Beale On Broadway

Went to B.O.B. for some blues.   The anyways good.   My friends and I sat in the outside tent area.  The tables were packed in and the chairs were plastic with sides. This wasn't very good for one of my friends who is quite large.  After waiting a while before going to bar to order our own drinks, we finally saw a waitress.   Bathrooms were in need of major repair (hole in floor hazard) and very tiny.

FA-NAM-IN-AL. Spelled "phenomenal." The best blues bar I've ever been to. Make sure you hit up Tuesdays and catch Kim Massie. Damn.

I'll begin with a disclaimer: I'm a professional musician, so I suppose in some respects that might make me more critical and in other areas more sympathetic than most.

Our band was on the road in St. Louis to perform a show and we decided to spend Thursday night checking out the live music scene.  In addition to a Google search of the local entertainment which generally revealed positive reviews of this place, the concierge at our hotel recommended Beale on Broadway.  She called ahead and we had a table waiting for the five of us, which was fortunate because the joint was packed.  

The staff was great, drinks reasonably priced.  There were two bands on the slate, an opening act which went until 10pm and then the local legend Kim Massie and her group who began at 10:30.

I'll echo what others have already stated regarding Ms. Massie--excellent singer; great rapport with the audience; and an amazingly wide repertoire of songs and genres.  R&B is obviously her bread and butter, but she also sang some Aerosmith, Led Zeppelin, country, and standards--and did them well.  

One reviewer here states that she won't sing unless tipped.  That is definitely not true.  Yes, she does solicit tips for requests, but does so in a way that--in my opinion--is neither annoying nor overbearing.  (And that in itself is a rather rare talent)   I was also impressed by the fact that the band played over 90 minutes straight before taking a break (most bands do 45-60 minute sets).  

The volume level was perfect--not ear-shattering loud as in many clubs.  The mix and sound quality were overall very good, although--and I swear this is not my bias as a keyboardist coming out here--the keys should've been a little more prominent.

The atmosphere was awesome.  The crowd is about as diverse as it gets: old, young, black, white, and everything in between.  Very non-pretentious, and everyone there was really into the music and clearly having a good time.  It's a quintessential neighborhood hole-in-the-wall juke joint, a real gem.  

I'm not a dancer, but the lack of a dance floor is reason for the 4-star (and not 5-star) review.  There is a small area in front of the stage where some folks were dancing, but it's cramped and can't accommodate more than a handful of people.  Of course one could argue that the close confines add to the establishment's charm.  

If you're in St.Louis and want to listen to some good live music and soak up the local atmosphere, make it a point to stop into Beale on Broadway.  I know I'll be back the next time I'm in town.