North Star Bar

North Star Bar

By Whitney Brooker

I don’t think it gets better than The North Star Bar. Its large golden wooden stars painted over green walls and a large illuminated sign baring its familiar and simplistic logo, surrounded by dusty vacant lots and next to a small run down factory, it sits on 27^th and Poplar Streets, the gateway separating all that people love and all that people fear about Philly. Between the Art Museum area and the beginnings of North Philadelphia, the North Star is a surprising retreat for the hip, unique, and cool who are in the know.

The mahogany bar, the tin tiled ceiling, even the wooden ceiling fans are all relics from the time of prohibition. The bathrooms are adorned with charming cameos baring the likenesses of male and female, designating which is for each gender.

Since being shut down in April of 1999, the North Star has been more than revitalized from the crummy dive bar in Fairmount. It is now the premiere location for acts from all over the globe, whether local garage and college bands, or national performers such as Brand New, Jaguar Love, Living Things, LFO, and Philly’s own Zolof the Rock and Roll Destroyer. Artists from across the pond have even stopped in to perform a set, such as Norway’s Ida Maria, France’s Plastiscines, and the United Kingdom’s Patrick Wolf and Band of Skulls.

Think locals are paying top dollar for these acts? Try between $5 and $20 per concert! The North Star (being a bar) offers a wide variety of draft and bottled beers, wines, spirits, and of course soft drinks.

The best time to attend the North Star is during its Happy Hour, which is from 5:30pm until 7:30pm. With the 25cent wings and 1/2 price on all pints of beer and well liquor, it is a great way to relax after a long day or hang out with buddies without having to shovel out a fortune. I would chose to go to a Happy Hour right before one of the shows (Trust me, the North Star’s shows are worth all 500 pennies and they don’t book bad acts.) The shows are very intimate with musicians and audience literally inches from one another, yet with the relaxed hip atmosphere, you will feel like you are just hanging out with an old friend who likes to perform.

So, if you need a cool place to unwind, relax after a hard week, or you just want to get up close and personal with some very talented artists, all without breaking bank, look no further than the North Star.

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