Honky-tonk music rocks 100 Men Hall in Bay St. Louis

BAY ST. LOUIS, MS (WLOX) - The 100 Men Hall is known on the Coast for its historic significance in Mississippi music. On Sunday, many gathered at the hall for a Honky Tonkin afternoon.

Owner Rachel Dangermond said it’s just one of many ways in which she hopes to set a different kind of beat, not just for the feet, but also, for the heart.

Jeffrey Buck of Saucier was feeling it. “Every time they have great music like this, I’m here,” he said.

You won’t find him enjoying this sitting down.

“I’m like Baloo the Bear,” he said with a laugh. “If there’s a beat, I’m going to be moving.”

He likes 100 Men Hall because it offers something beyond the standard fare.

“This is Mississippi roots music,” Buck said. “Lots of Mississippi roots music here, blues, rockabilly. It ain’t Southern rock, which you can get around the corner anywhere and everywhere.”

That’s exactly what Dangermond wanted for this beloved hall, which has already hosted R&B and jazz concerts as well as writing projects.

“This is it. This is what we've been waiting for,” she said. “You know, it took a minute for me to understand what was going on, to understand the community, to understand the kind of music I wanted to play here.”

In a word, she wants to be different.

“It’s not going to be something you can see other places,” Dangermond said. “We’re going to try to keep a really good roll of something you can’t see every day here.”

This event featured Gal Holiday & The Honky-Tonk Revue, sponsored by the Silver Slipper Casino.

While the 100 Men Hall event was called a Honky Tonkin’ Afternoon, it had much more to offer,... — While the 100 Men Hall event was called a Honky Tonkin’ Afternoon, it had much more to offer, including the so-called Mad Potter of Bay St. Louis, Steve Barney.(WLOX)

Dangermond also wanted more than music. She wanted it to be an all-out event.

Steve Barney put on a show with his special style of artistry.

If that’s not enough, people could simply enjoy art work in progress with the Hall’s new outside mural.

Of course, special eats by the Smoking Oyster of New Orleans provided fuel for the fun.

Ann Madden said Dangermond understands Bay St. Louis.

“From the moment Rachel bought the hall, she has made it abundantly clear that she is very interested in being a part of this community,” she said, “and being a unifier for the community and promoting the community instead of trying to redefine the community.”

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