No. 8: Hi-Fi
Although it’s no art gallery, the Hi-Fi quickly became a First Friday mainstay when it opened in Fountain Square last summer. Maybe that’s because the music club’s audience mixes so well with the hip crowd that frequents the Murphy Building for iMOCA shows. Josh Baker (founder of the concert-promotion company MOKB Presents) runs the joint, and he’s uniquely qualified to do so. Having booked concerts at the Murat Theatre and elsewhere, Baker has the connections to land great indie bands such as the Lumineers for the intimate, 195-person room.
Unlike Radio Radio down the street, the Hi-Fi is open most nights. Live music headlines here, but the place does maintain non-concert hours. Whiskey dominates the liquor menu, with 80 varieties (mostly bourbon) from the bottle and the cinnamon-flavored Fireball on draft. A second handle offers a rotating selection of cocktails, including a decent Manhattan. If you’re looking for mixology, you’re in the wrong place. PBR served in a plastic cup is the most popular beverage. But between the happy sounds of the Cultural Trail at its entrance and the din of the Murphy Building’s halls out its back door, the Hi-Fi is the catchy bridge you can’t get out of your head. 1043 Virginia Ave., 317-493-1209
