Do you remember Rio?
Notes on a music player from the past, Moe Fuz on more locals at MATI, and the very best concert and events information in St. Louis.
Nick Cowan on his beloved Diamond Rio
by Nick Cowan
Last month my family, 6 of us, went to Ireland and England. A
monumental trip for this humble DJ with the people I care about the
most. The only time I'd done similar was 26 years ago when my brother
and I went to Dublin.
After I got my practical luggage packed I started on digital packing.
I downloaded 40 gigs of movies, TV shows, books, and music from all my
sources to my iPad. Enough for any media urge I could expect in air
travel to Europe and back. Packed my back up battery, cables, and
adapters too. Ready to go.
The trip was as amazing as you would think. The day I went back to
work I joined some for lunch. They were talking about their first
iPod Mini, hand-me-down iPod Classics, iPod Touch. These digital
natives asked me what my first iPod was. Sensing a chance to
befuddle someone I shared my first digital music player. Hint, it
wasn't an Apple product.
It was a Diamond Rio PMP300.
When they Googled it the evident emoji gasp told me that they had
never considered the idea something existed before an iPod. Of course
one goofball did say, “My Dad loved his Zune.” Yeah. Sure he did.
What manner of revolutionary digital badassness was the device I
carted across the Atlantic? Please allow me…
This was 1999. The device was $200. It had 32 megabytes of internal
hard drive storage. I sprung an extra $50 for a 16mb card. Yep. A
whole 50 smackaroons for storage that wouldn't hold a full jam band
jam. Note that this wasn't 48mb, it was 32+16. Those drives didn’t
share at all. Remember when you could fit a hair over 45 minutes on
one side of a TDK SA90 before that guillotine click? There is zero
give on digital, you had to shave seconds off with a sketchy free
sound editor.
For perspective, my digital packing 26 years ago yielded a whopping 13
song playlist for a two week international trip. Also, it ran on one
AA battery. When I listen to some of those songs now I got right back
to that trip.
It baffled the digital natives on lunch break to think that for a huge
swath of the past 50+ years access to physical media governed what you
could listen to. If you didn't have enough money to go to the record
store, you had to have someone tape it or let you borrow it. Radio,
later MTV, certainly were factors in listening to music, instrumental
in fact. But a record collection is the original "on demand".
I embrace digital for the access. If I want to sing a particular song
in the shower there's no substitute for Spotify, et al. Nothing
changes how much I love the contemplative nature of just sitting there
with a record or cd and nothing else. The physical medium of sliding a
disc into a tray, sipping on a good bourbon, and letting the CD or
record play as it was intended.
What's really cooking my noodle though is how I can listen to that 13
song playlist from 26 years ago and get swept back to that moment.
We've been home for 2 weeks now, and I’m not sure any of the media I
painstakingly selected will have the same meaning as time goes on.
It might, and who knows what I'll be listening to in another 26 years.
PS: Here’s the travel mix from my first digital music player. My job had
just gotten a high speed T1 internet connection and Napster and I
became fast friends. Most of this isn't on streaming though.
1. Mr Bungle - Bienvenidos (live, bootleg)
2. Barenaked Ladies - Shake Your Rump (live bootleg Beastie Boys cover)
3. Blind Melon - Tones Of Home
4. Blues Traveler - But Anyway
5. Lenny Kravitz - It’s Your Life
6. Liz Phair - Whatever Makes You Happy
7. Trish Murphy - Runaway Freight Train (live on KLBJ)
8. Steely Dan - Bad Sneakers (live at PBS)
9. James Taylor - Valentine’s Day
10. Nadine - Twilight (local)
11. Nadine - Deaf, Blind, and Dumb (local)
12. Summerhouse - Centrigrade (local)
13. Ben Folds Five - Your Most Valuable Possession
Nick Cowan is host of Train of Thought every Tuesday 11PM- Wed 1AM on CRSTL.FM.
Live and Local featured at MATI 2026
by Moe Fuz
Moe’s back for a THIRD preview to finish covering MATI’s local talent!
Friday July 17th delivers a 1-2 knockout punch of Illphonics at The Big Top and Mississippi Knights at the Sovereign. Illphonics have 2 decades now as pioneers of funky Hip Hop Fusion that flows precise lyricism over a funky, jazzy live band. (Hoping Lamar Harris sits in on trombone!)
Then, the Mississippi Knights get hectic at the Sovereign when Brian Owens has the urge to jump right in with The Steve Ewing Band (Adam Hansbrough, Chris Turnbaugh, Miles Vandiver, Brian Kasmarzik, and Sarah Jones). Individually, Brian and Steve rank among St. Louis’s best front men… But together? This might be THE show of all of MATI.
Speaking of Brian… On Saturday the 18th, The Grandel features a free show called The Soul of St. Louis with Brian Owens, Denise Thimes, The Bosman Twins, Marquise Knox, Anita Jackson, and more directed by Shedrick Mitchell. (Also… The Mitchells’ and the Memphis Soul All Stars are coming. They’re the legends that backed Al Green on his greatest recordings, and they are bringing THE Carla Thomas with them to The Big Top… I’m hoping Brian, who has played and recorded with them and his Dad, will drop in!)
Also on Saturday, the Big Top features the smooth Jazz St. Louis Global Alliance featuring Janet Evra and Claire Maue, and at the Sovereign, Al Holliday & the East Side Rhythm Band will have you grooving and dancing for sure.
Meanwhile at Jazz St. Louis, Blvck Spvde and Friends are joined by Josiah Burton, Dee Jazz, and Coultrain as Blvck Spvde curates four early sets on Saturday. Spvde fuses out there jazz with hip hop poetry and takes your pal Moe to a higher plane. The Brothers Lazaroff live streamed some rehearsals, and ol’ Moe spied ~15 of St. Louis’s best jamming at another level. Brothers Lazaroff themselves appear Sunday the 19th, at a separately ticketed Jazz Brunch at Jazz St. Louis celebrating their new album, “Trying to Make It Home”.
Finally, Sophies has DJs continuously including on Friday - Anansi Spins, Trehitz, Enoch Raavi, Nubya Garcia, and a highly recommended set by Da Fellowship (aka Lamar Harris/DJ Nunes and Scooter Brown – likely both spinning and on their horns). Then Saturday, Trackstar the DJ brings his friends including locals Radic HiFi, DJ Crucial, Biko, Soopaman DJ Speed, DJ Sinamin, DJ Agile One plus national acts Buck Rogers, House Shoes, J.Rocc, and Prince Paul.
Moe Fuz hosts Positively Everything on CRSTL.FM, every Sunday 3-5AM Central.
CRSTL.FM is proud to be a media sponsor of MATI 2026.
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Here is a run down of the upcoming CRSTL-produced and sponsored events. Come meet your favorite DJs and build community with us!
July 25 - December 20 Sundaze at Schlafly. Our third year providing the soundtrack to this very cool artisan market. Here’s the brand new schedule. Most of the DJs spins are the last Sunday of the month, with a few Saturday evenings mixed in as well
July 25 (Saturday): 4-9p Wil Wander and Darian Wigfall
Aug 22 (Saturday): 4-9p Ital K and DJ ‘Nit
Sept 27: 11a-4p Kristin and Andy Coco
October 25: 11a-4p TBA
November 22: 11a-4p Crim and Landy Dandy
December 20: 11a-4p TBA
May 27-July 29 - Whitaker Music Festival. CRSTL.FM DJs will be spinning records and providing music before the bands start and during their breaks at this family friendly event at the Botanical Gardens.
July 15 Walter Parks and the Unlawful Assembly with DJ Isis Ain The Lioness I
July 22 Nick Gusman and the Coyotes with DJ Caron House
July 29 The Bedlam Brothers with DJ Hound Dog Brown
July 11. Green Living Festival. CRSTL is pleased to be a media sponsor for this day-long event. See article below.
July 18. Snow in July. Presented by CRSTL, DJ Darren Snow, host of the new show Hey Hey, My My on CRSTL.FM, spins records all afternoon at Mead Hall / Swarm Brewing Company in St. Charles MO. Spin starts at 12PM and goes till 4PM. Mead Hall is located at 2236 1st Capitol Dr, St Charles, MO 63301. RSVP on Facebook.
July 16-July 19 MATI. Music at the Intersection, now known as MATI, takes place in July this year in the Grand Center Arts District. A hundred performers across 15 stages. Performing artists include Jon Batiste, Killer Mike, Wyclef Jean, PJ Morton Zapp with Tuxedo, Big Freedia, Moonchild, Destin Conrad, LA LOM and Keyon Harrold. This annual musical tradition in St. Louis will also feature a free community block party with performers, DJs and vendors on July 17 & 18. CRSTL is proud to be a media sponsor this year; look for our booth and volunteers at the festival! More info.
Volunteer with CRSTL
Interested in volunteering? We are in need of experienced and enthusiastic graphic artists, social media and events volunteers, street team support, and more. Drop us a line!
Thanks Vintage Vinyl!
Vintage Vinyl on the Delmar Loop recently put up a great window display celebrating CRSTL.FM. We love independent record stores! Thanks Vintage!
Sounds Around Town 7.10.26-7.17.26
LOVE of Community Radio STL member Ken Laster, and his support team led by Shawn Greene, have the big run down on upcoming shows to kick off April. Be sure to follow Ken’s Concert Calendar Podcast on Facebook. Every Monday Ken and Shawn break down the upcoming concerts and even play snippets of songs with great info about the bands and ticket costs!
And visit our big list of shows at the CRSTL Concert Calendar.
Friday July 10
The Samples-City Winery STL
Tom Keifer of Cinderella; Buckcherry; John Corabi-Family Arena
The Velvet Tongues; Loose Tigers; Scotty & The Future-Moshmellow
Col Ford-The Annex @ Frisco Barroom
Ptah Williams-Evangeline’s
The Post Hole Diggers-Das Bevo
Tim Cunningham-Blue Strawberry
Gary Allan-River City Casino Venue
Tristen; Devon Cahill-Off Broadway
Congress The Band; The Gringos; Sidecar-Old Rock House
Thrashmania 10 feat. Condition Critical; Voidgazer; Man With Rope-The Sinkhole
Alligator Wine-Broadway Oyster Bar
Nick Dittmeier & The Sawdusters; Nate Lowery-Venice Cafe
Saturday July 11
Brunch w/St. Louis Banjo Club-Evangeline’s
Victor Vas-Evangeline’s (early evening)
The Fray; Dashboard Confessional; Colony House-St. Louis Music Park
Richard Cortez-Blue Strawberry
The Homewreckers-Das Bevo
Hiroya Tsukamoto-The Focal Point
Jon Anderson & The Band Geeks-The Factory
Four Degrees Colder; Emily How; Lauren Lawless-Off Broadway
Latergator; Inches From Glory; Dialogue; Creysi-The Golden Record Co.
Atlas On Fire; Live Porn; Three Fourths Francis; Joel-Fubar Lounge
Suitor; Front Flip; Holofoil-The Sinkhole
Colin Truesdell Jazz Band-Evangeline’s (late evening)
Steve Ewing Band-Broadway Oyster Bar
Ross Bell Band-1860 Saloon
Po Mia Band; Liquid Gold-Venice Cafe
Sunday July 12
Brunch w/Jim Manley-Evangeline’s
Brunch w/Farshid Etniko Duo-The Annex @ Frisco Barroom
Ethan Jones-Broadway Oyster Bar (afternoon)
Elsie Parker & The Poor People of Paris-Clark Family Branch @ St. Louis County Library
Austin Grimm & Them Gold Souls-Joe’s Cafe
Jack Oblivian; Pull Focus-The Sinkhole (afternoon)
Laka-Broadway Oyster Bar
Greensboro-Carondelet Park
The Deltaz-City Winery STL
India Ramey, The Golden Record Co.
Elmiene-Delmar Hall SOLD OUT
Consumer Culture; Death Pose; Iron Linings; My Favorite Aviator-The Sinkhole
Chemical-X; Inches From Glory; Anti-Fashion; Pink Tax-Moshmellow
Monday July 13
Wolf Creek Bluegrass-Bellerive Park
All The Days-Hawken House
Luisa Sims-Yaquis
Levels; Dead7; Closed Casket; Jerboa-Fubar Lounge
Soulard Blues Band-Broadway Oyster Bar
Tuesday June 14
Dogs Run Free; Dremm; XLBS-The Sinkhole
120 Minutes-Faust Park (Chesterfield)
Ethan Leinwand-Yaquis
Paulo Szot-Blue Strawberry SOLD OUT
Kali Mali; Wes Hoffman & Friends; Weedtuth; Family Medicine-Moshmellow
Andrew Dahle-Broadway Oyster Bar
Mattie Schell-Venice Cafe
Wednesday July 15
Emily Wallace-Broadway Oyster Bar
Jinjer; Crystal Lake; Entheos-The Pageant
Paulo Szot-Blue Strawberry
Walter Parks & The Unlawful Assembly-Whitaker Music Festival @ Missouri Botanical Garden
Of Monarchs-Evangeline’s
Sean Canan’s Voodoo Players: Voodoo The Band-Atomic Garage
Man Man; Death Valley Girls-Delmar Hall
David Ramirez; Patrick Armould-Off Broadway
Lie; Load Tha Nine xCommandx; The World Is Mine-Fubar Lounge
Figure 8’s; My Spirit Is Gone; Field Creek; Hank.; The Safe Place-Moshmellow
e-GoS; Big Al & The Rocketship; Ish Ensemble; Bulletproof Monk-The Heavy Anchor
Steve Bauer & Matt Rudolf-Broadway Oyster Bar
Suzie Cue-Venice Cafe
Thursday July 16
The Jon Erblich Group-Cecil Whittaker’s Pizza Patio
David Cook-City Winery STL
MATI feat. Jon Batiste-Fabulous Fox Theatre
Vince Gill-Stifel Theatre
Eric Johanson-Blue Strawberry
Cas Haley-Atomic Garage
In The Company Of Serpents; Jaded Entity; Partizan-Fubar Lounge
Dorio; Freckles; Algae Dust; Goo Man-The Sinkhole
Fera; The Down Bads; The Slim Sadies-Moshmellow
Phil Wright & Co.-Broadway Oyster Bar
Zach Vaughn & Company-Venice Cafe
Friday July 17
Taylor Steele-Broadway Oyster Bar (afternoon)
Avery Wilson-City Winery STL
Jackyl; TBA-Pop’s (Sauget, IL)
Alla Xul Elu; Nastie Ink; Son; Krenshaw; Rev. Rust; Mr. Grean-Red Flag
Matt “The Rattlesnake” Lesch-Highway 61 Roadhouse
Miss Jubilee-The Annex @ Frisco Barroom
ASK Jazz Trio-Evangeline’s
Greensboro-Das Bevo
Javier Mendoza & Enrique Chi-Blue Strawberry
Graham Nash-The Sheldon
Ninguid Ska Fest 3-Night 1 feat. Coolidge; The Operators; Lost Island Society; Rum Luck-Duck Room @ Blueberry Hill
Hamilton Leithauser; Kat King-Off Broadway
Melvins-Old Rock House SOLD OUT
Leisure Hour; Dear Cincinnati; Monday Again; Three Way Stop-Moshmellow
Yard Eagle; Neil C. Luke-Venice Cafe
Arts & Events around the STL Metro
Long-time KDHX volunteer Dan Garvey has put together another great list of arts and cultural events happening now throughout the region.
Arts & Events around the STL Metro
Kirkwood Performing Arts Center, www.theKPAC.org | Fusing People and the Arts
Venue for local and regional arts organizations to showcase their work.
Missouri Historical Society, www.mohistory.org
Multiple curated exhibits, See STL walking tours, special collections such as:
Mill Creek: Black Metropolis explores the rich history of a St. Louis neighborhood that historians have likened to New York’s legendary Harlem. It was the home of St. Louis’s major Black newspapers, the offices of numerous Black professionals, a center of social activism, and the birthplace of ragtime. All this richness thrived amid and despite racial segregation, providing African Americans common ground and the refuge from the daily slights and indignities of a stark color divide in 20th-century St. Louis. The exhibit runs through 7/12/26
Saint Louis Art Museum, www.slam.org
Many curated exhibits and events including Family Sundays activities, such as:
Ancient Splendor: Roman Art in the Time of Trajan. Marble sculptures and frescoes, along with mosaics, glass vessels, and bronze artifacts, chronicle life at the height of Rome’s empire. The exhibit runs through 8/16
Laumeier Sculpture Park, www.laumeier.org
Laumeier is one of the first and largest dedicated sculpture parks in the country.
Saint Louis County Library, www.slcl.org
In addition to traditional library materials/resources, many activities including author events.
Saint Louis City Library, www.slpl.org
In addition to traditional library materials/resources, many activities, collections, and events.
Webster University Film Series, www.webster.edu/filmseries
The Webster University Film Series has served as St. Louis’ premier cinematic alternative since 1979.
The Sheldon, www.thesheldon.org
A gathering place at heart, The Sheldon invites you to revere and participate in a diverse legacy of live music, arts, events and culture.
Repertory Theater of Saint Louis, www.repstl.org
The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis is a fully professional theatrical operation.
The Black Rep, www.theblackrep.org
The Black Rep, a 49-year-old legacy Black arts organization, is committed to producing, re-imagining, and commissioning work written by Black playwrights and creating opportunities for new voices and youth.
Pere Marquette Lodge and Conference Center, www.pmlodge.net
Located in Grafton, IL hosts many events.
Foundry Art Centre, www.foundryartcentre.org
St. Charles’ interactive, interdisciplinary art center featuring multiple galleries and events.
Ballroom Dance Academy of Saint Louis, Ballroom Dance Academy St. Louis
BDASL is focused on sharing the joy of ballroom dancing. Their mission is to promote partner or ballroom style dancing through inter-generational ballroom dance programs.
Contemporary Art Museum Mission + Impact - Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis
The Contemporary Art Museum aims to create meaningful engagement with relevant and innovative art being made today through an array of activities and art education.
Upcoming events
Maplewood “Let Them Eat Art” Festival 7/10 5:30-9:30
2026 Let Them Eat Art Event Program.pdf
Green Living Festival at Missouri Botanical Garden 7/11 9-4
Jersey County Fair Jerseyville, IL 7/11-7/19
Jersey County Fair | Illinois Entertainment, Food, Fun
Mill Creek: Black Metropolis closing celebration at Missouri History Museum 7/10-7/12
mohistory.org/events/mill-creek-closing-07-10-2026
25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee at Alfresco Arts Center in Granite City 7/10-7/12 and 7/17-7/19
CURRENT SEASON | Alfresco Productions
Litchfield Picker’s Market Litchfield, IL 7/12 8am-2pm
Litchfield Pickers Market - The City of Litchfield
Family Sunday “Incredible Imagination” at Saint Louis Art Museum 7/12 1pm-4pm
Family Sunday—Incredible Imagination - Saint Louis Art Museum
Trailnet “Peach Pedal” Ride Kirkwood 7/18 6:30am-1pm
Chesterfield Summer Concerts Series at Faust Park Tuesdays through 8/11 7pm
39th Annual Summer Concert Series - Jun 2, 2026 - Chesterfield Regional Chamber, MO
Made in St. Louis at Missouri History Museum runs through 1/03/27
Made in St. Louis | Missouri History Museum
Missouri History Museum “Yours Forever: Forest Park at 150” Now-5/31/2027
Yours Forever: Forest Park at 150 | Missouri History Museum
Saint Louis Art Museum “Aymara Weavings: The Indigenous Andes” 1/30/26-9/13/26
Aymara Weavings: The Indigenous Andes - Saint Louis Art Museum
Carlinville Market Days Saturdays through Nov 9th 9am-3pm
100 Years of Route 66 - “Roads, Rivers, Rooms, and Reels” Exhibit at The National Museum of Transportation runs through 10/31
100 Years of Route 66 - National Museum of Transportation
Alton Farmer’s and Artisans Markets Saturdays through 10/17 8-Noon
Alton Farmers’ & Artisans’ Market - Alton Main Street
Patterns in Nature: The Art of Hybycozo at Missouri Botanical Garden now-9/20
Patterns in Nature: The Art of HYBYCOZO
Farshid Etniko Duo at The Annex in Webster Groves Sundays 11-1:30
Annex Music Calendar — THE ANNEX
1926 at West End Gas Station in Edwardsville Wed-Sun now-1/18/27
West End Service Station | Great Rivers & Routes
Nostalgia at Artisans in the Loop 6/12-7/24
Artisans in THE LOOP - University City, MO
Webster University Film Series presents “Visitor Q” 7/1-7/12 7:30pm
Visitor Q - Webster University: Worldwide Events
Heartland Prairie Hike with The Nature Institute 6/9 5:30pm Every 2nd and 4th Tuesday through October
Heartland Prairie Hike - The Nature Institute
Whitaker Music Festival at Missouri Botanical Garden Wednesdays through 7/29
Summer Nights at Grant’s Farm weekend evenings through Labor Day
Summer Nights - The Grant’s Farm Experience
Edwardsville Arts in the Park Concert Series 6/19 and various Fridays through 8/14
Edwardsville’s Arts in the Park Concert Series | Great Rivers & Routes
Children’s Art in the Park in Edwardsville City Park 6/20 and most Saturdays through 7/25 9-10:30am
Children’s Arts in the Park | Edwardsville, IL
River’s Reach: A Riverbend Photo Exhibition at Jacoby Arts Center in Alton Saturdays now through 8/8 Noon-4pm
The River’s Reach | JacobyArts
African American History and Genealogical Society Workshop at Missouri History Museum 6/20, 7/18, 8/15 1-3 pm
African American History and Genealogy Society Workshops | Missouri Historical Society
Civic Park Concert Series in Granite City Wednesdays through 9/30 6:30-8:30pm
Civic Park Concert Series 2026 | Great Rivers & Routes
Alton Muny Band Concerts Thursdays and Sundays through 7/26
Alton Muny Band Concerts 2026 | Great Rivers & Routes
Bethalto Music in the Park at Central Park Thursdays through 8/20 7-9:30pm
Bethalto Music in the Park | Great Rivers & Routes
See STL Walking Tour: Downtown Origins 7/12 10am
See STL: Downtown Origins | Missouri Historical Society
The Grand Opening of Uhuru Bakery and Cafe takes place on Saturday, August 15 (12:00 PM – 5:00 PM) at 3719 W. Florissant Ave. in St. Louis. This is a free community event that celebrates African economic growth and food sovereignty. The opening includes live music, food sampling, and historical exhibits.