By the time Sunday night headliner Patti LaBelle prepared to close out the Field Stage for 2025, the breeze that the thousands who braved the weekend of nearly unbearable heat had been aching for finally arrived.
The 5th Annual presentation of the Music at the Intersection Music Festival and Arts Conference (MATI) was a hot one. Temperatures were blistering, but the energy and vibes never diminished. Talent of all ages and engaging attractions that stretched just over half a mile. Peppered throughout were stages that featured a diverse mix of musical genres. Jazz, hip hop, R&B, soul, funk and more was reflected in some form or fashion. The talent ranged from global stars to emerging talent.
As the weekend drew to a close Brian Owens, singer and beloved figure within the St. Louis arts community, summed up exactly why Music at the Intersection (MATI) is so important.
“We have set the cultural standard in music going back to Scott Joplin and all the way up to Smino,” Owens said just before LaBelle took the stage.
Chris Hansen, executive director of The Kranzberg Arts Foundation – presenter of MATI – reinforced Owens’ remarks as he shared the festival’s intention.
“A true celebration of St. Louis’ footprint on the American Songbook, Music at the Intersection fully represents what we’re all about as a city,” Hansen said of the more than 100 artists who graced nearly 20 stages. “And all of the great giants that come here are really just celebrating St. Louis with us.”
Friday night energy
After an afternoon of workshop programming that provided attendees with essential music industry insider information, guests poured in. Unlimited options for entertainment awaited inside the festival grounds. There was cuisine from countless cultures. A myriad of vendors sold candles, oils and garments and other items. One could even buy a wig or get their hair braided while listening to the local and nationally acclaimed artists on the surrounding stages. The jam sessions began with K Kudda Muzic. He was backed by an eclectic jazz band of horns and keys and a guest vocalist. The sound radiated through the walls of The Sovereign concert venue with low lighting that heightened the listening experience and compelled those hearing them to connect. The brassy, jazzy funk fusion of The Playadors brought patrons from every end of the festival to The Big Top stage. “The Playadors is an amalgam of all my friends in St. Louis that plays music,” said band leader Dave Grelle. “And tonight, we decided to bring the whole crew… it’s like a St. Louis Circus under the Big Top.” Among them was singer/actress Anita Jackson, who took a night off from her starring role in The Black Rep’s “Raisin” to blow MATI audiences away with The Playadors and her own jazz sets.
She was among the rotating vocalists who brought funk, soul and Caribbean vibes to The Playadors original tunes and covers, including The Allman Brothers classic “Midnight Rider.” Their music awakened internal rhythms and stirred up a boogie even for those who didn’t know the lyrics – or the songs.
The hypnotic sounds continued with the main act of the night Weedie Braimah & The Hands of Time. Their world-blending music style was a perfect fit for special guests Afro-Cuban drummer Pedrito Martinez and MATI artist-in-residence Keyon Harrold on the trumpet.
The Hands of Time had the audience spellbound with a symphony anchored by Weedie’s Djembe. He played in the center while a band of electric guitars and keys swelled around him. They brought in classical, traditional and complementary influences creating a whole world sound that took you on a spiritual journey and brought you to your feet.
He shared how every song has a story behind it, including “Weediefoli.” The song was recorded in Mali with some of the best musicians in that country. He told the story of his journey from East St. Louis to Mali and beyond. He said that when he brought this rhythm to Mali, they questioned where it came from. “This is from my village, East St. Africa,” he said humorously. For this song, he mixed traditional African drumming with a hip hop tempo and R&B melody – all bridged with an electric guitar that formed a provoking yet tranquil swirl of cultural sounds.
The sounds were later elevated by Martinez on the conga and Harrold trumpet, who added a hint of the blues. The band of friends jammed throughout the evening into the night. By the end the aisles were filled with fans who grooved as the music moved through their bodies.
A hip hop and soul Saturday night
The merriment continued for day two of the MATI. St. Louis artists who made the most of the moment and made the region proud. Poets screamed black boy joy at Word Warriors Take the Mic on the High Low Stage. Those who popped into Sophie’s to cool off received a bonus vibe from Enoch Is Real and the Indigenous Groove. A hip hop dance party took over Strauss Park with sounds from CASSETTE, DJ Charlie Chan and Rhashad La Rocka. Grammy Award winners Lucky Daye and Common – along with iconic hip hop producer, DJ and emcee Pete Rock – headlined the Field Stage.
Lucky Daye sang his way through a few technical difficulties, including hits from his third studio album “Algorithm.” He gave classic R&B vibes with his Grammy-winning single “That’s You.” He got the crowd’s attention with “Think Different” and “Top.” He kept them deep in their feelings with his album’s namesake “Algorithm.”
The emotions heightened when he performed “Love You Too Much” from his freshman album “Painted.” He cried out passionately for his lover in elaborate runs.
He lamented with “Diamonds in Teal.” Doubling over with emotion, he demonstrated why his voice needs to be heard live.
Powerhouse duo Common and Pete Rock, who share a “Best Rap Album” Grammy nomination for their joint album “The Auditorium, Volume 1,” closed out the Field Stage.
The pair greeted the audience with their song “Dreamn.” Released last year, the infectious track sounds as if it was plucked straight from the 1990s.
The poetic duo performed other joint records like “Fortunate” and “Wise Up.” Pete Rock moved into some of his classic tracks, including “They Reminisce Over You,” a song by Pete Rock & CL Smooth that pays tribute to fallen angels. He also gave a taste of “The World Is Yours,” a hip hop staple by Nas that was produced by Pete Rock, who also sings the chorus on the record.
Common then performed his own features like “Get Em High” a song with Kanye West and “Love of My Life (An Ode to Hip Hop), a high energy feature with Erykah Badu that the audience freely sang along with. He took it way back with “I Used to Love H.E.R.” a classic for his day one fans that pays tribute to his art form. He then traveled through years of his conscious rap with “Come Close” and “The Corner.” He hyped the crowd with “Testify” before he ended the set on a bright and hopeful tone with the endearing hip hop love song “The Light.” Fans sang along with chorus with their hands in the air, free from any inhibitions.
Soulful Sunday
Sunday’s festivities kicked off with a fitting tribute to “word warrior king” Dr. Eugene B. Redmond on the poetry stage in High Low. Members of the writer’s club he founded that bore his name celebrated him for his contributions to poetry – including his invention of an entirely new style, the Kwansaba.
DJ James Biko, spun soul, funk and R&B classics on vinyl at Sophies. Later in the afternoon,
Leon Thomas ignited the Field Stage with soul, psychedelia, and pure fire.
Air buzzed with something electric, beyond the blazing sun.
It wasn’t just anticipation — it was the unmistakable promise of Leon Thomas. When he finally took the stage, guitar in hand and a mischievous glint in his eye, it became instantly clear: this was about to be something special.
He kicked things off with “How Fast.” The studio version of the track already thumps in the studio, but live, it roared. The rock overtones were heightened by his searing vocals and a gritty electric guitar that cut through the air. From the first riff, fans were on their feet.
Sliding into “Safe Place” Leon grabbed his guitar and serenaded the psychedelic hip hop infused with electric soul.
“Dancing with Demon” was a showstopper. Stripped of backing vocals, Thomas let the rawness of his voice speak. The rock electric guitar solo that followed, backed by a thunderous drum break, sent the crowd into a frenzy. It was a moment of freedom and fire.
He brought things deeper with “Lucid Dream”, fans belting along with torn expressions and raised arms. He ended it with a triumphant return to the guitar — a dreamy outro that felt like falling upward.
Just when silence seemed to settle… he brought out “Mutt.”
“This song changed my life,” he said, beaming.
After a solid set from hip hop veterans De La Soul – with an assist from Talib Kweli – it was time for Patti LaBelle to turn it out with her signature soulful soprano.
Dressed in a multicolored caftan, LaBelle looked fantastic as she started the show off with a deep cut, “Release” from her 1984 album “Gonzo.” She quickly moved into one of her signature tunes, “Love, Need and Want You.” LaBelle’s band and background singers – whom she thanked repeatedly – were showstoppers in their own right. She gave them plenty of time to shine during her hour-long set, which was a crowd pleaser. She deserves grace for powering through despite the heat – and the fact that this year is the 65th anniversary of her career. Among the highlights from her set was a praise break that featured “Something About the Name Jesus” belted by her supremely talented male background singer Aaron Marcellus.
Her set also included “The Right Kinda Lover,” her Michael McDonald duet, “On My Own” as well as his classic “I Keep Forgettin’ (Every Time You’re Near).”
After a wardrobe change and a DJ break, she gave a snippet of “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” before closing the show out with “Lady Marmalade,” that concluded an audience participation moment where local artist Eldraco brought the house down.
“I love St. Louis,” LaBelle said. “I always have so much fun here.”
Living It content is produced with funding by the ARPA for the Arts grants program in partnership with the Regional Arts Commission of St. Louis and the Community Development Administration.
