Email Author Christian Schaeffer

2009 Stories by Christian Schaeffer

• Homespun: Spark1duh?

  published June 17, 2009

  Spark1duh? is the hip-hop alter ego of Jason Karr, the rare white rapper who doesn't waste time apologizing for or making fun of his skin... More >>

• The Rest Is Noise: After having his gear stolen in New York City, Raglani figures out where to go next

  published June 17, 2009

  Most musicians start out as unwilling piano students or bedroom guitar shredders. But young Joseph Raglani's passion for sound didn't come... More >>

• Homespun: Target Market

  published June 10, 2009

  Every city needs one band to embody the zeitgeist of indie rock. This is not a role to be taken lightly: Said band needs to have its collective... More >>

• Twangfest

  published June 10, 2009

  To quote Willie Nelson, ain't it funny how time slips away? Twangfest, the city's annual celebration of rock, country and soul music,... More >>

• Bridge Tips

  published June 3, 2009

  Cyclists have the right idea: besides the obvious benefits that bike-riding grants (exercise, zero reliance on fossil fuels, rockin' thighs), the... More >>

• Alejandro Escovedo

  published June 3, 2009

  When Alejandro Escovedo titled his 1998 live disc More Miles Than Money, it was a sly wink to the hard-living job of a road... More >>

• Homespun: Glass Waves

  published May 27, 2009

  To call Glass Waves a trio is slightly misleading. While the credits for the download-only One Day We'll All Just Float Away... More >>

• Crosby, Stills & Nash

  published May 27, 2009

  The collective pants-wetting that greeted the release of Fleet Foxes' self-titled record last year had less to do with the shock of the new as... More >>

• The Decemberists

  published May 27, 2009

  That the Decemberists released a full-fledged concept album came as a surprise to approximately no one. For the highly... More >>

• Death Vessel

  published May 27, 2009

  Much about Death Vessel screws with expectations. For starters, one might expect some punishing speed-metal from a band of this name,... More >>

• Homespun: Joe Stickley's Blue Print

  published May 20, 2009

  Joe Stickley's Blue Print is a folk-rock band — in that order. The gentle strums of Stickley's acoustic guitar provide the engine... More >>

• The Nevermores/Left Arm/The 75s

  published May 20, 2009

  For too long Edgar Allan Poe has been the literary specter most associated with the ghostly pallored goth scene. But maybe Poe's dark tales and... More >>

• Summertime St. Louis: Cool Competition. For the sweatless sporting life, try your hand at washers, mini golf and Wiffle ball.

  published May 20, 2009

  When pondering your options for summertime activities, try and remember that summer is the time of the year when ridiculous inventions like... More >>

• Show Review + Setlist: Billy Joel and Elton John at the Scottrade Center, Thursday, May 14

  published May 15, 2009

  For the third time in 15 years, Billy Joel and Elton John have teamed up with their dueling pianos co-headlining tour. It's a fool-proof idea, really, and therefore no surprise that it drew a near-ca... More >>

• Nice Glass, Ladies

  published May 13, 2009

  With apologies to the makers of the Mel Gibson/Helen Hunt rom-com What Women Want, one doesn't need extra-sensory powers of perception... More >>

• Homespun: The Trip Daddys

  published May 13, 2009

  The Trip Daddys have become a St. Louis institution as they've evolved into the city's premier rockabilly outfit. However, this iconic status... More >>

• Midwest Mayhem

  published May 13, 2009

  This may come as a shock to some of you, but the United States economy is in a bit of a free fall right now. And while that has ramifications... More >>

• Billy Joel and Elton John

  published May 13, 2009

  Billy Joel and Elton John's face-to-face, dueling-piano tour makes so much sense, it's amazing that someone didn't think of it... More >>

• Show Review + Set List: Fleetwood Mac at the Scottrade Center, May 5

  published May 06, 2009

  Fleetwood Mac ended its concert Tuesday night with "Silver Springs," a Rumours-era b-side that has become a fan favorite. In the song's chorus, Stevie Nicks unloads what may be her best lyrical quatra... More >>

• Homespun: The May Day Orchestra

  published May 6, 2009

  The May Day Orchestra is a super-group of sorts: The quintet's lineup contains Tim Rakel and Joey Gavin (formerly of Bad Folk), Brien Seyle and... More >>

• Homespun: The Pragmatic

  published April 29, 2009

  André Anjos has come to some acclaim as the founder of the Remix Artist Collective, a network of remixers who have chopped and screwed... More >>

• Will It Go Round in Circles?

  published April 29, 2009

  Sports fans may be loathe to admit it, but our collective love for organized sports really just reflects our love of repetition and refinement.... More >>

• Fleetwood Mac

  published April 29, 2009

  First things first: The incarnation of Fleetwood Mac that will play at the Scottrade Center this week isn't the real Fleetwood... More >>

• Alvin Jett and the Phat noiZ sweetens the pot with a CD release show for Honey Bowl

  published April 29, 2009

  For all its charms, Webster Groves isn't exactly known as a cradle of blues music. But several nights a week, the Highway 61 Roadhouse and... More >>

• Hump Day Slow Jam of the Week: "Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology)"

  published Apr 22, 2009

  The Singer: We featured the peerless Marvin Gaye a few weeks ago with his uber-slow jam "Let's Get It On." There's not much more to say about him that you don't already know: he's as good of an artist... More >>