Acid Kat Fest 3 Heavy Fundraiser w/ Path of Might, ThorHammer, Planet Eater, Heavy Horse Friday, July 24 Foam Coffee & Beer 10 p.m. | $3 By Daniel Hill Now entering its third year, Acid Kat Fest is quickly becoming one of the best festivals in town for those willing to scratch a little beneath the surface. Freaks and weirdos from St. Louis and parts beyond gather for a night of music that ranges from the poppy to the avant-garde to the hardcore, touching on many sounds that fall in between. This year's fest will take place next week, on August 1 -- think of this show as a primer. All proceeds will go toward making the festival itself possible.
SATURDAY, JULY 25
The Fog Lights Album Release w/ Letter to Memphis, Emily Wallace Saturday, July 25 Blueberry Hill 9 p.m. | $8 From Premiere: Watch the Fog Light's New Video for "Lead the Way" Now:
The Fog Lights, the duo that comprises Justin Johnson (Pretty Little Empire, Jump Starts) and Jim Peters (Javier Mendoza, Upright Animals, the Provels), is debuting the new video for its song "Lead the Way," with RFT Music. Shot by Justin Hayward, a commercial director based in Chicago who grew up with the members of the band, the video is a spare affair, featuring long, unbroken shots in black and white, and few cuts.See also: Some of St. Louis' Finest Musicians Are Doing Their Best Work in Splinter Groups
SUNDAY, JULY 26
Mark Dew Sunday, July 26 Hideaway Restaurant & Lounge 7:30 p.m. | free To walk into the Hideaway is to enter a place that seems frozen in time, where the dozen or so seats around the piano are packed with your grandparents' friends, decked out in chunky jewelry and tilted fedora hats. Ostensibly, they're here to listen to Mark Dew play -- he's here Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights -- but you're just as likely to hear one of those old-timers sitting around the piano trill Charlie Rich's "The Most Beautiful Girl." And when Dew finally has his turn at the mic, he'll say something humble, like, "I apologize; it should have been in the key of F." No matter. Dew is the conductor of this time-traveling train, and everyone's on board. Dew, who is blind, has been the piano man here for nearly a quarter-century and jokes that the best part about working here is, well, getting paid. He marvels at the younger set trickling in and its knowledge of the Cash and Sinatra songbooks: "The more the crowd gets into it, the more I play," Dew says. And that's enough to keep him around. "I'm not quite ready to be out to pasture," he says. "Yet."
Note: Though we wish we could, we can't feature every great show happening in town in just one post. Look for plenty more recommendations this Friday in our weekend shows post, peruse the St. Louis concert calendar for more ideas and let everyone know what else you're looking forward to seeing this week 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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