Uptown nightclub closes in Oakland: “Goodbye and thank you”
"It is with deep sadness that we announce that The Uptown Nightclub will not be reopening," the club announces on its website.
The Uptown, a popular live music venue in downtown Oakland, is going out of business.
The nightspot, which is located at 1928 Telegraph Avenue, had already been closed for months due to the coronavirus pandemic. But it’s just recently announced on its website (www.uptownnightclub.com) the “heartbreaking decision” to not reopen its doors.”
“It is with deep sadness that we announce that the Uptown Nightclub will not be reopening. With no date in sight when live entertainment will be safe, we just cannot afford to continue to pay our rent and other expenses with no income in the foreseeable future. This was a heartbreaking decision and one we put off as long as we possibly could,” reads the statement, which is accompanied by the words “goodbye and thank you.” “The Uptown was never a financial investment for us — it was always a labor of love and the dividends it paid are measured in the wonderful friendships that sprung from the shared love of music.
“Knowing that these friendships will endure despite the closure of our beloved space offers some consolation in these dark days. In the six months that our doors have been closed due to the pandemic, we have missed you all so much!”
The loss of the Uptown will be a big hit for the Bay Area music community. The club was home to so many local bands and events over the years, as well as top touring acts like the Buzzcocks, but all that came to a close in March as the pandemic brought the live music scene to a standstill.
“We miss the faces we saw nearly everyday and those we saw weekly or monthly when it was the night for ‘their’ event — be it Active Music Series, The Lucky Devils Band or Two Piece Tuesdays, Moonlight Comedy or Uptown Karaoke, Suavecito Souldies or Fleetwood Macrame, Hanging Garden or Death Guild, 1UPtown with The M.A.D.E. or Hella Gay Dance Party, Hubba Hubba or Risque Riot, Smart Bomb or DAMgrown, Hiero Nights or Nerd Nite, 8x8x8 or I Love You For All Seasons, Punk Black or Dark Sparkle; be it a local band playing their first show, a touring band about to make it big, or a lifelong music legend,” the statement read.
“So many talented people have played our stage and so many amazing patrons have been there to enjoy them. It was an honor to make these connections possible. We strived to represent and welcome the diversity of the Bay Area. In that we succeeded and we will be forever proud of this accomplishment.”