Delmar Hall, St. Louis’ newest concert venue, swings its doors open to the public Friday night in the Delmar Loop.

The location, at 6133 Delmar Boulevard, right next door to the Pageant, is especially convenient. The two men behind the new venue, Pat Hagin and Joe Edwards, opened the Pageant 16 years ago, and it since has become one of the top concert clubs in the world. That puts Delmar Hall on the path of success — and brings some pressure.

With its capacity of 750 to 800, it’s as though the Pageant has spawned its first offspring. And who doesn’t want their child to succeed?

“Obviously, we don’t want to come out with something that’s going to underperform — not meet our expectations,” Hagin says. “We have a good idea of what our abilities are.

“And if October is any indication … I think we have 23 shows in October. We made an effort to frontload October with as many acts as possible — get as many people to see the place as possible.”

The venue opens with St. Louis rock band Stir, which has been making all kinds of noise since reuniting over the summer. Stir follows up with a show Dec. 2 at the Pageant.

The opening blast at Delmar Hall also includes Jay Farrar (Trio), another St. Louis favorite, on Saturday, followed by hip-hop act Hippie Sabotage on Sunday, NF on Tuesday, LANY on Wednesday and Matona on Thursday.

Other upcoming acts include Saint Motel, Moon Taxi, Alejandro Escovedo, Here Come the Mummies, Todd Snider, Helmet, Rhett Miller and Joe Purdy, Mike Gordon, the Schwag, Dr. Zhivegas, the Dandy Warhols, Pennywise, Bronze Radio Return, a sold-out show from Kaleo and a two-night stand from Jake’s Leg.

Pokey LaFarge has a two-night stand as well, including a New Year’s Eve show.

“We look at the lineup the same as we look at the Pageant, just smaller,” Hagin says. “The music is the same blend of whatever we can do with a good mix of St. Louis talent. We book bands who are too small in some cases to book the Pageant. If you’re drawing crowds of 300 to 500, that doesn’t work at the Pageant from a business standpoint. But here, it’s perfect.”

He sees Stir as being the perfect opening act. It shows the venue’s dedication to St. Louis acts right off the bat. Hagin also managed Stir in its early days.

The venue is expected to feature 12 to 15 concerts each month. Its creators envision it filling the gap between the Duck Room at Blueberry Hill (350 capacity) and the Pageant (2,000-plus capacity). Edwards owns Blueberry Hill; Hagin’s Pagan Productions books talent there.

In addition to being a “mini Pageant,” Delmar Hall is considered an offshoot of Mississippi Nights, the famed Laclede’s Landing club that closed in 2007. “It’s obviously upgraded — newer and shinier. That’s the vibe we’re going for,” says Hagin. He was manager and talent buyer for that venue, which he left to open the Pageant.

While the Pageant is a wide venue with two levels, Delmar Hall is narrow and long. It’s just one level but tiered like the bottom level of the Pageant. Concert configurations will range from all standing to row seating to cabaret style, depending on the show.

After entering through the foyer, concertgoers can hang out in a bar area up to two hours before a show. That front bar area is also where early entry takes place.

The main room includes a merchandise area, two VIP box areas, a tiered layout with table tops, and a dance floor just in front of the stage.

Getting Delmar Hall off the ground was easier than getting the Pageant up and running. Delmar Hall moved into and expanded on an existing building: Big Shark Bicycle Co., which closed in April and moved to Richmond Heights.

But the majority of the Delmar Hall construction is new.

“It was pretty much like building it from scratch,” Hagin says of the 10,000-square-foot space.

Booking acts for Delmar Hall has been a smooth process, thanks to the access to artists and artists’ reps already in place through the Pageant, not to mention the Duck Room.

“We were really able to roll out things locally and roll out things nationally with our business contacts,” Hagin says. “People are excited any time a new venue comes along, and it’s by people you trust and know.”

Staffing also was easy; Delmar Hall employs managers, bar crew and other employees from the Pageant. “Everyone crosses back and forth now,” Hagin says. “And we hire through the ranks; a lot of people had the chance to move up. We look at this as an expansion of the business for us.”

The idea for Delmar Hall had been on the back burner for years, and different locations were considered, including one in Maplewood.

“It was too good of an opportunity, opening next to the Pageant,” Hagin says.

What's coming to Delmar Hall

• Stir, Life Without Wayne, 8 p.m. Friday, sold out.

• Jay Farrar (Trio), Greg Silsby, 8 p.m. Saturday, $25-$27.50.

• Hippie Sabotage’s “Forces of Nature” tour with Alex Wiley, Mike Gao, 8 p.m. Sunday, $15-$18.

• NF’s “Therapy Sessions” tour with Fleurie, 8 p.m. Tuesday, $20-$23.

• LANY’s “The Kinda” tour, Transviolet, 8 p.m. Wednesday, $15-$18.

• Matona’s “Party at Your Place Fall Tour” with Cheat Codes, Steve Void, 8 p.m. Thursday, $20-$25.

• Pennywise playing “About Time” in its entirety, Strung Out, Unwritten Law, Runaway Kids, 7:30 p.m. Oct. 7, $25-$30.

• The Dandy Warhols’ “The Distortland” tour with Savoy Motel, 8 p.m. Oct. 8, $25-$28.

• Bronze Radio Return, 8 p.m. Oct. 9, $13-$15.

• Saint Motel’s “The saintmotelevision tour” with Jr Jr, Weathers, 8 p.m. Oct. 10, $24.50-$27.

• Kishi Bashi, Twain, 8 p.m. Oct. 11, $18-$20.

• Moon Taxi, 8 p.m. Oct. 12, $20-$25.

• Highly Suspect, Slothrust, the Hush List, 8 p.m. Oct. 13, $20-$22.50.

• Nothing But Thieves, July Talk, the Wrecks, 8 p.m. Oct. 14, $18-$20.

• Randy and Mr. Lahey, 8 p.m. Oct. 15, $20-$25.

• Kaleo, Bishop Briggs, the Wind + the Wave, 8 p.m. Oct. 18, sold out.

• Rhett Miller and Joe Purdy, 8 p.m. Oct. 19, $27.50-$30.

• Mvstermind, Dante Wolfe, Najii Person, J’Demul, 8 p.m. Oct. 21, $10-$12.

• The Schwag’s 25th Anniversary Show, 8 p.m. Oct. 22, $10.

• Dean Ween Group, Meat Puppets, 8 p.m. Oct. 25, $22-$25.

• Here Come the Mummies, Peelander-Z, 8 p.m. Oct. 27, $22.50-$25.

• Aaron Kamm and the One Drops, 8 p.m. Oct. 28, $10-$15.

• Hoodat B: Creedence Clearwater Revival Experience, 8 p.m. Oct. 29, $12-$15.

• An Evening With Thunderhead: The Rush Experience celebrating “All the World’s a Stage,” 8 p.m. Nov. 5, $12-$15.

• Wild Nothing, Small Black, 8 p.m. Nov. 7, $16-$18.

• Milestones Tour, 4 p.m. Nov. 12, $25-$30.

• Alejandro Escovedo, 8 p.m. Nov. 13, $25-$35.

• Todd Snider, Rorey Carroll, 8 p.m. Nov. 16, $30-$35.

• Rufus Du Sol, Cassian, Atlas Bound, 8 p.m. Nov. 17, $18-$20.

• Mike Gordon, 8:30 p.m. Nov. 18, $25-$27.50.

• Madman’s Diary: The Ultimate Ozzy Experience, AZ/DZ: AC/DC Tribute, 8 p.m. Nov. 19, $12-$15.

• Jake’s Leg’s 40th Anniversary Celebration, 8 p.m. Nov. 25-26, $15 single day and $25 both days.

• Helmet’s “Dead to the World” tour, Local H, 8 p.m. Dec. 17, $20-$22.50.

• Pokey LaFarge, 8 p.m. Dec. 30-31, $30-$35.

• LoCash, 8 p.m. April 22, $25-$28.

Where Delmar Hall, 6133 Delmar Boulevard • More info 314-726-4444; delmarhall.com

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