St. Louis’ newest concert venue opens tonight in the Delmar Loop neighborhood. With Delmar Hall, Joe Edwards and Pat Hagin, co-owners of the Pageant concert hall next door, continue their push to make the neighborhood an entertainment hub.
“This is the live music corridor, center, of St. Louis and this just cements that,” Edwards said.
Delmar Hall will seat up to 800 people and focus on concerts, comedy and private business events. Edwards said up to 25 percent of the acts will be local performers with national touring groups making up the remaining shows. The opening weekend features Stir, Jay Farrar, and Hippie Sabotage.
A show featuring hip-hop acts Mvstermind, Danté Wolfe, J’Demul, Arshad Goods will take place in October, and on New Year's Eve, the new venue has booked Pokey LaFarge.
Delmar Hall is similar in size to The Ready Room in the The Grove neighborhood and Old Rock House near downtown. The $2.5 million concert hall was built out from the previously existing Big Shark Bicycle Co. building at 6133 Delmar Blvd.
“I could probably have done a lot more projects if I didn’t spend as much money on some of the projects I do, but I build for long term,” Edwards said. “By doing it this way, this has the chance to succeed for a century — where if it’s just throwing together a sound-system in a warehouse, it doesn’t.”
A bar featuring canned beers will be open two hours before show time. The inside structure features the tiered-standing areas similar to ones at the Pageant. It also has an outdoor area for patrons so they won’t have to ditch their drinks to step outside.
