Category Archives: Blog


We had the pleasure of interviewing members of Spectrum on June 9, 2014 about the music the play, their free concerts, and working with Chesterfield Chamber of Commerce. Appearing in the interview are vocalist Melanie Roper, bassist Sean Scales and drummer/manager Tim Callihan.

This Spring, the Missouri History Museum is host to one of the most exciting free concert series in St. Louis.

The snow in St. Louis has finally melted. It’s been a brutal winter, hasn’t it? We’ve spent days upon days cycling between sitting at home on the couch and getting bundled up to go outside to shovel our driveways. But, summer is drawing closer and we here at FreeConcertsSTL.com are getting more and more excited about what the summer holds.

Twilight Tuesdays Missouri History Museum imageThe list is seemingly endless; sunshine, afternoons by the pool, ice cold lemonade, another great Cardinals season, etc. The one aspect of summer that we are most excited about is the start of the free outdoor summer concert season. There’s nothing as relaxing as sitting outside on a blanket with friends and family enjoying a glass of wine and some of the finest artists and bands that St. Louis has to offer. One of the most popular concert series that music fans can enjoy is Twilight Tuesdays at the Missouri History Museum. This concert series is held on the steps of the History Museum, and is presented in two seasons: Spring (running form late April through May,) and Fall (from late August through October.) The lineups for the Spring season have been announced. You can find them under the “Summer Series” tab on FreeConcertsSTL.com. This Spring, the bands will be:

1. Michael Fitzgerald Jazz Explosion
Date: April 22, 2014
Time: 6:00 pm to 8:30 pm

The popular outdoor concert series returns with a season opener tribute to Miles Davis and David Sanborn by the Michael Fitzgerald Jazz Explosion. Grab your blankets and lawn chairs, pack your picnic basket, and come hear some terrific music under a beautiful Forest Park sunset.

2. Fat Pocket
Date: April 27, 2014
Time: 6:00 pm to 8:30 pm

Founded in 2004, Fat Pocket is a six piece funk-jazz collective that prides itself on creating an atmosphere that inspires its audience to get out of their seats and dance.

Fat Pocket’s Official Website

3. Soulard Blues Band
Date: May 6, 2014
Time: 6:00 pm to 8:30 pm

Committed to their craft, The Soulard Blues Band has been performing for 25 years. They were awarded the title of “Best Blues Band” in St. Louis by the Riverfront Times from 1994-2005, and promise to put on a wonderful show at the History Museum this coming May 6th.

SBB’s Official Website

4. Dogs of Society
Date: May 13, 2014
Time: 6:00 pm to 8:30 pm

Founded in 2012, Dogs of Society pays tribute to one of the greats; Elton John. Come out and enjoy the classic melodies and sing-a-long lyrics that you know and love.

Dogs of Society’s Official Website

5. Groovethang
Date: May 20, 2014
Time: 6:00 pm to 8:30 pm

Groovethang has been performing since 1997. As a 7 piece band, they are committed to providing exciting dance and party music.Their Twilight Tuesday performance will be a musical tribute to the Doobie Brothers and other Top 40 hits from the 1970’s.

Groovethang’s Official Website

6. The James Family
Date: May 27, 2014
Time: 6:00 pm to 8:30 pm

The James Family is a St. Louis area band that will be performing an evening of tribute to Ike and Tina Turner. Grab your blankets and lawn chairs, pack your picnic basket, and come hear some terrific music.

The stage is set for a wonderful Spring. Be sure to mark your calendars with these great free events. Twilight Tuesdays promises to be a relaxing time on the lawn of the History Museum, with amazing music and a terrific atmosphere. We’ll see you out there!

For more information regarding Twilight Tuesdays, visit The Official Website and stay tuned to FreeConcertsSTL.com.

Tim Callihan is the drummer and manager of Spectrum, one of St. Louis’ premier private events bands. Tim consented to an interview to promote the June 25 performance of his band at Faust Park hosted by the Chesterfield Chamber of Commerce.

Tim Callihan part 1

Tim Callihan part 2

Video shot and produced by Romondo Davis of FreeConcertsStL.com.

Website Aims To Build Music-Loving Community

Free Concerts on Fox 3 St. Louis imageWe made it to the St. Louis TV airwaves once again thanks to the efforts of media relations consultant Priscilla Visintine of Carden Group Communications.

This time we were featured on the Fox 2 News morning show on Sunday, June 23. Andy Banker and Angela Hutti did a stellar job of asking the right questions; they seemed to have a clear understanding of our effort to promote casual entertainment in this community.

If you missed our previous TV appearance, check out Christine Buck’s interview on KPLR11’s June 6th noon newscast.

Parties in the Park in Downtown Clayton Concerts Series

Gina Medley Concoction Clayton Parties in the Park

Gina Medley sings with Concoction as they performed last summer at Clayton Parties in the Park

Fun summer street series in downtown Clayton
“Parties in the Park” is a misnomer; these concerts are not held in the park as they used to be. My wife, a horticulturist who used to work for the City of Clayton, informed me that the event was moved to the center of downtown Clayton to preserve the healthy turf and beautiful landscaping—and to make it more convenient for attendees and benefit the great local restaurants.

The fact that they are not held in the park doesn’t diminish the level of fun and community this series offers. The location for the concerts is in the street—North Central Avenue between Maryland and Forsyth. The stage backs up to Maryland facing south with cocktail tables and vendors filling the street to the south.

The crowd is mostly Clayton office workers dressed in business attire, but people like me who opt for more typical summer concert attire like shorts and t-shirts will also feel comfortable.

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Along with the free concert season comes picnic suppers. Here is one of our favorite recipes from our friends at Better Homes and Gardens.

Ingredients:
1-1/2 cups large bow tie pasta (about 6 ozs)
2 cups cantaloups and/or honeydew melon chunks
1 cup cubed fontina or Swiss cheese (4 ozs)
1/3 cup bottled nonfat poppy seed salad dressing
1 to 2 Tablespoons snipped fresh mint
2 cups watercress, stems removed (optional)

Directions:

  1. Cook pasta according to package directions, drain. Rinse with cold water; drain again.
  2. In a large bowl, toss together pasta, cantaloupe, and cheese. Combine salad dressing and mint; pour over pasta mixture, tossing gently to coat. Serve immediately or cover and chill up to 24 hours.
  3. If using watercress, stir into pasta mixture just before serving.

Note: Salad can be prepared, covered, and chilled up to 24 hours ahead of serving time.

Nutrition facts: Calories 319; Total Fat (g) 11; Saturated Fat (g) 6; Cholesterol (mg)73; Sodium (mg) 309; Carbohydrate (g) 41; Fiber (g) 1, Protein (g) 14, Vitamin A (DV%) 44; Vitamin C (DV%) 105; Calcium (DV%) 18; Iron (DV%) 15, Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet