On a cool winter morning in St. Louis County, the lobby of the Renaissance Hotel shimmered with sequins, tote bags, nervous parents, seasoned organizers and wide-eyed teenagers. By day’s end, more than 300 people had stepped through the rainbow archway of Amplify the Arch: A Conference BY and FOR Queer Youth. Amplify the Arch…
In October 1965, the Rev. Robert Watson Wood, along with three other protestors, appeared on the cover of The Ladder, the monthly publication of the Daughters of Bilitis, the first national organization for lesbian women in the United States. The cover photo was taken the previous June, when Rev. Wood and two dozen others —…
Ron Pope has spent more than two decades writing songs about the complicated moments that make us human. On September 8, that journey came alive onstage at City Winery St. Louis. From the moment Pope took the stage, there was an unmistakable energy in the room. He moved easily between heartfelt songs, stories and humor,…
Sixty-two percent of American adults want to be their own boss. Anthony Slaughter was one of them — until he actually did it. His current obsession? Freedom. You might know Slaughter from his presence on TVs from St. Louis to San Francisco during his 17-year career in meteorology. You might know him from his recent…
It’s not entirely incorrect to say that Steven Louis Brawley is obsessed with Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis. “Obsession,” though, undersells the rigor and dedication he brings to the task of cataloging and contextualizing her history. His business card bears an iconic pink pillbox hat, but Brawley’s no mere fanboy. The 60-year-old Kirkwood resident is the custodian…
Banana Ball has transformed baseball into something faster, stranger and considerably more fun—and the Savannah Bananas have built a phenomenon around it. Ahead of their St. Louis appearance, we talked with head coach Tyler Gillium about bringing Banana Ball to Busch Stadium, the moments that go wildly off-script, and why the organization believes baseball can…
Lucy Couture’s notes-app calendar is booked out for months. Sometimes she has multiple shows on one day – and this isn’t even her main gig. Weston – the man behind Lucy’s voluptuous blonde wig – is a preschool teacher by day. Lucy got into drag on a dare. While in the professional cast of a…
I started paying attention to national politics fifty years ago, in Mrs. Griggs’ sixth-grade social studies class at Potosi (Missouri) Middle School during the bicentennial year when Gerald Ford and Jimmy Carter battled it out for the presidency. International events came into focus with the capture of American hostages in Iran in 1979. A decade…
We are deeply saddened to share the news that our beloved sales director, Cathleen “Cat” Criswell, has passed away at her home. Cat was an indispensable pillar of the St. Louis media landscape. She dedicated two decades of her career to the Riverfront Times, serving from 2004 until the publication’s sale in 2024. During…
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…
