Mississippi Nights (the death of a friend)

It is not enough that we should lose Howard Hunt so early in the year but January 19th saw the closing of Mississippi Nights. I was not able to be there because of prior engagements in Hot Springs Arkansas with a 3 year old mare (but thats an entry for another day) but I am glad I missed it. The closing was a poorly kept secret throughout the fall as the “coming attractions” section in the Riverfront Times Dwindled down...and down...until the only thing left was the Bottle Rockets/Todd Schneifer two night party on December 30th and 31st of last year. I am sorry I missed that. By all accounts it was a blow out. The RFT chronicled all this for us and did a properly laudatory series of columns (and follow ups) on all the shows but there was something eminently miss-able about the final night on January 19 which sounded more like a maudlin hootenanny of St. Louis never was talent then a reasonably respectable send off to an old friend.
This was a venue that had seen...everyone worth seeing. Sure, Dylan and Neil Young might never have played there but if the place would have been open in the 60’s or 70’s you could not have kept them away. Seriously almost everyone played there and different people have different memories and priorities but to think of Mississippi Nights most people...we my people...think Uncle Tupelo. I did not see Tupelo there but I did see Wilco, Sun Volt the Bottlerockets and Golden Smog. The Jayhawks and Soul Asylum. Richard Thompson, T-Bone Burnette, Souther Culture on The Skids, Paul Westerberg, Blue Rodeo, Built To Spill, Cracker (opening for Counting Crows), Chris Whitley, Cursive, dada, Del Amitri, The Drive By truckers, the Frames (if these seem alphabetized it is only because I am scrolling through iTunes to help me remember), Freedy Johnston, Graham Parker, James Mc Murtry, The Lemonheads, Los Lobos, Lucinda WIlliams, Material Issue. Matthew Sweet, The Old 97's, Reverend Horton Heat, Seven Mary Three, The Silos and those are just the ones i saw that I can remember.

You do have to wonder whether Beatle Bob will have ANYWHERE to go. Seriously if the guy goes out and hears music everynight and you take away Mississippi Nights...what does he do? Where does he go? Should we putting a collection together? Should we be inviting him over to the house?

For years there were rumours of the clubs demise. In a city as screwed up as St. Louis there were all kinds of possibilities. A landing redevelopment...and my favorite...the Jacque Cousteau Aquatic Museum. That seemed perfect. On the banks of the Mississippi? What were they going to have, the worlds largest Catfish aquarium? Not that it would not have been attractive. But it of course was the fucking casino that eventually killed it. I do not want to rant. I like to gamble, but has there been a worse cancer on our city and state then these stupid casinos? All of these people who should not be betting...blowing disposable income and exacerbating already nightmarish financial situations. I know they say the money goes to the schools but I do not think we are spending another nickel with that income then we were before. They just made casinos as the way to fund schools so they could get over everyone's objections. They are awful...and now they have cost us the Nights.

I have a lot of favorite memories of that club and lots of good times. I probably saw more shows by myself there then I did with people. The favorite offbeat memory though was going down to buy tickets for The Lemonheads show and finding Evan Dando on the nod, lying in front of the door. I stepped over him.

The Tupelo thing changed a lot of music for me and watching all that alt country that sprang up became a very bad habit and brought me a lot of pleasure. 98% of the shows were all ages according to them and it took 800-1000 people per show. Site lines could be atrocious but if you got there early and got a spot on the floor there was nothing better. You had to make sure you stayed off Beatle Bob's corner because ducking his gyrations could ruin a show. Getting close enough that the guitarist could spit on you. Stealing the set list after the show, occasionally having a beer with the band...it was all good.

Forget the Kiel Opera House and the Fox and the American...forget even the late lamented Ciceros Basement Bar and the High Point.
Where do we go from here?

Where indeed? There have discussions about the club moving to the Grandel Arts District (does'nt that sound fancy?) along with the Creepy Crawl but...it seems hard to imagine. Of course they have to be ib the City. County cops would make mincemeat of most club goers at midnight on a weeknight. DUI revenue would skyrocket and local law enforcement would be heros. So we will wait. We will watch. We might even pray.