Let’s GO! Fubar and Firebird November 17 – December 4

You Know, a Funny Thing Happened to Me…

I was thinking of my cousin’s band yesterday, He Who Dredz, who I know have a show coming up on the twenty-eighth of November, when I realized: I didn’t know at what time or where they were playing.

I thought they were playing at Pop’s. I was wrong.

Which, incidentally, is how I came to know of Fubar, in Midtown Alley, and of Firebird, in St. Louis, which I will, from now on, bring to you news of upcoming shows from both monthly.

Billed the “Best All-Ages Venue,” by the Riverfront Times, Fubar is located in in the historic district between Compton and Cardinal at 3108 Locust, St. Louis, MO 63103.

Firebird, on the other hand, bills itself as “St. Louis’ Best New Music Lounge. Firebird used to be known as Bluebird, before it closed for a few weeks in January for upgrades, and was reopened as Firebird. It is located close to Fubar, at 2706 Olive Street, St. Louis, MO 63103.

Both, while closer to Lindenwood than Pop’s, are also farther away than The Pageant, but unlike either Pop’s or The Pageant, cater exclusively (so far as the schedules say) to local and underground talent. You’re not going to see Megadeth or Skillet here, as you would at the other two.

Of course, this also means that prices are more manageable, for the Broke-Ass College Student (BACS) budget that’s usually got us up against the financial wall.

As well, it gets us away from the mainstream tractor beam that always seems to hold us in such awe. (I am, sadly, within firm grasp of it.)

Situation: FUBAR

The shows at the Fubar include:

• Tuesday, November 17, 2009: FREE Acoustic Show in Lounge, featuring Stian Skaaden, Mike Vinopal, Pat Baum, Morgan Nusbaum of The 75, Jon Dittmer, and Riley James

• Wednesday, November 18, 2009: Auternus, Latin, Lesser Key, SOMA, N.Nomurai, + guest

• Thursday, November 19, 2009: Jeff Gorski, Off Course, Katherine Knight, Action Noun Action, Hearts Like Lead, Gay Breakfast, Jesse Ives & Guests
• Friday, November 20, 2009: Slave to the MetalFest hosted by Mistress Juliya, featuring Buried Beneath, Deadlife, My Name is a Weapon, Colors From a Cannon, Call Me Goliath, Powerhead, The Ship of Fools, Compelled to Destroy, Hollowed Point Heroes, Bare Knuckle Conflict, Inimical Drive, D-Railed, and Walk of Ignorance

• Saturday, November 21, 2009: Slave to the MetalFest hosted by Mistress Juliya, featuring The Tards, Modern Counter Culture, Mans Laughter, Drag the Dead, Paradigm Grip, Seven Year Existence, Humanities Dusk, Hope Can’t Save the Dead, Ashes of Scorn, Gigglefit, and Headchange

• 7:00 p.m., Monday, November 23, 2009: Dead Swans, Mother of Mercy, Nothing On Nothing, Feeding Lies, and Head For the Mountains

• 10:00 p.m., Monday, November 23, 2009: SPEEDWOLF, Zuul, Die Wasted, and Terra Caput Mundi
• Tuesday, November 24, 2009: The White Tie Affair, Every Avenue, Stereo Skyline, Runner Runner, and The Chain Gangs of 1974

• Friday, November 27, 2009: November MetalFest featuring Shotgun/Bayonet, Invictus, Scavenger, Lyluth, and more.

• Saturday, November 28, 2009: Days of the New w/ special guests Three Fortys, Bullshed, Take a Number, and Off Course

• Monday, November 30, 2009: Broadcast the Nightmare, Corpus Christi, and Whisteria Cottage + Locals -  Divide the Past and Walk of Ignorance + 1 TBA
• Thursday, December 03, 2009: The Captain Midnight Band and The Pat Sajak Assassins, with guest

Burn, Baby, Burn

At the Firebird, the performances include:

• Wednesday, November 18, 2009: Caporetto w/Engine Orchestra, and Tilts
• Thursday, November 19, 2009: Daytrotter Presents- Ezra Furman & The Harpoons w/Rachel Goodrich and Peasant

• Friday, November 20, 2009: Anders Parker w/Jon Hardy & The Public and The Dive Poets
• Saturday, November 21, 2009: Headlights w/Pomegranates and Fractured Army

• Wednesday, November 25, 2009: Local H w/Kinch and One Lone Car
• Thursday, November 26, 2009: Grand Buffet w/Celery, Humanoids

• Friday, November 27, 2009: Lengrand w/Pirate Signal, Sleep In Sundays and Falsetto Boy
• Saturday, November 28, 2009: EARLY SHOW – Raising Kane, He Who Dredz, Icon For Hire, Pinkleef, and The Drama Score

• Saturday, November 28, 2009: LATE SHOW – Season To Risk w/Gold Tooth, and The Unmutuals
• Sunday, November 29, 2009: We All Have Hooks For Hands w/Target Market and Tarlton

• Tuesday, December 01, 2009: Holly Golightly and The Brokeoffs, Kentucky Knife Fight, TBA
• Wednesday, December 02, 2009: Big D & The Kids Table w/Sonic Boom, BAMF!, and Disturbing Lou

• Thursday, December 03, 2009: The Gorge, TBA

Remember to check both Fubar’s and the Firebird’s websites for updates to shows with TBAs or for shows that were unbooked, and thus could not be reported on.

Check back in after December 11 for more shows to see at Fubar and the Firebird for your holiday break. ‘Cause there’s nothing like sampling the local music cuisine!

Let’s GO! Pop’s: November 16 – December 6

Once again, it’s time for your monthly serving of shows happening at local concert venues. This time, I’m sending my attention back to Pop’s Nightclub Concert Venue in Sauget, Illinois, just off of the Poplar Street Bridge on Highway 3 South.

I know it’s the last four weeks of the semester, but if you ever need a break from studying, papers, and last minute exams, then Pop’s has some great acts to see during this time. These include a beer pong tournament with a chance to earn a trip to The Flamingo in Las Vegas to win $50,000, Insane Clown Posse, Trivium, and Megadeth! Local acts include Opposites Attack, Silent Doom, Persona Crown, Slabcity Gorillaz, Incineration, and Make Me Break Me.

The dates for the shows are as follows:

• November 18, 2009: The Point Beer Pong Contest featuring Opposites Attack, Coma, Make Me Break Me, and Black.
• November 19, 2009: A Local Music Showcase featuring TBA
• November 20, 2009: Silent Doom, Search Party For My Ex-Wife, and TBA

• November 21, 2009: Persona Crown, Operator 303, Burning Down Oceans, The Vanguard Party, and Rockface Barband

• November 22, 2009: Slabcity Gorillaz, Trent Smith, and TBA
• November 24, 2009: Incineration, Pariah, Blood of Heroes, Survive The Flood, Creative Diversion, and The Blackout Agony

• November 27, 2009: Flobots w/Kinetix and Midwest Avengers

• November 28, 2009: Insane Clown Posse w/(hed) p.e.

• November 29, 2009: An Honest Upset, and TBA
• November 30, 2009: Psychostick w/Make Me Break Me, From Skies of Fire, and Bonneville

• December 03, 2009: A Local Music Showcase featuring TBA
• December 4, 2009: Trivium w/Chimaira, Whitechapel, and Dirge Within

• December 6, 2009: Megadeth w/Suicide Silence. Warbringer, and Arcanium.

Remember to check the Pop’s website for new information on any date listed with TBA, as these slots and dates are currently being booked. Also, remember that national shows like Megadeth will be much more expensive than local shows, which are usually seven dollars.

Pop in sometime after Thanksgiving for another edition of Let’s GO! Pop’s, where I’ll expand on more December shows for your holiday break and into 2010!