John Joern

What St. Louis Taught Me

This is my last day as music editor of the Riverfront Times. It's been 21 months and two weeks since I moved to St. Louis from Denver, and there has not been a more dynamic stretch in my life. My predecessor, Annie Zaleski, offered me some tips when I started, just as her predecessor had. Daniel Hi ... More >>

How To Suck The Brains Out Of A Skull: Advice from the Weekend's Real Pig Roast

"You know how a slug feels in your hand?" asks John Kraatz. "It's slimier than that." Kraatz is, of course, referring to the brain and brainstem of "Norm," the first of two pigs that will be consumed at the Off Broadway Pig Roast on Sunday night. As for how to reach those slimy, succulent morsels, ... More >>

Arson For Candy: Review and Preview Track

Ed. Arson For Candy's debut EP was the subject of this week's Homespun column. You can purchase the release on iTunes and listen to "Old Jane" below. If the band name Arson for Candy sounds like a particularly hellish form of delinquent-youth recruitment -- or an inversion on those "money for guns" ... More >>

Homespun: Arson for Candy

Arson for Candy EP
www.facebook.com/arsonforcandy

Out Every Night: The Best Shows From July 23 to 29

Attention cheap and poor folks in St. Louis: Four of the ten shows listed here this week won't cost you a dime! Tenacious D at Vintage vinyl (better show up early to ensure entry though -- big band, small venue), David Beeman & Kit Hamon of Old Lights playing a more intimate set at Plush, then back ... More >>

Nicki Minaj, My Morning Jacket, Joseph Arthur and More in This Week's New Show Announcements

Here again: every newly announced show for the week! On page one you'll find a quick list of shows that particularly caught our attention, followed by embedded Youtube videos with which you can check out some of the artists you may not be familiar with. Page two contains our complete listing of new ... More >>

Off Broadway Hosting All-Star Ramble for Levon Helm

Levon Helm's passing rightfully prompted an outpouring of emotion. Not only did Helm personally touch the lives of the most celebrated musicians in rock and roll, but he also played an extensive part of popularizing the rootsy "Americana" genre. That feat hasn't been lost on a group of musicians ... More >>

Out Every Night: The Fifteen Best Shows From March 19 to 25

Last week we alluded to the fact that this March is a great time to be a music fan in St. Louis....this week we're driving the point home and then some. Unless you are capable of bi-location (or in some cases: tri / quadro), you are going to miss some good shows this week. We have Andrew Bird at the ... More >>

Yankee Racers Release First Full-Length with a Little Help from a Lot of Friends

Curt Brewer is a familiar face in the local music community: he plays guitar with the raw, bluesy quintet Kentucky Knife Fight, lays down 1920s-inspired jazz licks in Two Swingin' Picks, and sits in as a gun-for-hire for wedding bands, fill-in gigs and the like. This Thursday night, however, he'll b ... More >>

40 Best St. Louis Releases of 2011: Part Three

​As you may have noticed, we were excited to be St. Louis music fans this year. And there is no more substantial document of the sound of this city in 2011 than the music released by its bands and artists. It is not an exaggeration to guess that the releases in the metro area number in the th ... More >>

Recording Studio Native Sound Aims to Do More Than Push Buttons: Photo Tour

Kholood EidDavid Beeman and Kit Hamon of Native Sound (and Old Lights).​There comes a time when growth for some musicians means giving back to the community. For David Beeman, Kit Hamon and John Joern -- bandmates in Old Lights -- this means helping their fellow St. Louis musicians find a reco ... More >>

The Last Waltz Tribute is Back: A Mercifully Flashing-Free Chat with Johnny Vegas

Once a year, the Stag Nite All-Stars form a ramshackle convergence to pay loving, egg-nog-addled tribute to The Last Waltz, arguably the most famous concert in history. Spearheaded musically by Mark Moynihan of Racketbox, the group also includes members of a dozen-odd other south city mainstays. Thi ... More >>

Harry Nilsson Tribute At Off Broadway: What Is The Point?

Harry Nilsson, one of the very few things all four Beatles agreed on and a singer of nearly unparalleled talent, will get the tribute treatment at Off Broadway on November 26th. What Is The Point? A Tribute To Harry Nilsson will feature Nilsson sets from Theodore, Ransom Note, Edward Burch, John Kra ... More >>

An Under Cover Weekend: Lineup and New Year's Supergroup Edition Announced

Behind the scenes of the Breaks' AUCW photo shoot. Photo by Bryan Sutter​It's back: The event when some of St. Louis' best bands take on an alter-ego for the night. An Under Cover Weekend will take place on September 9th and 10th at the Firebird, but wait: There's more. This year, there will b ... More >>

"I'm still figuring out what it means": Old Lights' David Beeman On Like Strangers (Listen)

Photo by Nate Burrell ​Old Lights' new 10", Like Strangers, is a brutal love story told over six tracks that move with hypnotizing grace. Its the sort of record that you just keep listening to. Its guitars, keys and vocals tee off on one sweet spot after another, peeling off seamlessly or dro ... More >>

Ellen the Felon and Fire Dog Pay Tribute to Dave Hagerty: MP3 and Interview

Courtesy of Fire Dog​Tomorrow night, Fire Dog will celebrate its fifth year with an EP release show at Off Broadway. Expect enthusiasm, feet washings (you'll just have to find out...) and dancing. But the fun won't all be frivolous: The EP was recorded as a tribute to Dave Hagerty, the spirite ... More >>

An Under Cover Weekend Night Three: Theodore The Rats and People Motion Picture Orchestra, Fractured Army, Makeshift Gentlemen, The Dive Poets, Via Dove

This year's Under Cover Weekend ended with a strong turnout at the Firebird last night. The crowd awaiting the opening super-group featuring Theodore and The Rats and People Motion Picture Orchestra already surpassed the somewhat-skimpy attendance for last Saturday's event. It's a good thing so ma ... More >>

Obituary: Dave Hagerty of Fattback, 1981-2010

David M. Hagerty memorial page/Facebook​Ask people what they remember most about Dave Hagerty, and chances are they won't mention his genre-bending guitar playing or the bizarre obsessions he sang about in his band, Fattback. What friends recall is Hagerty's smile - a genuine, kind-eyed grin t ... More >>

[Update] R.I.P. Fattback's Dave Hagerty -- Gathering at the Venice Cafe Tonight In His Memory

reverbnation.com/fattbackDave Hagerty on guitar, right​[Update, 1:50 p.m.: Joern confirmed to me that Hagerty passed away this afternoon. I'll update the post with visitation and funeral arrangements when they're known.] (Original post below.) Terrible news to report from over the weekend: F ... More >>

Homespun: Kentucky Knife Fight and Fattback

We're All Nameless Here
(self-released)
EEE PEE
(self-released)

2010 Music Showcase: 1 night, 50+ bands, 5 bucks this Saturday on Wash. Ave.

Homespun: Fattback

Canary
(self-released)