New Orleans born and St. Louis resident Saint Oeaux (formally Saint Orleans) has been making great music here in the Lou for sometime. His Via Dolorosa project made our 2015 Top Hip Hop Albums in St. Louis list and he is continuing to build on that success. The Gumbo is an annual event Saint Oeaux has launched to bring a little of that N.O. feel to the Lou. The night was filled with great talent as a beautiful crowd gathered at The Bootleg on a beautiful unseasonably warm January night!

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Photos By Benny Rodriguez Courtesy Of PoliteAsFlannels.com

Opening the show last night was Black Spade and Tef Poe who treated the audience to a sampling of their upcoming album Preacher in the Trap. Up next to perform would be Khori 4 while having a set plagued with technical issues he flexed his lyricism at times acapella. His skill is impressive and I can’t wait to hear more. Stopping thru to show love would be Indiana Rome performing his hit ‘Master P’ and Arshad Goods of Black Sunday fame. The latter performance would kick off the live music feel that would carry the evening. Performing solid crowd pleasers off Black Sunday, Goods set up for the evenings  headliner  Saint Oueax who took to the stage with his Saint Brass Boogie Band.

Last night with each toot, slide, and bellow into the brass bands instruments and accompanying bass drum and snare transplanted the crowd to the Big Easy. Add into the mix  the the nights drummer, DJ T Gutta, and Saint’s Via Dolorosa and you got yourself one helluva show! I could watch it over and over again. Saint’s ‘Real or Fake’ which is clocking a lot of time on WHHL HOT 104.1 is absolute magic live. The nights performance of “Jesus Fix It” to the Fugees “Ready or Not” and the anthem “Hella Good” were full of energy. Even the Saint Oeaux ‘In Due Time’ classic experienced a rebirth with the nights live band.

It’s been awhile since I have been to The Bootleg but it was a great night for Hip Hop culture in Saint Louis. The die hard following that it has earned and all the artists have gained has to be acknowledged. I can’t say enough how proud I am of the talent in Saint Oeaux and the night’s performers as they breathe life into Hip Hop. Saint Oeaux’s The Gumbo is a great kick off to Mardi Gras and a wonderful way to start the new year!

Follow SaintOeaux on Instagram: @saintoeaux

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Photos By Benny Rodriguez Courtesy Of PoliteAsFlannels.com

DeWarren Smith