Eleven Magazine » Matthew Ström

LouFest Lineup Announced!

Matthew Ström — Wed, 07 Apr 2010 14:00:33 +0000

LouFest, an ambitious 2-day music festival in Forest Park, has for months been the speculation of anxious music-goers both in St. Louis and throughout the country. But wonder no more, dear readers, for Eleven is here to dispel any lingering doubts as to the festival’s ability to live up to the hype. Without further ado, here it is: the 2010 LouFest lineup!

Saturday, August 28
Broken Social Scene
Built to Spill
The Airborne Toxic Event
Lucero
Titus Andronicus
Adam Reichmann
So Many Dynamos
sephaniesid
The Northwoods

Sunday, August 29
She & Him
Jeff Tweedy
Alejandro Escovedo
Fruit Bats
Cory Chisel & The Wandering Sons
Gentleman Auction House
Carolina Chocolate Drops
Magnolia Summer
Kim Massie (special Sunday-morning gospel set)

Eleven has a lot planned for the months leading up to the festival; be on the lookout for upcoming previews, interviews, and music from the bands playing LouFest!

Go to loufest.com for more info, and to buy tickets.

Local Profile: Steve Pohlman

Matthew Ström — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 21:33:51 +0000

No conversation about St. Louis venues would be complete without mentioning Off Broadway, and its contributions to the city. Likewise, no conversations about the music “scene” would be complete without mentioning Steve Pohlman, one of the owners and proprietors of Off Broadway. I recently asked Steve some questions about the state of the city’s renascent music scene.

In operating one of the most active venues in St. Louis, what has been your generally impression of the state of the music scene? Are more people going to shows now, versus 5 years ago? Are bands more active?

We are up significantly in terms of attendance, and from talking to some of the other venues in town they are too. I think there are more venues now compared to five years ago and more shows on any given night. While you would think that could hurt our business … the number say otherwise.

What have been your favorite shows in the past year?

It’s hard to pick just a few, but I will: Those Darlins’ stretching their set while pinch hitting for King Khan with John McCauley from Deer Tick helping out and then anchoring a wild jam at the end of the night was so much fun, as were Matt and Kim. The New Years’ Eve show last year with Fattback, the Monads and Just Mike was a great party, and almost exactly a year ago one of my favorite bands Centro-matic came in and were better than ever and played to a great crowd.

What are the shows you are most excited for coming up at Off Broadway?

Black Joe Lewis when he reschedules…and King Khan and the BBQ when they come back as well. And when Fattback releases the new CD they are finishing up, that will be a fun night.

How can a band in St. Louis get booked at off broadway?

The best way is to contact me via email(stevepohlman@yahoo.com) and be as specific as possible about dates, etc. Be persistent, I get about 75 booking emails a day. And it doesn’t hurt to come to some shows and help me put a face with a name.

Once they are booked, what should a band do to ensure the show goes well?

Have fun while your playing! A great live show in a smaller room like ours is hard to beat.

Q+A: Safety Words vs. Exercise

Matthew Ström — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 06:34:10 +0000

photo by Leanna Kaiser

On Feb. 23, Eleven had the great pleasure of sitting down to interview DJ Parisian (Ian Jones) and Doctor Phelonious (Sean Price) of Safety Words, along with Bo Bulawsky and Trevor Berkholtz of Exercise, about their upcoming show (Friday, March 5th at the Firebird) What could have been a nice, civil discussion on music and philosophy quickly disintegrated into madness, when an anonymous Eleven staffer showed up with a case of beer and a video game called “NBA Hangtime.” Immediately, civil discourse gave way to barbaric trash talking and nonsensical yelling, and all hopes for a “normal” interview were tossed aside.

Exhibit A:
[Audio clip: view full post to listen]

Hit the break for more interview, trash talking, and an exclusive new track from Safety Words.

As the festivities progressed, Eleven’s team managed to pull it together long enough to ask a question somewhat related to Friday’s show:

Matt:
Ian, here’s a serious question…
How do you plan to make up for your inferior NBA hangtime skills at the show?

Ian:

Are you serious!? I’m dunking all over your shit!

So would you say you are going to dunk all over the audience’s shit next Friday?
Ian:

Oh, I see what you did there.

I can tell you what I’m going to do. Now that I have an sp404 [sampler], I’m going to be taking songs I made from a long-ass time ago (like songs I made when I was in Japan), and piece them all together into two small 20 minute sets.

Sean:

With an hour break in between.

Ian:

An hour break for napping.

I took a bunch of clips from random movies that I like, to go along with the music …

At this point, the trash talking resumed in full force:
[Audio clip: view full post to listen]

Things get fuzzy from there out. More games were played, more beers were consumed, and more nonsense came out of everybody’s mouths. By the end of the evening, I had a pretty good idea of what the show on Friday would be; friends that play great music, playing great music. Nothing else needs to be said.

Actually, there’s one more thing to be said. Safety Words did Eleven the honor of remixing Giorgio Moroder’s “Baby Blue” into a track they call, “I’m Talking ‘Bout my Baby Blue.” Check it. (And be sure to check out the show Friday).

Safety Words – I’m Talking ‘Bout my Baby Blue
[Audio clip: view full post to listen]

Broken Social Scene – World Sick

Matthew Ström — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 22:08:04 +0000

All hail and rejoice! Everybody’s favorite canadian posé, Broken Social Scene, has arrived in a golden chariot of a free mp3, to pass judgement on the waiting masses. “World Sick,” the latest rustling from the BSS moniker, is a good study of the band’s varied aural history. Pulling atmospheric sounds from Feel Good Lost, warm production from You Forgot it in People, and wide-open spaces from their self-titled album, “World Sick” promises a familiar but exciting future for their upcoming Forgiveness Rock Record.

Go here to download it. You’ll have to enter your email address, but in my case, Leslie Feist already emails me every other day*, so it wasn’t a big deal.

*Sorry Ms. Feist. I hope you don’t mind me appropriating my monster crush on you for a bit of good humor.

Local Profile: Tawaine Noah

Matthew Ström — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 05:16:54 +0000

Welcome to our new feature, the local profile! Every Wednesday, we’re going to be interviewing people who are involved in the St. Louis music community; not necessarily in bands, but those who are interested in seeing St. Louis become a better place for musicians.

Today, I interviewed Tawaine Noah, Barista at Foam Coffee & Beer and lead singer/songwriter in local band Union Tree Review.

How have you been involved in the St. Louis music community in the past?

I started like a lot of the folks around my age at the time: You’re in high school, and you start going to local shows. If you’re like me, you get really inspired to be that guy or band up on stage. So, long story short, a couple of my friends and I put together a small acoustic band, and luckily it’s not really all that hard to get booked in St. Louis. Eventually, we put together an album and started playing out.

How do you feel about the music community right now?

I think that it’s a strange thing right now, as far as all musicians involved go. Over the past few years a lot of bands have disbanded or given up. On the other hand, a lot of bands that have been together for 5-10 years are still going strong and they’re still local and trying. A lot of the problem I think is the lack of local support from the fans—a lack of zeal and drive to push these great bands.

What are you doing to make the music community a better place in the future?

I am trying my best to get out to shows and support bands that I really believe in, and trying to get other folks in the community excited about what is going.

Who are some people in St. Louis you think are good examples for the rest of the community?

A lot of the movers and shakers around here (like Angelo Olegna and Mike Glodeck) are always making moves toward making the community what they know it can be. Then, there are the Evan Sults, as well as a lot of the live music venue owners that give a lot of the local bands decent opportunities to get a proper show (and a sound check) all helps so much.

What are you excited about in the future of St. Louis’s music culture?

I think with things like Eleven Magazine (for sure), Sleepy Kitty Arts, and more substantial local acts coming out and making a difference on not only the scene but the culture as well. There are some really great things in store for the St. Louis music culture, and with more support and belief from the community we will have a really big deal on our hands.

Related posts

» Union Tree Review @ The Sheldon 2/18/11

Joanna Newsom – “Good Intentions Paving Company”

Matthew Ström — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 17:33:54 +0000

If I had to pick a mascot for indie in the oughties (note to self: pitch Indie in the Oughties to PBS as a new Ken Burns documentary), Joanna Newsom would be in the final 4. With a voice that can quickly separate the hip wheat from the lame chaff, a quirky instrument—which also happens to be the logo for a hip foreign beer—and name-dropping opportunities like Steve Albini (10 points!) and Jim O’Rourke (10 points!), the psych-folk (high score!) songstress has one hell of a stacked deck.

But forget all that. Listen to Joanna’s newest song, and make a note in your planner ten years from now (because I know you have a decade-at-a-glance). I’ll probably be saying the exact same thing about indie in the ’10s.

Listen to it at Drag City (the stream is in the top-right corner of the page).

Weekend show Forecast: 2/4

Matthew Ström — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 00:19:32 +0000

Friday, Feb. 5

So Many Dynamos, Capybara, and Sleepy Kitty

Where: Old Rock House
When: 8 PM

The sound of So Many Dynamos’ angular guitar riffs and nerdier-than-thou keyboards should be familiar to any self-respecting St. Louisan. Though calling them “local” might get a few rolls of the eye these days, it is impossible to not be proud of what the band has accomplished. Civic pride, people! Regardless, the Dynamos are giving their hometown a show before departing for a European run, and what a better place to send them off than the seemingly now-ubiquitous Old Rock House? Joining them from the other side of I-70 are Kansas City natives Capybara and Cherokee Street heroes Sleepy Kitty. Bring a bottle of champagne to break on the bow.

Sunday, Feb. 7

Girls, with Magic Kids & The Smith Westerns

Where: The Gargoyle
When: 7:30 PM

As the music world’s latest rags-to-slightly-better-rags story, Girls presents another port of call in the indie kids’ current vacation back to pop. Frontman Christopher Owens has a voice that is so expressive in such a disarming way, it’s difficult not to take a suckerpunch or two from the unapologetic emotionalism. And the drugs? The drugs are there. Seeing them at the Gargoyle will be a great peek into the west coast world that many of us so desperately try to mimic here on the middle coast. Provided the Gargoyle crew is on their game, it should prove to be an excellent show.

Weekend Show Forecast: 1/7

Matthew Ström — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 00:51:10 +0000

Friday, Jan. 8

Boulder Acoustic Society

Where: Lemp Neighborhood Arts Center
When: 8 PM

If Boulder Acoustic Society had a commercial on local television, its tagline would be this: “Appalachian folk with a Talking Heads attitude.” That’s the cheesy 2-bit version of BAS, a description they might just take well to. As the perceptive reader has already guessed, this Boulder-based four piece are partial to acoustic instruments: accordion, fiddle, banjo, mandolin, and what have you. The sounds they make will be familiar to the initiated St. Louisan, as echoes of the Big Muddy world abound. Subtract the love for the Mighty Mississip’, add a slightly deranged attitude, move it down the street a few blocks to the Lemp, and there you have it: a show to be reckoned with.

Saturday, Jan. 9

The Bad Plus

Where: The Bistro
When: 8:30 PM and 10:15 PM

So here it is, all ye music-loving but self-loathing hip young people: your chance to see something called “Jazz.” You’re right, your parents DID listen to that noise. And so did their parents. And I know deep down inside you’ve always wanted to get into it, but those deep-seated memories of smooth-jazz christmas albums have kept you from really taking the plunge. Well fear no more; The Bad Plus will make you feel right at home. A jazz trio that can cover Nirvana’s “Smells Like Teen Spirit” and “Lithium,” then turn around and do “Long Distance Runaround” is right up there with the Girl Talks of our nostalgia-crazed era. Though, to be honest, some of your parents listened to that music too. (psst: they also play originals that could make Basie giggle in elation.)

Show Forecast: Saturday, 12/5

Matthew Ström — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 00:23:53 +0000

Tomorrow, the 5th, Cherokee Street will be opening its doors to the community for its annual Print League Holiday Sale. The Print League is made up of some of the finest artists and printers in the city, who will be putting their art on sale for holiday shoppers and merrymakers. The event will be from 10am to 7pm, and if last year’s holiday sale was any indication, will be well-attended by many awesome people. But we’re most excited about the music! Here are three shows happening on the street that day:

Safety Words

Where: Typo Cafe
When: 5:00 pm

Safety Words is the newest hip-hop offering from the West Side, and represents an unprecedented sound: 8-bit music straight from your favorite nintendo games, mixed with some of the best lyricism from your favorite rap records. Sure, it’s been done before, but never this authentically; there’s no gimmick here. The Battletoads pause music might just be the next Amen Break.

Safety Words – Crimingelo
[Audio clip: view full post to listen]

The Skekses

Where:Firecracker Press
When: 6:00 pm

The Skekses, awesome band name aside, are a brand-spankin’ new duo with a ton of ambition and the talent to back it up. Preferring to play without microphones is one thing, but to belt vocals and still retain that bluesy kick in the pants is another altogether, and the Skekses certainly do both. Sometimes with a cello, sometimes with a melodica, sometimes with a mandolin, but always with a killer voice, The Skekses make perfect Cherokee St. shopping music.

The Skekses – Told My Momma Waltz (Live at Lemp Arts Center, Nov. 14th, 2009)

The Mhurs and HUMDRUM

Where:Foam Coffee & Beer
When: 8:00pm

HUMDRUM, who previously went by the name Hunger Artist, are a group who know no creative boundaries. Instead of attempting to describe their vast range of influences, I’m going to cop out and defer to a review of HUMDRUM’s first full-length, Individual Man, written by Eleven-ite Nelda Kerr: Read it!

As for the Mhurs — well, they are Belleville, Illinois’ best kept secret. Enjoying nearly universal acclaim in their hometown, their frequent trips to St. Louis often go unnoticed. This is quite a surprise, as their sound is difficult to ignore: the folk-rock influences of the ghosts of Belleville past reach through electric guitar hooks and wailing vocals to grab all within earshot by the scruff of their aural necks. Come down tomorrow, and help the cat get out of the bag.

HUMDRUM – Hide and Seek in the Universe
[Audio clip: view full post to listen]

The Mhurs – Less Than Zero
[Audio clip: view full post to listen]

Lykke Li – “Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow”

Matthew Ström — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 23:59:23 +0000

Sure, Sweden’s Lykke Li may be cute as a button. Sure, she may have had some production help from fellow Swede Björn Yttling of Peter, Bjorn and John. Sure, she has the voice of a Scandinavian angel. But her latest offering, a free download from her website, has proven that she has one more tool in her arsenal: a great taste in early rock. “Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow” is a cover of a Shirelles song of the same name. Lykke Li should be gearing up to record a follow-up to 2008′s Youth Novels, so grab the mp3 and quiver in heartbroken anticipation.

Lykke Li – Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow
[Audio clip: view full post to listen]