Photo: Club Cafe
Club Cafe has announced they will be closing by the end of this year.
In a press release that came out today, they noted it will be going out on a high note, with farewell shows and more info to be announced soon.
You'll find that and much more in the official press release that came out earlier today, which you can read in full below.
For more info on the remaining shows that are still happening between now and the end of the year, visit the Club Cafe Facebook page.
Pittsburgh, PA — After 25 successful years, the iconic local music venue Club Cafe will close by the end of 2024, following a run of farewell shows.
Founded in 1999 by Marco and Paula Cardamone and their partners Barney Lee, Clay Kisker, Dennis Loughran and Joe Nolan, Club Cafe quickly became one of Pittsburgh’s most innovative live music venues. With deep local roots, the space has a rich history, having previously been a popular bar favored by local steelworkers, a dueling jazz piano club, and later a dive bar. The Cardamone’s, both musicians and Internet entrepreneurs, transformed the venue into a state-of-the-art performance space, offering top-tier acoustics and cutting-edge video and audio recording capabilities by the time it opened as a music nightclub.
In 2011, Michael Sanders, founder of local concert promoter Opus One Productions, acquired Club Cafe. “We wanted to sell to someone who would carry on the legacy and brand of this special venue. That person was our promoter at the time, Michael Sanders, and his company Opus One Productions. They knew the business inside and out,” said the Cardamones. “Our hats are off to Mike and his Opus One team for keeping the dream alive — for audiences, artists, and creative communities throughout Pittsburgh and across the United States — and for cultivating this special place for so many years. We know that all good things come to an end, and we look forward to the final months of celebrations and shows that showcase Club Cafe before it moves on to its next destiny.”
Throughout its 25 years serving the local community, Club Cafe has grown into a beloved Pittsburgh institution and a cornerstone of the city’s historic South Side district, hosting a near-nightly lineup of touring acts from all over the globe while supporting countless local artists from Pittsburgh’s thriving music scene.
As Sanders shifts his focus to other business ventures, including Opus One Productions, Opus One Interactive — a leading software company developing products for the live entertainment industry — and East Liberty's Margaux cafe and bar, Opus One Productions will continue to produce concerts throughout the region, including at Mr. Smalls Theatre, Stage AE, and in other theater and arena spaces.
“It’s been an incredible run, and it felt like the perfect time to move on to other endeavors,” said Sanders. “We get to celebrate a quarter-century of incredible music and leave on the best possible note. We’ve worked hard to deliver an extraordinary experience to the neighborhood, the Pittsburgh music community, and all of the artists who have graced the Club Cafe stage. I’m grateful for the thousands of concerts our team hosted and produced, the memorable nights on the South Side, and 25 amazing years at Club Cafe.”
The entire Club Cafe team is looking forward to the many exciting concerts that have been confirmed for its final four months, as well as to giving the iconic space a proper send-off full of well-deserved celebrations and opportunities for the community to come together one last time. Sanders and Club Cafe will announce specifics and further details about the venue’s closing plans and final shows — including potential opportunities to purchase the business, building, or other assets — in the coming months.