1. B-Sides

B-Sides gets personal with Alicia Keys, as she is, and examines the parallels between Metallica-worshippers Apocalyptica and Harptallica

By Dan Leroy and Ryan Wasoba

Published: April 23, 2008

She sings. She acts. She saves the world, or tries to, through her various charity efforts. And even Bob Dylan has noticed, and namechecked her in song. But take note, Alicia Keys...

2. Cafe

Lust for Crust: Katie's ain't your typical St. Louis pizza joint

By Ian Froeb

Published: April 23, 2008

A neon sign hanging in the window of Katie's Pizzeria Café advertises Budweiser "N" pizza. This is, technically, true. You can order both a Bud and a pizza at the three-month-old...

3. Critics' Picks

The Shackeltons

8:30 p.m. Thursday, April 24. The Bluebird, 2706 Olive Street

By Roy Kasten

Published: April 23, 2008

Unsolicited advice for all bands: If your big break is winning a battle of the bands competition, don't tell anyone. Best to make music journos work for their snark. In or around their...

4. Critics' Picks

The Duke Spirit/Black Rebel Motorcycle Club

8 p.m. Friday, April 25. The Pageant, 6161 Delmar Boulevard

By Annie Zaleski

Published: April 23, 2008

Not since the days of Transvision Vamp, the Darling Buds and the Primitives has the UK produced so many bands capable of fusing together girl-group coyness, psych-fuzz drone and smart-pop...

5. Critics' Picks

Van Halen

8 p.m. Saturday, April 26. Scottrade Center, 1401 Clark Avenue

By Ryan Wasoba

Published: April 23, 2008

The name Van Halen is synonymous with rock & roll dramatics. After all, the band has always given its fans many topics to discuss over a cold beer and a copy of Diver Down: David Lee...

6. Critics' Picks

Martin Sexton

8 p.m. Saturday, April 26. The Pageant, 6161 Delmar Boulevard

By Roy Kasten

Published: April 23, 2008

Dean of American blue-eyed soul troubadours, Martin Sexton started out a singer-songwriter in the Marc Cohn or David Gray mold, but his voice set him apart from the new folkies and...

7. Critics' Picks

Bitch + The Exciting Conclusion

8:30 p.m. Monday, April 28. The Bluebird, 2706 Olive Street

By Kristyn Pomranz

Published: April 23, 2008

You may remember queercore folkster Bitch from her days duetting with girlfriend Animal on Righteous Babe records. Though the pair of politicos broke up, Bitch found fresh breath with...

8. Critics' Picks

Velella Velella

9 p.m. Wednesday, April 30. Off Broadway, 3509 Lemp Avenue

By Shae Moseley

Published: April 23, 2008

In its most idealized form, modern indie-dance music is supposed to embody a youthful spirit of adventure and sense of community. Anyone who's seen Vellela Vellela live can confirm...

9. Critics' Picks

Destroyer

9 p.m. Wednesday, April 30. Blueberry Hill's Duck Room, 6504 Delmar Boulevard, University City

By Christian Schaeffer

Published: April 23, 2008

Destroyer has long been the solo project of Dan Bejar, erstwhile New Pornographer and avid chronicler of the absurdities of modern art and modern life. A decadelong discography reveals...

10. Drink of the Week

Pineapple Infused Tequila Margarita

Taco Boy
13 Center Street, Folly Beach, South Carolina
843-588-9761

By Kristie McClanahan

Published: April 23, 2008

We're tanned and relaxed, our map of Folly Beach, South Carolina, buried in our bag next to our rental car agreement and broken sunglasses. So when a local asks where we're from, we're...

11. Feature

A Village Runs Through It: The RFT unveils its big bold plans for that big damn hole

Published: April 23, 2008

OK, we get it. You're angry about Ballpark Village. You can stop calling us, demanding that Riverfront Times investigate the gaping, water-filled hole. We're not spelunkers and no...

12. Sidebar

Things to Do with the Kiddies At Ballpark Village

Published: April 23, 2008

— Solve one of the greatest mysteries of Ballpark Village, and have the little ones measure the depth of the crater: If acceleration due to gravity at the Earth’s surface...

13. Film

Nobody's Baby: Neither Tina Fey nor Amy Poehler seem the least bit invested in Baby Mama

By Robert Wilonsky

Published: April 23, 2008

Could have sworn I've seen this episode of Baby Mama before — like sometime in January 2007, when it was originally titled "The Baby Show" and aired on the other prime-time series...

14. Game On

Atlus' Baroque imagines eternal life in gaming limbo. It isn't pretty.

By Gary Hodges

Published: April 23, 2008

First of all: God bless Atlus. As a publisher devoted to bringing obscure Japanese gaming gems to the West — basically, the much-needed heir apparent of Working Designs —...

15. Homespun

The Roscoe Beano Band

Time Traveler
(self-released)

By Christian Schaeffer

Published: April 23, 2008

There is no Roscoe Beano in the Roscoe Beano Band, but there is Roy Culbertson, whose weathered voice and richly detailed acoustic music fills up Time Traveler. Culbertson is backed...

16. Keep It Down

Malcolm eats a tin of armadillo. Hmmm, it tastes like salmon mousse.

By Malcolm Gay

Published: April 23, 2008

Question: How do you know that spring has truly arrived? Answer: Roadkill. Sure, you'll see a few felled mule deer in the winter months, but it is not until the rains come and the...

17. Amazing Facts & Beyond

The Perfect Shave

By Dan Zettwoch / usscatastrophe.com

Published: April 23, 2008

Leon sharpens his skills with a razor blade. View full comic...

18. Letters

RFT reader to Rams: Tear down that roof

Published: April 23, 2008

NEWS REAL, MARCH 27, 2008 Tear Down That Roof Then I'll come watch: I wondered why, in his story "Green Teams," Chad Garrison didn't question why St. Louis and the Rams don't just...

19. Music

Using Their Illusion: Ferocious — and funny — locals the Livers hope video builds the radio star

By Jaime Lees

Published: April 23, 2008

BFFs Scot Freeman and Luke Roulston hit a rough patch last year. Mired in typical twentysomething malaise, they found themselves working too hard, drinking too much and continually...

20. News Real

Say It Ain't So: Joe's Café Has Closed Down

By Keegan Hamilton

Published: April 23, 2008

Bill Christman's art studio near Washington University looks like it could play host to one fine party. Out front a hulking sculpture of a rooster stands next to a broken cigarette...