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Earthworms
www.myspace.com/earthworms
 Earthworms. Earth...worms. Such a humble, unassuming, just-crawlin'-along-don't-mind-me name for such an incredibly vibrant group. Then again, maybe the guys in this whip-smart collective — Mathias, Black Patrick, Kama and DJ Mahf — are thinking about the earthworm's other characteristics. You know: Tough. Able to thrive in the underground. Always regenerating, nearly undefeatable. Yeah, we get it now. If you're not hip to the Earthworms yet, you're missing out on one of the city's most exciting crews. The live show is a raucous party, and the album — No Arms, No Legs, Just a Head and a Body — is a rap-funk amalgam of the highest order. These guys took top honors last year, and they're worthy contenders again. You owe it to yourself to check out Earthworms — but please don't send us the bill when your feet are sore from dancing. We gave you fair warning, after all. (BF)
Blueberry Hill's Elvis Room, 11 p.m.


Family Affair
www.myspace.com/stlfamilyaffair
 Family Affair should've blown up huge by now. Their solar-flare-hot single, "U Go Luv tha Family," is as tight as anything playing on national radio at the moment. In fact, it's better, because the duo — twin brothers Mr. REP and QB tha Classic — laid this track down over a year ago. That means that, instead of biting the string-section samples and the chill-yet-menacing flow, these guys presaged it. Family Affair received plenty of spins on The Beat (100.3 FM), which is awesome. But it'd be great to see these talented emcees take it to the next level. After all, how many twenty-year-old rappers do you know who confide that "confidence came from my Moms and the ghost of my Granny?" Talk about respect. (BF)


Midwest Avengers
www.myspace.com/mwa314
 There's no getting around it: Most rap-rock sucks a big one. So what are the Midwest Avengers to do? They produce hip-hop with a rock & roll foundation and it's amazing. They sound nothing like the obnoxious Limp Bizkits and Linkin Parks of the world. The Midwest Avengers flow smooth, intelligent lyrics over propulsive hip-hop beats with a freeing rock & roll style. Unlike many other local bands, its recordings and live shows sound phenomenally professional. Slick and dignified, the Avengers' primary genre of hip-hop is gently skewed as they embrace elements of funk, jazz and even a little classic rock. (JL)
Blueberry Hill's Elvis Room, 7 p.m.


Ruka Puff
www.myspace.com/rukapuff
 The self-proclaimed "Midwest Underground King," Ruka Puff organized the Midwest Monsters Music Conference in January to help his peers and loyal subjects perfect their industry hustle. He also extends advice to his enemies: In April, the thunder-voiced emcee left the message "If you're hating, kill your fucking self" on his Web site. Ruka's latest single, a club-ready ode to "thick" ladies called "Peanut Butta," combines massive bass drops, a melodic whistle and a seductively sung hook ("I know you wanna touch me.") (AM)


Toyy
www.myspace.com/toyy1
 There aren't enough female emcees in the game, period. So we're incredibly lucky to have one of the best right here in St. Louis. Toyy, a quick-spitting, deep-thinking rapper from north city, has brought her skills to the underground scene for the past several years. The sister of Jia (and the late Katt) Davis, Toyy furthers the family legacy with her smoky voice and take-no-prisoners rhymes. She performs with Jia in the Committee (for our money, one of the absolute best St. Louis crews) and also takes the stage solo. Tired of seeing women in hip-hop treated as little more than bootylicious props? Yeah, so are we. Let Toyy show you what real talent is. It's about damn time. (BF)
Blueberry Hill's Elvis Room, 6 p.m.



Best Reggae Band


Dub Kitchen
www.myspace.com/dubkitchen
 When dub is done right, it evokes a strange combination of the futuristic and the archaic: futuristic because the genre's sci-fi soundscapes anticipated so much that was to follow, and archaic for the originators' creative use of relatively primitive recording technology. Taking what is essentially a studio technique, Dub Kitchen channels the spirit of dub legends such as King Tubby and Lee "Scratch" Perry in its live performances, starting with riddims reminiscent of the rocksteady and roots-reggae eras to which Andy and Jen add their soulful vocals. And while the band grooves along, Bert — Dub Kitchen's on-stage dubber — performs special-effects voodoo on the sound with a mix of delays, spring reverb, and an old analog synth's gates, envelopes and filters. — Tom Carlson Brandt's, 8 p.m.


Dubtronix Led by singer/guitarist DJ Ranx, the 2008 version of Dubtronix ("always looking ahead, not behind," he says) features Karl Acon (also in Yard Squad) on keys, Terry Goetz (one of Murder City Players' guitarists) on bass and longtime scenester Eric Brown on drums. Its interpretation of classic reggae hits by artists such as Black Uhuru, John Holt and Bob Marley can go from a hard-rockin' skank one minute to a spacey dub jam the next. Whether he's performing with his band at its frequent shows, spinning dub discs on KDHX (88.1 FM) between 2 and 4 a.m. every Saturday or hosting Culture Vision on Double Helix TV with fellow KDHX DJ Erica Lewis, Ranx is a man on a mission to keep dub reggae alive in St. Louis. (TC)


Murder City Players
www.myspace.com/murdercityplayers
 First, a little disclosure: I've been Murder City Players' sound guy since '87 or so. The origins of this long-running act go back to the 1983 dissolution of the then-popular Felons (check www.jetlagmag.net/oct80-8-9.html
 to get a glimpse of the origins of that band). The years since have seen the band release several well-received recordings, back such Jamaican luminaries as the Itals, U-Roy and Leonard Dillon (a.k.a. The Ethiopian) and open for countless others. Through numerous personnel changes, the vocal stylings of Mark Condellire and "Prince" Phillip McKenzie and the keyboards of founding member Jeff Schneider remain constant. The current ten-piece line-up, which features a full horn section, has recently added a new twist to its act by backing "all-star" vocalists from other St. Louis reggae bands in an annual packed-to-the-gills Marleyfest bash at the Duck Room. (TC)


Yard Squad
www.myspace.com/yardsquad
 If you're going to catch Yard Squad live, you'd best make it to one of their occasional shows at Viva. This St. Louis band spreads its musical message far and wide with trips to Tennessee, Colorado, Ohio and frequent stops at Chicago's famed Wild Hare club. Yard Squad was founded in the early '90s and draws its inspiration from Jamaican heavyweights such as Black Uhuru, Third World and Burning Spear. The backing is both sparse and tight: Bassist Art Richards and drummer Thomas Flowers (who has been gigging recently with MCP) lay the foundation, while keyboard player Karl Acon and guitarist Dave Clark add the melodic elements. There are many talented vocalists in the Yard Squad family — Karly "Roots" McRoberts, Desirea "Songbird" Dobbins, Claudell the Ambassador and Psyche Southwell — each of whom adds a unique flavor. A taste of this band's originals is available on its MySpace page; a full-length release is in the works. (TC)



Best Rock Band


The Bureau
www.myspace.com/thebureau
 Despite significant lineup shifts in the past few months — to the tune of a new guitarist and drummer — dark-wave rockers the Bureau remain one of the city's most compelling bands. Charismatic frontman Mike Cracchiolo's sardonic wit and deadpan humor echoes that of the Long Winters' John Roderick (a hero of his), but he's completely serious when it comes to writing quality Bureau songs. The quartet's upcoming full-length debut features liquid basslines, zig-zagging synths and killer pop hooks; just try to forget the haunted-mansion keyboards and Colin Hay-goes-goth vocals of "Stalingrad" or the jackknifing post-punk guitars snaking through "Cabin Pressure." (AZ)
Cicero's, 8 p.m.


Finn's Motel
www.myspace.com/finnsmotel
 For all of the vitality within the St. Louis rock scene, nagging questions of originality just won't go away. But seemingly from out of nowhere, Finn's Motel released Escape Velocity, an album cool enough to earn attention from Magnet and fresh enough to dispel lead singer and songwriter Joe Thebeau's power-pop past. The band makes indie guitar and keyboard rock with brains and heart, shifting its rhythms effortlessly and lifting its hooks on every chorus. Song titles like "Eero Saarinen" and "Dramamine for Engine 3" may suggest solipsistic geek-rock, but their sound quivers with inspired pop life. (RK)
Halo Bar, 9:30 p.m.

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