Concert review: Can You Feel the Punk Tonight? | 05.02.26, The Pageant (with photo gallery)

Photo of Tim Convy and Moon Valjean at Can You Feel the Punk Tonight? by Jen Ruff

I’ve covered this event before, but this time for some reason I approached it differently. For some reason, for this performance, I just got lost in it. I had a big Stitch sweater/hoodie and I just felt like a fan going in, living in the moment. I think we often forget in life that we don’t have to forget to be there and let the troubles of the world wait for our attention. It was three songs till the end of the show when I realized I wasn’t even keeping tabs on the songs. Alas, I lived. I do recall that “Circle of Life” started the evening and got me and the other kids so engaged from the start. The scenes from each related movie or show was backdropped on video to satisfy those needing visual stimulation. The rest of us were singing and dancing along.

This event is brought to us sonically by two incredibly talented local musicians. Tim Convy is from the band Ludo, has been a radio DJ for several years on a few stations, and has dove into standup comedy. Moon Valjean has played in both Story of the Year and Greek Fire (amongst other national artists he’s collaborated with) and he also lends himself to local radio in the DJ role. The supporting band, collectively known as the Misfit Machine, was a who’s who of local and national artists from the bands Goldfinger, Cavo, and Tidal Volume.

There wasn’t a big Disney hit missed. Moana, check. Pocahontas, check. DuckTales?? CHECK. During “Hakuna Matata” from The Lion King, “Pumba” came into the crowd and the kids formed the first little circle pit of their lives. CYFTPT artists gave the parents a bit of Blink-182 during the beginning to rope everyone in, and midway through they did a mock “War Pigs” from Quack Sabbath. Epic wouldn’t cover it.

Covering several different events around STL’s art scene over the years has been an incredible opportunity but this event is set apart. It’s something to include every age group and genre; every polarizing box we think of wasn’t there. We were fans of music and fans of great themes that shaped or are shaping our lives. The musicians creating this were absolute geniuses at giving us two complete hours of the most fun possible. Not a bunch of people living a show through their phone to share on socials later, but a genuine day of great live music and being right then, right there. It’s rare these days to not be as present as we can but this forced us to without even trying.

This event has a matinee and an evening show and this Misfit Machine also does a Christmas-themed show. If you’re looking for fun and music and getting away from everything remotely negative, please support the Misfit Machine in their endeavors. It will be a whole new world of fun you can return to. | Diane Ruff