Mississippi Nights, R.I.P. Photograph by Room237, via Wikimedia Commons
Recently the Spike TV docu-reality series Bar Rescue came calling in St. Louis, looking to set a team of nightlife experts to work on local bars and clubs. Once the show’s intent to shoot here was known, social media buzzed with places that the producers should consider, and a few of our town’s notable music rooms were among the popular picks. It’d be rude to say that any current clubs could use improvements, but we can tap back into time for some contenders, can’t we?
Mississippi Nights: Every local music fan of a certain vintage would love to see this place back. It was the anchor of a once-thriving music scene at Laclede’s Landing. People loved the booking policies, as well as the staff, location, and weird vibe of the’80s and ’90s riverfront. But the room itself? It was just OK. Those dozens of posters were nice reminders of recent gigs, but they didn’t exactly light up the room. Some paint, some lighting, something fun in that under-21 “kiddie corral,” and you’d have had a whole new club. (And maybe a couple more urinals for the gents, seeing as how we’re dreaming big.)
American Theater: This hulking beauty in the heart of downtown has lived all sorts of lives. But during its last days in its guise as the American, the theater lacked only two key ingredients: heating and cooling. Not that you need perfect temperature control to enjoy a show, but the American was a hotbox in the summer and a fridge in the winter. The flip side is that the temps made for many a story: “Did you see Tori Amos there? Remember losing six pounds?” Ah, yes, memories.
Cicero’s Basement Bar: To think that Wilco debuted in an underground bar half the size of the Duck Room. In those days, there wasn’t a load-in elevator or bathrooms, and the overhead pipes leaked. The Bar Rescue crew would no doubt create something much like the Duck Room, with clean sightlines, lighting, and accoutrements. On second thought, let’s not let the TV crew into Cicero’s after all—it was perfect imperfection!
