KDHX as a Metaphor

Music: So tonight I blew off the Devil in a Woodpile show at Off Broadway. I wanted to see them, but didn't have anyone to go with me on a Wednesday night. Not only would Jen not enjoy the music much, but it is not an atmosphere a pregnant woman should be subjected to. I feel the same regret now that I did when Vic Chesnutt came to the Duck Room at Blueberry Hill a couple of months ago and I blew that off. I love Vic and haven't seen him for years and still couldn't get off my lazy ass. I went to see Vic at McCabe's in LA in 1993 all by myself. McCabe's is a guitar shop that has a stage in the back. There were probably 60 people there but it felt like half that. Michael Stipe was there. I got an autographed poster from Vic at the end of the night and walked away without saying a word for fear of saying something embarrassing. I could see him throw his hands up in the air out of the corner of my eye. I think I surprised him by walking away so abruptly. In the latest issue of No Depression with Vic on the cover he talks about the McCabe's shows. It seems that a bunch of influential people (Van Dyke Parks, Victoria Williams, Allen Ginsberg) were at those shows and getting into Vic at that time.

Getting back to the reason I have so much regret about missing a show is that St. Louis is a horrible city for live shows. I can't believe the number of acts that blow off this city. They go from Columbia to Columbus or from Chicago to Memphis and don't make a stop here. I don't know if there isn't the right venue or there isn't the right kind of music fan. I think lack of good radio may have something to do with it. I love KDHX as a public station, but they seem to have quite a few programs that delve deep into catalog roots recordings and not enough that play the music coming out right now. Maybe that's some sort of metaphor for this city with such a rich history. Do we live too much in the past? I guess I'm spoiled being from Detroit (that's right, spoiled). EVERY band plays in Detroit. I had to drive to Chicago last October to see the Pixies and they played 5 nights in Chicago. They couldn't do one night at the Pageant!? St. Louisans should be outraged. I guess you can't miss what you never had.