Twenty-five years later, the room is still open. On August 14, 2001, a young singer-songwriter from Sedona, Arizona, released an album that would become one of the defining pop-rock records of its generation. That album was The Spirit Room. Before the major-label success came “Broken Bracelet,” Branch’s independent 2000 release on Twin…
“If It Ain’t Spit, It Ain’t Love” — Peaches Brings “No Lube So Rude” to St. Louis
“If it ain’t spit, it ain’t love.” There probably isn’t a better way to introduce Peaches—the unapologetic provocateur, performance artist and electro-punk icon who has spent more than two decades turning sexuality, gender, identity and freedom into an art form. On September 14, 2026, Peaches brings her No Lube So Rude Tour to The Sovereign…
Betty Neeley: Riding Ahead of Her Time, Preserving the Herstory of St. Louis
Long before St. Louis had an organized LGBTQ motorcycle scene, before women riders had a place in groups such as Dykes on Bikes, Betty D. Neeley was already riding. Neeley, turning 90 this month, began riding motorcycles in 1949, at an age when a teenage girl taking to the streets on a motorcycle was…
Festival of Nations Announces 2026 Performer Lineup and VIP Experience
Festival of Nations, powered by the International Institute of St. Louis, announces its 2026 performance lineup and a new single-day VIP ticket option ahead of the festival’s return to Tower Grove Park on Saturday, Aug. 29 and Sunday, Aug. 30. The free two-day festival brings together 100,000+ attendees and features dozens of performances from all…
St. Louis Bookseller Danielle King Selected as Fiction Judge for National Book Awards
Left Bank Books is proud to share that bookseller Danielle King is among the 25 judges selected for the National Book Awards, one of the nation’s highest literary honors that shapes the discourse in literature, publishing, and bookselling. The National Book Awards, administered by the National Book Foundation, has been a literary tradition since 1936…
The “Just Asking Questions” Tactic: When a Reminder Becomes an Accusation
We are simply wanting to remind Missouri Attorney General Catherine Hanaway that drowning kittens is illegal under Missouri law, and should she engage in drowning kittens, we intend to see that she is held responsible. Has Catherine Hanaway engaged in animal cruelty? We’re not saying she has. That distinction is the entire point.…
Beyond the Wig Series: Sister Pattie O’Pounder Is Making 501(c)(3)s Sexy Again
Sister Pattie O’Pounder got her drag name off a wine bottle. At a wine tasting, she sampled “a really nice white blend that you could just pound back on the patio.” Sister Pattie, whose resume included exactly one amateur night, asked: “Is that my drag name now?” Apparently so, because the name stuck when Sister…
Artist Talk with Alex Johnmeyer Friday July 31 at ArtFusion Gallery
As part of the opening reception for ArtFusion Gallery’s STL 360 exhibition, join St. Louis artist Alex Johnmeyer for a special Artist Talk from 7:30–8:00 p.m. The STL 360 opening reception runs from 5:00–10:00 p.m., offering guests an evening of art, conversation, and community. Recently named ArtFusion Gallery’s June 2026 Artist of the Month,…
Butch in the Streets: My Obsession with the Legendary Stevie Nicks
Somewhere between learning to drive my baby-blue 1965 Mustang and secretly crushing on girls while still firmly planted in the closet, I fell hopelessly in love with Stevie Nicks. That Mustang had a 22-year-old stereo that somehow still worked. The speakers crackled more than they played, but they blasted music that could heal my fragile,…
St Lou Fringe Celebrates 15 Years of Bold, Boundary-Pushing Art
Fifteen years ago, St Lou Fringe began STLFringe FEST with just three shows and a simple but stubborn belief: St. Louis deserved a stage for the art that didn’t fit anywhere else. Today, that belief has grown into one of the Midwest’s most vital independent arts festivals. As St Lou Fringe prepares to celebrate its…