Martin Fitzpatrick

Paul Colby

Owner Paul Colby recalls the club's transformation from a small coffeehouse into the pre-eminent music and comedy venue that is still going strong today.

Hanging Out at America's Nightclub

The Bitter End

The tale of the famous Greenwich Village coffeehouse turned nightclub, The Bitter End is also the story of the club's manager and owner, Paul Colby. From the early 60s to the 90s, the Bitter End hosted a wide range of influential music and comedy acts that reflected the changing creative atmosphere of the Village, and the country beyond. Pete Seeger made frequent appearances and Peter, Paul, and Mary debuted at the club during the height of the folk music boom, around the same time that Woody Allen and Bill Cosby were headlining with their very different—but equally popular—stand-up acts. After the British Invasion made rock the pre-eminent music in the land, Colby booked electrified folk and rock performers such as Neil Young, Carly Simon, Kris Kristofferson, and many others. Throughout the years, Colby kept up such strong friendships with the artists that they often returned as patrons when they weren't performing—the most famous local regular being Bob Dylan. The stories Colby shares of his amazing years running the Bitter End provide an insider's personal perspective on several decades of American entertainment. Told with fondness and flair, The Bitter End acquaints the world with a man beloved by performers for years.

Paul Colby

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