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After one more season of outdoor concerts in the parking lot behind Fountain Square’s Murphy Arts Building, Hi-Fi Annex will become a year-round venue inside the Murphy.
Concert company MOKB Presents announced plans Monday to open a 1,200-capacity venue in early 2026 in a space formerly occupied by Well Done Marketing near the intersection of Woodlawn and Virginia avenues.
Hi-Fi Annex debuted in June 2020 as a temporary place for MOKB Presents to stage shows while the pandemic limited the company’s options at its indoor Murphy Arts Building spots: Hi-Fi and Lo-Fi Lounge. The 2025 season at Hi-Fi Annex is scheduled to begin in April.
Lo-Fi Lounge, a second-floor venue initially known as Do317 Lounge, opened in 2012. Hi-Fi opened in a Virginia Avenue storefront in 2014.
“When we opened our first venue, we didn’t have a detailed plan, but we did have a vision,” said Josh Baker, CEO of Hi-Fi and MOKB Presents, in a written statement. “It’s been a humbling journey filled with unexpected challenges, adaptation and getting really lucky. With each expansion and renovation, we’ve moved closer to realizing our dream of creating a multifaceted entertainment and arts facility.”
Murphy Arts Building, 1043 Virginia Ave., is home to Hi-Fi, Lo-Fi Lounge, the offices of MOKB Presents and Easy Rider Diner—a restaurant Baker opened in 2022. MOKB is an acronym for My Old Kentucky Blog.
The 100-capacity Lo-Fi Lounge is the smallest room in the MOKB Presents portfolio. Hi-Fi doubled its capacity from 200 to 400 in 2017.
Hi-Fi Annex, which has hosted performances by acts such as Band of Horses, Guided by Voices and Wynonna Judd, can accommodate 900 attendees. The indoor version of Hi-Fi Annex is planned to expand that capacity by 300. The new venue will continue the Hi-Fi Annex policy of being open to all ages.
“With venues ranging from 100 to 1,200 capacity, we’re uniquely positioned to support artists, managers and agents year-round at every stage of an artist’s career,” said Dan Kemer, vice president of events at MOKB Presents, in a written statement.
Baker said the new venue, set to open west of La Margarita restaurant, might have a name other than Hi-Fi Annex.
No second-floor businesses or art studios will be displaced by the new venue, he said.
“We’ve thought about this a lot,” Baker told the IBJ. “It’s a case of, ‘How can we fit into this corner over here and be self-contained yet still contribute to the building and play along with our other spaces?’ It worked out really well.”
In a written statement, Murphy Art Center manager Craig Von Deylen said, “The synergy between arts, music and culture in Fountain Square is unmatched in Indianapolis. This project is a significant step toward strengthening that foundation as the area grows as the city’s premier arts district.”
Well Done Marketing moved from Murphy Arts Building to 330 N. College Ave. in the Lockerbie Square Historic District earlier this year.
Decades before Well Done set up shop at the Murphy in 2007, the space was home to the Granada Theatre. The Granada movie house opened in 1928 and had a capacity of 1,400. The final films were screened at the Granada in 1951.
MOKB Presents is planning a speakeasy-style room below the new venue for intimate gatherings and pre- and post-show events.
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Very excited about this….but really enjoyed the small outside venue. Was unique, nestled in the back of a neighborhood and smaller format. we need more outside concert spaces.
+1
Fantastic news! I’ve felt for some time that Indy needs another quality mid-sized venue. Looking forward to seeing shows there when it opens.
Bryan, I like the move for the business reasons and selfishly because it is close to me.
I highly doubt Indy needed another mid sized venue. I feel like there was already some cannibalization of the Vogue, and this will only increase it. How many acts are out there that can fill a thousand seat venue?
More interesting is, I wonder if this represents a shift from Broad Ripple to Fountain Square? BR’s issues are well known and documented, and FS is the cool new trendy spot, 5 minutes from downtown
The Vogue is 21+ while the Annex and this new MOKB Presents venue will be all ages so there’s a draw there for both artists and audiences.
I don’t see a shift from Broad Ripple at all. I see investment in both neighborhoods. Turntable recently opened next door to the Vogue and another venue is in the construction stage on the avenue.
Fountain Square shall for some time have the giant disadvantage of a massive interstate plowing through the area.
It will be nice to have the non-compliant outdoor aspects taken indoors.
You really think for five years they got away with putting on scheduled concerts without city permission?
-1
Joe, no, I don’t think, I know. They received designated special event licensing specifically because it wasn’t permitted then, nor now. After the lockdown, complaints related to it were buried and closed out. Fortunately for you, all of this is public record, and I know for a fact you can’t point out a record that says otherwise.
Mark, you are a mark. Are you aware this isn’t Reddit?
If they got special event licensing, then … it was permitted. Might not have been popular with the neighbors, and it sounds like the organizers knew they needed to move it inside from comments on WISH and elsewhere, but I’m a bit perplexed I can’t find anything. Share away.
I also don’t see how a 1200 seat venue will alleviate parking concerns…
If you move a venue indoors that is currently occupying a parking lot, then the parking lot becomes available for parking.
Murray I have zero idea what you are trying to say. This wasn’t some rogue operation. This is a commercial area. If a few concerts each week during summer months, with a hard stop at 10p is ruining the hipsters day, they can go rent an apartment at Latitudes.
SE, have you actually been to this venue? iF it becomes public parking, which I highly doubt, how many cars will fit there? 15?
Yeah, it may open up 15 spots, 20 spots max. Also Murray, I’ve actually never been on Reddit. You’re also not calling out GW or anyone else. The +/- is used regularly on this site as well. It’s an easy way (to agree or disagree) with someone’s comments. Nothing less, nothing more. Move along
about 40 spaces based upon the old aerial photo, and yes.
I do LOVE the intimate outdoor venue! Please keep bringing back American Aquarium, my favorite band!!