MATI weekend is here
Come out and get down with us!
Take Me to the River (and beyond) at MATI
by Roy Kasten
So you might have heard about this thing called MATI. That’s Music at the Intersection, if you’re just visiting us from Mars or another nearby planet. And with a lineup so packed, what music fan, Martian or otherwise, wouldn’t be interested?
The weekend festival/celebration of groove and jazz and DJ and soul and funk and hip-hop culture in the Grand Center Arts District, Friday, Saturday and Sunday, July 17, 18, & 19, 2026, has a lot of buzz, but it’s deserved. This year’s lineup is stunning.
The LOVE of CRSTL Substack has been highlighting some of our DJs’ must-see picks, but given the hundreds of performers taking over Grand Center this weekend, I wanted to make room for a few more. And look for CRSTL.FM volunteers and DJs in Grand Center. We’ll be sporting out classic CRSTL.FM t-shirts and have stickers and more for you to grab!
Friday, July 17
Zapp with Tuxedo
Don’t miss headliners Mayer Hawthorne and Jake One, who perform as Tuxedo, as they join the legendary electro-funk group Zapp, who I am sure have played St. Louis before, but maybe not since the ‘80s. At the Big Top. 9:45PM
Brian Blade and the Fellowship Band
Shreveport-born, New Orleans-trained musician Brian Blade is one of the most prolific and expressive drummers in jazz and rock music. His resume is just this side of infinite, having worked with Bob Dylan, Emmylou Harris, Daniel Lanois, Joshua Redman, Charles Lloyd, Chick Corea, Joni Mitchell, Herbie Hancock, and Norah Jones, just to scratch the surface. He’s been leading the Fellowship Band since the ‘90s, and their appearance at Jazz St. Louis on Friday at 8PM will set a high bar for the rest of the weekend.
Saturday July 18
Take Me to the River Memphis Soul All-Stars
Led by Grammy-winning producer and musician Boo Mitchell, who still runs the Hi Recording studios in Memphis and is the son of Willie Mitchell, this ensemble features legendary Stax singer Carla Thomas, who any fan of Southern soul music is duty bound to see while they can. At the Big Top at 6:30PM.
The James Hunter Six
Smooth, gritty, and always swinging, James Hunter performs R&B in the spirit of his heroes the Five Royales, while adding his own original and effortlessly classic songwriting. It’s been years since I’ve seen him, so I hope to be front and center at the Sovereign on Saturday night at 7:15PM.
LA LOM
The Los Angeles League of Musicians, AKA LA LOM, is led by guitarist Zac Sokolow, bassist Jake Faulkner, and percussionist Nicholas Baker. The trio performs instrumental music that melts together cumbia, Peruvian chicha, ‘60s soul, and even some boleros, and infuses it with a surf guitar soundtrack vibe. At the Sovereign at 9PM.
Sunday July 19
Keyon Harrold and Andra Day and more
Of course PJ Morton and Wyclef Jean close out MATI 2026 on Sunday night at the Fabulous Fox, but save some energy for Keyon Harrold and Andra Day at 6PM with special guests Aida Ade and Peter Martin and more. This should be a sublime set of jazz soul fusion.
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 22 Nick Gusman and the Coyotes with DJ Caron House
July 29 The Bedlam Brothers with DJ Hound Dog Brown
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 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.
August 7. Elevated Rhymestate 15 Year Celebration. Hosted by Wil Wander, the Elevated Rhymestate program is celebrating 15 years of broadcasting on community radio. Join us at the Blueberry Hill Duck Room on Friday, August 7 for music by locals Karl Livingston, 12-6 Movement, Brett Gretzky and more, plus special guest Khemist Mayfield. Elevated Rhymestate currently airs on CRSTL.FM every Saturday 11PM to Sunday 1AM. We are proud to be a media sponsor for this event.
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!
Sounds Around Town 7.17.26-7.24.26
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 17
Taylor Steele-Broadway Oyster Bar (afternoon)
MATI feat. Zapp feat. Tuxedo; Moonchild; Nubya Garcia; Illphonics; Steve Ewing; Brian Owens; and more, Grand Center Arts District
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
Saturday July 18
Brunch w/Ahna-Evangeline’s
John Violinist-City Winery STL
MATI feat. Killer Mike; Big Freedia ; Memphis Soul All-Stars feat. Carla Thomas & Bo Mitchell & The Rhythm Section; Jazz St. Louis Global Alliance feat Janet Evra; Dawn Weber and more; The James Hunter Six; Al Holiday & The East Side Rhythm Band and more-Grand Center Arts District
Peeling Flesh; Ingrown; Sawed Off; Barbed Wire Sandwich-Off Broadway
El Monstero; Night Ranger-Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre
Tommy Halloran Trio-The Annex @ Frisco Barroom
Switchback-The Focal Point
Graham Nash-The Sheldon
Steel Pulse- Atomic Pavilion
Ninguid Ska Fest 3-Night 2 feat. Something To Do; Working Class Stiffs; Arkanska; Ninguid Records All-Stars-Duck Room @ Blueberry Hill
Dogfight; Stay Sane; Better Days; Abrade-Fubar Lounge
Bruiser Queen; Local Drags; Doom Buggy-The Heavy Anchor
Kristeen Young; The Rose Court-The Crack Fox
Aaron Krings Quartet-Evangeline’s
Maness Bros.; Honky Tonk Airlines-Venice Cafe
Sunday July 19
MATI feat. Wyclef Jean; PJ Morton; Keyon Harrold; Andra Day and more-Fabulous Fox Theatre
Hudson & The Hoodoo Cats-Carondelet Park
Letters To Part; Uncanny Valley; Sideways-Fubar Lounge
The Black Keys; Eddie V-The Factory
Wavves; Bass Drum Of Death; Worlds Worst-Off Broadway
BeBe The Neo-Soul-Broadway Oyster Bar
Monday July 20
Trophy Mules-Bellerive Park
Dying Wish; Guilt Trip; Holder; Contention-Off Broadway
School Of Rock All-Stars- Old Rock House
Soulard Blues Band-Broadway Oyster Bar
Tuesday July 21
Baby Grendel; Star Eyes; Fluff; Blame The Internet-Fubar Lounge
The Sloppy Boys-Duck Room @ Blueberry Hill
Belmont; Major League; Spite House; All In Ur Head-Off Broadway
King Serpent; Scotty & The Future; Dr. Slappinstein-Red Flag
86 Red; Temp Tags; Throuples Therapy; Mucho Mango; Gamma Ray-Moshmellow
Eric Lysaght-Broadway Oyster Bar
Sharon Bear-Venice Cafe
Wednesday July 22
Doug Deming & The Jewel Tones-Cecil Whittaker’s Pizza Patio
Hilary Duff; La Roux; Jade Lemac-Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre
Mike Doughty-City Winery STL
The Head & The Heart; Houndmouth-The Factory
Noah Guthrie-Blue Strawberry
Nick Gusman & The Coyotes-Whitaker Music Festival @ Missouri Botanical Garden
Rinn & Friends Fiddle Fusion-The Annex @ Frisco Barroom
Of Montreal; Sloppy Jane-Delmar Hall
Until I Wake; Pink Noise-Off Broadway
Edge Of Paradise; Starkill; Stormrazor-Red Flag
Rachyl; Beags; Rxgue; Nanno-Moshmellow
Melissa Pupillo; Matt Woods; Kyle Keller; Jeremy Cullen-The Heavy Anchor
Tiffany Christopher- Venice Cafe
Thursday July 23
Paul Niehaus Band-Cecil Whittaker’s Pizza Patio
Sarah McLachlan; Allison Russell-St. Louis Music Park
Lyght Strife; KB The Artist-Red Flag
Zorn; Cockatrice; Strzyyga; Funeraria-Fubar Lounge
Emerson Magana-The Annex @ Frisco Barroom
Kent On The Keys-Evangeline’s
Mike Love & The Full Circle; Sensamotion- Atomic Pavillion
The Mavericks & Friends-The Pageant
Dildox; Healing; Dour; DJ Matty Starbucks-The Sinkhole
Jakob Baxter-Venice Cafe
Friday July 24
Emily Wallace-Broadway Oyster Bar
AJ Ghant-City Winery STL SOLD OUT
Bryan Adams; Pat Benatar & Neil Girado-Enterprise Center
Salt Of The Earth-The Annex @ Frisco Barroom
The Barrelhouse Sinners-Das Bevo
Jeremy Lieb-Blue Strawberry
5 Seconds Of Summer; The Band Camino-Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre
The Effigies; ComRad!; Spent Film-Fubar Lounge
Idle Heirs; Sine Nomine; Path Of Might-The Sinkhole
Douglas; Cupid’s Trick; She-Wrex; Blame The Internet; Kill The Drummer-Moshmellow
Poor Dirty Astronauts; Surtsey; Garrett Rongey-The Heavy Anchor
Voodoo Funky Butt Brass Band-Broadway Oyster Bar
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:
Yours Forever: Forest Park at 150 will explore how St. Louisans have used and adapted the park throughout its history and the moments and memories—big and small—that make it special. The exhibit runs through 5/31/27
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
Concert at The Burr Oak in Larson Park, Webster Groves 7/17 6pm
St. Louis Post-Dispatch Events - Concert at The Burr Oak
F1 Alton Powerboat Nationals at Alton Riverfront Amphitheater 7/17-7/19
Powerboat Nationals - Alton, IL - IHRA F1 POWERBOAT SERIES
Jersey County Fair Jerseyville, IL 7/11-7/19
Jersey County Fair | Illinois Entertainment, Food, Fun
Illinois Elvis Festival at Gateway Convention Center in Collinsville 7/17-7/19
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
UMSL Music presents: Afriky Lolo 20th Anniversary “Sundiata: King of Mali” at the Touhill 7/17-7/18 7pm
Afriky Lolo | Discover and Enjoy West African Culture – Buy Tickets Today
Author Talk: Guerillas in the Civil War at Field House Museum 7/18 1pm
Trailnet “Peach Pedal” Ride Kirkwood 7/18 6:30am-1pm
See STL Bus Tour: STL 101 7/19 10am
See STL Bus Tours: STL 101 | Missouri Historical Society
Hillsboro Sinkin with Lincoln Cardboard Boat Regatta At Hillsboro Lake, Hillsboro IL 7/18 11am-1pm
EVENTS & REGISTRATION | Imagine Hillsboro
Steam on the Square: Big Boy Train Experience Docs just off 66 in Girard, IL 7/18 8am-4pm
Steam on the Square: The Big Boy Train Experience | Great Rivers & Routes
National Ice Cream Day festivities at Missouri History Museum 7/19 Noon-3pm
National Ice Cream Day | Missouri Historical Society
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 “All the Long Nights” 7/18 7:30pm
All the Long Nights - 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: Central West End 7/19 9am
See STL: Central West End | 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.
Saint Louis County Parks & Recreation presents the Summer Craft Fair
Saturday August 29. At the Kennedy Recreation Complex. The event will be open to the public from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Admission for shoppers is free. If you’d like to be a vendor and wish to reserve your spot, call and register over the phone. Contact Nikki at 314-615-8820 or Kate at 314-615-5562.
THANK YOU THANK YOU! Appreciate the amount of work put into this! Rft left major gap thank you !