Iconic Pittsburgh Club To Reopen Long After Closure

PITTSBURGH, PA — Club Cafe, which created a void in the Pittsburgh live music scene with its closure in December, will reopen under new ownership.

Keystone Artist Connect, which bills itself as an all-inclusive liaison for local, national, and regional artists that provides booking, management and more, announced Monday that it has purchased the South Side music venue.

When Club Cafe announced its pending closure in September, "we sent an e-mail that would change our lives forever," the company said in a social media post.

"What seemed impossible at the time came to fruition after months of hard work, passion, collaboration, and love for this historic venue we all have shared countless memories at nestled in Bedford Squarein the South Side of Pittsburgh. We are so honored to own this beautiful piece of history and will make you proud."

Founded in 1999 by Marco and Paula Cardamone and their partners, Club Cafe had a sterling reputation as a state-of-the-art performance space, offering top-tier acoustics and cutting-edge video and audio recording capabilities. In 2011, Michael Sanders, founder of local concert promoter Opus One Productions, acquired Club Cafe.

Club Cafe closed in December with a performance by legendary local rockers New Invisible Joy. The new owners hope to reopen it this summer.