Soul Man - Nathaniel Rateliff and the Night Sweats tear up the Ready Room in St. Louis

Riding a tidal wave of good press from appearances on late night television, and steady play of "S.O.B" on alt-rock radio, Nathaniel Rateliff and the Night Sweats brought their infectious brand of soul-infused, foot-stomping rock to the Ready Room in the Grove district of St. Louis. 

No worse for wear however, as the band was tight and energetic, whipping a sold-out crowd into a frenzy from the first note of set opener, "I Need Never Get Old," the intro of which really allows the dynamic horn section of Wesley Watkins on trumpet and saxophonist Andy Wild to let loose. 

Keeping the groove going and the energy up, the band ripped through the songs on their eponymous album before mixing it up with a cover of Neil Young's "Out on the Weekend." Allowing the crowd to catch its collective breath, Rateliff guided his band through "Mellow Out", "Shake", and "Thank You", allowing each to take a turn showcasing their chops.

As expected they saved their big hit, "S.O.B," for the end encouraging the willing crowd to clap and sing along with the whoa whoa whoas. Not ready for the night to end, the crowd continued to serenade the band with whoa whoa whoas wooing them back to the stage after a brief exit for an encore. After profusely thanking the crowd, including many family members in attendance, and lamenting the loss of Missourians passed, Rateliff closed the show with a cover of "The Shape I'm In" by The Band.

There's nothing better than watching a band that truly enjoys playing together and having fun. It goes without saying that this comes across in the performance. I've seen this band

three times now and they get better each time out. I look forward to more from the Nathaniel Rateliff & Night Sweats in the future. 

Ray Bonneville-"Bad Man's Blood"

Saw this talented troubadour last night at a very intimate space called the Focal Point in Maplewood. This tune could easily be the opening theme for the next True Detective, assuming there is one after last season's debacle.

Tame Impala wows Pageant crowd

June, 1st - The Pageant, St. Louis, Mo

In anticipation of their third proper studio full-length, "Currents" (out July 17th in the U.S.), Australian psychedelic-rock outfit Tame Impala made their intentions clear at the outset with a trippy instrumental weaving synth, drums and guitar with a pulsating light show hellbent on mesmerizing the near-capacity crowd.

That's precisely what the five-piece band from Perth accomplished. Straight into "Let It Happen" off the aforementioned upcoming "Currents," frontman and brainchild (or mad scientist) Kevin Parker led the audience across an ninety-plus minute dreamy landscape replete with swirling guitars and rafters-shaking bass to complement his lilting falsetto.

The band wears its Syd Barrett-era Pink Floyd and Revolver-era Beatles influences proudly on its tie-dyed sleeves. Dancing around barefoot, Parker feverishly worked his many foot pedals to create his wall of sound, confidently stopping and starting and cueing his bandmates like the foreman of giant roaring machine.

The crowd pumped their fists and sang along as the set borrowed heavily from their popular 2012 release, "Lonerism," with tracks "Why Won't They Talk To Me," and the foot stomping "Elephant," the high point of the show for me.

After seeing Tame Impala several times in both intimate rooms and at an outdoor festival in front of 50,000 people, I can say this band is getting better and tighter each time out. They're still booking the 1,200 seat venues but as word of their tremendous live shows gets out, that will become a distant, dreamy memory.

Muse - Stockholm Syndrome

Kinda hard to get a sense of the skull-thumping bass in this song from the video. Moral of the story, buy a ticket and see em live. Playing tonight, March 8th, at The Chaifetz Arena in St. Louis

Congress of Corruption Tour - Industrial Metal Smorgasbord

On the eve of midterm elections in this great country of ours, a different kind of Congress
is set to convene: a Congress of Corruption.  Engineered by Cement Shoes Records label
head Dan Catallo, the tour promises to put the sizzle and the spectacle back in the rock
show. With ticket prices set at $10 for the duration of the six-week cross-country tour,
metalheads will be getting plenty of headbanging for their buck.

The Bands
Labelmates on the Cement Shoes Records imprint, Godhead, Il Nino, and Ra comprise
the lineup for the Congress of Corruption tour.  The Washington D.C. based industrial
goth outfit Godhead burst onto the scene in 2000 when Marilyn Manson caught their live
act and was the first band to be signed to his Posthuman label. East Rutherford, New
Jersey natives Ra, come with a somewhat different outlook. They still bring a bleak
industrial metal approach, albeit sprinkled with a more melodic sound, reminiscent of nu-
metallers Staind.  Hardest of the bunch may be Il Nino, also from New Jersey.  Billed as
'heavy and melodic as possible with a Latin twist’, this group of headbangers combine
the speed and fury of thrash with the thunderous crunch of death metal.  Supporting on
the tour are newcomers The Dreaming featuring Chris Hall, founder of Stabbing
Westward.

Corporate Synergy
Why tour individually to support upcoming releases when you can promote three records
on one tour?  Godhead, Ra and Il Nino all have albums set to be released in the next few
months on Cement Shoes Records.

KC’s Boogie Blast - Disco Inferno Heats Up Summer

With the way-back machine sufficiently revved up as the Summer concert season kicks into high gear, it wouldn’t be complete with out a full-blown disco revival variety show in the offing.  Enter Mr. Wayne Casey, or as he is more affectionately known, the singer for KC and the Sunshine Band. KC has rounded his closest friends from the decade that fashion forgot, be they disco divas or rhythm and blues crooners to help him take audiences back the time of big collars, bad hair and good times.

The Bands
Joining KC and the Sunshine Band in bringing the disco era into the new millennium are Philly soul vocal outfit Sister Sledge, disco queen Gloria Gaynor, and the five-brother-strong R & B singing ensemble, Tavares.

The Songs
KC and the boys enjoyed much success throughout the latter half of the 70s with good time hits ‘That’s the Way (I Like It),’ ‘I’m Your Boogie Man,’ ‘Boogie Shoes,' ‘Shake Your Booty,’ (is there a theme developing?) and of course ‘Get Down Tonight’.  Sister Sledge are probably best known for their hit ‘We Are Family’ adopted by the 1980 World Series winning Pittsburgh Pirates.  Gloria Gaynor, disco queen, gave strength to spurned women everywhere with her breakup anthem ‘I Will Survive.'  Tavares had many hits in the 70’s most notably a cover of ‘She’s Gone’ written by Darryl Hall of Hall & Oates fame and the Bee Gees tune ‘More Than A Woman’ which appeared on the Saturday Night Fever soundtrack.

Double Duty
In addition to the headlining set, KC and the Sunshine Band will serve as the backing band for the other artists on the 30 city tour.

Tom Petty - American Boy

Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers are one of those very few artists that appeal to all ages and people from all backgrounds who like music.  Everyone has at least one Petty record their collection.  The venerable Rock and Roll Hall of Famers hit the road this summer for their Highway Companions tour.

The Band
Though Petty gets the lion’s share of the credit, the Heartbreakers are not a backup band mind you, but a collaborative ensemble.  They have been playing together since 1975 and have understandably become a well-oiled machine not only in the studio, but especially on stage.  Recently though, Petty’s solo efforts have garnered the most attention, with ‘Full Moon Fever’ and ‘Wildflowers’ both going triple platinum.

The Songs
One of Petty’s most beloved tunes, ‘American Girl,’ was never released has a single, but has remained a rock radio staple since the mid 70s.  In fact many early Heartbreakers’ songs like ‘Don’t Do Me Like That,’ ‘Here Comes My Girl,’ and ‘Refugee,’ didn’t receive much attention until long after the release of “Damn the Torpedoes”.  The band enjoyed much success throughout the 80's with hits like ‘Don’t Come Around Here No More,’ 'You Got Lucky,’ and ‘Jammin Me’ (co-written with Bob Dylan).

Busy Guy
In addition to touring with the Heartbreakers, Petty is putting the finishing touches on his third solo album with collaborator and former fellow Traveling Wilbury Jeff Lynne.  He also has a recurring character on the animated Fox show ‘King of the Hill’ and has his own radio show on XM Satellite radio called ‘Tom Petty’s Buried Treasure’.

Def Leppard/Journey - 80’s arena heroes unite

Bust out the stonewashed jeans and grab your lighter, Def Leppard and Journey are teaming up and bringing their slick, overproduced brand of arena rock to a town near you.  Both bands have been rockin' since the 70’s and though they have had a few lineup changes over the years, their ability to entertain the masses with infectious pop hooks has remained a constant.

The Bands
Born in Sheffield, England in 1977, the Lep has seen its share of tragedy with one
member succumbing to the perils of alcohol and another losing his arm in a car accident.
Yet they persevered, creating an accessible brand of pop-metal and selling millions of records
in the 80s and 90s.  Journey, on the other hand, is a shadow of its former self.  In fact, in this writer's opinion, they shouldn’t even be allowed to use the name anymore. Vocalist and chief songwriter Steve Perry is no longer a Journey-man.  His voice was perhaps the defining instrument in the band, but he left in the late nineties to rest up and pursue other interests.  This new guy, Steve Augeri may be able to hit those high notes, but he’s no ‘city boy, born and raised in South Detroit.'

The Songs
It’s safe to say, during any given week in the 1980’s, either a Def Leppard rocker or a
Journey tune was firmly entrenched on the top ten pop chart.  The lads from Britain first
hit it big with ‘Photograph’ and ‘Rock of Ages,' bolstered by constant airplay on then
fledgling network MTV.  They followed it up with ‘Pour Some Sugar on Me,' ‘Animal,’
and ‘Hysteria.'  Journey’s success with power ballads like ‘Don’t Stop Believin',’ ‘Open
Arms,’ and ‘Faithfully’ forced similar bands of the day to search for that radio-friendly
formula.  Soon every group on the charts had at least one slow guitar weeper in their
repertoire.

Quite an ‘05
Steve Perry was adopted by the Chicago White Sox during their playoff run, he even
joined the team at their victory parade in downtown Chicago to sing his defining song
'Don’t Stop Believin’.  Earlier that year Journey earned a star on Hollywood’s Walk of
Fame.  Def Leppard toured with Canada’s answer to Journey, Bryan Adams.

The Minus Five -- Alt-pop All-Stars hit the road again.

2/2/06

The jangly pop collective and brainchild of Young Fresh Fellow Scott McCaughey , the
Minus Five is infamous for it’s revolving lineup of who’s who in alternative music.  This
time around no less than fifteen musicians contributed to their latest album, the band’s
seventh, a self titled release, also affectionately known as ‘the Gun Album.’  Every
hipster in America will be covered with this latest incarnation of the Minus Five.

The Band
A virtual All-Star team of alt-rockers and singer-songwriters, the Gun Album features
contributions from Jeff Tweedy and other Wilco-ers, Colin Meloy of The Decemberists,
Peter Buck of R.E.M., Kelly Hogan and John Wesley Harding among others.  Though the
touring band is a bit more sparse, all the artists’ influences come shining through on
stage.

The Songs
Why the Minus Five called this latest record 'The Gun Album' isn’t exactly clear.  It could be for the
huge pistol featured on the cover art or the dark lyrics focusing on death and firearms.
Whatever you call it, songs like ‘My Life as a Creep,’ ‘Rifle Called Goodbye,’ and
‘Bought A Rope’ disguise their morbid messages with bouncy, poppy beats.


The Ringer
When he’s not gathering talented musicians for his Minus Five projects, McCaughey is
able to pass the time as R.E.M’s touring guitarist.

Rob Biedermann