The Pageant
While St. Louis is able to attract big names like Kid Rock, Beyoncé and Paul McCartney to Scottrade Center and Busch Stadium, there are other opportunities for concert-goers. One such opportunity is the Pageant, which is located in the Delmar Loop. The Pageant has performances nearly every night, ranging from GRiZ to The Head and the Heart. The venue itself is just big enough so that the ticket prices aren’t out of this world, but just small enough to be intimate. The area outside of the venue is bustling with bars and restaurants, so it’s an all-around enjoyable experience. More generally, there are a ton of students in our class that are passionate about going to concerts around the city, so much so that we have a pretty active Facebook group dedicated specifically to planning for various concerts around the city.
— Will T., M1
Club Viva
While the bar nightlife around WUSM is endless, sometimes it is fun to go out and do something a little different. And who doesn’t like to blow off steam dancing? Club Viva, located in the Central West End just 10 minutes from campus, is a great place to grab a drink, get out on the dance floor and have fun. The underground (literally) club focuses on Latin musical genres such as salsa and bachata, and offers FREE classes on Thursday nights to teach the basics of these dances. Club Viva boasts many themed events as well, including live bands, dance performances by professionals and Bollywood night, to name a few. It’s a fun spot to relax with friends, and you can always hit up $2 tacos at Mission Taco right across the street when you leave!
— Kate D., M1
Thaxton Speakeasy
Thaxton isn’t some random bar trying to be kitschy and call itself a speakeasy — it seriously commits to the theme. Every week they hold “Prohibition Thursdays,” which are not actually illegal, but it definitely feels a bit weird to enter a bar through a creepy back alley. Once you get to the door, a chill but very on-theme bouncer will casually elicit the secret password from your group to let you in. That’s right, this speakeasy is password-protected. Sign up for their weekly text messages to get the word of the week, which lets you in for $5 cover instead of $10. Once you get in, you can appreciate the swanky 1920s ambiance and live music and even order a cocktail made from the Speakeasy’s homemade moonshine. The cherry on top is the semi-regular swing dancing lessons, though you can find experienced regulars showing off on the dance floor any week.
— Sarah M., M1