june 2
Enjoy jazz among the jasmine and junipers as the Whittaker Jazz Festival returns to the Missouri Botanical Garden for a series of Wednesday-evening concerts. The public is welcome to bring a picnic or just to sit and enjoy the starlight and sounds of the week's featured entertainer. Tonight, the Kim Portnoy Big Band performs in the Cohen Amphitheatre. (see Concerts)
thursday
june 3
Quick: Name two songs by Modern English. We'll even spot you "I'll Stop the World (and Melt with You)," which may have been the biggest teen-love song of 1986. See them tonight at Cicero's and find out how age and the '90s have changed their music. (see Concerts)
friday
june 4
The Circle of Life continues -- that's the theme for three days of African music, art tours, cultural demonstrations, food and workshops at the African Arts Festival, which opens today at the World's Fair Pavilion in Forest Park. (See Special Events)
The Forum for Contemporary Art uncorks Champaign Summer: The Champaign-Urbana Connection in its Project Room. The exhibit, which continues through July 31, features works by Barbara Kendrick, Cynthia Pachikara, Ann Koddington East and Rosaly Schwartz. (See Exhibit Openings)
Playing the six-string orchestra and singin' the blues, Bonnie Raitt plays in support of her new album, Fundamental, in a concert at the Fox Theatre. Former Thunderbird and master guitar-picker Jimmie Vaughan opens the show. (see Concerts)
saturday
june 5
StreamTeach Inc. teams up with the stream teams of several community organizations for Watkins Creek Cleanup Day. The local watershed in North County is in need of a major cleaning; if the creek's health can be maintained, an artificial research stream and world-class white-water facility may be in the offing. Meet at Grampian Park and wear shoes that you don't mind getting wet. (See Special Events)
The Missouri Botanical Garden hosts its annual Chinese Culture Days this weekend. Headlining is the Shanghai Acrobatic Troupe, which offers five performances -- three today and two tomorrow. The photo above hints at the astonishing feats of which they're capable. (See Performing Arts)
Returning from a long hiatus -- the league took all of 1998 off -- the St. Louis Vipers host their second opening day in three years tonight at Kiel. Their first home game is against the Minnesota Blue Ox. Oh, Babe -- this ought to be good. (see Sports)
Captain Fantastic is back! It's awfully uncommon when Elton John goes on a solo tour, but here 'tis. One of the most famous men in the world, with more Top 40 songs than even Billboard can count, John appears tonight at Riverport Amphitheatre. The children of the fans who bought his first few albums will be bringing their children to this show. (See Concerts)
sunday
june 6
Opera Theatre of St. Louis opens Georges Bizet's The Pearl Fishers, which plays in repertory through June 24 at the Loretto-Hilton Center. Sung entirely in English, the original spoken-dialogue version of the opera is performed. (See Performing Arts)
monday
june 7
A former local boy made good as a noted author, Ron Powers has written a biography of Missouri's first significant man of letters, Samuel Clemens. Powers reads from and signs Dangerous Water: A Biography of the Boy Who Became Mark Twain at Left Bank Books in the Central West End. (See Literary Events)
tuesday
june 8
Victor/Victoria, the latest Broadway musical comedy at the Fox Theatre, follows hard on the dancing heels of last week's Footloose. Toni Tennille -- now sailing solo without the Captain -- plays the title character(s) in this comic tale of gender identity and masquerade (but, sadly, no "Muskrat Love"). (See Performing Arts)
With the Cardinals spending so much time on the road, those of you who are longing to root, root, root for the home team have another option: The new River City Rascals, of the Frontier League, host their inaugural opening day at the T.R. Hughes Ballpark at the Ozzie Smith Athletic Complex in O'Fallon, Mo., taking on the Dubois County Dragons. Although not affiliated with the Cards, the team features a few former Redbirds in manager Jack Clark and pitching coach Greg Mathews. (See Sports)
wednesday
june 9
Fans of classic rock pay homage tonight at the Triumvirat Tribute at Off Broadway. The show features the music of the prog-rockers played by former Triumvirat member Barry Palmer, the Swedish Par Lindh Project and the duo Alaska. (See Concerts
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