Rockabilly, hot rods, death-fetish, punk and burlesque -- these are a few of our favorite things. Tina Morrison and Marcia Presley, members of ass-kicking local goth-rock outfit Son of William, are throwing a "Hearses and Hot Rods" party at Berzerker Studios (3033 Locust Street, 7 p.m.-midnight, $8, all ages, 314-652-7300) that promises all of the above.
Visitors to the affair will take note of the 1972 gunmetal-colored Cadillac hearse and 1956 black-and-white Cadillac with the massive tail fins parked in front -- them's the hot rods.
The "gothabilly" concert lineup, featuring two punk and two darkwave bands, includes the Skulls, a quartet that performs a tribute to horror-punks the Misfits. Lead crooner Devin Baker is so devoted to former Misfits frontman/ frustrated bodybuilder Glenn Danzig that he sports a "WWDD" tattoo ("What would Danzig do?") and a long hank of greasy hair falling down the center of his face.
Stykfaktor comprises Styk and Tortured (the latter is also the creator of the successful "I Spit on Hollywood" psychotronic film society). The duo plays original darkwave material. The other acts include local industrial band 6, which has been known to cover Nine Inch Nails, and the psychobilly madmen of the Seven Shot Screamers, who have disgorged Mötörhead covers and include a double-bass player.
Presley says the between-bands burlesque shows feature "old-school Gypsy Rose Lee and Bettie Page-type stuff" performed by Devil Kitty, Miss Sassafras and Nordria, also known as dancers/singers from Son of William.
The concert is alcohol-free, but everyone's invited to traipse down the street to the Rocket Bar for the after-party. -- Byron Kerman
Boredom Sucks Go
SAT 6/7
Although St. Louis' skateboard scene is hurtin' for certain, the hip-hop scene fares much better, and the weirdo scene is off the charts. The Legal Tender art show, put on by Minneapolis-based Life Sucks Die magazine and St. Louis' own Litterthugz crew, incorporates all three. Put the PS2 down, get off the couch and go to the free opening tonight at Atomic Cowboy (7 p.m., 7336 Manchester Avenue, 314-645-0608). The show features "paintings, skateboards and eight-bit gangsta-rap folk art" from LSD artists George Thompson, Aaron Horkey and Todd Bratrud, plus Litterthugz Ryan Bair, Mike Davis and Joe Beuckman. There'll be live DJs and plenty of stuff to gawk at. -- Guy Gray
Hydrohoosiers
Every member of the hoosierati worth his mesh trucker hat will be at Creve Coeur Lake (Marine Avenue at Creve Coeur Mill Road) this Friday and Saturday, June 6 and 7, for the Creve Coeur Classic Drag Boat Races. You can dress up a model, stick him on the cover of a newspaper and call him a hoosier, but if you want to see the real deal, this is the place to be. Half-shirts, cut-offs, truck-stop flip-flops, Marlboros and Bud tallboys will abound, none of it orchestrated by an art director. Oh, and some low-slung water rockets are gonna go screaming across the lake every couple of minutes, but the real spectacle will be on the banks. Cowboy up, Cletus. Call 314-845-6988. -- Paul Friswold
Antiquing in the Nightclub Hub
SAT 6/7
With its charming old-fashioned street signs and new pedestrian-friendly layout, Washington Avenue is starting to look sharp. And finally there's something to spend your money on besides lofts and unnaturally hued drinks.
The new City Market, held the first Saturday of every month through October, is a welcome excuse to check out downtown and buy your bric-a-brac outdoors. Specializing in furniture, clothes and collectibles left of the standard flea-market fare, the marketplace is open 8 a.m.-2 p.m. between 14th and 16th streets on Washington Avenue (free admission). They have space for more vendors, so call Heather Wohl at 314-726-2321 to unload that basement of antique lunchboxes. -- Niles Baranowski
