In the 80s - Eighties Clubs From the 80s

Eighties Clubs & Eighties Nights

This is a list of the various large clubs that were around during the 80s. NOT PRESENT DAY CLUBS.

#'s (Number's) Houston, TX
1980's-present. Probably the oldest club in Houston, defined the alternative 80's dance music scene in Houston. Also, a venue for live bands. It is still around, and on certain nights, indistinguishable from the mid-80's. Goth is alive and well.
007 Franklin, NY
'85-89. 007 was backwards for the disco Metro 700 club. Usually Tues and Wed were the popular 007 nights with Thursday as the standard for punks, posers, and wannabees. Great music in this little sunken dance floor. Joey was a great DJ!
1018 New York City, NY
1987-?. It was the hottest club, used to be the old Roxy's. Btw, later turned back into the Roxy's. It was located on 10th Avenue and 18th Street, hence the name 1018. They had a lot of freestyle acts performing on Sat. like Sweet Sensation, Noel, Corina, etc.
1018 New York City, NY
1987-?. It was the hottest club, used to be the old Roxy's. Btw, later turned back into the Roxy's. It was located on 10th Avenue and 18th Street, hence the name 1018. They had a lot of freestyle acts performing on Sat. like Sweet Sensation, Noel, Corina, etc.
1018 New York City, NY
1987-?. It was the hottest club, used to be the old Roxy's. Btw, later turned back into the Roxy's. It was located on 10th Avenue and 18th Street, hence the name 1018. They had a lot of freestyle acts performing on Sat. like Sweet Sensation, Noel, Corina, etc.
1235 Miami Beach, Fl.
Early 80's. This club started the Miami Beach club revolution. Back when Miami beach was desolate and full of old timers this club used to be the life of Washington Avenue. The club changed its name later on to Deco's and Amnesia but 1235 was definitely "The Club" back then.
181 San Francisco, CA
1983-1987. This was a semi-popular/"secret" hang-out by alot of SOMA artists and new wavers "in-the-know". It stayed open till sometimes 6am & was the place most of us went after the other San Francisco Clubs had closed. I had heard that it had been opened since the Prohibition times & was a gin hangout in the 20's & 30's. Anyway it catered to a gay/str8/anything in betweeen alternative/artsy crowd & most of the people there were slightly older than many of us teenagers. It was located in the sleaziest most dangerous neighborhood in SF (the tenderloin) which is why many (but the very brave) ever ventured there but once in, it was like being in another world. Great lights, ecclectic varied music was played--everything from Kate Bush, Siouxsie to Janet Jackson & George Clinton. I have alot of memories of tripping on acid here. It was closed for almost 10yrs & re-opened & now I think its called Polly Esthers or something. Anyone remember this place?
1st Avenue Minneapolis
1984-2005. Prince got started there!
2001 Estoril, Lisboa, Portugal
1973-2006. Located under the central benche of the Autodromo do Estoril, this club of rock had its height in the 80's but it continues with its brilliant sound. It has three cd edited "2001, A Catedral do Rock". Known in Portugal for "Dois" it has given to some generations the best rock of the planet. Long live the 2001, the Cathedral of the Rock.
2826 Dallas, TX
Late 80's- various opening and closings. Not very big, but still had a great wooden dance floor. Bar in the center of the room with large vases of flowers and foo foo drinks. D.J's Red Eye, Robert Taylor, basically all the early house guys.
321 Club Pasadena, CA
83 to 89. KROQ Club in Pasadena,,,18 & over!! Best underground club ever!!
321 Club Pasadena, CA
83 to 89. KROQ Club in Pasadena....18 & over!! Best underground club ever!!
321 Santa Monica Ca.
Early Eighties. KROQ DJs People came from Orange County. So many Beautiful underage new wave tuna burners all with fake IDs. If that did'nt work, Richard Blade or Jim Trenton (a.k.a. Poorman) from KROQ would let the hotties in the back door.
49th Street Mining Company 49th Street - St-Petersburg, Florida
Early-to-mid-80's. Another 80's "Big Rock" cover/original club. Lot's of good bands (no one played there who wasn't good), lots of friendly people, extremely hot and beautiful (and clean) women who only wanted to dress great and have some fun frolicking in the night life. Great club for bands because of it's space and very generous stage accommodations. Stage was deep, wide and high. If you were a player it was especially nice because of it's height... all the easier to look down the slinky, low-cut tops of those finely-dressed, classic 80's babes. I should know, I was flashed, and had bras and panties thrown at me on that stage more than once! :P The club lasted only about 2 years, possibly a little less. Great club, unfortunately the location killed them. The club was in a sort of out-of-the-way section of St.Petersburg. If this place would have been down on one of the St.Pete area gulf beaches it would have been around for years. I think the fact of Florida changing it's drinking age from 18 to 21 during that period also served to kill this club... and a few other good ones in the Tampa Bay area. 49th Street Mining Company was owned by the same people who owned Mark Twain in Tampa, Florida. These guys knew how to do great "live band" clubs. Open 7 nights a week, each and every week. Ahh, and there was nothing like those wonderful and beautiful Tampa Bay babes who visited these clubs nightly... possibly never will be. I got lucky though, I married one of them! What a shame, the atmosphere and fun of those clubs are nowhere to be found these days ... yet, great club while it lasted. This, and others like it provided me with some fine memories. Thanks, Tampa Bay... you seriously ROCKED!
6400 Houston Tx
87-89. Bad ass dance club lot's of good times.
688 Atlanta, GA
80's. Underground club with graffiti all over the walls; hosted most of the "alternative" bands from the eighties on their Atlanta shows.
688 atlanta, ga
80's. underground club with graffiti all over the walls; hosted most of the "alternative" bands from the eighties on their atlanta shows
80 Bar Dallas, TX
Early 80's. The first high tech bar in the area. Shocked the fern bars out of business. Coined the words "showponies", and had the sisters "disco 1 and disco 2" who would put on a show dancing on the tables. Andy would sing Frankie tunes in his salt shaker to a standing ovation. Tonic flat, no worries, shot a little soda in it, and the "sonic" was born here. Happy Hour saved again. We will also take responsibility for layered drinks and jello shots... AAAAAAHHHHHHH, the 80's.
911 Tampa, Florida
1989-1992. Good industrial/goth/trance club. Like every other club in Tampa, the owners started to cater to the college crowd and the music began to suck.
950 Club (Lucky Number) Chicago IL
1980-199?. This bar at the corner of Lincoln Avenue and Wrightwood is mentioned in an Iggy Pop song. It played very cool dance music with independent DJs and occaisional bands and was a very big part of the 'scene' in the mid 80s in Chicago. In the 90s it kept up 80s nights until the owner sold it at some point in the late 90s.
9:30 Club Washington DC
80s. OMG! Hands down the best club I ever went to. It was at 930 F St. It was an apartment transformed into a club. You sat on wooden boxes covered with carpet. Some of them were built up like bleachers, but you couldn't move them. When you walked through the club you could visualize where a living room was, a bedroom etc. It was small in there. They had TVs mounted all over the place and showed "videos" which could be old movies to actual videos set to music. The basement was where the restrooms were and the club store. I bought a "Reagan Hates Me" shirt there. The cover was about $3. I saw The March Violets there. I also saw Nick Cave And The Bad Seeds there. A friend who lives in DC says that there is a 9:30 Club which is big and recently Good Charlotte has played there. But I am talking about the club where if you sat at the side window, you could see bums sleeping in the alley and drunks peeing in the alley.
9 Of Clubs Cleveland, Ohio
1986-1990. WOW that place was the BEST!!! Early on Wed. was the night to be there. I remember dancing there on a Wed. to Brand New Lover by Dead Or Alive and seeing the girl I should have married for the first time. Should have NEVER let you get away. You know who you are SW. Anyway, best music people and bartenders in Cleveland. I loved all you freaks!!! Smoking weed in the ladies room. Thinking it would last forever. I've been sober for 16 year now but what I wouldn't give to be able to go back in time for another night at the 9!!! PJS
9 Of Clubs Cleveland, Ohio
83-89. MOST amazing industrial/new wave club of its time... great people, best music... a time that I will never ever forget.....Depeche, New Order, Ministry, Love And Rockets, Cure, Kraftwerk, and on and on....
Adam's Apple 1117 First Ave. (61st St.) NY NY
mid to late 80's. This place was happenin'...a total Garden of Eden, jungle theme. Flowers and vines everywhere...great drinks. Even Sean Hannity admits to hangin' there...
After Dark San Diego
1985-1987. Cool teenie bop club that played The Cure, Depeche Mode, Grand Master Flash etc.
After The Gold Rush Tempe, Az.
Early '80's. Minor nights were so much fun! They played great (for those times) alternative music. We had a Billy Idol wannabe who used to lip synch and dance.
Akademija Belgrade, Serbia
During the 80`s and the bigining of the 90`s. Akademija was one of top 10 clubs in Europe. That was the club where Andrew Eldritch was once in 1990.
Akademija Belgrade, Serbia
During the 80`s and the bigining of the 90`s. Akademija was one of top 10 clubs in Europe. That was the club where Andrew Eldritch was once in 1990.
Alfred's (the Orginial One In Raleigh) Memphis, TN
All 80's. Loved this place. Great music and beautiful women. Right, Scotty the Body?
ALL BIG AL'S CLUBS QUEENS NY
85-99. BIG AL RAN ALL THE QUEENS NIGHT CLUBS 80'S-90'S AND STILL IS DOING IT ON A SMALLER BASIS.CLUBS INCLUDED-DANCIN-FOOTLOOSE-HOLLYWOOD-LAMOUR EAST-PALEDS-7700 CLUB-JOKERS-FOREST HILL SWIM CLUB-CHAMPIONS-ILLUSIONS-THE HARBOR CLUB-ETC
All Big Al's Clubs Queens NY
85-99. BIG AL RAN ALL THE QUEENS NIGHT CLUBS 80'S-90'S AND STILL IS DOING IT ON A SMALLER BASIS.CLUBS INCLUDED-DANCIN-FOOTLOOSE-HOLLYWOOD-LAMOUR EAST-PALEDS-7700 CLUB-JOKERS-FOREST HILL SWIM CLUB-CHAMPIONS-ILLUSIONS-THE HARBOR CLUB-ETC
The Anthrax Norwalk, CT
80's-90's (early). Originally in an old gas station, the club was moved to an industrial / warehouse area. The club was shut down when the yuppies & their condos moved in next door. The club was run by Sean & Brian. It was pretty much like Gillman St. (CA), where the kids ran everything from the door to concessions. Every major punk & hardcore band played at The Anthrax at one time or another. Very cool place to see top shows at VERY reasonable prices.
The AquaDuck Welland, Ontario, Canada
80's-90's. CFNY night's with first Live Earl Jive and Beverly Hills and then with my man Chris Sheppard!! Awesome times great alternative tunes and loose Welland women!! Could it have been any better?
Area New York, NY
1986-92. In a Tribeca massive groundfloor warehouse near the exit to the Holland Tunnel ... THE place where NYC art-fashion-power-money mixed for dance, music, show after Studio 54 really closed and before Tunnel Basement, Limelight, Nell's and MK ruled New York... would change its theme every month or so, and we all looked forward to dressing the part ... you had to know it was called are-ee-ah not air-ee-yah or you weren't cool. Replaced by a condo development in the 90s.
Art Stock's Playpen South Fort Lauderdale, FL
1981-1987. Great hole in the wall that had "Heavy Metal Mondays" and free drinks every weeknight from 8p-10p. Cool local bands and even a few national acts from time to time. Hot metal chicks (does anybody remember Ruby?) and great local acts like Diamond Rose, Panic, etc. One Monday night, with my buddy Mark Fenney passed out on a bench outside, I actually met a fella named James Hetfield there, who at the time was the lead singer and rythym axeman of a little know up and coming band called "Metallica"! The place became a popular titty bar in the late 80's called 'Pure Platinum" and the memories (but certainly not the mammaries) were gone forever!
Art Stocks Playpen South Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.
Miid to late 80s. Heavy Metal Monday ROCKED!!!!
Backstreet Ft.Lauderdale
About 1981-1988. Was supposed to be a gay bar.The gays called it backstraights.It was a reasonable place to meet either the opposite or same sex.Was a pop disco,had many pop disco singer shows, such as Taylor Dayne,and that genre.
Banana's Renton, WA
1988-1989. I believe this club was called "Encore" before "Banana's." I think I went there when it was Encore, but I don't really remember it. I do remember going to Banana's quite frequently. It was at a time when Club Broadway had just shut down and it was just before the Underground. Also, since this wasn't within the city of Seattle, the age minimum was 16. The OZ, Club, Broadway and the Underground were all 18 and over. Nice 80's club with good music. Dark, Lots of mirrors, and spinning lights. I believe Fridays were "Industrial" (Misistry, Front 242, Nitzer Ebb, etc.) and Saturdays were "Wave Night" (Depeche Mode, Cure, New Order, etc.) Although I may have the nights backwards. Remeber the old fat security guy smoking big fat cigars? We're all probably close to his age now! I heard a rumour that the city of Renton closed it down because an underage (15 year old) girl bought drugs there and crashed her car. I don't know if this is true or not...it didn't matter because we started going to the Underground instead.
Barraca Valencia, Spain
from 1979 until now. The first big club in Spain to leave the 70's tacky soul-funky-house-disco atmosphere, and the first one which aimed its music solely to guitars and synthetizers, and banned any funky sound, mainly from 1982 on. It soon got a fabulous reputation among the underground people, and attracted all types of artists, intellectual, bohemian, flamboyant and kitsch people, so that it became the most colourful and bizarre club in Spain. The music was a mix of alternative pop/rock, acoustic guitars, synth-pop, gothic, etc. The Art of Noise, Yello, Cabaret Voltaire, the Smiths, New Order, The Cure, Severed Heads, Clan of Xymox, Sisters of Mercy, Bauhaus, Classix Nouveaux, Anne Clark or Devo are some examples of bands which were played in this club. It even had a rotating dancefloor and carousel horses. An even darker and more gothic club opened in 1982 to complement Barraca: Chocolate. Some months after, this underground scene spread out Valencia including some other clubs like Spook Factory, the temple of techno in Spain those years, and Espiral, hard-partying, brutal. Barraca still works as a techno club.
The Barrel Organ Birminham, England
1980 -89. Cool 80's new romantic. Lots of trannies and pretty boys. Very bitchy in the girls toilets. The music: from Human League to the Sisters. Cheap vodka made the night swing and lots of fashion bandits! Very underground and very busy in early days. Famous across the UK for spawning many future bands, etc. Very sadly missed- the crowd moved to Edwards No.8 Club and we are still there. Worth a visit- make up and frills a must. Many vistors from US and Europe. Come to see how us mad English have fun!
The Bayou Baton rouge, LA. Baton Rouge, LA.
70's - 90's. A hole in the wall pool hall just off the LSU Campus. This was "The Hangout" for the Hardcore punk crowd of the late 70's and the post punk/alternative crowd of the 80's. Many of the alternative bands played there before they became big such as REM 1982, Psychedelic Furs 1982, and many others. You can see the bar in the movie "Sex, Lies, and Videotape" in at least 2 scenes. The lead character's(Andie Mcdowall) sister is a bartender at the Bayou in the movie. However, the impression given in the movie as a quiet, laid back, bar is opposite from reality. The bar mysteriously burned down around 2000?
Bayou Mamma Houston, Texas
1986-1990. Club made to look like a swamp. KRBE 104 deejays would simulcaust from there every Saturday night . It was the happening place. A lot of good times, memories and beers.
Bayou Georgetown, Washington D.C
80's. Not a Dance Club,but THE Best Club in D.C at the time! I saw Savatage and Mercyful Fate in the late 80's!
The Beat Port Chester, NY
1983-1989. Just over the CT state line in Port Chester NY, which with the NY grandfather laws helped those of us that were 18 in 1985 and could drink. Very punked out, great music, great bar.
The Bebop Amsterdam, NH
1985. One word: Mantronix ! Ladies, Scream.
Beejay's Houston, TX
1984-1986. Beejay's - where it all started for Club Kids in Houston. Planet Earth, the scene and lip synchs abound!
Beggar's Opera Queens,New York
1979-1986?. This was great little bar with a stage and dance floor in the back. Some really great cover bands played there back then. Equinox,Crystal Ship, Kivetsky, Alive & Kickin, just to name a few. Ladies' Night on Thursdays and Mud Wrestling on Mondays. I did all my growing up at this place. A true neighborhood rock club of the 1980's. Kami shakers with Alabama Slammers as the give-backs.
Berlin Chicago, Il
1985-present. We/I have a video archive that spans over 20 years that is currently still being played. Berlin...born in the 80s, has hosted such talents as Nina Hagen, Madonna, Erasure, Depeche Mode, Adam Ant, oh this list could go on. Currently, every Monday I DJ spinning "the best of the 80s" and think that a venue such as Berlin should be noted as not only Mondays being an 80s night, but a bar from the 80s. See my page on their site at ... www.berlinchicago.com/mondays.htm Thank you for being so cool! -Boa
Berlin NYC, NY
Early 80s. First in an old bank building on Broadway and Houston and later in a third floor loft on 21 St between 5 and 6 Avenue, this club was the favorite hangout of Joey Ramone and Billy Idol. With lots of teased haired goths and visited by Matt Dillon and Nick Nolte, it was very dimly lit and didn't get started until 4 AM. Lots of Euro dance stuff from New Order and Psychedelic Furs. No holds barred in this place. This NYC harcore party hangout element didn't stop until brunch.
Big Apple New Carrolton, Maryland
1980-1992. The 80's music mix was incredible, the dance floor with it's pulsing lights was identical to the floor used in Saturday Night Fever. The right combination of people, music and drinks made this club the destination place for the D.C. metropolitian area. Ask anyone you run into during this time period and they can't say enough great things about their experiences clubbing at this joint.
The Big Apple New Carrolton, Maryland
1980-1992. The 80's music mix was incredible, the dance floor with it's pulsing lights was identical to the floor used in Saturday Night Fever. The right combination of people, music and drinks made this club the destination place for the D.C. metropolitian area. Ask anyone you run into during this time period and they can't say enough great things about their experiences clubbing at this joint.
Big City Diner N.Y., NY
1988-1992. When You walk inside it's crazy because it is a real diner upstairs with the booths and the kitchen but when you walk downstairs it is an off the hook club with a big dance floor and a large sound system. DJ Enuff was the DJ there also caught performances there the one I remember was Black Sheep..When they did the joint This or That and Dres did the pick it up pick it up pick it up part that was sick to see everybody jumping around..Life was BEAUTIFUL back then!
The Birch Hill Old Bridge NJ
80's til present. The place to be in the 80's very big in NJ just closed to be leveled for an old folks home
Black Angus Alhambra, Ca
1988-1993. The bar area turned into a club on Wednesday's and weekends. They played the best house, techno, and old school music.
Bocassios San Jose, Town & Country
84-89. 80's Music at its best! Dress code was suits and dresses All decked out alot of Fine rucas lol aka Bocas Sunday Nites was ladies Nite!
Bonham Exchange San Antonio, Texas
Late 80's. This club was generally known as the Gay Club in San Antonio, but on Wednesday night they opened it up to everyone for College Night. In it's prime the club was huge and filled to the max. Second floor had a bar and a dance floor, main floor had a bar, a small dance floor, pool tables and room to mingle, below the main floor was a huge dance floor about as big as a basketball court. They even had an outside area to hang out on several picnic style tables. The best of alternative new wave was played. The club is still around, but the music and crowds are gone.
Brassy's Cocoa Beach, FL
The 80's. The hottest nightclub in Florida. Live acts, huge dance floor, awesome bar, and people lined up in lines that wrapped around the block to get in the door! The party never stopped until sunrise at Brassy's.
The Business Montreal
80's - 90's. The big "industrial" looking bar was mostly filled with local Whose Who and fashionistas. They played various types of music (house, alternative and more mainstream). I remember the LINE UPS! The bouncers were picky but once you were inside, that's where the party was!!! It was, in my view, the best ever bar that Montreal ever had.
Buttons Nightclub Perrysburg, Ohio
1985. Midnight madness, well what else can I say, sometimes its not always about the music; Djs, Leo 3rd, Micheal J, Little Lori, Dan The Man, Kurt,probably the best djs in 1985. Those party poppers , air guitars and great rock ,and dance music pumped as soon as the doors opened. Plus when those crazy djs,from 104 wiot toledos best rock ; Uncle Joey ,Little Steve,came in, to party with us were nights never to forget. And can't forget about all those contestc..thanks to all party animals from Ohio to Mich. Party on...!
Button's South Hollywood/ft.lauderdale FLA.
1980-1994. The greatest, coolest, classiest, hard rock, hairband heaven ever!! stylish,grat place for bands, dancing,& hanging out. Sorely missed!!
Buttons Perrysburg, Ohio
The 80's. Buttons was orginally a disco club in the Seventies, Dixie Electric Company. The club was renamed in the Eighties. Because the drinking age was 18 in Ohio and 21 in Michigan, Buttons drew a large crowd from Michigan because it was located off a major expressway. Buttons was all the 80's was cracked up to be. Sunday nights were teen night, that's when I went, and they were no different from the other nights. You cannot forget the ever popular "lip sync contest." With contestants doing music from Sly Fox, Ratt, Van Halen....and many more. You can't forget the best butt contest for the guys and the girls. The club was all about hooking up because they played three slow songs an hour. No one can forget the guy spinning the hits, Leo the third. The club still stands and is being remodeled into a teen club. This is most definitely a total 80's landmark.
B'zar East Lansing, MI
Early 80's-91 Or So. "The party lives here!" was the catch phrase on the commercials for this basement club for many years. Just blocks away from Michigan State University, this club was VERY popular with students for many years until getting shut down (I think because of liquor violations...not surprising due to the number of college kids attempting to drink underage every night in that town). Anyhow, this club was dark with low ceilings and lots of odd memorabilia hanging on the walls and ceilings...basically a very cozy atmosphere. Their Tuesday "new music" nights were VERY popular for many years, and covered the whole new wave moment during the 80's. The music was supplied primarily by Core (based out of Texas?) and this made things very strict for a DJ's programming...however, I believe Tuesdays allowed for a bit more flexibility. On their "regular" club nights, staff dances were the norm, along with killer drink specials and the occasional pizza slice specials from their kitchen. Dj's there included Jim McVicker, Jim Pratt (went on to work for KROC in LA and produced a dance remix of "Walking on the Sun" by Smashmouth), and Bill Webber (aka, techno producer Will Webb). Also seen spinning there in '89 was "The Wizard", aka Jeff Mills, who was big on WJBL in Detroit at the time. The club was eventually reopened many years later as a BW3 restaurant (Michigan chain?), which lasted until a year or two ago when the building was demolished to be rebuilt with a newer, more modern commercial building. The "party" may have died over a decade ago there, but the legend certainly lives on. (note: I have just discovered the complete music library of this old club. I was sitting at a bar having a drink in Grand Rapids, MI and happened to start chatting with a guy sitting next to me. Before I knew it, he was telling me that he had the complete music library from B'zar at his house. Apparently, he knew the owners of the original building and was able to obtain the collection a year or two after the club closed, as the music was left behind by the club owners. I've yet to call him to go over to his place to check it out, but once I do, I'm sure I'm going to find some MAJOR 80's jems on 12" vinyl singles. Total chance meeting...how B'zar! ha ha)
Cabana Inn nightclub Sarasota fl.
1989 to 2001. What can I say about the Cabana, Go Buffalo Bills. A local hot spot , great bartenders ,Djs, bouncers too . Every worker enjoyed his job. Tina the dj, wild . Big Al (big), Dj Dan the best mixing dj in Sarasota . bartenders Rockin Robin, Trish the Bargoddess, Jen, just: Hot. Caryn ,Mark, Joey bear. Rooster ,Freddy the bouncers, were all part of this mcmahon family, every night took care of the patrons . With great dance music , great humor ,also wonderful drinks. The night life was always colorful. When a patron at the Cabana would possibly hook up...with another date maybe Get a room !!! was normally heard..I love the Cabana Inn...
Cagney's Washington Dc
Early 80's. Right off Dupont Circle, this club's line would stretch blocks. The music was 80's amazing (The The, The Cure, New Order, etc.) Great scene too. Lots of cool people. One big party night after night.
The Camio Theartre Miami, FL
1980's early 1990's. Small venue concert club...dubbed the "Slammio" for featuring a variety of off the mainstream/pop music - punk, post-punk, industrial, techno, house, goth, ska, speed metal, etc.
Camp Bowie Crusin Club (aka CBCC) Fort Worth, TX
1984-1988. A teen club, were the DFW area 80's superstars were born, which had Kid Kraddick as a guest DJ a couple of times, and a Sound Warehouse music store above it. Featured band nights, the most recent toons, a dance floor, and legal extascy (was made in Dallas and prohibited in Texas in 86? under the Designer Drug law).
Cardinal Bar Madison, WI
1983 - 1990. Fantastic new wave/punk dance music. Small club with maybe 100 capacity. Goth clientle that were regulars everynight. One would first go to the Plaza until close and then rock the Cardinal Bar. Still playing great alternative music.
Casanovas Hialeah, Florida
80s early 90s. One of the only clubs to last a decade in Miamim, this club was a legend!
The Casa Los Angeles Ca
1985. Best high nrg music. Eat at Tommys after party.
CATACOMBS 1127 Walnut St. Philadelphia,PA
1981-1986. Basement Lair crammed to the gills with the fiercest high-end audio of its time. DJs David Todd, Donald Stone, and Billy Kennedy would spin the discs that provided what became quickly known as "A MOST SERIOUS MUSICAL EXPERIENCE". Light Technician Tony White electrified the crowd with those powerful custom flashbulbs during the rhythmic climaxes of some of the most seamless mixes ever played. To date, I have never been to a club whose system was as smooth. Friday and Saturday nights were never the same in Philadelphia. A symbiotic experience unmatched by any standard.
CATACOMBS Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
1977-1986. Basement lair crammed to the gills with the fiercest audio of its time, DJs David Todd, Donald Stone, and Billy Kennedy always made the walls sweat. Light Technician Tony White electrified the crowd completely with those custom flashbulbs. Friday and Saturday nights would never be the same in Philadelphia when it closed in 1986. The sheer power of triamplified audio forever formed my training as a DJ. -ss
Cathay De Grande Hollywood/LA/CA
Early to mid 80's. Great punk scene, disgusting club, haha!
Cathouse Lake Success, Long Island, NY
Late 80's. This was an old mansion turned into a club. Lots of "hair metal" bands played there. It was opened Monday nights and they offered free BBQ hamburgers in the backyard patio area. WOW! What FUN times!
The Cathouse Hollywood, California
1986 to '93 then again in 2001. The Cathouse was opened in 1986 in Hollywood to be a dance club that played rock and only rock. A friend one day asked if they could do a record release party at the club and play live. The band played and everybody dug seeing a band at the Cathouse. It didn't hurt that the band was Guns N Roses. Soon after Faster Pussycat played and put a song called "Cathouse" on their debut album. These 2 bands got huge and helped the Cathouse go with them. Next band to play was Janes Addiction. Soon the guys in Aerosmith, Motley Crue and Motorhead started showing up. It became the home to many huge bands and the hip place to hang at. They would wear Cathouse tee shirts in the videos (Guns n Roses Paradise City) and promote the club in interviews. When the movie the 'Decline of Western Civilization 2 - the Metal Years' wanted to capture the rock scene they did a whole segment on the Cathouse. Also this was the home to a LOT of surprise shows: Guns n Roses, Faster Pussycat, LA Guns, White Zombie, Alice Cooper, Motorhead, Pearl Jam, Alice in Chains, Tool, Primus, Black Crows, Megadeth, STP, Danzig, Blind Melon, Suicidal Tendencies - on and on. Others tried to duplicate the Cathouse formula but there never ever will be anything like the original.
The Chance Theatre Poughkeepsie, NY
70's til present. One of the best places in the Hudson Valley to see bands either on their way up, or before they start to fade fast. MANY bands that ended up in the big time stopped by The Chance on their way to fame, including The Police, Alice in Chains, Collective Soul, Twisted Sister, Molly Hatchett, Extreme to name a few. The Chance was and still is a great place to see a lot of local and national acts in an intimate setting - the last I remember there is a maximum of 600 tickets sold, the majority of them are SRO.
Changes Canada
Late 80's. Durring the late eighties there was a chain of teen night clubs (13-17yrs only) across Canada called Changes. They were sponsored by a cola company, I believe. I remember they used to advertise with newsletters that had the top ten music lists at each location. The lists were always very different from each other. Some cites actually had 2 or 3 of these clubs. I think they wound up getting in a lot of hot water after booking a 2Live Crew show and most of them closed down. I think at least one or two made it to the 90's.
Changes Mississauga, Ontario
1988. THE most popular club for 'preps' in the Toronto/Mississauga area.
Channel 80 New York, NY
1980's. This club was highly sophisticated. Located near the water and the pier was there.
Charley Magruders Atlanta, GA
80's-90's. Really great club to hang out in, and catch a good hair band! That place thrived on the Aqua-Net crowd and I can remember (sort of) closing that place many a night! They just don't make clubs like that one anymore...
Cheek's Detroit, Michigan
1984 -1989. Coolest club ever in Detroit. Club got popular for broadcasting live for after party to Prince's concerts on WJLB. Greatest line up of D.J's. They had Jeff Mills (a.k.a. The Wizard) Al Ester, and Stacy Hot Wax Hale. The first place I heard house music mixed live, called progressive music back then. Their will never be another club in Detroit like it.
CHEERS North Babylon, Long Island New York
1973-1984. Great place to party and watch some of the best rock bands of the 70's and 80's and lets not forget the great foosball games...
Cheers North Babylon, Long Island New York
1973-1984. Great place to party and watch some of the best rock bands of the 70's and 80's and lets not forget the great foosball games...
Chocolate Valencia, Spain
From 1982. This big dark club opened in 1982 at only 200 meters from the, until then, most important alternative club in Spain, Barraca, to complement the underground rock-pop scene spreading out in Valencia and the freaky, bizarre people from throughout Spain who adored to spend their weekends in this city. It soon attracted the most gothic and rocker people from the underground scene. Its music was alt. rock/pop, synth, gothic, industrial, ebm. A few bands which were listened there: Clan of Xymox, Nitzer Ebb, Front 242, Sisters of Mercy, Tones on Tail, Love & Rockets, Blancmange, Siouxie & the Banshees, Depeche Mode, Ramones, Public Image Limited, The Mighty Lemon Drops..., unfortunately it slowly evolved, in the 90's, to cheesy techno and hardcore techno and its golden reputation from the 80's changed into sort of a cheesy club full of agressive youngsters.
Chuck Landis Country Club Van Nuys, CA
Mid-80s. Formely known as the "Wolf & Rismiller Country Club, this club hosted kick-ass local metal bands like Racer X, White Tiger, and Redline, ect,ect. You could watch bands from the floor or you could venture to the balcony for a birds-eye view. The place was filled with people wearing tank-tops, spandex, parachute pants, and bandanas, and big hair was required at this venue otherwise you stuck out like a square. The stage was awesome as well as the acoustics. Rock on!
Cignal Baltimore, Maryland
Mid-80s. Right around the corner from The Club Charles and the depot, Cignal was a long hallway that opened to a slightly wider bar area, then a large dance area in the back. Great drinks, great lighting, and great music, from the Chameleons to X-mal Deutschland. I don't think I'll ever hear "She Sells Sanctuary" without thinking of Cignal.
Cilly's Honolulu, Hawaii
1988-1990. I was stationed in Hawaii in the late 80's, early 90's. I'll never forget that place. The dress code was like this: Men - Dress pants, shoes, socks (suit preferred). No denim, shorts, or beachwear. Ladies - dress to impress. Samoan bouncers in tight fitting suits with secret service headsets, waitresses in tuxedo tails and fishnet stockings. Line around the corner. If you didn't get at least a phone number, there was something wrong with you. Think of New Jack City. Nuff said.
Circle City Club Orange, California
82-84. Teen Dance club right on the orange circle above Watsons drug store. Played it all, new wave, new ro, rockabilly, punk, ska, mod. The Circle was the place to be!
Circus Disco Hollywood, CA
1979- 2001. One of the best discos!!!!
City Beat Seattle, WA.
Mid To Late 80's... City Beat was a club that opened soon after Skoochies was forced to shut it's doors. It was not a bad alternative. It was spacious (the building had been an old lodge), and Skoochies people and music could be found there. I don't remember it having a long life, but it was a sweet life!
City Club Detroit Michigan
1980(?)- still going. Killer Benson! Walking up the grand stairs of the old Leland House hotel that led you to the ball room which was the City Club. Although it is still around , either I have gotten older or its just not as cool. It was the best place to be. Dark Walls painted black and the sounds of Skinny Puppy and Sisters of Mercy blaring out at you. No radio sponsored night no endorsements just a really cool place to meet anyone into the punk scene at that time.
The City Club Portland Oregon
80's-90's. Oh my god----I used to go here many weekends while in college at Uni of Oregon. Mainly went in 85 thru 88!! It was mainly gay/lesbian and many freaks and goths. Fun fun fun!!!
City Gardens Trenton, N.J.
Late 70's - mid 80's . Big place with varied crowd and acts like great soul/ r & b legends Sam and Dave And Junior Walker and the All Stars as well as Nick Lowe and Public Image!!! Great dance club, known for the grafitti on the walls of its coed restrooms...!
City Gardens Trenton, N.J.
late 70's - mid 80's . Big place with varied crowd and acts like great soul/ r & b legends Sam and Dave And Junior Walker and the All Stars as well as Nick Lowe and Public Image!!! Great dance club, known for the grafitti on the walls of its coed restrooms...!
Close Encounters Morgan , NJ
1980's. This was the place to go if you were into Boy George and that whole line of music.. Great place to dance and socialize.... And learn about beers of other cultures!
Club 12 Asbury Park, NJ
1980-1988, 1991. Large dance club that was inside the Empress Hotel. Judy Garland came here a few times. It was really popular, but had to reinvent itself several times. Eventually, the entire Hotel, and the nightclub were abandoned. In 1999, the entire hotel was restored and became a gay resort, and the club was turned into a gay disco called Paradise.
Club 6400 (Sixty Four Hundred) Houston, Tx
1988-1989. Located @ 6400 Richmond Ave. (I swear the outside of this place looked like an old Red Lobster)Played Industrial, New Wave Dance from New Order, Nitzer Ebb to The Smiths. Live radio broadcast Sunday nights on 93Q. This club is responsible for the form Houstons nightclub scene is today and had a profound effect on the music we dance to here. Club burned down January 10, 1989, moved a few blocks down the street but just didn't have the same intensity as the original. Ask any one here between the age of 28 - 35 about 6400 and see what they tell you. I still have tapes from the radio broadcast.
Club A Dallas, TX
89-91. Ah man, the nites at Club A where so awesome! Place pumped out dance songs til 4am. Then on Sunday nights they had trash disco......THOSE where the days.............RIP Club A......
Club A Dallas, TX
1985-90. 2 levels on which to stand and model, great giveaways- I was on the guest list twice so I got in free every night! Drank "Sex on the Beach"! Great lights, neon, and "Master and Servant" every night. I miss it. Bad.
Club Bandstand Sarasota ,Fl.
1980s and 90s. When you would walk in ,a 50s atmosphere would surround you even though great dance music from The Cure to Rick James would be playing , I mean pumping from 8 till 2. Sun and Mon extra special when the Sharks would play live for the 20 year olds. All progressive music thru the night, Tues of course male revue, but Fri and Sat packed for great dance music plus great food from the kitchen 50s style. After the management didnt pay there bills on time the bar closed in 93. I sure miss the fun of being a Dj there, but as a great dj says what club shall I tackel next.. Dj Dan Sarasota fl.
Club Broadway Seattle, WA.
Late 80's. Club Broadway was the last gasp for new wave clubs in Seattle. It was small and lacked the popularity of other clubs. The music was decent, and you were always likely to meet interesting people that shared your passion for the music. It deserves a mention, because it was part of Seattle's 80's new wave history.
Club Encore Renton, WA.
1984-1987. The size of someones large living room. Had a small stage with complimentary mirror for glamour model drunk teen preppies from Bellevue to show off in front of. The mix was odd...preppies, goths, new wavers and your occasional rockers. Lots of synth pop like Depeche, New Order and Erasure. Great place to meet some rich girls and brag on the drive back home to Seattle after a fun night out. Skoochies was turned into The Oz and Club Encore turned into Bananas both owned by some Guy named Keith for all you history buffs.
Club Excess Houston, Texas
1988-1990. It was a great club, right next door to an after hours club called, "Club A.M".
Club Exit Niagara Falls NY
. If you werent dead then you would be at Club Exit. Always Guarenteed to pick up. Everyone from all of Ontario would drive for hours just to go there. Cheap beer, cheap women, awsome music and crappy wonderful pizza across the street. Closed sometime in the mid 90's. I wish it was still there.
Club Larays Chicago Illnois
1982-1989. Popular gay club on the north side of Chicago. House music, drag shows, the place to be!
Club Nu Miami Beach Fl.
About 1986-1991. Was featured on Miami Vice several times. Very trendy. 21st..Had sister club institute,I believe both owed by Turchin bros.
Club Quintessence Fairlawn, NJ
1983-1985. It was a club in Fairlawn, NJ. It was a Quintessential mix of new wave, Guido crowd. It was kind of small but it really drew a nice diversified crowd. I remember having lots of fun dancing there. I can still hear the music, "I'm so excited" The Pointer sisters, Dexie's Midnight Runner "Come on Eileen." Wow those were the "carefree" days...Love, champagne, kisses......
Club Soda Saturday Nite Los Angeles, CA
1984-1986. "Club Soda Saturday Nite" was held each and every Saturday night in the upper ballroom of the Park Plaza Hotel in downtown Los Angeles at 607 So. Park View Street. "Club Soda" as we called it, was the ultimate dance club of the 80's. Mods like me and my friends would deck out in all black, spike our hair with a bottle of Sebastian Shpritz Forte and drive into downtown from the Valley (Sherman Oaks). Many might remember having to park two blocks away and walk by and/or around the lake at Mac Park to get to the Park Plaza entrance. Upon entering the lobby, club-goers passed under the huge crystal chandalier as they ascended the massive staircase to the upper level. A quick right at the top of the stairs along the balcony level and a left into the ballroom revealed the most awesome dance floor on which wavers, goths & mods danced with neon glo-necklaces purchased from the cocktail waitresses that wondered in and around the patrons. The bars were gigantic, the girls beautiful and the sound system booming as DJ's spun dance tunes from ABC to Madonna to Alphaville. It was totally bitchin'!
Club Soda Ventura,Ca
85-89ish. This place was hard to leave due to the steep flight of stairs you had to navigate down while you were shit-faced on Three-Mile Islands ( a variation of a Long Island Ice Tea. In it's roughly five or six year span, it went through several changes, which included lots of neon and flashy seat cushions. Mostly New Wave and Techno garbage was vinyly spun via DJs. The women were slutty with thier Candi pumps and Aqua Net. Coke was rampant in the small bathrooms.Good Times!!
Club X Santa Clara
83 to 86. An underground club held at rollerskate rinks in Santa Clara county. It was put on by a local club promoter who would change locations when necessary. The last place it was held was Aloha Skate rink in San Jose. The club promoter eventually took the name to San Francisco where it evolved into "The X" on 3rd and Harrison.
Clues in the Florentine Shreveport, LA
1986-1989 and again 1993. An afterhours club in Shreveport Louisiana inside a southern antebellum home. Clubs opened nightly at 2 am inviting a delicious combination of late night patrons from several area venues - gays, straights, cowboys, lesbians, suburbanites and urbanites. The dance floor was situated in what was likely the living room and dining room of the home. The DJ booth was in the butler's pantry. The three story mansion was owned by a saucy gay gentleman, Gene Barnett - he tended the back bar. He opened his home, the Florentine as a gay club in the late 70-80s. It's rebirth as an afterhours club was the doing of resident DJ Chuck Davis. The music mirrored the Dallas Starck club scene. If Rick was playing it at the Starck, Chuck played it at Clues. Dancers delighted in grooving to Chuck's mixing skills. He often stood at the door of his booth and enjoyed the energy. Sunlight often ended the party as it poured into the huge windows lining the front porch. The sound system and lighting were not big budget but the ambiance and charm of the mansion are unforgetable. God rest you Miss Kitty. Thanks Chuck.
Clutch Cargo's (on Elizabeth Street) Detroit, MI
1982. Housed in a formerly swanky ladies club in a seedy area of downtown Detroit, this was the place to see live bands in '82: I saw Teardrop Explodes, OMD, Duran Duran, Flock of Seagulls -- all when they were just starting out. Separate rooms with TV's playing rare videos, and a tiny main stage area -- I remember the Dead Kennedy's playing on a sweltering July night; must have been 120 degrees inside. God, do I miss this place!
Coconut Teazers Hollywood/LA/CA
Mid to late 80's. Good music, great party scene, pickup place!
The Concert Factory Costa Mesa, CA
81 - 83. After the Cuckoo's Nest closed, a new guy (Joe something) opened up the Concert Factory. While it was still in the same building as the Famous Cuckoo's Nest, the place inside changed (somewhat for the better). Joe catered to more then just the Punk scene, with bands like The Cramps and Slayer. While it was not the same as the Cuckoo's Nest, it was a good place in it's own rights.
Confetti's Saskatoon, Sask. Canada
1980's. The chessiest dance club/meat market that Saskatoon ever had. I loved it when I was 19.
Confetti Houston, TX
1986. The flashing lights, "Danger Zone" & "The Reflex".
The Cottage Berwyn
1986 - 1989. Probably one of the most incredible clubs to ever open in the Chicago area. This place was like a million and a half dollar mecca. The club was loaded with hot hot ladies on the weekends, the sound system was incredible with a skylight above the dance floor the covered the entire floor, the bar was marble top and glass blocked, the DJ booth was like a command control center and the DJ was incredible and played a mixture of house, imports and classic club songs. They used to have guest djs from WBMX on certain nights and still to this day I say the club was really out of place in Berwyn Il but wow, what a place to party. I remember their bathrooms were like the first place to have sensors, it took me about five minutes to figure out how to flush the toilet. After the good DJ's left they hired some girl who stunk and the place was never the same. I think it closed around 1989
The Cove Atlanta, GA
1982-1994. After-hours nightclub featuring high-energy music, plus video debuts.
Crackerjacks / Pancho Villa's San Bernardino, CA
1983 - 1986. A great dance club at a great location on top of a hill with a 360 deg. view of the valley. It was the best new wave dance club east of LA at the time, pulling a large crowd from as far away Orange County and the high desert. There were always after-hours parties for those wanted to continue the fun into the morning. Best nights seemed to be Sundays and Tuesdays (or was it Wednesdays? Thursdays?). Excellent sound system, DJs and continuous music videos, as well as beer and drinks. 18 and over on new wave dance nights.
Cuckoo's Nest Costa Mesa, CA
78 - 81. The Cuckoo's Nest was a great Punk club. Through it's short history, many bands played there like 999, T.S.O.L., Suburban Lawns, Black Flag and on and on. The place shared a parking lot with a restaurant/bar called Zubies (Zubie owned both buildings, Jerry Roach rented the Cuckoo's Nest building from him) with a mostly cowboy type crowd that hung out there. This did cause some tension and the occasional fight. The Vandals even memorialized this in their song Urban Struggle. I practically lived at this club from late 79 to it's closing in 81. I made a lot of friends there and saw hundred's of bands play.
The Cuckoo's Nest Huntington Beach, CA
1980-1983. One of the best punk clubs in southern california. Many of the greatest, and still greatest, punk bands played there. Bands such as The Vandals, T.S.O.L., Circle Jerks and others. There was a cowboy bar across the street called Zubies. And all the punks used to fight the cowboys and everything. Then years later owner Jerry Roach had to shut it down because of all of the fights and violence.
D.O.K.s Garden Grove, CA
Early to late 80's. Great gay dance bar that played new wave, disco, pop. I think it was 18 and over but no problem to get in for those that were younger. There were several dance clubs/bars that were all walking distance along Garden Grove Blvd. that anyone under the drinkin age could get into including the Frathouse and Rumourhazzit. Danced all night long and spent alot of time in those parking lots drinking Vodka and O.J.
Dancerteria New York, NY
1980 - 1985?. One of three of the best clubs in NY during the 80's. They had a few floors and great music!! Learned the words to 'The Roof Is On Fire". One of the floors was all goth/New Romantic music where I lived practically all weekend. Madonna filmed her video "Get into the Groove" in this club!
Dancerteria New York, NY
1980 - 1985?. One of three of the best clubs in NY during the 80's. They had a few floors and great music!! Learned the words to 'The Roof Is On Fire". One of the floors was all goth/New Romantic music where I lived practically all weekend. Madonna filmed her video "Get into the Groove" in this club!
Dancin's Leonia, NJ
80s-early 90's. A great club in the 80's where many bands like Lime use to play. It was converted into two separate buildings one of which is a Korean bar.
Danseparc (West) Sacramento, CA
1982-1987. Wonderful club, responsible for one of the major phases of my life(and the lives of many of my friends to this day.) Danseparc was founded by a professor from UC Davis and was home to alternative music in a relatively industrial part of town. A very small venue, it played some of the newest music of that time, becoming a magnet for music afficionados from all over. Goth, pure dance New Wave, New Romantic stuff. Video monitors played animation loops and lighting was taken almost as seriously as the music. Still one of the few clubs that had a paid lighting person working alongside the DJ. The only club that I've ever heard that ever drew people FROM San Francisco TO Sacramento (virtually everyone else goes the other way for great nightlife). Great theme nights, great regular crowd and a DJ booth that was set in the cab of a semi truck positioned coming through the wall. By the time of its demise Danseparc lines were legendary, stretching nearly 3/4 mile (measured by car adometer) down the sidewalk as the more mainstream clubbers from surrounding cities caught the buzz.
Das Club San Francisco, California
Mid Eighties. Played new wave music from New Order to recently turned rockers the Cult. Cat walk style stages where everyone could dance to stand out and be seen. One make out room kept dark. Two dance floors; one overlooking the lower floor. Two bars. Lots of glam boys with big hair and girls in petticoat skirts. By far the coolest 80's club in San Francisco.
Denny Andrews American Bar Calgary and Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
late 80's. A huge dance bar, it was the best place to drink and meet the other sex. Wednesday night 3-for-1 drink specials made for the best night, as was the weekend. The liquor seemed to flow in abundance and was cheap...and everyone, I mean everyone in attendance got loaded (might have had something to do with it being shut down when the bar was still raving, too bad!)
The Devil Nest Bronx, NY
1984-1990?. This was the club that introduced at the moment 2 of the greatest DJs in the Tri State area, and why not the whole East Coast, "little" Louie Vega and I can't remember the other guy's name, but believe me they both rocked the "house", also this club opened the doors for a lot of famous latin freestyle singers and groups like The Latin Rascals and the "king of freestyle" George Lamond. This club was located on East Tremont in the Bronx NY, the setup in this club was awesome and the sound incredible, at that time I was hanging out with famous DJ K-ROCK (Kenny Reyes)who's currently running Callejeros Records in the Bronx, man, I had fun those days, can we turn back the clock?
Dillon's Westwood, CA
1976-1986. Started as a tri-level disco and evolved into the best all around nightclub in L.A. during that period. KROQ would do shows from the third floor. On the second live bands, and I mean anyone and evryone from the New Wave era. Groups such as Wham, Haircut 100,Phys. Furs, The Bangles all played there. The second floor had R& B and was the place for the better break dancers to perform. One of the best who unfortunately died at a very young age (I do not know how...medical condition I believe) was "Ticking Tony". He was a cousin of "Berto and Yaddar". If you knew Dillions you know those two brothers. I was a bouncer there along with Randy, Billy Rae (Head case), Eric, Keith, and "The Stunt Crew". Good times and the elevator has stories that could fill a book. It was also a great place for the Sweedish Aupairs who were looking after all the babies in Bel Air and Beverly Hills tocome and "break out"!!! A lot of them never went back!!
Dillon's Westwood, CA
1980-84. Dillion's was the place where a lot of the celebritie's kids partied. Dori Schordensach, Kimmy (Mickey Rooney's daughter), Carrie (Monty's rest), All of the women from the "Facts of Life". and a whole lot more. A reunion is planned for the winter of 2006. Pass the word or contact thall37138@yahoo.com
Dior's Oak Lawn, IL
1982-1984. Though it lasted for a short period of time this club was incredible. Elegant, perhaps too elegant for the south side of Chicago at the end of disco and the re-emergence of dance in the early 80s. Diorr's had marble at the front door, a huge crystal chandelier when you walked in, all the seating was love seat seating thoughout the club, the sound system was OK but the DJ's were Mickey Mixin' Oliver, Sal Amato and Pete Marzano for a period of time and the place was smokin' hot with the finest women to be found. It wasn't too far away from a place called Woodhues where Scott Smokin' Silz (like Mickey, of Hot Mix 5 and WBMX fame) worked.
DirtBox Los Angeles
1983-?. Early underground; moved around, kinda like a rave?
Disco Lipik Lipik
1985-1989. It was the best place to be. Simply the best around that time frame. I miss it.
The Dixie Electric Company Perrysburg Ohio
Late 70's Early to late 80's. Dances, bullriding, contests. Sunday night was minor's night. We would get sauced at a nearby lake before we went in!
DJ's Night Club Colorado Springs, CO
early to late 80's. Live Heavy Metal, local and national music scene.
The Dome Washington, D.C.
85-89?. Basement of a huge office building off M Street and 20-21? ...used to be called Bojangles (early 80s) ...later became Cellar. Now closed -across the street from presently "Lulu's"
Down The Street Asbury Park, NJ
1972-1998. Popular dance club with mainly gay people coming to it. Was one of the oldest gay clubs in the United States when it closed in 1998. Today the building is in threat of being torn down due to eminent domain, they want to build waterfront condominiums there.
Dschungel Berlin (West Berlin)
80s. Definitive European 80s club in Cold War country. Large shop window front with glass panels and plants. Only the trendiest could get in at weekends as the place was small. Inside everybody would try to outcool one another in floppy hair and retro clothes with the occasional punk and transvestite. Prime spot on the spiral staircase looking down on the mosaic floor. Amongst famous customers - more in the early days - David Bowie, Nick Cave, Blixa Bargeld. The music was great - new wave, hip hop, electro, seventies funk, a dash of punk, jazz and r'n'b classics. I used to travel twenty-two hours by train overland from the UK to spend some nights in this place.
DV8 San Francisco, CA
1980s. Unbelievably mind-boggling club at 540 Howard Street, before it closed down (permit not renewed by Feinstein regime). Some will tell you there were two dance floors there, but there were three. Oh, how there were three. Street-level drew you in for $10 (80s, we love you) with a line that wrapped round the block in the blacked-out warehouse district under the Bay Bridge. Not even a sign, nor anything else around, but you just looked for that line. It led inside to a low-ceilinged, dark, sprawling dance floor lined on one side with iridescent blue fishtanks, on another with a cramped clump of tables and a bar, thick with cigarette smoke (still cool and indoor-legal back then). On that level, I remember lots of Techno, New Wave, Faux Alternative, and more alternative Alternative, all poundingly loud, of course. I heard my first Haircut 100 song there. I remember glam girls and boys, both in heavy eye makeup, and impatient girls using the Boy's Room, to said boys' delight. Big hair and blue mohawks, fishnet stockings and ankle boots. Downstairs in the basement (which most club historians forget about), at least the one or two times I ventured down, they were actually playing Country-Western, the patrons dancing honky-tonk style (!!!). As elsewhere in the club, a strange blend of Glams and Punks (small minority) and Goths and Straights and Gays and Rockers and Poor, Lost Suburbanites like us. But upstairs really blew the mind -- at the top of a deceptively narrow, dark stair in the back of the club, it all opened up into a cavern-huge auditorium with three-story-high (at least) vaulted ceilings, propped up by enormous Gothic columns. Bram Stoker curtains draped the walls. Haunted Mansion candelabras studded the walls, while from the ceiling dangled chandeliers that would have made Czar Nicholas blush. A stage for the showier Batcave girls and Goth boys stretched out under video screens flashing out admixtures of art film -- burning chairs twisted on ropes, and such. Glam girls in dance cages added an incongruous flavor (their glam appeal increased by degrees in this uncheery place). But the best fixtures of all were the two girls swinging in sync with the music from trapeze-style swings, dizzyingly high above the dance floor. One was in bridal wear, with bouquet. I don't remember what the other wore. A sexy, she-devil number, I think. If anyone was more taken with another Bay Area club, they may have missed DV8. (Now, we all miss it.)
Easy Street Des Moines, Iowa
Late 1980s. Easy Street was one of the biggest things to hit the Midwest. It had a huge live music area; concert size stage, large dressing room, state of the art everything! Toward the back, they had a specific area for video games and an entirely separate room for pool tables and DJ music. Easy Street featured all of the triple A bands that were on the circuit back then and brought in larger acts such as Autograph, King Kobra, etc. Bands were mainly hard rock, but some, like The Verandas, also bordered on pop.
The Edge/The Vortex San Francisco, CA
1980s. Modern Rock will live on. This was the place to find Steve Masters playing some really hot modern rock and new wave. Don't know who Steve Masters and Live105 are? Check them out on iTunes.
Electric Avenue /Visage Orlando, FL
1983-1992. Electric Avenue started out as a teen club in the early eighties which hosted national bands including Ministry (when they were still a dance band). "EA" had a progressive night on Friday featuriing DJ Paul Vaine and rap and hip hop on Satudays featuring DJ Magic Mike. In 1987 "EA" evolved into Visage and shortly thereafter, served alcohol on Wednesdays and Saturdays keeping Fridays for the kids. It was the premier progressive club in Orlando and hosted the best national acts from NIN, The Ramones, PIL, Love and Rockets, Midnite Oil, Red Hot Chilli Peppers and Jane's Addiction to name a few. Not bad for a 1250 capacity warehouse in the middle of a Lockhart neighborhood.........
Electric Avenue Grand Rapids, Michigan
1985-1989.
Electric Playground Trenton, NJ
Mid to late 80's. This was a under 21 night club that played dance and freestyle. Also had freestyle and dance artists perform. There is now a Wendy's where it used to be.
Emerald City West 57th street NY
1988/1989. All the hottest freestyle acts have performed here. Hot 103.5 would be coming live every Saturday night with DJ's such as Scott Blackwell and Glen Frischa. The sound system in Emerald city was freakish. You would still feel your inner organs bouncing around with a ring in your ears the next morning !
Energies Houston, Texas
1988-1990. This club was off of I-10 and Shepherd I believe, it was without a doubt one of the best clubs ever
Energy's Houston,Tx
1985-1987. Rave on, this club had it all New Wave and used to get so packed, the cops would set up stings on Durham, so they could pull over all the cars that left that way. Everyone there used to wig out till it got shut down and then someone burned it down before it could reopen...
Eons Gratersford,PA
1980 to 85/86. Built and Owned by Altimose. This was one of the state of the art clubs in the Phila area. 5 or 6 dance floors in a great room 3 were raised two below, fantastic light show inclueding LASERS with mirrors all over, A rainbow of green. Column lights with pulsing rythems. I was a patron for over 4 1/2 yrs. GREAT TIMES! Hey KIM Where are You?
ETC Memphis, TN
All 80's . What a place !!! Spent a lot of my waking hours in there.
Facade Miami,FLA.
Mid-80's/Early-90's. Simply the best around that time frame!!! Especially Thursday & Sunday nights. Great people and a great house band, the girls back then were just incredible!!!!!
Face to Face Downtown San Jose
84 to 86. A small club put together by local high school students. DJ's would spin depeche mode, the cure, new order, joy division, love and rockets, etc. Often spiked punch would be included in the addmission. Anyone over 21 was considered "old"
Fantasia at the Bonnaventure Hotel Los Angeles, CA
Mid 70s to 90s. Fantasy night club of tomorrow... dj booth was space ship!
Fat Fannys Danville, California
84-89. Fat Fannys was one of the Bay Area's best places to party at,2 bars,plenty of hot babes and I even did a stint as the bouncer/door man,what memories! (sighs)
Feathers River Edge, NJ
1972-present. This is a great place to have a drink and listen to music that you thought was Gone! In the Disco era they played music that made you want to dance. Relive that feelings on Wednesdays there for great 80's and 70's feel. They had everyone from Boy George to the Bangles rock there ( dragged up that is ! ) Its for the gay crowd and has held its beauty of rustic cabin like look ever since the beggining!!
Fender's Ballroom Long beach, CA
1940s (?)- 1989. 521 E. First St and impossible to find. I always got lost going there but it was worth the wait. I was in my early teens and it was the place to see bands like MDC, GBH, The Explloited, Bad Religion, Tex and the Horseheads, The Descendents, Adolescents and other great 80s punk bands. They iused to do cock rock metal KNAC nights there too. I remember a back room bar over 21 that I always wished I could get into but i was not old enough to go in there or glanorous enough to hang out with the glam punk girls at the back of the club. The place looked like it was once a grande art deco ballroom with red carpets covered in cigarette burns. Eventually the story goes that it was burned down in an arson fire for insurance. I remember it as punk rock mecca with it's packed and sweaty slampit and constant fistfights between the Suicidals, The Lads and the skinheads. No Doubt played their first gig there on March 14th. 1987 and sadly this seems to be the only thing this place is now remembered for.
The Fineline Tucson, AZ
Early 80's - Mid 90's. The Fine Line was a giant two-story building that had three sections. The clientele was predominantly gay, but still diverse. They would occasionally have bands play in the upstairs bar; local faves The Giant Sandworms (now known as Giant Sand) as well as a post-MTV-fame Flock of Seagulls graced the stage. There was a dance club on the ground floor, and a more "intimate" bar in the basement. The building was demolished in the late 90's to make way for a parking lot for the nearby Pima College campus.
The Fire Alarm Cicero IL
1981-1990?. The "Alarm" was probably the most important club of it's time. This place didn't get busy until 4AM. It was huge, it was packed with people who worked the bars across the Chicago area and needed a place to let loose after work. On the weekends at 4AM it would start to fill up by 5AM there was a line out the door and 800 people inside drinking and dancing. Music played was club music, mostly the music heard on Chicago's WBMX. At that time Debbie Jacobs' "Hot Hot, Give It All You Got" was the line dance choice for those on the floor and it was hilarious to see people dance in step to the song. Other hits of the day Madonna, Doctor's Cat, Sylvester and more. The roaring 80s frat house was The Fire Alarm and there was no other place like it - EVER. With it's red shag carpeting on the walls with round mirrors surrounded by rope lights, a sunken dance floor, mars lights on the ceiling and an antique fire truck behind the main bar. The amazing thing about the fire alarm is that from about 1984-1987, it would be 9AM and the place would still be packed with people partying and dancing, AMAZING! Last call was when they were in the mood. Ya had to love Cicero in the 80s boy!
Fire And Ice Miami, Florida
Miid 80's till early 90's. Punk,Post Punk,Death Rock,Ska.Cool club located in the Design District.
First Avenue Minneapolis, MN
80's and beyond.... 80's, Prince, Purple Rain... Fa-Getta-Bout-It... Even into the 90's this place was rockin', not sure what's up there now. They do have a website. Was the absolute best!
Florentine Gardens - The Palace - Club 21 Hollywood, CA
1983 - 1989. These where the true hardcore 80's clubs. I know I was the 80's, man.
Florentine Gardens Hollywood, CA
1980's & 90's. This was the first place I heard Madonna's "Burning Up" when I was here from Vegas. The place was rockin' every night and they had some great punk nights too!
Florentine Gardens Hollywood, CA
Mid 80s-90s. First real club in Hollywood, with a big enough dance floor, that you could actually spin around with your arms stretched out, and not worry about knocking someone out. Usually hosted by KROQ/ or POWER 106. IT ROCKED!!
The Flying Saucer Isla Verde, Puerto Rico
1980. It was THE place to see and be seen in Puerto Rico's metropolitan area if you had disco fever--the round spaceship exterior was encircled with flashing lights and the interior was very futuristic in an 80's way.
Flynn's Ocean Club Miami Beach
1982 to 1985. Flynn's Club was South Florida's first orignal punk rock club, located at 79th Street Miami Beach. Bands from all over came to showcase their own music. The bar was a famous jazz club back in the 1950's where many of the strs came to party, after they themselves performed. Back then it was called the DREAM BAR. Flynn's was run by the bands. It was all about the music, hair and hanging with you friends. It was there before Casanovas, Club Nu and Cameo. It had bands from LA, UK Girl School for one. Charlie Pickeet and the Eggs and Black Flag were favorites. They had new music, punk, reggae, you name it. They een had a poerty night A guy name Richard Shelter was the promoter and the Flynn's were cool people -you really had to be a part of it. If you mention Punk Clubs of South Florida, you have to have Flynn's on your list, they were the first.
Focus Toronto, ON
Mid 1980's. Hugely popular underage dance club in downtown Toronto, on Hagerman Street behind City Hall, just off Bay Street. On the second floor of a three storey non-descript building, Focus was hottest during the cold winter months. Saturday Nights were jammed, with lineups around the corner of the building. The best of New Wave could be heard until the wee hours, with city and suburban residents partying to New Order, The Cult, The Cure and much more. Was the predecessor to other underage New Wave clubs in the 1980's, including The Maaz on Yonge north of College.
Foxes Jersey City, NJ
1980's. Foxes in Jersey City...you know, near the railroad tracks! Cover bands like Sticky Fingers and Flossie!
Fran O'Briens Philadelphia, PA
1978 - 1984?. A cozy small Bar/Club on City Line Ave. with a dance floor and DJ. Great after work Happy Hours.
The Freezer Theater Detroit, Michigan
1979-1983. Located in Detroit's legendary 'cass corridor' this establishment served as the prime location for many of The Motor City's fierce hardcore bands, most notably: Negative Approach. Located at 3985 Cass.
Friendly's Bar Ardmore, PA
1982 - 1986?. A popular "mini club" on Lancaster Ave. in Ardmore formerly called the "Red Eye". It had a small dance floor located next to the entrance, a long bar and tables. Great finger food if you had the late night munchies.
Funky Reggae Los Angeles
1983-84. The club played funk and reggae, traveling all around L.A.
Galactica 2000 Sacramento, CA
1981-1986. A Sacramento nightclub that featured live shows by The English Beat, Lords of The New Church, The Specials, Madness, Thomson Twins, Iggy Pop, Dead Kennedys. Owned and operated by an Englishman named Ray. Also played the best new wave on nights that there wasn't live music.
Gambits Inside The Marriot Hotel At The Airport Lejune Rd
Mid 80-early 90s. located in the lobby this mid sized club was sensational from tues days to sats.this club was sophisticated and packed. the music was freestlye and 80s dance.the people would line up to get into this club.
The Gandydancer Vancouver BC, Canada
Early to mid 80's. This was a small but packed club in a industrial area of Vancouver. It closed around 1991/1992. In the movie Desperately Seeking Susan they show Madonna dancing in a club that looks very similar to the Gandydancer. It was a gay/bisexual crowd. Hey, in 1983 everyone was bisexual! I remember hearing a lot of cool music here such as Spandau Ballet, Eurythmics, New Order.
The Garage Montreal, Canada
1981 - 1988. The Garage was THE most popular gay male club in Canada throughout the 80s. This club was located underground (literally) below a warehouse in the fur manufacturing district in the eastern part of downtown. The place was always packed and had a "car/truck" theme. The dj booth was in a huge truck cab and seats were made of back of old card. All the eighties dance bands got their Canadian starts here: Depeche Mode, Bananarama, Pet Shop Boys, etc. This was purely a male club and featured a "Ladie's Night" once a month. Because of its "avant-garde" nature, many straight men also frequented the spot. It was for a long time one of the most popular clubs around. Anywhere!
The Gastation Boise, Idaho
1978 to 1980. A "triplet" designed by the same people who created the Ritz in Houston and The Ice Palace in New York. Voted as a tie (the three of them) for 3rd best disco in the world by Billboard magazine in 1979. Managed later by myself as a teen club called Grove Street Dancin, then later by others as Deja vu. The club was built inside the old trolly garage in downtown Boise. Demolished and a parking garage now stands at the site. The owners changed from a bar disco to the teen approach because their clientelle was African Americans and ...well... hookers, and since there were not sufficient numbers of either of those in Boise they changed it to a teen non-alcohol format. We regularly had 950 kids three nights a week for our one year of fun. We also began opening for after hours for adults after 1am, with lingerie fashion shows and funk played until 4AM.
The Gastation Boise, Idaho
70's & 80's. I was curious about the cost of construction on the Gastation Disco. It was a favorite hangout of mine and my highschool nickname of Disco is proof of that. I have been playing with the idea of opening such a place where I live now, but really have no idea of where to start. Any help or information would be greatly appreciated.
Gatsby's/Finney Bones Phoenix, Arizona
85-87. A small place set around the theme of Mardi Gras complete with a clown on 20th street and Highland. The DJ's were mixmasters and were the best!
Gatspy's Gretna, La.
1978-1994. Gatspy's was the happening place on the westbank of the Greater New Orleans Area. This club, where I worked from 1988-1991, had a game room (pool tables), a rock room (rock and roll) open on week-ends, and the normal dance club all in one building. This was the home of drinkin with Lincoln on Friday and Saturday Nights. This was the longest running night club with the same owners in the lower Louisiana area.
Goin' East East Dubuque, IL
Late 80's -1997. Had some of my best times at Goin' East. Used to dance and drink and flirt and sometimes play pool. Was really just a dive, but now it's gone. Those were the days...sigh...
Gord's Place St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada
80's-90's. The ultimate Punk, Goth, New Wave, Alternative bar in Niagara. Great women, Music and atmosphere! Sadly now a crappy preppie bowling alley bar with another name. Oh those were the days!!
Gotham City San Francisco, CA
Mid Eighties. By far the coolest traveling underground warehouse club in the city. Lots of girls and boys with big hair all wearing makeup and black clothes. Very Gothic and hip for the time. Usually lit up only with candles in the lobby, sometimes set in dry toilet bowls. Played and danced to Gothic bands such as Bauhaus, Visage, the Cure, Siouxie, Sisters of Mercy....I have very fond memories of this club.
Graceland Vancouver
Mid to late eighties. If Luv-a-Fair, was Vancouver's seminal new wave, big hair club (already covered on this board) Graceland came along later, as was THE seminal House music club.. Sure there were a few funk clubs like the Warehouse on Beatty and the Shalimar on Seymour, but they were a bit more the pimps and hos kinda vibe. There were also plenty of gay bars The Shaggy Horse, Celebrities, Buddys, Faces - all playing "gay bar disco" and there was the Chanel 1 Klub in the westend throwing down for the industrial scene.. but Graceland was our own little NYC style house house. It looked like a warehouse, big, catwalks lotsa beautiful people great visuals.. the staff were a great mix of punks and queers, the bouncers were a 50 year old lesbian and a 6'4" drag queen, there were line ups down the block but in keeping with the style - real players knew to hit the back door and leave the lineups to the bridge and tunnel crowd. I remember seeing DeeLight and Prince and NewOrder partying there, Jon Sex, Joey Arias, Kitten Natividad. Visuals the size of 18 wheelers, private parties for a couple of hundred lasting wayy into the night. Scads of young Americans who would come up to enjoy ou 19 yo drinking age. Saw the Red Hot Chilli Peppers play NYE there.. In addition to house they booked lotsa gigs there.. Bad Boys Night Tuesdays (gay men, crew cuts, cut off denim and Doc Martins) Acid House Thursdays.. ahh those were the days.. (sigh) sadly pretty much every single club mentioned here has been removed to make way for more and more condos. It might surprise any youner locals to know that before it was expensive lofts and designer furniture stores - the Yaletown area was BUMPING with after-hours, warehouse parties, gay bars and boy hustlers...
Graffittis Danceteria Tempe, AZ
1982-87. All progressive, all the time. Dj's Bax and Bill played post-punk dance; Cure, New Order, etc.. mixed with some old school ( Erik B. and Rahim) hip hop. in a neon-light filled club. Always a packed house.
Graffittis Danceteria Tempe, AZ
1982-87. All progressive, all the time. Dj's Bax and Bill played post-punk dance; Cure, New Order, etc.. mixed with some old school ( Erik B. and Rahim) hip hop. in a neon-light filled club. Always a packed house.
The Great Escape Corpus Christi, Texas
87-92. Everyone from every walk of life was here....Back in the day this was the club to attend...everyone knew everyone and the music was great!
The Grey Coach Titusville, FL
1980. Great small dance club that really rocked the early 80's Donna Summer disco era.
The Hacienda Manchester, England
1982 - 1997. One of the most famous Dance clubs in the world, Visits to the Hacienda inspired DJs like Sasha, the Chemical Brothers and Laurent Garnier, it wasnt just dance /rave music that was played here, groups from the 80's that also played here include New Order, Mantronix, Grandmaster Flash and the Smiths, The club was also frequented by the likes of The Stone Roses, The Happy Mondays, Liam and Noel Gallagher(Oasis), it was a clubbers heaven. 18 months after the club closed it was demolished, people still grieved its closure so much so that bits of the demolished club were then auctioned off. Bricks were £5 each; the sale raised thousands of pounds for charity. The film and DVD �^~Twenty Four Hour Party People�^TM is keeping interest in the Hacienda alive.
Halls Austin, TX
1985 - ?. This was the the most awesome 80's club I've ever been to. 3 levels of dancing pleasure, plus a stage (a definite must for 80's dancing!). They played the best of the best! Depeche Mode, New Order, the Smiths, the Cure, Nitzer Ebb, Front 242, Toto Coelo. The memories...
HammerHeads New York, Islip
1979-1984. 2 Stages, Some of the best Rock bands of the 80's played there... the party was so great that Aerosmith played there also. Great time, great women!
Hammerjacks Baltimore , MD
Just-----The 80's. Awesome -- Big Hair -- Short Skirts -- Rock-n-Roll at its Best -- Home of Balmers Band "KIX"
Heartbeat 106/107 North, Long Island
80's. Really cool club that let the underage in, saw Book of Love, The Church perform, great memories and times.
Heaven Vancouver
Mid 80s. Before it was (its current incarnation) The Odyssey - Heaven was the spot for all us young big-hairs that couldn't get into LuvAffair. Along with the myriad of other non-licensed afterhours clubs (The Edge, The Eclipse, The World, Xenon -- we were WAY too cool for Shakers and too urban to trek out to the Paramount, both teen clubs) MDA and "poppers" were the thing. I recall one of the bars actually selling vials of Rush and orange juice mixed with herbal tincture (which I now believe to be Jagermeister). An absolutely cathartic environment for me I lived for the weekends when I could escape my high school monotany and slide my patent-leather winkle picker jackboots across the dancefloor. The only thing better than going there was leaving there, either with someone or because the sun was up and they were kicking us out and we'd troop off to the Elbow Room or the 24hr palm reader cafe on the old Robsonstrasse. I shall always have fond memories of walking across the Burrard St. Bridge, tripping my brains out on choclate mescaline, the bright blue sky of the sunrise with the strains of the Stranglers "Skin Deep" extended mix still reverberating through my body. (sigh)
Helenas Los Angeles (Beverly Hills)
1987-?. Exclusive; industry-bigwig guest list ONLY. Big names, like Jack Nicholson and Michael Douglas...now THAT was the place to really party!
Helter Skelter Hollywood, Ca
83-93. A club of Gothic porportions! Moved locations quite frequently. Popular acts included Christian Death, Alien Sex Fiend, London After Midnight, etc..
Hippodrome Corfu, Greece
Throughout The 80s. Hippodrome was the first big club in Corfu playing disco and new wave music. It had opened somewhere in the late 70s (my dad and mum went there for dance!).The club still stands, but now it plays house, and it is very popular to Italian tourists.But the decor has'nt changed since the 80s.
Hot Traxx Van Nuys, CA
Early 80's. The best coming of age 21 and under club of the eighties.... Smoking cloves & dancing to everything from Madonna to The Cure... The mixture of Early Gothic, Mod and New Wave couldn't have been better. Until a fight & a gun over a beautiful girl named Natalie left the Valleys legendary Mark Miller dead at 15. I believe the club closed shortly after and Pappy moved and started over at the old Network in Glendale, CA.
Ice Palace New York City, New York
1977-1980. Quite possibly the best Sunday afternoon into late evening tea party. With some of the best music ever to hit a dance floor.
Iguana Lounge Toronto, Ontario
1982-1983. Small nightclub on Pears avenue in Toronto. Hot spot for the early New Romantic/Blitz Toronto club scene. Great hiding spots all over the club to make out. Amazing music and drinks. Super fun and busy on Thursday nights. Had awesome outdoor patio. I sure remember spending a full & wonderful summer hanging out there!
Impulse Salt Lake City, UT
1986-1987. OK, since I'm the only one entering Salt Lake Clubs I ain't gonna to stop after just 3. This little known and short-lived joint was in the basement of the downtown Boston & Newhouse buildings. Only went there once or twice but it was fun, dark, loud, and seemed to cater to the gay crowd. Later changed it's name to the London Underground, if memory serves. Ah, those were the days . . .
Industry Dallas, TX
Late 80's- 90's. I loved this club! Big warehouse with concrete floors, black lights and not much else. They were open well after 2:00 am, and sold popsicles. For Christmas they had a black tree lit with black lights, it was very cool. D.J's Mikey Mike, etc spun all the great 80's industrial music and nothing else.
Infinity New York, New York
Late 70's-early 80's. Big warehouse filled with neon lights ,bowls of fruit,people were encouraged to get up on the mirrored ledges and dance...bare as you dare night.....Broadway and Bleeker..
The Institution Of Rock And Roll Colorado Springs, CO
1980s. Located next door to DJ's...this was THE rock club for the over 21 crowd. (DJ's was for over 18.) Featured the hottest hard rock club acts on the circuit.
Jagg Lake Forest, CA
1986-88. The best Orange County club of its time!Gothic and new wave!Where I learned to dance,they had Nina Hagen play and a few others ,I forgot,the black room where there were no lights so you could make out!I have friends to this day that I met there. Club changed hands a few times and went down hill,its a strip club now,but it was totally awesome!Gotta love it!
Janie's Gourock
1987. Absolutely fantastic and a was a must for the trendy folk of Inverclyde Scotland at the time. It introduced the community to Alternative Music and most of us still now live in that era!
Jeff and Flash Monopoly Cleveland, Ohio
Mid 80's. Jeff and Flash's was run by a few really big D.J.'s of WMMS, Cleveland, OH. The club was set up like a Monopoly board, with rooms off to the side. The main room was where the stage was and they normally had a live band. It was the place to be. The radio station was always holding contests, and remember pitchers of 3.2 beer?
Jeremiahs Northridge, CA
Lte 80's to mid 90's. During normal business hours, it was your tipical steakhouse, but after 10pm it was the valleys hotspot for hip hop dancing, dollar drinks on Wed nights,lots of eye candy and tons of fun! You had to get there early, because the line was usually over an hour -but if you were late, you could get in the back door right away (with a nice tip to the bouncer) or you could go to the "Square Cow Fun Bar"(Black Angus) just around the corner, which was almost as good. Those were the days!
Jerry's Disco Flushing, NY
mid 70's-80's. Jerry's Disco was a disco for the younger crowd-under 21 kids. It was owned by the guy from the commercials for "What's the story Jerry?" appliances.
JJ Whispers Orlando FL
Early 80s. Big 5 room club, with a big dance room northern lights, with the raised caged areas, a fake casino,a small bath tub, Ginnys restaurant, and a comedy club. They had some good bands like Jermaine Jtewart... we dont have to take our clothes off....I got to give them drinks before the show, since I worked there. No idea if it is still there..
Jockey Club Newport/Cimncinnati
1982-1988. large,smelly,dirty,and a great place for the music it featured.Just about every major Punk and Alternative Rock band of that era played there.For more information check the very extensive website."The Jockey Club Remembered"
The Kingdom (Kingdom of the Dancing Stallions) Buena Park, California
82-84. HUGE dancefloor on the horse arena! This place is now Medieval Times by Knott's Berry Farm. This place would be packed on a Saturday Night. They played alot of New Wave/New Romantic music. Excess in dancing, Boonsefarm and scamming!
La Cage, Chicago Chicago, Ill.
1980-1983. La Cage, Chicago, located on Oak St. between Michigan Ave. and Rush St, was a spin-off of La Cage on 1st & 71st street in New York. Billy Mieldazis who later owned Fire and Ice in Miami and RED 74, a celebrity driven bed/lounge-dance/bar in Palm Springs, CA bought bought Barbara Eden's (yes, I Dream Of Jeannie fame) defunct "Huckelberrys" a two story restaruant/night club with a glass elevator in the middle, and changed the upstairs into a chic dance/bar and drag cabaret. Divine began her nightclub routine there. Always packed with celebrities, straights and fashion-minded young gay preppies. Chicago's first dance/bar to intergrate dance videos as part of the mix. And Their downstairs restaurant, Le Relais was the first in Chicago to legaly offer bar service on it's sidewalk patio.
LaMirage Bronx,NY
1982-90. The club was located off the corner of East Tremont and Fordham Rd. in the Bronx, known to be the most hottest club in the area, Dj. "baby Hector" was the master on the steel wheels, "Kool" Mike Ski was the master of ceremonies and I tell you fun was to be expected there. Many artist left their marks at LaMirage, and also djs who worked their hands and ears to entertain a mass of younsters that kept coming back for more, club also known for having a good owner who later on would move to Florida and retire. Artist, producers, and the crowd at LaMirage made this the hottest place to dance in the mid 80's.
L'amour Brooklyn Brooklyn, NY
Still Open Today. Where you could see all the 80's hair heavy metal hair bands, at least 3 in one night. You name them: Metallica, Skid Row, Bon Jovi. It is still open, and hasn't lost the heavy metal spirit. It opened late 70's when the band scene was on it's early stages. It still "Rocks On".
L'arnaque / The Cotton Club Montreal, Canada
1986-1995. The hottest suburban club in Montreal during my teens, a club that was 95% Italian and a place where everyone knew each other! The music varied from new wave to house to hip hop (Tone Loc, Young MC)to freestyle with the mandatory power ballad to slow dance at the end the night! Currently the place is now an after hours club called "MILLIEMUM"...Wow, do i miss that place!
The Late Show Niagara Falls ,N.Y.
1982 - 1995. A very large club, held about 1500 people. 2 levels, very popular from 82-89.Played Techno, New Wave, Pop, Alternative 80's. Closed forever in 1995.
Le Club Hit Seattle, Wa
85?. Another club that opened after Skoochies had to close, I think they were only open for the summer.Guys from Odea would come there and try to start fights.
LEGZ Valley Stream , NY
1980-1985???. Anyone who was there knows what i mean when i say it was a place out of time and a time out of place!! So many good memories and some really fuzzy ones. Love to hear from anyone who remembers or dosen't!
Le Hot Club Encino, CA
1980's. This club was on Ventura Blvd. in Encino, CA. New Wave music, with screens around for the videos.
The Lemon Grove Memphis,TN
80s. This was simply the greatest club ever. Many major motion pictures filmed their nightclub scenes in this club. As a pilot, I've been to clubs all over the USA. This was the wildest, most hip place ever! It burned down in a fire and was never rebuilt.
Le Papillons Pasadena, CA
1979-1995. 1980's disco probably the best I've ever been too. Met millions of friends ..it was a restaurant.
Library Niagra Falls NY
80's and 90's. Much smaller than the Late Show, which was also very popular. Had a Barber chair to do shots in. Back in the day when "happy hour" meant 2 or 3 for one drinks. Saw the Spoons here one Halloween, sort of, think I had to go and lie down in the car about 15 mins. after they went on. (too many Rum and cokes.)
LimeLight New York, NY
80's-90's. The most awesome and "IN" place to be, LimeLight and the WILD nights that Michael Alig would host. Kiss the outside, dreary world away because once you step foot in LimeLight, you were in a creative and crazy world! Those Klub Kids! They were the best!
The Limelight Atlanta, GA
Mid-70s To Early-90s. It was the Studio 54 of the South. Lavish and extravagent to the extreme. The disco scenes in the movie "The Slugger's Wife" were filmed there.
The Limelight NYC, NY
80's-90's (closed, opened, closed, opened...). The hotest club in NY!! A church converted into a club on 20th and 6th. A mix of freaks, retro's, drag queens and party gods would congregate to pay homage to the nightlife. The world outside would fade away when you walked into the club with its multi levels overlooking the dance floor below, hanging cage and hot mixture of music. I have fond memories (some foggy, some surreal) of partying the night away. It was THE place to be..
Lizard Lounge Toronto, Canada
Mid Eighties. This was the coolest underground bar, with tunnels and many rooms (guaranteed to get lost). It was in the University of Ryerson district.
London Victory Club Tampa, FL.
1980's - 1990's. One of the Biggest rooms in Tampa - The Alternative nights on Wed. and Sunday were legnedary. Some of the best "Live" concerts in Tampa history. The Dance nights featured a UFO that floated out over the Dance floor with dancing girls swinging upside down over the crowd's heads. Unforgettable nights for Millions of partiers - 911 was actually an off shoot - the Light man for the London Victory Club offered to start 911 when the corporate guys bought the London Victory Room. Weirdave started 911 - as soon as it was obvious that it would be a success - the corporate guys took it back.
The London Victory Club Philadelphia, Pa.
1981 - ?. Was an old bank turned into a club, in the fall they would put fallen leafs all over the dance floor. Cool place.
Luv-A-Fair Vancouver, BC Canada
70s, was just torn down a few months ago (2004). Was in its heyday in the "weird 80's"... Everyone from suit-wearing yuppies to flamboyant transvestites and mods, punk rockers, and everyone in between was welcome and did attend. The best part of the club was that no matter who you were or how weird, you fit in and belonged. Played mostly progressive dance, imports and punk & new wave. You could dance until you were a sweaty pile of flesh, all by yourself, and no one noticed. Lots of "freedom" too...anything could happen and often did. Boys in the girls washroom, vice versa, and all sorts of unmentionable stuff in full view. Never missed it. Was also known as the "luvyerhair", the "scuz" and "scummyfair" (mostly because the decor was a dank and industrial atmosphere). Used to have lipsync contests, "classix nite" (60's thru late 70's music) and other sundry excuses for cheap drink nights...when they closed forever last year I shed a tear.
Luv-a-Fair Vancouver, BC, Canada
early 80's to late 90's. This was an awsome club to hit in the local downtown Vancouver district till its retirement...early 2000...it was an 80's club with style til in the early 90's, when it turned into the atlernative / grunge scene ....but it always had its great 80's night in its night roster with a Sunday 80 -to- 89 theme devoted to that all-but-forgotten decade.. Klassex night tuesdays reeled in new-wave discophiles, while Britpop Thursdays attracted a slightly gayer crowd. The pool-table area upstairs served as an observatory for those too inhibited to bumrush the stage and boogie....but all in all it was so much fun ...and oh the memories......If you ever had checked this club out....you'd remember the cages .... the huge dancefloor...this place rocked!
Luv-a-Fair Vancouver
Seventies to late nineties. Best show I ever saw was blasted on LSD, watching MC 900 ft Jesus truggle out of a straight jacket while DJ Ground Zero scratched flaming records with his tongue. YEHA! I spent WAAY too much time here in my 80's youth, went back a couple of times in the nineties, but it wasn't the same (actually it was the same, I think its just that I was older!)
The Mabuhay Gardens San Francisco, CA
1976-86. One of the main venues for punk rock and New Wave in San Francisco in the late 1970s and early 1980s (a sort of west coast CBGBs). Virtually every early Bay Area punk and new wave band performed there at one time or another, and it was an important touring stop for bands from beyond the San Francisco Bay Area. Among the bands that performed there were the Dead Kennedys, Flipper, Romeo Void, Black Flag, The Dictators, The Nuns, The Mutants, The Avengers, The Damned, DEVO, Iggy Pop, The Ramones, Hüsker Dü, D.O.A., The Screamers, The Fleshtones, Minutemen, DRI, Redd Kross, JFA, and Metallica. Comedian Whoopie Goldberg also made early appearances at the venue. Television producer Dirk Dirksen had a unique style as emcee, deliberately baiting and trading insults with audience and band members, which had the effect of raising the energy of audience and performers alike. Dirksen's abrasive persona (which was largely a performance) was a central part of the atmosphere of the Mabuhay.
Madame Sat� S�o Paulo, Brazil
1980. It was an old car repair office and in the basement was the dance floor. Everything was dirty and broken, but everybody wanted to go there. It still exists...
Madame Wongs/madame Wongs West Los Angeles CA
Late 70's to mid 80's/west To '91. Can't forget Wong's, a LA icon for the 80's scene. West had some of the greats!
The Main Event Baltimore, Maryland
Early 80's. Nice disco club for the neighborhood. Large disco ball over the dance floor spinning all night. Had a great time and hoped it wouldn't end. Big sprayed hair, off shoulder dresses with disco flair, and tables to gather with friends to party all night! Great memmories.
Malarkey's Calgary, Alberta
1980-1995. Malarkey's was legal 350 people but they would put 600 in there. Monday nights $1.00 highballs and Thursday nights jugs of paralyzers. It had the longest staying power of any bar in Calgary and was always fun fun fun!
Malarkey's Phoenix, AZ
'82-'87. Large elevated dance floor with a killer sound system. Long bar, and a separate area to sit and talk. It was shoulder to shoulder while it was open, and was a classic 80's dance club. Was at 16th St. & Highland Ave., now it's a parking lot.
Malarkey's Phoenix, AZ
'83 to '87. An awesome club with an elevated dance floor. This place was shoulder to shoulder on the weekends. Great sound system. Now a parking lot at 16th St. & Highland Ave. I went back in '88 and it was boarded up. My next trip it was leveled all together. It is missed.
Malarkey's Phoenix, Arizona
1982-1987. Great club that had a raised dancefloor and a killer sound system. It was always completely packed on weekends and was my idea of a great 80s club. The building is completely gone now (was at 16th & Highland) and is a gas station.
Malibu Malibu Beach NY
70's-90's. Converted beach pavillion -biggest and best new wave nites, 2500 partiers every weekend, WLIR broadcast live.
Marilyn's Backstreet Pasadena CA
80's. What a safe yet fun place to grow! If only the kids of today had such a place to hang and socialize! I want to create a club like this today! How can I do it? Thank you so much for the memories.
Marilyn's Backstreet Pasadena CA
The 80's. Marilyn's Backstreet was were it all started for many of us. I have the best memories. Thank you to Marilyn Feldsher for giving it to us. We drove from La Puente all the time. I'll always miss that place.
Marilyns Backstreet Pasadena, California
1984-1986. I had a great time there from the ages of 14-17 I would love to hear from some of the friends I made there that I haven't seen for so many years. I met some of my best friends in the world there and they remain great friends to this day.
Marilyn's Pasadena; Odessy; Circus Los Angeles, CA
Early 80's-late 80's. I grew up in Eagle Rock, CA and frequented Marlilyn's from 10th grade to my college years. The other clubs were awesome as well...
Mark Twain Hillsborough Ave.- Tampa, Florida
'80-'83. ??
Masquerades Honolulu, Hawaii
Mid 80's. Two floors, packed every night, bubble and confetti guns over the dance floor, a DJ in an Indian headdress, and LOUD music combined to make one of the hottest clubs in Waikiki. A little more mainstream than The Wave in both music and clientele. Big hair, loud colors and fun!!!
The Masquerade Tampa, Florida
1987-1992. Out of the ashes of the Impulse, came Masquerade. Here I experienced live acts like Alien Sex Fiend, Janes Addiction, KMFDM (too many times), Ministry, Flock of Seagulls, Thrill Kill Kult, Book of Love, Front 242, and many others. Nitzer Ebb, The Pixies and Skinny puppy were always on tap. Masquerade still exists in name, however the format has changed to mostly "booty" music serving up "sink and swim" nights. Ugh. Life sucks and I'm old.
The Maxim Salt Lake City, UT
1983-1985?. One of the earliest and definitely coolest of Salt Lake's burgeoning modern/new wave scene of the early 80's. Great dancing. Non-alcoholic, but I think smoking was OK. Had a pool table that you could never use cuz of the crowds. Gay night, I think, on one or two nights of the week. Unlike most SLC clubs, the building still stands but it's no longer a club.
Maxx's Kansas City New York City
80's. Punk, Rock, Rebellion. Great club to go to & not remember you were there in the morning. Thank God for friends.
Mazzo Amsterdam, NL
past to present. Still the place to be, the extremely avantgarde Mazzo, was at the upper end of the Amsterdam clubscene all through the eighties. Mixing only the most hip music with videoart and performances. Once outfitted with an aluminium floor, which made dancing extremely hazardous. Was one of the original startingpoints of the mondial housescene. Was closed down a few times in the nineties because of drug-problems.
McGreevy's Glenview, IL
Mid '80s. McGreevy's was a juice bar that catered to under-18 punks and club (pre-techno) patrons. There were two main rooms - one of which played "punk" and new wave music, and the other played more techno-ish dance stuff. You had to be under 18 to get in. If there is anyone out there who went to this club, I would love to hear from you lainie at mindspring dot com.
Mean Mr. Mustards Columbus, OH
80's. Mustards was the place to be on Sunday nights AC/DC - Cult night. Every other song was either AC/DC or the Cult. This was a great campus bar, right in the middle of the Ohio State University campus.
Medusa's Chicago, IL
80's (I remember mid to late). Medusa's was up on Sheffield. It was a bit of an all ages juice bar but they played some good techno and electronic music. They tried to revive it in the nineties somewhere else but it wasn't even close.
Medusas Chicago IL
Mid-late 80s. This was a 'no alcohol' after hours dance club/juice bar (but of course plenty of other not so legal things available....) that played very cool dance music and catered to kids who were not allowed into age-restricted clubs.
Metro/Smart Bar Chicago Il
1980s-present. The Metro hosted punk bands like the Ramones in the 80s as well as smaller local bands during week nites and Smart Bar downstairs from Metro was the smaller basement dance club & place to be seen after the show. Punk/new wave/house/techno etc.. Still going today. Smart Bar sometimes had bands as well (Sonic Youth in 1985 for example). Mark Farina, Joe Bryl, Derrick Carter, Tom Pazen were some of the DJs. Reinvented for the 00s with an updated sound, it appears.
Metron Harrisburg, PA
1981-1992. Actually started out as Class One. Here in Harrisburg we had one of the best music clubs of the 80's. The DJ who mixed the longest and the most there was named Ray Rossi and he was goood. Dance, alternative, new wave, punk... this guy could put it all together and make it work. He was fabulous and he kept them all going til the end of night. The club also was known among groups as a good place to do warm up gigs before tours. Simply Red, Patti Smythe, Nu Shoes, Hooters, Kix, and lots of other 80's groups and some famous rock groups and stars from the 70's on their way back to the limelight played there also. The crowd was usually great, the drinks were strong, and the dancing went on until the light came on. Not enough can be said about Ray Rossi though. He was the best I heard at any club on the East Coast.
The Metroplex Atlanta, GA.
80's. When this club first opened, my friend and I would bring our own beer in and put it in the fridge; Then the club just opened and it was more like a basement party with a raw punk band; Then it moved to a new location and exploded with punkers, skinheads etc. A fence separated the drinking section, but the party was in the parking lot as well; Great place that too big for itself
Michaels Montebello, CA
1979-1999. Happening, popular disco night club in Montebello,CA. Met lots of cha cha girls. Lets get some photos of those girls if anyone has any!
Milkbar 22 lerory st new york ny
1985-86. White luminous,hip ultra 60's before it was the thing,no listed # no sign no advertising Steve Saban of details and Michael Musto of the village voice call it the must place to be for anyone at the time who considered themselves a New York Hipster,it was ahead of its time
The Mining Co Parma, OH
80's. The Mining Co was definitely a dance club. Those under 21 were stamped with a RED stamp, 21+ with black stamp. Disco, 80's, Tuesday evenings were 2 for 1 ladies night plus male strippers, Sundays was teen night. They had at one time a slide that went from the entrance down to the bar itself instead of having to walk down the stairs. For a while they had one room in the back filled with sand...............
Miracles Nanuet NY
1988/1989. It would be a chilly fall night. As you parked your Eldorado/Iroc in the old Caldor parking lot , you could hear the faint sound of bass. Standing on-line were all of your friends decked out in Cavaricci's and IOU leather trench coats. Those were the days !!
The Mirage Renton,Wa
86- ?. More hip hop than New Wave. One of the few places to go after Skoochies closed. I think it was a restaurant by day and on the weekends it was a dance club.
Mistrals Dallas, Tx
Early 90's. Located in Annatole Hotel, its was by far the classiest, by far best Dance floor in Dallas.
MK New York, NY
1987-90. Elegant retail town-house on 25th and Fifth that was a precursor to the ubiquitous "private-clubby" lounges everywhere today; guarded by two stuffed dobermans inside the door, basement had deep house and early hip hop dance, the "bed" floor on the top was the VIP area and among Madonna's favorites; had a pool table where I waxed Ricky Schroeder one night in 8-ball; a very cool space; somewhat drug fueled. oh to be 25 again!
Moes Copiague, New York
1978-1985. Great local bar, brings back lots of memories of old high school friends.
The Monastery! Seattle, Wa
80's. This was the American Dreamland! You could be who you really were, and no judgements! People understood where you were coming from, be it poor little rich girl, street urchin , reject , hobo, or prostitute. It was the birth of underground in Seattle, and you usually literally had to know someone from the streets to get in. Sure there were drugs, yet it wasnt the issue, the reality of total freedom was. It exceeded the infamous disco clubs by far! You were practically in europe! I probably was the only person there who wasnt on drugs, so I got the real stories and was able to record it to memory easier! And geez, did I ever dance my butt off! There was no other place I'd rather be, and couldnt wait for nightfall. There Was everything your heart could desire in a danceclub and more, and I miss all of you too! We were all looking for some sense of heaven in our own hells, and this was it! Anyone from that cloud contact me! I was every popcorn pimps nightmare! I helped alot of girls get back home...... Ravenne/Marre
The Monastery Seattle, WA
Early 80's to 1987ish?. The one place I wish I had gone! Was literally in an old church in downtown Seattle (still there) and was the uber-new wave/gothy place to be. Crammed with the dark and delierious from the bell-tower to the basement, and infamous for having whatever your heart desired on hand. Contemporary of Skoochies and Club Broadway.
The Monastery Seattle, Washington
1982-1984. I used to dance at the Monastary every night for the last year from 9pm to 9am, Thursday to Sunday. While people were going to 'church' on the corner of Boren street, the crazed, new wave, gothic crowd poured out of the cathedral into the intersection, most likely scaring the holy shit out of the public going to church, and probably seeing their underage grandchildren there. This was a 3 story underage discotheque in a cathedral. It had a jacuzzi called the baptismal spa, wine upstairs for communion, a movie theatre, special rooms over looking the dance floor, the hottest sound system on the west coast and the most creative music by young DJ's. MDA was the drug of choice, and anything you wanted was there. It was amazing. Hi energy music was featured such as Divine, Sylvester, Cowley, new age, and lots of creativity. No one wasn't on drugs. It reminded me of the movie, 'Party Monster' about the New York's Limelight, but smaller and a Seattle version. I love talking to people who used to go there. Email me if you have or are interested in it. It is no longer there. The owner got kicked out of seattle for child molestation and came back years ago to run for city counsel! He didn't win but is trying to make a movie and thinks what he did with the disco was a benefit to society, an expression of freedom. Many people are dead or have AIDS that went there.
The Monestary Seattle, WA
Mid 80's. This club was the best dance club you could go to in the eighties, it was an old church that was transformed into a club with a movie theatre in the basement with airplane seats. It had three floors and twists and turns all over the place. When you went to The Monestary you were in a whole other place. I really do miss all of you!!!
Moody's then 321 Club Santa Monica ,California
1980-1985. Another very hip L.A. club which had 2 dimly lit floors and catered to a 18+ crowd. At 321 Santa Monica Blvd this place had everything from pretty girls to cloves to punkers to gothic and of course a lot of smoke. Oingo Boingo to Eddy Grant played here.
The Moon Portland, Maine
85-95. Best dance club in the Old Port. One of a kind.
Mothers Santa Clara, CA
83-88. Under 21 club, many hot chics, outdoor patio played a wide variety of 80s music. Funny, back then I HATED the New Wave junk, now I'm BUYING it. Takes you back to the girl's rooms!!! Long live 80s!
Motionz Irivington, NJ
1980-1984. The greatest place to see cover bands. It was like being in your basement.
Mr. J's El Monte,California
1982-1988. Great place to dance and drink $1.50 Long Island ice teas.KROQ always hosted K-ROQ night wednesday nights. I'll always remember Depeche Mode 12" "Get The BAalance Right",and U2 "New Year's Day". Long lines after 10pm which attracted crowds from all over Los Angeles.
Mr. Lucky's Phoenix, AZ
80's - 2004. I was a keyboardist with a band, Doc Savage, in the 80's, (Hair Rock), we played in Mr. Lucky's. Huge country bar/dance hall on the top level, and a rock club in the basement. Great venue!
Mr. V's Figure 8 Atlanta, GA.
1980-1989?. An upscale, cosmopolitan club for Atlanta's black population over age 25. It was located on Campbellton Road. They had national commercials on cable channel 17, which was and still is TBS in some markets.
Mud Club New York City
Early 80s. Great punk/yuppie/anybody scene. Lots of celebrities pretending not to be/and club-goers that didn't care anyway.I think it was in the east or west village before those areas were considered COOL.
My Uncles Van Nuys, CA
1974-1985?. This was a classic Disco club on the Van Nuys strip. Always packed with many " regulars " I was one of them. Occasionally there were live acts. Now sadly a 99 cents only store.
Narcissus (The Kenmore Club) Boston, MA
80s-early 90s. Awesome club in Kenmore Square. Anyone who is at least 33 remembers this three floored club. The names changed over the years but when we went it was Narcissus, Lipstick & Celebrations. Most of the girls you met were from the north shore of Boston and alot tougher than us. This club inspired me to start DJing which is what I still do today. Long Live Narcissus.
Neighbours Seattle, Washington
1983-Present. This club has been around since 1983, and is primarily a gay crowd, but over the years has progressed to well mixed. Tuesday night is disco and mixed 80s sounds, anywhere from Expose to Gloria Gaynor. I personally dislike 70s disco, I go for 80s freestyle synth sounds. Thursday is ALL new-wave, along the lines of Duran Duran, S'express, Nina Hagen, MicroChip League, Boney-M (Young, Free, and Single), Fake, Bronski Beat, and Dead Or Alive...
Neon Nights Fairless Hills, PA
1985 - 1990. Mid to late 80's. This was a under 21 night club that played dance and freestyle. Also had freestyle and dance artists perform. They also there own Neon Nights Dancers there that would perform once or twice a month. There is now a parking lot where it used to be.
Neo Chicago IL
1979-present(?). In the 80s this was the 'poser bar' where the people who had the most outrageous hairdos and clothes would go to stand and be 'seen' in the spotlights that surrounded the dance floor. The bald, friendly bouncer who practiced Tae Kwan Do named Kimball and a waitress with nipple piercings who would show you if you asked are some of the regulars here in the mid-80s. Survives on today with punk nights, retro nights and current alternative music nights. An institution.
Network Riviera Beach, (outside of Baltimore)
1985-86. What a great place! Downstairs bar and stage was all that was the 80's. Bartenders and bands were it!
Noh Club San Francisco, CCA
1983 thru 1986. Upper floors of the Kabuki Center in Japan town. Held Friday and sometimes Saturday nights. Freaks galore...it was the stargazers crowd that went to NOH club when NOH was happening.
NRG Houston, Texas
1986 to 1988 (or was it 89?). The place to go in Houston in 1986. An old bowling alley, converted into one of the legendary night clubs of Houston's alternative music dance culture. The "other" 80s music that you didn't always hear, or weren't allowed to hear on the radio or MTV, with a few exceptions of course. Sandra, Cetu Javu, Ministry, Pet Shop Boys, Alphaville, Sparks, Hohokam, New Order, Boytronic ("Hurts" - now that was a classic NRG tune), Depeche Mode, Timezone, Voyou, The Cult, Bronski Beat, King, Noho, Camouflage, Ward Brothers, CCCP, Nitzer Ebb, Sylvester, Pete Shelley, Book of Love, OK, Dead or Alive, St. Che, Microchip League, Moskwa TV, Boys from Brazil and many, many more. The place was magic in 1986...and the predecessor to Club 6400.
NRG Houston,Tx
1986. NRGs was the place to be in the Heights. It was this huge old warehouse building and I remember when you paid your 5 bucks to get in you grabbed your X and went inside. They played anything from Pet Shop Boys "It's A Sin"to the industrial song "New york New york".GAWD I miss that place! From the 'eye of the storms'that hung over both bars to the unisex bathrooms (not intended but turned out that way).And I miss BONES, the bouncer.Lots and lots of memories.Even the raids were fun!
Nuts & Bolts Toronto, Ontario
Early to late 80s. The first and only truly hardcore underground nightclub for: Punk, New Wave, Electronic, Industrial and Alternative music in Toronto. To this day nothing yet has matched the variety of music, the daring DJ's such as DJ Iain and Chris Sheppard who took experimenation to its limits. It had the coolest underground and truly all night crowd around. Before there was ever a thing called Rave, this was the latenight place to be for the music purists. Located downtown near Ryerson University in a basement unit on Victoria St. with black decor, metallic floors, gold railings and ambient lighting to set the perfect all night feel. It moved locations once a few blocks away to Yonge St. but never regained its former appeal after that. It sadly had its day and closed its doors for good shortly after.
Nuts And Bolts Toronto, Ontario
1980's. I still remember this place. Great alternative, new wave music. Wish I could go back and have a dance, but it is closed. There was nothing like it in Montreal.
Nuts And Bolts Toronto, Ontario
Early 80's. The only place to hear real alternative tunes. It lasted about 8 years.
The Oasis Ballroom Sacramento, Ca
80s. A cool rock club that had famous lives bands long with great local bands. This was the home club for Telsa when they started out with their first name of City Kidd. Looks like even Megadeth played there! http://www.loserlist69.com/shows/1985.html
Oasis Downtown San Jose
1983- 1998. This was the 80's Club to hear the MODERN SOUND in SJ. Always packed but, Wednesday night was the Night not to be missed. This 3 room 2 story club had a swimming pool you could dance on.Set the standard for all clubs downtown SJ. Their competition within walking distance- Paradise Beach and Studio 47 could only wish to attract the quality clubsters that filled the place to cappacity by Midnite. Many of SF Bay Area's hottest DJ's started their carreers here. Black attire ruled so did Depeche Mode/New Order/The Cure and cross-over club hits from "Running" by Information Society and "Silent Morning" by Noel. Many an ear bleed was felt as we positioned ourselves in front of the 8 ft. speakers. I can remember it all so well as I slammed a beer and listened as the Thompson Twins' "Lies" mixed into "Don't Go" by Yazoo, as we danced on the stage, under stobes and black lights.
Oasis San Jose, CA
1983- 1990. Oasis was THE Place to be on Wednesday Nights. Great looking crowd most dressed in black or Mod attire. Many Bay Area DJ's started thier carreers here. Pretty incredible Space- 2-story 4 bars includding one next to the Pool, Swimming pool that is - and you could dance on it. But it was the MUSIC Mixing like- "Get The Balance right" Yaz's "Don't Go" (echo mixed into) -"Lies" by Thompsin Twins I can still here the mixes as if were yesterday. The placed was packed on Thurs- Fri and Sat also but the Crowd turned more mainstream and the music reflected that, but THE "O" as we called it always kept on the edge of Dance/Electronic music. Towards the late 80'The Dj's started spining more Acid and british house..a sign of things to come and By then a New Club was born on the other end of 1st street called "FX" but thats a whole 'nother story....
Oasis San Jose, CA
198? - 199?. The 21+, SJSU crowd plus the usual "clubbers." They played 80's dance music from modern rock to soul. The usual long island lced tea and sex on the beach crew blended in with the "I wish I was a model" bunch. They even had go-go dancers. Good times!
The Oasis San Jose, CA
1989-1997. Awesome club. The best part was dancing over the pool under the stars. They had a great specialty drink, The Flying Hawaiian, which Paul the bartender would make for us as soon as we got there. Upstairs was the place to just hang out.
The Ocean Club, off St.James Houston, Texas
Early 80's to '89. It was my "first time" to experience what the big 80's club was all about. 3 floors that had a dancefloor in the middle. It was "the" place to be seen. Unfortunately, the place burned down and never reopened.
The Odyssey Los Angeles, Ca. - La Cienega
Mid 70's - '84. The Odyssey brought disco and then New Wave to Los Angeles. Artists like Cee Farrow danced to Visage until dawn while their limos waited outside. The doorman's nephew rounded up the bouncers for Hot Tracks, the Van Nuys Night Club featured in the film "Boogie Nights".
Old World Costa Mesa, CA
Mid 80's. Forget the K-ROC night. The REAL 'fun' was on Wednesday nights when a bunch of art-student types took over the place to create 'Fun House' - a precurser to the rave scene that was to come. They set up an elaborate circus-themed interior, with a labyrinth you had to navigate at the entrance that changed each week. Once inside, larger than life sideshow posters, wild lights and a real sideshow were over the top. You were really cool if you scored one of the coveted 'E-tickets' that got you in free. Glam, goth, mod - the more outragous the better.
Old World Huntington Beach,CA
83-87. This club was usually hosted by Richard Blade from KROQ FM in Los Angeles and was the place to be in Orange County at that time.
The Omni Kent, WA
1985. Hi. I was doing a google search on the lyrics for a Frankie Goes to Hollywood song and came across your site. Wow!! The memories of Skoochies, City Beat, Club Broadway, etc. The one that really peaked out was the Omni. I ran with a group of wavers (class of 86) from Tacoma and Puyallup, and we dominated that club. Funny, my black hair is gone now, I got rid of the John Fluvogs a long time ago, but the memories of dancing to Nina Hagen at the Omni really stick out! Thanks for the info on these hot clubs. Best--Tom
The Omni Kent, WA
86-88. I was the DJ. I played music on both sides. Other DJs at the time were Scruffy (probably the goth scene guy mentioned in a previous post) Mike Stone, and the other Steve (Steve Rundle)played on the top 40 side. I was known for my signature song Kiss Me by "Tin Tin" Duffy. Also thanks to the person who mentioned dancing to Nina Hagen. I kept playing "New York, New York" even when people wouldnt dance to it. Great tune. I still DJ now in Arizona and will never forget the Omni, I still have pictures from there.
The Omni Kent, WA
86-88. I was the DJ. I played music on both sides. Other DJs at the time were Scruffy (probably the goth scene guy mentioned in a previous post) Mike Stone, and the other Steve (Steve Rundle)played on the top 40 side. I was known for my signature song Kiss Me by "Tin Tin" Duffy. Also thanks to the person who mentioned dancing to Nina Hagen. I kept playing "New York, New York" even when people wouldnt dance to it. Great tune. I still DJ now in Arizona and will never forget the Omni, I still have pictures from there.
The Omni Kent, Wa.
1986-1988. I posted this before but I'm going through memory lane again since it's my 20yr highschool aniversary this year. Class of "85" Blanchet. I went to Skoochies, City Beat, Club Broadway, Club Encore in Renton and this place Omni. It was a weird club. Actually two clubs in one. One side was Top 40 the other was Goth/New Wave. The DJ was real popular in the Goth scene. I forget his name right now. I met my first real Goth girlfriend there who once dated a guy named Bambi that was a hot shot at Skoochies. So she got me going to this place and getting really f'ed up with all the wavers there. Great stage with a huge projection screen that would play videos with the music. Like The Smiths "How Soon Is Now" and Cabaret Voltaire "Sensoria". Just like to mention this place along with Encore because us Seattle wavers got to pick up rich Bellevue and Kirkland wannabe's at these places ;) Great site thanks for keeping the memories alive on the web. When I get married and have kid's I'll show them where I killed most of my braincells at. I also last went to The Underground before ageing enough to finally hit the Vogue and The Varsity on 1st ave. Peace and keep New Wave alive.
The Omni Kent, Washington
1986 - 1988. Two clubs in one. Top 40 80's music and alcoholic teens in one half, the other new wave, gothic and hallucinagens in the other. Huge video screen on the goth side. Saw The Smiths 'How Soon Is Now' and Cabaret Voltaires 'Sensoria' whilst tripping to some 4 way sid for the first time ever. Alot of Skoochies and Club Broadway people from Seattle migrated there on the weekends to get away from the city scene. Dark and decadent with flourescent people to fight with, from the top 40 side, when the doors closed at night.
The 'On Broadway' San Francisco, CA
80's. One of the important clubs for hardcore during the early eighties. I saw EINSTURZENDE NEUBAUTEN there in 1983 with a crowd of about 100 that included Billy Idol who would become HUGE a while later. It was an 18 and over club, but we knew the bouncer and got in.
One Step Beyond Santa Clara, CA
80's-early 90's. This was the best club for live shows. We saw everyone from the Ramones to Information Society to Yaz. Great mix of music New Wave, Techno, Industrial Goth and more. Long live One Step!
One Step Beyond Santa Clara, ca
85-91. The holies of the holy of Santa Clara County nightclubs, huge (1,000 capacity ), open `till 6, although it was officially 18+ it was a all ages for all practical purposes. Played "new wave", and "ska" and harder "death rock" and industrial after 2. Plus every a- list punk and "alternative" band in the world played. Infamously brutal skinhead bouncers.
On the Air Dallas, Texas
1983-1986. The first Video Bar in Dallas. VJ's played and mixed the videos. Bart Weiss was one of the VJ's.
Outer Limits Waco, TX
1985-1988. Who could forget the giant video screen and dancing with the wall to a Nina Hagen song? "World Destruction" put everyone on the dance floor. Fun!!
OZ Seattle, WA
Mid Eighties. Oh man. This was the CLUB! An absolutely HUGE clear pounding sound system, really big bodybuilder bouncers...lines wrapped around the building...they were the first to play the D.O.A. continous mix album 'Rip It Up'....the memories...
Pacific Beach Club Tucson, Arizona
1986-1989. This was one of the biggest dance clubs in Tucson during the mid to late eighties. It was on Speedway Blvd. They played some of the best club-dance mix of the time. It was a total meet market.
Pacific Breeze Tacoma, WA
86-ish. I remember the DJ was awesome. I think his name was Donald and he kept up a steady stream of Tones on Tail, Ministry, Cure, ABC, Stephen Tin Tin Duffy and so on. I recall that this was a great club to drop and go DANCE and not worry about the socializing. One of the best memories of my life is dancing to Christian Says at this place.
The Palace Hollywood, California
1982 - Present. Originally opened as a theater in 1927, The Palace hosted a number of famous cinematic and stage venues until it closed in 1971. It remained closed until 82 when it was remodeled and opened as a premier nightclub and concert venue. The Palace quickly made a name for itself and many European pop bands opened their US tours at The Palace, including The Eurythmics, Culture Club, The Clash, Duran Duran, Erasure, Fine Young Cannibals, Madness, ABC, and many others. The origins of The Palace were fairly obvious when you walked in. You bought your tickets at the original ticket booth outside. The original theater lobby was largely intact. The concessions counter had become a bar. Tables and seating were scattered against the walls and there was a coat check and souvenir area as well. The dividing wall remained between the lobby and theater, but the latter had all of it's seating removed and replaced with the aforementioned dance floor. There was another bar just inside the auditorium, against the wall opposite the lobby bar. Black velvet drapery running the length of the auditorium walls helped to further identify The Palace as a remodeled Golden Age theater. The screen was still there and in the 1980's they installed a rather novel and fun laser light show that projected animated images which moved in time to the pulsating music. The parking lot was cramped and the admission price was expensive (for the time) and the club often became very crowded on weekends after 10PM. It was always a fun place to party and have a good time. The DJ format began to change in the latter half of the 80's (more hip-hop). The club is still there...and it still hosts a variety of alternative venues, but long gone are the heady days of 80's pop culture at The Palace.
The Palace Los Angeles (Hollywood & Vine)
1982-?. Hottest bouncers around...bartenders weren't bad, either! Great bands on many nights; other nights (without show) were just plain ol' fun...good music, everyone dressed to the nines.
The Palatium San Francsico, CA
Late 80s. I remember great music and some sort of silver plastic (blow up?) dolls hanging from the rafters. Great until rap came around and then it sucked.
Paleds NY,NY
86-89. Friday night was teen night. Oh boy, this was basically a collection of guidos trying to out-dress and out-dance each other. Great music, even better, they served alcohol to anyone who had money. GOOD TIMES!
The Palladium N.Y., NY
87-92. 2 floors, main level had big packed dance floor, awesome sound system.I sure miss those good old days of freestyle, and bass pounding house music.
The Palladium Salt Lake City, UT
1985-1988. Surprisingly, Salt Lake City was and still is one of the best Modern Rock towns west of the Mississippi. This was one of Salt Lake's best post-punk dance spots of the mid-to-late 80's. Clove cigarrettes, under-floor lighting, platforms, but no booze. Lloyd Cole and the Commotions tried to play in April of 86 but couldn't take the stage. I saw Art of Noise in July 86. The Cure, The Alarm, Husker Du, and numerous others also played there. It's hallowed ground is now a glorifed strip mall. Sad.
Paradise Ballroom Hollywood CA
70s thru 90s. One of the first gay discos I recall. It was at 836 N. Highland Ave in Hollywood. (Also reincarnated as "836 North" and lastly known as "The Probe"). It had an outside patio, 2 bars in the main disco, a back room with another bar and a few pool tables. Classy in comparison to other gay hangouts of the time. Once in awhile you'd see someone famous. I saw Divine there once, another time Paul Lynde walking arm-in-arm with two twinkies. Down the street was Falcon's Lair (later expanded and renamed Greg's), a beer hangout with sawdust floor that showed movies, and across the street was a short-lived disco called The Other Side ("the O.S.").
Paradise Garage New York, NY
1976-1987. In 1976 one of the worlds most influental clubs opened up in New York's Greenwich Village, at 84 King Street. No one knew back then that this club would live for some 11 years and that it would also give name to it's own music genre - "Garage". The club was of course the legendary Paradise Garage or - "the Garage" as the regular guests use to reffer to it. The club was owned and run by.... the late Michael Brody. When the Garage opened in 1976, the club fast became a very important piece to the now [76-77] rapidly grooving Disco Music scene. The club with it's very open-minded, mainly black gay clientel became one of the trendiest places in no time. Everyone wanted to know what was going on there and wanted to test their songs/remixes on the Garage audience. As famous and legendary as the club itself was the Garage's DJ -the late Larry Levan. Larry was the resident DJ of "the Garage" and to many people he was "the Garage". Lots of people, and other DJ's, came to the club just to hear him play... He was a true master behind the turntables. Unfortunatly the club was forced to close down in September 26, 1987
Paradise Vancouver, BC Canada.
1981 to 1990's . WOW, PARADISE was the place to go for us teeny boopers... it had no liquor license. But all the hip cool, new wave, punk rock, cool legal age clubbers hung out there. I was introduced there one night after work by a real cool hip chick from work name, Ilona. I was 16 and she was 21, to me she was stood for the world "Cool".. bleached blond bob hair, creamy white skin, big blue eyes lined with heavy black liner. And her clothes wow, so hip, mod, punk! When she invited me to go with her to PARADISE... I said, "YEAH!" The PARADISE club is on Seymour street, the building is still standing... after a shooting there around 1984...it changed its name to "HEAVENS", now it's call "ODYSSEY". It was always packed with fashionable individuals. "HEAVENS" and "ODYSSEY" is a Gay club..but it is frequent by all kinds of people. "THE PARADISE" in it's hay day (1981-1984) was always filled with beautiful and fashionable people... whoever saw you there, they knew you were cool. The entrance is on Seymour street, you enter and go up stairs, to the left is the coat check. Enter thru the doors is the club... you enter the dance floor in the middle of the room, down 4 steps.. and there were two huge speakers on eitherside... I used to dance on top of those speakers! My pal Bonnie and I were so happy there. They didn't close till 4am! Oh! The people and the music... fantastic... on the dance floor , you'd see look a likes of David Bowie, ABC, Cyndi Lauper, Prince, Duranies, not many Madonnas... dancing to the latest New Wave, British Invasion, Punk! A few of the people that I fondly rememeber was the "rubberman" in an Zoot suit and dancing like a elastic band! Very entertaining... he would always come alone. And after dancing on the floor all night.. leave alone. It was a great club... truely, PARADISE! Until now, I still haven't found a club close to the atomosphere that it projected. I still love you PARADISE!!!!
Paragon Houston, TX
1988-1993. New wave, Pop dance, and Techno. It came late in the 80s but it was the jumpin spot on FM1960.
Paris, New York Huntington NY
Early to mid 80s. BEST DANCE CLUB on Long Island - New Wave - Punk Rock - GREAT TIMES!!!
Paris, NY; Spize, Spit, Malibu Huntington, NY
1983-1987. I used to hang out with the usual crowds especially at Paris and Spize. Still have my buttons and T-shirts and memories. Really great times!!!
Park Avenue Orlando FL.
Early 80s. Spit Night on Monday & Wednesday. New Wave-Alternative. Fun time!
Pazzaz Ft.lauderdale Fl. on Federal
1988-1992. Pazzaz was a great place to, first have a couple of shots of tequilla, check out the girls with there stuck up noses -good looking though- but at least the dance floor was always filled.. Great job djs, the atmosphere was fun, cool lights over the dance floor and great music as well. Even though I always went home alone, at least I had fun dancing with myself and drove home with a good buzz...
Peanuts Los Angeles, CA-Santa Monica Blvd
1985-?. This was the club that everyone went to after The Odyssey burned down. It was a GREAT & FUN club during its heyday. We used to go there when we were 15-years-old, even though it was an 18 and older club. But as long as you didn't say you were 21, they didn't card you. The music was New Wave, and on the weekends the club featured a show called,"the Cosmetics" which featured female impersonators and other celebrity look-a-likes, and Toni Basil(Oh, Mickey-song) was always there dancing up a storm in her velour-floppy hats. Peanuts was a place where everyone fit in and everyone had such a great time!
The Peppermint Lounge New York City, NY
Early 1980's -?. Great Punk New Wave club. A favorite hangout of Joey Ramone and other rock stars. Lots of great bands: The Undertones, Joe King Carasco, Psych Furs, New Order, Big Country & so on. What an incredible club!
Phases Canoga Park Californis
78 or 79 to 1985. Owned by the same people that owned the Odyssey in Los Angeles (Chris Cox and Scott Harvy). This was the larges of the Valley night clubs of the 80's. Starting out as a "punk" club, the music followed right into the 80's wave scene. Managed by Kevin R. Parr, with DJ's Tony Russle, Mike "Michael Dair" Sommer, Matt Jackson and a few others that slip my mind from the early days. This place Jumped almost every night! Not a very big club, it had a patio pool/game room and video monitors pumping in MTV, (the only place most of us could see it). Phases hosted new wavers for 14 to 94, dancing to all you favorit 80's ditties. "Phases, the Valley's hottest new music dance club- Want's youuuuu!"
Phases Reseda, CA
1980 to 1987. A New Wave/ Punk venue in the San Fernando Valley that prided themselves for inclusion of all sexuallities. Their logo reflected this by being a meld of the female/male symbols intertwined with a symbol that included both.
The Phaze Honolulu, HI.
'84 to '89?. Attached to Masquerades via a courtyard. No alcohol was served but THE BEST music was played there. While Masquerades catered to the top 40 crowd, the Phaze played Front242, Nitzer Ebb, The Cure, Ministry, etc... Great club. Sorely missed.
Phoenix Nightclub Philadelphia, PA
89-92?. Classy nightclub that played R&B and some dance music. Small dancefloor but the drinks were good.
Piccadilly's Indianapolis, IN
77-85. In its day, the biggest, hottest dance club on the Westside of Indy. Piccadilly's was on its way of being a national phenomenen until a few punks with guns crashed it to the ground and the neighbors blamed the dance club. There may never be anything else like it in this city.
Pier 9 Washington DC
75-89ish. Undoubtedly, the wildest disco Washington, DC ever saw. Anything went. Gay, straight, drag queens. In the beginning, they had numbered tables with telephones. You could call another table if you liked what you saw. Eventually, the tables and telephone disappeared, but only because the place was so crowded, they needed floor space. The bar was multi-level. The main floor had a curtain that mechanically extended out over the floor on which they would do a laser show. Drugs were rampant. Sex was too. In the 80's the upstairs had a slide show of provocative men's sexual antics. It was the kind of place where if you weren't tolerant of other lifestyles, well, you just weren't welcome. It was truly an 80's club icon.
Pierce Street Annex Wash. DC
78-88. PSA.. Rocked Washington DC during the late 70's & 80's.. Ted Danson from the TV Show Cheers did a fund raiser, Playboy Magazine rated it the #1 Party Club in DC..We Rocked and Rolled... #1 DJ company. Nards Rock & Roll
The Pink Flamingp Birmingham - England
1980 - 1982. The most amazing clubn in the entire world - owned by Marc almond - the club was invite only - strict dress code very camp/ gay very early 80;s - Marc still owns the club but it now has become more gothic and darwave - Marc now lives above the club and often DJ's on Fridays - this is a hidden gem and place of sex and music - glamour and gossip
The Piranha Room San Diego, CA
1985-1992. Very dark, decorated differently every sunday. Played The Cure to Revolting Cocks.
Plastic Passion Los Angelos CA.
85-?. Plastic Passion was one of the first underground (moving clubs) in L A. It was a blast. I first saw Janes Addiction there, they were playing publicly for the first time I believe. They only played one original song "Jane Says" and the rest were covers of Sex Pistols and other great stuff. The club moved so you had to know where to get directions. It was usually a cat and mouse game driving all over downtown to find it. The scene was unreal, closest thing to The Tunnel or Limelight as far as fashion went. Home to original west coast club kids. Dance music included everything from Aritha Franklin to Sigue sigue Sputnik.
Plastique Provo, UT
1986-1987. One of Happy Valley's best New Wave spots. Even us sinners from up north is SLC used to make the trek south to dance here - a place seemingly catering to the BYU crowd. Black & white tile floor with the usual platforms. A bit conservative (almost kicked me out for too much black/leather) but fun nonetheless. R.I.P.
Players Port Clinton, Ohio
Mid 80's early 90's. Big town Disco meets small town Bar, Lip Sych Night, Wet T-shirts, Boy George Look a like contest, lots of Gray and Mauve with a splash of Miami Vice .... Nagel paintings on the walls.
The Playground Chicago, IL
1979-1981(?). All ages club on the near South Side of Chicago (Michigan Ave.) The first club I ever went to. This was the place where those of us not yet old enough to get into The Warehouse could go and listen to some of that good ol' Chicago House music spun by various members of the WBMX Hot Mix 5. Can it be that it was all so simple then?
Playskool San Diego
1985-1988??. This place was alot of fun. I remember going when it was in the basement a hotel in downtown San Diego near Union. They paleyd all the 80's new wave favorites. Definite coolest place in SD at the time.
The Plum Wshington DC
Late's 70's - early 80's. Everything in side was purple and it was the Hottest Disco in Washington DC. A favorite for the best Hustle Dancers in the DC metro area. Monday night was the best night. Every spring they sponsored a huge dance contest with over $5,000 in prizes.
Polly Esters Denver, CO
Presently. One of the best 80's clubs in Denver! Open Thursday to Sunday...several floors to dance on, each one dedicated to a decade.
Poly Esthers Seatle, WA
Sundays. Hosted by Kiss 101.5 and always packed.. My friends and I always have a good time and meet plenty of hotties....
Popcorn's/Be-Bop Cafe King of Prussia, PA
1981-1985. Upstairs Popcorn's, a typical '80's Dance Club, kinda like the fictitious club Tech Noir in the movie "The Terminator". Downstairs The Be-Bop Cafe, a '50's club with black and white linoleum floors, Wurlitzer duke box, tuck-n-roll boothes, etc.
The Power Plant Chicago IL
Mid 1980s. This was a giant after hours dance club (mostly black, but mixed & some gay crowd) set up in an old power plant near Cabrini Green (the projects...) and was home to the first house music DJs in Chicago. Frankie Knuckles was the resident DJ here. Not sure of it's exact demise whys or wherefores. Another bar w/o alcohol, but with plenty of non legal stuff going on in it along with 'juice bar' and 'smart drinks' which were being touted in the mid-80s as the replacement for getting drunk. It didn't really catch on...
Power Tools Houston, TX
1989-1992. One of the best clubs ever in Houston and one of the first to brave downtown Houston. It was in a basement on Franklin and had great music and a great crowd!
Power Tools Los Angeles
1983-?. Early underground club; artsy and "Euro"
The Pteredactyl Charlotte, NC
1983-1993?. Before goth was cool, the anti meat market mix of college students, professionals, high school students, gays, straights, all cultures and nationalities, anyone that just wanted to dance with or without magic swimming around in their head -Cure, Sisters, MWH, the Furs, New Order, B-52's - all extended play 7"vinyl of course :)
Pulsations Nightclub Glen Mills Pa
1983-1994. The years the club was open 1982 thru 1995, I was the club manager.
Pulsations Nightclub Glen mills, PA
1983. Probably the largest nightclub in the Philly suburbs during the 80's. Massive light and sound system. www.Pulsations-Nightclub.com
The Pyramid Club Cedar Rapids, Iowa
Early 80's to Late 80's. Spent many many nites in here getting drunk on dime draws!!
The Rage SeaTac, WA
1986-88. Formerly a somewhat seedy lounge south of the airport that serves Seattle, this nightclub was truly a last-gasp for the Waver set in the Seattle area. Many refugees of the Skoochies/City Beat/Monastery scene went there; it filled a gap between those clubs and the rise of Club Broadway (such as it was). DJ'ed and part-owned by Randy Schlager, a Skoochies refugee himself (he managed the club for Stacy Prineas/ aka Skoochie). I believe Randy still spins in Seattle to this day, on C89.5 FM, and at clubs on different nights of the week. In keeping with a strange tradition in Seattle, this club was paved over after it closed, and a car rental lot sits on its site. Sigh...
Rainbow Bar & Grill Sunset Strip, West Hollywood
1972- still rockin'!. Dude! Rainbow? Whiskey? the REAL ROXY all on the two hottest blocks of The Strip...not San Diego...these are where virtually ALL of rock and roll congregated, hung out and assembled!!! laces like Cathouse and Scream (downtown...awesome club) existed because people from the Rainbow spread the news or even helped form those clubs...Holy COW how is it possible you missed those?
Raritan Manor Bridgewater, NJ
Late 70's and 80's. Great place to see local bands from NJ like Bon Jovi and Skid Row. One side was rock/live music and the other side was dance/disco/new wave/alternative. Was torn down to build strip malls.
The Rat (Rathskeller) Boston, MA
1974-1997. The Rat was a three level club. The top level was where you could find some local band playing an acoustic set. It was more like a Big Balcony than anything else, but was a nice, relatively quiet place to hang out. The second level, or street level, was a typical bar/restaurant where you could get some of the best food around. The basement level is where the live acts played. They had one of the largest light and sound setups around and the place was easily the loudest. There are too many bands to list that got their start there, but The Police, Joan Jett, Los Lobos, the Cars, The Talking Heads all played there, to name a few. It was located in Kenmore Square.
The Red Onion Redondo Beach Redondo Beach CA
Mid 80's. Drinking and the art of the party were never better, as you went fron the "RO" to Beach Bum Burts for dinner and then drinks. Both had live bands like Liquid Blue and City Lights. And who could forget Sunday afternoons at the Red Onion for "Fat Sunday" and "Bucket Ice Teas"! AHH those were the days!
Red Onion Santa Ana, CA
Late 80's - early 90's. A different theme several nights a week. Tuesdays were KNAC night, plenty of loud metal and hot patrons. The crowd thinned out considerably in 92 or 93 when grunge killed metal.
Red Onion West Covina Ca
Early to mid 80s. New wave & Disco. Great looking party girls, the place was always crowded. Fun crowd -we drank Kamakazis until we couldn't anymore!
Red Square Houston, Texas
Late 80's to Early 90's. Located on Lousiana St. in Houston, a converted old Building. When you entered, there was a big bear in the middle. The upstairs was the dance part of the club -early house music. Down stairs was the Hip-Hop Room. Sunday was the day for Dangerous Disco Night. I was underage but I still got in to party with the 21yr olds. Fun Club!
The Red Zone NYC
Late 80's. Mammoth warehouse club near midtown that attracted the best house dj's and celebs upstairs in the vip floor - vogue-ing was big up there and roger sanchez would tear it up downstairs. HUGE nights and all night crowds...
Reseda Sherman Square Roller Rink Reseda California
1980-1985. Hosted am radio station 1580 KDAY's 'Uncle Jams Army' certain Friday nights. KDAY was the first radio station to play rap in LA, it was only every 15th song or so because not enough rap was recorded to play a whole days worth! Some of LA's finest poppers and breakers congregated at this club, as well as live KDAY broadcasts including performances by Egyptian Lover, Bobcat, Debby Deb, Shannon and many more.
Respectable Street Cafe West Palm Beach, Florida
1987-Today. same owner same loctaion since day one. countless bands graced it's stage over the years, And to this day the dj's are still playing Joy Division, Siouxsie and the Banshees, James, New Order, Depeche Mode, the Smiths, Killing Joke, A.P.B., the Cure, Pixies, mixxed with todays VNV Nation, Hocico, Modest Mouse, Postal Service & the Faint.
The Retired Surfers Club Austin Tx
From 1984 to present. This place rules they had black light paint everywhere! Convinient little make out areas in the back of the club. Music? Eurythmics, George Clinton, house dj's, you name it!
Revival Philadelphia, PA
1985-1991. Somehow Revival had room for a lot of different scenes. Used to be a church. Karen Finley performed there one night -- brilliant. Oh, and Jim Foetus. Many, may others...
Richard's Mississauga, Ontario
Late 80's, Early 90's. This was probably the best club ever, and I have been to a lot of clubs in a lot of cities. Chris Sheppard's dance party on Saturdays rocked, and it was always a can't miss good time, every night of the week, except Mondays. Special Mention goes to Ladies night on Wednesdays.
Rick's Bar Miami, Florida
Mid-Late 80s. The place to be for the best in freestyle and old school all under one roof. Yep, from artists like Teaz 2 Pleaz, Nouveau Imaje, Cover Girls, and much more. Those were the times, now-a-days in miami, there is no club like it. That's too bad!
The Ritz Rock and Roll Club Dallas, TX
1982-1989. The Ritz Rock and Roll Club in Dallas was an old movie theater. Thursday night's were $2 beer night if you brought in your Ritz beer mugs. Gosh those were the days!!!!!!!
The Ritz New York City
The Great 80's. The home of all new-wave.... U2 with their first album, Tina Turner making her comeback, B-52's, The Cure, Echo and the Bunnymen, New Order, Haircut 100, The Psychodelic Furs, etc. THE best club in Manhattan in the 80's. Hot, steamy, sensual dance floor...those were the days.
Rock Candy Seattle, Washington
1989-199?. Nice dark place located next to the freeway downtown. Got to see Alien Sex Fiend play there once. Very dark and almost dirty place. Cool people with attitudes mostly. Lot's of booze flowing around. Had 2 floors and a feeling that a fight was gonna break out at any moment. Nice goth/metal hangout though. Owner was arrested for growing pot to fund club so shut down in the early 90's but not sure of specific date. Fun place while it lasted.
The Rock Factory Sacramento
1983 to 1986. One of the main Sacramento circuit clubs featuring Sacramento Rock-Cover bands, such as Target, Tight Quarters, Steelbreeze, First Offense, and others. It was located on Fair Oaks Blvd.
Rock on Broadway San Francisco, CA
84-89 (?). The sleaziest of the sleazy, but with great live thrash metal bands on weekends and all ages allowed (at least I think so - I used to go in there at 14...). You walked down a dark narrow hallway then climbed up a narrow staircase to get in. The stage was in one corner with a "dance floor" in front of it - a wood railing separated this from another open area. The bathrooms were scary... but what a great place to go hear bands like Violence...
Rosleand NY, NY
1986-?. Hottest party on Saturday nights for the predominately Hispanic, late teens & early 20s urban NYC crowd. Shows included contemporary hip-hop & Latin freestyle acts. Lots of ghetto fabulous fashions complete with "fat gold chains" and drug dealer rides.
The Roxy San Diego, Ca
1983-85??. Great little dance club on El Cajon Blvd. and I swear it was across from a funeral home?? Remember that bar scene in "top gun"?? It was shot there, fyi! I remember the bubbly glass near the stairs which is very visible in the aforementioned flick, btw. It was fairly small, one main wooden dance floor, carpeting and tables surrounding that, 4 or 5 steps that led to the dance floor from the bar/entrance area... a circular bar right inside the entrance w/cute bartenders, including Chris M....sometimes performance artists did shows, like Tina And Sheila..."Activity" spun the discs at least once a week, "Chaos" might've as well.
Rumours Bristol, CT
1987-1993. 18 and over club that let everyone drink--even if you were under 21! Over 21 would get a bracelet but bartenders never checked. The place was packed every night of the week.Best 80's dance mixes with local radio station WKSS-FM 95.7 in Hartford spinning live from the club on most nights. Was a single man's dream with many hot and horny college girls. Steve Urkel could have gotten laid at Rumours. Many couples never even waited to get home before consummating, many using the closet of the DJ Booth. The price: Let the DJ's watch. By '93 the Liquor Cops moved in and busted the place for serving minors. Was sold and became The Stadium in '95, but never recaptured the magic.
Safari Club Schaumburg IL
1987-1992. A great club that started out as a Schaumburg yuppie bar (like all of them in Schaumburg at the time) and became the first club to do a "DOLLAR YOU CALL IT". The club was jam packed on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays. The music spun was house, imports and mainstream club. Everything from Fast Eddie's "Yo Yo Get Funky" to Taffy's "I Love My Radio" to Jody Watley's "Real Love" to the imports from the 49ers, Daisy Dee and more. What a club!
Sanctuary Pittsburgh, PA
Early - Mid Eighties . Mondays were Modern Dance night. All new wave and punk. The club was narrow, but ran the length of the block. There were entrances and bars on both ends which met at a small dance floor in the center. A staircase wound up either side to the dance floor, which still had floor lights from the previous disco era. Cool place to hang if you liked the modern music scene.
Sasha's Studio City, CA
'86 to '90. Nice club on Ventura Blvd, with a kicking house band that was there every weekend. My induction into the LA club scene. Last time I checked it was a Russian restaurant.
Scandals Ocean City, Maryland
Late 80s. YNOT(regional powerhouse alternative/cover band) live on stage, DJ breaks with Nitzer Ebb, New Order, Cure, 242, Ministry, Lords of Acid...this club was in a huge barn type building with an upper level balconey, major league sound and lights...vibe was simply incredible in this era. Ironically the Ocean City Police Station now occupies the property where this legendary beach club once stood.
Scintillations, Sheraton Valley Forge, PA
1980 - 1988. A decent dance club in the basement of the Sheraton Hotel. Had a long bar against one wall and conscentric levels with plush chairs and tables leading to a dance floor in the center of the venue. Owned by Leon Altemose who also owned Pulsations Nightclub in Glen Mills, PA.
SCREAM Los Angeles, CA
80's. Oh, man...this was probably THE most happening club!! Gothic, punk, big hair, glitter-rock, gutter-rock, you name it....It was even featured in a Robert Downey, Jr. movie...you know the one..Less than Zero. Some of the best times of my life and my friends lives happened there...crazy! Sure do miss that place...SOMEONE SHOULD BRING IT BACK!!!!!!!! Nah, they wouldn't get it right..rock on K-SLEDJ.
SECOND LEVEL Sacramento,CA
1982-1989. BEST PLACE TO GO TO MIX IT UP WITH BREAKDANCERS,RAPPERS,NEWWAVERS & PREPPIES. A MIX OF FOLKS AT THIS HANGOUT.A PLACE TO MEET LOTS OF HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS & GUYS TO DATE AND SWOOP ON.
Security Maximum Montreal, Quebec
Late 80's, 1988-?. As a New Yorker, after the closing of the Garage in Montreal, I was very disappointed. But, soon I discovered Security Maximum on St Hubert just off of St Catherine. You entered down a stairway, and a narrow hallway formed a coatcheck admission area. Then into the maze of three levels of men. Security was great house dance music, it was a naughty place of all men. I never saw a woman there. Very hot, and cruisy atmosphere, stairways, a fireplace, seating areas, pool tables in one area, upstairs a large dance floor. Had a blast there every time I went. Danced for hours. It was great. However, didn't seem to last very long. Maybe two years?
Seven Seas Hollywood, CA
1980's. New wave Hollywood-style. Polo shirts, Bermuda shorts, clove cigarettes, Flock of Seagulls, Duran Duran, what more could you want?
Shakers Vancouver, BC
Mid 80's. I can't begin to explain what this "nightclub for teens" meant to me when I was 14-16. It was a place to escape to from the doldrums of suburbia, where you could meet up with your friends and dance all night in the blacklight amidst the smell of dry ice and Fresca. There was definitely more than Fresca flowing, but for me at least it was more about the music, the dancing and a feeling of belonging. I swear I can remember every inch of that place, the screen by the dance floor where they played music videos, dancing on stage to Dead or Alive, and finally getting to slow dance with a guy that I'd been secretly in love with for what seems like ages (ala 16 candles). The building where Shakers used to be is gone now, like most old buildings in Vancouver, but Shakers will always play an important role in my own personal 80's experience.
Shark Club Las Vegas, Nevada
80's, early 90's. A rave club with an attractive crowd and a decent music format...which included Techo to dance pop to some hip-hop. Aquariums were abundant in the theme and true to the club's name, a giant fiberglass great white greeted you (overhead at the bar) The place could not compete with the new clubs opening on the strip in the 90's, and it went dark in 96'. Fun place to live it up...but man, the women had to wait in REALLY long lines to use the small bathrooms!
Shellys Longton Stoke-On-Trent, UK
All of 80's. It was the place to be.
The Shelter Detroit, Michigan
Late 80's Early 90's. This club was considered THE place to be if you were at all into the Underground scene. This was THE club in Metro Detroit that first introduced Detroit Techno, Chicago House and all music in-between to Detroiters. The DJ's also played everything from Time Zone to Skinny Puppy, Ministry Nitzer Ebb, etc. This was the only scene where gays and straights, black and white, all mixed together to hear the music and to dance. The place itself was physically underground in the basement of St. Andrews Hall, which at the time was the live music venue above the Shelter (still is). Even though both clubs are still there, the heyday was the late 80's early 90's in the Shelter (and St. Andrews), where the kids would line up around the block to get in to the only entrance in the back alley with no sign whatsoever to hear the music from then DJ Scott Gordon, who after finishing his set on the radio (96.3FM) would hurriedly get to the Shelter to play from midnight to 4am. At that time Scott's warm up DJ that played from 9pm-12mid was the now famous Richie Hawtin, recently voted the number 1 DJ in the world and also known as the artist "Plastikman." Scott went on to the radio and record Biz working for EMI Records and Island Def Jam as National Director of Promotion. At some point every famous Detroit DJ played at the Shelter from Derrick May, Juan Atkins, Kevin Saunderson and EVERYONE else. The Shelter was the originator -- hot, sweaty, raw and pure.
SHOUT NYC, Midtown 40's West Side
1989-90. Fun, Rocking, Place...met lots of people....
SilverShadow NewYork, NewYork
1982-1988. Fun fun! Great music. Mature Crowd.
Skank's Mankato, MN
1983-1985. A quaint little subterranian nightclub located on the corner of Belgrade and Range in the space formerly known as Speakeasy. Standard black walls and the best graffiti in the bathroom. This place was a cultural oasis in the otherwise disturbing void that was Katoland. Sure, you could be a Tross or a Toad or just Circle Inn and stagger out, but Skank's took you in and said "it's gonna be okay, here listen to this...". Of course personalities helped the ambiance, Carol, Adam, Shawn, Eric, Molly and Tony.
Skoochies Seattle Wa.
1984 to 1986. I used to work Coat Check there when I was 16. The former Coat Check girl taught me how to take clove cigarettes and cash out of everyones pockets since no one ever tipped us. Bad karma indeed! The best place to be during the best times in Seattle. Madonna sang "Lucky Star" and we all danced right along with her. Talk Talk sang about "It's My Life" and we all sang right along. I remember the religious fanatics like Casey Treat and his sad group would come down and shout at us bad kids "You're all going to hell, we're going to tell your parents!", what that we were listening to Heaven 17 and running out to our cars to drink California Coolers and hopefully make out with someone cool who went to a different school but worshipped at the same New Wave alter we did? GOOD TIMES PEOPLE! And don't forget, "Skoochie" came from that dude who drove the Ferrari who knew the owner, and it was a noise he used to make as a child and it then became his nickname and then as fate would have it, the name of the best club ever in Seattle. It was sold and became OZ in late '86 but they played horrible Gloria Estefan music for the cheerleader and jock crowd. Hosers!
Skylight Express Kendall, Florida
Mid to Late 80's. Skylight Express was THE club during it's tenure for Hip-Hop and Freestyle. On the second level in the Dadeland Mall in Kendall. Many artists such as Stevie B, TKA, Trinere, Luke Skywalker and the 2 Live Crew made history in this club. There were lines out the door of the mall waiting to get inside this place. No clubs like this one!!
Soul Kitchen New York, NY
late 80's - early 90's. The best Classic Soul & R&B club in NYC at its time. Started in Brother's BBQ (the older one) in lower Manhattan, it was one of the smallest spots to have such a huge crowd. Colt 45 forty's and free chicken wings helped fuel the kickenest parties on Monday nights!!!!
The Sound Factory N.y., NY
Late 80's Early 90's. It's been a long time but I think it was located on 28th st. I know it was down the block from the Tunnel. Saturday nights I think was gay night, but Friday nights man it was one of the best clubs jumping. Real house music Little Louis, Louie Vega, Ten City all the joints..They also played Hip Hop. I remember the first time I was there I Heard the Remix to Buddy with De La Soul, Tribe Called Quest & Jungle Brothers. Man I almost fell out..They also rocked the Reggae cuts Shaba Ranks, Cutty Ranks & Super Cat was my man. My Friday nights were set for a long time..The Factory was also the first NY club that four beautiful ladies called Envouge performed at "Hold On To Your love" was definitly a club banger!! The good old days!!
Soundstage 2000 Orlando, FL
late 70's - early 80's. THE afterhours club of Orlando in the early 80's. Opened at midnight till the last patron staggared out the door (I remember leaving at 8 am one morning). Touted as a mostly gay bar but also full of all kinds of strange creatures of the night. Location in an anonymous white warehouse right across the fence from the old Orlando Naval Training Center. No name on the bldg. BYOB. Had a long catwalk for the drag shows, multicoloured squares lighted dance floor and a HUGE art deco style mural of a woman smoking a cigaratte in a long cig holder and big brimmed hat. Played everything from Donna Summer to The B-52's. This was an AWESOME club.
SoundStage Las Vegas, NV
1985-1990. This club was THE only real "New Wave" Club in Las Vegas - It was an all-ages club, so you could be 16+ to get in - They played every local new wave bands and greats like New Order, Madonna, Dead Or Alive, etc. On Sundays they changed to R & B and Dance music in the late 80's until someone got shot and they closed the place down :(
Spanky's Pontiac / Clutch Cargo Detroit Detroit Mi
80's. Actually Clutch Cargo was the promoter. The place is called St. Andrews and its still going strong. I Saw Fishbone, Primus, RedHotChilli Peppers, Nirvana, Smashing Pumpkins, AliceinChains, Tool, Terance Trent D'Arby, Throwing Muses -on their first album tours and met them all. Spanky's was great! If you looked like Prince, Billy Idol,or Michael Jackson, the odds were good that you were making out on the dance floor later. I loved that place!
Spanky's North Ridgeville, OH
80's. Spanky's was really a neat place to go. It was divided into three sections. The main section was where the live band played. Off to the side was a room, where they played the still alive disco music and upstairs they had the "Video" room where they first had several small TV's stacked on each other and then a large projection screen TV that played MTV constantly throughout the night. It was a place where everyone could enjoy themselves.
Spanky's Pontiac , Michigan
1980's . Teen club, Pontiac area -Oakland County -does anyone remember?
Sparx Dallas Texas
85-88. Great goth club...Had killer laser light show at one point in which lasers completely engulfed the ceiling. Curtis Kidman and Greg Watton were DJ's. One great song played there was "De Testimony" by Fini Tribe.
Speakeasy Portsmouth, NH
1983-1990?. Played whatever was the latest in the 80's and some retro disco 70's too. Club was opened in what was once a roller rink so it had a huge floor. It got better and better with a big screen that played music videos and these small stages where the hot girls would get up and dance for all to see. They had under age nights on Sundays and Wednesdays.
Speaks Island Park, NY
80-82. On the water in Island Park - music from Van Halen to 80's dance hits - indoor/outdoor. Thursday nights were best, had my fake ID, came in late and got up for school the next morning. Memorable!
Speaks Island Park, NY
80-82. On the water in Island Park - music from Van Halen to 80's dance hits - indoor/outdoor. Thursday nights were best, had my fake ID, came in late and got up for school the next morning. Memorable!
SPIT Levittown, NY
1983-1989. SPIT was the alternative side to the Uncle Sam's disco. While Fri & Sat belonged to disco, Sundays, Mondays, and Wedensdays belonged to Alternative! Huge dance floor. Mosh pits. Love & Rockets. The Cure. Smiths. Ministry. The best night was Thanksgiving Eve!
Spit Boston, MA
1984- 1989. I remember using a fake ID to get into this club and it worked every time. The music was absolutely the best. The Smiths, Ministry, Bauhaus, Chameleons, etc... All the greatest TRUE alternative music.
Spize Framingdale, NY
1984 - 1986. Great club on Long Island. Always played the same video reel before the DJ started cranking with Bananarama, Echo and the Bunnymen, Corey Hart, etc. Had live bands occasionally including OMD.
Spize Farmingdale, New York
Early 80's. Great little club- Best memories of this club was seeing REM play there live. This was after their EP was released, but before the first albumn came out. They were great!
Spook Factory Valencia, Spain
86 or 87 - 94 or 95. Its former name was "San Francisco". It was the most important club on Friday night in the late 80s all around. The music the DJs blasted out was mainly alternative pop from the UK and some European and American, besides some gothic and many industrial music. Simple Minds, Killing Joke, Depeche Mode, Clan of Xymox, B-Movie, Peter Murphy, Information Society, New Order, A Split Second, are some bands which were played there. I remember that discotheque and the other of the same type were quite different from typical discotheques of the 70s or those of the 80s devoted to more commercial music, which were very colorful and with a majority of red and yellow lights. The alternative clubs were dark and they had a majority of cold lights like blue. Valencia got in the late 80s and first 90s the most important "Night" in Spain. Hundreds of people from Madrid or Barcelona came every weekend to the city, because while these cities just offered commercial music, many Valencia's clubs specialized in alternative pop. Moreover Valencia's weekends became endless. Many people (not all) used to endure from Thursday night to Monday morning from discotheque to discotheque, with few breaks (drugged, logically).Other important discos of the 80s in Valencia: Barraca, Chocolate, ACTV, Espiral, Arena for alternative, and Distrito 10, Woody, Vanessa, Metropolis for commercial, were some of the many and various clubs of that years, some of them still working.
St. James Infirmary Mountain View , CA
Early to mid 80's. From the horse drawn hearse hanging from the ceiling to the 30 foot statue of Wonder Woman next to the dance floor this place was WILD!!! Carve your name in the table, sit in the bleachers, or just walk around and people watch. Close proximity to Naval Air Station Moffett Field meant it was always packed. Great fun and great music!!!
Stallions Seattle, Wa.
82-86?. This was strictly a club for people that were into music to get funky to. A lot of breakdancers hung out here and constantly had battles going on. Your occasional sing along with women dressed in skanky clothes to the "MaryJane Girls". Was definitely a place to go though if you could break dance and were not afraid of being called out. KFOX was the radio station at that time that played most of the music they had during the day then go to Stallions at night in Lake City to show your moves. Crowd was very much a mix of all colors. You dare not set foot in there if you didn't have on a pair of tennis shoes and parachute pants though for the men. The women could wear whatever they wanted, the skankier the better.
Starbucks NYC
1981/1987. Great night spot, 3 floors of dancing.
The Starck Club Dallas,Texas
1984 to 1994. This club was once owned by Grace Jones and Stevie Nicks (and others.) This is where everybody who was somebody in Dallas would go. There where many articles written about the club and it's clientele. It was one of the first clubs in Dallas to have the infamous red velvet rope. Roderick the door man would tell the tourists(Geeks and wannabe's to move out of the way)so we the chosen would be let in. The weirder you dressed the better. It was common to see movie stars and music artist all of the time. They would come after their concerts. The Starck Club got it's name from Phillepe Starck. He is the one that designed the club. The DJ was Rick Sqillante.(? Spelling ). It was one of the first UNISEX bathrooms in Dallas too. There were TV's in the bathrooms, playing weird things to help your partying experience. The club was raided for Drugs, and they took away the DANCE PERMIT...So we all went and watched the shows, while the NO DANCE POLICE would watch over the crowds. Sex and Drugs were everywhere in the club (Sometimes in hideaways.) Most nights did not end until the morning (6 or 7 am). The experience will be something I will always remember...NightLife was changed when this club opened, as did my life. Being one of the chosen ones that people expected to see at the club, was great. I still can walk into a club and have my follwers.
The Station Orlando, Florida
l987-1992. Live act bands from Front 242, The Sleaze Bees, Stranger, Saigon Kick and other up and coming bands from the south! It was the true rock scene in North Orlando area. It was located in Fern Park, and was old railroad cars turned into a club, the drinks were cheap, the music was hot and the people were great!
Studebaker's Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Honolulu, Little Rock
1981 - 1996 . The first nightclub in America designed for the Baby Boom generation after they got the Gen-Xers out of the house and into college. It was a 50'&60's Diner on steroids. It was Red, White and Blue and had a real Studebaker automobile inside that you could sit in and get served by a waitress dressed up like a cheerleader. The bartenders were outfitted to look like 50's soda jerks. The main focus of the nightclub was the DJ booth and the incredible and talented DJ's how would like sync and panomine to song's from Elvis Presley, The Drifters, The Beatles, Nat King Cole and others. From time to time the staff would get up on the bar and do what they called "Showtime". Studebaker's was credited for being the first nightclubs to offer the free "16 Feet of All You Can Eat Buffet" as a way to get customers for Happy Hour. No matter where they opened they were always a success. Walter Payton of the Chicago Bears was one of the partners and he was always a gentleman. After a great run, the concept ran its course and the Baby Boomers had to let their kids back in the house after the Tech Crash. See what those "smart" college kids done!
Studio 2000 Iron Bound section of Newark NJ
1988/1989. It was billed as New Jerseys largest dance Floor at the time. Though short lived , the club managed to put on many nights of great Freestyle performances , sometimes 7 or so acts all in one night such as George LaMond , EXO , Judy Torres , Cynthia , Two without Hats , Joey Kid , etc. etc.
Studio 47 Downtown San Jose, CA
87-90. Promoted by Hot 97.7. Cruising days after the club.. Steve B, Cynthis, Sweet Sensation, Johnny O would preform there!
Studio 54 New York, NY
1977-1979,1980-1986, 1996. Studio 54 was the most popular nightclub ever. It was where celebrities danced with the working class, where you could be a star. Huge dance club with amazing sound system, light show, and a giant robotic man-in-the-moon over the dance floor. It was owned by the infamous Steve Rubell. The IRS raided the club and shut it down in 1979, and Steve Rubell went to prison. He sold the club to his friend Mark, who ran it for several years but it closed in 1986. It opened and closed several times, but the Last Dance Party was held in 1996. Today it is a Broadway Theater.
Studio 9 San Diego
1984. Cool club two blocks up the street from the Roxy on El Cajon blvd. Denis was the DJ and played alot of alternative stuff. I remember the blue and white tile on the floor very well. Julie Brown performed there once. The lights on the dance floor were great. They always had a light man who knew the songs and manually worked them. Not just put them on automatic.
Studio K Knott's Berry Farm, Buena Park, CA
80's. Teen Night Club by Montezuma's Revenge. DJ's from KROQ played. Good Times!
Studio West San Francisco
Early to mid 80's. This was one of the best clubs, actually alot of the action was out in the parking lot! It was along the Embarcadero it SF, beautiful views. People used to come from all over, the scene was mostly rap, with some techno, along with the favorites back then Madonna, Michael Jackson etc. I think they closed down due to too much under age drinking (I was one of them!!)
The Sundance Santa Rosa, CA
'85/86?. Small and crowded but definately fun. Modern rock, techno. Worked out great until the 4th street/Mendocino Ave cruise was shut down then it slowly went out of business for lack of traffic. The we went to the kasbah, until we grew up, that is...
Sweethearts Cabramatta, Sydney , Australia
Early 80s thry early 90s. THE place in western sydney thru the 80s.$1 drinks tues, live bands wed and thurs nights, disco fri and sat (theme nights) eg large outdoor pool set up inside to help destroy place for rebuild -crazy night that one! Could be rough at times.....all added to charm!
Sylvesters Charmhaven, NSW, Australia
80's-90's. The place to be on the NSW central coast. You would all go out everywhere till midnight but then everyone was at Syllies. You cant describe the atmosphere, but if you were there, you understand. RIP Sylvesters, you are missed
Taboo Detroit, MI
1989-1991???. This was the spot back in the day. Located downtown Detroit in the warehouse district. With its black and white checkerboard dance floor. This was the club to hear the latest R&B and house music. This is also the place where they hosted the local half hour talent show that came on Saturday nights after Dance Fever (if anyone can remember the name feel free). They don't make clubs like this one anymore!!!! I was hurt when it closed its doors.
Tagrijn Hilversum, Netherlands
1980-1989. A Dutch club in Hilversum, a little citie nearby Amsterdam. This club was a -so called- new wave and alternative club. Nowadays, they have every 2 months an 80's night on the Friday. The interior of the club has never chanced.... it's all eighties!!!
Tanz Haus Traverse City, Michigan
Late 60's~Early 80's. The wall of promo pictures on the wall of the entry way said it all: Nugent, Mitch Ryder, Dick Wagner & the Frost, Force, Bob Seger, Every great Midwest touring band loved to play this club! A huge rustic lodge with an equally large outdoor courtyard, both had mammoth stone fireplaces to warm the rockers and ski bunnies who came in to see the best entertainment in Michigan! Truly a showcase club with an atmosphere unlike any other, the cozy ambience coupled with owner/host Elmer Ogden's warm welcome made "The Tanz" the classiest pickup bar in the U.S.
The Tapestry Northridge, CA
1980's. This club was on Reseda Blvd. in Northridge. 18 and over club. New Wave music. It had an upstairs for seating and looking over the rails to check out the sights. The dance floor and bar was down stairs. Water Fountain in the club!!!
The Tapestry Northridge, CA
1980's. This club was on Reseda Blvd. in Northridge. 18 and over club. New Wave music. It had an upstairs for seating and looking over the rails to check out the sights. The dance floor and bar was down stairs. Water Fountain in the club!!!
Therapy Houston, TX
1986-88-90. Therapy was a very special club. I discovered it in 1988, when in got packed every friday and saturday after 2 a.m.. The music was very loud, had a great sound system, and they played a very dreamy and euphoric mix of music, that ranged from front 242, Section 25, Book Of Love, Pet Shop Boys, New Order, Tom Tom Club, Depeche Mode, Micro Chip League, Paul Rutherford, Jamie Principle, Farley Jackmaster Funk, Dead Or Alive, and oher underground jewels, that ranged from acid house, to industrial and early techno, as well as what at the time was considered progressive. The club had a very friendly and warm atmosphere, everything seemed to go in slow motion and move in a strobe like fashion. Basically everybody was wigging wild, and smiling at you when you walked past. As people moved around the club, they did so, moving to the beat, and dancing as much as walking will allow you to. The main dancefloor had some tables and chairs on one side, that gave it a very living room like feeling. The vibe was very warm and the sweet smell of open mindedness filled the club. They also had these industrial size fans on the corners of the bar, where you could go stand, and feel the cool air freshen your face, after sweating at the dancefloor-a most awesome feeling. Their orange juice was also very good tasting and invigorating. Coupled with the end of the Houston`s nightlife golfden age, Therapy was a Club with a class of its own. I have never been able to find again that great vibe, the connectedness, and the general feeling of happiness. The NYC raised owner, was one the friendliest owners out there ever. As well as Bones, the security guy. If only we could go back in time............
The Thirsty Whale Chicagoland
80's and 90's. This was THE biggest hair band club in the 80's and early 90's. You weren't cool if you had never gone to The Whale....if you were into the big hair rock band scene, you've been to The Whale. And if you were super cool, your boyfriend was in a band that played there. It was a little rinky-dink dive bar that catered to over-21 and some underage shows. And this was the only place where all the HOT 80's guys and girls were, that is if you liked huge hair-sprayed hair. Great place, I wish they'd open it back up.
Thrush Long Island, NY
80's. On Sunrise Hwy. Great club! Small and dark with great music. What else could you ask for?
Thunderdome Montreal, QC
Mid '80s to early '90s. A world-famous alternative bar: New Order; Depeche Mode; Pet Shop Boys; The Cure; Ann Clark.... What an experience!
Thunderdome Montreal, QC
mid '80s to early '90s. A world-famous alternative bar: New Order; Depeche Mode; Pet Shop Boys; The Cure; Ann Clark.... What an experience!
Tijl Uilenspiegel (or just short:) Tijl Amsterdam, NL
1984. Derived from it's predecesor'Jazzland', which contrary to it's name was one of the defining clubs in the Amsterdam synthipopscene in the early eighties, Tijl kept true to it's avantgarde scene playing only new wave and synthipop, whilst steering away from any mainstream contemplation. Key songs: Los Ninos del Pargue by Liasons Dangereuses, Kaw-Liga by the Residents, anything Marc Almond, Temple of love by Sisters of Mercy, Cure (early) Simple Minds and so on. Located in the heart of the Leidseplein-district, it was a beacon of sanity in a disco- and houseridden environment. Sadly turned into a pizzaplace in 1991.
TNT Tonight's The Night Mercer Island, WA
1981 - 1983?. All Ages -Rich Eastside kids. Lots of empty California Coolers in parking lot. New wave & cover bands. Great place for picking up girls from different High Schools
Tommy's Teen Club Phoenix Arizona
1983 - 1987. The hottest club in Phx. Az .... the place to be , even people that weren`t teens were trying to get in , always filled to capacity with lines around the building every Friday - Saturday , bumping all the latest hip hop , house , electro , mod-new wave music on two dance floors with the baddest dj always on beat , scratchin it up in the mix . Oh and I forgot to mention FREE pizza all night long ! Many teen celebreties / stars would always be there whenever they were in town ... Alyssa Milano (Who's The Boss), Todd Bridges(Different Strokes), Ricky Schroeder(Silver Spoons) ,Jason Hervey(Wonder Years) just to name a few that I seen . The lighting and sound system was incredible and they always had the hottest girls there ; ] I miss that club !!!!
Top Of The Rock Grand Rapids, Michigan
1985-1989. Very Cool Club!!!
Touche Nightclub King of Prussia, Pa
1980 - 1999. One of the longest runs for a club in the area. It was located on the first floor of the Hilton Hotel. Small but fun hop stop.
Tower Theater on Westheimer Houston, Texas
Late 80's to early 90's. This was another great club before it closed and turned in to a video store. It was a old movie theather and was gutted out. Saturday and Sunday was the best time to go and party, I think Thursday Night was 75cents you call it. Sunday was Trash Disco Night. It would broadcast on Energy(before mix) 96.5 FM and then 93Q(before the country) took over the broadcast on Sundays.
Town Creek Saloon Jackson Mississippi
70's to late 80's. Bring your own bottle, beautiful women, free beer on Wednesday nights, and great 80's metal bands.
Tracks 2000 Denver, CO
1981? - 2001. I worked there for the last 3 years before it closed and what an awsome history this place had! Opened as a Disco, went through all the genre's since, was THE HOTTEST dance club in Colorado and the surrounding states for many years. All were welcome including gay, straight, drag queens, club kids, goth, ravers, rich, poor, the fabulous and the everyday. Had many famous DJ's as residents... DJ Keoki after leaving NY, TY TEK, Boy George and DJ Irene to name a few. Huge club with a main dance floor, a back room disco, and a VIP lounge upstairs (after it was the Jungle and Drum/Bass room), also had an outdoor patio that DJ's would spin on in the Summer. Ask anyone who was in the scene in CO and they will tell you that is was THE place to go. I loved the House music in the mainroom and the top 40's and Disco in the back, The best part of Tracks 2000 was EVERY week they had a different theme party that was off the hook! And who could forget the annual Madonna party's! Also frequented by famous club kids and rave DJ's. WE were all a huge family! Closed in 2001 and torn down to build Condo's :( Re-opened in a new location in 2003 with a lot of the same staff and crowd but surely not the same.
Tracks Washington,DC
Early 80's-mid 90's. Three dance floors, 8 bars, a game room, a volleyball court, a fountain, a grill and the best mix of all 80's - gay, straight, drag, multi-ethnic, goth, and later industrial and techno. Unisex bathrooms, Lesbo a go-go, acid, LOTS of alcohol, with open bar from 8 until 11 PM. I went to underwear parties, drank 15 rum & cokes while dancing to Lords of Acid and Dead Can Dance. I also saw Martha Wash perform. DJ Mohawk Adam came later - best industrial/Goth DJ in DC. One full city block of heaven by the Anacostia River.
Trinity Hamburg, Germany
Ca 1978 to 1988 . American-built Studio 54 style club in Hamburg with laser show and fantastic lighting, three thorens, TD turntables, gallery upstairs to look out to the dance floor. Dave Wakeham is still DJing today.
Trinity Hamburg, Germany
Ca 1978 to 1988 . American-built Studio 54 style club in Hamburg with laser show and fantastic lighting, three thorens, TD turntables, gallery upstairs to look out to the dance floor. Dave Wakeham is still DJing today.
Tunnel New York, NY
1985-now. The best underground club scene in NYC at the time. DJ Keoki spinned the best mixes of house, new wave, and alternative in the late 80's. DJ Michael Musto (yes...the same fellow from "Village Voice" and E! fame) spinned funky dance mixes and wore the trippiest jumpsuits! Michael Alig (now known for his murder of another clubkid...see upcoming Hollywood movie) used to host some great and memorable parties. Alig was very arrogant and therefore not very approachable, but the rest of the crowd that hung out at the VIP basemant was very creative and friendly. I had the time of my life in Tunnel. The parties always had themes and everyone would dress up in artistically created outfits. Nothing like the boring yuppie infested pseudo-fratboy gatherings they try to pass of as "parties" here in Chicago. Those were real parties with great music, fun, creative people, and an "Alice in Wonderland" type environment. Fond memories...
Twilight Zone Vancouver. Canada
Mid 80's. Great club that always had this 80's alternative/goth/new wave vibe going for it. The nights branched out to include techno, dub and house around 1992. Always a subversive crowd.
The Twillight Zone Alameda, California
86?-92. All ages goth/industrial club hosted in the lobby of an old movie theater. This club had the best atmosphere of any that I used to attend in the Bay Area. The dance floor was huge and made of wood and there was a balcony,reached by two seperate sweeping stairways, above where you could look down at people. There used to be a dark hideaway up the stairs called the Hole where little gothic boys and girls would make out.Even though it was all ages people young and old would attend. However, if you wanted to get drunk you had to do it in the parking lot before you went in. Closed down because House Of Usher(uber goth club I couldn't stand) took away the crowd. I actually deeply miss that place.*SIGH*
Uncle Sam's Niagara Falls, Canada
Mid 70's - early 80's. On Lundy's Lane in The Falls it was THE place to see live music back in the day. Trays of beer, pitchers and always a great band. Max Webster, Teenage Head, Frank Soda and the Imps, BB Gabor, The Forgotten Rebels, and on it goes. Sadly not there anymore, but the memories live on.
The Underground New York, NY
85/87. Three floors to look down on. Where i first saw people "Vougeing", way before the song was ever made. Not to mention the smell of the street vendors food @ 5:ooam. You had to eat something on the subway ride home!!!
The Underground Seattle, WA
1989-1991. After the demise of Club Broadway, those of us still too young to drink, and too Batcave (that's Goth to you Easterners) for what was Skoochies then City Beat but by then had become The OZ (different story) were without a home. Until The Underground. This was My Club. We Had Lots of Fun There. The bus ride from downtown to the University District 20 minutes north was worth it to us. Admittedly it was the extreme last gasp, and rather pathetic. Anybody who remembers it would probably laugh, but for us poor kids who missed out on the good clubs in Seattle, it did well enough. Later (post'91ish) the New Goth Contingent (no longer "Batcave" I assume)hit the city and other clubs opened for them. But by then I was able to go to bars where one can purchase alcohol legally, and had branched out to wearing (gasp!)colors. What did I care?! :)
The Underground
Til '91. I believe the underground was till around after 91. Unless they changed their names. Last time I went to that location was in 1994 before I came down to SF permenently.
The Union Jack South River, NJ
Early to mid 80's. This place ROCKED.... Incredible live bands every single night of the week.... Great crowds... Great bartenders....( Hey - Jeff - if you're out there - There hasn't been a day that has gone by in almost 20 years - that I haven't thought about you - and hoped I'd miraculously bump into you again......) The regulars were a terrific group of people.. and you could ALWAYS count on a great time..... Donna
The Upstage Pittsburgh, PA
1980 till present. This gritty club in Pittsburgh's East End is now known for it's retro nights. In the 80s it was known as a new wave/punk/goth club that catered to an avant garde crowd that wanted something different than what commercial radio was offering.
The Upstage Pittsburgh, PA
Late 70s till present. This gritty club near the University Of Pittsburgh is now famous for it's retro nights. Back in the 80s it was a punk/new wave/goth venue that also brought in many famous 80s alternative acts of the day.
Vertigo Los Angeles (6th? and Olympic)
1986-1989(?). Studio 54 of the mid-80s; a block down from SCREAM. Marc Benecke of Studio 54 was doorman and it was hard as hell (for men, anyway) to get in. The VIP room was the place to be on Friday and Saturday nights...good times, man.
Victor Hugo's Pensacola, FL
Late 80s. Very cool, small club in a small city with a very knowledgable and devout following. The DJs spun wave, punk, and rock & roll. Numerous live acts...local, regional, national, and international. Saw the Flamming Lips there. Echo & the Bunnymen hung out there during a tour. The club moved to another location a year after opening and was never the same. Ended up devolving into a club named 'Sluggo's'.
The Video Bar Dallas, TX
Late 80's- 90's. Great club with live music as well as D.Js. Small dance floor with large video screens,everything was lit with black lights. A bunch of local musicians hung out at the bar like Pepe from the Local Gringos, his dreadlocks would glow from the lights. They would stamp you with a No Bow Head stamp to get in. I'm not sure when they closed but I remember being there at like 4:00 am when they rolled out the breakfast taco cart. Jeff K hosted Video Bar T.V, and gave away tickets to people for live shows. They also had a S&M night called Sadistic Sundays. Great industrial music.
Village Station Dallas, Texas
1982-1989. The Village was the first dance club I ever stepped foot in, and I stayed for the entire party thru the eighties! Ask anyone who was there; there was no place like it!
Visions Houston, TX
1986-1988. Stainless Steel dance-floor, left over from when it was a genuine disco named "Fools Gold". Very under-21 friendly with a large parking lot party to boot. We could give them "collateral" like a Swatch-Watch at the door to see if a "fine guy" was inside.
The Vogue Seattle, WA
Mid 80's (?) to Present. This club has gone through numerous managment and location changes througout the years. Now located on Capitol Hill. Apart from being a dance club, The Vogue also hosts live bands. Soundgarden and Nirvana got their start playing there. You also still have the usual Goth, Industrial, Fetish, and of course 80's nights.
Voo Doo TORONTO, Canada
1981-1985. Punk-New Wave, the DJ's brought us all the cool records sometimes up to 1 year before they hit radio, Visage, Vicious Pink, Divine, Gang of Four and Simple Minds are some bands the club played before they had hits. Friday night was awesome, I would watch Dallas tv show while getting ready, head downtown for 11:30 and dance until 5am every week for many years, great fun, the 80's were the best!!!
Wall Street Los Angeles (La Cienega?)
1988-1989ish. Another weekday club...always crowded.
Wanda's Club 4 Lynwood, WA.
1983 - ?. Fantastic club! Well worth the ride from the Seattle area when you didn't want to hang with the freaks and druggies at Underground, Broadway, and OZ. This place was PACKED & SOBER almost nightly. Not uncommon to find Sir Mix Alot and rendan Fraser hanging out.
The Warehouse Chicago Illinios
1989-2000?. It was the biggest club in Chicago. It was three levels the first two levels were dance floors and the third level was a arcade. They played evry kind of music from house to hip hop, it was a place to be seen.
The Warehouse Chicago, IL
1977-early 90s?. Legendary Chicago club where DJ Frankie Knuckles spun from 1977 to 1982. It is widely accepted that the club gave house music its name, although in the beginning, the word house was used only in Chicago to denote something which would become cool, hip, fresh or bad, depending on place and time. Frankie Knuckles had been long time friends with Larry Levan, they had had their musical upbringing together from going to clubs like Loft and the Gallery.
Water THE BUSH Hollywood, CA
80's. Afrikka Bambatta DJ'd this club and was off the hook IceT was a Regular it was THE spot to be if you were into hip hop during its birth.
The Wave Honolulu, HI
1981-Present. The only place to have been seen during the 80's in Hawaii. The Wave had some of the best DJs and dancing I've ever seen. The cool part was the DJ' s request basket, they would hoist requests up from the lower level into the booth....
The Wave Staten Island, NY
Late 80s. This was an old warehouse converted to one of Staten Islands biggest and best clubs. As far as the other NYC clubs, been there done that. I miss the good times of days gone by. Never forget the code of the 80's " Dress to Impress"
Weekends Atlanta, GA
1982-198?. Atlanta's most happening club of the 80s. Gave birth to RuPaul, Now Explosion (Larry Tee, Lahoma VanZandt), Lady Bunny. Great mix of people. On a strip on Peachtree Street that included TV Dinners.
Windjammer Room, Mariott Philadelphia, PA
1975 - 1986. A basic '70's club inside the Mariott on City Line Ave. that wasn't updated as it hung on until it's demise in the mid-eighties.
The World NY, NY
80's. This is the best house music ever, the dj's were always mixing and it gave birth to what is now deep house. A huge theatre in Alphabet City.
WREX Seattle, WA
1980. Started as a gay bar down on 1st avenue in Belltown, the bar split its time between disco and new wave. New wave won, and the place transformed itself into The Vogue. WREX was the hottest game in town at its peak, I know because I was notorius for being "The Door Lady from Wrex".
Xanadu Asbury Park, NJ
1980-198?. Huge dance club located near the beach! The club was so popular, it eventually bought out the property next door and made their club bigger! Great light system, sound system, and great crowd too! You could see amazing live shows by punk bands like Secret Syde, followed by hip New Wave/ Dance music bands. Springsteen hung out here often too! Closed in the late 1980s. It was abandoned and rotting until it was bought in 2005 and became a gay disco.
Xcess and 6400 Houston Tx
Late 1980's. NRG kinda kicked it all off however didn't everyone start hitting Xcess, then doing 6400 on Sunday's? Remember 6400 was Hippo's during the week. They did go full time 6400 after they realized they could get packed! I remember the DJ (mike Snow?) would get on mic and bitch when someone would bump the DJ both and cause the record to skip. It was a little place until it was burnt down and rebuilt and then became Peters Wild Life (sucked).
Xcess Houston, TX
1987-1989. Club played more of the darker music like Thrill Kill Kult, and New Beat, etc and had the biggest bass speakers I've ever seen. They were about 10' tall and you could stand inside of them.
Xcess Houston, TX
Part of 88' and All of 89'. I used to love the mix of Communicate by MCL into Communicate by Double ID that the DJ @ Xcess(Houston) used to do. Also, all the Thrill Kill mixes he did. Add a little X and you felt like you were in a big KULT!!! GO FIGURE!!! Man, were those the days!!!!! LOVE LOVE LOVE..... :)
Xenon West Ventura, CA
1980s. Seemed to be the ONLY club west of Hollywood to listen to DJs spin 80s music.
Xenon West Ventura, CA
1984-1989. Whne "gender-bending" was an artform, this club celebrated the "freaks" in the Ventura/Santa Barbara area. Stealing it's name from the very successful Zenon in NY, this small under-age club played everything from Nina Hagen to Dead Or Alive. Videoscreens played all the videos MTV wouldn't, and dancers roamed the club in their own "homemade" gear. Make-up & big-hair was a must for both the boys & the girls.
Xenon New York, NY
1980's. Xenon's was the most kicking club in the 80's. Xenons was right off of Times Square - it drew the most diverse, interesting crowd back then. I know that it doesn't exist anymore, I think that The Gap now sits in it's space.
Xenon Salt Lake City, UT
1985-1988. Another of Salt Lake's best post-punk and pop dance spots. (X, Z, hell, I can't remember) There was a main room which was top-40 oriented and a smaller "back lot" which was exclusively modern or post-punk. Officially non-alcoholic/non-smoking but that hardly stopped anything. Not really a concert venue but a great place to dance. Packed wall-to-wall on weekends. Morphed into a goth club in the early-mid 90's and has since been razed in favor of a Walgreens (aaaarrrrggghhhh!!!!)
Zappa's Brooklyn, NY
1979 - 1986. Back in the day...Madonna, Bon Jovi, Smithereens, Ramones, Dead Boys, Johnny Thunders, Joan Jett all played there!!!
Zappa's Brooklyn, New York
1979-1987. The Legendary Zappa's was coolest Rock/ Punk/ New Wave Club in the Marine Park section of Brooklyn. Bands like R.E.M.,Madonna, Bon Jovi, Johnny Thunders And The Heartbreakers, Joan Jett And The Blackhearts, The Fast, The Smithereens, Richard Hell And The Voidiods, Dead Boys, The Wanderers, Waitresses, DB;s with Chris Stamey, Shox Lumania, Fall Out, Twisted Sister, Brass Trax, The Brats, XDavis, The Doctors, The Rooms, The Shirts, Edgar Winter, Roy Loney And The Phanthom Movers, John Cale, Sylvain Sylvain, David Johansen, Cheetah Chrome, RIOT, The Laughing Dogs, The Probers, Martha Reeves, Tiny Tim, Idle Chatter, Black Lace, Two Way Street, Fault Line, Equinox, Vixen, Hot Shot, The Boyps and so many other great bands all played there. The club has reunions from time to time. Check out www.zappasreunion.com
Zenon New York, NY
1981-1985. There will never be a better dance club period.
Zero's Ft. Worth, Texas
80's. New wave club in an old part of town, off lancaster ave. Nobody knew about this place except for the cool New Waver's. The place was painted totally black inside and had retro neons on the walls. It was great!
Ziegfield's/Secrets Washington, D.C.
early 80's-2006. Party spot for gay, lesbian, trangendered, and straights. Unisex restrooms, Secrets had male dancers for the gay at heart. Ziegfield's was a hot party room with crossdressers, trannys, and straights. At eleven pm in Ziegfield's the ladies of illusion would put on 2 shows, starring Ms. Ella. This was a wonderful club scene.
Zodiac New York,NY
80-85?. Wow! In the Mercer and Houston space that housed versions of Reggae Lounge and Berlin. After hours with very serious desperate types,hardcore village bar people, degenerate newsies and jazz musicians, hipsters when hipsterism was dangerous. Much drugs. Huge dancefloor but nobody danced, everyone huddled in groups, trying to get over. Seems like a lot of the people involved wound up dead, jailed or at Marylou's.

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