Awesome show alert!! Too late though. You missed it. In all actuality you could probably care less because you likely have no idea who The Rural Alberta Advantage (The RAA) and The Spinto Band are. And I'm not here to really let you know. I'll just say The RAA is a completely awesome Indie band and The Spinto Band are just okay. They do have one decent song so they aren't completely a waste of time. Either way, I can't imagine anyone is here to read about these bands so I'll leave it at that. What I want to talk about is the venue.
From The Bar
The Billiken Club is free. That's all I need to say. Okay, maybe one other thing... FREE! The only problem you might have is that most of the bands playing there you probably haven't heard of. But trust me, these bands are awesome.
The actual feel of the venue is something I've never experienced before. It's in the basement of a Saint Louis University student center very much like the Gargoyle at Wash U except this one is much newer and nicer. There are pool tables, ping pong, a bar, and... wait for it... a Mexican fast food joint. The "room" where you watch the band is curtained off by thick black drapes and inside you can find tables and chairs as well as a few booths over in the corner. That's where I sat as I waited for the show to start.
Real Mexican Fast Food!
The Rural Alberta Advantage
I got there later than I had planned and was concerned as to whether I'd be able to get in but nothing prepared me for what I saw when I walked in. No one. There were like 10 people milling about and I think most of them were band members. I checked my watch. Yep, only a half hour till the show starts. By the time The RAA started only a few folks had trickled in and I doubt most were there for them. But by the time they were into their second song they had developed a well deserved crowd right up at the stage. They were winning people over. Count me as an even bigger fan. FYI, the sound is impressive at the Billiken Club. Proof? Check out this video I took with my regular camera of all things.
As it grew closer to the time The Spinto Band was to start a larger crowd had assembled but not one that one would consider impressive. The Spinto Band went on and did their hurky-jurky stage moves but I was still buzzing from The RAA. As I left a held in my hand maybe the coolest part about the Billiken Club except the fact that it was free. They must bring in artists to make their posters for the shows and they print the designs on heavy weight board and use an actual printing press it seems. And they give these out! Yes, you can take one with you. And these aren't just some cheap poster. They are fully framable. It makes it almost worth going to see a band you've never heard of.
Speaking of... I highly recommend this Junior Boys show coming up there. You should go. I mean, it's free and all.
P.S. Amy Cole from The RAA looks ridiculously similar to Liz Lemon. Proof:
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5 comments:
The Billiken is a good luck figure who represents things as they ought to be.
Kind of nice when you find out what he really is.
Possessive "its" has no apostrophe. I love Billikens. Thank you.
So busted. Thanks Phoebe. That's what I get for not grammar-checking my titles.
Man, you are catching right up in this town...KDHX and now the Billiken Club..good work man. Have you been to a show at MAD art gallery yet? It is right in Soulard...
MAD art gallery? No I haven't but it sounds like something I'm missing out on. To the Google!
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