The 10 Best Concerts in St. Louis This Weekend: July 17 to 19

Modern Life Is War returns to St. Louis this Saturday night to celebrate the ten year anniversary of its seminal record Witness.

Bunnygrunt has been a fixture of the St. Louis scene for more than two decades and if you're not hip to locally-sourced grass-fed indie rock, consider the band's European tour kickoff and album release show at Off Broadway on Saturday night. Maybe you're all booked up because of the World Naked Bike Ride; that's okay, cruise on over to the after-party at Atomic Cowboy to catch St. Louis' own nearly-naked band Crazy XXX Girlfriend. All this and more within:

FRIDAY, JULY 17

Alien Ant Farm w/ Run 2 Cover, Scene of Irony, J Boozer, Nervous Pudding Friday, July 17 The Firebird 7:30 p.m. | $16-$18 I know I'm not the only one who hears Alien Ant Farm and thinks of summer break filled with Sega Dreamcast and Mountain Dew Code Red. Notwithstanding that famous cover of Michael Jackson's "Smooth Criminal," the band has enough of its own little earworms to infest any brain that can halfway appreciate a good hook. Pop rock from the early aughts marches on with Alien Ant Farm leading the pack.

Hoonbag Moonswag w/ Louis Wall, Trancers Friday, July 17 Schlafly Tap Room 9 p.m. | free Remember Pu Fest? It was last year's b-side to St. Louis' own LouFest, offering an alternative event for fans of punk and noise. Many acts traveled from afar to meet up with some of our city's finest bands for two days of rapid-fire sets. Although admission is technically free, this night is a fundraiser to that fest's sequel, aptly named Tu Fest. Get "tu" it.

Mail the Horse Record Release Show w/ Moon Glampers, Kim Logan Friday, July 17 Blueberry Hill 9 p.m. | $8 Mail the Horse has some kind of love affair with St. Louis. Despite being based out of Brooklyn, which is saturated with some of this country's most groundbreaking art, the band brings its rough-edged rock gospel with a strong southern twang straight to the midwest to celebrate Planet Gates, released last month on vinyl and compact disc.

Modern Life Is War w/ Coliseum, Xerxes, True Love Friday, July 17 Fubar 8 p.m. | $14-$16 By Daniel Hill Modern Life Is War also has a bit of a thing for St. Louis. The Iowa-based hardcore band performed here more than a dozen times during its first six years of existence, before calling it quits with a farewell tour in 2008. Most of those shows took place at the Lemp Arts Center -- then a hardcore haven -- and its farewell stop in St. Louis took place at Building R, a short-lived warehouse space-turned DIY venue. Both spots featured plenty of room, which is good for a band whose performances inspire the kind of wall-to-wall mosh pits and frantic pile-ons for which MLIW is notorious. Fubar's venue side should work nicely as well, but fair warning to those who don't like people jumping on their heads: Stay away from the stage.

Shitstorm w/ Skin Tags, Armadillo Friday, July 17 St. Louis Skatium 10 p.m. | $7 Punk and skating are best friends, but if Disney's 1998 film Brink! is any indication, skateboarders are cool jocks to be feared and rollerbladers best stay out of the way. Joke's on them, because real-life punk rock goes down at the St. Louis Skatium, where bladers sharpen their skates and make their rounds. The whole thing is a breeding ground for the kind of wild parties straight from any number of '90s (or '80s) movies.

SATURDAY, JULY 18

Bunnygrunt Record Release #1 w/ Veil, Nervosa, Royal Holland Saturday, July 18 Off Broadway 8 p.m. | $8 Not only does this event celebrate Bunnygrunt's latest album Bunnygrunt Vol 4 (which you can read about in this week's Homespun), but the kings and queen of twee pop plan to depart for a European tour very, very soon. See Matt Harnish and company off with a full night of mostly enthusiastic head-bopping and maybe something resembling dancing. Or moshing. Arrive on time for thrashy jams from Ohio's Nervosas, who was just added to the bill along with newcomers Veil.

See also: 26 Bands Pay Tribute to St. Louis' Bunnygrunt on New Compilation

Crazy XXX Girlfriend Saturday, July 18 Atomic Cowboy 9 p.m. | free The World Naked Bike Ride is responsible for a few things: A certain set of voyeurs will actually leave their house for much-needed exercise and Riverfront Times will net enough slideshow page views to pay its bills for yet another year. This momentous event gives Atomic Cowboy a great excuse to bring guitarists wrapped in lacy lingerie to its massive outdoor stage. Read more about Crazy XXX Girlfriend in this week's print edition or right here on the blog.

Throwing Things Records Showcase w/ The Haddonfields, The Rackatees, Mike Pennekamp Saturday, July 18 Music Record Shop 2 p.m. | free This is apparently the pre-game to a house show at some mystical land and rock formation called Chill Dawg Cove. Our sources (who prefer to remain anonymous, and I am going to respect that wish) say that instructions on how to attend this prestigious event will be distributed at Music Record Shop between the hours of 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. Fans of poppy rock and bubblegum punk can take drunken solace from the humid heat of St. Louis and its massive swathe of blues and cover bands. We mean to say that Music Record Shop has air conditioning and free beer.

SUNDAY, JULY 19

Vince Staples w/ Markoe, Vince Sega, Michael Jerome 8:00 p.m. July 19 The Firebird 8 p.m. | $15 By Daniel Hill The last time LA's Vince Staples came to St. Louis it was as direct support for Earl Sweatshirt, the Odd Future collective's premier wordsmith. Staples won over the crowd at the Ready Room with a tight, focused set -- the reception was warm at best in the beginning, but by the end of his time the young audience had been worked up to near-frenzied levels. That ability to sell himself carries over into his recorded output as well: His latest, Summertime '06, was released in late June to near-universal critical acclaim, with no less than Rolling Stone dubbing Staples "the most exciting man in rap."

Note: Though we wish we could, we can't feature every great show happening in town in just one post. Peruse the St. Louis concert calendar for more ideas, and let everyone know what else you're looking forward to seeing this weekend in the comments below. To be considered for coverage in RFT Music, submit show info online or drop us a line anytime.