Photograph courtesy of Fair St. Louis
In the season of wintry mix, there’s no such thing as a show without a cover charge. Come June, though, amplified music drifts from every park and plaza, there for the listening. There’s no cocktail service, DEET is nonnegotiable, and the “seating” is usually a swath of turf. You bring your own chair or blankets and leave the dogs—and that shatterable liter jug of rosé—at home. But note for note, it’s one of the best deals going. Here’s a sampling of free summer concerts, packed into one page so it can be ripped out and stuck on the fridge.
Bellerive Park Concerts
S. Broadway and Bates, 314-752-6339, ccbf-inc.org. Time: 7 p.m. Mon.
July 6: The Greers (Folk/Bluegrass)
July 13: Rough Shop (Alt-Country)
July 20: Fox Creek (Folk/Bluegrass)
July 27: Chris Talley (Bluegrass)
Carondelet Park Concerts
314-752-6339, ccbf-inc.org. Time: 6 p.m. Sun.
June 7: Bob Kuban Band (Rock)
June 14: Anita Rosamond (Jazz)
June 21: Hudson and the Hoo Doo Cats (Swing/Rockabilly)
June 28: Fanfare featuring Kittie Moller (Motown/R&B)
July 5: Gateway City Big Band (Swing)
July 12: Waterloo German Band (Traditional German)
July 19: Memories of Elvis (Elvis impersonator Steve Davis)
July 26: Mystic Voyage Band (Motown/R&B/Funk)
August 2: The Presentation Band (Rhythm/Variety)
August 9: Liquid Prairie (Bluegrass)
August 16: Soulard Blues Band (Blues)
August 23: Cornet Chop Suey (Jazz)
Compton Heights Concert Band Summer Concerts
314-776-2227, stlouis.missouri.org/501c/chband. Sunday Serenades at Francis Park, Eichelberger and Donovan; Musical Mondays at Tower Grove Park, S. Grand and Magnolia. Time: 7:30 p.m.
June 28 & 29: Robert Ellison performing the 1812 Overture, with cannons
July 5 & 6: Sigrun Hjalmtysdottir, soprano, performing Mozart’s “Queen of the Night” aria from The Magic Flute
July 12 & 13: David Morris (World-Champion Whistler)
July 19 & 20: James Christensen (Guest Conductor)
August 2 & 3: Hugh Smith (Tenor)
Downtown Kirkwood Summer Concert Series
Kirkwood Station Plaza, 120 S. Kirkwood, 314-822-0084, downtownkirkwood.com. Time: 6:30–9 p.m. Thu. Kirkwood Station shops will extend their hours to 7 p.m.
June 4: Two Times True, with Carolbeth True and Christi John Bye (Jazz)
June 11: The Funky Butt Brass Band (Zydeco/New Orleans Brass/Cajun)
June 18: The Early Review Band (Blues/Cajun/Rock)
July 2: Erin Bode (Jazz)
Jungle Boogie, Saint Louis Zoo, Forest Park
314-646-4771, stlzoo.org. Time: 5–8 p.m. Fri.
June 5: Gumbo Head (Zydeco/Cajun)
June 12: John Henry and Rob Boyle of Spur (Country)
June 26: J. Rob (Jazz)
July 3: Kim Massie (Jazz/Blues/R&B)
July 10: Ticket to the Beatles (Beatles tribute band)
July 17: Charles Glenn (Motown/Blues/R&B)
July 24: Mighty Big Band (R&B/Soul/Jazz/Funk)
July 31: Bob Case (Blues)
August 7: Hudson and the Hoo Doo Cats
August 14: The Usual Suspects (Jazz/Jam/Nu-Jazz)
August 21: Indecisive the Band (Rock/Pop)
August 28: The Tiny Cows (Rock/Country)
September 4: Arvell & Company (Motown/Soul/R&B)
Live on the Levee, St. Louis Arch Grounds
314-434-3434, celebratestlouis.org. Time: 6–10 p.m. Fri & Sat, fireworks 9:15 p.m. Prix fixe menu available at The Sauce Cafe.
July 3: The Counting Crows (Alternative), Budweiser Main Stage
July 4: The Naked Bros. Band (Pop), Purina Main Stage, 1 p.m.; Budweiser Main Stage artist TBA
July 17: Sonic Youth (Alternative), Budweiser Main Stage
July 18: TBA
July 24: Angie Stone (R&B), Budweiser Main Stage
July 25: Gretchen Wilson (Country), Budweiser Main Stage
July 31 & August 1: TBA
Music + Movies @ LOMA
Laumeier Sculpture Park Outdoor Music Amphitheatre, 12580 Rott, 314-821-1209, laumeier.org. Time: music 7:30 p.m., movies 8:30 p.m. No pets or glass containers allowed. Coolers, picnic baskets, lawn chairs, and blankets are encouraged; concessions available, including food from J.Buck’s.
June 20: Charles Glenn; Top Gun
June 21: Arvell & Company; Monster House
June 27: My Friend Mike (Pop/Rock/Funk); Stand by Me
June 28: Kim Massie; Grease
Parties in the Park, Clayton Chamber of Commerce
Shaw Park, 314-726-3033, partiesinthepark.org.
June 10: Ticket to the Beatles (tribute to The Beatles)
July 8: Charles Glenn (tribute to Prince and Stevie Wonder)
August 12: Ghost in the Machine (tribute to The Police)
September 9: Runaway (tribute to Bon Jovi)
St. Louis Square Concerts in the Park
314-752-6339, ccbf-inc.org. Time: 7 p.m. Mon.
June 8: Michael Lacey (Swing)
June 15: Cumberland Gap (Bluegrass)
June 22: St. Louis Stompers (Dixieland Jazz)
June 29: Gateway Jazz Quartet (Dixieland Jazz)
Whitaker Music Festival
Missouri Botanical Garden, 4344 Shaw, 314-577-5100, mobot.org. Free. Time: 7:30 p.m. Wed. Picnic fare, including hot dogs and fruit and cheese plates, is available at the site.
June 3: Peter Martin (Jazz Piano)
June 10: St. Louis Stompers
June 17: Scott Alberici (Swing/Bop/Contemporary Jazz)
June 24: Mosby Group (Jazz Fusion)
July 1: Dizzy Atmosphere (Gypsy Jazz)
July 8: Tony Simmons Band (Jazz/R&B)
July 15: Rogers, Nienhaus & Crawford (1960s folk-rock)
July 22: Farshid Etniko (World)
July 29: Ralph Butler (Pop)
August 5: Anita Rosamond (Jazz Piano)
Whitaker Urban Evening Series
St. Louis Place Park, St. Louis & Rauschenbach, gracehill.org. Time: 7–9 p.m. Thu.
June 18: Renee Smith (Soul)
June 25: MCPlayers Reggae Band
July 2: GrooveThang: Shining Star (tribute to Earth, Wind & Fire)
July 9: Erin Bode
July 16: El Caribe Tropical (Salsa/Merengue)
July 23: Arvell & Company
