It was a family affair and those still with us meet once a year to celebrate. Small and exclusive it was known for its music and for supposedly turning away Cher. Nell Campbell, the wonderful, unpredictable host created an intimate alternative to the mega clubs of the time. Easily could be considered the best of the best depending on your choice of hair. She was in good company with Sade, Billy Idol, New Order, The B-52’s, The Smiths, Run DMC, LL Cool J. Danceteria introduced Madonna to the world. I like the Rudolf, John Argento, Ruth Polsky incarnation. Richard Boch, Hattie Hathaway and many others manned a tough door that decided if you were in or you were out. It was the hipper downtown alternative to Studio 54. Steve Mass kept his patrons on their toes with ever changing installations and cutting edge music. Everything that came after owes something to the Paradise Garage. He is still worshipped today with yearly reunions and tributes. He passed on in 1992, but not before he took dance culture to another level. And it kept much of downtown’s rock scene alive.ĭJ Larry Levan is a deity. After that era came the Ramones, Sid Vicious and that lot. Springstein performed with Bob Marley as the opening act. Music from scenesters The Velvet Underground, Bowie, Marc Bolan, the New York Dolls and Patti Smith.
The World had music industry cred with resident DJs Frankie Knuckles, David Morales and Black Market’s David Piccioni.Īn art crowd consisting of Warhol, Rauschenberg, Larry Rivers mixed with Rene Ricard, Allen Ginsberg, Burroughs, Philip Johnson and the uptown slumming set. They served vodka in coffee cups and got away with it. They broke through the walls and less than legally annexed the tenement next door and called it “It”. Its stages offered live performances by Bowie, Pink Floyd, Neil Young, Sinead, etc. A glorious dilapidated old ballroom attracted the slumming tuxedo crowd and the hip street kids. Introduced both house and hip-hop to the downtown crowd. If you met someone fabulous during the day you could say “I’ll see you tonight” without having to mention where.
The crowd was beyond excellent, a who’s-who of downtown as well as up. It was more like a performance space and/or art gallery with the celebrities and fashionable people acting as the materials used to complete that evening’s vision.
Eric Goode and his brother Christopher, Shawn Hausman and Darius Azari created a space that transcended the word “nightclub”. Changing themes recreated the club every 6 weeks or so. Undisputed best club ever.ĭowntown culture taken to the limits. Steve Rubell and Ian Schrager mixed in the best of everyone and went on to invent boutique hotels. The Babe Ruth, Michael Jordan and Michael Jackson of nightlife, with celebrities like Elizabeth Taylor, Mick and Bianca, Truman Capote etc. Maybe this is the first list and “we” will revisit after some feedback. (Note: After hours clubs are not eligible.) House of Yes and Paul’s Baby Grand are better clubs than many of those ranked above them but they are fairly new.
Places like 1OAK and Marquee will surely end up higher when they finally close, assuming that ever happens. Some, like Beatrice Inn, were short-lived but dominated the night.Ĭlubs that are currently operating had a hard time ranking high as the jury is still out. Some of these places lasted for years and had good and bad incarnations. Some changed the way business was done or introduced a new form of music or had fabulous club personalities involved. It isn’t necessarily a list of Steve Lewis’ favorite clubs. The task of developing a list of the top 101 clubs of all time proved to be daunting.