Each week, we bring you our picks for the best concerts of the next seven days! To submit your show for consideration, click here. All events are subject to change, especially in the age of COVID-19, so do check with the venue for the most up-to-date information before you head out for the night. And of course, be sure that you are aware of the venues’ COVID-safety requirements, as those vary from place to place and you don’t want to get stuck outside because you forgot your mask or proof of vaccination. Happy show-going!
J.R.C.G. w/ 18andCounting, Jane Wave
8 p.m. Monday, October 24. Off Broadway, 3509 Lemp Avenue. $10. 314-498-6989.
After years of designing art and album covers for a vast array of musicians, Justin R. Cruz Gallego compiled specific visuals to inform the kaleidoscopic vibe of Ajo Sunshine, the debut album from art rock outfit J.R.C.G. The Tacoma, Washington, native built a mood board filled with old covers of Lowrider Magazine, print materials from the Chicano Moratorium, and the work of the photographer Guy Le Querrec, along with key items from his own family's rodeo legacy, using it all as a road map to arrive at the finished sound of Ajo Sunshine. Since the release of the record late last year, Gallego has led J.R.C.G. in malleable live recreations of the songs in a variety of different venues while drawing inspiration from loosened jazz performances where each band member shines through their own nuanced performances. J.R.C.G. tactfully melds into the landscape of any given setting, a recent standout being the group's opening set for a screening of Alejandro Jodorowsky's El Topo at the Beacon Cinema in Seattle. And that film is a solid visual baseline for the noisy desert mysticism that J.R.C.G. conjures by dousing ardent drum beats in a murky mix of guitars and synth. The band comes through St. Louis at the tail end of a nearly month-long tour of the United States, with opening support from the ever-prolific 18andCounting and local sonic conjurer Jane Wave.
Breaking Into the Business: While J.R.C.G. is the most recent — and currently more prominent — musical export of Gallego, the project sits under the umbrella of Dreamdecay Music Group, which notably includes the Seattle-based punk-adjacent band Dreamdecay. Start with the "N/O" 7" released through Sub Pop in August 2019 as part of the Sub Pop Singles Club.
—Joseph Hess
USA Nails w/ Terms, Child Bite, Iron Linings
8 p.m. Wednesday, October 26. Red Flag, 3040 Locust Street. $15. 314-289-9050.
If the "noise rock" genre confuses or scares you — after all, etymology of the term can be traced back to frightening urban hipsterdom of the late '80s — the UK-based USA Nails is suited to give a damn TED Talk on the matter. After all, the band is making a rare appearance in the midwest in the run up to what is arguably North America's biggest noise rock festival, No Coast in Denton, Texas, which also feaatures the like-minded METZ, KEN Mode and Cherubs. USA Nails' latest split with Psychic Graveyard offers a seminar on the form with grimy riffs pounded into submission by heavy backbeats and a heady, manic approach to vocals. Detroit, Michigan's Child Bite joins USA Nails on this short trek with an edgy collision of metal and punk that brings stark consequences — namely long-term hearing loss and a heightened heart rate. Prepare accordingly.
On Your Own Terms: Prolific experimental guitarist Chris Trull, known for his work in Yowie and Grand Ulena, will bring his latest project Terms to a live setting in his hometown of St. Louis for the first time. The duo commands a math rock nuclear reaction that manages to fit more riffs into a single song than most bands do throughout their entire discography — you need a musical GPS to navigate the winding paths this band goes down.
—Joseph Hess THURSDAY OCTOBER 20
-Blanco Brown: 7:30 p.m., $25-$59.50. Pop's Nightclub, 401 Monsanto Ave., East St. Louis, 618-274-6720.
-Butch Moore: 5 p.m., free. Broadway Oyster Bar, 736 S. Broadway, St. Louis, 314-621-8811.
-Dirtwire: 8 p.m., $12. Old Rock House, 1200 S. 7th St., St. Louis, 314-588-0505.
-Hillary Fitz: 8-10:30 p.m., $15/$20. Joe's Cafe Gallery, 6010 Kingsbury Ave., St. Louis, 314-862-2541.
-John McDaniel: 7:30 p.m., $20. Blue Strawberry Showroom & Lounge, 364 N Boyle Ave, St. Louis, 314-256-1745.
-Leyla McCalla: 8 p.m., $25-$30. The Sheldon, 3648 Washington Blvd., St. Louis, 314-533-9900.
-Marcus King: w/ Dean Delray 8 p.m., $35-$50. The Pageant, 6161 Delmar Blvd., St. Louis, 314-726-6161.
-Me Like Bees Album Release Show: w/ Matt F Basler, Super Bomb 8 p.m., $10. The Sinkhole, 7423 South Broadway, St. Louis, 314-328-2309.
-Neil Salsich and Friends: 7:30 p.m., free. The Frisco Barroom, 8110 Big Bend Blvd., Webster Groves, 314-455-1090.
-The Q-Tip Bandits: w/ The Public, Dead Format 8 p.m., $12. Off Broadway, 3509 Lemp Ave., St. Louis, 314-498-6989.
-The Record Company: 8 p.m., $25. Delmar Hall, 6133 Delmar Blvd., St. Louis, 314-726-6161.
-Slander: 8 p.m., $35-$59.50. The Factory, 17105 N Outer 40 Rd, Chesterfield, 314-423-8500.
-Stefon Harris & Blackout: Oct. 19-23, 7:30-8:40 p.m., $37. The Harold & Dorothy Steward Center for Jazz, 3536 Washington Ave, St Louis, 314-571-6000.
FRIDAY OCTOBER 21
-The Bronx Cheers: 5 p.m., $10. The Attic Music Bar, 4247 S. Kingshighway, 2nd floor, St. Louis, 314-376-5313.
-Brother Francis and the Soultones: 7 p.m., free. Das Bevo Biergarten, 4749 Gravois Ave., St. Louis, 314-224-5521.
-Carnifex: w/ Spite, Oceano, Left To Suffer, Crown Magnetar 6:30 p.m., $25-$30. Pop's Nightclub, 401 Monsanto Ave., East St. Louis, 618-274-6720.
-Falling Fences Album Release: 8 p.m., $15. Delmar Hall, 6133 Delmar Blvd., St. Louis, 314-726-6161.
-Fool House: The Ultimate 90s Dance Party: 10 p.m., free. Ballpark Village, 601 Clark Ave, St. Louis, 314-345-9481.
-Hitchcock and the Hitmen: 7:30 p.m., free. The Frisco Barroom, 8110 Big Bend Blvd., Webster Groves, 314-455-1090.
-Kevin Buckley: 4 p.m., free. Broadway Oyster Bar, 736 S. Broadway, St. Louis, 314-621-8811.
-Kurt Vile and the Violators: 8 p.m., $30. The Pageant, 6161 Delmar Blvd., St. Louis, 314-726-6161.
-The Medium: w/ Lemons 8 p.m., $10/$12. The Sinkhole, 7423 South Broadway, St. Louis, 314-328-2309.
-Napalm Death: w/ Brujeria, Frozen Soul, M.D.C. 7:30 p.m., $25. Red Flag, 3040 Locust Street, St. Louis, 314-289-9050.
-Renaissance Band: 7 p.m., $20. National Blues Museum, 615 Washington Ave., St. Louis.
-Sponge: w/ The Ricters, Misplaced Religion 8 p.m., $25. Off Broadway, 3509 Lemp Ave., St. Louis, 314-498-6989.
-Stefon Harris & Blackout: Oct. 19-23, 7:30-8:40 p.m., $37. The Harold & Dorothy Steward Center for Jazz, 3536 Washington Ave, St Louis, 314-571-6000.
-Stone Crazy: 7 p.m., free. Cheers Bar and Grill, 61 National Way Shopping Center, Manchester, (636) 220-8030.
-Third Degree Glass Factory 20th Anniversary: w/ Boxcar 7-10 p.m., free. Third Degree Glass Factory, 5200 Delmar Blvd., St. Louis, 314-367-4527.
-Tigercub: 8 p.m., $15. Blueberry Hill - The Duck Room, 6504 Delmar Blvd., University City, 314-727-4444.
SATURDAY OCTOBER 22
-4 Hands Fall Fest w/ Voodoo Highwaymen: noon, free. 4 Hands Brewing Co., 1220 S. 8th St., St. Louis, 314-436-1559.
-All Roostered Up: noon; Oct. 29, noon, free. Broadway Oyster Bar, 736 S. Broadway, St. Louis, 314-621-8811.
-Andy Coco & Friends: 7 p.m., $10. BB's Jazz, Blues & Soups, 700 S. Broadway, St. Louis, 314-436-5222.
-Better Than Ezra: 8 p.m., $25. The Pageant, 6161 Delmar Blvd., St. Louis, 314-726-6161.
-The Blue Sparks: 7 p.m., free. Das Bevo Biergarten, 4749 Gravois Ave., St. Louis, 314-224-5521.
-Craig Finn & the Uptown Controllers: 8 p.m., $25-$30. Off Broadway, 3509 Lemp Ave., St. Louis, 314-498-6989.
-Dead Poet Society: w/ BRKN Love 8 p.m., $17-$20. Blueberry Hill - The Duck Room, 6504 Delmar Blvd., University City, 314-727-4444.
-Emo Nite LA Presents Emo Nite: 9 p.m., $16-$31. Red Flag, 3040 Locust Street, St. Louis, 314-289-9050.
-Hot Koolaid: 8:30 p.m.-12:30 a.m., free. St. Charles Music House, 2556 Raymond Dr., St. Charles, 636-946-2212.
-Howl at the Moon Halloween Party and Hip-Hop Show: w/ Jonezy, Robinson, T Menace, Poet X, Azeei Picasso 8 p.m., $10. Pop's Blue Moon, 5249 Pattison Ave., St. Louis, 314-776-4200.
-Jake's Leg: 10 p.m., $12. Broadway Oyster Bar, 736 S. Broadway, St. Louis, 314-621-8811.
-Katie Pederson: 5 p.m., $10. The Attic Music Bar, 4247 S. Kingshighway, 2nd floor, St. Louis, 314-376-5313.
-Moon Valley: 7:30 p.m., free. The Frisco Barroom, 8110 Big Bend Blvd., Webster Groves, 314-455-1090.
-Nequient: w/ Swamp Lion, Hot Corpse 8 p.m., $10. The Heavy Anchor, 5226 Gravois Ave., St. Louis, 314-352-5226.
-Over Head Dog: 6:30-9:30 p.m., free. 9 Mile Garden, 9375 Gravois Road, Affton, 3143902806.
-Real Talk Comedy Tour: 8 p.m., $59.50-$199.50. Chaifetz Arena, 1 S. Compton Ave., St. Louis, 314-977-5000.
-Reba McEntire: w/ Terri Clark 7:30 p.m., $46-$746. Enterprise Center, 1401 Clark Ave., St. Louis, 314-241-1888.
-Sisser Album Release Show: w/ Vaudevileins, The Potomac Accord 8 p.m., $10. The Sinkhole, 7423 South Broadway, St. Louis, 314-328-2309.
-Stefon Harris & Blackout: Oct. 19-23, 7:30-8:40 p.m., $37. The Harold & Dorothy Steward Center for Jazz, 3536 Washington Ave, St Louis, 314-571-6000.
-Therealwobblychair: 7:30 p.m., $5. Spine Indie Bookstore & Cafe, 1976-82 Arsenal St., St. Louis, 314-925-8087.
-Vanessa Collier: 7 p.m., $20. National Blues Museum, 615 Washington Ave., St. Louis.
SUNDAY OCTOBER 23
-Adam Calhoun: w/ Demun Jones, Brodnax, Dusty Leigh 7:30 p.m., $30-$35. Pop's Nightclub, 401 Monsanto Ave., East St. Louis, 618-274-6720.
-The California Honeydrops: 6 p.m., $23-$45. The Big Top, 3401 Washington Blvd, St. Louis, 314-533-0367.
-Cash Langdon: w/ Hennen, Birdie Edge 8 p.m., $10. The Sinkhole, 7423 South Broadway, St. Louis, 314-328-2309.
-Dave Weckl and His STL Big Band Contingent: 3 p.m., $10-$30. Pattonville High School, 2497 Creve Coeur Mill, Maryland Heights, 314-213-8051.
-Eric Lysaght: 9 p.m., free. Broadway Oyster Bar, 736 S. Broadway, St. Louis, 314-621-8811.
-The Millennium Tour: Turned Up: w/ Bow Wow, Mario, Keri Hilson, Llyod, Pleasure P, Bobby V , Day 26, Ying Yang Twins, Dem Franchize Boyz, Crime Mob, Sammie, Chingy, Travis Porter, Lil Scrappy, Trillville 7 p.m., $64.50-$154.50. Chaifetz Arena, 1 S. Compton Ave., St. Louis, 314-977-5000.
-Origami Angel: 7:30 p.m., $20. Off Broadway, 3509 Lemp Ave., St. Louis, 314-498-6989.
-Sloppy Seconds: w/ the Bollweevils, Ultraman 8 p.m., $18. Red Flag, 3040 Locust Street, St. Louis, 314-289-9050.
-Stefon Harris & Blackout: Oct. 19-23, 7:30-8:40 p.m., $37. The Harold & Dorothy Steward Center for Jazz, 3536 Washington Ave, St Louis, 314-571-6000.
-Three of a Perfect Pair: 11 a.m., free. Das Bevo Biergarten, 4749 Gravois Ave., St. Louis, 314-224-5521.
-Tyrone Wells: w/ Ellie Schmidly 8 p.m., $22/$25. Old Rock House, 1200 S. 7th St., St. Louis, 314-588-0505.
MONDAY OCTOBER 24
-J.R.C.G.: w/ Jane Wave, 18andCounting 9 p.m., $10. Off Broadway, 3509 Lemp Ave., St. Louis, 314-498-6989.
-Soulard Blues Band: 9 p.m.; Oct. 31, 9 p.m., $5. Broadway Oyster Bar, 736 S. Broadway, St. Louis, 314-621-8811.
-Steve Reeb: 5 p.m., free. Broadway Oyster Bar, 736 S. Broadway, St. Louis, 314-621-8811.
-Third Sight Band: 7 p.m., $10. BB's Jazz, Blues & Soups, 700 S. Broadway, St. Louis, 314-436-5222.
TUESDAY OCTOBER 25
-Carlos Truly: 7:30 p.m., $12/$15. The Sinkhole, 7423 South Broadway, St. Louis, 314-328-2309.
-Colt Ball: 5 p.m., free. Broadway Oyster Bar, 736 S. Broadway, St. Louis, 314-621-8811.
-Ethan Jones: 9 p.m., free. Broadway Oyster Bar, 736 S. Broadway, St. Louis, 314-621-8811.
-Joe Dreyer: 7-11:59 p.m., $5. Blue Strawberry STL, 364 N Boyle Ave, St. Louis, 314-256-1745.
-Mike and The Moonpies: w/ Vandoliers 8 p.m., $15. Old Rock House, 1200 S. 7th St., St. Louis, 314-588-0505.
-Rodney Crowell: 7:30 p.m., $85. Off Broadway, 3509 Lemp Ave., St. Louis, 314-498-6989.
WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 26
-Antonio Foster: 7:30 p.m., $17. Jazz St. Louis, 3536 Washington Ave, St. Louis, (314) 571-6000.
-Child Bite: w/ USA Nails, Terms, Iron Linings 8 p.m., $15. Red Flag, 3040 Locust Street, St. Louis, 314-289-9050.
-Colt Ball: 7:30 p.m., free. Steve's Hot Dogs, 3145 South Grand, St. Louis.
-Denise Thimes: 7 p.m.; Nov. 25, 7 p.m., $25. Blue Strawberry STL, 364 N Boyle Ave, St. Louis, 314-256-1745.
-Hoodie Allen: 8 p.m., $29.50. Delmar Hall, 6133 Delmar Blvd., St. Louis, 314-726-6161.
-Judy Collins: 8 p.m., $74-$94. The Sheldon, 3648 Washington Blvd., St. Louis, 314-533-9900.
-Microwaves: w/ Van Buren, Christopher Pravdica (from Swans), Brett Lars Underwood 8 p.m., $13/$15. The Sinkhole, 7423 South Broadway, St. Louis, 314-328-2309.
-Mike Doughty: 8 p.m., $25-$30. Off Broadway, 3509 Lemp Ave., St. Louis, 314-498-6989.
-Mr. Wendell: 4:30 p.m., free. Broadway Oyster Bar, 736 S. Broadway, St. Louis, 314-621-8811.
-Post Sex Nachos: 8 p.m., $12. Blueberry Hill - The Duck Room, 6504 Delmar Blvd., University City, 314-727-4444.
-Voodoo Grunge: 9 p.m., $12. Broadway Oyster Bar, 736 S. Broadway, St. Louis, 314-621-8811.
