It was one of those rare St. Louis evenings where everything lined up. A sold-out Saint Louis Music Park, clear skies, a crisp cool breeze that felt more like late spring than early fall—this was the kind of night made for live music.
The Dip hit first, bringing their Seattle-bred retro-soul swagger to an already buzzing crowd. From the downbeat, the seven-piece locked in tight grooves, their brass section blasting sunshine across the amphitheater while Tom Eddy’s voice floated smooth and commanding over it all. The highlight of their set came when they slid into Bobby Caldwell’s “What You Won’t Do for Love.” It was an honor to hear live, and they did it justice—balancing reverence for the classic with their own soulful stamp. You could feel the entire crowd lean into the nostalgia, carried by the warmth of the horns and the rhythm’s sway. The Dip didn’t just open the night—they truly set the mood for an evening that would showcase two very different, but equally powerful, talents.
Then came the Red Clay Strays, and from the first note it was clear: we weren’t just at a concert—we were being taken to church. Souls were lifted in St. Louis that night. Brandon Coleman is very much his own artist, but when he sings, it feels like he’s carrying the souls of giants—Johnny Cash, Elvis Presley, Merle Haggard—woven into his delivery. There’s grit in his tone, gospel in his phrasing, and a fire that is entirely his own. With the Strays, you don’t just hear the music—you feel it deep in your bones.
In the middle of the set, while telling a story, guitarist Drew mistakenly called the crowd “Kansas City” before quickly correcting himself—a slip that earned a roar of boos and good-natured jabs. He carried that embarrassment with him the rest of the night, but the way he owned it only endeared the band even more to the St. Louis faithful.
“Wondering Why” may have set the crowd off, turning thousands of voices into one massive sing-along, but that song doesn’t define this band. The Red Clay Strays carry the soul of something deeper-Southern gospel rock born not from an Alabama honky tonk, but from a place where faith, fire, and raw storytelling collide. Too often mistaken as a “Christian band,” these boys are really something rarer: true Southern gentlemen with a faith-driven moral compass. Not the preachy kind—just the be good to each other and yourself kind.
When the tempo picked up, Brandon’s knees broke loose, dropping into that revival stance as if he were Jesus-jazzed, the spirit coursing through every stomp and shout. And then came the encore—not polished or scripted, just raw and real. The boys grinned and admitted, “we already played the show, now we’re just having fun.” They perched on the edge of the stage, climbed onto the speakers, moved from side to side singing up close and personal, delivering fist bumps and smiles like old friends saying goodbye. It was the kind of moment that reminded everyone why live music matters—it was intimate, unscripted, and human.
But the night wasn’t without its sour note. In the GA section, a selfish older man—boasting loudly about being sixty—chose to mock and bully a young girl simply trying to make her way toward the stage for a photo. His cruelty drove her to tears, but what happened next was telling: the crowd rose up around her. She was shielded, comforted, and escorted front and center with her father while security and police intervened. The man’s hypocrisy was clear, but the audience’s compassion was louder. In that moment, St. Louis proved what this music is really about—protecting one another, nurturing the next generation, and keeping real love and kindness alive.
Together, The Dip and The Red Clay Strays gave St. Louis a night that was more than a show—it was a celebration, a revival, and a reminder of the power of music to lift, unite, and stir the soul. Perfection wasn’t just in the weather—it was in the spirit they brought to the stage, and in the way the crowd chose compassion over cruelty.
2025 North America Tour Dates:
- September 11: Andover, KS – Capitol Federal Amphitheater
- September 12: Colorado Springs, CO – Ford Amphitheater
- September 14: Morrison, CO – Red Rocks Amphitheatre (with Muscadine Bloodline, Justin Jeansonne)
- September 15: Morrison, CO – Red Rocks Amphitheatre (with The Dip, Taylor Hunnicutt)
- September 19: Independence, MO – Cable Dahmer Arena
- September 20: La Vista, NE – The Astro Theater
- September 25: Irving, TX – The Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory
- September 26: Lubbock, TX – Cook’s Garage
- September 28: Austin, TX – Moody Amphitheater (with Dexter & The Moonrocks)
- October 2: Pikeville, KY – Appalachian Wireless Arena
- October 4–5: Detroit, MI – Fox Theatre Detroit
- October 9: Macon, GA – Atrium Health Amphitheater
- October 10–11: North Charleston, SC – Riverfront Revival
- October 12: Salt Lake City, UT – Fairpark
- October 15: Huntsville, AL – The Orion Amphitheater
- November 15: Louisville, KY – The Louisville Palace
- November 21–23: St. Petersburg, FL – St. Pete Country Fest (with Parker McCollum, Treaty Oak Revival)
2025 European Tour Dates:
- October 20: Stockholm, Sweden – Fållan
- October 22: Oslo, Norway – Sentrum Scene
- October 23: Copenhagen, Denmark – Vega
- October 26: Cologne, Germany – Carlswerk Victoria
- October 27: Zürich, Switzerland – Limmathaus
- October 29: Amsterdam, Netherlands – Paradiso
- October 31: Paris, France – Élysée Montmartre
- November 2: Borgerhout, Belgium – De Roma
- November 4: Glasgow, UK – O2 Academy Glasgow
- November 6: Birmingham, UK – O2 Academy Birmingham
- November 8: London, UK – Hackney Church (St John at Hackney)
- November 9: London, UK – Roundhouse
- November 11: Dublin, Ireland – National Stadium
- November 13: Belfast, UK – Ulster Hall
Melissa O’Rourke aka WickedWitchofSTL is a jack of all trades. By day she’s an established tattooist and piercer, by night a mother to her amazing son (who is a hell of a guitarist). Melissa has a musical background and can often be found at a local karaoke joint, or a concert when she’s not driving across the country for an adventure. This social butterfly always welcomes conversation so come say hi! See y’all at the next gig!
