Janelle Monae

Your Guide to the Bands of RFT's Music Showcase

R&B: Meet the 2013 RFT Music Award Nominees

The 2013 Riverfront Times Music Showcase is this weekend! Think of it as St. Louis music's own official holiday and consider this the season. Throughout May we at RFT Music have been working hard to make our cases for all 130 bands and artists nominated for an RFT Music Award this year in 26 categor ... More >>

The Six Most Absurd Pop Songs Of 2012

Editor's Note: The end of 2012 is upon us, so we thought we'd put a cap on things by sharing some of our personal favorite shows, albums, events and general shenanigans. Join us as we indulge in some navel-gazing! To wrap up the end-of-year coverage for Nitpick Six, here are the six most absurd pop ... More >>

Madonna at the Scottrade Center, 11/1/12: Review, Photos and Setlist

Madonna is considered a living legend, a cultural icon and one of the best performers of her time. She is one of the most influential artists in the history of American music, and last night at the Scottrade Center we found out why: hard work and natural charisma. If we are to believe any of the pe ... More >>

VMA Awards 2012: Handicapping the Video of the Year Nominees

The 2012 VMA nominees are out, and while there are certainly plenty of big names and obvious choices, there are a few surprises buried in there. Frank Ocean gets a nod, as do A$AP Rocky, Jack White and Regina Spektor. But those are curiosities -- Rihanna, Drake, Katy Perry et. al. get the lion's sha ... More >>

Lollapalooza Schmallapalooza: The Best Off the Radar Music Festivals

The Lollapalloza 2012 lineup is here, anchored by Black Sabbath, Red Hot Chili Peppers, the Black Keys and Jack White. Pretty cool, right? And a three day pass will only cost you two hundred thirty dollars. So yeah: Maybe this year it's time to look for alternatives to the big-name, bigger-ticket su ... More >>

The Five Quickest Ways Bands Can Tour Green According to Guster's Adam Gardner

Finding time to pursue a passion outside of a profession can be a strenuous venture. But Guster guitarist and vocalist Adam Gardner has found a way to combine his passion for sustainability with his rock star vocation. Teaming up with his environmentalist wife, Lauren Sullivan, he created Reverb. Be ... More >>

The New fun. Fan's Guide to the Format

Statistically speaking, you or some iTunes user you know has, ton-i-i-i-i-ight, confirmed that he and someone else are both young and proceeded to set the world on fire. fun., America's least search-engine-optimizable band--and, somehow, the first rock band since Nickelback to debut on top of the ... More >>

Fun. is Coming to the Pageant

Fun. has just announced a show scheduled for June 9 at the Pageant (6161 Delmar Boulevard, 314-726-6161). Tickets are $17.50 in advance and go on sale March 2 at 5 p.m. We think you should go. There are lots of reasons, one of which is the band's brand new LP Some Nights. It's helpfully streaming i ... More >>

Hail the Women of St. Vincent and tUnE-yArDs, Creators of Some of 2011's Best Music

tUnE-yArDs, left, by Jason Stoff. St. VIncent, right, by Kiernan Maletsky​The annual apocalypse is nigh, wherein critics celebrate the end of the year with a debaucherous amount of self-important analysis on the previous twelve months in music. I am among the many to rank my favorite records, ... More >>

The Ten Best Things to Do in St. Louis This Weekend: August 19-21

Todd OwyoungThe last time they were here, Blink 182 gave us sex, immature jokes and rock 'n' roll. We're hoping for more of the last one this time. ​This weekend is one for nostalgia. There's the PG-13 excess of the Nickelodeon '90s that comes with a concert fronted by Blink 182 (and shared wi ... More >>

Janelle Monae

7:30 p.m. Saturday, August 20. Scottrade Center, 1401 Clark Avenue.

Patrick Stump Is Coming To Fubar (!?!)

​Patrick Stump, the Fall Out Boy singer who is finally free to pursue the pop and R&B he's always loved, is coming to St. Louis. His former band's last show here was at the Pageant. His solo career has seen him on tour with Bruno Mars and Janelle Monae, and he'll be playing Lollapalooza this s ... More >>

Video: Prince with Sharon Jones, Maceo Parker at Madison Square Garden

So, Prince has been doing these bonkers shows in New York City over the last month or so, playing all of his hits and bringing out guest stars/collaborators (Cyndi Lauper, Janelle Monae, etc.) On Tuesday, January 18, Prince tapped saxophonist Maceo Parker and the lovely Sharon Jones for a version of ... More >>

2010: The Year In Music

Ten Artists We'd Like to See at LouFest 2011

Last week LouFest announced the dates of its second festival and immediately started selling discounted two-day passes to brave souls willing to buy without knowing the line-up in advance. No word on when an official announcement will be made about who'll be playing. But in the meantime, it's fun ... More >>

Show Review: Second Night of Beat 'n' Soul Offers Garage-Rock Fuzz and Sweet Soul Sounds

Christian SchaefferThe Fleshtones atop Off Broadway's bar​The promise of rock & roll has always been the promise of being forever young, and last night the patrons at Off Broadway got a good argument for music's gift of eternal youth. The inaugural weekend of the (hopefully) annual Beat 'n' So ... More >>

Show Review Setlist: Janelle Monáe Makes a Splash Opening for Of Montreal at the Pageant, Thursday, October 21

(Editor's note: Photos from Monae's set and a review of/photos from Of Montreal's set are coming in the morning.) Janelle Monáe is proof that there's hope for music yet. The pint-sized singer/performer doesn't conform to any one genre; she openly flaunts sonic limitations and musical boxes. In fac ... More >>

Show Review Photos Setlist: of Montreal Delights With an Extravagant Performance at the Pageant, Friday, October 21

(For a review of opener Janelle Monae at the Pageant, go here.)Todd Owyoungof Montreal last night at the Pageant​Some bands are content to let their music speak for itself in concert, while others like to go all-out in making their show a production. With a stage show involving actors in full ... More >>

Interview: Janelle Monae Discusses Androids, "the Other" and Making the Music That Moves You

Andrew Zaeh​Janelle Monae has the voice of an R&B diva, the dancin' feet of a young James Brown and style so unique she puts Lady Gaga to shame. Originally hailing from Kansas City, Kansas -- an article in our sister paper, the Pitch, explains more -- Monae travelled to Atlanta by way of New ... More >>

Of Montreal mixes the organic and synthetic — and pushes recording boundaries on the new False Priest

Interview: Carolina Chocolate Drops' Dom Flemons on His Musical Background, Expanding the Band's Audience Bowling in St. Louis

Jason StoffDom Flemons of Carolina Chocolate Drops at LouFest.​It's been a long year for the Carolina Chocolate Drops, who have been on the road in tireless support of Genuine Negro Jig. The trio will make its third St. Louis appearance of 2010 tonight at the Sheldon; earlier in the year, the ... More >>

Top Sellers at Area Record Stores: Week of July 5 - July 11

* = coming to town, = local Robert Randolph and the Family Band will play the Pageant Friday, July 16​Vintage Vinyl 1. Big Boi -- Sir Lucious Left Foot. The Son Of Chico Dusty 2. Roots -- How I Got Over 3. Eminem -- Recovery 4. Drake -- Thank Me Later 5. Black Keys -- Brothers 6. Ratatat -- ... More >>

Show Announcements: Week of July 8

Lady Gaga's superglam besties Semi Precious Weapons will sex up Vintage Vinyl on July 17 before taking the stage with her at Scottrade Center.​ Blueberry Hill *Hayes Carll, September 10 Blues City Deli *John Nemeth Blues Band, July 15 Cicero's *Killola, August 9 The Firebird *Matt Costa, No ... More >>

Top Sellers at Area Record Stores: Week of June 28-July 5

= local, * = coming to town Wolf Parade's latest album, Expo 86​ Euclid Records 1. Wolf Parade -- Expo 86 2. Black Keys -- Brothers 3. Rolling Stones -- Exile on Main St. 4. Robert Randolph & the Family Band -- We Walk This Road 5. Band of Horses -- Infinite Arms 6. ... More >>

Top Sellers at Area Record Stores: Week of June 21-27

= local, * = coming to town ​Euclid Records 1. Black Keys - Brothers 2. Tom Petty - Mojo* 3. Punch Brothers - Antifogmatic 4. Robert Randolph And The Family Band - We Walk This Road 5. Rolling Stones - Exile On Main St. 6. Broken Hearts & Dirty Windows - Songs Of ... More >>

Top Sellers at Area Record Stores: Week of June 14, 2010

* = coming to town, = local act Gaslight Anthem's American Slang​Vintage Vinyl 1. Drake---Thank Me Later 2. Nas & Damian Marley---Distant Relatives 3. Black Keys---Brothers 4. Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers---Mojo* 5. Grace Potter & The Nocturnals---Grace Potter & The Nocturnals 6. Gaslight A ... More >>

Top Sellers at Area Record Stores: Week of June 7, 2010

* = coming to town, = local act Sleigh Bells' Treats​Euclid Records 1. Black Keys - Brothers 2. Sleigh Bells - Treats 3. Band Of Horses - Infinite Arms 4. Ratatat - LP4 5. Blitzen Trapper - Destroyer Of The Void* 6. Flaming Lips - Dark Side of the Moon 7. LCD Sou ... More >>

Top Sellers at Area Record Stores: Week of May 31-June 6

* = coming to town, = local ​Euclid Records 1. Black Keys - Brothers* 2. Jack Johnson - To The Sea 3. National - High Violet* 4. Jayhawks - Bunkhouse Album 5. Band Of Horses - Infinite Arms 6. Bettye LaVette - Interpretations:British Rock Songbook 7. Roky Erick ... More >>

Top Sellers at Area Record Stores: Week of May 24- May 30, 2010

* = coming to town, = local ​Euclid Records 1. Black Keys - Brothers* 2. Band Of Horses - Infinite Arms 3. Rolling Stones - Exile On Main Street 4. LCD Soundsystem - This Is Happening 5. Dead Weather - Sea Of Cowards 6. White Stripes - Under Great White Norther ... More >>

Top Sellers at Area Record Stores: Week of May 17-23

* = a band coming to town, = a local artist​Euclid Records 1. Rolling Stones - Exile On Main Street 2. Black Keys - Brothers* 3. Jayhawks - The Bunkhouse Album 4. Band Of Horses - Infinite Arms 5. LCD Soundsystem - This Is Happening

Show Announcements: Week of April 29

ZOMG IT'S HANSON. You can re-live my grade school fantasies on August 5 at the Pageant.​ 2720 Cherokee *Alex B (of Pnuma Trio), May 7 Blueberry Hill *Alberta Cross, May 21 Cicero's *AudioTherapy, May 6 *Derek and The Darling, June 3 *Helen Keller Nation, May 13 The Complex *Slick Idiot wit ... More >>

St. Louis Is Getting a Lilith Fair Date

Stop smirking: The fact that St. Louis snagged a date on the being-routed Lilith Fair is kind of awesome. This year's list of artists playing some (or all) of the dates for the reactivated all-female-artists tour -- nothing's set in stone yet -- is bordering on the incredible: Heart! Cat Power! Lore ... More >>

OutKast

Idlewild (LaFace)