Crybaby, Cherished Oakland Nightclub, to Close at End of November
The beloved Oakland nightclub Crybaby announced on social media on Tuesday that it will permanently close at the end of November. The venue, which opened in 2022 in the former Uptown Nightclub on Telegraph Avenue, has played dance music to dedicated crowds of Black, brown and queer clubgoers for nearly five years.
The announcement did not state why Crybaby was closing. The club’s owners have not yet responded to a request for comments.
When Crybaby opened, it filled a void in Oakland’s nightlife. Founders Dominic Green, Jesse Tittsworth, Miles Palliser and Conrad Loebl, representing deep ties to nightlife and the Bay Area, made the change they wanted to see in the scene. The 400-capacity independent venue put on good parties, prioritized dancing and did away with a VIP section. Crybaby was welcoming to all — truly a nightclub without borders.
In a 2022 interview with Billboard, the founders explained how they wanted to bring the attention back to the dancefloor. The club brought in local and national artists like Cash Cobain, 1100Himself and Durand Bernarr and hosted parties that played dance music across genres, including reggaeton, dembow, hip-hop and early 2000s R&B.
In early 2025, Tittsworth and Green announced they would open a new 1,000-capacity music venue called Ceremony nearby. After opening in March 2025, Ceremony appears to have wound down fairly quickly — the last show to take place there, according to one listing site, was in November last year.
Crybaby’s closure will leave an empty space in the hearts of Oaklanders who called the venue their home away from home. In hundreds of comments on today’s Instagram announcement, patrons and fans of the venue poured out memories, sorrowful emojis and even a “long live Crybaby” acronym.
“All we can say is THANK YOU,” the club wrote in its closure announcement. “To everyone who came through, Black, Brown, queer and every community in between — *you* made us what we are.”
Through November, at least, Crybaby will keep the dancing going until the party ends. Upcoming parties include Baby Slaps on Nov. 13; Cuffing Season, an R&B party, on Nov. 20; and the 2000s throwback party Gems! on Nov. 21.
Crybaby’s last listed event is on Dec. 4, timed to coincide with Oakland’s First Fridays. Due to fundraising shortages, the free monthly festival has canceled its events for the rest of 2026.
This story is being updated.