ST. LOUIS — Live music is back in the St. Louis area. The Rolling Stones are kicking off their new tour at the Dome. There are $20 tickets at Hollywood Casino Amphitheater. Countless concerts are upcoming in venues big and small.
Since 1972, Blueberry Hill has hosted some of the best to ever sing the blues.
“Chuck Berry, the father of rock-n-roll, the first person inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the St. Louis Walk of Fame played here for 209 months,” said Joe Edwards.
Over the years a who’s who of the music industry bellied up to the bar at Blueberry Hill, but with the onset of the pandemic the lights went out.
“To be going from 100mph to zero is tough,” said Edwards. “It’s tough on the staff. It’s tough on the musicians. It’s tough on the light crews, the sound crews, and the touring bands. Live music is one of the last things to come back.”
After a year-long hiatus, Joe Edwards says his staff has done their part to get the Delmar Loop ready to rock.
“We’ve adhered to all of the guidelines and that’s why we’re coming back,” said Edwards. “Now we’re starting to put the bar stools back down, put the chairs back out, and crank the amps up to eleven.”
However, with the rise of the delta variant of COVID-19, Edwards is concerned live music in Missouri could be muted again.
“I hope with the new surge it doesn’t affect us,” said Edwards. “As more people get vaccinated, keep getting vaccinated folks, because you’ll have more opportunities to see great music again.”
Listen to the Abby Eats St. Louis podcast with Joe Edwards from May 2020 here. Listen to more Abby Eats St. Louis below.