Insert 4:20 joke here. I'll help you out: Tumblr is an endless sewer of hash-hashtags and humorless stoner gifs. Those who choose to abstain on such a national holiday might find solace in the sonic equivalent of flying high as a kite.
Zappa Plays Zappa is such a band. Weed stench is sure to permeate every inch of the Ready Room, so if your office requires randomized drug tests, you could be in danger from second-hand smoke alone. Hoodie Allen plays Maryville University the next day, which might not be much safer. It's best just to give up and go green.
Here is our list of the week's best live music.
MONDAY, APRIL 20
Zappa Plays Zappa Monday, April 20 The Ready Room 8 p.m. | $25-$75 By Joseph Hess Calling Zappa Plays Zappa a tribute group discredits the fact that Dweezil, the legend's eldest son, commits to the pageantry of a classic Zappa gig -- and then some. This group plays more like a sequel with the same cast but a new director. Respect to the source is a given, especially since the players here go beyond knowing just how to play -- they know why. Oh, and it's 4/20 today, so.
TUESDAY, APRIL 21
Hoodie Allen Tuesday, April 21 Maryville University 8 p.m. | $20 By Joseph Hess Hoodie Allen is a late '80s baby who swims in the stranger subgenres of hip-hop. He dabbles in the pop side (see the video above, a collab with singer/songwriter Ed Sheeran) but embraces the underlying fuzz of lo-fi beats. His bouncy sound invokes a party-rap vibe that revels in playful lyrics that never get too serious -- think slice of life with sarcastic cheese. This is an odd gig for Maryville, but Hoodie might be best taken in with a space full of drunken students stressed before the impending doom of finals week.
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 22
Pujol Wednesday, April 22 Off Broadway 9 p.m. | free By Kiernan Maletsky From the RFT Music archives: Daniel Pujol from Nashville knows plenty about the good in people and the celebration of life's pleasures. He is, like much of his young generation, highly educated and disillusioned with the straight-and-narrow path to the white-picket fence in the 'burbs. Maybe that all worked out for a while, but it's hard to imagine the trajectory that gets us from debt and anxiety-laden kids to stable country-club members.
THURSDAY, APRIL 23
Robert Glasper Experiment w/ Keyon Harrold Thursday, April 23 (also Wednesday, April 22) Jazz at the Bistro 7:30 p.m. | $35 By Charles Purnell To say that Houston jazz pianist Robert Glasper has had an amazing run over the last the six years is an understatement. The Blue Note Records signee has become one of the new leaders in jazz music, not only through his prodigious chops but also through his ability to effortlessly blend in with hip-hop, pop and rock, creating a seamless sound. In 2012 his quartet released Black Radio, which brought the group widespread critical acclaim and a Grammy to boot. The sequel, Black Radio 2, upped the ante and solidified Glasper's role as a must-watch modern jazz artist. Glasper is one of the many artists featured on Kendrick Lamar's masterpiece To Pimp a Butterfly, released earlier this year -- he went to high school with saxophonist and TPAB producer Terrace Martin.
Follow through for more concerts in St. Louis this weekend.
