Written by Dan Rys — A controversial event served as the venue's final show.
Another New York City music venues is in the headlines this week, with news coming out over Memorial Day that Santos Party House in Manhattan's Chinatown neighborhood has shut down, effective immediately. DNAInfo notes that the club hosted a controversial punk event called Oi Fest on its final night May 29, which has been accused of promoting Nazism and racism.
The venue's closing seems like a sudden decision, particularly as Santos' social media accounts -- not incredibly active overall -- had retweeted artists like Tony Touch who had an event scheduled for June 3, and its web site promoted shows through the end of July. When reached via email, Touch confirmed that the venue had closed and his show was canceled, though he did not respond to requests to elaborate as to why. Multiple requests for comment from representatives from Santos, in which Andrew W.K. is a co-owner, went unreturned as of press time.
In a statement provided to DNAInfo, Santos' manager Sean Kane said the venue's 10-year lease was up and "we're not renewing it," suggesting the decision came from the club rather than the landlord or any other party. But a quick glance at Santos' Facebook page reveals a small piece of the backlash the club received for hosting Oi Fest, with one person calling the decision "abhorrent" and another writing, simply, "Yikes." Santos hosted Oi Fest's second day after its original host venue, Black Bear Bar, decided to cancel its second night to distance itself from the festival's reputation.
Santos' events coordinator has said that all previously-planned events have been canceled, according to reports. At press time, it was unclear if Santos' management intends to re-open the club at a different location.
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