The area around the corner of Grand and Washington in midtown St. Louis already offers an embarrassment of riches for fans of live performance, from the gorgeous Fabulous Fox to the sonically exquisite Sheldon, from the intimate Jazz St. Louis to the elegant home of the St. Louis Symphony at Powell Hall. But a new venue opening up this November brings an entirely new kind of entertainment to the Grand Center Arts District.
Central Stage opens its doors this month at 3524 Washington Ave., the former home of the Creepy Crawl and The Stage @ KDHX. The newly updated 140-capacity concert venue is the latest venture from the Kranzberg Arts Foundation, which manages eight other venues around midtown, including the nearby Big Top, The Dark Room, and the Grandel Theater. “We are thrilled to add Central Stage to the ever-expanding family of Kranzberg Arts Foundation venues as we continue to invest in St. Louis’ arts economy while offering patrons even more opportunities to have intimate experiences with our local and regional artists,” said Chris Hansen, Executive Director of the Kranzberg Arts Foundation, in the announcement press release.
The first months’ programming features an eclectic mix of musical acts booked by Jamo Productions such as Allie Kral (the recently departed fiddler/vocalist of Yonder Mountain String Band), the Funky Butt Brass Band, and a hip-hop showcase led by Tef Poe. Mid Coast Media also fills the schedule with a standup comedy series featuring local favorite Larry Greene as well as established comics like B-Phlat, Greg Fitzsimmons, Yamaneika Saunders, and Mia Jackson. They’ll even be hosting a series of free ping-pong tournaments, and come on, you know that’ll be a blast.
The opening month’s schedule is below. To stay up to date on future events, visit kranzbergartsfoundation.org/central-stage/. | Jason Green
November at Central Stage
11.03: Mid Coast Comedy Series ($12/$16); Doors 7 p.m./Show 8 p.m.
11.04: Funky Butt Brass Band ($13/$17); Doors 8 p.m./Show 9 p.m.
11.05: Dialogue Record Release ($12/$16); Doors 7 p.m./Show 8 p.m.
11.09: Ping Pong Tournament (FREE); Doors 6 p.m./Tournament 7 p.m.
11.10: Mid Coast Comedy Series ($12/$16); Doors 7 p.m./Show 8 p.m.
11.11: River City Allstars ft. Allie Kral & More ($20/$25); Doors 8 p.m./Show 9 p.m.
11.12: MK Ultra ($12/$16); Doors 8 p.m./Show 9 p.m.
11.16: Ping Pong Tournament (FREE); Doors 6 p.m./Tournament 7 p.m.
11.17: Mid Coast Comedy Series ($12/$16); Doors 7 p.m./Show 8 p.m.
11.18: Ashley Byrne, Jr. Clooney and Yuppy ($9.50/$13); Doors 8 p.m./Show 9 p.m.
11.20: Bluegrass Brunch with Yonder Eats (FREE); Doors 10 a.m./Show 11 a.m. – 3 p.m.
11.20: IN A TRANCE 2: A Drag and Ballroom Experience ($7/$10); Doors 6 p.m./Show 7 p.m.
11.23: Ping Pong Tournament (FREE); Doors 5 p.m./Tournament 6 p.m.
11.23: SH*TSHOW Blackout Wednesday Special ($9.50/$13); Doors 7 p.m./Show 8 p.m.
11.25: The Night of the Crows ft. Tef Poe, Monkh & More ($10/$15); Doors 8 p.m./Show 9 p.m.
11.30: Ping Pong Tournament (FREE); Doors 6 p.m./Tournament 7 p.m.
