DFR's 5th Birthday Celebration!!

As you know by now, we like to celebrate our birthday each year with a huge party.  Last year we brought in actor Derek Miller to host the event, played a badass show with "Those Guys" at Blueberry Hill, gave away a bunch of movie/music schwag and released our very first CD.  This year is different.  Very different.

The party will be held on Friday, April 18th at Alpha Brewing Company in downtown St. Louis. "Why a brewery?" you ask... well because we will be revealing a limited edition Rye IPA specifically made for/after us appropriately called "Ryot".  That's right... a Dance Floor Riot beer!    The beer will be on tap for one night only at the brewery, and a limited supply of bottled product will be available that night as well.  The beer is brewed and bottled by the brew masters of Alpha, AND the fellas of Dance Floor Riot!

It gets even cooler... beginning Saturday, April 19th you will be able to get your own "Ryot" bottles in select stores such as Randall's Wines & Spirits, Friar Tuck's, The Wine & Cheese Place, Local Harvest, Lukas Liquors, Bombay Liquors, 21st Amendment Beer Bar and Craft Beer Cellar!  This will be a limited run to coincide with the season so be sure to buy yours before they're sold out!

Getting even more cool... the first 100 people through the door that night to purchase a "Ryot" IPA on draught will get a limited edition "DFR/Alpha Brewing Co" pint glass to drink it from and take home!  The first beer will be $7, and refills will be at regular brewery prices. ($5 - $7 on average).

Still getting cooler... our friends at Steve's Hot Dogs on The Hill will be on-hand that night slinging hot dogs to crave your appetite.  They will have 2-3 dog varieties, including the "Riot Starter" which was also created by the members of DFR!

Yes, it still gets even cooler... there will NOT be a performance by Dance Floor Riot at this party.  Nope, been done.  At this party we will have the debut performance by Dance Floor Quiet! Obviously you're wondering what the heck that is... well it's the acoustic version of Dance Floor Riot.  We'll be stripped down (not like that you perv) and playing a short set to get you all acquainted.  We're keeping the performing to a minimum, as this night will be more about all of US partying with all of YOU.  All 6 members of DFR, plus our 2 subs Josh & Mitch will be in attendence!

One more cool thing won't hurt... right?!  Monster Energy has jumped on board to help us sponsor this event, and we have 100 FREE Monster Goodie Bags to give away!!

Tow more cool things that is... we will have AT LEAST one guest artist singing besides us!!  Their identity will remain a secret though... show up to find out who!

Alpha Brewing Company is located at 1409 Washington Ave in the rear behind Hiro Asian Kitchen.  The party begins at 7pm and goes until midnight.  REMEMBER, the first 100 people can take home the limited edition DFR/Alpha Brewing Co pint glass.

The DFR Mardi Gras Challenge!!

For the past 3 years we have been playing a show in downtown St. Louis for the Mardi Gras festivities, played a show the night before, and then played another show that same night at a different venue.  And every year, a handful of you PROMISE us that you will make a weekend out of it and just hang with us and go to all 3 shows. Yet only 1 of you has actually done this... ever. And even that brave soul didn't last the entire time.

This has inspired the "DFR Mardi Gras Challenge".  We want to see how many of you can "party like a rock star" and actually make the commitment to hang with us at all 3 shows this year.

Here are the 3 requirements for the challenge, should you choose to accept it;

Step 1. Come pre-party with us on Friday, Feb 28th at Sky Music Lounge in Ballwin.  This show is 9-1, and we're playing with friends of ours, "Black Tie Affair".  The lead singer of "Black Tie Affair" is actually going to be on the upcoming season of "The Voice"... so come party with him (and us of course) before he's out of our league! To successfully complete Step 1, you must remain at the show from 9-1.

Step 2. Come find us at Mardi Gras. (March 1st)  We'll be at the float staging area prior to the actual parade, and then we'll be in the parade as well.  Obviously it will be much easier to do so before the parade at the staging area, but if you can get our attention during the parade, that works too.  We'll be on the Monster Energy float. Or if you can manage to find one of us wandering around after the parade too, that works.  OR you can photograph us as we drive past you in the parade and tag us on Facebook or Twitter.  You get the point... Just find us.

Step 3. Come to our Mardi Gras After Party at River City Casino.  This show is in Judy's Velvet Lounge and is from 8-midnight on March 1st.  You must get there at 8 and make it until midnight to complete the challenge.

We're not quite sure what the prize(s) will be, if any... maybe a personalized T-Shirt?!  But when any of you pansies think "There's no way anyone can do that!!" just remember... there are 6 of us who WILL be doing that. Not to mention we'll be playing our best for 3-4 hours at all 3 of these shows.  You simply get to come and just party!

So... you up for the challenge?

Big News in 2014. Part 1.

So as you know we've been hyping our huge announcements for 2014 for some time now, and we will now reveal to you one of those announcements.

We have 2 new members.  Not full-time band members though, "substitutes" per say.

First up is Mitch.  We used Mitch last year when Seth was not able to make a couple shows.  This year Seth's original band "Media Ghost" will be playing out more, which means you might see a bit more of Mitch!

Mitch is not new to the music scene whatsoever... having played in several bands such as Smack Daddy, Way Back Weekend, Lithium and currently plays in the Swamp-Metal band Slampig. 



Next up is Josh Ramsey.  As most of you know, Joe is expecting his first child to arrive mid-April and will want (need) some time off... which is where Josh comes in!!  DFR will be Josh's first band experience and is STOKED to make his debut.

The picture above is from one of Josh's first two appearances with the band.  He has sat in on a couple songs at Cafe Eau and at Helen Fitzgerald's, and you'll be seeing a lot more of him soon!


We have a lot more announcements coming in the next 2-3 months.  Both of these gentlemen will be stocking up on black button-ups and ties in the meantime, but keep checking back here in the weeks to come!! This, albeit a big announcement, is actually the smallest of our upcoming news!!

DFR in 2014.

Well, as we close in on the end of 2013, we'd like to thank all of you for continuing to support us and help us become one of St. Louis' best cover bands!!  Without you all, we wouldn't be successful.

Looking back, we had a great year; releasing our first CD, getting to know actor/comedian Derek Miller, playing for the 2nd consecutive year on the Monster Energy float in the Mardi Gras parade, passing the torch for "Best Band Name" in the Riverfront Times over to Kentucky Knife Fight, several weddings (including our pianist Joe's), Mike and his wife having their first child, shooting our first music video, awarding our very first Dance Floor Riot Performing Arts Scholarships and who can forget, introducing the world to "Bacon Pancakes"?! 

We're really looking forward to 2014.  We'll be saying "goodbye" to some of our regular venues, and saying "hello" to some new ones, releasing our first music video, playing in the Mardi Gras parade again and various other new ventures for the band.  There's been a lot of rumors through the grapevine of what DFR has in store for 2014.  Some of the below listed rumors are from the band, and some are completely made up... regardless, here are a few of them.  You can decide.

Possibly releasing a 2nd CD.
A new member addition to the band.
Spicing up the on-stage appearance of our show.
Playing a show completely nude.
Introducing a DFR beer.
Touring around the US.
A new tie color for the band "uniform".

Regardless which of these you believe, we certainly want YOU to be a part of our journey through 2K14.  We'll be ringing in the new year at Mile 277 in South County, and it will positively be THE place to celebrate the closing of 2013. 

Follow us on Twitter and Instagram (@DanceFloorRiot), to get all the latest info before it hits our web site or facebook, and to see some behind the scenes gems you won't see anywhere else!

DFR + Lemp Brewery = History Making History

This blog entry was written by St. Louis local writer James Atchison a couple years back when we relocated our rehearsal space to the Lemp Brewery.  Quite the interesting story and background!

DFR has relocated to the Lemp Brewery!

                A famous location found in the heart of St. Louis. The brewery and adjoining mansion has a long and intricate history dating back to the mid 1800’s. Sprawling across five city blocks including caverns and tunnels below the Brewery is an absolutely massive complex including some areas that haven’t been seen in over a hundred years. The tunnels which still connect the mansion to the brewery proper were once used as the preferred travel method of the Lemp family who owned and operated the brewery throughout its operational life. After two generations of successful operation, the Lemp Brewery began its spiral down into the record books as the most haunted locale in STL.

                The fortunes of the Lemp family and that of at the time 3^rd largest brewery in St. Louis saw a change to one of strife and misery after the apparent suicide of owner William J. Lemp Sr. in February of 1904.  The following years would see the decline of the brewery and the Lemp family line. Through the advent of the Temperance Movement (Prohibition) and the efforts of Brewing Associations, individual companies like the Lemp Brewery saw their dominance of local and nationwide business threatened, that tied with the string of apparent suicides in the Lemp family from 1904-1949 effectively closed the noose on the Lemp family line. Each death was shrouded in mystery and misdirection. Elsa Lemp’s supposed suicide occurred just days after her marriage to William Lemp Jr. who after selling the Lemp Brewery Complex two years later proceeded to his office in the Mansion where he too committed suicide. Tragedy after tragedy followed the Lemp family from the suicide of a bride still celebrating her honeymoon to the death of William Lemp’s young child in the mid 1940’s. The final nail in the Lemp family coffin was hammered home with the death of Edwin Lemp at age 90. It is believed that Edwin only survived so long because he sold off and removed all ties between himself and the Brewery after the suicide of his brother Charles Lemp in 1949.

                Now the Brewery has a new lease on life with business slowly returning after the St. Louis board of Alderman contracted LB Redevelopment to rehabilitate the brewery. LB Redevelopment have plans for the larger buildings to be turned into restaurants and entertainment destinations, as well as a planned 3500 seat event center, the plans include the design and beautification of several courtyard areas and the designing of an 80 room hotel. DFR is right here in the middle of all the action at Brewhouse Studios where sometimes the laments of the lost and tortured souls of the ill-fated Lemp family can be heard in Unison with the music played throughout their haunted halls.

2013 Dance Floor Riot Performing Arts Scholarships!!

CONGRATULATIONS to Joelle Harms and Courtney VanDamme for being selected to receive the first 2 Dance Floor Riot Performing Arts Scholarships!! We worked closely with Fox High School for the decision to choose these 2 students to receive the innaugural scholarships, Joelle specializing in band and Courtney in vocal performance.  We wanted to give back to students who are going to college to pursue their craft in hopes they would continue to chase their dreams!  We would like to thank the individuals and organizations who have contributed to making this a success; Mitch McAllister, Steve Ewing and Steve's Hot Dogs on the Hill.

Congrats again Joelle and Courtney, and we wish you much success in the future!!

2013 RFT Music Awards!!

We were fortunate enough to be nominated under the Cover Band category for an RFT Music Award!!  We have some incredible competition in thios category, but with your help we can win this thing!!  PLEASE visit this link http://polls.riverfronttimes.com/polls/stl/musicawards2013/ and vote for us under the cover band category!  As for the other categories, you can vote for whoever you'd like, or not... your call.  Thanks for your help, and see you soon!!