First the expensive condos infiltrated. Then it was The North Face store. Then Victoria’s Secret. So on, so forth. The cultural sea change of Uptown has been underway for years and this past weekend another nail was driven into its increasingly corporate landscape: the closing and impending demolition of the Uptown Bar & Cafe. The Uptown Bar, a S. Mpls. staple since the 1930s , was a Hennepin Ave. constant. Perhaps most famous for being a prime hangout/gig locale for ’80s punk acts like The Replacements, Husker Dü and Soul Asylum, it served as an easy gig for local start-ups and a late-night grease/early morning hangover remedy in recent years. âÄúI think it’s too bad to see bars with that kind of history close,âÄù Nate Nelson, guitarist for local psych-surf rockers Private Dancer, said. âÄúI work at the Turf Club, so it makes you wonder who’s next.âÄù The staff wasn’t always pleasant and the sound levels were always a bit off, but The Uptown Bar served as a nostalgic stronghold for a neighborhood that continues its identity loss to the likes of trendy clubs and chain stores. Hell, the mother of Tommy and Bobby Stinson tended bar there till final hours âÄî a certain thrill for the masses of lingering ‘Mats fans. There are rumors (and plans, according to the bar’s website) suggesting that the storied venue will be re-opening elsewhere, but the only certainty is that local, independent music is being squeezed out of Uptown. âÄúIt leaves a huge hole in the indie rock scene,âÄù said Joe Gamble, guitarist for local indie rockers Pictures of Then. âÄúThe Uptown Bar went out of its way to find talent and bring it to that area.âÄù As it stands, the relatively new Sauce Spirits & Soundbar at Lake and Lyndale is the sole stage in Uptown suited for the local music scene. âÄúI share the same sentiments as everyone in the city with the sadness of its closing,âÄù Mike Riehle, owner of Sauce said. âÄúIt’s kinda with mixed feelings. But hope is that a lot of those people feel this is their new home.âÄù Venues like E. Mpls.âÄô The Hexagon and downtown’s Seventh St. Entry will continue to satisfy the ranks of smaller local acts, but it’s still tough to watch gentrification nab an Uptown mainstay. âÄúHopefully someone can pick up the torch and keep carrying it,âÄù Gamble continued. âÄú[The Uptown Bar] was pretty much the place to be on that side of Hennepin.âÄù