St. Louis’ musical heritage is foundational to the city’s culture. Scott Joplin, Chuck Berry, Miles Davis, Tina Turner, Uncle Tupelo and Nelly are among the musical bedrock that new waves of local artists build upon today.
Concertgoers in 2023 have had a bounty of opportunities to watch their favorite artists perform again, as the live music industry continues its post-pandemic recovery. Evolution Festival had a strong showing in its inaugural year, Music at the Intersection drew its largest crowd yet — and Beyoncé included a St. Louis stop on her world-renowned Renaissance tour.
If you're itching for a concert, here's your guide to finding the right show — whether it's a high-production stadium megatour, an intimate club show or something in between.
When big names come to town
Downtown St. Louis has multiple venues to accommodate huge crowds, none larger than the 82,000-seat Dome at America’s Center, where Beyoncé performed. There’s also the 18,000-seat Enterprise Center and Chaifetz Arena, which seats about 10,600. The Hollywood Casino Amphitheater in Maryland Heights — or “Riverport,” as many stubborn locals continue to call it — accommodates about 20,000 people.
Midsize concert venues worth keeping on your radar include:
- Blueberry Hill's Duck Room — 6504 Delmar Blvd., University City
- Delmar Hall — 6133 Delmar Blvd., St. Louis
- The Fabulous Fox — 527 N. Grand Blvd., St. Louis
- The Factory — 17105 N. Outer 40 Road, Chesterfield
- The Hawthorn — 2231 Washington Ave., St. Louis
- Old Rock House — 1200 S. 7th St., St. Louis
- The Pageant — 6161 Delmar Blvd., St. Louis
- Pop's — 1403 Mississippi Ave., Sauget
Stifel Theatre — 1400 Market St., St. Louis
St. Louis Symphony OrchestraConductor Stephane Deneve leads the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra at Powell Hall.
For a classical night out
Performances by the Grammy Award-winning St. Louis Symphony Orchestra are normally held at Powell Hall. But during its 2023-24 season, most of the symphony’s subscription concerts will take place at the Touhill Performing Arts Center, located at the University of Missouri-St. Louis, while Powell Hall undergoes a $100 million renovation and expansion.
The symphony will stage special events at the Stifel Theatre — which seats more than 3,000 patrons — including concerts that accompany film screenings, plus classical and holiday shows.
If you’re a fan of classical music, you might be interested in attending a performance by the Opera Theater of St. Louis at the Loretto-Hilton Center on Webster University’s campus in Webster Groves.
Summer music festivals
Following the demise of LouFest in 2018, local concertgoers were left without a flagship music fest that brought national acts to Forest Park. But that changed in 2023 when promoters Steve Schankman and Joe Litvag organized Evolution Festival. Aside from the music, the festival features vendors showcasing a variety of bourbons while local pitmasters hawk barbecue.
The Kranzberg Arts Foundation’s Music at the Intersection festival has become an annual force in Grand Center. Its lineups lean toward hip-hop, jazz, R&B and the blues. This year also saw the expansion of the Open Highway Music Festival, which was hosted for the first time at the Chesterfield Amphitheater. Its lineups emphasize alternative rock, country and Americana music.
The Whitaker Music Festival is an open-air concert series held every week from May to August at the Missouri Botanical Garden. GroveFest is a free, annual street festival that takes place the first Saturday of October in the Grove. Aside from music, the festival features a classic car display, a bubble bus, karaoke, fire performers and eating contests.
Smaller venues for more intimate vibes
Although the exhilaration and atmosphere of being surrounded by thousands of other music fans can be electrifying, smaller venues have their own special ambiance because of the intimate connection artists can have with the audience, regardless of the genre.
Jazz St. Louis in Grand Center is a premier destination to check out a jazz show in St. Louis. You can listen to live performances there on St. Louis Public Radio at 8 p.m. Fridays and Sundays on The Next Set: Live From Jazz St. Louis.
While the National Blues Museum showcases the musical history and impact of the blues, it also hosts live blues concerts by St. Louis-based and nationally acclaimed blues musicians.
For live country music, Stovall's Grove in Wildwood is a must-visit, especially if you like dancing. The historic music hall on Old Route 66 has been around since 1935. If you're looking for something closer to downtown, you can catch a similar twang at the Honky Tonk.
Other intimate venues to check out:
- BB’s Jazz, Blues and Soups — 700 S. Broadway, St. Louis
- Blue Strawberry — 364 N. Boyle Ave., St. Louis
- Broadway Oyster Bar — 736 S. Broadway, St. Louis
- City Winery — 3730 Foundry Way, Suite 158, St. Louis
- The Dark Room — 3610 Grandel Square, St. Louis
- Hammerstone’s — 2028 S. 9th St., St. Louis
- Off Broadway — 3509 Lemp Ave., St. Louis
- Platypus: — 4501 Manchester Ave., St. Louis
- The Sheldon Concert Hall — 3648 Washington Ave., St. Louis
- The Sinkhole — 7423 S. Broadway, St. Louis
Sophie’s Artist Lounge: 3333 Washington Ave., St. Louis
Brian Munoz/St. Louis Public RadioPatrons eat dinner while listening to a set in December 2021 at Jazz St. Louis in Grand Center.
How to keep up with events
There are always news shows popping up and tours rolling through St. Louis. Watch these local concert calendars for up-to-date info about concerts around the region:
- KDHX concert calendar
- Riverfront Times events directory
- Do314
- St. Louis Calendar
- STL Show Page (indie, punk and experimental music)
- St. Louis Jazz Notes (jazz)
- STLBlues.net (blues)
If you have any questions, comments or venue recommendations we can add to this article, email us at welcome@stlpr.org.
