Sunday, September 6, 2015

Music To Have Lunch By

The World Exchange Plaza is downtown, serving as home to an office tower, with retail and restaurants on the first couple of floors. Outside one can find a square of sorts, with a wall of steps leading up on the north side. During summer, many people will have their lunches out here, and in July and August, musicians will be playing on stage at the noon hour. There is a mixture of genres- rock, folk, blues, jazz, Celtic, and others. I was passing by one day in late July and heard a singer doing a jazz version of Van Halen's Jump. She sounded much better than David Lee Roth, frankly, and the song arrangement had a whole different sound. On another day, I took shots of these three musicians, who had more of a folk sensibility to their music.


From the top of the steps, here's the configuration of the square. There are actually more people watching than this suggests; many people were sitting on the steps to my right than to the left on this particular day.


On another day, these three were performing.


And taken on another day, this gives you a view of the steps. The two musicians on this day had more of a bluegrass vibe going on.

40 comments:

  1. It would be a very pleasant experience to listen to these fine musicians during a lunch break, or any time of the day.

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  2. It does not seen the box where you have to throw the coins.

    Tomás.

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  3. That's a very cool spot to sit and eat lunch and be entertained at the same time William.

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  4. Seems a fine place, lovely photos.

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  5. Live music outdoors is such a joyful experience!

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  6. A nice place to listing ot the music.

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  7. It can be so surprising to hear a totally different version of a song,

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  8. So nice and entertaining to have lunch and listen to these musicians playing. Beautiful header.

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  9. Love lunchtime concerts,unfortunately,we're too far away from any.
    Jane x

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  10. Must be really nice to have lunch outside while enjoying live music. It must be a good opportunity for musicians, too, to let people hear their music. Would love to hear Van Halen's music in jazz version :-)

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  11. If I worked in that area, I would take my lunch out there every day. What a splendid way to enjoy a meal!

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  12. These musicians have a tremendous amount of talent and are well worth listening to. In our small city this activity is just starting.

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  13. Well it looks like fun or I could say---entertaining.
    MB

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  14. That is such a great thing! Winners all around.

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  15. This reminds me of Kiener Plaza here in downtown St. Louis. I used to love spending my lunch hours there when I was out in the workforce.

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  16. It's neat when someone else does a cover, better than the singer themselves.

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  17. Wonderful William we should have more oasis like that in cities...

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  18. How nice to be serenaded while enjoying lunch. :)

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  19. Even as summer wanes, outdoor music on sunny steps. The place to be with lunch maybe.

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  20. @Denise: indeed!

    @Cloudia: mine too.

    @Tomas: I wondered if anyone would bring that up. I've never seen that with these musicians. At most, during a performance, they'll bring up in spoken words their website where their album can be downloaded, or where they'll be playing in a local club.

    @Grace: I've always found those steps to be quite photogenic, with or without people.

    @Blogoratti: thank you!

    @EG: indeed!

    @Janis: it is. Whoever set up the stage did an unconventional but appealing job.

    @Marianne: it certainly is that.

    @Marleen: in this case, definitely. I was listening to the lyrics, and after a moment realized what it was, but totally different from the original.

    @Revrunner: thanks!

    @Nancy: thanks!

    @Hilary: thank you!

    @Tex: it definitely is.

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  21. @Jane and Chris: I'm down here often enough in the week that I can hear them playing as I come along.

    @Tamago: I wonder what the band would make of it.

    @Kate: in pleasant weather it's an ideal venue.

    @Red: it's a side to the city that most people have no idea about, but there's a good deal of culture here.

    @MB: it was!

    @RedPat: indeed!

    @Norma: that would be exactly the same thing.

    @Whisk: this version was better, but admittedly I'm not a fan of Van Halen.

    @Orvokki: it certainly is!

    @Geoff: this is a great use of the space.

    @Linda: it certainly is nice!

    @Birdman: I think this only lasts through the end of August. I was up there before the weekend and no acts were going on.

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  22. Splendid way to enjoy a meal !

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  23. This is wonderful. And it helps make a city a more liveable place! I would love the folk musicians!

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  24. i love music while having dinner, lunch or just normally 2 add background noise. ( ;

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  25. Great. I would have forgotten to eat...

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  26. That's a fun selection of photos! I like the various artists.

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  27. Museums playing at lunch? Unusual. Most of our outdoor music around here is after dinner.

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  28. @Karl: it is!

    @Lowell: it's a nice touch to have in the city.

    @Beth: me too.

    @Ciel: hah!

    @Jennifer: thank you!

    @Jack: in this part of the city, a good deal of it is all office complexes, so it's a lot quieter in the evenings.

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  29. listening to a live concert outdoors is a perfect escape from the stale office noise.

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  30. That looks like a great place to hang out on a lunch hour. It's very attractive and live music is just the ticket.

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  31. Jump? Sounds interesting... I'd like to hear that version.

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