To find out what's on, look for the free weekly Riverfront Times at restaurants, bars, and venues around town; buy the Thursday edition of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch for its entertainment section; or check the constantly updated St. Louis Calendar of Events online at www.explorestlouis.com or the Regional Arts Commission's www.artszipper.com.
The Performing Arts
Grand Center (MetroLink: Grand) is the premier performing arts district, with the 1920s-era Powell Symphony Hall, 718 N. Grand Blvd. (tel. 314/534-1700), home of the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra (www.slso.org), founded in 1880 and America's second-oldest symphony orchestra. The Fabulous Fox Theatre, 527 N. Grand Blvd. (tel. 314/534-1111; www.fabulousfox.com), is a lavish, 1929 Byzantine venue for musicals, dance, and concerts. The Grandel Theater, 3610 Grandel Sq. (tel. 314/534-3810; www.theblackrep.org), is home of the Black Rep, which stages contemporary works by African-American playwrights and is the nation's largest African-American theater company. The Muny, in Forest Park (tel. 314/361-1900; www.muny.org), which opened in 1916 and is the nation's oldest and largest outdoor musical theater, features Broadway musicals in summer.
The Club & Casino Scene
St. Louis's nightlife is concentrated around Laclede's Landing, the Loop, and in Soulard on the south edge of downtown. Good bets for live music virtually every night of the week include BB's Jazz, Blues & Soups, near Busch Stadium at 700 S. Broadway (tel. 314/436-5222; www.bbsjazzbluessoups.com), and the Broadway Oyster Bar, 736 S. Broadway (tel. 314/621-8811; www.broadwayoysterbar.com), home to live blues and R&B and Cajun/Creole cuisine. The Big Bang, featuring dueling piano players who lead the audience in high-energy singalongs Tuesdays through Saturdays, is a popular hangout in Laclede's Landing at 807 N. 2nd St. (tel. 314/241-2264; www.thebigbangbar.com), while in Soulard, the 1860 Hard Shell Cafe & Saloon, 1860 S. 9th St. (tel. 314/231-1860; www.soularddining.com), offers blues, R&B, rock, and more nightly. In the Loop, 1,500-seat the Pageant, 6161 Delmar (tel. 314/726-6161; www.thepageant.com), and Blueberry Hill, 6504 Delmar (tel. 314/727-0880; www.blueberryhill.com), bring in the hottest national acts. Among several places to gamble, most convenient are the President Casino, docked at Laclede's Landing (tel. 800/772-3647; www.presidentcasino.com) and Lumiere Place, just north of Laclede's Landing at 999 N. 2nd St. (tel. 877/450-7711; lumiereplace.com).
Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.
