Blues Home Opener video 'mirrors' St. Louis’ grit

When you look in a mirror, you see a reflection of what’s directly in front of you.

You see yourself, exactly as you are in that moment. 

But what happens when a reflection shows you more than what’s standing in front of it? 

The anticipated fourth installment of the St. Louis Blues’ Rhythm & Blues open video series, debuting before the Oct. 8 home opener against the San Jose Sharks, pushes the boundaries of what can be captured in a single shot. Using mirrors, movement and the city of St. Louis itself, the new opening tells the story of what it means to be a part of the Blues in a visually stunning way.

Anna Goff, senior director of Blue Note Entertainment and Events, said that while music is at the forefront of the Rhythm & Blues series, the creative team’s goal for this year was to draw inspiration from other avenues. 

In search of this inspiration, Goff stumbled upon a 2025 music video titled “Love,” created by the American rock band OK Go. The video, which was filmed in a European train station, is a one-shot endeavor that uses mirror reflections to form dynamic visual effects. Goff said this style of thinking beyond the visuals of a “typical reflection” was a crucial piece of this season’s vision. 

The video will be soundtracked by a remixed version of ‘Black Water’ by The Doobie Brothers. Released in 1974 as part of the band’s “What Were Once Vices Are Now Habits” album, the song draws its inspiration from the Mississippi River, a fitting theme for a video that aims to reflect the Gateway City and its landmarks.

“Back in the 1930s, the Mississippi River actually froze over," Goff said. "Water turning into ice felt symbolic for us. A natural tie between the two landmarks, the river and Enterprise Center."

“Old black water, keep on rollin, Mississippi moon, won’t you keep shinin’ on me?”

“As we look to St. Louis and kind of a broader view of it, the Mississippi River is always tied,” she added. “Obviously, people focus mostly on the arch, but that river right there in the park is also such a key landmark.” 

The song’s remix was created by 2WEI, a German composing team who has worked on the team’s cinematic opening tracks for the past few seasons. The Blues also re-partnered with the Cincinnati-based multimedia production company, 4th Floor Creative, who assisted in rendering the team’s concepts and bringing them to life. 

Mirrored panels, St. Louis arches and the ice itself combine to bring multiple players into the frame in ways that fans haven’t seen before.

“We’ve always kind of done the ‘you put one player on the set, you film that one player and then they leave,’ but this team is so much more than one player,” Goff said. 

Goff said that St. Louis is a “homegrown city” and hopes that fans know that this video was made for them. 

“I think anybody from St. Louis should feel immense pride in this video,” she said. “They should see the arches and they should know this video is for them. And if you’re not from St. Louis, you should see the darker tones and the grit of Mississippi and wish you were from St. Louis and wish you had that kind of grit to you.”

On Oct. 8, the city will see a new reflection of itself, one defined by the unity, grit and pride of the St. Louis Blues and those who stand behind them. 

Limited tickets remain for the Home Opener on Oct. 8 vs. the San Jose Sharks and are available for purchase at ticketmaster.com. Fans are encouraged to be in their seats by 6:30 p.m. for player introductions and the opening show.