In one sense, the history of the blues in St. Louis actually began before the birth of the blues.
In the 1930s, early blues musicians performed at a bar near the riverfront called the Rock House. One singer, Ann Richardson, even called herself Rock House Annie.
The building itself dated back to 1818, when it originally served as a fur warehouse. After that, it was home to many businesses, including several taverns and restaurants, until it was torn down to build the Gateway Arch grounds in 1959.
Given that history, it seems fitting to hold an annual blues festival at the Arch, says Ryan McClure, executive director of the Gateway Arch Park Foundation.
The Blues at the Arch Festival will be held Friday and Saturday at the North Gateway of the Arch grounds, not far from the original location of the Rock House on Wharf (now Leonor K. Sullivan Boulevard) and Chestnut streets.
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Having a blues festival there “makes so much sense for St. Louis and for the Arch grounds. St. Louis really holds a special place in the history of blues music,†he says. The city has a history as a musical melting pot; is home to the National Blues Museum, which is co-sponsor of the festival; and is on the Mississippi River.
Blues at the Arch, 2022
“The Mississippi River plays a pretty critical role in the birth of blues music and the evolution of blues music,†McClure says.
Now in its ninth year, festival has grown over time, both in the size of the audience and the number of performers. This year, he expects about 12,000 music fans over the course of the weekend — some set up blankets and lawn chairs hours before the shows start — to hear the blues in many of its diverse forms.
“If you think about the blues and the connections of different genres of music that came after it that you can draw back to the blues, it’s really interesting. Rock ‘n’ roll, hip-hop, jazz, country and soul all grew out of the blues,†he says.
The festival reflects this diversity of styles. With Robert Nelson of the National Blues Museum serving as emcee, local singer Amber Bullock will kick off the music at 5 p.m. Friday with a set of gospel music.
After remarks from a representative of the National Park Service (Blues at the Arch is the only free blues festival on the grounds of a U.S. national park), Friday’s headliner at 6:30 p.m. will be D.K. Harrell.
Harrell, who comes from Louisiana, was nominated for best new artist at the 2024 Blues Music Awards. He is a high-energy guitarist with a style reminiscent of B.B. King and a unique way of belting out songs.
Saturday’s lineup is more extensive. After house music at 11 a.m. and a fitness program at 11:30 a.m., the live music begins at 12:30 p.m. with St. Louis favorite Jeremiah Johnson, whose music often has a country-blues or southern rock inflection with a hint of Texas blues.
Next up, at 2 p.m., is the Soulard Blues Band, a beloved, high-intensity St. Louis institution for 45 years. They will be followed at 3:30 p.m. by trombonist Lamar Harris, whose jazz style is also influenced by hip-hop, world music and even classical music.
The Slide Show STL will serve as a musical palate cleanser, of sorts: at 4:30 p.m., they will present an interactive line-dance performance.
“They get up and lead folks in different line dances. It’s an opportunity for the crowd to get up and participate,†McClure says.
St. Louis blues powerhouse Marquise Knox commands the stage at 5 p.m. with a big guitar, a big voice and even a big harmonica. He will be followed at 6:30 p.m. by the Saturday night headliner, Nikki Hill.
Jeremiah Johnson performs at the soft opening for Billy’s on Broadway.
Hill — from Durham, North Carolina — is a singer of blues and blues-rock whose strong voice has a notable edge. She and Knox will join forces as the night comes to a conclusion at 8 p.m., when they provide the musical accompaniment to a fireworks display.
The festival continues Sunday in a different format and a different location: A blues brunch will be held at the 612 North Event Space + Catering in Laclede’s Landing, on the site of a former speakeasy. The Coleman-Hughes Project will play smooth jazz and classic R&B while patrons enjoy a brunch buffet.
The other events are free, but the brunch comes with a cost: $49.99 for adults, $14.95 for children 3-12. Unlimited mimosas or bloody marys for adults are an additional $22.
In addition, Premium Experience tickets are available for $35. This is essentially a backstage pass, only it is actually a tent to the side.
“Any earned revenue that we have off of this event goes back to the Gateway Arch Foundation. It all goes to supporting this park and the community,†McClure says.
