4. Lifted. St. Louis-based electronic musician, DJ and promoter Michael Bishop is the mind behind the progressive beat scene sets that are happening at Blank Space. Acts ranging from locals such as Hubbble and Abnormal to Los Angeles' Astronautica are showing up regularly to hit the mixer and drop the beat for a good crowd, showcasing their chops in a talent long overlooked in St. Louis. Lifted is holding down a solid alternative to the typical indie-rock three-band bill that is too often the only option for catching a live set around town.
3. STL Up Late. St. Louis' only late-night comedy talk show has gained a ton of momentum in the past several months, and they've teamed up with local musicians to get there. Every Saturday night around 10:30 p.m. a new episode of original comedy sketches are performed, with a musical break in between. Not only is the comedy spot-on, but they are also documenting some fantastic live music sets on their site -- Middle Class Fashion, Thelonius Kryptonite, Doorway and Bruiser Queen's infamous banana-suit performance, to name a few.
2. Steven and Graham. Have no fear, these fellas are still out there doing some of the best DIY documentation there ever was. Seeing either or both of these two at a show basically guarantees you're at the right one, too. Their taste in music is only outdone by their love for it. Sometimes at several shows in a night, their YouTube channel is an absolute treasure trove of local and national live performances posted with respect and true admiration for the work.
1. Revolution in Progress. The impact of Mike Brown's death and the uprising in and around Ferguson hit so hard that nothing could ever be the same. Yes, the revolution is in progress, and various artists here at the epicenter are at work.Tef Poe, Damon Davis and T-Dubb-O have all taken up the cause and paused their previous efforts, shifting gears hard to a place where activism meets art. These, along with many others, are rallying all over the world to generate attention for the cause.
Tef Poe's song "War Cry" was released in early November on Delmar Records, speaking directly to Missouri Governor, Jay Nixon. Damon Davis has taken to creating powerful visual art as well as BadTaste: The Far Fetched Podcast to coincide with his musical effort and T-Dubb-O has even had the opportunity to meet the the president of the United States during his efforts to further the cause. 2014 has been time of deep tragedy, passion and change -- out from which has come great art.
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