Top Ten St. Louis Summer Concerts

BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN
Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band performed on August 23 at the Scottrade Center. Music Editor Annie Zaleski wrote at the time, "The band then proceeded to perform an awe-inspiring three hour and fifteen minute set that was light on recognizable hits, but heavy on songs from latest album Magic and album cuts. The highlights of the show are almost too numerous to mention. A smoking version of “Because the Night” – which was popularized by Patti Smith, but co-written by Springsteen -- found guitarist Nils Lofgren cutting a blazing streak." Read more of the Bruce Springsteen in St. Louis concert review. See more Bruce Springsteen in St. Louis concert photos.

WILCO
Wilco played three nights in a row at the Pageant in St. Louis, from Thursday, May 15 to Saturday, May 16, selling out all three nights. Read Wilco's May 15 concert in St. Louis review, Wilco's May 16 concert in St. Louis review and Wilco's May 17 concert in St. Louis review.

CRUE FEST W/ MOTLEY CRUE
Crue Fest arrived on July 20 in St. Louis and rocked us with its aggro-metal shredding. Included besides headliners Motley Crue were Buckcherry, Papa Roach and Sixx A.M. But like any summer concert, the real fun often happened in the parking lot. See our photos from the Crue Fest parking lot in St. Louis.

DOLLY PARTON
"An eleven-member band started the set, and when Dolly appeared like a glittering marionette in a flourish of purple and silver sequins for 'Two Doors Down,' the crowd stood for a rollicking start," wrote Kristy Wendt in her review of Dolly Parton's August 14 performance at the Fabulous Fox Theatre. Read more of the Dolly Parton in St. Louis concert review. See more Dolly Parton in St. Louis photos.

TOM WAITS
Writer Roy Kasten, on Tom Wait's show June 26 at the Fabulous Fox Theatre: "So if it’s true that Waits last played St. Louis 30 years ago (there’s apparently a photo of a young Tom on the walls of BB’s Jazz Blues and Soups; was it there that he played?), then the question of why he waited so long to return answers itself. One concert every five, even every ten is an event. Once in a third century changes everything, and your grand kids will want to hear all about it." Read more of the Tom Waits in St. Louis concert review. See more Tom Waits in St. Louis photos.

"I'm just going to come right out and say it: Stevie Nicks must have a magical coochie," wrote Jaime Lees about the June 13 Stevie Nicks concert. Read more of the Stevie Nicks St. Louis concert review.

NINE INCH NAILS
"(Trent) Reznor channeled his rage/angst/upset into an emotionally cathartic, if not exhausting, two-hour-plus show," wrote Annie Zaleski about the Nine Inch Nails concert on August 20 at the Scottrade Center. Read more of the Nine Inch Nails in St. Louis concert review. See more Nine Inch Nails in St. Louis concert photos.

RADIOHEAD
"Here are the facts: The band played all of In Rainbows, its latest album. Kid A was also well-represented, with a manic, squelching version of "Idioteque," a lullaby twitch of "Kid A" and the robotic paranoia "Everything In Its Right Place." Bends hit "My Iron Lung" was played for the first time this tour; that album's "Fake Plastic Trees," and OK Computer tunes "Airbag," "Exit Music (For a Film)" and "Paranoid Android" were the only older songs performed. Read more of the Radiohead in St. Louis concert review. See Radiohead in St. Louis concert photos.

FOO FIGHTERS
The Foo Fighters rocked the Scottrade Center on July 20. Wrote reviewer Annie Zaleski: "The Foo Fighters’ onslaught of gigantic tunes and singles – seriously, its greatest-hits CD, whenever it arrives, will be one of the more solid releases from a post-1990 rock band – proves that it’s become the band Nirvana might have become: a consistent, solid act churning out uncompromising songs that dominate rock radio." Read more of Foo Fighters in St. Louis concert review.

TOM PETTY AND THE HEARTBREAKERS
After Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers performed on August 7 at the Verizon Wireless Amphitheater, our review simply stated: "Tom Petty could run for president – and win – in November." Read why in our Tom Petty in St. Louis concert review.