Beetle Bob

Beatle Bob (born 1953) is a well-known figure in the St. Louis, Missouri music scene. He has been seen doing his characteristic dancing at a wide range of concerts including Ani DiFranco, Less Than Jake and Chuck Berry, both in the crowd and onstage with the performers. He is known for his arrhythmic dance moves and Beatle-inspired "mop top" hairstyle and '60s attire. His constant presence and dancing is welcomed by some concertgoers and an aggravation to others, but even his detractors admit that his presence signals that one is seeing the best music event in town on that particular night. He has allegedly been to at least one live show every night since Christmas Eve 1996, and seen over 10,000 bands over the last decade.

According to a 2000 article in the Riverfront Times, Beatle Bob's real name is Robert Matonis. He is a vegetarian and states that he does not smoke or drink.

Contrary to popular belief, the nickname "Beatle Bob" did not originate from his Beatles style hair cut. In fact, it's quite the opposite. The name was given to him while in school in St. Louis. Typical to many children in St. Louis, Bob went to Catholic schools while growing up in St. Louis. One day during class, he was reading a Beatles magazine that was concealed within an open text book. When the nun caught him, she snatched the magazine from him and stated, "That will be enough of that, Beatle Bob!" The name has stuck.

He has contributed to the now-defunct music publication Jet Lag Magazine and wrote a monthly "Top Ten" of local concerts for Sauce Magazine. He also used to produce an annual Phil Spector Christmas Special for local community radio station, KDHX, although members of the local music scene have disputed rumors that Beatle Bob was ever a DJ or owned a radio station.

Beatle Bob has also attended music festivals around the United States, including Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival(an annual Manchester, Tenn. music festival),City Stages , SXSW, Lollapalooza, the Ponderosa Stomp, Sleazefest, the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival and Austin City Limits Music Festival. He holds the distinction of emceeing the final Guided by Voices show at Metro in Chicago, December 31, 2004; and introducing Sleater-Kinney at their last touring show during Lollapalooza in 2006. He introduced Camper van Beethoven and The Flaming Lips at Wakarusa Music & Camping Festival in Lawrence, Kansas in June 2006. He also emceed the "Last Call at the Nights" on January 19th, 2007, the final show held at Mississippi Nights on Laclede's Landing in St. Louis. On August 3, 2007, Beatle Bob was seen at the Lollapalooza Festival in Chicago, Ill., dancing onstage with The Polyphonic Spree and introducing a Mississippi band, Colour Revolt. Beatle Bob also introduced the Sam Roberts Band onstage on August 4, 2007 and spent their set dancing offstage. He was seen again on August 5th at Lollapalooza introducing the rock band Dios and dancing with them onstage, and later introducing indie rock band Yo La Tengo.

Beatle Bob and his dancing are featured in the Guided By Voices video for "My Kind of Soldier" [1] and in Lit's DVD "All Access." He is the subject of an upcoming documentary entitled "Superfan: The Lies, Life and Legend of Beatle Bob."

External links

• The Legend of Beatle Bob - 90.7 KWMU
• Something in the Way He Moves: Beatle Bob has been on a one-man dance marathon, bop-bop-bopping all over town. But why? Riverfront Times article about Beatle Bob
• Austin Chronicle article about Beatle Bob
• An interview with Beatle Bob
• Guided by Voices video featuring Beatle Bob
• Photos of Beatle Bob in action
• Site critical of Beatle Bob
• Thread debating the controversy of Beatle Bob's conduct
• Beatle Bob on WikiLou - St. Louis' Wiki
• Thread answering questions about Beatle Bob
• Last Call at the Nights - final show at Mississippi Nights
• Arammana Productions - Site for the forthcoming Beatle Bob documentary film
• Interview with Beatle Bob at insideSTL.com