Before we really got into the atmosphere of Beale Street, we decided to go to a nightclub. I had read, besides being B.B. King’s place, that Rum Boogie Café had great live entertainment. Therefore, we walked down Beale Street until we found it. It had a hawker bellowing that there was a $5 cover charge to get in because a band was playing. We decided to pay the cover charge. I can’t remember the name of the band, but it played a variety of types of music, from blues to pop. As I recall, it had five members in it. The band was definitely foot tapping, but after I heard the woman street musician, I thought she was much better.
After listening to music for a while, we decided to order off their menu. We both ordered subs sandwiches. The cost was moderate, but I have eaten better subs at Subway for a better price. From what I discovered later, I should have ordered their gator gumbo. This cuisine is supposed to be delicious, and it is recommended by locals.
You can’t top this place’s decor. Although it is a casual setting where you don’t have to dress up to dine here, it still has its own ambience. The club has 150 celebrity-autographed guitars (such as Elvis’s, N’ Sync’s, Doobie Brothers’, and Moody Blues’) dangling from its ceilings. Along with this, it has the original STAX sign that decorated the STAX recording studio. In addition, it has the cape Isaac Hayes wore when he received his Academy Award for the "Theme from Shaft." Lastly, the club has the mirror from Charlie Rich’s Steinway piano.
The bar had an interesting layout. There were two levels to it. As soon as you walk in the front door and look to your left, you will see where the bar is, and behind it, where, I guess, the grill is. Then, on the same level, there is a stage area. And, in front, back, and on the side of this area, there were tables. The second level was closed off due to a wedding reception.
The nightclub that night had a variety of people present: motorcycle people, elderly
couples, gay couples, etc. Therefore, the clientele was diverse. Everyone was getting along, with no bar fights. And people were trying to dance in between the tables downstairs. The place was pretty smoky, but I have been in worse, and like most clubs, it was pretty dark.
I recommend this place for your live entertainment needs. This is because you will always find a band here (the house band is James Govan and the Boogie Blues Band), and it is part of the Beale Street culture. As far as their food goes, be more daring than us and order the gator gumbo.
You can also purchase Rum Boogie T-shirts here.