On Sunday Jan. 31 The Blank Club, a live music venue in downtown San Jose will bring an end to their live aspect as owner Corey O’Brien moves full swing into his next club endeavor in the form of The Spectrum, in downtown’s South First Street district.

O’Brien started The Blank Club after The Cactus Club closed and bought Plant 51, (the venue that is now the Blank Club) because there was nothing going on in San Jose in terms of live music.

“We changed the name and changed everything about it,” said O’Brien. “That was 12, almost 13 years ago,”

O’Brien hosts new wave, punk, underground, and rockabilly bands.

“We like to do stuff that other clubs here aren’t doing,” he said. “It seems like all the clubs in downtown do the same thing, so we went the other way… anything under the rock and roll vibe works here.”

“I’ve watched Corey work, and work, and work, for years to get bands that he believes in and that he really enjoys,” said Kyle Gilmore, the manager of The Blank Club. “It’s an emotionally involved thing for him.”

The Blank Club set itself apart from other clubs because they did shows even at the cost of coming up short.

“We do shows anyway even though the numbers don’t work,” said O’Brien. “X,” a Los Angeles punk rock band from the 70’s and 80’s, sold out tickets and the venue still lost money. O’Brien said he considered the show a total success.

Despite the club’s enthusiasm, factors out of their control have proven difficult.

“We’ve had a lot of big bands here, but a lot of them don’t come back because this isn’t the right facility to host touring bands,” said O’Brien. “The touring bands are used to certain accommodations. The stage is too small, there’s nowhere to store gear. There’s no backstage. That’s why we’re moving. It will be hard to leave here.”

Sound engineer Chris Racine has been doing sound at the clubs’ location since it was Plant 51, and says it will be especially difficult.

O’Brien and his staff said they share a sense of camaraderie among the other venues in San Jose.

“All the clubs are important in the downtown music scene,” said Racine. “All these other clubs; we don’t look at them as competition. The fact that they’re a reality is good for the whole environment, and that’s good for everybody.”

The Blank Club can be found at 44 South Almaden Avenue in downtown San Jose, and their final shows will be Monkey’s 19 Year Reunion Show on Jan. 30, and The Flames on Jan. 31. “The last two nights are dedicated to all the bands that play here,” said Gilmore

Though the last show is Jan. 31, the Blank Club will remain open in February for DJ Nights until a new owner takes over.