We visited Pop's for the first time for a Road to Pointfest concert. We were able to buy tickets online ahead of time, although the fees for 2 tickets were about the same amount as a 3rd ticket (I guess that's the way that works these days). I was able to add the tickets to my Apple wallet. When we arrived there was lots of free parking in the lot out front. They opened the doors exactly when they said they would on the event. It took some time to make it inside. They ID absolutely EVERYONE so don't forget your ID. Security check involved walking through a metal detector, a purse check and then getting patted down. Men are not allowed to bring in bags. After that they checked tickets. Inside was a typical dive concert venue with two sides and elevated stages. We had hard seltzers to drink. There was a variety of flavors. I thought the drink prices were a bit high for a dive bar but much lower than prices if you bought a drink at a larger event space or professional sports game. They accepted credit cards. Smoking isn't allowed inside (yay!) but there is an enclosed smoking outdoor area. I would return here if there was a specific show that I wanted to see. You do have a good view of the stage and are able to interact with the performers and crowd. read more

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I wish the way to this place negative stars I was just in there and I lost my phone after asking the the bartenders and literally every worker there to look being as respectful and nice as didn't do shit it was literally right in front of them on the fucking cash register as soon as you walk in with all the security they didn't lift a damn finger to help me don't come here otherwise all you're going to do is get robbed blind and if you do you better damn sure keep track of all your shit otherwise, that shit's gonna be gone. read more

I had a disappointing 1st time experience at Pop's. During my visit, I accidentally knocked over my drink while adjusting my shirt button up shirt. After that, the bartender got hostile & assumed I was intoxicated and decided I needed to leave. I tried to calmly ask what rule I had broken and attempted to have a respectful conversation about the situation. He kept screaming "WALK" in my face like he wanted me to emotionally react or something. Deeply confused, I asked what did I do & was told "I run this place" instead of being given a clear explanation. I hope management encourages staff to communicate more professionally and clearly with customers in situations like this. read more

I have a hard time getting comfortable around crowds but everyone was super friendly!!

Pops is the venue you hope your favorite artist does not perform at. First off , the building always looks as if it is being fumigated for bugs. A roadside bar that is located on a rural road in a Southern Illinois town that contains mostly factories, lottery spots, bars, liquor stores and strips clubs. Secondly, Sauget police are known for being on that stretch of road acting as a revenue generator for the town. The latter is another reason people hate going to pop's for concerts. It's rather strange that the town has 15 police officers but only 150 people actually live in the town ???!? Next, the service in Pop's is horrible. It is always a hassle trying to find someone to help you. Lastly the sound is the pits ; the music just bounces out the wall in an awful way. There are always microphone and lighting issues that cause performer to have to get on the/v people. I have seen 2 members of Wu Tang here Ghostface for sure and I want to say Raekwon or Method Man was the other 1 on two separate occasions. Avoid this place if you can wait for the performer to perform somewhere else . read more

They never close! Go there and dance dance dance! The bathrooms are pretty cruddy. I would never take a recreational there, but I would vomit. I got free pizza there once and the drinks are reasonably priced. Remember to tip, Julie. read more

It's been a year - time for an update. I'm at Pops regularly, but it seems like I've been here a lot lately - twice in the past six days. Moreover, one of my shows was a half-club show, and one was a full-club show. I still don't really have quibbles with Pops, other than the occasional concert-goer lighting up despite being in a no-smoking state. Pops has gotten better about shutting that down, though, plus they have a patio especially for the smokers. Last week's Less Than Jake show was a half-club set, with the band on the tiny stage at the front of the right-hand (bar) section. The show itself was great (LTJ always are), and it was a pretty packed house for a club show. I'm on crutches, so unfortunately, I stayed toward the back and couldn't head to the pit like I normally would, but the sound carried just fine and I didn't feel like I was far away from the action. Last night's Streetlight Manifesto show was full-club, though it seemed like they mayyyyybe could have gone half-club if they wanted. The attendance seemed just on the cusp between half and full, so it was hard to tell. In any case, the crowd was still enthusiastic, and some flamboyant skankers enjoyed the extra floor room. Again, because of my broken foot, I was stuck at the tables near the bar at the right, but we found a table with good sightlines, and I didn't cry too hard over not jumping around. One thing that Josh was annoyed by was that the bar had only bottled water. Is this a fairly recent thing? I used to get cups of water there all the time. Pops still is my place for ska and punk shows, and the venue is fine for being sort of dive bar-y and located between two strip clubs. I honestly don't know what people are complaining about. read more

Open 24/7 serving booze + bar food with local bands like Inimical Drive http://www.myspace.com/inimicaldrive or larger touring acts this place is... always open and sometimes rocking. (The rating is for concerts with great sound systems and stage minus a star for the sometimes early morning rough crowds) They change the personality and size by closing off and opening different areas. The place is actually huge. The crowd changes dramatically depending on what the band and time of the day/night. Pops can range from a good concert venue to a complete dive bar. I mostly know this place between 6-10 in the morning on Sundays when Red Bull was still kicking in from working nights on Washington Ave. They had pool tables, foose ball, video games, bar food and cans of beer plus other booze. They also had an area outdoors. The people are mostly bar staff from 3 AM bars at this time plus a few "night of the livng dead" types. If you are leaving here and the bright yellow ball is high in the sky on a Sunday go directly to church and ask for forgiveness. ;) read more

I love all the negative reviews because they make me feel like I am the toughest man in the world for not being horrified by Pop's. It's by some nice-looking strip clubs and sited in an industrial district, but wow I was actually kind of let down when I arrived and was not aghast. It's just a normal club, with lots of space and pretty good sound (at least for a metal show). Didn't really notice tons of rude security folk, either, the one with whom I interacted was very pleasant. I'd definitely go back. read more

dj reece need to retire because tonight he did a terrible job and he dj like a teenager with no experience im actually pissed cause i paid 15$ because he played the same songs over & over . if he wasnt there i woulda gave the nightclub a 4.5/5 for sure but he messed it up. #blamehim read more

Literally just went here, showed my id and the guys started treating me and my friends like Shit. All because my friends license was from Puerto Rico. They ever called the police. All I was asking was what happened and got yelled at when I was being super calm. Will never give them my money at all all employees at the door were super rude and the suppose manager and boss were even more. read more

This is the bar from Star Wars. I've never seen such a shitshow in my life. I didn't use the bathroom because I didn't want to contract 15 diseases. It's filled with mutants, and people that haven't left the sewers since 1984. I was told it never closes. Highlight: Seeing a VERY OBVIOUSLY PREGNANT WOMAN (99% positive) in a tight, blue, spandex mini dress dancing to the cover band. Mini plastic bottle of Sutter Home in hand. This justified my Saint Louis trip completely. read more

Soooo....Pops. If you've been here than that's probably all I have to say. I'll continue for those who haven't had the Pops experience. First off, the location. It's in the part of town that most people try to avoid. But that's not the issue...the issue is the massive parking lot and the two strip clubs that straddle this place. "To each his own!" I say but this place just doesn't have a great first impression. When I was younger I used to come out here just to see the band. I didn't care about the venue but now that I'm older that kind of changes things. The service here isn't very good. And you are, not surprisingly, not treated very well. The space is fairly large which is nice. As a whole, it's all very "meh." It's not awful but I would probably prefer anywhere else in St. Louis. read more

I think that I'm a rather articulate guy. That being said, I still can't find the words to describe the Pop's experience, but I'll try. Mullets. Lots of them. And not the "I'm so cool and hip that I can pull a mullet off." Cans of Busch beer. 24 hours a day. Metal detectors and a frisk before entry. Truckers dancing with Ghetto Queens. Drug deals going down in the open. Plastic cups. Smoke. Lots of big trucks in the parking lot at 7:00 am. Guy with sweet mullet wearing tight white jeans, white sneakers, # 8 Nascar Hat, # 8 nascar Jersey (with no-belt tuck-in), and a white turtleneck. read more

Giving props to Pop's! I never thought that I would be showering this venue with praise, but things have definitely improved at Pop's. After an awful evening at the Pageant, I want to talk about the positive aspects of having an East Side venue. On Saturday, we went to Pop's for Bad Religion, another one of my favorite acts. We missed most of the opening mayhem and walked right in. Oddly enough, the staff was very friendly as we strolled inside during the second band. We got a few drinks, two PBRs and a water for $10.75. I didn't know this was the strip club! I would safely say that five something for Peebers is a little high, my yeeps. Pop's has several different areas: front of stage, balcony, game area, outside smoking area, main bar, and a little corner for assorted snack. Where you stand really affects the sound. The sound is front of stage is fine. In fact, I thought that they did a pretty solid job on BR's dynamic. We vacated the area during the encore and stood by the door. The quality dropped significantly. Security has been an enormous issue at this venue in the past. I know people who have been victim of theft in this parking lot. However, they have added a security tower that monitors the perimeter. This surely has reduced the number of break-ins in the parking lot. I'm sure that it hasn't eliminated it. Still, do you get this kind of service at other venue's of its caliber? I'm not necessarily thrilled about being over on the East Side, but Pop's has cleaned it up quite a bit. Plus, there's all sorts of trouble one could get into over that way! Tee hee. read more

Pops is an abomination. Ghostface acted offended to even be performing there, and I probably would too. Terrible sound, terrible service, weird setup, relatively expensive drinks with a meager ration of liquor, being accosted by strippers when you're not at a strip club, location, location, location. I gotta go with Ghost and give pop's the thumbs down. UPDATE: I am 2 for 2 at being accosted by fully-clothed strippers on visits to Pop's. Not a good thing. You can pay for drinks with a credit card, but only in increments of $50. Also, what is up with four guys sitting in an '89 Tercel for 2 hours outside? I don't even want to speculate. read more

Does anyone know of any good plastic surgeons in St. Louis? I'm pretty sure that Brian Setzer melted my face off completely last night. Me and the STL Concert Queen (Allison B. -- if you don't know, now ya know!) hit up Pop's for some rockabilly awesomeness from Mr. Setzer. I'm going to try really hard to review the venue and not the show itself. Just know that it's really REALLY hard to separate the two. I'm squealing like a little girl right now. Deep breath. Okay. Pop's is in East St. Louis, and while I do get a little nervous trekking to this part of town, it's really not bad. I felt completely safe while I was there. The parking lot seems pretty secure (I didn't fear anyone breaking into my car), and the venue itself is clean-ish. I didn't buy any food or drinks while I was here, but I came here some years ago for the Flobots show, and I remember some weird funky thing with the bartenders. They'll charge your card $10, give you the cash, and then you pay using that. Or at least, that's how it used to be. Not sure if that's still the case. Anyway, Pop's is smoke free. Pop's has a decent sound system. Pop's feels relatively safe. I really have no complaints. Now off to find that plastic surgeon... read more

This bar is terrible. The bartenders are good, but the way the security staff treats people is ridiculous. They are minimum wage warriors on a mission to treat people like crap. They talk down to patrons, call them derogatory names to their faces, etc. they are on such a power trip it literally makes no sense. You could stand there and talk maturely to them with sound reasoning and they still respond like imbeciles. I will never ever support this bar with any of my hard earned money ever again, and I will also make sure that my friends do not either. I watched a security guy call a friend of mine a cunt, to her face, for no good reason multiple times. I have been involved in the bar industry in numerous positions for over 12 years. There is no excuse for treating paying customers this way. ESP customers that bring other paying customers into your establishment. read more

the top review on here that says this is the venue you hope your favorite artist avoids is correct. we usually just don't bother coming here if a touring band we like comes here because this is probably the worst venue in st. louis (the surrounding area is even worse). ive been here four times in my youth and all four times the floor was very sticky, the staff was extremely rude and the bathrooms looked like a horror movie. the security guys are notoriously weirdly aggressive (we're just here to see a show, man). i don't think this place is quite as "scary" as people are making it out to be but it is frighteningly unsanitary. for what it's worth, the sound quality isn't great but is by no means the worst in st. louis (just go to the sinkhole for that). read more

First off I returned to Pop's this past weekend for a concert, I think my last time here was in 2005 and I don't think this place has changed a bit. Prior to 2005, I had been a few times and wasn't really impressed. Basically its a 24/7 bar/billiards hall, with a small intimate concert venue. Now with that being said it really isn't a concert venue, just a stage setup in one side of the bar. Now one plus is that they have a balcony that surrounds the stage, but go early if you want to secure a seat. I was standing all of the show, seating is extremely limited and first come first serve. One thing I failed to mention is that due to the proximity of the strip clubs, be advised if you bring kids to any concerts, because some of the "workers" from the nearby "clubs" were walking around trying to get people to come over after the concert. Not a big deal, however all concerts are all ages but in my opinion Pop's is no place for anyone under 18. read more

Pop's is known to be a legacy. It is open 24 hours, 7 days a week, and has been around on the east side for 30+ years. There is no surprise to find out that its busiest time every night is from 3-6am during the weekdays, and 2am-7am on weekends. It caters to all sorts. One of the bartenders told me that you can find the 'People of Wal-Mart's Finest" here at Pop's during their prosperous late night hours. Their main clientele during the late night hours are those from the industry, east siders, or of course, your typical late night party-er wanting to drink til the sun comes up. My Thursday night out at Pop's was relatively tame and early. My boyfriend and a couple of my friends went to see Panic! at the Disco at Pop's. I won free tickets off the radio on Wednesday. Though, I'm not a huge fan, still seemed like a fun activity to do. The venue is fairly accommodating to bands and fans. Pop's can hold up to 1,500 people in the main area. It has a covered patio for smokers, and an upstairs area for onlookers to get a gracious sight of the whole first floor. They have a food vendor on the outside of Pop's that sells your basic American food. Phillies, chicken, nachos, and hotdogs. You are allowed to bring it in the venue when concerts are playing. Otherwise, I'm not sure if Pop's itself serves food. They do have drink specials every night though! Come here to drink and not eat. Drinks are standard pricing per usual. That's the best advice I can give. Overall, this is a pretty neat place. I really enjoyed it and will definitely have to come back during their peak hours one weekend. read more

First time at Pop's last week for the almighty CLUTCH show.. (2.5 hours away) I like the setup of the place.. We decided to go with the balcony when we went inside.. Beer was cold.. Music sounded great.. If I had one complaint, it would of been the drunk idiots that decided to camp out on the stairs for the show and security not doing a damn thing about it.. They were stumbling all over the place and not giving a damn who they were crashing into.. But otherwise, we will be back.. read more

I don't care _what_ anyone says-- Pops is a five-star experience. Anytime you can be a few feet in front of a huge name star is aces in my book! My sister (who is incredibly petite) and I (who am incredibly _not_) have been to Pops several times. We've _always_ felt safe (Pops hires LOTS of security), always felt comfortable (the crowd can be a little rowdy at times, but it's nothing a smart person can't handle), and always felt giddy-as-a-star-struck-teenager (even though we've long passed), because the venue is so intimate. Whenever you can make eye contact with a rock star while he's singing and share a smile, etc., you know you've found a place you'd return to again and again and again! Sure, Pops is a little grungy, just imagine cleaning up after a thousand (or more) drunk tween, teen, twenty-something and middle-agers! However, the place has stellar acoustics, a great sound-system, and lots of tables, a couple of different bars, and plenty of restroom facilities on a few different levels. I hate to give Pops five stars, but only because it still seems to be a loosely kept secret. Plenty of people head there, and they're a whole spectrum represented, but the snobs seem to keep their distance. That's just fine by me! I hope I'm able to find a venue that's got everything Pops has in the future. I'm relocating to Austin, TX. I might just have to fly back to Sauget to keep up with all of Pops' awesome. read more

Woah. Just, yeah, woah. 24/7 bar, billiards, DJ on the weekends, dancing all night long. Careful what you say, visitors. Nearly caused a ruckus when this girl didn't take kindly to our snickers at her qualification requirements for a good man... (overheard in the bathroom). Qualifications: #1 - drive her to the club. #2 Be a pharmacist. Props for realistic expectations. We came in at midnight and tumbled out at dawn... read more

I saw Hed PE here. It was a great place to see them. The venue was large enough to accomodate the crowd. The service at the bar was a little slow but they were hella busy too. Security was on top of it and nothing got too outta hand. This show had so many bands playing...Shattermask, Insolence, The Dirtball, King Spade and Pop's was able to accomodate the bands and the fans. My only complaint was the douchebag who was trying to dance with his girlfriend and her friends. First of all, Hed PE is not a dance type band. Secondly, dude kept throwing his arms out and bumping people. I took a star off because they let this guy in..... read more

Truth! Scene: Crowd is constantly pushing and shoving all night. My hands are on the front rail of the gate. A girl not even close to me digs her nails into my skin and I pop of on her yelling "Why did you put your f***king hands on me? I wasn't touching you" and more. I'm arguing with three girls at this point. Security says "Calm down," and I do. The girls tell their side of the story to security and don't ask for mines. Moments later, I'm being escorted out the building and told I have to leave. #21savage #Pops #whiteprivilege #neveragain read more

Pop's - Music Venues Near Me - Sauget, Illinois

Oh how do you describe a 24hr bar/club thing in East St. Louis? You can't. It's equal parts the greatest idea ever conceived and the greatest regret one can have. Although when planning for an all-night bender (as I do almost every time I am in STL), it comes in quite handy. So there's a weird "ATM" practice where you are charged $25 but then get it in cash. Not sure what that's about, but I can guarantee you I leave with far less than $25. Tricky practice to make me think I have plenty of money. I like it. Then since it's in IL it's no smoking inside (while I live in Chicago now, it's no big deal but I know some STL friends are none too happy). BY FAR THE WORST PART are the millions of mosquitos that you leave with bloody feet, ankles, shins, neck, arms, face, or any exposed skin because they will devour you or give you West Nile and while drunk scratching seems like the best solution. I think bands play here seeming there is a stage. While I have never seen anyone perform on said stage, I know I have drunkenly thrashed around in front of it while claiming to be the American's best dance solo crew. It's something you should check out just to say "Yeah, I partied on the East side" and it's definitely, if made a habit, something that will be mentioned at your next intervention. But if nothing else you can always stop by one of those strip clubs. read more

It's a great venue and awesome for small concerts! However, I do have a few issues: 1. A bucket of beer is 5 cans and is $20.50. My bar experience tells me that a bucket is suppose to be 6 and is usually bottles. So, you would think it would be cheaper than a bucket elsewhere, but no. 2. It smells terrible outside! Like stale boos and scum. 3. The bar was sticky and the table and stools wobble something fierce. So overall, it's a good spot, but has it's flaws. read more

Place is pretty cool for a concert venue. I was really confused with the table on the floor of the concert hall. How was I suppose to mosh? I guess the Midwest doesn't understand no seats and tables and concert other than at the bar! read more

I had to write a review after seeing all the negative reviews on here. I went and seen Clutch there last night. It was jam packed wall to wall with people. With that being said I didn't have a hard time getting a beer anywhere, the waitstaff wasn't rude,the bouncers weren't rude either. Its a awesome place to see a concert. Don't read to much into the negative reviews on here. I will go back again. read more

OK, one more St. Louis review. Although this spot is technically across the river in So-ill I count it as part of my experience in St. Louis. And that is the only reason I'm giving one star is because it was an experience. If this were a bar that I could go to on a regular basis, I wouldn't. It was the end of the night/start of the morning and after doing last call at two other bar we ended up at Pop's. 24/7 debauchery. It was full of Hoosiers and other assorted douche bags as well as the stragglers from the area that just were not done drinking. I guess I wasn't done either but I was over it real quickly. I like how they serve beer in plastic and aluminum bottles so no one can a glass bottle as a weapon. Highlight of the evening was probably the two women that were asking us who had nicer boobs while showing us and asking to compare. Only in So-ill! I know this is sometimes a live music venue but I was just there with the people that should have been asleep myself included. read more

Ahh...Pop's in the always entertaining and strange city of Sauget. My rating teeters on the edge of 2.5 and 3.0 solely because of the bands they manage to book. I was fortunate enough to see Ministry there several years back, which was amazing. It's an entertaining place but would not necessarily make the trip just to have a beer. The parking - when a more 'popular' act comes to town - is absolutely dreadful. The neighborhood is a little sketchy as well. It usually takes a Christmas miracle to get me across the river to see a live band at Pop's, but I can honestly say I've yet to have a horrible experience when I have ventured across the stream. The drink prices seem a little steep, though. The service...not exactly prompt either. I had no issues with the bathroom during my most recent visit - Foxy Shazam (who were completely outrageous and great!) - Circa Survive - Anberlin. However, I can only imagine how foul it probably gets during the more crazier nights/early mornings. read more

Decent venue for live bands, fair amount of seating, two outside smoking areas, two bars (if they open them both). I agree with Steve B who likened it to a "humongous unfinished frat basement." Plenty of toilets in the girls' bathroom, which I appreciate. Mostly, cash only. I have heard you can use your credit card, but, for example, if your drink is $4, they'll run your card for $25 and give you $21 cash change. read more

This is an excellent place to go if you want someone to drug your drink so you don't remember all the fun you had. Absolutely disgusted.

Saw the best show of my life here a couple years back. Thrice, Thursday, and Coheed all together I almost exploded in my pants. I was wearing my favorite T-shirt at the time and it was ripped right off my body, by some maniac of a woman that still haunts my dreams. Shirtless I staggered to the bar to cool down after the show. The bartender was nice enough to shower me down with the drink hose. I secretly hope heaven is like this. read more

they were extremely rude, the security guards except this one lady who is the sweetest, were so disrespectful and extremely unprofessional. just keep that in mind if your come here wanting to impress someone. read more

I think this venue has received a bad reputation. They attract awesome bands (Seether later this month), and it's a pretty good place to see a show. It's right next to a strip club and a dance club so if you're not busy afterwards... what the hell?! In seriousness, I've seen a few shows at Pops, and the tix prices were decent. It's a little edgy, but I recommend it. read more

Eww. Eww, eww, eww. I was in St. Louis with two friends when we ran into someone that one of my friends kind of knew. Always the start of a gross evening. Anyway, this girl that my friend knew was with two guys and they were all headed to Pops. My friends and I were drunk, so we figured why not. Apparently, the people we went to Pops with were drunk too. All I can say, is any bar that lets you in to drink after you get into an inebriated fender bender with the security guard is pretty much the worst place on earth. And most irresponsible. The fact that there was a wet t-shirt contest (gross!) going on doesn't help things either. read more

OK so I'm not adding any stars but I will add that Pop's does offer a good/cheap spot for local bands to showcase their talents (of lack there of ;)...). read more

Had a blast!!!Wayyyyy better than Oz.ugh...the staffs were rude at the oz and ppl were way too young to be in there.