Hi-Pointe Cafe Music Venue in St. Louis Closes

Landmark Neighborhood Bar and Nightclub Had Farewell Party on Sept. 3rd

The Hi-Pointe Café sits just behind a huge Amoco gas station sign off of Clayton Road in St. Louis. It was the best little dive in the city. Don’t take my word for it, the weekly Riverfront Times newspaper voted it number one, and they know about such things. The bar sits on a little dark corner right around from the Hi-Pointe Theatre, which is one of the few single-screen movie palaces left in the area. 

The theatre mostly plays first run art movies that most of the big multiplexes won’t play, but occasionally they get a first run flick. At last glance they were showing “The Illusionist.” After twenty years the Hi-Pointe Café closed on September 3rd. There’s no word yet about the theatre.

A few months ago I helped book a friend of mine, Russian folk singer Ellina Graypel, at the Hi-Pointe. The great thing about this little venue was that they featured a lot of different types of music and bands. Alternative bands like Queens of the Stone Age and Southern Culture on the Skids played there as well as Johnnie Johnson, Dash Rip Rock, and Brian Henneman. The Hi-Pointe Mondays underground hip-hop showcase featured talents like rappers David Banner, Juelz Santana, and the Clipse. 

It’s where Lamar “Finsta” Williams got his start. The events drew the attention of CNN, HBO, and Showtime. It was also a great place for bands that were just starting out. On a couple of nights during the week, all the band had to do was purchase enough tickets to help fill the small room upstairs and they had a gig.