R.I.P. The Hi-Pointe

According to about five myspace bulletins in the last four minutes, the wonderful Hi-Pointe is closing its doors next weekend.

In their words:

Hi folks,

We're sorry to report that the Hi-Pointe Cafe will be closing its doors forever after Labor Day weekend due to the recent sale of the building. Unless something changes, the last night we will be open will be Sunday September 3rd.

From Lisa Andris:
'When I fell into the crazy world of the Hi-Pointe (just four months after its inception and transformation from an "old school" old man bookie joint, to a late '80s post-new wave hangout) my beloved son Brian had just gotten his first tooth. It is a bittersweet irony that I bid the Hi-Pointe adieu the same week that I dropped that amazing young man off at college. Both journeys (raising my boy and being fortunate enough to have been the matron of madness at the Hi-Pointe for just shy of two decades) have transformed and enriched my life more than I could ever express. Where in the world does one begin where saying goodbye to the Hi-Pointe is concerned?! To all of the thousands of bands that have graced our stage both local and national we thank you and feel honored to have been a part of your sojourn through the sometimes frustrating but always impassioned rock and roll experience. From the fried chicken-flinging Southern Culture on the Skids (my personal fave) to the moving, angst-ridden beauty of Queens of the Stone Age, to the oftentimes once-reheased "barely out of the garage" eighth grade four piece band, we thank and salute you. To the Monday Night Hip Hop crew who livened up the night of the week most likely to be mundane and humdrum (tell a friend to tell a friend), we thank you. Bonnie and Phil will surely miss serving up those 22 oz. Coronas! To the thousands of colorful characters that have drifted through the front door, whether just once to see a friend's band or those of you that were family, that came in night after night, you will be missed more than you will ever be able to imagine. Much love and thanks to the happy hour coots who held down the fort and kept it real night after night and put me in my place when I DARED to replace a clock, change a wall color or do anything that could've changed that funky, divey vibe everyone grew to love. To those of you who fell in love at the bar, met your lifelong soul mate at the bar, got engaged at the bar, had your wedding party at the bar, thank you and keep us in your hearts always. To Beatle Bob, love him or hate him, thanks for the memories and for the hundreds of shows you attended. For those of you that tracked through snow, rain, or power outages just to share a laugh and a brew with us, thank you. To a few regulars and one former employee who left this world way too early were glad you shared your time in the universe with us. To Brian Henneman for 7 or 8 (we've all lost track) consecutive Christmas nights that will hold a special place in my heart forever, thank you. To all of the music agents and independent promoters who took a leap of faith in our less-than-perfect venue, thank you. For all of the soundmen who have surely lost hearing and or mental stability trying to mix that abominable concrete echo chamber, we thank you. To the ghosts and spirits that have scared and delighted us with their hauntings and antics we will miss you too (no, I'm not kidding!). And now here comes the hard part, the employees. I will never ever be able to express how much you've all enriched my life. From 1987 to the present, I have met some of the most amazing and interesting people imaginable. The amount of talent, humor, intellect, spirit, courage, charm and individuality of the couple of hundred people I've been lucky enough to employ over the years is something I will never be able to fully describe or duplicate in this lifetime. Thank you for your talents, passion and commitment to the time you spent at the Hi-Pointe. I am honored to have been in your company. Where my present staff is concerned, I love you and always will and for what it's worth you'll always be my family (a bit dysfunctional perhaps, but what the hell!). So it is with great sadness and gratitude that I wish you all a very heartfelt goodbye, it's been the most amazing ride ever and one that I don't expect to duplicate in this lifetime. Oh and by the way, "WE STILL DON'T CARE WHAT YOU WANT TO HEAR!"

Love and Kisses forever,
Lisa Andris'

Now, the real question is - where's the Man Man show going to take place?

This is just ridiculous -- in the past year and a half three of the coolest places for live music in St. Louis have shut down - the Hi-Pointe, Frederick's Music Lounge, and the Rocket Bar. Throw in the Creep Crawl moving from it's classic Tucker locale and into a sterilized, bad sounding room and the fact that the majority of "cool" bars that have opened recently and appeal to the rock'n'roll crowd - The Royale and the new Atomic Cowboy - do not feature live music, we have a problem. I guess Off Broadway and The Way Out Club are really going to have to pick up the slack.

Or I could open my dream bar. If you fund it, I'll run it. Deal?