Meanwhile we were still thinking

Everybody wants to know what happens next; we've got options and ideas and they will become clearer soon

The Situation

What will the LOVE of KDHX do now that the judge allowed KDHX to be sold? Well, we have limited legal options and choices which are being mulled over. And, there are all sorts of other ideas for what to do with all the talented programmers and radio people that are in our ranks. We have begun the process for deciding what we will do next, right down to the question of our name itself. Keep watching this space. We will inform you as soon as we know ourselves.

The Grass Was Sure Blue

LOVE of KDHX / Point Labaddie Brewery Bluegrass Fest. June 14^th, 2025

Big River Trio & Friends (minus one) photo by Laura Eckelcamp

Days before the event the weather was not looking very good, but as the weekend drew near the forecast was looking better each day. A slight mist on Saturday morning was the worst we had to deal with. By the time everything was set up, we were almost wishing for cloud cover. The temperatures were climbing and the sun was shining. It was turning out to be a beautiful day for some great bluegrass music.

We want to thank everyone who came out and supported the efforts of the League Of Volunteer Enthusiasts Of KDHX / Love of KDHX. Many shared stories and memories of the good old days of KDHX. It was an honor to talk with so many that have the same passion for the station that we all loved. We visited with many folks that we had met over the years, and quite a few, that we just met that day, many who were supporters and listeners for years, even decades. There were many things happening that day and we were honored so many came out for our event, even if they weren’t there for the entire time. But many were there from the first note to the last.

It's a crying shame what a few people can do to ruin something that was so great for so long (the staff and board that is). A sentiment shared by many: “if karma is real, I hope they get theirs.”

We want to thank all the former DJ's that showed up. Especially Matty Dread with his turn tables to spin a few songs between band sets. The folks at JD sound, Jim, Eddie, Dale & Jon for running that sound.

Matty Dread photo by Laura Eckelcamp

Thanks to all the bands, without all of you it couldn’t have happened: As the Crowe Flies, Big River Trio & Friends, Silver Creek Bluegrass, RiverBend, Alex Riffle & the Stiff Riffs, Barnum Jack, and The Wayward Mountaineers for donating their time and talent. All the bands expressed the feeling of loss from a station that promoted so many bands and artists over the years.

We thank the Boles Fire Dept. of Labadie, for cooking and feeding the crowd for this day long event. I believe we kept them busy and they loved the music too.

We especially want to thank Point Labaddie Brewery for the use of their wonderful venue & generosity. They went above and beyond our expectations. You guys ROCK.

Thanks to Drea and Tom for bringing extra shade canopies, and everyone who volunteered to set up everything and then take it all back down at the end of the day. The LOVE members who worked tirelessly at the gate, directed parking, mannedthe merch table and did whatever was needed. It was a team effort that made it all work so well. At LOVE our mission is trying to stay engaged with the community. Something that has been totally lost from the station in the last few years.

Oh and one more thank you to Mother Nature for not raining on our parade that day.

If I missed anything I apologize. Again THANK YOU ALL.

Walter & Willa Volz

Farewell to a KDHX hero

Ed Becker, long-time host of Songwriters Showcase on KDHX, passed away Tuesday, June 17. Ed joined the show’s originator, Larry Weir, back in 1988, and carried it on after Larry passed away in 2010. In recent years, it was co-hosted by Steve St. Cyr. Ed had an incredible knowledge of songwriters in and especially adjacent to the country music field, and his shows were always guaranteed to introduce some song that would become a favorite of his listeners. He was a vital part of what we did for all those years, and he will be missed.Celebrating Summer

One of the best things on KDHX for thirteen years was the annual Summer Solstice Spectacular featuring these two cohorts in musical crime, John Wendland and Rich Reese. Well, it won’t be on the radio, but you can celebrate the onset of Summer tomorrow night at the Royale, 3132 S. Kingshighway. It’s also a chance to support LOVE.

Playlists

Brian Lock is keeping the music flowing on Spotify and youTube for us.

Dipping into the DJ archives, we pulled out a June 2023 episode of Jeff Corbin’s The Back Country. Jeff had a few tunes that haven’t been uncovered by the internet yet, so we’ll have to make do.

We have two original playlists this week. I posted one last week, but didn’t mention it to let Bluegrass Breakdown have the spotlight all to itself in anticipation of LOVE's inaugural Bluegrass festival.

If you’re reading this, chances are, you tune in to the radio to be surprised—to hear a familiar song in a way you never had before. A chamber-pop Black Peter? A Tex-Mex (country, at least) Train in Vain? Did Alice Cooper compose a feminist anthem? Is anything from Ace Frehley salvageable? Veiled Profit Charade features a set of mainly cover songs. Unlike some folks who think they've still got the stuff, LOVE never lost its edge; we're just off in a new direction.

The other playlist, Model Citizen/Zero Discipline, features some tunes about troublemakers and those poor fellows who don't want to grow up.

Concert Calendar

Friday, June 20

Hootenanny Jam – Point Labaddie Brewery

Seraphis with Mark Moebeck – Stovall’s Grove

Brother Francis and the Soultones – Das Bevo Biergarten

Wilson Phillips – River City Casino

Taylor Made: The Journey of Taylor Swift – Wildey Theatre

Sharon Bear (matinee) – Venice Café

Lefty Krane and Co. (evening) – Venice Café

guy and I – The Attic Music Bar (patio)

Money Shot – The Attic Music Bar

Miss Jubilee – Frisco Barroom

Ultimate Garth Brooks Tribute featuring Shawn Gerhard – Eckert’s

Wes Hoffman and Friends, Fight Back Mountain, American Thrills, Guardrail, Right Quick – Platypus

Funky Butt Brass Band – Atomic Pavilion

Global Music Night: Samba Bom – The Dark Room

Breakmouth Annie, Debussyan, PFR, Permanent Vacation – The Heavy Anchor

Hiroya Tsukamoto – The Focal Point

Kelly Howe is Linda Ronstadt – Blue Strawberry

The Joe Bozzi Band – Evangeline’s Bistro

Slings and Arrows, Party Hat Club, Crash Planet, Brave New World – Red Flag

Meagan McNeal and Joyce Hurley – City Winery

Open Highway: Old 97’s – Old Rock House

Billy the Kid: The Definitive Billy Joel Tribute – Chesterfield Amphitheater

Alexandra Kay – Saint Louis Music Park

Travis Tritt – The Factory

Chainsnatcher, xThreatx, Keep, Killyourabuser – The Sinkhole

Andrew Lucier, Eli Ward, Feed the Masses – Off Broadway

Cherry and Jerry – Bethalto Central Park

Silver Creek Bluegrass Band (happy hour) – Stagger Inn Again

Garth Brooks Tribute featuring Shawn Gerhard – Eckert’s

Saturday, June 21

Diesel Island – Gene’s Country Club

Mike Harper (happy hour) – Stagger Inn Again

Dizzy Atmosphere – Shaved Duck

Stray Rescue Benefit: The Lion’s Daughter Farewell Show with Fister, Sine Nomine, Path of Might, Furnace Floor – Off Broadway

Open Highway: A St. Louis Tornado Relief Benefit with Surtsey, Al Holliday and the East Side Rhythm Band, Old Capital Square Dance Club – Old Rock House

Diana Krall – Stifel Theatre

Saturday Brunch with Don Walker of Funk’s Grove – Evangeline’s Bistro

Lexi Weege and JJ Slater (evening) – Evangeline’s Bistro

Jose Emilio Gobbo Jazz Trio (night) – Evangeline’s Bistro

The Scheming Minsters featuring Christian Kirk and Lizzie Weber – Blue Strawberry

Prison City Brigade, Modern Angst, The Khulies, The Winks – The Golden Record

Rupert Wates – The Focal Point

Jeffy and the Sunken Heads, Pleasure Center, Night Parks – The Heavy Anchor

Pickn’ and A Gri’n – Eckert’s

Andy Coco’s NOLA Funk and R & B Revue with Chris Shepherd Band – Broadway Oyster Bar

Rick Wagner Duo – Frisco Barroom

Ness Holiday (patio) – The Attic Music Bar

Boogie Chyld – The Attic Music Bar

Honky Tonk Airlines (matinee) – Venice Café

Pocket Taco (evening) – Venice Café

The Ultimate Doors – Wildey Theatre

Bedlam Brothers – Das Bevo Biergarten

Corey B. Clay and the Twains – Stovall’s Grove

Sunday, June 22

Lindley Creek – Mt. Pleasant Winery

Ivas John – Lindenwood Concerts in the Park

John Wendland and Rich Reese DJ Spin – The Royale

Tornado Benefit Concert: Syna So Pro, Maxi Glamour, Soumir, 18AC – The Royale

Caron House and Jackie Teuber DJ Spin – Schafly Bottleworks

Smino, KOUNTRY COUSINS with Samara Cyn – Saint Louis Music Park

Kade Hoffman – Off Broadway

Further North, Long Live the Lights, Sideways, I Like Snaps – The Sinkhole

Devo – The Factory

Augustana with The Pernikoff Brothers – City Winery

This Will Be: The Spirit of Natalie Cole featuring Kimmie Kidd, Christina Yancy, and Dereis Lambert – Blue Strawberry

Summer Wine and Cheese Concert with Hobocane, a.k.a. Javier Mendoza – The Focal Point

George Portz’s Friends of Bluegrass (matinee) Eckert’s

Meat Sweats (matinee) – Broadway Oyster Bar

Sweetie and The Toothaches (evening) – Broadway Oyster Bar

Farshid Etniko – Frisco Barroom

Sunday Brunch with Rocky and the Wranglers – Das Bevo

Monday, June 23

Arc De Soleil with Roland LaBonte – Delmar Hall

Esther Rose with Hunter Peebles, Beth Bombara – Off Broadway

Stanley Clarke (two shows) – City Winery

Sugar Sweet (matinee) – Broadway Oyster Bar

Soulard Blues Band (evening) – Broadway Oyster Bar

Tuesday, June 24

George Thorogood and The Destroyers with Alastair Greene – The Pageant

The Blue Stones with Meltt – Delmar Hall

Dispatch with John Butler, G. Love and Special Sauce, Donavon Frankenreiter – Saint Louis Music Park

Being Dead, Kids – Off Broadway

Tornado Relief Benefit: Spoken Last Words, Fatal Dose, Hatemaker, Family Medicine – The Sinkhole

Cake – The Factory

Asleep at the Wheel – City Winery

Drew Lance and Friends (matinee) – Broadway Oyster Bar

Ethan Jones (evening) – Broadway Oyster Bar

Sharon Bear – Venice Cafe

Wednesday, June 25

Whitaker Music Festival: Funky Butt Brass Band – Missouri Botanical Garden

Ouija Macc with Sinizter – Red Flag

Bear Hands with OK Cowgirl – Off Broadway

Bob Log III, the Jag-Wires – The Sinkhole

Cake – The Factory

Wild Horses with Gerard Erker – City Winery

Phillip Nye – Blue Strawberry

Voodoo Highwaymen – Broadway Oyster Bar

Farshid Etniko Duo – Frisco Barroom

Thursday, June 26

Hurray for the Riff Raff with Greg Mendez – Delmar Hall

Tropical Fuck Storm, Bill Orcutt, Chris Corsano – Off Broadway

Vulture Vulture, Hotel Party, Cheap Knives, Shiny Diamonds – The Sinkhole

Buddy Guy with Taj Farrant – The Factory

The Broken Hearts – Old Rock House

Larry Campbell and Teresa Williams with Lilly Hiatt – City Winery

Garrett T. Capps with The Jits – The Golden Record

Subtropolis, Isolation Tank Ensemble, Zantigo – The Heavy Anchor

Isaac Biver – Eckert’s

The Buttery Biscuit Band – Broadway Oyster Bar

Stone Sugar Trio – Frisco Barroom

Neil C. Luke – Venice Café

Life is Beautiful with Anita Jackson and Ryan Marquez – Joe’s Cafe

Friday, June 27

Ivas John – Pop’s Blue Moon

Greg Klyma (happy hour) – Stagger Inn Again

Heart Attack Man with The Dirty Nil, Carpool, Dear Seattle – Delmar Hall

iCAZADORES!, Jesus Christ Supercar, Young Animals, Bagheera – Off Broadway

The Convenience, GOD, Piracy – The Sinkhole

Justin Moore and Joe Nichols with Austin Michael – The Factory

The Driver Era – Saint Louis Music Park

Clusterpluck! 15^th Year Anniversary – Old Rock House

Chicago – Stifel Theatre

New Madrid, Killer Burke, Peace Among Worms, Cry Nonsense – Red Flag

John Dennis – Venue on Main

Kato, Cardiac Arrest, Man with a Rope – The Golden Record

Al Scorch – The Focal Point

Furthest, Ricki Marvel, Titch Dogge, Enemy Airship – The Heavy Anchor

Kre8 Jams – The Dark Room

Eggy with Six Foot Blonde – Atomic Pavilion

Andrew Dahle (morning) – Eckert’s

The Dude Abides (evening) – Eckert’s

Dirty Muggs – Broadway Oyster Bar

Beth Bombara – Frisco Barroom

Time Cure, Jack Knife, Sanity Switch – The Attic Music Bar

Neil C. Luke (matinee) – Venice Café

Dawn Weber and Company (evening) – Venice Café

Cory B. Clay and The Twains – Das Bevo Biergarten

Missouri Valley Boys – Stovall’s Grove

New Releases

Aitch – 4

Alex Amen – The Zorthian Tapes EP

The B-52’s – The Warner and Reprise Years

Badflower – No Place Like Home

BAMBII – Infinity Club II EP

Benson Boone – American Heart

The Bones of J.R. Jones – Radio Waves

Che Noir – The Color Chocolate 2

Cryptopsy – An Insatiable Violence

Edna Vazquez (of Pink Martini) – Te Esperaba

EELS – Souljacker (Reissue)

Eric Hilton (of Thievery Corporation) – Midnight Ragas

The Farm – Let The Music (Take Control)

GoGo Penguin – Necessary Fictions

Gregg Allman – The Gregg Allman Band – One Night In DC, May 15, 1984

HAIM – I quit

Hiroe – Wield

Hotline TNT – Raspberry Moon

Kelsey Waldon – Every Ghost

Kenny Muney – Kenjamin Franklin

L’Eclair – Cloud Drifter

Liam Finn – Hyperverse

Loyle Carner – hopefully !

Lukas Nelson – American Romance

Matmos – Metallic Life Review

Matthew Shipp – The Cosmic Piano

Maxo – Mars Is Electric

Meggie Lennon – Desire Days

midwxst – archangel

Minais B – And i know i can feel bad when i get in a bad mood

MJ Lenderman & Wednesday – Guttering (Reissue)

Mo Lowda & the Humble – Tailing the Ghost

Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark (OMD) – Junk Culture (Vinyl Reissue)

OSKA – Refined Believer

PlaqueBoyMax – Five Forever (Deluxe)

REDD. – RAUNCH

Ric Wilson – AMERICA RUNS ON DISCO EP

Robert DeLong – Playlist of DOOM: After DARK

S.G. Goodman – Planting by the Signs

Samara Cyn – Backroads EP

Skinhead – It’s a Beautiful Day, What a Beautiful Day

Tan Cologne – Unknown Beyond

Tee Templeton – Diner of Doubt

Tropical Fuck Storm – Fairyland Codex

University – McCartney, It’ll Be OK

U.S. Girls – Scratch It

The Wandering Hearts – Déjà Vu (We Have All Been Here Before)

Water Machine – God Park

Willie Nile – The Great Yellow Light

Yaya Bey – do it afraid

YUNGBLUD –IDOLS