History

The Blue Note and Rose Music Hall have come a long way.

It all started back in 1980, when two great friends and music lovers decided to buy a space on the north side of Columbia, Mo. and turn it into a music venue.

The club was located away from downtown and The University of Missouri’s campus, but that didn’t stop Richard King and Phil Costello from turning the place into the hotspot for live music in Columbia. It started with local and regional bands, but The Blue Note was just beginning. Now-legendary bands starting taking the stage such as The Pixies, R.E.M and the Red Hot Chili Peppers, just to name a few.

A decade later, King, then the sole owner of The Blue Note after Costello left, moved the club to the historic Vaudeville theatre located downtown that we know and love today as The Blue Note. The theatre is nothing short of breath taking, with ornate detailing that could only be from the 1920s and an old school marquee outside welcoming concert-goers.

King expanded his business in 1999 with the purchase of Mojo’s, a smaller venue also located in downtown Columbia that welcomed artists such as Arcade Fire, The Black Keys and Bassnectar before they hit it big. Over the years, King continued to bring live music and great talent to Columbia, creating not only two successful clubs, but changing the culture of the city itself.

After 34 years, King sold The Blue Note and Mojo’s to it’s current owners, Matt Gerding and Scott Leslie, who also own the Majestic Theatre in Madison, Wisconsin. Like their predecessors, Gerding and Leslie share an appreciation for the music industry. The pair promised to continue King’s legacy of bringing great live music to Columbia and to expand the culture even more.

The clubs are looking better than ever with remodels. The Blue Note got a new bar, floor and sound system. Mojo’s got a new name, Rose Music Hall, a tribute to local writer, musician and namesake of the adjoining park, Forrest Rose.

The calendars are full of great talent, alternative-programming events and there are big plans to expand the outdoor concert series Summerfest. The stories of The Blue Note and Rose Music Hall are still being written, and we invite you join us in creating new memories. There’s nothing like experiencing your favorite band live with some good friends, which is why we say beer tastes better in the front row.