After three and a half decades as a staple of the Atlanta music scene in Little 5 Points, Community Star Bar is closing at the end of the year. Taking its place will be Red Light Café, which has cultivated a loyal following over decades of live performances, offering an eclectic mix of Americana, jazz, roots rock, comedy, burlesque and other entertainment in an intimate listening-room setting.
Keep scrolling to learn all about the changes coming to Little 5 Points.
Community Star Bar’s place in the ATL
Founded in 1991 in a former Citizens & Southern Bank building, Star Bar has been a fixture of Atlanta’s underground music & cultural scene for 35 years.
(In fact, they’re celebrating their 35th anniversary on Halloween night this year!)
Known as a hub of the city’s ‘Redneck Underground’ rockabilly movement, the venue has hosted generations of musicians, comedians, and artists, including early performances by The Woggles, Mastodon and Drive-By Truckers.
Luke Lewis, co-owner of Star Bar, says,
Star Bar has always been about more than what’s happening on stage. It’s about the community, the people who walk through the doors, the friendships made over the years and the memories that come from a place where everyone can be themselves. We’re incredibly proud of what Star Bar has meant to Little Five Points and Atlanta’s music scene, and we’re excited to see it move into its next chapter. Ellen, Michael and the Red Light Café team know how to run an independent music venue because they’ve been doing it for years. They respect what makes Star Bar special, and we’re excited to see what they bring to the neighborhood.
As these two music institutions join forces, we can’t wait to see what the next 35 years (and beyond!) look like.
Red Light Café
With Red Light Café’s current home in Amsterdam Walk slated for redevelopment, the acquisition of Star Bar offers the Red Light Café team a new home while carrying forward the legacy of a fellow Atlanta staple.
According to local reports, Red Light Café plans to preserve the ‘raw, rebellious spirit that has defined Star Bar for decades’, including distinctive features such as the Little Vinyl Lounge, while expanding the venue’s live entertainment offerings for the future.
Ellen Chamberlain, co-owner of Red Light Café, said in a statement,
Star Bar is one of those places that makes Atlanta, Atlanta. It’s got history, character and a community you can’t recreate. We’ve always had tremendous respect for what the team has built, and we’re excited to carry that legacy forward. We want to protect what people love about Star Bar while bringing some of Red Light’s personality and programming into the mix. And, of course, we’re committed to doing our part to keep Little Five weird.
Red Light Café is home to two Atlanta performance giants: the city’s longest-running weekly jazz jam, Wednesday Jazz Jam with the Gordon Vernick Quartet, and the ATL’s longest-running monthly burlesque show, Tease Tuesday Burlesque.
And if you’re worried about losing ANY of the classics from either spot, Red Light Café is here to ease your mind:
Yes, the Elvis Shrine stays. Yes, the Little Vinyl Lounge stays. And yes, we’re bringing our Wednesday Jazz Jam, Tease Tuesday, Electro Lounge and all your other RLC favorites along for the ride.
You can learn more about Red Light Café on their website, here.