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KDHX-cellent

We caught the last 20 minutes of Literature for the Halibut last night on KDHX, your community radio station. Stefene Russell does such a great job on the air. It's so much fun hearing friends' voices on the radio. I wish we'd caught the program earlier because I don't know who was reading the fiction segment and it was driving me crazy. She sounded so familiar to me. Community radio is crazy important to me and my people (see the linkable peeps to the left). Rob Levy kept me company during two years of Wednesday night drives home from SIU Edwardsville, and Monday mornings just wouldn't be the same without the bagpipery I've grown to know and love. Today at 2:00, I'll be glued to my radio for Sherry Danger's Dangerous Curves.

I even have a $75 William Shatner CD to attest to my love of community radio. As much as I hate to be pushy, You should give them money, too! If nobody clicks that link and gives money to KDHX in the next hour, I'm gonna club this baby seal. That's right. I'm gonna club this seal to make a better deal. You know I'll do it, to, 'cause I'm crazy!

Rockin'

In a world where nobody pays attention to poetry, a brave and simple man happened upon a gimmick. It all started with Three Stephanies (or two Stephanies and a Stefene)...

Stephanie Young, Stephanie McKenzie and Stefene Russell.

...then came last year's sensational, brilliant, and critically acclaimed, The Five Aarons Reading.

McCollough, Tieger, Belz, Kunin and Kiely

...and this Thursday (January Fourth [happy birthday, Mom!]), Aaron Belz and his Observable Readings series presents "Rockin' Robins," the feel good reading of the month. Robyn Schiff makes a return appearance on a St. Louis stage (readings@the contemporary with Julie Dill and Nick Twemlow), while Robin Behn and Robin Schaer come to us for the very first time. Farm Team opens with an acoustic set prior to the poetry. The event starts at 8:00 at the Schlafly Bottleworks. Come on, it's Thursday. What else could you possibly have to do? Besides, you don't want to leap into the 10 Jens without a Rockin' Robins warm-up.

[update]

Robin Behn was wow. I can't wait until she comes back to St. Louis. I've never been so enraptured at a poetry reading as I was Thursday night. Her reading reminded me of interpretive dancer Suzanne Muldowney, with whom NPR did an interview around last Halloween, on her performance art portrayal of Vlad the Impaler. Robin Behn wasn't nearly as insane different, but as engaging and absorbingly fascinating.

Mule Tide

This is the only known picture of Beth Ketcher (far left) almost standing still. Some StudioSTL foks accept their Kick Ass award.

The Atomic Cowboy was split in half for the 3rd Annual Kick Ass Awards. There were $1 bottles of "The Champagne of Beers" to celebrate the occasion. I was more intrigued by Leslie's classy Stoli Razz and Tonic, but I feared any alcohol would immediately put me into a coma. We had the long, comfy orange vinyl sofa to ourselves, but we offered the other end to various friends as they mingled. We don't know the little girl with the daring cammo and cowboy boots ensemble, but she did, indeed, kick ass.

Laine took her sneak-attack pictures all night, only getting up to get the picture of the stunning half karate-kicking man, half rear end of donkey trophies.

We were surrounded by the underground St. Louis elite, and it was definitely funky. I'm an idiot and didn't realize until Tom Crone said it, that Steve Ewing was/is the lead singer of The Urge. Duh.

Karen Duffy looked fantastic in her sparkly jeans and faboo haircut, and both Laine and I vowed to be her when we are her age. Scott Emanuel's partner Ed Reggi sported the most awesome anime facial hair I've ever seen on a human being. He was sitting with the infamous Joan Lipkin, who's met me several times at parties and readings, but instantly forgets who I am. And that's, okay.  K. Curtis Lyle stunned the audience with a performance of one of his poems for his girlfriend's anniversary present. Leslie's date and I were mouthing, "your uranium ass," for a solid ten minutes after he finished.

Okay, last night, the Non Prophet Theatre Company took home a Kick Ass Award, and they were decidedly not kick ass. Either I was too sober, or they were too not funny, but the only time I laughed during their set was when, after a gag they thought was funny, they would wait a full 30 seconds for their laughs and never get them. Call me a fuddy duddy if you will, but there is a time and place for everything, folks, and a civic award ceremony is not the time for Granny fetishes and blue language. I work blue, too, but I scan the crowd for children first.  I also stop if nobody's laughing, but maybe that's just me. They reminded me of an ill-rehearsed drag king troupe.

Stefene and Andrea did great jobs, but the best speaker of the night was probably Mr. Crone. His giving the crowd in back the business for having full-blown party-volume conversations during the ceremony was hi-larious. And his realization that he said "dick" five times directly in front of someone's eight year old, right after scolding the NPT Co's filthy whore mouths was comedy gold.