One of the advantages of being in smack in the middle of the country and having a number of cool venues in town is that we tend to get a little more play in the concert scene than say Minot, ND. With the holidays being over but winter being still in full effect there has to be something to look forward to, and that where that lucky concert location helps. Over the next couple of months quite a few kicking rock shows will be rolling through town, here are some of the highlights we can look forward to:

January - Don't worry if you missed out on the sold out Girl Talk show tonight, George Acosta is going to be playing at Dante's on January 31st. I know its not exactly the same thing, but we didn't get tickets for tonight's show so we need to quit our belly aching. Then there is something for those who wanna rock, AC/DC is coming through Scottrade Center on January 13th.

February: G Love and Special Sauce will be playing the Pageant on February 13th, Keller Williams will be there on February 21st, Drive By Truckers are rolling through February 26th and Yonder Mountain String Band. The Pageant is completely dominating February as far as my show picks are concerned, but again with with the rock and roll fist, Buckcherry will be at the Family Arena on Feburary 17th.

This isn't technically during the winter, but the big concert buzz around St. Louis was today's announcement that the
Phish Reunion Show will be at the Fox June 16th. While tickets won't technically be on sale until January 30, you can submit a request for tickets ahead of time and cross your fingers.

All American Rejects' cover of Britney Spears' Womanizer

Frontman Tyson Ritter makes no secret of his superiority complex when if comes to swiping Britney's crown. "Why Womanizer?" he asks in a recent Yahoo interview, "Because we can just do it better than Britney Spears." I've gotta say, this jam is both catchy and informative. First, the stripped down production exposes the hilarity of Brit's shallow lyrics. Second, it's hilariously homoerotic to watch grown men croon about a dude with roaming eyes.

Miniature Tigers' cover of ABBA's Mamma Mia

Just when you thought it couldn't get any better than ABBA, a pair of lanky white boys from Phoenix step in and turn synthesized rock on its side with this take on the Swedish supergroup's classic. There's something hilarious about hearing a few guys try to put depth into a cheap bubblegum tune by changing the instrumentation. It's slow, it sounds like they created it during a piano lesson, and it's brilliant.

The Flaming Lips' cover of The Who's Pinball Wizard

Here's one great band covering another great band. Though they're not the rock giants The Who have become, The Flaming Lips remain one of the most exciting live acts still touring. If you ever have a chance to see them, do! You don't need to know the songs to love the show. In this live medley from 2008, the Lips take on Pinball Wizard, a tune from the rock opera Tommy.

There you have it...a few of the big ones. Click [tab:audio] to have a listen. Thanks to Hypeful.com for the tunes. Hopefully 2009 will bring more imitaion inspiration...we shall see!

Pearl Heart is Amy, Angela and Courtney Krechel - three sisters from the Lou who first started singing when the youngest was only eight years old. Ten years later, they've been through a name change, a move to Nashville and most recently, a slot on NBC's "Nashville Star." They didn't win - even though many fans of the show thought that they should - but they sure scored a lot of fans in the process. Maybe because they all actually play the guitar and write their own music.

Click on [tab:trav_video] to listen to the melodic harmony that only people who are related are able to achieve. If you like what you hear (I've had "Caught Up in You" stuck in my head for a few days now...), check out Pearl Heart on New Year's Eve at First Night - St. Louis. They play from 6:30 to 7:30, and I'm sure they'd love some local support.

Since I was a wee-one, one of my favorite movies has always been The Wizard of Oz.  The St. Louis Symphony Orchestra has taken this classic film and added a new and engaging twist to it.  Oz fans young and old can follow the yellow brick road (or Grand Blvd) to see our city's award winning orchestra as they provide the live accompaniment to the classic film. 

This show is guaranteed to be engaging for old fans and would be a great way to share the classic with new ones.  There will be Oz memorabilia collectors on hand, a couple of munchkins, and a member of the orchestra even made ruby slippers for all the ladies who will be providing the background music.

What: Oz with Orchestra
When: Saturday December 27th at 7:30pm and Sunday December 28th at 3pm and 7:30pm.
Where:  Powell Symphony Hall (718 N. Grand)
How: Tickets can be purchased online, at Powell, or by calling 314.534.1700

While I have never been one to shirk away from singing along with the television, how much cooler would it be to have the soundtrack being played live to back you up?

To me, beatboxing is one of the most incredible talents and deserves a lot more credit that it gets. Beatboxers have mastered the ability to use their mouth, lips, tongue, nasal passages, voice and more to imitate drum beats, rhythm and other musical sounds such as turntables, strings and horns. 

You are probably thinking, "What does this white girl know about beatboxing?" Well, I know that it totally rawks and my fascination keeps growing with every video and audio clip (and I can also bust out a great "wicky-wicky"). 

Not only does it take time, practice and talent, but the ability to completely mimic an entire song or instrument is a truly amazing. There are beatboxers nowadays who are able to mimic a full-on percussion set flawlessly and make you wonder if a back-up CD is being used. But it's not!

While beatboxing is typically accredited to the hip-hop/urban community of the late 1980's, its origins can be traced back to 13th century France and African ritualistic music (I could try to capture the entire history for you, but I think they say it best.)

In the 1880's, a lot of black groups began singing a capella, and started using their voice to mimic drum and base sounds.

The claps, clicks, low hums, tisks and drum patterns eventually evolved in to what we know as urban beatboxing today, and the culture has produced some modern day phenomenons. 

In my opinion, some of the best beatboxers (though not all are incredibly well-known) in today's era include, Doug E. Fresh (the self-proclaimed "Human Beat Box"), Matisyahu, Biz Markie and Shlomo.

Then there is a man called Rahzel, who has managed to take beatboxing to a whole new level; he can actually sing and beatbox at the same time! You may even remember him from this Twix commerical back in the day. 

For your pleasure, I've included YouTube clips of some of the above mentioned beatboxers and just some plain cool videos of people workin' the mic. 

The videos will likely leave you captivated but wondering, "How did they do that?" Don't worry, I won't leave you hanging; the last video physically explains the art of beatboxing.

Now, what I need someone to explain to me is why Britney Spears' no-talent derriere is rich and famous.

Fall Out Boy's music has been pegged with the divisive categorization of "emo rock," and they have embraced that term. The band's fifth album, Folie à Deux (which, translated, means a 'madness shared by two') sounds like they have decided to shrug that term off - or maybe the just decided to beat up the emo kids' ear drums a little but. Folie à Deux takes up the glam-industrial gauntlet that was thrown down by the likes of Marilyn Manson's Mechanical Animals release and mixes in a little arena ballad flair - correct me if I am wrong, but that just doesn't seem to fit my definition of emo rock.

They thing that struck me the most about the album were the song lyrics - Pete Wentz and his boys went for the jugular with some pretty provocative stuff. In "Disloyal Order of Water Buffaloes" they declare "And perfect boys with their perfect lives/Nobody want to hear you sing about tragedy," while in the track "Headfirst Slide Into Cooperstown On A Bad Bet" asking, "Does your husband know the way that the sunshine gleam from your wedding band?"

Aside from the lyrics, the disc beckons a repeat because the sound is (dare I say) comfortable without being a complete rip off. It's experimental by Fall Out Boy standards because they stepped away from tracks heavily laden with guitar riffs. Overall the sound on this release is more akin to their track "This Ain't A Scene, It's An Arms Race" than their breakout single, "Thnks Fr Th Mmrs." The release isn't all glam and arena though, the recent trend of 80's pop throw backs (see M.G.M.T.) rears it funky- keyboard-tie-wearing head on Folie à Duex with their track "W.A.M.S." - I like. It's a great release, but I wonder what some of their fans are thinking. I think, overall, it will be a little harder to fit them into that emo box after this.

I give Folie à Deux four and a half emo kids getting beat up by five hard-rocker kids.

A couple of weekends ago I had the pleasure of attending the Cornmeal show at Lucas School House. As one of the uninitiated masses when it comes to festivals, I did a little research (well I asked the people who invited me to go) and learned that Cornmeal is a jam/bluegrass band that tours the country playing smaller venues and massive festivals.

Lucas School House was packed to almost overflowing with people, but what surprised me the most was the fact that the vast majority of the crowd was in their early to mid twenties. Having grown-up around bluegrass musicians I have to admit, I always kind of considered bluegrass "old people music." In my defense, the band that my grandpa and uncles are in has "gigged out" at nursing homes for crying out loud, or they have provided the soundtrack for documentaries. When was the last time you went to go rock out to Phillip Glass?

You know how once you see or hear about something "new" you start to notice it everywhere? Since the Cornmeal show I have noticed that there is quite a massive, young following for bluegrass music in the St. Louis area. At last weekend's She Show, the Dumpy Bumpkins, a group of two 20-something gals and a guy, stole the night with their bluegrass originals and covers. They are local, young and bluegrass and it seems like more and more that is what St. Louis wants.

In between songs like "Bones" and "Boondocks," Karen Fairchild, Jimi Westbrook, Kimberly Schlapman and Phillip Sweet laughed and talked with their fans. We found out that they are having a blast on tour with Carrie, they can't wait to get home for the holidays, they love the French Martinis at Lime in Nashville (where my friend Katie loves serving them) and that Karen hasn't been able to check her mail in 40 days. I also think it's cool that Phillip has a family connection in Missouri. (How could you not love the Show-Me-State?)

If you're a fan of LBT, you're probably excited about their recent Grammy nomination for Best Country Collaboration With Vocals for their captivating song, "Life in a Northern Town," which they recorded with Sugarland and Jake Owen. But even if you don't think you've heard their amazingly distinctive vocals, you might be a fan and just not realize it; "Bones" is the song that plays during the end credits for "True Blood," a popular new HBO show about vampires.

A Place to Land is in stores now, and it's being hailed as "Superior to its predecessor in every way: production feels more organic, the music is more sophisticated and the lyricsmore poignant. Their songs meld seamlessly with the vocal harmonies." After witnessing this quartet's chemistry and their amazing storytelling and songwriting abilities, I think it's safe to say that Little Big Town is only going to get bigger and better. Since the group has already charted 11 singles on the Billboard Hot Country Songs charts, I'm pretty pumped for their next single to be released on December 18.

Keep in mind, I've been a fan for some time now, so when I found out that I was going to be interviewing them, I was more elated/nervous/excited/hysterical/jubilant than words can describe. Fortunately, the four members of LBT were some of the nicest people I have ever had the chance to interview. To see my chat with Little Big Town, click on [tab:trav_video], and for pics from their performance, click on [tab:gallery].

Who: Members of Pale Divine, The Urge, Sinister Dane, Celery and more...
What: Second Annual Kennedy's Reunion Jam
When: Saturday December 20th, doors open at 8pm and the show starts at 9pm
Where: Old Rock House (1200 7th Boulevard)

The dearly departed Kennedy's was an infamous local joint that went the way of the wrecking ball sometime ago, but the reunion shows are a chance to recapture some of the venue's golden bands and golden days. You can see video from last year's show by clicking on [tab:video]. The cover charge for the evening is only $10, which equals a cheap a trip down local music's memory lane.

Admit it, no matter how much you like the holidays the music can really stink. The worst are those songs that that get stuck in your head and torture you all day long because either:

A) You want to sing them at the top of your lungs like its nobody's business

or

B) You just wish it would go away, leave you alone and stop clouding up your head.

I've heard the best cure for an earworm (like that stupid "Santa Baby" song) is the theme song to "Bonanza," but I have found another fix that is just as rewarding: trolling around the internets and finding carols that good musicians have made better, like Jimmy's version of "Little Drummer Boy" and fun, house music inspired holiday remixes.

While trolling for music this year I stumbled on a song that made me laugh out loud and feel all warm and Christmas-y inside at the same time. Compliments of the New Jersey band Spiraling.

Happy holidays and good luck in your search for decent holiday music!

The big rocking concert season goes into hibernation with the holidays, but in our city there is never a shortage of music to see. This is the time of year when local bands and musicians kick into high gear and there is always a local show to be seen.

St. Louis has a ton of talent and more than enough stages to hold it. This week we headed out to the Central West End to ask about the bands and musicians that are our city's favorites. To see what we found click on [tab:trav_video].

Are you a local music supporter? Do you have a favorite band or musician in St. Louis? We would love to hear who it is, and don't be shy about throwing a link to your favorite bands website in the comments, too and spread a little local music love.

Kristen Foht and the Jive Ass Turkeys have a funny name and a unique sound. Vocalist/songwriter Kristin Foht, electric guitarist/mandolin/strum stick player Dan McIntosh, bassist Brent McIntosh, and drummer Dietrich Goosen chose Nick's Pub in Dogtown to pull up a stool and talk about their band, the awesomeness that is St. Louis' local music scene, and the She Show they will be headlining on Friday. For a vegetarian style taste of Kristin Foht (read: sans the Turkeys) check out [tab:audio].

ToastedRav: So, this is your second She Show together?

Brent: Yeah, she is the singer songwriter behind all of the music and then we've known each other for four or five years; mostly through campouts and stuff like that. And then Me, Dan and D have been in previous bands through college and high school and just from knowing each other she asked us to be her back up band

Kristen: We would jam a lot at camp outs, and a friend of ours has a basement set up, so every once in a while I would throw in one of my songs and it would sound good. I've had a couple of people play with me in the past and I've got a CD out with a whole group sound. I don't have like regular people play with me and these guys - we always sounded good so I was like hey, let's actually do this.

ToastedRav: And that makes you guys (Brent, Dan and Dietrich) the Jive Ass Turkeys?

Dan: We looked that up and it's not derogatory in any way. Even though it might sound like it is.

Kristin: No, there is a good story behind that, too. I looked it up and it had something to do with - there was a bunch of different terminologies - but one of the first ones came from the jazz era down in 1920's New Orleans. These guys were playing poker, and they were all musicians too, and some guy came up and he was trying to cheat on a poker game and another guy ended up throwing him to the alligators, or something, and he called him a Jive Ass Turkey.

Dan: That was the first coining of the phrase Jive Ass Turkey

Kristin: But they said that it means people who think they are better than they are.

Dan: That's the definition of us (laughs). We thought it was appropriate.

ToastedRav: But if you guys were to release a CD together it be as Kristin Foht and The Jive Ass Turkeys?

Dan: Kristin's already wrote most all the songs we play. We usually throw a couple of covers in there just for crowd pleasers here and there, but her current CD is just her and a group of other musicians. A lot of the songs we play now are off that CD because we would probably have to write a whole other CD with us involved, so it would be pretty far out.

ToastedRav: You guys said you met through camping trips. Tell me about your camping trips?

Dan: We go to different places - all over the place. We have probably about five or six annual camp trips we do, and it's pretty much an open jam where anyone can show up and bring any instrument and we all just jam around the fire. It's pretty fun we got a lot of bongos out there we get full drums sets in the middle of winter, we've done that once - outside. It's fun. That's kind of where all this, where all these people met really was through the camping.

Brent: The biggest one we do is in April and it's usually about 40 or 50 people. It usually pretty fun if the weathers nice; sometimes the weather sucks; sometimes it doesn't.

ToastedRav: Can you describe your sound and influences?

Brent: The type of music that we play is kind of like college-rock, like pop-rock I guess you'd say.

Kristin: I made up a word - I say I don't like to 'genre-lize' myself, but it's still kind of like folk rock but there is definitely a lot more rock to it. There is a couple of tunes that have a little bit more of a bluesy sound to them and then there are some that are definitely more rock.

ToastedRav: Complete this sentence: If you are a fan of (blank) then you are a fan of ours.

Dan: If you're a fan of beer...

Kristin: You know Tiffany Christopher?

Dan: Her backup band plays a lot of rock. So it kind of fits a little more with us. I believe she's not local but she is homegrown around the Midwest.

ToastedRav: What is it about the St. Louis music scene that keeps you guys going and makes you enthused?

Dietrich: You can get everything from bluegrass to heavy metal.

Kristin: And pretty big techno people come through; I think there is just a pretty wide variety that you can appeal to- everything from country to bluegrass all the way up to your general heavy metal.

Brent: You go down to BB's that's a lot of swing/blues music, you go across the street to Broadway and then you've got jam bands up there. And that's all local.

Kristin: As for local music there's a lot. I discovered just in playing open mics and stuff there's little pockets everywhere. There's a couple open mics down on South Grand and there's a few open mics down in Soulard, and then you've got your stuff up in North Town and you've stuff out in St. Charles, and you've got all these little pockets of musicians that work together within all of those areas. I just think there is actually a lot more for people in St. Louis than they think, and it's a lot more accessible than bigger cities. Because I looked into moving to Chicago too and it's just a lot more complicated to get your foot in the door places and really play. I think that if you really want to get out and play there is a lot of places.

Kristen Foht and The Jive Ass Turkeys will be headlining the She Show with Celia's Yuletide Express, Blue of Morning Vision Blue and The Dumpy Bumpkins. The show starts at 9pm this Friday at Cruisin' Route 66, located at 7895 Watson Rd., and only $5 gets you in the door for a whole evening of rocking female singer-songwriters.

Chris Files

Margo Hughes

Audrey Holaday

Mike Merenda

Mike Flynn

Jen Danker

Melody Meiners

How about it, dear internets, what did your 2008 soundtrack sound like?

Here's the complete list from GRAMMY.com and click [tab:video] for a look at this year's Song of the Year nominees.  

The group's auditory throwbacks don't stop with Bowie - the song "Joy Ride" has a KC and The Sunshine band flavor that, admittedly, makes you want to groove a little. And when I heard the track "This Is Your Life" I couldn't stop thinking about the song on [tab:video], "Tarzan Boy" by Baltimora (what was even worse - the whole time I was listening to it, the name of that song was on the tip of my tongue but I couldn't quite think of the name!). Day and Age's bonus track "Forget About What I Said" is hands down my favorite song on the album - while I am not sure if that is fair to say since it is technically a bonus track, but since it is part of the release I am saying it anyway. But "Forget About What I Said" has the rocker edge, reminiscent of the band's debut album, that I was hoping to hear in the other tracks. Taken on its own merits, Day and Age is a good release, but after a few spins it left me yearning for The Killers back in the days of Hot Fuss.

I give Day and Age three and a half shimmering, stars out of five (endorsed by Major Tom of course).

Disclaimer: The Killers never claimed homage to the Bowie on this release, but they have been performing a cover of one of his tracks lately.