Review: Sky Music Lounge in Ballwin

Though its taps have been flowing, its bands have been rocking, and its crowd has been pouring in for about four years, for some reason or another, Sky Music Lounge has slipped entirely from this writer’s radar. Deciding to remedy that, I hopped on the highway and made the trek west, deep into Ballwin to The Barn at Lucerne, where I came upon, much to my surprise, one of the best rock clubs in the entire St. Louis area.

Housed in the turn-of-the-century Lucerne Barn (some of which was constructed with bricks from the 1904 St. Louis World’s Fair), this out-of-the-way rock hall attracts an odd but enjoyable mix of well-off baby boomers, hard-drinking young professionals, kids fresh out of college and cougars. Lots of cougars. How this ragtag, all-ages crew mingles and makes this atmosphere work, I have no idea. But they do. And it’s no mistake that Sky is continually packed every weekend: This place is a music venue that takes its business seriously. These are mainly cover bands, yes, but damn good ones. Management obviously makes it a point to cull some of the best local talent to tune up and blow the doors off the barn three or four nights a week. The selection varies: Expect to hear everything from The Beatles to Journey to Queen to INXS to Dave Matthews Band.

Another reason for Sky’s continued popularity is the space itself: smart, impressive and well put together. A main stage dominates the central room, which is flanked by a cozy lounge area, adjacent to an even cozier private room. Rich, warm shades of wood add to the dark and decadent feel of the interior. The seemingly small main room is given air to breathe by an immense, vaulted ceiling, from which hang smartly dressed chandeliers that throw blue light on the dark space. The lounge, with its private bar and deep leather couches and club chairs, is a welcome escape, as the bands can get intense. The obligatory spattering of random flat-screen TVs are less annoying than at other establishments.

The two bars that serve the thirsty masses at Sky are well-manned and -stocked. Rotating drink specials and signature cocktails are announced on an oversized chalkboard. There are no real innovations in term of mixology, unfortunately; traditional mainstays are generally renamed and served up in fancy glasses. Examples: the Rich Mahagony (a mix of Three Olives Vanilla Vodka, Baileys and Kahlúa), the Desperate Housewife (a Grey Goose Cosmo) and the Shrinking Violet (Three Olives Raspberry and blue curaçao). Servers are helpful, though, and quick to sling cold beer during peak hours when space at the bar gets scarce. Prices are right where they should be ($3.50 to $4.50 for domestic bottles, Martinis starting at $7). Friday is a big night at Sky, you’d be well-advised to arrive early to dodge the $5 cover that starts at 8 p.m. and to grab one of the tables or high tops in the main room, especially since the lounge is often cordoned off for private parties.

Your guess is as good as mine as to why the joint is named Sky Lounge. It’s entirely inside. There’s no rooftop bar or panoramic view. In fact, the place doesn’t even have any windows. But aside from the name, Sky is firing on all cylinders. Good beer. Good crowd. Good music. All in a smart setting. Why I hadn’t keyed into this joint earlier is a mystery. But now that I have, I’ll definitely be making a return trip.

STL AFTER DARK
Where: Sky Music Lounge, 930 Kehrs Mill Road, Ballwin, 636.527.6909
When: Fri. and Sat. – 7 p.m. to 1 a.m.
Check It: West County’s premier live music bar.
Hipser or Hoosier: Chesterfield silver spoon crowd, cougars, preppies, baby boomers, ex-sorority girls
Suds or ’Tinis: Grab a line of lemon drop shots and chase ’em with a pint of local craft beer.