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St. Louis Entertainment & Nightlife
From the beginning of the blues to modern day hip hop, St. Louis has a unique relationship with music. W.C. Handy stood on the banks of the Mississippi River in St. Louis and made his mark on the music world when he wrote, "I hate to see the evenin' sun go down." The song born of his riverfront reverie, "The St. Louis Blues," has become one of the world's most recorded songs, cementing St. Louis' place in the world of American roots music forever.In the late 1940s and early 1950s, the St. Louis Blues were joined by a new sound - rhythm and blues. Developed in the nightclubs of St. Louis and Memphis, the sound was described as a "driving dance beat combined with a bluesy delivery." St. Louisans Ike and Tina Turner were at the forefront of this St. Louis sound, and R&B's popularity quickly grew. Bands from St. Louis took to the road, playing nightclubs and dance halls across America, spreading St. Louis' distinctive and innovative approach to music around the world.
What's new in St. Louis music? Hip hop artists, including hit makers Nelly, Chingy and Huey set the pace for a new St. Louis sound. On the opposite side of the charts, country singer Gretchen Wilson, known for her catchy "Redneck Woman," hails from the Illinois side of the St. Louis region.
Day One
Artifacts, memorabilia and recordings of musical and entertainment icons from St. Louis are featured at the Currents Gallery at the Missouri History Museum (mohistory.org) (30 min.-1hr.). Visitors can enjoy mementos and hear recordings of stars including Miles Davis, gospel singer Willie Mae Ford Smith, Chuck Berry, Ike & Tina Turner, Katherine Dunham, Scott Joplin, folk singer John Hartford and pop star Michael McDonald, to name a few.
The nearby St. Louis Walk of Fame (stlouiswalkoffame.org) (30 min.-1 hr.) features many of St. Louis' most favored sons and daughters, including music legends like Chuck Berry, Scott Joplin, Miles Davis, Ike and Tina Turner, and modern day hip-hop star Nelly. More than 100 bronze stars and informational plaques are embedded in the sidewalk along Delmar Boulevard in the lively neighborhood known as The Loop.
Blueberry Hill (blueberryhill.com) (1 hr.) serves as the epicenter of The Loop and it's chock full of rock 'n' roll memorabilia and pop culture trinkets. There are myriad displays dedicated to the Beatles and other famous icons, including Chuck Berry. Groups can grab a bite to eat as they listen to 2,000-plus songs on the world's greatest jukebox. The Duck Room hosts a number of name bands and up-and-coming musicians, as well as regular performances by Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Famer Chuck Berry. The seemingly ageless rocker appears monthly in the Duck Room, named after his signature stage-crossing walk and decorated with - what else - ducks.
Down the street, Vintage Vinyl (vintagevinyl.com) is a popular used record store that frequently hosts in-store performances, and there are a number of live music outlets in and around The Loop. The Pageant (thepageant.com) is a premier concert nightclub hosting national bands and comics, while Cicero's Restaurant & Entertainment Plex (ciceros-stl.com) welcomes local rock bands almost every night of the week. Additional music options in the neighborhood include jazz at the Red Carpet Lounge @ Brandt's Lounge (brandtscafe.com) and an eclectic mix at Riddle's Penultimate Cafe & Wine Bar (riddlescafe.com).
All genres of musical sounds fill the venues in St. Louis' Grand Center arts and entertainment district. The renowned Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra (slso.org) stages performances September through May at historic Powell Symphony Hall (2-3 hrs.); top local and national jazz artists entertain in the intimate atmosphere of Jazz at the Bistro (jatb.org); noted international singers and musicians appear at the acoustically pure Sheldon Concert Hall (www.sheldonconcerthall.org) and touring Broadway shows and major dance company performances rival the over-the-top architecture at the Fabulous Fox Theatre (fabulousfox.com).
Day Two
Scott Joplin, known as the Father of Ragtime, spent some of his most productive years in St. Louis. The Scott Joplin House (mostateparks.com/scottjoplin.htm) (30-45 min.), a National Historic Landmark, is where the young pianist/composer lived from 1900-03. The restored, post-Civil War structure has recreated the feel of Joplin's home during this period, and includes a display of sheet music "Rags" Joplin composed. There's even a small exhibit on St. Louis' 1904 World's Fair, where Joplin first played his new music for the entire world. Group members can pump the foot-powered player piano and perform their own St. Louis rags.
What better way to get a feel for Ol' Man River than with a blues cruise aboard a Gateway Arch Riverboat (gatewayarchriverboats.com) (1 hr.). Two vessels, the Tom Sawyer and Becky Thatcher, offer one-hour narrated cruises daily. Select tours feature special National Park Service Ranger programs about the Mississippi River. Or, have your crew come aboard for an evening Blues Cruise (3 hrs.) complete with live music performed by some of St. Louis' top blues bands.
Laclede's Landing (lacledeslanding.com), located on the historic St. Louis riverfront, has a variety of restaurants and pubs that serve a diverse selection of lunch, dinner, and nightlife options. The entertainment district features several dance clubs, live comedy, and an over-the-top dueling piano bar.
Other downtown entertainment options that host live concerts by national headliners include The Roberts Orpheum Theatre (robertsorpheum.com), and Scottrade Center (www.scottradecenter.com), an arena that is also serves as "home ice" for the NHL's St. Louis Blues hockey team. For more intimate environs, check out the "Blues Triangle," a tiny area sandwiched between downtown and the historic Soulard neighborhood at the intersection of Cerre and Broadway streets. There are three clubs in this one spot that offer live music seven days a week - BB's Jazz, Blues & Soups (bbsjazzbluessoups.com), The Beale on Broadway (bealeonbroadway.com), and Broadway Oyster Bar (broadwayoysterbar.com). During warmer weather, the "Oyster Bar" features live bands on its New Orleans-style patio and they definitely "let the good times roll."
Soulard (soulard.com), the city's oldest neighborhood, is also one of the most unique. Music fans can find live music at the more than 30 restaurants, taverns and music clubs scattered among the red brick townhouses and ornate churches. Catch local blues bands almost any night of the week at Hammerstone's at 9th & Russell (hammerstones.net), 1860's Saloon & Hard Shell Cafe (soularddining.com), and Nadine's Gin Joint (314-436-3045), while McGurks Irish Pub & Restaurant (mcgurks.com) features authentic Irish music.
The biggest names on the current music scene usually turn up indoors at the Blanche M. Touhill Performing Arts Center (touhill.org) on the campus of the University of Missouri-St. Louis, or outdoors at the Verizon Wireless Amphitheater (livenation.com) in west St. Louis County.
In addition to slots, poker, blackjack and baccarat, many of the area casinos offer a variety of live entertainment. National and regional headliners rock the house at the VooDoo Lounge inside Harrah's Casino (harrahs.com), and Ameristar Casino St. Charles' Bottleneck Blues Bar (ameristarcasinos.com). The newest kid on the local gaming scene, Lumière Place (lumiereplace.com), features nightspots and an intimate theater for live comedy, music and special performances. There are two additional casinos - President Casino (presidentcasino.com) and the Casino Queen (casinoqueen.com) located on opposite sides of the Mississippi River near downtown St. Louis.