stjoelive.com | Local Music

High noon

First Thursday Downtown Noon Concerts begin next week

People look forward to the midday hour for any number of reasons, whether it’s a chance to escape work or sink their teeth into that lunchtime meal they’ve been craving since, well, breakfast. Now, people in St. Joseph have one more reason to look forward to noon thanks to the First Thursday Downtown Noon Concerts, a series that begins Sept. 2 at First Presbyterian Church.

Noted connection

'Sounds in the Square' concert comes to Felix Street Square

The gazebo in Coleman Hawkins Park at Felix Street Square has racked up plenty of live music mileage recently between the weekly Sounds of Summer Concert Series, the Coleman Hawkins Jazz Festival in June and numerous benefit concerts. If the structure’s ceiling could talk, it would probably sing instead.

New band, late start

The Time Warriors debuts this weekend at Magoon’s

The music industry has a tendency to look for the next hot young artist right after it chews up and spits out the old-timers. And it seems The Time Warriors — with members Phil Jackson, 63, Steve Vogel, 59, and Bob Sohl, 61 — might have a plan to change some perceptions for its first gig.

That voodoo that you do

Kyle Elliott & Voodoo Soul ready to jam at Last Call Bar and Grill

If Kyle Elliott were building a house, the only tool he’d need is his axe. “Everything’s real guitar-driven,” Elliott says. “I’ll come up with a guitar riff and build a rock-solid foundation from that riff.” Kyle Elliott & Voodoo Soul will bring its guitar-heavy blues-inspired rock or rock-inspired blues or blues/funk/rock combo or whatever you’d like to call it to the Last Call Bar and Grill Aug. 21. The show will go on from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m.

This is: The Magnetics

Pet rock

‘Strumming for Strays’ concert benefits St. Joseph Animal Shelter

Whether you have two legs or four, you can head downtown this weekend for a howlin’ good time.

This is: Steve Fuller's Dixie Union Band

Oftentimes, when drummer/singer Steve Fuller is asked about the type of music he performs with his Dixie Union Band, he gives an answer that isn’t quite cut and dry.

One! Two! Three! Four!

Punk rock groups Bad Girls Go To Hell and Robot Monster invade The Rendezvous

If you like the occasional speedy four-chord riff, energetic vocals and music that can inspire spontaneous fits of moshing or dancing, make an appointment at The Rendezvous this weekend.

Brand new adventures

KC emo rock band Echoes From Airplanes makes its first appearance in St. Joseph

Echoes From Airplanes has played just about every small music venue in the Kansas City area, from the Beaumont Club and the Record Bar to Davey’s Uptown Ramblers Club and the Riot Room. But over the next month, the group of early 20-something emo rockers will venture into uncharted territory.

Twang-off

The Colgate Country Showdown comes to the Buffalo Bar

There’s a national singing competition whose contestants frequently go on to become some of the most notable names in music. And no, it isn’t “American Idol.”

On the record

Local musicians' new albums hit the streets, the stores and the Web

Sure, musicians get their kicks from playing gigs. But if their tunes can sneak into your car stereo or one of your iPod’s playlists, then they know they’ve really connected. Several St. Joseph artists have recently recorded albums and they’re hoping you’ll pick up a copy. Here’s the scoop on four of them:

True North earns main stage slot at Country Stampede

True North, the Kansas-based country rock group with a respectable St. Joe following, will be playing a big stage this weekend -- possibly the biggest of their musical careers. The talented septet earned the opportunity to play a main stage slot at this weekend's Country Stampede music festival in Mahattan, Kan.

This is: The Barbecutioners

Country for a cause

Buffalo Bar hosts benefit concert for Becky Klino

Chances are you don’t know Becky Klino, but you probably know of her son, Branson Perry. You’ve undoubtedly seen his face on flyers and billboards around the area. He has been missing since 2001, but the tireless search for him has continued at the hand of his mother, who refuses to give up. However, the search for Perry recently hit a bump in the road — a big one. In April 2009, a tumor was removed from Klino’s brain and she was diagnosed with stage IV melanoma. At the time, doctors told her she had six months to live. She beat those odds, but a recent scan revealed several new lesions in Klino’s brain and body. This time, doctors told her there was nothing they could do.

Out of the park

Voices of America’s summer concert features a few off-beat numbers

When the men of Voices of America perform the ballpark-themed summer concert “A Day at the Park,” they’ll sing a few well-known baseball anthems like “Take Me Out to the Ball Game.” But they’ll be sure to belt out a wide array of obscure selections, too, such as the Dr. Demento radio show hit “Poisoning Pigeons in the Park.” Voices of America director Paul Hart says the men’s barbershop group isn’t afraid to dabble in off-beat comedy. “We’re not just doing the classics. We’re doing stuff maybe that RiverSong or the Community Chorus wouldn’t do,” Hart says. “I think being a step outside of the normal separates us from the rest.”