Andy Kimball
Editor-in-Chief
Members of the high school and middle school jazz bands performed at Delmar Hall on Jan. 15, and Jazz I members performed at the Pageant on Jan. 21.
The concert at the Pageant was moved from Jan. 14, due to inclement weather.
Jazz I performed as part of the “Party at the Pageant,” which is a fundraiser for the Webster Groves School District Foundation.
Freshman Sam Swaine said, “Everything really feels bigger. Having a mic to yourself is a big difference, and the people in charge of sound help your playing stand out more than in gymnasiums and auditoriums.”
Delmar Hall and The Pageant are both Saint Louis concert venues near The Loop. Delmar Hall is a smaller concert venue located adjacent to The Pageant.
Swaine said,“They are both great venues. It was great playing in a new space like Delmar Hall, really intimate, but The Pageant has that reputation.”
Both venues host professional bands. The Pageant was recently rated as the number seven concert venue in the world by Pollstar magazine. Recent performances at The Pageant were by Lukas Graham and Grouplove.
Band director Kevin Cole said the owner of the Pageant, Pat Hagin, approached Cole about the band having a fundraiser at the Pageant.
Cole said, “It is an incredible experience for the kids playing in one of the neatest venues around. It is the ultimate experience for a high school group to get this kind of an experience and to be able to use it as a fundraiser.”
Jazz I performed with a Ray Charles tribute band featuring local performers Wayne Coniglio, Roger Hines, Reggie Thomas, Ralph Butler, Jessica Butler, LaTonia Holland and Suzanne Palmer.
Swaine said, “It was an honor to play with them. All of the musicians were very talented, and I really felt that they captured the spirit of Ray Charles and his music. The performance was great. I’m lucky to be surrounded by such talented musicians.”
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