How Topless Volleyball’s Failure Was the Music Scene’s Win
Hands down the best blog title I will ever write.
So listen, I was sitting with a dude named Brad Davies who is a booster for the Blues Saloon on Rice. Brad knows a lot about the history of blues and live music in general in the Twin Cities. He remembers the era of the Blues Saloon on Western with national name talent rolling through damn near every weekend. I bet Brad has a couple dog-eared copies of the Twin Cities Blues News. I bet Brad would shit a brick to know that I auditioned but didn’t get the gig to play with Renee Austin back when I was a young buck in high school.
But anywho, on set break at Blues Saloon Brad is spinning yarns about blues of yesteryear and he drops a couple unverified facts on me that blow my entire brain all the way off. First off, he points out that some portion of the Blues Saloon (aka Club Cancun) is just two train cars put together. This is actually kind of common, but I had never noticed it before at this particular venue. From there the conversation got wildly juicy.
SEAN: Alright Brad, traincars turned into bars, you’ve got my attention. What’s next?
BRAD: Well Sean - this place, and many other bars expanded in the early 1980s in order to make room for an indoor volleyball court.
SEAN: WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT BRAD?
BRAD: Back in the day St. Paul used to be chock full of strip clubs, do you remember any of that?
SEAN: Yeah, the Payne Reliever, the Lamplighter, I remember these names from high school.
BRAD: In the late 70s it was even more and somehow a bunch of bar owners convinced the city to give the blessing to greenlight topless volleyball as a way to drum up more business for the bars.
SEAN: Shut your mouth Brad this is absolutely insane, are you messing with me?
BRAD: Hand to God, topless volleyball.
SEAN:
BRAD: So anyway, the city changes their mind very close to the launch date. Like these bars had poured concrete, built walls, built viewing areas. (Brad motions up towards what I now realize is a volleyball sized dance floor and shows the viewing areas on the higher floors). They flail for awhile, they get the green light for wet t-shirt volleyball but it’s not drawing crowds. At least not the way they thought topless volleyball was gonna.
SEAN: Did they try foxy boxing?
BRAD:
BRAD: Foxy what?
SEAN: Nothing. Go on.
BRAD: So anyway, a couple spots, The Blues Saloon and Saint Paul Music Cafe most notably, make a pivot, they decide on bringing in music, they got to do something with the space.
SEAN: Are you messing with me?
BRAD: Hand to God, had to do something with the space.
SEAN: So you’re telling me that two primary music venues in St. Paul exist because of the downfall of topless volleyball.
BRAD: That is what I’m saying.
This is unbelievable. I can’t tell you this is 100% true, if you know anything about this, please email, I am so unbelievably curious to find out about this topless chapter in my city’s history.