Storied Pittsburgh Music Venue To Close

PITTSBURGH, PA — After a 25-year run, one of Pittsburgh's most popular music venues is closing. Club Cafe on the South Side will shut its doors by year's end.

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.

“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," the Cardamones said in a joint statement.

Said Sanders: “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."

Opus One Productions will continue to produce concerts throughout the region, including at Mr. Smalls, Stage AE and in other theater and arena spaces.

The club has a full schedule of shows booked through the end of the year, and Sanders said he will provide upcoming details on plans to give the venue a proper send-off.