via Instagram

Justin Timberlake and Garth Brooks, you know, just hangin'.

We already knew that country megastar Garth Brooks had friends in low places, but we were surprised to learn last night that Justin Timberlake was among them.

Fans spotted the "Suit & Tie" singer getting his country groove on during Brooks' concert at Scottrade Center on December 4 -- the first of four shows Brooks has scheduled for St. Louis. But the cool thing, our readers excitedly tweeted, was that Timberlake enjoyed the concert from the seats, not from the stage.

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Photo by Jason Thrasher

Cracker returns to St. Louis this Saturday at Blueberry Hill.

This weekend might be heavy with indie rock, but St. Louis still has plenty to offer for fans of jazz, country and hip-hop. Of special note is the X-Mas Juggalo Bash happening at Pop's. What other American music subculture has provoked so much anger? Considering the comment threads on many of our recent news stories, I miss the days when readers would argue over which band is good or bad instead of yelling about who should live or die.

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Billy Sukowski via Mt. Thelonious' official website

Mt. Thelonious

Staring at a spot on the floor, a slight young guy in a wool knit cap picked out an ascending line on his acoustic guitar. A few bars later, the violinist came in. Her long sweater swirled around her as she plucked the strings, the two parts bouncing off one another. A third musician, wearing several jackets and a grumpy expression, pulled low notes out of his blond standup bass.

As the guitarist approached the mic to sing, a high-pitched whine shrieked over his voice. Feedback.

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via BET

The Saintliest of Lunatics, Nelly, with his family.

If you were hoping Nellyville would be an insightful look at the life of a rapper who has been notoriously private until now, prepare to be disappointed. Aside from a few very raw scenes, this show is little more than fluff with some staged drama.

St. Louis rapper Nelly has joined Rev Run, Coolio and other fizzling pop stars who are trying to grab some last limelight through reality TV. After his latest album went largely unnoticed in 2013 (you know, that one you probably didn't hear about until you read that last sentence), he has turned to television. Nellyville is airing on BET in eight hour-long episodes.

See also: Extended Nellyville Trailer Reveals Focus On Rapper's Blended Family and Home Life

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Recently, there was an entire Beyoncé category on on Jeopardy. Just let that sink in for a minute.

Ready? Here we go.

We are all Yoncé'd out.

See also: That's Enough Already, Dave Grohl

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Press photo from the AACM website

Roscoe Mitchell performs December 5 at the Stage at KDHX.

"Noise" has become a blanket term for bands that explore and experiment around the beaten path. The genre, like others, is huge and diverse but not without its share of hangups. That's why we're here. Every month, we supply a short list of sure bets in St. Louis, ranging from needlessly complex to minimalist drone. Connect the weird to your ears.

While last month brought a solid 30-day stretch for fans of experimental sound, December offers a sparse selection of shows. What's that whole phrase about quantity and quality? November had a wealth of both, but this month brings the free-jazz luminary Roscoe Mitchell, the psychedelic buzzing of Bitchin Bajas and a showcase of seven local artists. Gorge on great shows and ring in the new year fat and happy.

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RiffTrax

Santa Claus, space traveler and fighter of Satan

Tonight, Mystery Science Theater 3000's Bill Corbett, Michael J. Nelson and Kevin Murphy will be live-riffing the befuddling 1959 Mexican film Santa Claus in theaters nationwide (and at AMC 14 in Chesterfield). Santa's outer-space team and the wizard Merlin will battle Satan on the big screen just in time for the film's 55th anniversary. But it's not the only thing Corbett's leaving under your Christmas tree this holiday season, as his graphic novel Super-Powered Revenge Christmas plunges into stockings and onto store shelves now as well.

See also: Talking with Joel Hodgson About Mystery Science Theater 3000's Iconic Music

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Rock Cousteau via Wikipedia

Yelawolf will perform at the Ready Room on December 4.

Before the year's over, hip-hop has decided to take a major swing (and a hit) in St. Louis: This month, we've got emcees from every corner of the U.S. coming through. As it gets colder, warm up with a little heat from some of our favorite artists from New York, Philadelphia, Alabama, California and the good ol' Lou. Hopefully we'll get a little head-nodding and booty-shaking out of you, too.

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Press photo via official website.

Jeremy Essig will host his Holiday Bazaar on December 26 and 27 at Foam.

It's been yet another year of jokes, and the comedy community of St. Louis is becoming even more vast and dynamic. Monthly sketch, improv and standup shows abound, and they're even becoming specialized, focused and, at times, distinguishably weird. Everyone loves a theme party, so this month's Funny Events focuses on the holidays.

For those in search of laughter or curious about the goings-on of the comedy scene in St. Louis, we will be making monthly recommendations for shows in (and near) the city. From sure-thing hilarious to fingers-crossed, "Oh God! I hope this works" affairs, Funny Events is your connection to sketch, standup, improv and everything in between and out of the box and we promised to write a new description for 2015.

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Photo by Matt Basler

The Langaleers released its first studio album in July.

In this column, RFT Music gets to know local creatives, musicians and their missions. Get a slice of the local scene, complete with a snippet of sound and info about upcoming releases and shows. Stick around to see what St. Louis artists have to say whenever they Fill in the Blank.

"I have to hold myself at the same standards I hold any other writer or musician to, or I'm just cheating myself, " says vocalist Kory Meyer, the songwriter behind the Langaleers. When Meyer hears a song, he can't help but analyze it and pick the pieces apart. He takes the common elements between his favorite bands and drives the Langaleers with memorable riffs -- the kind that get stuck to your inner ear.

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