Where We Live: The Pageant / Delmar Loop - St. Louis, MO
In a city whose musical scene has been all but decimated by constant closings of music clubs and bars, The Pageant in St. Louis consistently brings great, sold-out shows week after week. Though not steeped in the musical history of other city venues such as Fox Theatre, or closed bars Mississippi Nights (demolished) and Creepy Crawl (economic issues), the venue includes some of the best sight lines in the city and allows a much more intimate experience than the town’s several arenas and amphitheaters.
Not located downtown, but rather a short drive west on I-64W to the University City neighborhood, the Pageant is wonderfully placed in the Delmar Loop. The U-City Loop, or just the Loop, is a music lover’s haven featuring Blueberry Hill, a restaurant/music venue which is frequented by St. Louis great Chuck Berry, as well as national touring acts. However, don’t think of the bar as just a place to see a show. Even if you’re headed over to the Pageant for a show, stop by for what has been voted, in a city wide poll, the best burger in all of St. Louis, or listen to Mr. Berry - “I don’t come here for the music. I come here for the wings.”
Mere blocks away is one of the citie’s premier record stores, Vintage Vinyl, featuring free in-store performances from bands playing in town, as well as an extensive vinyl collection. Any music lover feels instantly at home in the store, with anything from local rap acts, to Radiohead and Bjork lining the walls. It has that slightly grimy, well . . . vintage feel that a record store should.
Back to the amazing venue. On top of a usually superb sound system, the angled concrete pit allows for sight lines that most venues of such size would not. If the thought of the venue having a concrete pit worries you “sound nuts,” fear 
not. The pit is constantly overflowing with those hoping to get in, hopelessly muffling any sound that may have bounced off the floor. One of the best features however, is the Halo Bar located out front.
Featuring great musical tastes and a relaxed atmosphere, the bar is a great place to start a night with almost any drink of your choosing. Once inside you can either choose to sprint up to the front of the barrier, or head to the bar on the other side of the wall to sit back and enjoy the show in a different style. One of the biggest pluses about the venue is its wide open parking lot, which enables fans to stand outside after shows to grab a meet and greet with the artists.
All in all, a trip to St. Louis is simply incomplete without a trip to the Delmar Loop, and more importantly, the Pageant.
The Pageant
6161 Delmar Blvd.
Saint Louis, MO 63112
Phone: 314.726.6161
Upcoming Shows:
05/14 - Fischerspooner
05/16 - Demetri Martin
05/21 - Atmosphere
05/31 - The Decemberists
06/02 - Yeah Yeah Yeah’s
06/09 - The Crystal Method
06/14 - Jenny Lewis
06/25 - The Avett Brothers
07/16 - moe.
07/23 - Gogol Bordello
07/28 - Toad the Wet Sprocket
Blueberry Hill
6504 Delmar Blvd.
Saint Louis, MO 63130
Phone: 314.727.4444
Upcoming Shows:
05/13 - Chuck Berry
05/28 - Meat Puppets
06/03 - Constantines w/ Crystal Antlers
06/06 - Carbon Leaf
06/10 - Portugal. The Man
Vintage Vinyl
6610 Delmar Blvd.
Saint Louis, MO 63130
Phone: 314.721.4096
Upcoming (FREE) In-store Shows:
05/02 - Lamb Of God
05/08 - Kristeen Young
05/11 - Living Things
06/14 - Riverboat Gamblers
Ahhhh! yes please try blueberry hill burgers oh my god they’re the best in town, plus you can enjoy the univesity city loop. Stop in town check it out trust me its worth it!!!!!
Yeah, the pageant is an awesome venue. It is pretty much the biggest thriving music venue in STL. I miss Mississippi Nights by the waterfront though…good times there.
I’ve seen a lot of great concerts at The Pageant and a wide variety too - Jamie Cullen, Common, and Ben Folds.
thanks for tip, I actually live about 2 hours south of stl, pushing a 5 day trip out of the budget, but will definitely check that out soon.
Love the Pageant. I live in Nashville, Tn but have several friends in St. Louis. Over the years I have been to half a dozen shows at this top notch club. The sound is always great and the site lines are outstanding for a venue of this size. Needless to say the Pageant out does any venue in Nashville short of the fabled Ryman Auditorium. My favorite memory is from 2003 when we got to see Sonic Youth play there and after the show getting to meet the entire band and converse outside. It’s always a treat to meet your favorite band and gab briefly and the Pageant will always hold my fondness for experiences like that, making a trip up from Nashville worth it everytime.
You guys should check out the Old Rock House (www.oldrockhousestl.com) and Loyal Family Presents (loyalfamily.com) This venue and production company, have been bringing nonstop shows from the jam/electronic/bluegrass scene over the last year or so.
They recently put on their first festival (not covered by COS) called Loyal Earth Fest. 5 days including Medeski, Martin, and Wood, Particle (w/Kang), Eliot Lipp, Break Science, Boombox, Future Rock, Cornmeal, etc.
Recent and upcoming Loyal Family shows have included Lotus, Bassnectar, Pnuma Trio and more. For those dissing the STL scene, Loyal Family is where it’s at, and they are definitely helping STL scene grow at a rapid rate.