February's shaping up to be a pretty crazy month for music. And by crazy, I mean crazy. With the likes of Lady Gaga and Blowfly in only the first week, it'll be hard to compete with the level of shenanigans that are sure to ensue (also, what's this business about Bearhug?). Hell, we're not exactly sure where the rest of January went, but there's still time to squeeze in a show or three or more before it's over. This week, see Yo La Tengo, Kristeen Young, Ghost Ice and more. See what's after the jump in this week's show recommendations.
Soulard Blues Band Mon., 9 p.m., January 28 @ Broadway Oyster Bar - $5 By RFT Staff The Soulard Blues Band has gigged around town for more than twenty-five years. Most notably, its weekly residency at Broadway Oyster Bar perfectly accompanies the Southern-themed vibe complete with booze and Cajun food. Bassist and sole remaining founder Art Dwyer, a blues aficionado on local community radio station KDHX, holds down the band with his casual plucked lines. The rest of the rhythm section follows suit, allowing room for solos to float between rounds of drinks and a comfortable swing.
Ghost Ice Tues., 9 p.m., January 29 w/ Pak, Dungeon Broads, Marble, Blemished Stone @ Apop Records By RFT Staff Jeremy Kannapell is shy and mild mannered. The music he performs as Ghost Ice is anything but. He creates unsettling environments, often using little more than his own breathing noises as source material. Kannapell does not wrangle his aleatoric sounds into music as much as explore the unknown territories that result from their manipulation. His pursuit of "what if?" frequently finds him investigating other mediums and collaborating with other musicians, making him one of the great behind-the-scenes enablers of the St. Louis experimental arts. Kannapell's dynamic with Ghost Ice is not exactly a Clark Kent/Superman scenario, but there is a distinction. Jeremy Kannapell is a great guy. Ghost Ice is an experience.
Dave Holland Quintet Wed., 7:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m., January 30 @ Jazz at the Bistro - $32-$37 By Ryan Wasoba From a 2009 show review: Jazz musicians dedicate their lives to this highly specialized form of thrill seeking: the instantaneous composition of a piece of music that has never been played before and will most likely never be played again. Few people understand the sanctity of these moments like bassist Dave Holland. In the 40 years since Holland appeared on Miles Davis' notorious Bitches Brew and In a Silent Way sessions, he has continually chosen the path less traveled for the sake of musical adventure. Collaborations with Anthony Braxton, Chick Corea, Bill Frisell and countless others have served to sharpen his approach of flirting with the avant garde while still connecting to the masses.
Yo La Tengo Thurs., 9 p.m., January 31 w/ Calexico @ The Pageant - $22.50/$25 By Ryan Wasoba Yo La Tengo's shows are consistently full of "You should have been there" moments. The band previously performed a live score to a nature documentary at Webster University and put on a variety show at the Gargoyle with Tortoise's Doug McComb on guitar and comedian Todd Barry on percussion. During the Hoboken trio's last "conventional" show at the Pageant, the band broke into a five minute noise explosion midway through a Beach Boys cover. Guessing what surprises lie in Yo La Tengo's bottomless bag of tricks this round is futile; this 28-year-old band is more spontaneous than most bands of 28-year-olds.
