Our intern Trent Hover went out and produced this piece on the anual celebration of record stores in St. Louis. We’re blessed for a city of our size to still have as many options as we do for buying vinyl or any kind of physical media. We visited Euclid Records, Vintage Vinyl and Apop Records for this piece but there are even more options than those in the St. Louis area. And remember you don’t have to wait for Record Store Day to go and check out your local record store. Music for this video: Stellar Day by the Phonocaptors.

About four years ago we had a chance to interview the Carolina Chocolate Drops. Since then you probably have heard them on NPR’s Fresh Air, or from one of their return visits to St. Louis in the last four years. I was able to see them at B.B.’s Jazz Blues and Soups in mid 2007 which was only a about a year after they first met each other at the First Annual Black Banjo Festival. They’ve since gone on to make a nice career for themselves and to win a Grammy for Best Traditional Folk Album this year. So I gotta say that this is a first in the history of this site, that we were one of the first to cover an act that has gone on to win a Grammy. So in honor of this we thought we would reprise the Carolina Chocolate Drops interview we did way back when in a slightly new format, and that is as a single episode instead of the episodic two parter we did originally and has always been available in the site archives since it was first published (I don’t know what we were thinking with two part thing to be honest). It’s about thirteen minutes long and it includes performances and interviews with CCD. Be sure to catch Rhiannon Giddens performance of Another Man Done Gone somewhere in the middle of this video … it’s just stunning.

One program note: Rhiannon was present in the interview but she was off camera nursing a cold and a sore throat so that’s why you only see Justin Robinson and Dom Flemmons in the interview. portion.

Last Friday Evil Prints opened up it’s doors to the public to see what kind of debauchery goes on in their large space above Vandeventer Ave. Beer, chili and cookies were served. Print making was demonstrated and prints were sold. Also showing (and selling work) was photographer in residenceBob Reuter who’s dark room and photo archives reside in the space. The space it’s self is a sight to behold. Huck’s trademark red dominates (of course). This is our first visit to the new studio. When we first interviewed Huck it was in his Washington Ave studio nearly 5 years ago. My how time flies.

Also, thanks so much to Left Arm for their awesome music. You can buy their Electric Babies EP from iTunes here or download their album from TIRC records (name your price).

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We visited Coyote and his Sci-Fi Lounge back in 2007 in Lofistl Episode #139. We heard recently that he was moving the lounge to a new location; a dead suburban mall that is now being used as space for artists.

The mall is now known as Crestwood Court and artists can get space at low cost in the mall to peruse their endeavors. It seems a few independent galleries, theatre companies and dance studios have taken the mall up on their offer. See our photo gallery of the mall (t0 be posted here on Lo-Fi Saint Louis tomorrow) to see more views of this space.

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Lo-Fi Saint Louis will be back in full force this fall but until then I thought I’d share this wonderful trailer for what promises to be an excellent documentary about Bob Reuter. Bob’s been featured here on Lo-fi Saint Louis several times (check the sidebar of this post) and I’m very pleased to see this project by Josh Rolens near completion. The movie should be complete by the fall. An eleven minute excerpt screened at the St. Louis Filmmakers Showcase last week.

Monte Beauchamp of Blab! Magazine explains the obscure German Christmas myth of the Krampus. This video features art by Gary Baseman and book collections of antique Krampus and Devil postcards curated and edited by Beauchamp and available from Fantagraphics Books.

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This video is a little different for me. I was driving home from an event this particular afternoon in August and I saw these guys with boxing gloves on the corner. I thought that I’d stop and talk to them to see what the story was. Turns out this was a coach and a couple of his young boxers out hitting up the cars at the intersection for loose change to raise money to go to a tournament in Kansas City. They were more than happy to talk to me and demonstrate their skills.

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I wanted to get out and cover this one myself, but it just wasn’t to be. Fortunately someone did, here’s the video …

I first became aware of Jason Hackenwerth’s amazing balloon sculptures when I did a video about Doc Popular last summer. He was at City Museum creating an enourmous balloon sculpture and in retrospect I was foolish for not stopping to talk to him then. But as luck would have it, Jason came back to St. Louis recently (he is a hometown boy who now resides in NYC) to show some of his work at his Alma Mater, Webster University. I was able to corner him for a few minutes at his opening to ask him some questions. The show closes at the end of this week so catch it if you can. Jason’s web site is here. (fixed the link, thanks Ed Reggi)

Mark Vickroid makes wonderful homemade guitars out of old cigar boxes. Some of them even have an amp built in. I went to his house in South St. Louis to see how he made them and talk to him about how he got started. Check out his band, The Vickroids, on MySpace here.

Warning: This video contains artistic depictions of nudity and sex, it might not be safe to watch in your workplace.

This erotic art show took place last winter just before St. Louis’s big Mardi Gras celebration at the Koken Art factory. You didn’t know that St. Louis had a Mardi Gras celebration? Well yes we do … But this event wasn’t an official Mardi Gras event, but it was fun, and amazingly successful. Keep an eye on their web site here for info on Naughti Gras ’09.

Music by The Blind Eyes.

Last February Tom Huck, printmaker extraordinaire, called me up and begged and pleaded with me to come cover this event of print makers from around the country who had converged on the Contemporary Art Museum to sell prints and socialize. I had already planned to shoot another event that very night but figured that I could squeeze in about an hour at this show before I hit the other event. I’m glad I did, because this was a party like no other. Complete with wild art and poetry and music–there were even half nude performance artists from Estonia. This was nothing short of a blast.

Thanks to The Black Diamond Heavies and their label Alive Records for letting me use their music for the soundtrack for this video. It’s from their record “Every Damn Time” and they have a new record out called “A Touch Of Someone Else’s Class” both are available in most record stores (if you can find one) and iTunes. Here’s a link to all that info.

Also check out the Circuit for more fun!

Angleo Moore (whom you may know as the lead singer of Fishbone) came to City Museum to perform as Dr. Madd Vibe, his poetry dropping alter ego. It was quite an interesting performance in a very unique space.

Also in this episode, a peek at our other project, Lo-Fi Sessions as well as a teaser for the next episode featuring veteran 60′s Garage Rockers, GONN.

KDHX held this crazy fundraiser at the South Broadway Atletic Club back in December–they destroyed art! … And sold a lot of it too! It was a lot of fun. KDHX is a not for profit community media corporation. They operate KDHX Radio and KDHX TV, check them out at kdhx.org.

This is the first episode of LO-FI SAINT LOUIS for the new Spring ’08 season.

This episode features Monte Beauchamp, artist and curator of Blab Magazine and other publications. He was in St. Louis last fall for the launch of the latest issue of that wonderful annual publication of Blab. If you don’t know Blab, you should. It’s a collection of artists published lovingly in a magazine only once a year and each issue is kicked off with a gallery opening of work from the book. This past issue was launched at the Philip Slein Gallery right here in our own little city of St. Louis. Beauchamp has published several other books as well. You can get them all from Fantagraphic Books.

Also in this episode, you will get a sneak peek at some other things that I’ve been up to as well as a preview of the next episode of LO-FI SAINT LOUIS.

This is a new design for the site and there are still some bugs and kinks to be worked out. I’m working on it so be patient, please! Thanks!

On this Episode Lo-Fi Saint Louis gets green with a visit to the Earthways Festival. The Earthways Festival is a showcase of green technology and practice held once a year at the Earthways Center in St. Louis. The Earthways Center was etablished by the Missouri Botanical Garden to promote sustanability through environmental education and improving the Built environment.

Music: “Babylon Bush” By the Dub Rascals courtesy of the Podsafe music network.

Warning: this video contains semi-nude people and might not be appropriate to watch in your workplace.

The Alley Cat Revue at Rue 13 is on the vanguard of fine Burlesque entertainment in the Mid-west. I spoke to the lovely and talented Lola Van Ella about the history of the current state of the “neo-burlesque” movement.

Also this is my 200th episode of Lo-Fi Saint Louis, thanks to Paul Knight, James Spencer, Heath Parks, Irina Slutsky and Eddie Codel, Jimmy Craichead and Demanda Diamond, and Rob Parrish for sending in videos.

If you liked this video check out these related videos:

• Dr. Sketchy’s Anti-Art School
• The Cowboy Cabaret

I recently visited Dr. Sketchy’s Anti-Art School at the Atomic Cowboy in St. Louis. This is one of the newest chapters of Dr. Sketchy’s anti-art School that started in Brooklyn. It’s a unique event thats part figure drawing class and part party, with performances and contests. Great fun for real artists and fake artists alike!

Even though the music business has tried to make it obsolete, the vinyl record is still alive and kicking. People still love it, and there has even been a small resurgence of sales of vinyl records in the last few years. And somewhere around the country almost every weekend there are record swap meets where collectors can meet up to buy and sell or trade in the the music format that just won’t die. I visited this one that happens every two months in St. Louis.

You might know Doc Popular as a nerdcore rapper, or a lo-fi techno musician who plays on bent toy electronics, or maybe you bought one of his crafty blue jean wallets, or read one of his comics, or maybe you’ve seen him in a video or two. But I think this is the first time anyone has actually got him to sit down and talk about his career as a yo-yo champion. One doesn’t get many chances to see a yo-yo champ perform, so I had to interview this San Francisco-based renaissance man when he was in St. Louis recently to judge a yo-yo contest. Oh, and I should mention that the music in this video was also written and performed by the man himself. Ok I was confused, the music is by The Atomic Bros, sorry about that.

This video contains Brief partial nudity and may not be work safe.

The Cowboy Cabaret is a throwback to the good old days of night clubs. You know — when good wholesome family entertainment was in style. When you could take a date out on a Sunday night and hear a comedian tell dirty jokes and girls would sing and dance and take off their clothes to tunes played by real live muscians. Yeah, that kind of entertainment. It happens on the first Sunday of every month at the Atomic Cowboy. If you want to see this, get your tickets in advance because every show sells out fast.

Music, K Lounge by the Four Bags courtesy of the Podsafe Music Network.

This spring, several local breweries got together to celebrate the rich brewing heritage in St. Louis. As a birthplace of the modern brewing industry, we have quite a heritage to celebrate. Brewers of all types were there to enjoy beer and show off their skills. I spoke to a brewmaster from the giant brewery Anheuser-Busch (that’s a local macro-brewery here you might have heard of. They make a product called “Budweiser”) and a member of the local homebrew club. I also got to meet the brothers that founded the ultimate beer lover’s Web site and Magazine, The Beer Advocate.

Music: “Beer, Beer, Beer” by the Brobdingnagian Bards courtesy of the Podsafe Music Network.

A Munny (pronounced like “money”) is a vinyl toy that comes completely blank so it can be customized. Star Clipper Comics sponsored a Munny Art show last week for St. Louis Artists to show off their own customized Munny creations. LO-FI SAINT LOUIS was there to document the event. Music by Dan Warren, via the Podsafe Music Network.

Update: see photos from all the Munny’s in the show here and see photos from the party here

Venus Envy is an arts organization in St. Louis formed to empower women though the arts. They’ve since expanded to four other cities. Once a year they throw one hell of a party. I attended this two-night event for the first time this year, and here is some video from it.

Music by The Helium Tapes

A. (anonymous) is an independent film made here, in St. Louis, directed by Daniel Bowers. It’s an improvised comedy mockumentary about a support group for anyone with any kind of problem. It’s been shown in festivals around the country and has gotten some really great reviews. The film was released on DVD recently. I attended the release party and got to talk to some of the principles from the film.

The DVD will be available from Amazon.com soon. See Lackluster Pictures’ Web site for more info.

Last fall, some crazy cats who hang around the Mad Art Gallery had an idea; do a live radio show the way they were done from the 1930′s to the 1950′s, with a live audience, band and sound effects guys … the whole bit. Well, they pulled it off, and they plan to do it again. In fact they’re planning on making it a regular thing at Mad Art. Here is a little taste of what it was like.

The Mad Art Gallery is a unique art space in St. Louis. It occupies a former 1930′s-era art deco police station on the southside of the city. Ron Buechele, the owner, has restored most of the building and kept most of the original fixutures intact, except for the former squad car garage which is now the main gallery. Music for this video was provided by St. Louis’s own The Electric (now defunct).

This is a profile of a young, up-and-coming artist who has a unique style that blends digital photography and traditional techniques. She started creating art as a kind of self therapy and now it’s turning into her career. You can keep up with her at her Web site Auniakahn.com. Special thanks to Casey Reid for letting me use his music for this video.

The Firecracker Press is a design firm that also runs their own letterpress.

Jeremy Mehrle has turned the basement of his suburban St. Louis home into one of the coolest private computer museums you will ever see. He has 74 vintage Apple Macintosh computers impeccably displayed. All of them are fully-functional so you can see what the old operating systems were like. Some of the highlights of his collection are an Apple Lisa, a 20th Anniversary Macintosh, and a NeXT computer.

This is not the first time his collection has been seen on the Web. After he first posted photos of it on his Flickr account, the collection was seen on several prominent blogs and social networking sites, including the front page of Digg (twice!), Macworld, Mac Life, and Engadget. But Podtech and LO-FI SAINT LOUIS are proud to bring the first video look at this amazing collection — amazing not for its size but the loving care Jeremy took in displaying these machines. Thanks to Walkie Talkie USA for providing the great Bowiesque soundtrack for this video.

Also there’s a bit of tech satire at the end of this video that you might enjoy — it’s from the sketch comedy group Flapping Crane. Special thanks to them for permission to use their clip.

UPDATE!
Since I posted this in February 2007, Jeremy has gotten a lot more press, including from CNN.com and the AP. I’m proud that my little project here got to scoop these bigger news organizations.

2 Years ago I posted my first video on LO-FI SAINT LOUIS. Go back and see the video that started it all!

Coyote is a St. Louis artist that opens up his storefront studio once a week as a cafe/hang out not so much to show off his work, but to show off his collection of toys. He has been collecting Star Wars and science fiction-themed toys and memorabilia for several years now, and he’s amassed a collection that nearly fills his entire studio space. If you’re in St. Louis you can check it out in person on Thursday nights from 8 to midnight at 6010 Kingsbury Avenue.

Thanks to Thee Lordly Serpents for letting me use their great music for this video. They’re not a band anymore, but 2 of them are now in the Nevermores.

This is part 2 (get part 1 here) of a two-part podcast where I interview the Carolina Chocolate Drops, an old-time string band from Durham, NC. They play early African-American folk music that was popular before there was even a record industry. The three members of this group, Justin Robinson, Dom Flemons, and Rihannon Giddens are all exceptional multi-instrumentalists and dynamic performers. Among the instruments they play in a typical performance are the guitar, fiddle and banjo (of course), and also rare instruments like the kazoo, bones and the jug. I caught their show at legendary St. Louis Blues joint BB’s Jazz Blues And Soups.

Thanks for all the great feedback. You can also leave comments on the comment line at 206-338-5634.

This is the first of a two-part podcast where I interview the Carolina Chocolate Drops, an old-time string band from Durham, NC. They play early African-American folk music that was popular before there was even a record industry. The three members of this group, Justin Robinson, Dom Flemons, and Rihannon Giddens are all exceptional multi-instrumentalists and dynamic performers. Among the instruments they play in a typical performance are the guitar, fiddle and banjo (of course), and also rare instruments like the kazoo, bones and the jug. I caught their show at legendary St. Louis Blues joint BB’s Jazz Blues And Soups.

Also let me know what you think of the changes I’ve been making to the format of the shows. Leave a comment here or use my contact page to send me an email or … call the voice mail number at 206-338-5634. Thanks!

One more thing … how many times does Dom Flemons change his hat in this interview?

Peat Wollaeger, Justin Tolintino, Cbabi Bayoc, Brian Walsh, Dave Langley, Porous Walker.

I made a new version of an old promo.

Update [5-6-2009] Somehow this episode was lost, I finally found the master and was able to restore the Chouteau Showdown portion of the video but not the Arch Promo. Sorry!

Also December 22 A Very Merry Christmas Spectacular at Off Broadway with Walkie Talkie USA, Gentleman Auction House, and Elsinore.

Also my friend Markus Sandy and also Chuck Olsen have tagged me in this little online game where I have to reveal 5 things about myself. Here goes:

1. I was a horrible student until I went to college. When I got to college I made all A’s and B’s.
2. I joined the Air Force when I was 17, and was honorably discharged, and I got a good conduct medal even though I got a severe reprimand my first year in the service.
3. I have a pair of “Sponge Bob” boxer shorts and they are my favorite pair of underwear.
4. I drive a mini-van, AND LIKE IT!
5. Untill I was about 21 I was a conservative Republican, I am now a proud Liberal Democrat.

(one of the above may be a complete lie!)

Now I’m tagging, Erik, Deirdre, Paul, Susan, and Kelly.

A video interview with Gary Panter recorded at his show at the Philip Slein Gallery. You may know him from his many record covers he’s designed for everyone from Frank Zappa to Bongwater to the Red Hot Chili Peppers. He also did a lot of character and set design for Pee-Wee Herman’s Pee-Wee’s Playhouse back in the 1980′s.

Gary Panter, Philip Slein Gallery, BUY A T-SHIRT, Carp Caviar, Carp Caviar, Deke Dickerson

UPDATE: Since this video was published in 2006 I’ve gotten a flood of responses from former students, friends and admirers of Arthur and Ernestine. It’s been viewed thousands of times. I’m just glad that I was able to capture these moments from the end of their lives. I’m amazed how well this turned out given the fact that I shot this with a broken camera on short notice and knowing very little of these artists and their work before hand. –Bill Streeter 6/9/2009
This is a special documentary about artists Arthur Osver and Ernestine Betsberg. Music by 4 and 20 Blackbirds, courtesy the Podsafe Music Network.
Here is a link to the complete uncut interviews with the artists.

The Tin Ceiling, Jason Lauderdales Blog

Brothers Jeff and Randy Vines show off their St. Louis themed T-shirts they make under the name STL Style. Then we present the Phonocaptors music video.

The New Fangs from Seattle, Human-Dog.com (promo), Vloggercon (promo), Bedazzled.tv, Rusty Nails’ short documentary “The Ramones and I” please vote for it at SlamDance.com.

Tom Huck is an incredible artist from the St. Louis area. He makes these huge wood cut prints with really fine detail. He’s been noticed and widely collected by private collectors and museums, including the Whitney Museum of American Art, Spencer Museum of Art, Nelson Atkins Museum of Art, Saint Louis Art Museum, Milwaukee Art Museum, Fogg Art Museum, and New York Public Library. He has a great website where you can learn all about him here: EvilPrints.com. He’s also a really nice, down-to-earth guy (in spite of being so evil). It was really a lot of fun to work on this piece. Unfortunately you just missed his show at the Philip Slein Gallery in St. Louis. But check out the Slein Gallery, anyway. Phil always has something cool going on there.

The music for this piece is called “Some Hole” from demented country punkers, The Country Teasers. It’s from their album, Science Hat Artistic Cube
Moral Nosebleed Empire and this record can be purchased from In The Red Records.