Arts

“Jazz at the Bistro (AKA Jazz St. Louis) is amazing! So classy and groovy! I’ve been twice so far and I’m dying to go back. The best part about it is the huge discount students get. I think normally a seat is $30 or $40 for an adult, but students get seats for around $15. Both times I’ve been, the music has been incredible (I’d highly recommend going when the Funky Butt Brass Band is playing). The food is slightly on the pricey side, so if you’re on a budget and want a fun night out, get a seat for $15 and enjoy some drinks/appetizers with some friends while listening to some sweet jazz music.” 

John D., M1

"For the many small local bands and touring acts that come through St. Louis, there are some great small to midsize venues to check out! The Duck Room at Blueberry Hill is a great place to grab dinner and then head to the basement for some music. The Ready Room is the main concert venue in the Grove, making it an ideal spot to see a show and hit a bar or two after. The Sinkhole is the perfect place to grab a cheap Canadian beer and listen to some loud music. On cold nights, you can go and sit by a giant fire pit between acts at Off Broadway, then head inside to the spacious, high-ceilinged venue that provides tons of natural reverb.”

Evan M., M1

[caption id="attachment_12502" align="alignleft" width="350"] Dylan S., Bruin P., and Angela C. seeing Wicked at the Fox.[/caption]

“My favorite thing about St. Louis is access to the same traveling Broadway shows that in theory I could have seen when I lived in D.C. — but in the Midwest they’re affordable enough that I actually go. This year’s lineup at the Fox Theatre, two miles from the med school, includes Dear Evan Hansen (tickets starting at $49), Hamilton ($89), The Band’s Visit ($30), Wicked ($49), and Rent ($29). Treat yourself!”

Angela C., M1

“St. Louisans celebrate the arts in all its forms, and during nice weather, one of my favorite things to do is to attend any one of the myriad, typically free outdoor exhibits and events going on each week. Many of my best fair weather experiences in St. Louis involve packing some food, wine or beer, and a blanket or lawn chairs and sitting on the grass with friends, socializing and enjoying the music or waiting for the movie to start.”

Kristin P., M1

Pack your chairs or blankets and grab a seat on Forest Park’s Art Hill any Friday in July. Movie selection is loosely centered around a central theme each year, and a schedule is available on the St. Louis Art Museum website. Live music and food trucks start at 6 p.m., and the movie starts at 9 p.m. Food truck lines can be long, so consider packing a picnic. Lifehack: Take the MetroLink to Mai Lee and order some inexpensive banh mi and a pork bun to-go, buy some wine and snacks nearby at Dierbergs before taking the MetroLink over to the park.

Downtown on the Landing in late August. Featuring many types of blues and blues-inspired music, including delta, country, R&B, soul, and rock. Three outdoor stages, no picnics allowed.

Enjoy live blues on the Arch grounds on Friday nights in August. Local food and drink vendors will be there, or pack a picnic. The Arch is accessible by MetroLink.

This bomb deli celebrates St. Louis’ Blues music heritage and often has live blues on weekends. While you’re there enjoying the tunes, order a muffaletta or po’boy; their sandwiches are out of this world (expect a line, as Blues City Deli is a popular St. Louis mainstay and, not to mention, a great place to bring your out of town guests).

Eclectic New Orleans-themed dive bar with great local blues, jazz, and jam bands. A lively, friendly scene on a summer Saturday night.

Lesser known acts than at the Pageant, but same ownership.

Located in the basement of the Blueberry Hill restaurant on the Loop, the Duck Room is an intimate space with acts ranging from blues to psych-rock.

Nationally touring musicals and some big name musicians. Even if you’re not a musical theatre fan, the building is ornate and stunning, so consider taking a backstage tour ($10 departing at 10:30 am T/Th/Sa; Saturday tours include a performance on one of two of the Fox’s famous Wurlitzer organs).

Intimate, Cabaret style space is a classic jazz club (one of the best in the country), and is dedicated to sharing the art of of American jazz with the community. Brings in nationally recognized (i.e., Jazz at Lincoln Center group) and outstanding local (i.e., Funky Butt Brass Band) jazz musicians.

Want a truly offbeat music experience? Check out Joe’s. It’s a super funky bar with an incredible junkyard sculpture garden out back. Live music on Thursdays and Saturdays, usually, but to be in the loop, email joescafe.bigbill@gmail.com to get on their mailing list. Joe’s strives to be under the radar, so they don’t often publicize their calendar except by email listserv. Doors at 7, show at 8. $15, cash only. Must be 25 and up. BYOB and BYO food!

[caption id="attachment_12507" align="alignleft" width="350"] Catching a show at Chaifetz Arena.[/caption]

Larger acts play at the Enterprise Center, Chaifetz Arena, the Fox Theatre, Stifel Theatre, Chesterfield Amphitheatre, and Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre. These are all located downtown, with the exception of Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre (an outdoor amphitheatre located by the casino) and Chesterfield Amphitheatre, both in West County.

[caption id="attachment_12505" align="alignleft" width="350"] Boulder sculptures at Laumeier Sculpture Park.[/caption]

Looking for some art in the park? Laumeier is worth a visit. The front portion features large fields with interesting sculptures, including a realistic giant eyeball that will give you Anatomy lab flashbacks. Follow the big line of boulders back into the woods for interactive, climbable art, including some unique dog runs.

A music venue that used to be a garage, Off Broadway has a very homey feel to it.

[caption id="attachment_12509" align="alignleft" width="350"] The Modern Art Wing at Saint Louis Art Museum.[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_12504" align="alignleft" width="350"] Kehinde Wiley Exhibit at Saint Louis Art Museum.[/caption]

Free (!!!) art museum in the heart of Forest Park (they also bring in a touring exhibit each season, for which you must purchase tickets). The building is gorgeous and the museum is world renowned, with a collection spanning 5,000 years of cultures and genres. Originally founded as an independent entity within WashU and housed downtown, it moved to Forest Park right after our famous 1904 World’s Fair (see the movie Meet Me in St. Louis!), into the Palace of Fine Arts fair building. The museum then separated from the university in 1908. An impressive collection of European masters, the world’s largest Max Beckman collection, and ample artifacts, tools, clothing, weapons, and furniture from various cultures throughout history comprise the permanent collection. A perfect rainy day activity.

The only free outdoor professional theatre in St. Louis, Shakespeare in the Park runs for three weeks in June. Held in Shakespeare Glen in Forest Park (just south of Art Hill).

St. Louis’ largest all-local music festival, held in the Grove each June.

A hole in the wall in South City, Sinkhole Bar is the best spot for punk in town.

Held in downtown Clayton each September, just off the Clayton MetroLink stop. Buy some drinks and local eats at the food tents before strolling the 170 tents exhibiting independent and emerging artists from around the country.

Don’t miss out when the acclaimed St. Louis Symphony leaves their post downtown at Powell Hall to play a free concert under the stars on Art Hill each September. Pack a picnic, wine, and a blanket, and cozy up with your friends while the sunsets on an early September evening. Last year, the evening culminated in fireworks. Pro tip: Rent a paddle boat from the Boathouse and paddle down the reservoir to the stage, enjoying the show from the water (bring a camping light).

[caption id="attachment_12508" align="alignleft" width="350"] At Powell Symphony Hall to see the jazz great Wynton Marsalis and his Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra perform their holiday set.[/caption]

A beautiful white, gold, and red velvet concert hall (a former vaudeville theater), Powell Hall is home to the internationally recognized and Grammy Award-winning St. Louis Symphony Orchestra (the nation’s second oldest orchestra!). Classical music not your thing? Consider bringing your date to one of their movie nights (The Empire Strikes Back and Harry Potter have been recent showings); they project the movie on a large screen and the orchestra plays the score as the movie progresses. The building is rumoured to be haunted by a ghost named George, who plays with the lights and elevators. Don’t miss their free concert in Forest Park, held every September since 1968 — it’s an incredible event.

Bands, musicals, and nationally touring stand-up comics appear at the newly renovated Stifel Theatre downtown.

Originally located downtown, the Black Rep now performs in the Edison Theater on WashU’s Danforth Campus. It is the largest professional African-American theatre company in the nation!

This outdoor venue in the back of Atomic Cowboy brings in a wide variety of quality acts (reggae, jam bands, folk, bluegrass, rock, and electronic), and the backyard ambiance can’t be beat.

The St. Louis Municipal Opera Theatre, aka The Muny (pronounced “myoo-knee”), is a beautiful outdoor amphitheater in the heart of Forest Park. It seats 11,000 people, and offers 1,500 free seats at each performance (show up early to take advantage of that first come, first served offer, though ticket prices range from expensive to quite affordable). Each year, the season of musicals they perform runs from June to August. Pack a picnic to enjoy in the side yard before the performance, which starts at dusk. Check their website for musical schedule and ticketing.

Independent and locally owned venue bringing in both national and local acts.

[caption id="attachment_12511" align="alignleft" width="350"] The Pageant[/caption]

The Pageant is the largest of a variety of Joe Edwards’ Loop-based music venues. They bring in big music acts and well-known stand-up comics. Popular shows sell out, so get on their mailing list if you don’t want to miss out.

The Ready Room attracts many touring indie acts as well as some smaller pop artists.

Live cover bands and a debaucherous scene. Close to Ballpark Village, so it’s an ideal option for pre- or post-Cardinals game.

Held in front of the Missouri History Museum in Forest Park on Tuesdays in September. Bring food and seating, or buy food at the local food trucks. Music styles vary but usually include some jazz and Motown.

This interesting, eclectic bar is covered top to bottom in mosaics, and features funky art and sculptures. Rotating local acts of varying music styles play almost every night of the week. The schedule is available on their website. If you’re a Grateful Dead fan, check out local favorite Jake’s Leg.

Enjoy local bands under the stars, surrounded by the smells of summer flowers. Held at the gorgeous Missouri Botanical Garden every Wednesday from May to August. Music begins at 7 p.m. and the last entry is 8:30 p.m. You can pack a picnic and blankets, or purchase food and drinks there (just limit glass).