Matt Harnish

Drake, The English Beat, Gladys Knight, Toad the Wet Sprocket and More in This Week's 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; there, you can check out some of the artists you may not be familiar with. Page two contains our complete listing of new sho ... More >>

Bunnygrunt's Twentieth Anniversary Show: Review and Photos

In case you forgot: I gave myself the brain-crushing mission to make a show diary for every weekend in March. This is the third installment in my four-part project. Like the rest of us, my party time was cut short this weekend by twelve inches of snow. I'll have to cover JC Brooks and the Uptown So ... More >>

Tower Groove Records: The Bands Discuss their First Double-LP Compilation

Photo by Dana Smith A backyard is as good a place as any to start a movement. That's where, in two separate neighborhoods over roughly nine months, 22 bands outlined the edges of a music collective, filled them in over beer and launched Tower Groove Records. They collected votes and took turns. The ... More >>

Tower Groove Records is worth its weight in vinyl

A Comprehensive Guide to Record Store Day 2012

This just in: Vinyl is BACK! Now in its fifth year, Record Store Day has made its international mark, recognized by labels, bands, and collectors worldwide. Celebrating the cultural impact of the independent record store, RSD offers everything from live performances to special discounts to limited e ... More >>

Schlafly Celebrates Twenty Years with Another Strange and Wonderful Free Show

Brett Underwood​Since 1991, Schlafly Beer has been a beloved institution in St. Louis. Pouring heart and soul into their passion, the brewery creates well-crafted beer much to the applause of microbrew enthusiasts worldwide. From the rolling ease of the classic Pale Ale to the rich, roasted ma ... More >>

A Very Bert Dax Christmas, Volume Nine: All Twelve Tracks, Streaming with Commentary

Roughly what we will look like after attending four Bert Dax Xmas release shows.​A Very Bert Dax Christmas, Volume Nine has now officially been released. The ninth annual X-Mas compilation, a joint release by Rob Severson from Pancake Productions (subject of a recent music feature) and Matt Ha ... More >>

Every Bert Dax Christmas Volume Nine Track, Streaming with Commentary: Part Four of Six

Krampus!​A Very Bert Dax Christmas, Volume Nine has now officially been released. The ninth annual X-Mas compilation, a joint release by Rob Severson from Pancake Productions (subject of this week's music feature) and Matt Harnish of The Bert Dax Calvacade of Stars, features a pool of truly d ... More >>

Every Bert Dax Christmas Volume Nine Track, Streaming with Commentary: Part Three of Six

​A Very Bert Dax Christmas, Volume Nine has now officially been released. The ninth annual X-Mas compilation, a joint release by Rob Severson from Pancake Productions (subject of this week's music feature) and Matt Harnish of The Bert Dax Calvacade of Stars, features a pool of truly diverse lo ... More >>

Every Bert Dax Christmas Volume Nine Track, Streaming with Commentary: Part Two of Six

Image via.​A Very Bert Dax Christmas, Volume Nine has now officially been released. The ninth annual X-Mas compilation, a joint release by Rob Severson from Pancake Productions (subject of this week's music feature) and Matt Harnish of The Bert Dax Calvacade of Stars, features a pool of truly ... More >>

Every Bert Dax Christmas Volume Nine Track, Streaming with Commentary: Part One of Six

​A Very Bert Dax Christmas, Volume Nine has now officially been released. The ninth annual X-Mas compilation, a joint release by Rob Severson from Pancake Productions (subject of this week's music feature) and Matt Harnish of The Bert Dax Calvacade of Stars, features a pool of truly diverse lo ... 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 >>

Sleepy Kitty: Meet Your RFT Showcase Main Stage Headliners

Corey Woodruff​Although the duo isn't originially from St. Louis, Sleepy Kitty still manages to serve as an ancillary conduit that helps keep the city's arts and music scene buzzing. Utilizing "all of the advantages of 1980s-style land line," as drummer/singer Evan Sult aptly quipped, both Su ... More >>

HaikuLou Wants You to Commit Your Concert-Going Experiences to Poetry

​Live music enthusiast and rapier wit Jamie Lees had an idea for chronicling the former. She brought her idea to Matt Harnish of Vintage Vinyl and Bunnygrunt fame, and he co-signed. The idea: HaikuLou, wherein they, their friends and you (if you want) recap their experience at a show in three ... More >>

Last Collector Standing: Kate Eddens on Working at Thrill Jockey and Vintage Vinyl, and Her Musical Education (and Evolution)

Jon Scorfina​As major record labels have struggled to adjust to the new digital landscape, independent labels have thrived by sticking to the tried and true demand for vinyl. We caught up with Kate Eddens, a former employee of both Thrill Jockey records and Vintage Vinyl, at her south city hom ... More >>

Tullycraft and Bunnygrunt = BFFs Forever

courtesy of Mike AppelsteinA single released on the Texas label Kittyboo Records, circa 1997​No one's really sure anymore when the word "twee" entered the musical vernacular, although it was probably right around the time that NME's fabled C86 compilation came out in the UK. What's certain, ho ... More >>

There's something for everyone in these new holiday albums, even for Wilson Phillips fans

Ten Essential 2010 Holiday Albums

​For many musicians, the lure of the Christmas songbook is hard to resist. Despite the challenge of reworking well-worn (and, in some cases, worn out) songs, each year a few dozen acts try to make something fresh out of these seasonal favorites. This year's crop is heavy on female-fronted pop, ... More >>

Last Collector Standing: Jason Rerun on Ending His Radio Show, "Scene of the Crime," Collecting Punk Records and What's Next for BDR Records

The number of chain record stores nationwide has dwindled. However, St. Louis has become an unlikely safe haven for indie record shops as well as for DJs who prefer to spin the black circle instead of scrolling their iPods. In this weekly column, we'll focus on personal portraits of St. Louis' recor ... More >>

Random Links: Bob Pollard at a Guided By Voices Tribute, Lady Gaga vs. David Bowie Mashup, Kid Cudi Cover

Annie ZaleskiBob Pollard at the Firebird, October 2008​ *On Friday night, Bunnygrunt played in Columbus, Ohio, as part of a Guided By Voices tribute night. Performing as Grunted By Voices, the group covered classics such as "Postal Blowfish," "Melted Pat," "Lips Of Steel," "The Closer You Are" ... More >>

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

Every Monday, A to Z publishes the best-selling releases from area independent record stores from the preceding week. An asterisk after an album name indicates that the act is coming to town. And so without further ado: Apop Records 1. Faust -- C'est Com...Com...Complique 2. Voivod -- Infini 3. ... More >>

Remembering Michael Jackson

(Picture snapped tonight at Vintage Vinyl. I asked Matt Harnish if they had any Michael Jackson left. "Nope!" he exclaimed. I'm unsurprised. Other record stores in town -- have any MJ left?) Annie ZaleskiAs a child growing up in the '80s, there was no question that you liked Michael Jackson. ... More >>

The 2009 RFT Music Awards Winners

RFT Music Awards Nominees & Showcase Performers

The 2008 RFT Music Award Winners: The Results Are In!

RFT Music Awards Nominees: St. Louis' Best and Brightest

Various Artists

A Very Bert Dax Christmas, Vol. 6
(Bert Dax Cavalcade of Stars)

The Nights Goes Dark

Fabled concert venue Mississippi Nights closes its doors — for now.

Last Year's Model

It might be the last dance for St. Louis' independent record stores.

Talkin' Baseball

Matching the playoff-rockin' Cardinals with some appropriate tunes

Sunday's All Right for Rocking

And voting; don't forget to vote

Award-Winning Performance

Props to us -- for the best-ever RFT Music Awards showcase

Triple Play

Lightning strikes three times in one place, on one night

Glorious Glut

Could '02' mean "Oh, too many records?"

If We Make It Across Delmar

Our intrepid reporter gets her fill of St. Louis' best music

List-omania

RFT music geeks pick the best recordings of 2001

Band Together

The Fantasy Four and the Julia Sets take their show on the road

Tune Town

St. Louis welcomes three acts you won't want to miss

The 2001 RFT Slammies

Homeboy superstar Nelly tops the list of readers' favorite local musicians

Ode to Joy

The RFT music staff indulges itself by picking the best work of 2000

Listening Post