Blues turning up the volume for Opening Night

When the lights go down just after warm-ups on Opening Night, Enterprise Center will sound a little louder — and a lot more rock and roll.

This year’s pregame show, premiering before the St. Louis Blues take the ice against the Minnesota Wild for the season opener on Oct. 9, marks the third chapter in the team’s Rhythm & Blues open video series — and this time, it’s going electric.

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The Blues are cranking the amps, flipping the cassette, and dropping the loudest season-opening show in team history — a full-blown rock and roll revival that’s set to shake the building before the team hits the ice.

“What started with Marquise Knox and Meet Me in St. Louis has now evolved into something bigger, louder, and grittier,” said Trevor Nickerson, Vice President and Executive Producer of Blue Note Productions. “We wanted to bring fans something that feels true to St. Louis — a story that hits you in the chest the moment it starts.”

The new open show unfolds to a brand-new cover of Black Sabbath’s legendary “War Pigs,” created by 2WEI, a German production team known for their cinematic remixes. The Blues partnered with longtime local rock station KSHE 95 to celebrate St. Louis’ shared roots in music and rebellion — and to honor the late Ozzy Osbourne, whose iconic Blues jersey photo has become part of team lore.

“Someone mentioned Ozzy, and it just clicked,” Nickerson said, recalling how the concept for the new open came about. “KSHE 95 and the Blues share the same birthday. We came in at the same time. Ozzy’s been tied to our history. War Pigs just felt right — it had the bite, the beat, and the energy we wanted.”

Once the song was locked in, the Blues teamed up with Cincinnati-based 4th Floor Creative to bring it to life visually. The result: a massive 20-foot wall of real vintage speakers and a sweaty garage scene that could’ve been lifted straight out of a 1970s music video.

“We actually had a crew buying speakers off Facebook Marketplace,” Nickerson laughed. “They built the whole set piece by piece, and it looks unbelievable.”

The band featured on screen — St. Louis’ own Raised on Radio, a group of local high schoolers — brought the vibe to life, performing inside a hazy, sweltering garage on one of the hottest days of the summer.

“We closed the door to trap the haze and control the light,” Nickerson said. “It was about 95 degrees. Everyone was dripping sweat, but it worked. It looks raw, it looks real — it feels like rock and roll.”

When the garage door finally opens on Oct. 9, the energy won’t stop there. The pregame show will roll straight into a rock montage of classics before the team storms the ice to Mötley Crüe’s “Kickstart My Heart” — marking the Blues’ first rock-themed entrance in over 15 years.

“It’s nostalgic, but it’s modern,” Nickerson said. “We’re leaning back into our roots — not because we have to, but because it’s part of who we are. It’s what this city grew up on.”

Fans can also expect a totally new in-game experience this season, with a redesigned graphics package and even a refreshed goal celebration — all part of the team’s summer rebrand.

“This year’s show is 100% fresh,” Nickerson said. “Every detail — from the visuals to the sound to the storytelling — has been rebuilt from the ground up.”

For Nickerson and his team, this project isn’t just about pyrotechnics and loud riffs. “It all comes back to storytelling,” Nickerson added. “We’re not L.A. or Vegas — we don’t need to be. What we do best is tell a story that makes people feel like they’re part of something. When you watch that video, we want you to think, I’m from St. Louis. I feel this.”

So, when the lights drop and that first guitar riff cuts through the arena on Thursday night, remember to look up from your nachos — because Opening Night isn’t just the start of a new season.

It’s the return of rock and roll in St. Louis.

The Blues aren’t just back.

They’re plugged in.

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The new pregame show begins immediately after the completion of warm-ups on Opening Night. Fans are encouraged to be in their seats at 6:30 p.m. A limited number of tickets are still available at ticketmaster.com.