July 13, 2011
Vol 13 No 28
March 25, 2015
The beat goes on Recipe
11
Olde Town Spice Shoppe treats
Around Town
5
Feature Section
4
School
8
Movie
9
Kindergartener raises money
The band Hobo Empire performs at Red Fish, Blue Fish in St. Charles on March 17.
Photo by Brett Auten
Bands strive for success in the county music scene By Brett Auten Nashville. Los Angeles. St. Charles? While there is not the same kind of entertainment tradition here as there is in the Music City and the City of Angels, there is a diverse and established music scene just west of the Missouri River. Whether it is the sounds of DJs spinning or cymbals crashing coming nearly every weekend from Main Street to the chill vibe showcased at the collection of wineries, musicians in St. Charles have several opportunities to showcase their wares. Jacob Riley, 30, has been waist-deep in the St. Charles music scene since he was 18. Riley currently plays bass in the rock/blues quartet Hobo Empire. When not gigging with them, he has his eclectic funky, acoustic project, Everyday Jake. As if that’s not enough music for one fella, he also hosts a weekly open mic at Red Fish, Blue Fish and works occasionally at the region’s only vinyl store, CD Reunion. “There are different tiers here,” Riley said. “There is the cover scene, which is huge and filled with older bands. There is a large acoustic scene on Main Street, where I have seen more and more artists hustling and making money, and then there are the bands that create and play original music, which has grown and have really come together in a grassroots sort of way.” If you are a musician looking to make a buck or two or get some stage time, the proverbial line in the sand depends
on if your plan is to play original music or be a cover band. Hobo Empire balances both styles in its set lists. “You used to see bands who just played originals head (to St. Louis),” Riley said. “But they would have a hard time drawing, maybe getting only 20-30-percent of their fan base.” Cover bands still dominate the scene. It’s apparent that the average St. Charles County night dweller is more interest-
“We take in pride in that we have created our own fan base.” Dustin Clarke
Junk Fam member ed in hearing an established song that has been spun 1,000-plus times on the radio than a tune crafted out of someone’s basement. “It’s very much a cover town in a lot of ways,” Riley said. “For a long time it was a big part of the culture. It’s a guaranteed paid day. You even see bands fit their sound so that it fits into that cover scene. They are built similar to other bands.” A lot bars are hesitant and choose not to experiment when it comes to paying original acts or bands in general. You can’t blame a business for trying to draw as many moths to the flame as it can. But it doesn’t do much to nurture a scene.
Dustin Clarke has been with Junk Fam for three years. Junk Fam butters its bread with a set full of original material. “If you are a cover band playing different bars you are just filling a slot, playing to drunk people and playing what they want to hear,” Clarke said. “We take in pride in that we have created our own fan base.” Junk Fam went from playing for free at open mics to building a following that led to gigs at St. Louis’ Blueberry Hill and 2720 Cherokee. Clarke and Junk Fam have opted to go the oldschool route of word of mouth rather than advertising and scattering fliers everywhere. “I’m a gregarious, social kind of person,” Clarke said “I’m the guy that can get 30 people to show up for an impromptu barbecue.” What it boils down to is, if you want to fill your pockets with cash as a musician, the message is clear; learn those Eric Clapton tunes. But for young, aspiring artists out there originality and personal satisfactions trumps cash and loud applause. “We’re not playing to huge crowds but we still have fun doing what we’re doing,” Clarke said. “We get paid, even if it’s a small amount, it’s awesome. It’s hard to get too frustrated.” So while songsmiths have fled the county for a more welcoming environment, there are plenty here who believe home is where the heart is. “Staying close to home is frowned upon but having local pride goes a long way,” Riley said.
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