1. B-Sides

Ghosts of Christmas Past

The Skeletons reunite, we gift some of St. Louis' best bands and remember Ike Turner.

By Roy Kasten and Jaime Lees

Published: December 19, 2007

Ike Turner: 1931-2007 Ike Wister Turner died on Wednesday, December 12, in San Diego, California. He was 76. Every obit, blog post, and newscast will not fail to mention his despicable...

2. Cafe

Fat City, Baby!

Is a meal at Niche better than sex?

By Ian Froeb

Published: December 19, 2007

A chilly September night. My girlfriend and I are standing outside Niche, waiting for a cab that won't arrive. We're tipsy from the wine pairings that accompanied executive...

3. Critics' Picks

Robert Randolph and the Family Band

8 p.m. Thursday, December 20. The Pageant, 6161 Delmar Boulevard.

By Rick Mason

Published: December 19, 2007

If the sacred steel movement has a visionary leader, it's Robert Randolph, a ferocious, enormously talented steel guitarist who has deftly overseen his band's transition from...

4. Critics' Picks

Koffin Kats

9 p.m. Friday, December 21. The Bluebird, 2706 Olive Street.

By Jaime Lees

Published: December 19, 2007

Instead of feeling cornered or trapped by its "psychobilly" label, the Koffin Kats embrace it. The tattooed, mohawked and pompadour-sporting trio possesses endless energy, meaning...

5. Critics' Picks

Elsinore

9 p.m. Saturday, December 22. Cicero's, 6691 Delmar Boulevard, University City.

By Shae Moseley

Published: December 19, 2007

Elsinore vocalist Ryan Groff's singing voice is pure '70s AM Gold (think James Taylor or Cat Stevens), which perfectly matches the crisp and pensive Americana on the Champaign...

6. Critics' Picks

Hyperbubble

8 p.m. Saturday, December 22. 2 Cents Plain, 1114 Olive Street.

By Kristyn Pomranz

Published: December 19, 2007

If your motherboard could play hooky, this is the concert it would crash. Electroduo Hyperbubble — the self-professed offspring of kitchen appliances born with computers for...

7. Critics' Picks

Swamp Cabbage

10 p.m. Saturday, December 22. Broadway Oyster Bar, 736 S. Broadway.

By Roy Kasten

Published: December 19, 2007

Expectations sink to a murky bottom at the mere mention of the band name: Swamp Cabbage. But the name ZZ Top was already taken by the Texas trio — which just so happens to be...

8. Critics' Picks

Roma 79

9 p.m. Wednesday, December 26. The Bluebird, 2706 Olive Street.

By Shae Moseley

Published: December 19, 2007

In 2005 San Francisco's Roma 79 quietly released a very underrated album called Gold. Recorded by Carl Amburn (Traindodge, Riddle of Steel) and released by St. Louis' Ascetic...

9. Critics' Picks

The Livers

9 p.m. Tuesday, December 25. Way Out Club, 2525 South Jefferson Avenue.

By Jaime Lees

Published: December 19, 2007

Up-and-coming locals the Livers put on one of the most interesting live shows in St. Louis. Though the band consists of just two members — Scott Freeman and Luke Roulston —...

10. Drink of the Week

Yule Tide Latte

City Coffeehouse & Crêperie
36 North Brentwood Boulevard, Clayton
314-862-2489.

By Kristie McClanahan

Published: December 19, 2007

The jagged circumflex accent over the "e" in "City Coffeehouse & Crêperie" reminds us of the angry eyebrows we seemed to encounter at every turn from passersby in Paris, a city...

11. DVDish

Singular Sensation

By Robert Wilonsky and Jordan Harper

Published: December 19, 2007

Once (FOX) Easily the year's most perfect pop album — damned good movie too, the finest "musical" of the past 20 years. The disc's making-of refers to it as a "modern...

12. Feature

2007: The Year in Movies and Music

A year-end wrap-up of what we adored, what was ignored and what the new year will bring.

By Robert Wilonsky, Jim Ridley, Scott Foundas, Ella Taylor, Judith Lewis, J. Hoberman, Nathan Lee, Roy Kasten, Dan Leroy, Dean C. Minderman, Keegan Hamilton, Brooke Foster, Jaime Lees, Ryan Wasoba and Shae Moseley

Published: December 19, 2007

Revenge of the Nerds Absolutely, unequivocally, this has been The Year of The Apatow: Judd got Knocked Up to the tune of $150 million (at the box office alone); the super-OK Superbad,...

13. Film

Savage Love

Testing the limits of familial bonds, one nursing-home application at a time.

By Ella Taylor

Published: December 19, 2007

Simmering below the squeamish elder-care euphemism "uncharted territory" is a fearful awareness that when it comes to dealing with the growing army of senile parents, we have no idea...

14. Film

Hock the Line

Sending up the biopic, Walk Hard sells cheap laughs, lame cameos and lifeless Cox.

By Jim Ridley

Published: December 19, 2007

As an actor, John C. Reilly is the opposite of Mr. Cellophane. He doesn't disappear into a role; roles disappear onto him — the unlikely porn sidekick of Boogie Nights, the...

15. Game On

Xmas Present & Past

How yesterday's games spawned today's best-sellers.

By Gary Hodges and Chris Ward

Published: December 19, 2007

Nothing says "holiday spirit" quite like stabbing a terrorist or hammering a goombah, as the hottest games this season invite us to do. But no matter how cutting-edge the stars of...

16. Keep It Down

Three-Day-Old California Roll

$6.99
Straub’s
302 N. Kingshighway

By Malcolm Gay

Published: December 19, 2007

Not unlike spaghetti and meatballs, tacos or sweet-and-sour pork, the ubiquitous California roll really is a gateway food. Of course, these days there aren't many Westerners in...

17. Ask a Mexican

Special Year-End Edición

The Mexican offers up some FAQs to keep in mind for '08.

Published: December 19, 2007

I apologize for the shortened column this week, but there are tamales to make... Dear Readers: Gracias, thank you, gracias for another successful year. The Mexican now appears in...

18. Music

Local Motion

Homespun's top ten local album releases of 2007.

By Christian Schaeffer

Published: December 19, 2007

We began running the Homespun column in the music section almost a year ago, with the intent of giving a dedicated space to the records being released by St. Louis acts. Whether this...

19. News Real

Hoop Raiders

Is a Christian academy in Kansas City stealing St. Louis' high school basketball players?

By Kristen Hinman

Published: December 19, 2007

With high school hoops underway, St. Louis' basketball junkies are abuzz about a school that doesn't belong to the Missouri State High School Activities Association, that hasn't...

20. Stage

Wicked Good — or Wicked Better?

Dennis asks the burning theatrical question.

By Dennis Brown

Published: December 19, 2007

Wicked's dazzling success makes it wonderfully review-proof. Anyone who waits for the reviews before deciding whether to see the show at the Fox has waited too long. (Try your...