I last wrote on our Look/Listen Culture blog about my Friday-evening visit to the Saint Louis Symphony. This most recent Friday's outing, more reminiscent of the J.D. Blackfoot tailgate I mentioned than the symphony visit, was just as interesting in a cultural sense, albeit in different ways—and made for an equally late night.
After a round of ATM visits and wrong turns, a friend and I found our way to St. Charles' Trailhead Brewing Co. The three-story brewpub, the western suburb's more crunchy answer to Fast Eddie's, was teeming, almost all available tables taken up by Lindenwood students and flirtatious professionals. We barely managed to snag a spot overlooking the blue-lit serving tanks.
Going on our waiter's recommendation, we started off with the Trailhead Red brew, and the amber beer did not disappoint. Similarly, a basket of breaded and fried portabella mushroom strips, chipotle ranch and Napolitano sauce sidled up nearby, proved meaty and satisfying. The fries that came with our entrees were hot and crisp, and my friend gave high marks to the pork-medallion sandwich—though sadly, my done-to-a-crisp smoked brisket sandwich was less of a delight. (Someone may need to visit Lester's or Pappy's to see how it's done.)
After that, it was off to M.T. Rockers, a little bar in Hawks Nest Plaza, just south of I-70. We were there to see The Bloolights, which this evening comprised three of its members: Mike George on guitar, Mark George (yes, they're twins) on drums, and Chris Lepp on bass. (Full disclosure: Mike was my high-school physics teacher.) Though this blues-rock bar band cites as influences (and is known to play a good bit of) Led Zeppelin, Stevie Ray Vaughan, early Eric Clapton, and Bob Dylan, when we walked in the guys were playing a Screaming Trees song, and over the course of the evening would also cover Queen, Prince, Temple of the Dog, and Pearl Jam. (I could swear I heard a shout-out to the "Class of '92" in there at some point.) A good number of Bloolights originals were also introduced—none of which, I'm pleased to report, got the guys booed off the stage. (They seemed well-crafted from where I was sitting!) The M.T. Rockers management, we learned, is incredibly supportive of young bands, and provides a pretty professional stage setup for such a small bar.
All told, it was a nice night out in the western suburbs—one I'd eagerly reprise. —Margaret Bauer, Associate Editor
