Dis is it!!
The logo for the Slippery Noodle Inn (Indy’s finest blues bar) says it all. When it comes to blues in Naptown, dis is it!
Located on the near south side of Indianapolis, the Slippery Noodle Inn is also the oldest continually operated bar in the original building (est. 1850 as a roadhouse named the Tremont House) in the state of Indiana. It is walking distance from Conseco Fieldhouse, the Convention Center and the RCA Dome, as well as many other downtown Indianapolis establishments. Known by many names over the years (it once housed a bordello up until 1953), it was a stop on the Underground Railroad during the Civil war and portions of the back were used during prohibition by public enemy number 1 John Dillinger for target practice.
On December 13 (a Friday) 1963, Harold and Lorean Yeagy purchased the property and the Slippery Noodle Inn was born. It has remained in the Yeagy family since. Upon the death of his father in 1985, Hal Yeagy began his stint and has turned the once one room lunch hall into the finest blues joint in Indy.
Seven nights a week, blues can be heard at the corner of South and Meridian streets. Wednesday nights are the open blues jam with other weeknights featuring regional and national traveling bands. Weekends usually feature two bands (one on the front stage and one in the back) and have some of the areas finest blues bands playing until 2 am. Sunday nights usually feature acoustic blues on the front stage. The Noodle also features a full menu until 11 pm each night.
Since my first trip there to see John Mayall in the early 90’s, the Noodle has become the favorite fix for my blues addiction. Many of the finest musicians in the Blues world have graced the stage at the Noodle, Jr. Wells, James Cotton, Gatemouth Brown, Albert Collins, Luther Allison, Indy’s own Yank Rachell, the list just goes on and on. The past few years have seen Walter Trout, Tommy Castro, Kenny Neal, Duke Robillard, Studebaker John, Tinsley Ellis, Watermelon Slim, Mike Morgan and the Crawl, whoever gets out on the road usually ends up blasting the back stage at the Noodle. But don’t think that traveling bands are the only ones to see here. Indy has some fine bands that play here regularly as well. Some of Indiana’s finest include Tad Robinson, Gene Deer, Gordon Bonham, Benito Debartoli and Black Vodoo, WT Feaster, Tony Cheesbourough, Governor Davis, we got a lot of Blues talent floating around the great state of Indiana and they all come thorough the Noodle regularly. And if you are in town when Chico Banks or Reverand Raven and the Chain Smoking Alter Boys are playing, you definitely have to check them out. Each put on great shows every time the come to Indy.
To commemorate the 30th anniversary of the Slippery Noodle in 1993, Hal and the gang recorded “Live at the Slippery Noodle Inn, Vol 1”, which was the birth of Slippery Noodle Sound recording label. Since that time, Vols 2 and 3 have been released as well as recordings from Gene Deer, Dave Morgan, Gordon Bonham, the Cooler Kings, Big Lou and the Accusations, Jimmy Ley, and Indiana’s legendary blues man Yank Rachel.
So if you find yourself in Indy and you got some time for the Blues, trip on in to the Noodle. If you get there early enough maybe Marty or one of the staff can take you on a guided tour through one of the most historic buildings in Indy with one of the most checkered pasts and now home of the finest in Blues in Indiana.
Like their log says, Dis Is It!!!
Visit the Noodle’s website at http://www.slipperynoodleinn.com/ for their schedule and while there check out Slippery Noodle Sound for CD’s from Indy’s premier blues joint.
-- By Randy Jones Noblesville, IN
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