[jcrane]

I guess I have been under a rock for a while as I had no idea that Mississippi Nights closed Friday night to make room for the new casino.
I never got a chance to catch a show there though I wanted too, it just seemed work always got in the way.
Just curious for those that did catch a few shows there, what are some of the best memories/shows you caught. The news last night had a video clip of Willie Nelson and then went back stage to show all the walls signed by the likes of BB King and Kurt Cobane.
The news did mention the owners are trying to re-locate near midtown/SLU and if they find a venue they are going to try and bring as much of the old place to the new as they can salvage.
Just what STL needs is another damn Casino......

Jamie

[steve k]

Freddy Hubbard playing the Red Clay album and Flora Purim with Airto Moreira.

[gooberdude]

Smashing Pumkins, way back when.   Completely insane show.

String Cheese Incident, about 6 years ago before they got big (when they were good)

Violent Femmes several times.

[drummerwill]

 Dave Weckl's hometown concert for the last few years .
  And the last time there, Steve Gadds Drum Clinic " Excellent". 
   Gonna miss that place!


   Have fun
    Willie

[pjchappy]

The Features and Kings of Leon (Features opened). . .amazing show.  Never heard KOL b/4 and have been a huge fan since.  Recently caught them at Pop's. . .(yes, Pop's!  It was after they got back from a European tour, were worn and wanted to test out some new tunes, I guess). . .

I didn't realize it was closing!  I heard a couple of my friends say they were going to see the last show there last night. . .The Urge and Stir. . .but, I thought I misunderstood them.  That just sucks!  A great little venue, for sure!!!

That would be sweet if they moved it near my alma mater!  W/ the arena going up on campus and that!  Wish all that shit would have been there when I attended from '96 to '00.  Can't complain much, though. . .ahhhh. . .good times (from what I can remember) 

[Sarmck]

George Duke and Stanley Clark...together...JAMMIN'.      

During a portion of that concert they opened the stage to ANYONE that wanted to sit in on the jam session.  Of course, not all who walked on stage would have made it through the first round of "American Idol" (talent wise).  Maybe a bit too much liquid courage.

[DeadFish]

Ah, I got to thinking on this last night when I saw the news piece.
What a great venue it was through the years!  It will take a lot to find another run-down old brick 'joint' with the same look-&-feel.
I know I was there a lot early-on, but I tended to 'liquidate' a lot of brain-cells back then. 
Heartsfield was always spot-on sound and funwise.  Robin Trower was at his loudest.  Modeski, Martin and Woods was a free hoot for me when I delivered a Digital Lens to Woods.
The last time I saw the Jerry Garcia Band there was particularly memorable, as I saved the straws in my glasses of Jack Daniels.  Later on, I watched my speed limit particularly when I saw a cop on the side of the road.  He pulled me over for 10mph over the limit as I passed him; a ticket I semi-gladly received as I counted the 14 straws on my dash...  Fine Jerry, fine booze, and a fine for the night!
Way too much fun for one place, that's for sure, and like my good looks, fading into memory...

Thoughtful Regards,
DeadFish

[jcrane]

Great story Deadfish.....

I wish I would have been around the area when these shows happened.
I have never had a place to listen to music that fit this bill. I always seemed to be too young or too late. SO it goes.....


Jamie

[mark@marktwain]

I only had the pleasure of being in Mississippi Nights one time. I saw Concrete Blonde, it was a very good show from what I can remember.  aa I always planned on catching more shows there but never got around to it. I'm sorry to see it is closed. Are they gonna tear the whole Lacledes area down for the casino? That was a pretty cool bar scene the last time I was down there which was  I guess about 12 years ago. Geeze, I gotta get out more often.

Mark

[gooberdude]

I've been hunting the 'net for info on the closing, can't find much.

it sounds like the casino is gonna be land based...what the???   I thought the boats had to sit on
at least 3" of City water?     

So sad to see Mississippi Nights go, its closing has been rumored for years though.   Many Friday nights
during high school were spent peeping the hotties at Pale Divine shows - back when under 18 shows were cool!

My oh my could they get you drunk there...once I was 21 anyways.  One of the few bars i've ever frequented that literally serves frosted mugs.

Does the City want it to be even easier for folks to gamble downtown???   

[DeadFish]

It's all about the $$$, gooberdude.

I think what I saw on the news a while back is that there will be hotel/convention center attraction to the place. 
They can still go float the gambling concerns somewhere close.

I still won't deny St. Louis more 'draw' for conventions and places-to-go downtown, but it would have been sweet if they could have built all the way around Mississippi Nights and still had it in their complex to draw people in.  I hope they don't lose track of the 'Landing look and feel with the old brick and pavers in the area...  Ah, the young always gnaw on the bones of the old....
Ooh, but then again, maybe they don't want to draw the kind of  people that went there, people like *US*  !!

DF

[gooberdude]

You'd think the City would want successful small music venues right in the vicinity of the convention center...

Chicago is proposing a new train line that would go straight from McCormack center to the heart of the S.Side where a # of blues and jazz clubs are.  The City would also fund small businesses to develop along the S. Side stops, like restaurants and what not, so that every penny the patrons have to spend each night goes back to the City somehow...pretty engenious when you see the plans they print in the newspapers.   

So the actual casino part of the Laclede Landing renovation will be somewhere else?   Is Planet Hollywood staying?   It opened right as i moved from StL, i figured that was the beginning of the end for StL's little french quarter area...

oh well, the new stadium is rockin' and just a stones throw from BB's.   i'd hate to think that in a few years all the cool venues will end up sterile like the Pageant.

[lonewolfny42]

Mississippi Nights.....sounds like it was a very cool place.
If you need a piece of their history....check out the Jan. 27th.auction there........
Scott.....need another neon sign ?

                                               Chris






Equipment Photo's...

[DeadFish]

Mississippi Nights.....sounds like it was a very cool place.
If you need a piece of their history....check out the Jan. 27th.auction there........
Scott.....need another neon sign ?

                                               Chris

Man, I'd love to take that cigarette machine home with me so I could finish bitch-slapping it for stealing my money again!