All evidence suggests that South Side’s Club Cafe is opting for a no-fuss farewell. Between now and the end of the month, there’s a full lineup of local acts, including Bill Deasy’s annual Boxing Day show on Dec. 26. On his Facebook page, Deasy promises a full band sendoff. New Invisible Joy closes the venue, with the final show on Dec. 30. There’s no word on the fate of the building or the club. The address, 56 S. 12th St., does not appear to be listed on commercial real estate sales sites. Opus One Productions founder and building owner Michael Sanders has not commented.“We’re sad about it,” says Tim Gaber, co-owner of the Original Pittsburgh Winery and a longtime local musician, “but I understand why they’re closing. It’s terribly hard to survive” as a music venue.With Club Cafe’s closing, “I think we are more eager to be able to do our part for the betterment of both musicians and venues,” says Anthony Jardine, an Original Pittsburgh Winery co-owner and local musician. The winery hosts acoustic artists in their ground-floor tasting room and a variety of music acts in their larger Cellar.Though live music on the South Side might be hard to come by, Pittsburgh still has the Petersen Events Center, The Roxian, Stage AE and mega-venue PPG Paints Arena for the better-known national acts. In addition to Pittsburgh Winery’s Cellar, Spirit, City Winery, Mr. Smalls Theater, Thunderbird Music Hall and Bottlerocket Social Hall — plus Crafthouse and Jergel’s in the suburbs — cover the broad swath of midsize spaces (up to 900 music lovers). Preserving Concerts in New Kensington has three venues and a specific niche: metal, punk and hardcore.Smaller venues are all over town if you know where to look. The DIY scene is alive and well, with Haven, founded by Pitt students from Post Genre, set to open in Oakland on Jan. 10. And don’t forget about outdoor shows, though it’s easy to do in December. But the Club Cafe experience — an intimate venue with a full bar, good sound and a mostly respectful audience  — will be hard to replicate. Here’s a possible contender, and two lesser-known spaces offering their own distinct experiences.  Photo courtesy of The Funhouse at Mr. Smalls.The Funhouse at Mr. Smalls, Millvale Opus One bookers are sending artists signed for Club Cafe in early 2025 over to Mr. Smalls’ cozier top-floor space, according to Derek January, their booking and production manager. It makes sense: The Funhouse has a similar capacity (175 to Club Cafe’s 140). Like Club Cafe, it has a full bar and can host both seated and standing shows. Renovations, including a larger stage, were recently completed. Two flights of stairs — three if the concrete outdoor staircase is included — could be an accessibility challenge, but January says patrons needing assistance can call ahead or email [email protected]. Shows set for the beginning of the year include singer/songwriters Sean Rowe and Darrin Bradbury, the rock band Been Stellar and Club Cafe veteran Jessica Lea Mayfield, as well as hip-hop artist Jarv. When January started at Mr. Smalls a year ago, the Funhouse shows were “more metal and funk,” he says. The demise of Club Cafe has led to a larger variety of Funhouse shows, which January calls “a bittersweet positive.” Reuben’s Painted Mandolin at Steamworks. Photo courtesy of Skipp Barr.Steamworks Creative, Gibsonia Singer/songwriter/frontman/nonprofit founder/volunteer John Vento added impresario to his list of community activities back in 2018, when he opened Steamworks Creative in a building he owned on William Flinn Highway. It’s a seated listening room, he says, “not a bar, not a coffee shop with the cappuccino whirring in the background.” Comfort is key, as is great sound and lighting and ample parking. Capacity is 50, and patrons are encouraged to bring their own food and drink. Steamworks is a nonprofit, all-volunteer organization. They’ve presented everyone from acoustic guitar players to Billy Price and an 11-piece band, Vento says. Recent shows have included Reuben’s Painted Mandolin, a Jerry Garcia tribute band, and the rock/soul band Smokin’ Section. On Dec. 28, there’s a Jim Krenn comedy show at 3 p.m. and Cue Ball, a blues and Celtic group, that evening.Photo courtesy of Bantha Tea Bar.Bantha Tea Bar, BloomfieldThis neighborhood hangout offers kava, a wide variety of Bantha-blended black, green and herbal teas, and healthy potions like Phlegm No More, a blend of echinacea, wild cherry, elecampane, mullein, coltsfoot, pleurisy root, licorice and peppermint. They also do shows.For owner Jack Ball, a music industry veteran, concerts are a no-brainer. Every other Monday, Bantha hosts an open improvisation lab for musicians, singers, dancers, poets and any creative who wants to join in, presented by Pittsburgh Sound Preserve. (The next one is Dec. 30.)  There are also experimental jazz nights, as well as comparatively mainstream shows, including one before the pandemic, with REM co-founder Peter Buck and collaborator Scott McCaughey of The Baseball Project. An October concert with singer/songwriter Amy Rigby (known for “Dancing With Joey Malone”) and her husband, Wreckless Eric, packed the Bantha backroom, capacity 40 or so. Artists like the venue, according to Ball: “It’s more chill.” The regular jazz, songwriters and improvisation nights will continue in 2025. As for the rest of the entertainment, he says, “I’m open to anything.”The post Alternative live music spaces to check out in wake of Club Cafe closing appeared first on NEXTpittsburgh.