For more than 30 years, Off Broadway Music Venue has been showcasing musicians large and small in its two-story brick building located in south St. Louis city next to the historic Lemp Brewery. With a low stage, fans are up close and personal with long-time favorite and new performers in the one-room venue that boasts a balcony and caps out at about 400 capacity.
The venue has housed up and comers, as well as tried and true musicians from the get-go. Several musicians call it their St. Louis home, performing only here when traveling through town tour after tour year after year.
During the mass shut down the novel coronavirus COVID-19 has found the small but mighty staff at Off Broadway, along with many others at venues across the country, suddenly struggling to make ends meet. The venue must also still pay utilities, upkeep, taxes, and the like to remain viable.
Ryan Adams and Carrie Zukoski are offering ways to help out. Adams has been a sound engineer for the past decade at Off Broadway and Zukoski has photographed dozens of performances since 2014 at the venue.
Adams has set up a Soundcloud showcasing several live recordings of local bands (with their permission) during the past 10 years available for download. Adams is asking for donations to help out employees of the venue, many who are musicians themselves.
This photo gallery showcases concert portraits of at least 20 local and national bands (more continue to agree) that have played Off Broadway between 2014-19 that 6-year veteran St. Louis concert photographer Carrie Zukoski has been fortunate to photograph for one of these St. Louis media outlets: Eleven Music Magazine, St. Louis Magazine, and Arch City Media. These images have never before been available for purchase and some have never been made public.
For a limited time, all images in this gallery are for sale and Zukoski will be donating at least 50% of the proceeds after fees to the venue/its staff.
At the time of this writing bands featured (more are expected) include:
This City of Takers, Spectator, Ha Ha Tonka, The Vondrukes, Suede Chain, The Wilderness (St. Louis), Rough Shop Records, American Wrestlers, The Handsome Family, Escondido, The Burney Sisters, Blue Lotus Recordings (Roland Johnson, Revue), Luna, James McMurtry, Lilly Hiatt, Pokey LaFarge, Felice Brothers Alanna Royale, Jeremy & the Harlequins, Low, and Cara Louise Band.
