Labor Day Weekend in St. Louis: Lil Wayne, Ratatat, East Loop Block Par-tay

I am on such a high right now. Not only did the Post-Rockist endorsed presidential candidate Barack Obama deliver a glorious knock-out acceptance speech last night, but I’m looking forward to a three day weekend filled with good music. It seemed like the number of quality shows coming to town was spread pretty thin during the end of summer here, but this fall is gearing up to be a busy concert season. Starting this Saturday with…

Lil Wayne, Chaifetz Arena

Alright, I’m not going to this show. But if I was, you’d better believe I’d be right up in the front row, watching Weezy’s fingers on the fretboards as he launches into yet another completely ridiculous guitar solo. I could probably learn a thing or two from him.

I basically just wanted to use this as an excuse to post this mash-up by the Hood Internet that takes the music from the unbelievably bad song “Suicide Bomb” off the new Primal Scream record, throws Lil Wayne and Birdman on top of it, and turns it into a little slice of awesome:

Hood Internet – “I Run This Bomb”
(Lil Wayne/Birdman vs. Primal Scream via The Hood Internet)

Next up, also on Saturday…

Ratatat, The Gargoyle

Notorious B.I.G. – “Party and Bullshit” (Ratatat Remix)
(download Ratatat Remixes Mixtape Vol. 2 for FREE here)

I was a little late to joining the Ratatat bandwagon, but I am absolutely hooked on their new album, LP3. Mathematically complex guitar leads; indeterminately exotic keyboard textures; subdued hip-hop beats, and the occasional bongo drum. It’s a great headphone listen, but I don’t know how they’ll turn it up live. (My guess: more bass.) I’ll be there to find out, though. In the meantime, scope out the video for “Mirando,” made entirely out of clips from the movie Predator. I was obsessed with this movie as a kid:

And last but not least, all weekend long in U City…

East Loop Block Party

Twenty-five St. Louis bands will be performing all Saturday and Sunday long at the Pageant! Oh no, wait… what’s that? Correction: they’ll be performing “under the Pageant marquee.” Uh huh. So while standing out on the sidewalk off Delmar for 11 hours a day isn’t exactly the ideal situation for live music, I think the idea is that you can casually enjoy the free rock and hip-hop atmosphere as you patronize the local businesses in the east end of the Loop. This way you can rock out to the Nevermores as you browse through Tabu Boutique, or sing along with Quief Quota as you shop in Fifi’s. Plus, Knitty Couture is offering free knitting lessons, so you can knit mittens for Bunnygrunt while you’re waiting for the Ratatat show.

Full details here. Full schedule here:

Saturday, August 30

11-11:30am THE NEVERMORES
11:45-12:15 MY OTHER SIDE
12:30-1:00 LEFT ARM
1:15-1:45 DJ CRUCIAL w/ NATO CALIPH
2:00-2:30 JONATHAN TOTH FROM HOTH
2:45-3:15 EARTHWORMS
3:30-4:00 THE FEED
4:15-4:45 THE HIGHWAY COMPANION
5:00-5:30 FATTBACK
5:45-6:15 TIGHT PANTS SYNDROME
6:30-7:00 THAT’S MY DAUGHTER
7:15-7:45 BUNNYGRUNT
8:00-8:30 TROUBADOUR DALI
8:45-9:15 THE BUREAU
9:30-10:15 THE INCURABLES

Sunday, August 31, 2008

11-12:45 ROOTS FUSION OF MARIO PASCAL
1:15-1:45 QUIEF QUOTA
2:00-2:30 THE HELIUM TAPES
2:45-3:15 DJ NEEDLES
3:30-4:00 MIDWEST AVENGERS
4:15-4:45 LUCA BRASI
5:00-5:30 MODELS NEED SLEEP
5:45-6:15 EXERCISE
6:30-7:00 THE EPIC MAYHEM
7:15-7:45 NITE OWL