Music lovers, take note: The Marquee on Main will be hosting its first concert this week.
The event will start at 7 p.m. on Friday at the venue, 516 Bailey Road, Crystal City.
Nicholas Smith, co-owner of the Marquee on Main, said the idea for a concert came during one of the event center’s karaoke nights.
He said he was approached by Matt Manning, a rap and hip-hop artist who performs under the name Cobra Immortal.
“He said, ‘Man, this place is really cool, and it would be really neat if I could hook up with you guys sometime and do a concert or something.’ Then we got talking. I’m always up for trying new things, and I’m open to any ideas. We have our comedy shows, and I’m always open for new walks of life to come in through the door. He came in and gave me his story, and we hit it off,” Smith said.
He said Manning shared some of his music with him, and they were able to come up with a plan for a concert. Smith said he told Manning that he knew a young rap and hip-hop artist who was trying to break into the business, Tyler Davis, who performs under the name Txler. Smith said the two would pair well together for a full evening of entertainment.
“They ended up meeting and becoming close as well, and so it worked out great,” Smith said.
Cobra Immortal
Manning, 49, lives in Crystal City. He said he plans to perform a mix of rap, hip hop and R&B music.
He said the mixture of genres is reflection of his home life as a child.
“The music was always on in my household when I was growing up. My mom and dad had different styles of music that they listened to, so as I became an artist, I took those same attributes into my craft,” Manning said.
“My father listened to Willie Nelson, Johnny Cash, Chuck Berry, James Brown and Elvis Presley, and then my mom was more into like Aretha Franklin, Donna Summer, Michael Jackson, Diana Ross, Dionne Warwick, the Temptations and Smokey Robinson. Being a fan of music, I also looked up to people like Prince, Tupac Shakur and Frank Sinatra. These are the people that influenced me to be the artist that I am today.”
Manning said his songs cover a wide range of topics, such as love, family, political issues, discrimination and war.
“I try to be different than your average artist, including all different topics and all different genres of music into one. I have a lot of music that touches on any and every level that you can think of.”
Manning said his music appeals to everyone, even those who typically don’t listen to rap or hip-hop.
“I have a way of getting people to step out of their comfort zone and to see what this kind of music is like. No matter who you are, you’re going to love this music because it’s rich, it’s authentic, and it’s original.”
Txler
Tyler Davis, 20, of Pevely, will be opening the show for Cobra Immortal under his stage name, Txler. Davis said he will also be performing a mixture of rap and hip-hop.
Davis said this will be his first time performing a concert and he’s excited to show off his talent.
“There’s a little bit of nerves, but I’m pretty confident that I’m going to do good. I’ve been practicing. I’ve been making music for a long time. I’m more than ready to go out there and deliver a good performance.”
Davis said he will be performing his own original music for about an hour before Cobra Immortal takes the stage.
Davis said he is a songwriter who enjoys writing lyrics and changing his themes based on the genre he is performing.
“When I’m doing more traditional rap, I’m trying to be more lyrical,” Davis said. “A lot of times I like to use wordplay and punchlines relating to stuff that I got inspired by growing up. I like to twist it in a little fun way. I like to brag when I’m rapping. When I make genres that are more melodic like hip-hop, I incorporate love and different themes of trying to persevere and work hard to achieve a goal.”
Davis said some of his biggest inspirations and influences in music are Eminem, Machine Gun Kelly, Juice Wrld and Lil Peep. He said he also believes his music will hold a wide appeal.
“I hope everyone’s going to have a good time, regardless of why they’re coming out, whether they know me or if they just seen a flyer. I’m just trying to deliver a good time for the people,” Davis said.
Doors for the show will open at 6 p.m. Admission is $10 at the door. Attendees must be 18 and older to enter. Smith said he will be offering drink specials to help keep the evening affordable and enjoyable for attendees.
“I want them to have a good time and a chill atmosphere to party and dance and have fun. That’s what we’re all about is having fun and having a safe place for people to relax, kick back and enjoy everything.”