Willie Nelson

The Top Ten Ways to Piss Off Your Bartender at a Music Venue

When I'm not raking in the millions writing for music blogs, I, much like many of my fellow artsy-fartsies and anti-professionals, have to earn my dough in the service industry. Working directly with customers in any job can be a trying and frustrating experience, and especially in the bar industry ... More >>

Country Music for People who Hate Country

Cardinal fans and Cub fans. Democrats and Republicans. Those who keep up with the Kardashians and those who should be allowed to vote. Country music fans and country music haters. While no end is in sight to the strife between the first three aforementioned warring factions, there may be hope for t ... More >>

Willie Nelson at the Pageant, 4/17/12: Review, Photos and Setlist

Willie Nelson and Family | The Pernikoff Brothers April 17, 2012 The Pageant Halfway through last night's Willie Nelson show at the Pageant (6161 Delmar Boulevard, 314-726-6161), with the obligatory Texas flag backdrop flying on stage and Willie about to launch into "Good Hearted Woman," a man asks ... More >>

Out Every Night: The Best Shows From April 16 to 22

Ok folks, this week is insane -- the number of excellent shows that did not make the cut for this post could easily fill another, if not for the nagging reality that time is finite. We don't want to short-change you though, so here's the runner-up rundown: Crowbar at Fubar on Monday, Cursive at Off ... More >>

That Willie Nelson-Coldplay Chipotle Ad During The Grammys? Gut Check Aired It in August

Gut Check didn't watch the Grammys, but we certainly noticed when those live-snarking the event on Twitter started talking about Chiptole...and Willie Nelson? and...Coldplay? That rang a bell.

The Ten Most Cringe-Worthy Celebrity Vocal Duets

The soon to be collaborating Voices. Courtesy of NBC​Oh great. The judges/coaches from NBC's hit karaoke tournament vocal competition "The Voice" are going to collaborate. Specifically, Maroon 5, led by slightly soulful popster Adam Levine will be joined by Christina Aguilera to perform their ... More >>

Ten Best Things to Do in St. Louis This Weekend: June 10-12

wikimedia commons​Hope you're well rested: It's a hell of a weekend in the 'Lou. David Bazan is at Old Rock House and Twangfest goes for two more nights at the Duck Room. The Blind Eyes and Yowie are both playing big shows on Saturday, and two very different pot enthusiasts headline gigantic ... More >>

Willie Nelson's Country Throwdown

3:30 p.m. Saturday, June 11. World Shooting & Recreational Complex, One Main Event Lane, Suite 510, Sparta, Illinois.

Country-music legend Kris Kristofferson talks about touring with his "hero," Merle Haggard

Jimmy Buffett's National Margarita Day -- and 7 Other Celeb/Booze Tie-Ins

​Is National Wine Appreciation Week wearing you out? Maybe all you need is a change of pace. Lucky you! Today's National Margarita Day! At least, according to Jimmy Buffett, who will be opening Verizon Wireless Amphitheater's season on May 3. And who could doubt the word of a 64-year-old man ... More >>

Ten Musicians Who Don't Act Their Age

Last weekend, Chuck Berry gave fans in Chicago a scare: A New Year's Day concert ended prematurely after the 84-year-old fell ill. This gig aside, however, Berry remains a workhorse: Without fail, he plays monthly at Blueberry Hill's Duck Room, and he told Rolling Stone last year that he's working o ... More >>

A Road Playlist for Tony La Russa

TLR, Bob Schneider and the Twitter bird. Don't ask me, but the image works.​Tony La Russa is driving home. Rather than flying home after the season, he's taking his time heading back to the Bay Area this year and recreating a trip he took in 1996, which you all may recall was the year he took over ... More >>

Booker T.

9 p.m. Saturday, September 4. Laclede's Landing Main Stage, North First Street and Lucas Avenue.

Interview: Eyehategod Bassist Gary Mader Talks Phil Anselmo, Addiction and the Louisiana Oil Spill (Hint: "Fuck BP.")

Eyehategod​Underground sludge legends Eyehategod have pulled it together for what could be a breakout tour. The New Orleans band has been grinding it out since 1988, and it's been a rough, broken road. As documented in the group's lyrics, things such as addiction, incarceration and probation h ... More >>

Show Review Setlist: Willie Nelson and Family at the Pageant, Thursday, March 11

Todd OwyoungWillie Nelson at Farm Aid, 10/4/09, the Verizon Wireless Amphitheater. Read that review.​Before Willie Nelson and Family took the stage last night at the Pageant, one integral member of the band sat alone, illuminated by a single spotlight. It was Trigger, Willie's stalwart 1969 Ma ... More >>

10 Willie Nelson Look-Alikes Spotted Last Night at the Pageant

Willie Nelson, by many accounts, is on several people's "people I'd like to meet/smoke pot with/sing a song with/have a whiskey with" lists. To extend their reverence from the country outlaw, many fans just plain dress like the 76-year-old songwriter.Willie Nelson: pretty awesome.​Last night, we s ... More >>

2009 in Review: September

​​September is a very special month here not only at Gut Check International Headquarters but at the RFT as a whole: We release our annual Best of St. Louis issue. Check out our winners in the Restaurants and Food & Drink categories. The rest of the month, after the jump.

Local Harvest: For the first time ever, Farm Aid comes to St. Louis.

Show Review Setlist: Dave Matthews & Tim Reynolds at Farm Aid, Sunday, October 4

This has been noted before, but Dave Matthews fans are a funny bunch. Funny, but dedicated. Upon arriving at the Verizon Wireless Ampitheater parking lot, I traipsed by several tail-gaters blaring DMB tunes and drinking beer a good six hours before Dave's set. Did they realize that his set would be ... More >>

Show Review Setlist: Willie Nelson at Farm Aid, Sunday, October 4

As he took the stage for the festival-closing set, Willie Nelson was introduced over the loudspeaker as the "President of Farm Aid." Sure enough, he is the president of the board of directors. But if Farm Aid (either the concert or the non-profit) were run like a Willie Nelson concert, we wouldn't b ... More >>

Farm Aid at Verizon Ampitheater in October

farmaid.orgFor the past several days it has not been a matter of if Farm Aid would play in St. Louis this year. The question has been where in town organizers planned to stage the concert. That's because the organization has been dropping hints like crazy this month on its Twitter account pointing t ... More >>

Farm Aid Announced for Sunday, October 4 at Verizon Wireless Amphitheater

St. Louis Mayor Francis Slay, center, with St. Louis County Executive Charlie Dooley, left, Missouri farmer Rhonda Perry, far right, and Farm Aid Executive Director Carolyn Mugar, near right, on Thursday at Soulard Farmer's Market.My colleague Chad Garrison (via the P-D) reported this morning that F ... More >>

Review Setlists: Bob Dylan, John Mellencamp and Willie Nelson at GCS Ballpark, Thursday, July 2

Everything looked bad but the weather. I crawled through traffic in parts of Cahokia and Sauget that will never make a John Mellencamp small town video. I stared at the lines snaking around the GCS Ballpark half an hour before show time. I forked out $10 for the pleasure of later waiting an hour to ... More >>

The Red-Headed Strangers

9 p.m. Saturday, July 4. Off Broadway, 3509 Lemp Avenue.

Bob Dylan/Willie Nelson/John Mellencamp

5:30 p.m. Thursday, July 2. GCS Ballpark, 2301 Grizzlie Bear Boulevard, Sauget, Illinois.

Twangfest

8 p.m. Thursday, June 11, Friday, June 12, Saturday, June 13. Blueberry Hill's Duck Room, 6504 Delmar Boulevard, University City.

The Top 10 Reissues of 2008

It's time to rank the best of what went around and came around again. BILLY JOEL The Stranger (Columbia/Legacy) As punk and disco exploded, the Piano Man's deeply unhip 1978 breakthrough proved that top-shelf Broadway/Brill Building songwriting could still sell - and, occasionally, rock. "Scene ... More >>

RFT Softball: New Field is Tough Turf in Loss to Grady's Bar

Show Review: Willie Nelson, James Hunter at the Fabulous Fox Theatre, Saturday, June 14

Over the Weekend: Iron and Wine, London Calling, Willie Nelson, That 80s Club, Australian Graffiti

St. Louis Weekend Concert Calendar: June 13 through 15

St. Louis is alive with great live music: Tune in to the city's hottest summer sounds

2008 Bonnaroo Lineup Announced: Metallica, Pearl Jam, Sigur Ros, Jack Johnson, Death Cab for Cutie, more

To Market!

Fresh Express Spinach

$2.29
Schnucks
4171 Lindell Boulevard

Willie Nelson

7:30 p.m. Tuesday, August 22. UMB Bank Pavilion (14141 Riverport Drive, Maryland Heights).

Campfire Fiddle

(Fish Fry, Maplewood)

Los Lonely Boys

Saturday, September 17; the Pageant (6161 Delmar Boulevard)

Denim and Diamonds 3, featuring Willie Nelson & Family

Friday, September 16; the Pageant (6161 Delmar Boulevard)

Stir It Up

It's hard not to be happy at Caribbean Sun

The Bands of Summer

Here are ten hot, not-to-miss local acts

Various Artists

No Depression: What It Sounds Like (Vol. 1) (Dualtone)

Toots & the Maytals

True Love (V2)

Stranger Than Fiction

Carla Bozulich has the balls to remake a classic

Willie Nelson

Friday, September 12; Pageant

Series/Festivals

Week of November 13, 2002

Declaration of Independents

The St. Louis International Film Festival proves "indie" isn't a category but a way of life

Marty Stuart

Saturday, Dec. 15; Incahoots

Sound Checks

What bands got you into music in the first place and keep you going?