Molly Healey String Project keeps its December date at Rose Music Hall

Missouri's go-to violinist brings her looping electric band back to Columbia on Thursday, Dec. 10, with BadNames opening and tickets at $13.40.

Some December traditions involve lights and cookies. In Columbia, one involves a cello, a loop pedal and a rock band. Molly Healey String Project has played Rose Music Hall in each of the past two Decembers, and this year's date is on the calendar.

Molly Healey plays Rose Music Hall on Thursday, Dec. 10, at 7:30 p.m., with BadNames opening. Rose Music Hall's calendar puts it in the inside room with doors at 6:30 p.m., and tickets are $13.40 through Ticketmaster. The show was announced Oct. 16. At that price, in a 300-capacity room, it's one of the easiest December nights out in town.

If you haven't seen her, the Riverfront Times called Healey Missouri's go-to violinist, and the label fits. She's a violinist, cellist and singer-songwriter who grew up in Jefferson City, came to Springfield for Missouri State University and stayed. She has also played fiddle with the Ozark Mountain Daredevils, which tells you how deep her Missouri roots run.

The String Project is the loud version. On her own site, it's the full electric band, and the sound is rock-inspired orchestral looping: Healey builds layers of strings live, then the band crashes in on top. A St. Louis-area event listing bills the show as lush, high-energy orchestral rock with her full band. Watching one person stack a string section by herself, then hand it off to a rhythm section, is the whole appeal.

Watching one person stack a string section by herself, then hand it off to a rhythm section, is the whole appeal.

Columbia has seen her in bigger settings, too. Her bio lists Roots N Blues in Columbia among her festival stops, alongside Burning Man and work with the Missouri Contemporary Ballet. A Thursday at Rose Music Hall is the opposite of a festival field: a club where you can watch her feet on the pedals.

Rose Music Hall, at 1013 Park Ave., is a natural home for that kind of show, and the venue has made this a December habit, hosting the String Project in 2025 with Violet and the Undercurrents and the year before. Check the venue's parking page before you go.

Get there at doors, grab a drink and a spot near the stage. Then see what the looper does.

Sources: Molly Healey String Project – Rose Music Hall (rosemusichall.com); Molly Healey String Project + Violet and the Undercurrents – Rose Music Hall (rosemusichall.com); Calendar – Rose Music Hall (rosemusichall.com); Parking – Rose Music Hall (rosemusichall.com); Molly Healey String Project tickets – Ticketmaster (ticketmaster.com); Rose Music Hall – Ticketmaster venue page (ticketmaster.com); Molly Healey – Shows (official site) (mollyhealey.com); How Molly Healey became Missouri's go-to violinist – Riverfront Times (riverfronttimes.com); Molly Healy – Ozark Mountain Daredevils (theozarkmountaindaredevils.com); Molly Healey String Project – Kirkwood Des Peres Chamber event listing (business.kirkwooddesperes.com); JamBase listing (jambase.com); Summer Music on The Blufftop - Molly Healey (missouriwine.com)