CONCERTS

There’s no better catalyst for a slew of True/False musical nights than a trifecta of regional rock music featuring new and old blood. Reggie Pearl, LAIKA and Boreal Hills will whet the palate for all those ready to embark on another True/False adventure. Gen admin: $10

Come get shoulder to shoulder, warm and cozy at the annual “day zero” showcase, continuing its embrace of a DIY aesthetic and sound with math rock locals Drona, globe traveling basement punkers BC69, and the electro soul keytar playing Soumir. Gen admin: $10 PRESENTED BY 102.3-BXR.

Newly renovated and outfitted with a 60-inch disco ball, 10Below at Harpo’s plays host to the St. Louis-bred superpowers of Agile One & DJ Nico Marie. Our longtime Fest stalwart unites with the city’s hottest new performer to connect on an expressive excursion of hip-hop, house and pop. Join your friends, old and new, for the starting block of the weekend’s nightlife theater. Open to passholders with reserved ticket.

For this year’s take on the first night function, we return to the opulently adorned MyHouse. L.A.’s drummerscales drives the decks and dance floor through kinetic scenes of hip-hop & electronica, while the club’s immersive visual accessories dress a night destined for high energy and low-end frequencies. Jump into the fray for the starting block of the weekend’s nightlife theater. Ticket required.

London’s spiritual jazz ambassador and flautist Shabaka Hutchings commences the weekend’s nocturnal activity with tones of melodic poetry & prayer. Bolstered by ascendant star harpist Charles Overton, this special opening night presentation of one of modern music’s most cherished entities acts as the thematic springboard for this year’s musical festivities. Produced in collaboration with Dismal Niche & We Always Swing Jazz Series inaugural “Left Field Series”. Gen admin: $30 advance, $35 night-of-show. *Passholders must have reserved tickets for free entry to this performance.

Enter into a rapturous, jazz informed trance at the inaugural Thursday night Rose afterparty, a lineup marked by top flight performance and undeniable style. Chicago’s Daniel Villarreal and Ben Lamar Gay reassert their claims as two of the region’s most coveted musicians with their singular perspectives on the respective Latinx & Black American sonic landscapes, alongside the soulful Afro-Cuban offerings of Fest cornerstone Tonina. Gen admin: $18 advance, $20 night-of-show

An electric charge fritzes through the hallowed forum of Eastside Tavern, as two of Missouri’s finest young troupes enter the arena on Friday evening. St. Louis’ K Kudda Muzic boldly steps away from his supporting roles to assert his claim as proficient bandleader, building out his smooth funk tracks to match the occasion, while Mizzou’s favorite Zeph France comes refreshed and ready to rap circles around the world in this inflection point for the weekend’s energy. Free and open to the public, donations encouraged.

Eastside Tavern’s intimate nature serves as an ideal setting for this assembly of nascent, sonically curious projects. T/F everyman Joey Ferber and Kansas City road warrior Zach Morrow once again use the Fest as a kismet connection point for their delicate yet fiery freestyle duo J2M, dressing the stage for North Carolina newcomer Tre. Charles’ walk through R&B tropes of yearning and heartbreak. Free and open to the public, donations encouraged.

Alert: a loud night lies ahead. Seizing firm control of Café Berlin are three entities who boldly predict the future of punk, hip-hop, electronic and beyond. Lawrence based rock visionaries Sweeping Promises lead the charge with a must-see live set, Tampa’s They Hate Change injects an aggressive fascination with international club music into Florida’s hallmark bass-boosted mode, and the dystopian dance stabs of St. Louis’ The Mall round out an evening with seemingly endless bearings on what could be next for music at large. Gen admin: $18 advance, $20 night-of-show

Cafe Berlin makes its weekend premiere as a vessel for exploration into the trenches of avant-garde hip-hop. Spearheaded by New York City underground juggernaut E L U C I D, and supported by wordsmith supreme Cavalier and Brooklyn chemist Semiratruth, bone-rattling beat and dense lyrical flexes converge to help us process today’s political chaos and project a blueprint for a divergent, parallel world. Gen admin: $18 advance, $20 night-of-show

Merging the raucous and caring in a manner singular to this collective, the return of St. Louis ravebearers Materia will transport you to another plane and keep you on your feet all throughout the night. Combining the spinning forces of Umami, Nadir Smith, Manapool & Sweeet with the cutthroat mic skills of MC Eric Donte, Materia delivers the audiovisual spectacle of the season. General admission: $10 advance, $15 night of show

New York (by way of Tokyo) DJ & instrumentalist Takuya Nakamura brings the perfect amalgam of experimentation and dance floor ecstasy to this year’s rendition of the annual affair. Careening into the space with UK-inspired garage and drum ’n’ bass sounds and impassioned, barely hinged live trumpet, this season’s most mercurial performer will surely spin us deep into the regions of the night. Gen admin: $15 adv, $20 night-of-show