When Art Outside was hatched in 2004, there was a pretty clear rivalry brewing between the upstart event at the Schalfly Bottleworks and the long-running Saint Louis Art Fair, taking place just a couple of miles away. The new fair in Maplewood was championed early by many in the local media and art circles, but organizers still had to produce a quality event for people to take it seriously as more than a one-time challenge to the well-established Clayton fest.
Luckily for them, a receptive audience was found. Weather, while hot, basically complied. Food and drink were top-notch. And, most importantly, the artwork – whether drawn, written, projected or strummed – was up to snuff.
This year, organizers of Art Outside are again channeling their energies into putting together a musical lineup that’ll hook in interested music fans while pleasing the ears of a diverse audience shuffling through the temporary stalls of the Bottleworks’ expansive parking lot. Many of the acts are repeats, according to Stefene Russell, Art Outside’s event coordinator, who said, “Maid Rite, Frank Heyer, Tribe of Judah, Skeet Rogers, Simone’s Seventh Veil and Pandora’s Matchbox performed last year, and people really loved them, so we brought them all back. “I think the most important thing is for the entertainment to be local and grassroots, just like the art,” she added. “There was also a balance we had to strike between being ‘alternative’ and making sure that the performances were diverse enough to appeal to more than just a small group of folks. Last year during the day there were lots of young families, so we wanted to find musicians like Frank Heyer, who would be compelling to both kids and grown-ups. And as far as the overall mix, I think we did pretty well. Because we want to reflect local St. Louis culture, I think it’s really important to include music styles that are indigenous to St. Louis: the jazz, the blues and the roots stuff. But you also want to surprise people, which is why it’s great to throw a curveball like Dadbot! in there.”
Andrea Avery, last year’s event coordinator, said, “The whole process is kind of experimental and sort of evolves based on ideas the committee has and the kind of response we get from the bands. A lot of the bands are so excited to be involved and want to try new things specifically for Art Outside. So we really appreciate those kinds of folks who get the mission.”
Here are some of the highlights of this year’s event, slated for Sept. 9 and 10. For more, visit www.schlafly.com/artoutside.shtml.
Dadbot!, Sat. – 1:30 to 3:15 p.m.: A few months ago, the four members of Dadbot! made a favorable impression on a tiring St. Louis audience at the Bottleworks. The folks inside the Crown Room were treated to a handful of bands that evening, playing a benefit for a local poetry series. But the venue didn’t shake until the foursome from Columbia, Mo., took the stage last, ripping through bracing sets of songs from the group’s debut CD, “This is a Robocracy!” With youthful good looks and self-conscious charisma to burn, the band first excited the collegiate fans who obviously came to hear just them. Soon enough, the rest were roused, gripped by the pure enthusiasm of Dadbot! and the relentlessly hooky tracks that the band tore through with abandon.
Embracing the same New Wave pop sensibilities that have charted groups like The Killers over the last two years, the band’s sound is definitely dated, in a winning way. Depending on the mood of the audience – and, maybe, the heat at showtime – the young men of Dadbot! should continue to pad their local reputation at Art Outside. If the crowd’s ready to move, they’ll provide the soundtrack. If not, they’ll still provide a jolt of energy for anyone who needs an afternoon pick-me-up.
Maid Rite, Fri. – 8 to 10 p.m.: Before Jack White attained world fame with The White Stripes, he was a guitarist in the Detroit
goof-country act Goober & The Peas. Though the Peas could bring it live, there was always a sense that they were getting one over on the audience. A successor to the underground pop act Ouija, Maid Rite had a bit of that quirkiness at the beginning, hinting at the same kind of wink-and-nod approach to offbeat country. But, in time, the offbeat trappings were mostly dropped and the band’s clever way with a cover song – the Police’s “Walking on the Moon,” in particular – and apparent love of playing came across, winning over fans. The core elements of fun, country/folk/pop remain, along with some nice harmonies. Fun.
Dave Stone and John Covelli, Sat. – 4 to 5:45 p.m.: Stone has long held one of the best-received jazz gigs in town, with a weekly Friday slot at Mangia Italiano. Playing to folks not necessarily reared on jazz, he’s able to transcend any discomfort with the classics, bringing out the best in the tunes, his fellow players and even the listeners.
Multi-instrumentalist Covelli played with the legendary The Unconscious, enlivening the group with trombone, keyboards and backing vocals, turning an already effective live band into a stellar one. Together, the two are playing occasional gigs that stress nothing less than top-notch musicianship and a sense of respect for the classic American art form of jazz. Because they’re not a constant presence around town, you savor the gigs you get.
This article appears in Sep 1-30, 2005.