s also a natural evolution to the street. New businesses open and old ones close; people try an idea and give up on a different one. There are always people ready to eulogize the district after something closes or someone moves on; the impulse is always incorrect. “I’ve been hanging out down there since 2006, 2007,” Streeter notes. “It’s different every year.” It may be time for Lo-Fi to give way to something else, something totally different.

But who knows. This may not be the end. Streeter can’t help but reference

Bill Streeter was in director mode at the 2023 Lo-Fi festival. | THEO WELLING

YOUPEOPL impressed audiences at 2022’s Lo-Fi Cherokee, which marked the festival’s return after a two-year hiatus. | COURTESY LO-FI ST. LOUIS

the episode of Seinfeld where George quits his job only to realize he’s made a mistake — and decides to return to work and act like he never actually quit. “I’ve thought about doing that,”

Getting Lo-Fi One Last Time

At 3:30 p.m. on the patio of Earthbound Beer, the sounds of Cherokee Street collide. Strums from Ricky Dortch’s guitar seep through the walls from Yaqui’s on Cherokee and couple with warm-up riffs from Vallie Golde and her band as they set up inside of Earthbound. Mexican ballads blare from car stereos as they pause at Cherokee and Iowa, where the neighborhood’s infamous eclectic electric keyboardist also stands on the corner.

All in all, it’s a very Cherokee day. For most, it began at 11 a.m. and continues on unfettered by a slight chill in the wind. Jaywalkers take precedence over cars, because today, foot traffic outnumbers car traffic. While some walk at a leisurely place, one group of around 60 people moves swiftly east down Cherokee in 30-minute intervals, maybe less, to secure a front-row stance in each music video being shot for this year’s Lo-Fi Cherokee festival. The event’s founder (and the videos’ director) Bill Streeter moves in tow.

One hour and two music videos later, Fortune Teller Bar, one of the larger Lo-

he jokes. “Maybe I’ll come back next year and just be like, ‘What are you talking about? I never quit.’”

He adds, for the record, “I won’t do that.” n

Fi venues, packs the crowd in tightly for Po Mia’s melodies. As the band — each member dressed in a primary color à la the Wiggles — tunes trumpet, saxophone and bass for a jazzy indie juke, a Lo-Fi crew member stands outside and shakes her head, wondering why the other crew members aren’t there yet.

Not to fret; the crew soon arrives for an ear-catching set from Po Mia and moves across the street to Clement’s Lock & Security, where stragglers stand outside the intimate locksmith-cum-bar. Owner Jason Deem demoted himself to “window coverer” for the day to ensure a dimly lit set for Tawaine Himself. The singer-songwriter’s latest release, “Dry January,” enchants the audience. In warmups, he prepares the crowd. “This is the part where y’all go ‘woooo.’” The enthusiastic fans jump at the request.

Time moves fast on Cherokee today, but when the crowd ultimately stops and looks around after the final shoot at City Mouse Vintage, a block party greets them in full swing. From the vacant lot at Texas and Cherokee, unmissable DJ sets from Blvckspvde, Jay E, and Noel Noel ease time back into a standstill with soul, funk, and R&B mixes. Vintage shop Mesa Home celebrates year nine on the block. Toddlers try their hand at cornhole while old friends reunite. Eventually, but quite reluctantly, the sun sets over Lo-Fi Cherokee one final time. —Lauren Harpold

Pokey LaFarge and the South City Three played Lo-Fi Cherokee in 2014. | COURTESY LO-FI ST. LOUIS

Revenge Is Mine

Star-turned-director Dev Patel’s Monkey Man whips up a whirlwind of expressionist violence

BY ANDREW WYATT

Monkey

Man

Directed by Dev Patel. Written by Dev Patel, Paul Angunawela and John Collee. Now playing.

When we are first introduced to the protagonist of Monkey Man — who is identified only as “The Kid” (Dev Patel) — he’s taking a savage beating in an underground fight club. Each night, he dons a ragged ape mask and plays the heel, allowing the fan-favorite champion to pummel him into a pulp, all to the enthusiastic cheers of a bloodthirsty crowd. If pressed, the Kid would probably insist that he’s just trying to make a buck in a world where the odds are stacked against the have-nots. In his own mind, meanwhile, this nightly ritual is a kind of training, preparation for a mission of vengeance that he’s been slow-cooking for 20 years. What the Kid would never admit, even to himself, is that he’s grown so accustomed to pain, he might be starting to think he deserves to be perpetually broken, both physically and psychologically.

On paper, Monkey Man is as straightforward as action revengers get. As a child, the Kid dwelled in a rural Indian village with his single mother (Adithi Kalkunte), who delighted him with tales of the heroic monkeygod, Hanuman. This bliss was shattered forever on one fateful night when corrupt, sadistic men arrived to drive the villagers out and seize their land, by any means necessary. Two decades later, the Kid begins scheming his way in the inner circle of those same men to deliver his long-overdue revenge. It’s the sort of story that movie lovers have seen a hundred times before, and it unfolds without any significant twists or surprises, plot-wise. Initially, the Kid’s plan seems to be succeeding, but he fumbles while trying to make his big move, leaving him momentarily defeated. In this second act, he

recovers and reaps some wisdom, and in the third he executes a refined and much bloodier plan on his enemies. Roll credits.

So why does Monkey Man — which is not only a star vehicle for Patel, but also his feature directorial debut — feel like such a breath of fresh air?

Partly, it’s due to the actor’s raw performance. Rich characterization isn’t all that crucial in the roaring-rampage-of-revenge subgenre. However, so many action anti-heroes come off as quippy cartoons or stoic Übermenschen, it’s startling to encounter a protagonist like the Kid, who is obviously in such deep, intractable pain. His targets might be a monstrous police chief (Sikandar Kher) and the billionaire guru-mogul who pulls his strings, but the Kid’s real nemeses are his own traumatizing memories. Flashbacks to that tragic night 20 years ago often threaten to derail his vengeance, freezing him in the sweaty, trembling space between fight and flight.

That said, it’s not Patel’s haunted eyes — or his freshly sinewy physique — that leaves the strongest impression in Monkey Man. Rather, it’s the film’s invigorating, kinetic style, which thrashes the viewer with a whirlwind of color, motion and sound. As YouTube essayist Tom van der Linden has recently argued, the past decade of action filmmaking has been defined by the ascendency of pristine visual

coherence and attention-grabbing technical execution over all other elements (sometimes even story). What was once radical now feels obligatory. Patel’s feature feels like something of a course-correction, being perhaps the first post-John Wick action thriller to offer a different aesthetic sensibility. (As if underlining its intent, the film even name-checks Chad Stahleski’s estimable, ultra-violent franchise.)

Simply put, Monkey Man looks and feels quite different from most contemporary action pictures. Patel and his collaborators — most notably cinematographer Sharone Meir and editors Joe Galdo, Dávid Jancsó and Tim Murrell — mostly eschew the wide shots and long takes that are employed so often these days to place elaborate fight choreography front and center. Instead, the filmmakers favor a frenetic, Expressionist approach that results in a breathless flow of images and sound: a flash of steel, a grinning face, the sizzle of a street vendor’s grill. It’s not the hyper-diced, stupefying sludge of Michael “Bay-ham,” but rather a middle way between the now out-of-fashion queasy-cam chaos of The Bourne Ultimatum (2008) and the Grand Guignol visual splendor of John Wick: Chapter 2 (2017). Viewers prone to motion sickness might not find it to their taste, but it’s unquestionable that Monkey Man is as artistically vitalizing as it is bone-crunching.

Patel has a story credit on the feature as well, and the Gujarati-descended British filmmaker enlivens the elemental pleasures of the Kid’s cold-plated revenge with textures plucked from contemporary Indian culture. The never-sleep bustle of the subcontinent’s city life is more than a backdrop. It’s woven directly into the film’s sensory fabric, from the smoky, claustrophobic din of labyrinthine slums to the VIP-room hedonism enjoyed by modern-day billionaire maharajas.

While the names of the people, places and political parties are all fictional, Monkey Man doesn’t pull its punches. It harbors a scorching contempt for civil corruption, runaway greed and the false piety of right-wing Hindutva ideology. A temple community of transgender hijras plays a key role in the plot, and Patel isn’t shy about presenting Monkey Man as a gory, vicarious revenge fantasy for oppressed people of all sorts. It’s a credit to the actor-director and screenwriters Paul Angunawela and John Collee that this doesn’t come off as lip-service political posturing, but as an authentic expression of righteous rage that blends seamlessly into the context of the film. The Kid has nothing to his name but his pain, after all, and no purpose left other than to give it away a hundredfold to the unrepentant tyrants who squat on their golden thrones. n

Childhood stories of the heroic monkey-god Hanuman inspired our hero — and may haunt your dreams. | UNIVERSAL PICTURES

STAGE 41

Let the Good Times Roll

Stray Dog Theatre’s Xanadu cheerfully delivers campy fun, ’80s tunes and a little magic

BY TINA FARMER

Xanadu

Written by Douglas Carter Beane.

In history and poetry, Xanadu was the location of the opulent summer palace of Kublai Khan, grandson of Genghis Khan and emperor during the Yuan dynasty. In 1980, Xanadu was a fluffy, critically panned movie musical that paired Olivia Newton-John with Gene Kelly and a handful of catchy disco-influenced hits. At Stray Dog Theatre, Xanadu is a cheerfully bright musical that embraces the movie’s flaws and turns them into a cheesy good time.

Sonny Malone, an aspiring artist in Venice Beach, has just finished a chalk mural depicting the muses of Greek

mythology. Frustrated with his lack of success, he considers giving it all up until Kira, an attractive Australian girl, skates into his arms, sparking his dream of creating the “apex of all art” — a roller disco.

But their meeting is no mere coincidence. Kira is actually Clio, a Greek muse descended from Mount Olympus to assist Sonny with a little help from her sisters and Danny McGuire, a saxophonist turned real estate mogul she inspired long ago. Curses, broken rules and a visit to Mount Olympus all play a part in Sonny and Kira’s quest for love, art and a roller disco utopia.

Phil Leveling turns in a terrific performance as the not-too-bright Sonny, with solid vocals and abundant ’80s clichés as well as some clever popculture references. Leveling brings a natural likability and naiveté to the character that perfectly complements Shannon Lampkin Campbell’s bubbly and vivacious Kira. Campbell easily and impressively handles the vocals with a tone that’s reminiscent of Newton-John without feeling like mimicry or imitation. Plus, she handles multiple accent shifts with ease, delivering one of the most natural Australian accents I’ve heard from a Midwesterner. The two create convincing chemistry, and there’s a genuine sense of infatuation as well as some laugh-out-loud funny physical comedy.

Scott Degitz-Fries is charming as Danny Maguire, while Chelsie John-

ston and Sarah Gene Dowling are gleefully conniving and funny as jealous muses Melpomene and Calliope. Drew Mizell and Katie Orr are memorable as Young Danny Maguire and Eros in addition to their primary roles as muses Terpsicore and Erato, and Mateo Bluemel, Lauren Tenenbaum, Lindsay Grojean and Madison Mesiti capably round out the cast.

And, did I mention that there’s roller skating, including choreographed routines by Michael Hodges that complement solid gold dancing reminiscent of early music videos and Jazzercise routines? Renditions of songs “Magic,” “Evil Woman,” “Strange Magic” “All Over the World,” “Have You Ever Been Mellow” and the titular “Xanadu,” captured the ’80s pop vibe, while the ’40s /’80s style mash-up “Dancin’” featuring Campbell, Tenenbaum, Orr, Bluemel and Mizell was surprisingly catchy.

The musical, like the movie, is short on plot and character development but big on laughter and fun, with a soundtrack and optimism that’s family-friendly and infectious. Director Justin Been and the cast enthusiastically lean into the cheesy humor (without falling on their skates) and music director Leah Schultz and the band keep the up-tempo, feel-good beat going. For a fun night of theater that theatergoers of all ages can enjoy, Xanadu zooms to the top of the goodtimes chart. n

Directed by Justin Been. Presented by Stray Dog Theatre Thursdays through Saturdays (2348 Tennessee Avenue) through April 27. Showtimes vary, and tickets are $10 to $35. More information at straydogtheatre.org.

Stray Dog’s family-friendly musical grooves to a disco beat. | JOHN LAMB

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 11

COLBY ACUFF: 8 p.m., $15. Old Rock House, 1200 S. 7th St., St. Louis, 314-588-0505.

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

DEUCE AND HEETER’S GRATEFUL THURSDAY: 9 p.m., free. The Broadway Boat Bar, 1424 N Broadway St, St Louis, 314-565-4124.

THE GOLDENRODS: 7 p.m., free. The Frisco Barroom, 8110 Big Bend Blvd., Webster Groves, 314-455-1090.

LOGAN & THE LIX: 7 p.m., $5. Hammerstone’s, 2028 S. 9th St., St. Louis, 314-773-5565.

MOON WALKER: 8 p.m., $15. Off Broadway, 3509 Lemp Ave., St. Louis, 314-498-6989.

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

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

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

UNCLE LUCIUS: 8 p.m., $20. The Golden Record, 2720 Cherokee Street, St. Louis, N/A.

FRIDAY 12

ADAM GAFFNEY: 4 p.m., $5. Hammerstone’s, 2028 S. 9th St., St. Louis, 314-773-5565.

ALL THE DAYS: 7:30 p.m., free. The Frisco Barroom, 8110 Big Bend Blvd., Webster Groves, 314-455-1090.

BLACKBERRY SMOKE: 8 p.m., $35-$50. The Pageant, 6161 Delmar Blvd., St. Louis, 314-726-6161.

THE BROKEN HIPSTERS: 7 p.m., free. Das Bevo Biergarten, 4749 Gravois Ave., St. Louis, 314-224-5521.

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

HOT CLUB OF COWTOWN: 7:30 p.m., $25. Blue Strawberry Showroom & Lounge, 364 N Boyle Ave, St. Louis, 314-256-1745.

KINK ARTHUR, SUZIE CUE, PO MIA: 8 p.m., $10. The Heavy Anchor, 5226 Gravois Ave., St. Louis, 314-352-5226.

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

LYDIA CAESAR: 7:30 p.m., $20-$35. City Winery St. Louis, 3730 Foundry Way, Suite 158, St. Louis, 314-678-5060.

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

ROAD TO POINTFEST - SESSION 5: 7:30 p.m., $10. Pop’s Nightclub, 401 Monsanto Ave., East St. Louis, 618-274-6720.

RUMOURS ATL: A FLEETWOOD MAC TRIBUTE: 8 p.m., $35-$60. River City Casino & Hotel, 777 River City Casino Blvd., St. Louis, 314-388-7777.

SHAKE SOMETHIN’: w/ Jay E, Makossa 8:30 p.m., $10. Tim’s Chrome Bar, 4736 Gravois, St. Louis, 314-353-8138.

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

WITH GLEE: w/ GILL, Bryce Conner 8 p.m., $10. The Sinkhole, 7423 South Broadway, St. Louis, 314-328-2309.

SATURDAY 13

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

[CRITIC’S PICK]

Lalah Hathaway

6 and 9:30 p.m. Monday, April 15, and Wednesday, April 17. City Winery St. Louis, 3730 Foundry Way, Suite 158. $75 to $85. 314-678-5060.

St. Louis fans of soul, Gospel, R&B and jazz have much to celebrate this week, as the great Lalah Hathaway, daughter of the Gateway City-raised soul legend Donny Hathaway, hits town with not one, not two, not even three, but four performances at City Winery over the course of three days. A five-time Grammy winner and ten-time nominee, Hathaway’s 30-plus years of performance have seen her collaborate with the likes of Pharrell, Dr. Dre, Anderson .Paak, Mary J. Blige and Kendrick Lamar, among many others, and she’s shared the stage with such icons as Prince, Stevie Wonder and Anita Baker. Much like her famous father, Hathaway has been gifted with preternatural singing abilities, and is even able to produce a polyphonic sound

that lets her sing multiple notes at the same time — a head-spinning trick that she uses to great effect. All that talent saw the singer land on Memphis’ famed Stax Records in 2008, representing something of a full-circle moment wherein the daughter of one of soul’s brightest luminaries signed on to one of the labels most responsible for the genre’s very existence. St. Louis fans can expect her to draw on that rich history for this week’s performances as she delivers soul standards and some of the songs her father made famous alongside her own original material.

eant, 6161 Delmar Blvd., St. Louis, 314-726-6161.

SUNDAY 14

ARRIVAL FROM SWEDEN: THE MUSIC OF ABBA: 7:30 p.m., $39-$69. The Factory, 17105 N Outer 40 Rd, Chesterfield, 314-423-8500.

BLUE CITY BAND REUNION: 3 p.m., $15. BB’s Jazz, Blues & Soups, 700 S. Broadway, St. Louis, 314-436-5222.

THE BRIGHT SIDE OF LIFE: 4 p.m., $20. Manchester United Methodist Church, 129 Woods Mill Road, Manchester, 636-394-7506.

CATHEDRAL BELLS: w/ Rew, Bleach Balta 7 p.m., $10-$13. The Sinkhole, 7423 South Broadway, St. Louis, 314-328-2309.

COLE CHANEY: 8 p.m., $17. Blueberry Hill - The Duck Room, 6504 Delmar Blvd., University City, 314-727-4444.

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

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

MARC COHN: 7 p.m., $60-$75. City Winery St. Louis, 3730 Foundry Way, Suite 158, St. Louis, 314-678-5060.

RANDY MCALLISTER TRIO: 7 p.m., $15. BB’s Jazz, Blues & Soups, 700 S. Broadway, St. Louis, 314-436-5222.

RICH MCDONOUGH & THE RHYTHM RENEGADES: 3 p.m., $5. Hammerstone’s, 2028 S. 9th St., St. Louis, 314-773-5565.

SHEAFOR AND SIMES: 10 a.m., free. Das Bevo Biergarten, 4749 Gravois Ave., St. Louis, 314-224-5521.

SOFT KILL: w/ Gumm, No Guard 8 p.m., $20. Off Broadway, 3509 Lemp Ave., St. Louis, 314-498-6989. THE WILDER BLUE: w/ the Jenkins Twins 7 p.m., $20. The Golden Record, 2720 Cherokee Street, St. Louis.

MONDAY 15

THE BYGONES: 7:30 p.m., $25-$65. Blue Strawberry Showroom & Lounge, 364 N Boyle Ave, St. Louis, 314-256-1745.

LALAH HATHAWAY NIGHT 1: 6 p.m., $75-$85. City Winery St. Louis, 3730 Foundry Way, Suite 158, St. Louis, 314-678-5060.

MORON’S MORONS: w/ Jeffy & the Sunken Heads, Still Animals 7:30 p.m., $12. The Sinkhole, 7423 South Broadway, St. Louis, 314-328-2309.

RAVEN: w/ Vicious Rumors, Lutharo 7:30 p.m., $20. Red Flag, 3040 Locust Street, St. Louis, 314-289-9050.

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.

TUESDAY 16

—Daniel Hill

Going, Going, Gone? Those who wish to attend one of Hathaway’s shows this week should act fast. Monday’s early show is already sold out, and that evening’s late show as well as Wednesday’s early one are seeing low ticket alerts on City Winery’s website. Grab yours before they’re gone.

THE BROTHER BROTHERS: w/ Maeve

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

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

FIGHT BACK MTN.: w/ Portraits & Landscapes, Mid Tempo Death March, Different Damage 7:30 p.m., $10. The Sinkhole, 7423 South Broadway, St. Louis, 314-328-2309.

THE GASLIGHT SQUARES: 7:30 p.m., free. The Frisco Barroom, 8110 Big Bend Blvd., Webster Groves, 314-455-1090.

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

JOHN MORELAND: 8 p.m., $27.50. Off Broadway, 3509 Lemp Ave., St. Louis, 314-498-6989.

BETH BOMBARA & SHANNON MCNALLY: 8 p.m., $18-$20. Central Stage, 3524 Washington Avenue, St. Louis, 314-533-0367.

THE KINGDOM BROTHERS: 6 p.m., $6. The Attic

Music Bar, 4247 South Kingshighway Blvd., 2nd Floor, St. Louis, 3143765313.

LOS INQUIETOS DEL NORTE: 3 p.m., $70. Plaza Garibaldi, 2802 Argonne Dr., East St. Louis.

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

MANUEL BARRUECO: 7:30 p.m., $20-$35. The 560 Music Center, 560 Trinity Ave., University City, 314-421-3600.

THE MEOWZAS, THE STARS GO OUT, LACY WILDER: 8 p.m., $10. The Heavy Anchor, 5226 Gravois Ave., St. Louis, 314-352-5226.

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

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

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

THE WOOD BROTHERS: 7 p.m., $27-$40. The Pag-

Lalah Hathaway. | VIA TICKETMASTER

COOL COOL COOL: 8 p.m., $22-$25. Off Broadway, 3509 Lemp Ave., St. Louis, 314-498-6989.

HEART TO GOLD: 8 p.m., $17. Blueberry Hill - The Duck Room, 6504 Delmar Blvd., University City, 314-727-4444.

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

LALAH HATHAWAY NIGHT 2: 6 p.m., $75-$85. City Winery St. Louis, 3730 Foundry Way, Suite 158, St. Louis, 314-678-5060.

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

SWEETIE AND THE TOOTHACHES NIGHT 2: 10 a.m., $23. The Sheldon, 3648 Washington Blvd., St. Louis, 314-533-9900.

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

UPCOMING

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

BILLY JOEL & STING: Fri., Sept. 27, 7 p.m., $69.50$424.50. Busch Stadium, 700 Clark Ave, St. Louis, 314-345-9600.

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

BRITTANY HOWARD: Fri., April 26, 8 p.m., $46$61. The Pageant, 6161 Delmar Blvd., St. Louis, 314-726-6161.

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.

DUSTIN KENSRUE: Thu., May 9, 8 p.m., $22. Off Broadway, 3509 Lemp Ave., St. Louis, 314-498-6989.

EARTH, WIND & FIRE AND CHICAGO: Wed., July 10, 7:30 p.m., $35.50-$499.50. Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre, I-70 & Earth City Expwy., Maryland Heights, 314-298-9944.

FREE THROW: Wed., May 1, 7:30 p.m., $22. 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.

HEART: Sat., Oct. 5, 8 p.m., $31-$155.50. Enterprise Center, 1401 Clark Ave., St. Louis, 314-241-1888.

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

IDOBI SUMMER SCHOOL TOUR: W/ Stand Atlantic, Magnolia Park, The Home Team, Scene Queen, Honey Revenge, Letdown, Sat., July 13, 5 p.m., TBA. Pop’s Nightclub, 401 Monsanto Ave., East St. Louis, 618-274-6720.

IRON & WINE: Sat., July 6, 8 p.m., $37.50-$47.50. The Pageant, 6161 Delmar Blvd., St. Louis, 314-726-6161.

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.

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.

KC & THE SUNSHINE BAND: Fri., Nov. 15, 8 p.m., $50-$85. River City Casino & Hotel, 777 River City Casino Blvd., St. Louis, 314-388-7777.

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.

LACUNA COIL: Wed., May 15, 7:30 p.m., $29.50. Delmar Hall, 6133 Delmar Blvd., St. Louis, 314-726-6161.

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

LIMP BIZKIT: W/ Bones, N8NOFACE, Corey Feldman, Riff Raff, Thu., July 18, 6:30 p.m., $39.50$149.50. Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre, I-70 & Earth City Expwy., Maryland Heights, 314-298-9944.

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.

MICHAEL MCDONALD WITH PAUL REISER: Thu., May 23, 7 p.m., $50. The Pageant, 6161 Delmar Blvd., St. Louis, 314-726-6161.

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

ORVILLE PECK: Tue., July 30, 7 p.m., $45-$59.50. The Factory, 17105 N Outer 40 Rd, Chesterfield, 314-423-8500.

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

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.

RAIN: A TRIBUTE TO THE BEATLES: Sun., May 19, 7 p.m., $39.50-$110. The Fox Theatre, 527 N. Grand Blvd., St. Louis, 314-534-1111.

REAL ESTATE: Tue., May 21, 8 p.m., $25. Delmar Hall, 6133 Delmar Blvd., St. Louis, 314-726-6161.

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.

SANTANA AND COUNTING CROWS: Sat., July 27, 7 p.m., $49.50-$500. Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre - St. Louis, MO, 14141 Riverport Dr, Maryland Heights.

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.

SEAN CANAN’S VOODOO PLAYERS: VOODOO

UNCLE TUPELO: Sat., April 27, 8 p.m., $25. Blueberry Hill - The Duck Room, 6504 Delmar Blvd., University City, 314-727-4444.

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.

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

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

THE SMASHING PUMPKINS: Wed., Aug. 21, 7:30 p.m., $49.50-$125. Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre - St. Louis, MO, 14141 Riverport Dr, Maryland Heights.

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, 314726-6161.

WILLIE NELSON, BOB DYLAN, JOHN MELLENCAMP: Sun., Sept. 8, 3:30 p.m., $29.50-$400. Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre - St. Louis, MO, 14141 Riverport Dr, Maryland Heights. n

SAVAGE LOVE

Best Interests

BY DAN SAVAGE

I’m a woman in a new polyamorous relationship with a man who has a five-year-old daughter. He and his ex-partner split up about a year ago, and until two weeks ago, his ex wasn’t allowing him to see his child. However, once she learned of my existence, she suddenly changed her mind. I believe she’s letting him see his child now because she thinks this will drive a wedge between us. In reality, we’re both over the moon that he’s reconnecting with his daughter. Now here’s where I am going to ask for advice. My new boyfriend has recently begun exploring polyamory, and his ex doesn’t know I’m not the only woman he’s seeing. He’s not yet publicly out with the new woman, as it’s a recent thing, whereas we’ve been together more than six months. However, all three of us are getting along very well, and people in our social dance scene have started noticing. This dance scene is where his ex learned about me. Do you think that it’s safe for us to be open about his other relationship? Or do you think his ex will get angry and jealous that he’s enjoying life to the fullest and cut off contact with his daughter again?

Regarding A Vengeful Ex

“For 17 years, I’ve represented clients in child custody cases throughout New York State where being polyamorous — or kinky or a sex worker or frequenting sex workers or other issues of personal sexuality — is being used against a client,” says Diana Adams, Executive Director of Chosen Family Law Center. “And whether it’s safe to be openly polyamorous when you share custody with an ex who could potentially take you to court and bring it up in a child custody case sadly depends on your zip code.”

This is going to seem crazy, FAVE, but that’s because it is crazy: Before making the obvious move here — before your boyfriend lawyers up and takes his ex to court to secure his parental rights and responsibilities (he is making child support payments, right?) — you’re gonna need to look the results of the last three or four local elections.

“The best indicator of success is how conservative the area is, which is an indicator of how open-minded or conservative the judge, social workers and other appointed professionals will be in evaluating by the subjective standard of ‘the best interests of the child,’” says Adams. “We don’t yet have much protection from discrimination based on polyamory or other relationship statuses — which is precisely why I’m engaged in advocacy for relationship and family structure non-discrimination laws.”

The kind of non-discrimination statutes advocated by Adams — which have already been made law in two East Coast cities and are currently moving through city councils in two West Coast cities — would bar conservative judges and social workers from discriminating against people practicing polyamory. But if you aren’t lucky enough to live in one of the two cities where these laws are already in force, the passage of these laws and the debate around them where they’ve yet to pass could benefit your boyfriend and his daughter in the long run.

“These nondiscrimination laws don’t just make it unlawful to discriminate in those jurisdictions,” says Adams, “they influence public thought and make discrimination elsewhere less acceptable as well.”

As for the short run — as for whether it’s safe for your boyfriend to be open about his polyamorous “lifestyle” (awful term, I realize, but sometimes it can’t be avoided) — the answer doesn’t just depend on your zip code, RAVE, but on the reaction his ex is likely to have. And seeing as she has a history of weaponizing access to their child (which is not in the child’s best interests), I don’t think his ex can be trusted to react benevolently, whatever her feelings about open relationships might be. Which is why your boyfriend should — if he safely can — lawyer up and take his ex to court.

The Chosen Family Law Center is a nonprofit advocating for a more inclusive definition of family.

I was told you help women who feel shamed about their orgasms. I’ve been in my relationship for five years and always had a difficulty orgasming. About a year ago, I had an affair during a manic episode. I hardly remember any of it, but it haunts me every day. It doesn’t help that my boyfriend constantly brings up the affair when we have sex. He knows two solid ways to make me orgasm, but he’s focuses instead on two ways I have a hard time orgasming and gets very angry when I don’t. When I tell him that it’s not him, it’s just my body, he brings up the affair and angrily says I was able to orgasm these ways with stranger. I now feel anxious to have the big O as fast as humanly possible and try to guide him to do what feels best and even show him how do it. But it always ends in an argument about how I orgasmed doing these things with someone else he gets angry about it. Now I feel like my vagina is broken. He says it’s because I’ve had too much sex and accuses me of preferring sex with strangers and then starts berating himself for being too small. It doesn’t matter if is penetrative, oral or by hand; he always says the same things. I’ve had many successful orgasms with him from penetrative and oral sex. I don’t understand why I can’t from his hand or when he’s behind me and those are the only ways he cares about. Can you help

me? It’s been a consistent problem. We’ve had this fight at least three times a week for the last 11 months.

Feeling Increasingly Broken Somehow

You don’t have any trouble getting off during sex — you’re fully orgasmic (even during PIV alone!) — but for reasons I’ll get into/ speculate about in a moment, FIBS, your boyfriend has decided to ignore what he knows works for you and the gentle feedback you give him during sex. Instead, he’s choosing to do what doesn’t work — what he knows doesn’t work — and then when what doesn’t work winds up not working, FIBS, your boyfriend throws mean-spirited tantrums about the size of his dick and the regrettable affair you had during a mental health crisis. (An affair you told him entirely too much about! He may have needed to know about the affair, but he didn’t need to know exactly how you got off with your affair partner.) He’s not having sex with you to reconnect after the affair or even just for sex’s sake; he’s having sex with you to control and punish you. He doesn’t want to get you off — he’s intentionally setting you up for failure — because wants to throw this affair in your face again and again and again. Which means he hasn’t forgiven you, FIBS, and given how long he’s been staging these meltdowns — three times a week for 11 months — he clearly has no intention of forgiving you.

Someone who can’t stop demanding apologies won’t be satisfied by the millionth one. Yes, you had an affair and, yes, that was wrong. But there were extenuating circumstances — you were in a manic state — and if he can’t forgive you and get past it, FIBS, he has no place in your life, your bed, your vagina, or your mouth.

P.S. You aren’t broken — not yet. But longer you stay in this hell of a relationship, the likelier you are to start having the problem you’re worried about, i.e., difficultly climaxing. You’re in good working order right now — you can come, and in a variety of positions, doing a variety of things. Don’t let your angry future ex-boyfriend take that away from you.

DTMFA: dump the motherfucker already.

P.P.S. Some people insist on being told everything in the wake of an affair. Every detail, however small. But telling the person you cheated on everything — or extracting everything from the person you cheated on — is the relationship equivalent of salting the earth. Everything withers and dies, and nothing new grows.

I have a very good friend of nearly 50 years. She has four kids, six grandkids and ten great grandkids. She told me yesterday that the partner of one of her granddaughters just came out as transgender. But she told me in a gossipy and joking way that shocked me. I told her that this must be a

difficult time for everyone and changed the subject. I want to support this young woman, her partner, and kids, and of course my friend. Any ideas?

Appalled With Friend’s Unkind Laughter

Was your old friend gossiping or was she confiding in you? Was she making cruel jokes or was she using humor — perhaps ineptly, perhaps insensitively — to defuse whatever tension she might have been feeling in the moment and/or whatever tension she incorrectly assumed you might have been feeling?

When I came out to my mom — decades ago — she said the right thing first: She still loved me. Then she told me she didn’t want to meet anyone I was dating … which hurt to hear … and then she told me a joke about two men attacking a woman in a famously cruisy park in Chicago. The punchline: “One held her down, the other did her hair.” So, two minutes after I had done what seemed impossible me five minutes earlier — saying “I’m gay” out loud in the presence of my mother — my mother told me a joke that was 50 percent gay joke and 50 percent rape joke. If I was a different sort of person, gay or otherwise, I might have been hurt or angered. But my mom was struggling and the joke — again, 50 percent gay and 50 percent rape — was an effort on her part, however clumsy, to connect with me through our shared sense of humor. And one day I would sit at the dining room table and listen to my mom laugh as she told my first serious boyfriend about the night I came out and retell that same joke. Which she did not to insult him, but to make him feel like he was part of the family.

Look, AWFUL, your old friend may be a transphobic bigot. But I think your old friend, like my late mother, deserves the benefit of the doubt: Assume the best, assume she was nervous, and let this go. When you see her next, ask whether her granddaughter’s partner wanted her family to spread the word about her coming out — some queer people do — or if you aren’t supposed to know yet. If her relative wanted family to run and tell (and, again, some queer people do), send a note to your friend’s granddaughter and her partner expressing your support. If you’re not supposed to know yet, keep your mouth shut.

P.S. My mother confided in someone without asking me if it was OK — an old friend of hers, a priest — and his kindness helped get my mom to a place where she could sit across a table from the guy who was sodomizing her third son and laugh about family stories. If you scold, you won’t be able to be that friend. So, don’t scold. Listen.

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