On Saturday night, we headed to Washington Avenue to see what we could see at the annual Music Showcase. New intern Steve Hardy talked to some of the bands, the bartenders and any random attendees, all in the name of finding out who really deserves to be crowned one of St. Louis' top acts. After washing the beer and shaving cream out of his hair (more on that later) he transposed these notes from five hours at the Showcase.
8:10 There's a full house at Mosaic, but less than half a block away a crowd is gathered for a performance by Nato Caliph and others. The hip-hop stalwarts are bringing a crowd from all over downtown to the outdoor stage. There's an old lady leaning on a stoplight to watch, a kindergartener hanging on the fence, and a crowd at the bus stop getting down. An appeal to "spin your shirts around like a helicopter" goes unheeded. Maybe later tonight.
8:17 The Dock Ellis Band gets raucous laughter from Dubliner crowd with, "Condoms cost money, so we don't use those," sage advice for troubled economic times. Also, the band had a song about beating down a manatee with a 2X4.
8:29 Talked to folks in line to buy wristbands, am warned against Dubliner's chicken wings.
8:41 It's very easy to tell the regulars at the Over/Under Sports bar from the Exercise fans, most of whom look like they could use some. All of the skinny, mustachioed hipsters are entranced by the band's three-part vocal drone.
8:55 Performer Cassie Morgan's roommate won't give up any dirt on living with a showcase musician, but does tell me that if I'm lucky, I might get the chance to see her play, like, seventeen instruments -- all at once.
9:00 It's Beth Bombara, not Cassie Morgan, who plays tambourine, xylophone, glockenspiel and a wine glass at the same time, though.
9:09 Lure is cold! Like, physically cold. We need to get some bodies in here.
9:13 Hair of the Dog is crawling with Humanoids fans "because they're the best fucking band ever!" I am assured by a large handle-bar-mustache-sporting man in a skull T-shirt. The sentiment is echoed by a crowd of patrons by the bar who also give a nod to Bunnygrunt. They've never heard them, they've just got a good feeling.
9:22 Talked to Kyle and Joe of Jumbling Towers. There is much discussion of why St. Louis should vote for them. They eventually decide that they're the best because they'll "grow with the people." (Now, there's a slogan to put on a bass drum.) Other considerations as to why people should vote for JT: its fiscal policy and its swag.
