With 2018 nearly fully in the books, it is impossible not to recount the incredible year of concerts St. Louis was graced with. From rock, to hip hop, to pop, and everything in between, the past calendar year of live music has been satisfying, diverse, and full of can’t-forget concerts.
Take a moment to reminisce on some of the hottest concerts in St. Louis this year with Arch City Media’s Top 5 list below.
1. Taylor Swift • September 18th at The Dome
While much can be said about her incredible musicianship and immaculate stage set up, what sets Swift apart from the rest of the female pop stars blazing the same trails is her undeniable gratitude toward her fans. Although over 40,000 fans were in attendance, her performance felt remarkably intimate no matter where you happened to be seated. READ MORE.
2. Drake • November 10th at Enterprise Center
Whether fans were there for his R&B/pop tunes like “One Dance,” “Fake Love,” or “Hotline Bling,” or for his more hard-hitting gritty hip-hop like the entirety of his new album titled Scorpion, Drake gave the fans in attendance exactly what they’d bargained for – and maybe even more. With his over-the-top production, the show was laced with state of the art 4K screens lining the floor of the stage, a floating Ferrari, pyrotechnics, fog cannons, and confetti, leaving this show next-to-none. READ MORE.
3. twenty one pilots • October 19 at Enterprise Center
Despite the new era, the band was sure to include older traditions into their show. Joseph went through many wardrobe changes – some including the thick white sunglasses with the floral kimono, to the infamous red beanie hat. Dun also embraced some of these older traditions, doing his infamous backflip during the bridge of “Holding On To You.” READ MORE.
4. Journey • August 24th at Busch Stadium
Although original frontman, Steve Perry, is no longer with the band, Pineda’s stage presence and vocal strength drew the crowd to him and proved that although aspects of the band have changed, their talent has not. As they played “Lovin’, Touchin’, Squeezin’” and “Open Arms,” the crowd danced and swayed along with a buzz of pure joy. Despite a brief technical difficulty during “Anyway You Want It,” the band carried on and finished out the night with “Wheel in the Sky,” “Faithfully,” and, of course, “Don’t Stop Believin’.” READ MORE.
5. Ed Sheeran • September 6th at Busch Stadium
The moment the lights went down, the crowd went wild. Video footage of Ed Sheeran walking into the stadium and onto the stage lit up the screens, and as he picked up his guitar and began to strum he immediately captured the attention of the audience. Sheeran kicked off his set with “Castle on the Hill” and then took a second to thank everyone for coming. He explained that everything in his show is completely live- just his guitar, his voice, and a pedal that he uses to help him create his signature “live looping.” READ MORE.
Other Honorable Mentions
Sam Smith @ Chaifetz Arena, August 17th
Camila Cabello @ The Pageant, April 24th
Kevin Gates @ Pop’s, November 1st & 2nd
Maxwell @ Stifel Theatre, November 15th
Bastille @ The Pageant, November 29th
