Two months after a soft opening on Halloween weekend, Cat Alley Street, a new upstairs club above the Catalyst in downtown Santa Cruz, is already drawing crowds seeking late-night music with live DJs, dancing and something a little more inclusive of Santa Cruz’s diverse musical culture.
“There’s a demand for late-night spaces that feel welcoming, artistic, and a little bit magical,” says Brian Pridham, co-owner and creative visionary for the new music venue.
“The way we dress, the way the lounge looks — it’s meant to feel like a swanky nightclub,” Pridham says. “But ‘swanky’ doesn’t mean exclusive. It means intentional.”
Its arrival comes at a pivotal moment. The building housing the Catalyst Nightclub on the ground floor — a cornerstone of the city’s live-music scene — was recently sold to developers, leaving the club’s future uncertain. The vision for Cat Alley Street was inspired by the local arts scene and the creators’ connections to Burning Man. Pridham, a longtime Santa Cruz resident, is perhaps best known for creating SnarkleFarkle’s Lounge at UnSCruz — a popular installation celebrated for creativity, playful energy and radical inclusion. That same spirit informs the upstairs club.
About opening a new club with the building’s current three-year lease ending in 2028, Pridham says the team is focused on making a name for itself. Picking up and setting up at a new venue doesn’t ruffle his festival feathers.
A narrow stairway leads up to Cat Alley Street, where guests enter a lounge area that opens onto the dance floor. The club retains a cozy, warm vibe with 1920s speakeasy décor and subdued lighting drenched in red, giving it a steampunk vampiresque atmosphere.
Red velour couches are spread throughout, giving patrons intimate, comfortable nooks to enjoy a cocktail or mocktail. Recently, during the monthly goth and industrial vampire-themed night called Bite Me, a guest artist took the dance floor to showcase sword-balancing and belly dance skills as the crowd made room to watch the performance. The DJ spins on the same level as the dance floor, and from upstairs, patrons have a clear view down onto the Catalyst entrance, stage, and kitchen below.
Food and drinks will soon complement the experience. “We will be re-opening the kitchen for the first time in five years, and the famous pizza slices will be back,” says Pridham.
Guests will be able to order pizza by the slice and mocktails either at the Cat Alley bar or downstairs at the Catalyst and carry them upstairs. Additional menu items are expected to follow in the near future.
While discovering the venue this past Thursday, I happened upon the monthly goth and industrial-themed event. I overheard two women at the bar ordering drinks and expressing their excitement about the new venue and its vibe. “Do you want to go sit on a comfy couch?” Annalisa asked. “This feels like my house,” replied Katie.
The women, Annalisa Consani, 27, and Katie Clawson, 28, had stumbled upon the club after seeing a sandwich board on Pacific Avenue. “I love dark wave and all things goth,” Clawson said. “It’s really nice because a lot of clubs are targeted toward a younger college-age crowd. There isn’t really a place for people in their late 20s and 30s to hang out.”
Filling that gap was part of what inspired the project — but the creators say the club’s mission extends beyond any single age or scene. “We want people of all ages to feel welcome,” said co-owner Sean Ahearn. “It’s very much in the Burning Man spirit — radical inclusion. Everyone belongs.”
The 150-capacity venue is open Thursday through Sunday from 6 p.m. to 1:30 a.m., with no cover on most nights and occasional ticketed events. Since opening, Cat Alley Street has hosted dozens of DJs from Santa Cruz and the Bay Area and sold out its New Year’s event.
Programming typically centers on house and techno, but themed nights play a growing role in the calendar. The monthly goth and industrial night has become a draw, while other pop-ups have featured tattoo artists, makeup vendors, and old-fashioned photography shoots in the club’s second lounge area, to the right of the bar, with windows overlooking Pacific Avenue below. Future plans include 1920s-inspired jazz, immersive costume-themed evenings, and other creative events designed to encourage attendees to dress up and explore different eras and styles.
The Catalyst’s long-term future looms over Cat Alley Street. Last month, the building was sold to GSH Ventures. The 800-capacity venue continues under its current lease through 2028, but it remains unclear whether it will be preserved, demolished or rebuilt.
“We don’t know what will happen, but we’re hopeful,” Ahearn said. The creators say they plan to work collaboratively with the new ownership to preserve the Catalyst as a live music venue, citing its cultural significance to Santa Cruz and beyond.
For now, the focus remains on community and creative energy. Santa Cruz has always had a strong creative pulse — from ecstatic dance and burlesque to forest raves and live music. The new owners and creative team want to create a spot that is “so Santa Cruz,” says Pridham.
Upcoming events, like Love Potion on Valentine’s Day and PLUR Royale on March 14 — featuring DJ Dan and Donald Glaude in the Catalyst Atrium — showcase the club’s ongoing commitment to music, performance, and playful experimentation. Even amid uncertainty about the building below, Cat Alley Street invites the community to gather, dress up, and dance upstairs in the heart of downtown Santa Cruz.
