The next few days bring several winners of this summer's RFT Music Awards (voted on by you, dear readers). But to be honest, I've been told all my life that the best things in life are free and the shows this weekend seem to back up that little cliche, with Fister at Layla on Friday and the Cherokee Street Jazz Crawl all day on Saturday. Supporting local music with your hard-earned bills is a noble deed — one you'll have the chance to do at Cherokee Street's newest venue San Loo with a stellar lineup of Shut In, Buttercup and 3 of 5. These are hard choices to make, but I believe in you.
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 6
Ahleuchatistas w/ Yowie, Demonlover
Foam
8 p.m. | $7
Asheville duo Ahleuchatistas applies microtonal guitar and traditional Eastern rhythm to heavy, guttural rock. The sheer range of sound these two produce is especially striking, considering their minimalist setup of drums and guitar. Shane Perlowin's fretwork alone induces a sonic seizure while percussionist Ryan Oslance expands upon the melodies with absolute precision. Few bands play as perfect as Ahleuchatistas does.
First Friday Novemberfest w/ DJ Billy Brown
Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis
6 p.m. | free
There is one fringe benefit to reading this column every weekend: The occasional inside scoop on free beer. Apparently CAM has a ton of free Schlafly Beer leftover from Oktoberfest and the gallery is hoping to share its boozy wealth. Enjoy the Sign Language Exhibition Tour at 6:30 and dance to DJ Billy Brown from 7 to 9. This show works best as a pre-game to any other event later in the night, given that you don't go overboard with the complimentary drinks.
3 of 5 w/ Shut In, Buttercup
San Loo
9 p.m. | $5
3 of 5 is the solo endeavor of Andrew Garces, who performs in both Vanilla Beans and I Could Sleep In The Clouds — two bands who earned accolades in their respective categories earlier this year at the RFT Music Awards. With 3 of 5, Garces stretches his legs and reclines on smooth chiptune sounds generated from a Nintendo 3DS. He accompanies these melodic bleeps and bloops with a vocal delivery that's as charming as it is catchy. Shut In and Buttercup both provide busy rock with tinges of '90s grunge and indie without teetering too far in either direction.
Fister
Layla
9 p.m. | free
St. Louis' own kings of doom host a dual DJ night and concert in the intimate space inside Layla. Considering Fister's penchant for cramming its massive metal down the throats of every showgoer with oppressive volume, earplugs are likely a must. Since its inception, the trio has released several recordings, with this year's IV — a single track album spanning more than 40 minutes — at the forefront.
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 7
Big K.R.I.T. w/ BJ The Chicago Kid, Scotty ATL, Delorean, Allen Gates
The Ready Room
8 p.m. | $22-$100
By Daniel Hill
Big K.R.I.T. is officially taking over. In the past year he's released the well-received mixtape See Me On Top IV, followed closely by his second album with Def Jam, last November's Cadillactica, which peaked at No. 1 on both the Billboard U.S. Rap and R&B charts. His song “Saturdays = Celebration” found its way into the trailer for the hit movie Sicario and the rapper even made his way down under for his first Australian tour. What's interesting is that he accomplished all this by relinquishing some creative control. Whereas in the past he handled everything about his music, from lyrics to production to mixing and mastering, Cadillactica saw him collaborating with a host of big-name producers, including DJ Khalil, Raphael Saadiq, Alex da Kid and Terrace Martin. The near-universal critical acclaim the album received just goes to show that sometimes it is a good idea to play with others.
See also: Rapper Big K.R.I.T. Takes the Road Less Traveled to Find Success
Cherokee Street Jazz Crawl 2015
Cherokee Street
12 p.m. | free
Full lineup:
Brian Ryback and Friends at South City Art Supply
Tommy Halloran Retro 101
Miss Jubilee at Foam Coffee & Beer
DJ Boogieman at STL Hop Shop
Wack-A-Doo at Fortune Teller Bar
Gateway Jazz Project at Bespoke
Mike Faltesek & Chloe Feoranzo at Melt
Ethan Leinwand at Yaqui’s
Sidemen at Art Bar
St. Boogie Brass Band on the street
Several acts from the full spectrum of jazz and all its subgenres occupy spaces throughout Cherokee Street for free midday crawl. Weathered fans should still find at least one new favorite but local scene dabblers should clear a few hours out for this primer on homegrown jazz. Catch an all-star jazz jam at Yaqui's after the initial crawl (which lasts from noon to 3:30 p.m.) and close out the day with an after-party at Art Bar around 8 p.m. KDHX DJs Kelly Wells and Ryan Spearman spin records at Foam in the interim.
New Music Circle Presents: Charlemagne Palestine
Pulitzer Arts Foundation
8 p.m. | $10-$20
The Brooklyn-born, Brussels native has been an essential yet understated figure in experimental composition since the 1970s. His musical focus lies in a variety of keys — piano, synthesizer, church organ and bells. He was recently featured by local music label Close/Far with a limited edition cassette and now New Music Circle brings him to town for two performances and two artist talks. This show is the core of his visit to the river city, but he also performs Sunday night at the Historic Trinity Lutheran Church (located at 812 Soulard Street). Saturday's event features visuals by Palestine while Sunday night will have a video installation by local artists Kevin Harris and Chad Eivins.
Otto's Revenge w/ Echo Bravo, Saint John and Farmer Jesse, Billy & The Jets, Paperkite
Fubar
8 p.m. | $8-$10
Otto's Revenge was most active in the early to mid-nineties, bringing a heavy rock squalor while helping to build up the St. Louis punk scene. Lead singer Kurt Hoffmann produced a compilation series, The Guide To Fast Living, which featured bands such as the Dazzling Killmen and Fragile Porcelain Mice among lesser-known acts to give a solid document of the scene. The name might feel familiar to some, since Hoffmann later named his solo music project after the compilation. Otto's Revenge has been reunited for more than a year but the band rarely plays out, so consider this a slice of local history live and in-person.
SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 8
New Found Glory w/ Yellowcard, Tigers Jaw
The Pageant
8 p.m. | $25-$28
By Arielle Castillo
From The Glory of Love: Punk-pop lifers New Found Glory confound critics by continuing to stay relevant – and produce solid tunes: Its musical style — a fast, pop-punk hybrid with dashes of hardcore — has evolved, but rarely wavered. New Found Glory's success has come from working hard as opposed to trying hard — rather than chasing sub-subgenre trends, the band has mostly stuck to its guns. Consequently, New Found Glory occupies the rarefied privilege of moving units and packing bodies into its shows while still enjoying something of a cult status bolstered by healthy punk-scene cred.
The Sudden Passion w/ Tortuga, The Fighting Side
The Demo
7:30 p.m. | $10
Remember Femme Fatality? If you were one of the many teenagers feeding the monster that was STLPunk.com in the early aughts, then the name should seem familiar. The Sudden Passion is Bradley M. Palermo's alter-ego of alternative folk, which gradually morphed into a full-band complete with synth and live drums. Born in St. Louis, Palermo now lives in L.A. and has shifted back to performing as a solo act, bringing stripped down gems that can stand just fine all on their own.
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.
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