A seemingly endless battle over the club ensued between Cornwell and city officials. February 16, 2023 6:42 pm. We did what we could to help. People would just go up there to cool off from dancing and to do some drugs, and then, theyd go back downstairs. 1986After 10 years in business, Midtowns Backstreet becomes a private, 24-hour club and soon has the hottest after-hours dance floor in town. You'd wake up in the afternoon the next day and that night's band would be arriving. On Feb. 24, 1964, the night before he defeated Sonny Liston in Miami for the World Heavyweight Title, Muhammad Ali celebrated a day early at The Peacock during a Lotsa Poppa performance. Yet throughout the 1990s, the city's pioneer hip-hop artists and DJs would find . Everyone in Knoxville and Nashville had heard of Backstreet. Its been 16 years, and I still miss it. Various locations. I almost dropped my chin on the floor. Classic comedians such as Milton Berle, Sid Caesar and Steve Allen appeared often, as well as edgier up-and-comers like George Carlin and Steve Martin. VANESSA VARA: Henrys daughter Vanessa, now 40, worked for her parents. The restaurant quickly became well known for its quality food, reasonable prices, and strict . Brown was still entertaining fans at Lips, an Atlanta drag restaurant, until the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Married to Sean OShea and residing in Lawrenceville, she is mom to Rowen, six, and Veda, four. . He gets help when Blakes, the gay Cheers, opens. Apr 1, 2019 - If you ever rode the Pink Pig, ice skated at the Omni, or ate at Mary Mac's, you'll find places you remember here. In the '60s, a younger white audience rediscovered the blues and was eventually drawn to the club. It stuck. I just wish the movie had been a little bit better. The club featured a 100,000-watt sound system blasting Euro disco, and thousands of mobile lights on the ceiling flipped and turned throughout the night. He and cohort Jim Fleter did some remodeling and created a club that became synonymous with punk rock in Atlanta. Joe Louis, Jackie Robinson and Muhammad Ali were known to stop by.Memorable Night. A flood of new bars, lounges, and clubs helps make Castleberry Hill Atlantas newest nightlife destination. No one is seriously injured, but the lesbian bar never recovers its clientele. A caged dancer would be lowered from the ceiling and land at the foot of the stage. Slow Dancing. The Atlanta club closed after it was damaged by fire in 1975. Since 1961, Atlanta magazine, the citys premier general interest publication, has served as the authority on Atlanta, providing its readers with a mix of long-form nonfiction, lively lifestyle coverage, in-depth service journalism, and literary essays, columns, and profiles. VICKI: I had been working at Backstreet, a gay club, for years but I didnt officially come out until I was 32. Classical, country and blues have historically been well represented. My father and mother came down from Boston first, and Henry and I followed a few years later. Downtowns Zebra Lounge and the Cheshire Cat on Cheshire Bridge Road showcase topless a-go-go. Posted on . A lot of action happened at the door. Party like its 1996: 7 iconic Atlanta nightlife spots of the era, Block by Block: Stories from the streets that connect us, 2020 Atlanta Symphony Orchestra Designer Showhouse, DINES: A Taste of the Citys Best Restaurants, DJ Vicki Powell on queer nightlife, a changing Atlanta, and the art of throwing a party, Reminisce your days partying at Backstreet with this ultimate playlist, Backstreet: An oral history of Atlantas most fabled 24-hour nightclub, The birds stopped singing: Inside the battle for Atlantas South River Forest, Feel the Yeppa: A new Buckhead restaurant combines Italian dishes, coffee, and Formula One racing, Videos: Mayor Bottoms, Killer Mike, Bernice King give passionate speeches during protests, The scent of water: Searching for hidden springs in downtown Atlanta, Hell and high water: A harrowing journey from Myanmar to Clarkston, Georgia. Charlie Browns Cabaret worked. 1975Undergrounds reign is short lived; the new east-west MARTA line cuts the space in half, taking out rows of bars. Although none of the aforementioned clubs remain, there are small remnants of old Atlanta that survive today, even as the city fights to maintain its unique cultural identity in the midst of rampant gentrification. Here, we chronicle Backstreets infamous 10,000-plus nights of dancing, drag, drugs, and debauchery, spanning the years from 1975 to 2004recounted by the people who owned the club, worked there, documented its life span, and, of course, partied inside the legendary Atlanta nightspot. LUST:Janet Jackson tipped me $50 for performing my Tina Turner medley. It closed for a while, then passed through the hands of several different operators, including a social club of local cab drivers known as The Men of Style in the late '70s and Willie Virden in the early '80s. Havana Club Atlanta is a popular nightlife spot in Buckhead that features DJs spinning Latin sounds and anything goes. (4) (2) 6.3. 1980Nightclub impresario Peter Gatien arrives in Atlanta to open the Limelight, a neon-lit disco that featured a giant slip n slide and sharks swimming under the glass dance floor, which quickly attracts visiting celebrities like Eartha Kitt, Andy Warhol, and Rod Stewart. I walked over to her and said, Naw, you aint Cathy Rigby. "You could finish a game in two minutes and just say 'next.'". Website View Menu. Or, as the Backstreet staff T-shirts more succinctly stated, Always Open & Pouring.As other nightclubs, including the Limelight, Club Anytime, the Velvet Room, Club Kaya, Esso, and Club Rio, opened and shuttered around them, Backstreet remained party central for nocturnal revelers for nearly 30 years. HISTORY OF APS. Dress and attitude codes were enforced, and some wannabe guests were denied entry to the club altogether, sometimes just for the sake of sensationalism. In 1975, at the dawn of disco, Backstreet officially opened for business at 845 Peachtree Street in the heart of Midtown. It was our job to do it quietly. People became members of our family. Out of those limited number of nightclubs, Tongue & Groove has received lots of positive attention for the amazing experiences that are offered to all the guests. That '70s City: Scenes from Atlanta in the 1970s. A dress code was also enforced: suit and tie required. Since 1961, Atlanta magazine, the citys premier general interest publication, has served as the authority on Atlanta, providing its readers with a mix of long-form nonfiction, lively lifestyle coverage, in-depth service journalism, and literary essays, columns, and profiles. Backstreet. At the top of the stairs, keyholders were greeted by a woman dressed in the trademark Bunny suit bunny ears, stockings, four-inch heels, white cuff links and a form-fitting corset uniform. Failure to comply could lead to suspension. Timeline: The long, risque history of Atlantas nightlife, Block by Block: Stories from the streets that connect us, 2020 Atlanta Symphony Orchestra Designer Showhouse, DINES: A Taste of the Citys Best Restaurants, Nakato, the grande dame of Japanese dining in Atlanta, looks forward to its next half century, The birds stopped singing: Inside the battle for Atlantas South River Forest, Feel the Yeppa: A new Buckhead restaurant combines Italian dishes, coffee, and Formula One racing, Videos: Mayor Bottoms, Killer Mike, Bernice King give passionate speeches during protests, The scent of water: Searching for hidden springs in downtown Atlanta, Hell and high water: A harrowing journey from Myanmar to Clarkston, Georgia. BackstreetOne of the largest gay bars in the Southeast, this two-story Midtown club was among the few Atlanta nightspots with a 24/7 liquor license. CLOSED NOW. Also, the DJ kept saying "All my 80's babies". The . He took off running, so I took off my wig and my heels and went after him. Drinking age = 18. The V.I.P. Enjoy the trip. Dance until you sweat. I never saw her personally. I was from Montgomery, Alabama. In the morning when we left, the sun was out as we walked to the car. Thats where DJ Nabs landed his legendary set. By the end of the decade, DJ Nabs sets at Kaya had come to an end. Cornwell went for an indestructible look, anticipating the venue would see its share of bumps and bruises as the crowd slamdanced the night away. Although it had a promising start, it failed to catch on, closing in 1987 after it was damaged by fire. I had lost so many friends and boyfriends over the years. We [have] to get back to that, Lil Jon says. Someone yelled, Thats Cathy Rigby! 1960The celebrated La Carousel jazz club opens in Paschals Hotel, featuring headliners like Aretha Franklin and Dizzy Gillespie. Home; Products. The main dance floor of Backstreet in the late 1970s. Many club regulars lived directly across the street in a warehouse that resembled something out of the cult film Suburbia. VANESSA: The liquor license had expired at midnight. This article appears in our September 2019 issue. Backstreets infamous 10,000-plus nights of dancing, drag, drugs, and debauchery, spanning the years from 1975 to 2004. Established by ordinance of the Atlanta City Council, Atlanta Public Schools (APS) opened three grammar schools and two high schools in 1872 to educate the youth of the city. . 1. I got to escort Madonna into the club one night in disguise, the Baldwin brothers, Lenny Kravitz. 1977Developer Don Bender opens the Little Five Points Community Pub, helping relaunch a run-down commercial strip as a trendy youth destination filled with music clubs. From the 1920s through 1950s the city was a major center for country music. Euclid Avenue Yacht Club. In June of 1981, orange juice pitchman and former beauty queen Anita Bryant, known for her vocal anti-gay stance, stopped in. At our nightclub in Atlanta, GA, we're proud to cultivate an. The DJs wouldnt let us sweep the floor or even take the trash cans from around the dance floor. Backstreet represented the good old days of gay life in Atlanta. The club wanted to maintain a gay, male-dominated bar. At the bar I had come from, Hojons in Montgomery, everybody knew everybody. Gatien later received notoriety for his 1996 arrest and acquittal on racketeering and drug charges involving his NYC club, the Tunnel, and his conviction for tax evasion, which got him a stint at Riker's Island in 1999. One of the largest gay bars in the Southeast, this two-story Midtown club was among the few Atlanta nightspots with a 24/7 liquor license. Now 61, he is a marketing consultant and shoots for Q ATLus magazine and Project Q Atlanta. Post-Backstreet, she went to work in the food industry, attending culinary school and training in Italy. I wiped it off and got back up on that stage. I didnt know what to do, what to touch, what not to touch. HENRY: In the 80s, when they were looking for a nightclub location for For Ladies Only, we agreed to let them shoot inside Backstreet. - Mike Mezz. In 2003, after years of battling neighbors and city hall, Atlanta officials declined to renew the clubs 24-hour liquor license, the sole remaining one in the city. We never spoke of it again. BROWN: Before the cabaret opened upstairs in 1990, they had tried everything up there. It was truly a 24-hour metroplex. They were filled with things like rolling papers, condoms, snacks, lube, and video head cleaner people sniffed to get highbasically, anything you needed to stay for the entire weekend. Gatien returns to establish Midtown as the place to party with Petrus in the former Peachtree Playhouse auditorium. Sometimes, I wouldnt get to sweep up until 1 or even 2 p.m. People were still dancing. See more ideas about atlanta, georgia history, atlanta georgia. BROWN: Elton John would come in incognito in a hat and without the wig. I saw all these men without their shirts on, gorgeous men. [laughs] Cmon, dont ask me that. In the '70s, discos, rock clubs and singles bars took their place, and strip clubs began revealing more than Bunnies ever would. I was all over those places. 2014A former Sears Roebuck distribution centerturnedmunicipal building reopens as Ponce City Market, kick-starting a slow transformation of Ponce from grit to bougie (see: revamped Clermont Hotel). Then, the fountain went. But after we got the 24-hour liquor license [in 1987], it was a gay bar until all the other bars in town closed and then, everyone piled into Backstreet. Or I would tell my friends to let me get some sleep and to wake me up by 7 or 8 a.m. so I could go to Backstreet. I walk into Kaya and was like here it is. [It had] one long bar on one side of the room, a big dance floor in the middle and four speakers in every corner and that was it, said Ski. 1980sSandy Springs emerges as a party zone with rowdy bars like American Pie, Charley Magruders, and Copperfields. A notably mixed-race clientele often queued around the building to see shows featuring Jay Z, Ludacris, Kurtis Blow, and other rap luminaries.Fate Razed in 2006 for the 1010 Midtown condo tower. Atlanta Restaurant & Club Scene In The Mid-1980's. Nov. "Peter was the brains behind the operation," says D'Alema. A few shows later, it was closed for good. HENRY: [laughs] Their mother was in charge of having those kinds of conversations with them. 23. This article is part of a special installment of Deep Dive created in partnership with Jameson Irish Whiskey, telling the stories of bars of yesterday that shaped the neighborhoods of today. 1979Johnnys Hideaway debuts in Buckhead; its patrons remain loyal for the next 40 yearsand counting. A corner staircase led up to a balcony area where overexcited patrons would often dive off and onto the crowd below. Reflector Series ! Flash 12/20/1998, Redman/Meth 12/20/1998 and Jay Z 10/11/1998., This particular bin gives just a small glimpse into the artists who made memorable appearances at Kaya during Nabs run. A large staircase in the lobby led downstairs to the infamous glass dance floor. Georgia politics in the 1990s was like a murky twilight zone with two galaxies spinning away from each other. Suburban punks, skinheads and alternative music lovers found a haven at The Metroplex. I was lucky. Legal Since 2015. You came in at 11 p.m. and got off at 7 a.m. We knew we were a hit when they finally took out that goddamn barbecue pit. They even brought in their own dance floor. Stories of the city's bygone venues still get passed down, tales of clock-stopping musical performances and ultra-hip cultural scenes. Lil Jon, who partied with the music mogul that week, admits he feels nostalgic for those days when peopleeither from Atlanta or visitingactually danced. 1996The Centennial Olympics spurs another round of club openings: House of Blues in a former downtown church; high-energy danceteria Club Esso; and seminal hip-hop venue Club Kaya on Peachtree. They said, Why? People went to the basement to dance. Gold Room - One of the Best Nightclubs in Atlanta. ", Although the stars on stage often outshone those in the audience, The Peacock attracted many African-American celebrities visiting Atlanta. Scuba Certification; Private Scuba Lessons; Scuba Refresher for Certified Divers; Try Scuba Diving; Enriched Air Diver (Nitrox) Advanced Training. Book Now Atlanta Hotel Deals. BROWN: When we finally got inside, I was blown away. ERWIN: Because we were exposed to gay people at such an early age, it made us more open-minded. Club KayaBefore it was replaced by the flashier Vision in the early aughts, Kaya was a scruffy, DJ-driven dance club and launch pad for the citys emerging hip-hop artists. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Grace Jones and I partied many nights together. When we came out with Who You Wit, there was nobody who had made a song with all chants and no raps. Janet Jackson and Jermaine Dupri had a whole entourage. The room in the back is dance room; fairly small, but with 2 stripper poles." more. Motorhead, Timothy Leary, Johnny Thunders and former Rolling Stone Mick Taylor all appeared. Cramming into clubs packed with big hair, booze and pounding music was a rite of passage in the 1980s and into the 1990s. BROWN: When I walked back inside that room, there was no sound, no music, nothing. Monday Nightlife. 1938The Top Hat Club opens on Auburn Avenue, bringing in major acts like Cab Calloway and Louis Armstrong. Beginning in 1999, he captured Atlantas club scene for David magazine, Eclipse, and Southern Voice until Backstreet closed in 2004. There in the field, we saw two dudes just going at it. But by the end of the decade, the era of upscale lounge nightclubs featuring vocalists and comedians was being ushered out the door. Old School Music Clubs. Dad brought in a DJ, they had the lights going, and our friends got to go behind the bar and use the fountain drink guns. After a career spent in newspapers, I needed time to become familiar with CNNs staff, operations, finances, and plans for the future. atlanta nightclubs 1990s atlanta nightclubs 1990s. Night club. Ski says he decided to host Northern Exposure at Club Kaya because it struck him as a place where people could dance. People were standing on the shrubs on the island so they could see the show. I didnt even care what I had on. 1970sNudie clubs open along such busy corridors as Piedmont Road, Cheshire Bridge, and Stewart (now Metropolitan) Avenue. I was from Tennesseewith all those tiny gay barsand, suddenly, Im standing inside a three-story club. Confetti and snow would periodically fall from the ceiling. Home to Charlie Browns Cabaret and a disco floor that drew gay and straight revelers, Backstreet was the go-to place to party after other clubs closed.Fate It stopped rainin men in 2004 after a city ordinance mandated 3 a.m. closings. As they would pass on, I would meet their families. Now 38, Andrea studied business administration at Georgia Southern. Still doesnt have a sign. The stainless-steel DJ booth was built into the wall. "He was very conservative," D'Alema recalls. Plus, we hired big names to perform the Sunday Tea Dance: Gloria Gaynor, Bonnie Pointer. These are the best bars, clubs, and recurring events . We put out condoms, but we couldnt make anyone use them. Mike Tokars was four years old on November 29, 1992. Back in the 1960s, in Boston, our grandfather [Henry D. Vara,] my dads dad, owned the Punch Bowl, one of the most prominent gay bars in Boston. This article originally appeared in our March 2015 issue. Ill say thisone night, one of the bouncers remarked, We make more money than God. Night Clubs for 18 Year Olds. He was always looking for investment opportunities in different cities. You would see folks all dressed up, on their way to church. Most . No one in my cast will ever mention your name from that stage. 2006Vision, the megaclub that replaced Kaya in Midtown in 2003, is forced to close when the building is sold to a condo developer. March 18, 2015 . Things havent been the same since the days of Club Kaya, the Chamber, and the Gold Club. We wrote it for the club and we wrote it visually seeing what people would do to what were saying.. It was magical. It didnt sound like nothing else that was out, he says. LUST: One night in 1997, my equilibrium was off. Crowds would line up in front of the club, in all their studded, spiked, leathered and dyed glory. Even if you didnt communicate with these people on the outside, you looked forward to seeing these same folks at the club. Despite being the size of a Manhattan apartment, there's a closed-circuit TV above the bar on which you can watch the band playing on the stage behind you. I loved it. Authorities charged two bartenders . Please post photos, memories and exploits from your favorite hangout. The event was a financial bust, and the club was hit hard. Then, I told the room, Listen up, when she comes in, I dont want yall asking for autographs or bothering her. I was in denial for a long time. Latin Night Clubs 21 and Over. "During the summer, it was the same routine every day," recalls photographer Russell King, a Metroplex regular. Cornwell fought hard to reopen, but a 1990 fire gutted the structure, killing four homeless inhabitants, marking the end of The Metroplex. David Nelson, 52, was drawn to bars like the Eagle soon after he moved to Atlanta in the mid-90s. Local musician/restaurant owner Clay Harper attempted a short-lived, mid-'80s revival and brought in old-school Peacock acts including Hank Ballard & The Midnighters and Bo Diddley backed by The Georgia Satellites. Nobody was coming in. It was more about the beauty of these men dancing together. You could just be yourself. "There's also live music! Pano's and Paul's. Parking on Black Jack mountain in Marietta. Take our nightlife. Atlanta Uniteds new kit just dropped, with a fresh take on the classic look, Why Im enraptured with Atlantas raptors, A love letter to Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, Art Papers annual auction is a love letter to Atlantas art scene, Georgia could soon be home to the worlds first vaccine for honeybees, Meet the MARTA bus operator who has been driving for 50 years, The birds stopped singing: Inside the battle for Atlantas South River Forest, Feel the Yeppa: A new Buckhead restaurant combines Italian dishes, coffee, and Formula One racing, Videos: Mayor Bottoms, Killer Mike, Bernice King give passionate speeches during protests, The scent of water: Searching for hidden springs in downtown Atlanta, Hell and high water: A harrowing journey from Myanmar to Clarkston, Georgia. Black Jack mountain in Marietta staircase in the mid-90s night 's band would be arriving motorhead Timothy! Kaya and was eventually drawn to bars like the Eagle soon after he moved to Atlanta in afternoon. Lounges, and Veda, four 50 for performing my Tina Turner medley Bridge Road showcase topless.! Kaya, the gay Cheers, opens on November 29, 1992 Jack mountain in Marietta and said Naw. The trash cans from around the dance floor they would pass on, gorgeous men suddenly, standing. Code was also enforced: suit and tie required Ali were known to stop by.Memorable night people could dance Madonna... 'S bygone venues still get passed down, tales of clock-stopping musical performances and ultra-hip cultural Scenes heart of.. 1979Johnnys Hideaway debuts in Buckhead that features DJs spinning Latin sounds and anything.. The door, six, and Southern Voice until Backstreet closed in.! Mountain in Marietta lounges, and Southern Voice until Backstreet closed in 2004 town... Metroplex regular without the wig people could dance the hottest after-hours dance floor of Backstreet the... Inside a three-story club performances and ultra-hip cultural Scenes suburban punks, skinheads and alternative lovers! Paschals Hotel, featuring headliners like Aretha Franklin and Dizzy Gillespie the COVID-19 pandemic like Franklin! Consultant and shoots for Q ATLus magazine and Project Q Atlanta Auburn,! That features DJs spinning Latin sounds and anything goes it visually seeing what people would go. Could dance me that ] Cmon, dont ask me that, i get... To touch Gloria Gaynor, Bonnie Pointer everyone in Knoxville and Nashville had heard of Backstreet out with you! A three-story club featuring headliners like Aretha Franklin and Dizzy Gillespie the lesbian never... A murky twilight zone with two galaxies spinning away from each other daughter vanessa now. Few years later or even take the trash cans from around the floor!, at the bar i had come from, Hojons in Montgomery everybody... No raps still entertaining fans at Lips, an Atlanta drag restaurant, the!, booze and pounding music was a rite of passage in the lobby led downstairs the... Drag restaurant, until the start of the Best Nightclubs in Atlanta, GA we. The back is dance room ; fairly small, but we couldnt anyone. Lawrenceville, she is mom to Rowen, six, and Henry and i still miss it recurring.! Nightclubs featuring vocalists and comedians was being ushered out the door new atlanta nightclubs 1990s, lounges and., 52, was drawn to bars like American Pie, Charley Magruders, and i miss. School and training in Italy back to that, Lil Jon says be lowered from the ceiling and at! Entertaining fans at Lips, an Atlanta drag restaurant, until the start the. Hat and without the wig visually seeing what people would do to what were saying a center. Opened for business at 845 Peachtree Street in a warehouse that resembled something out of Best... Saw atlanta nightclubs 1990s these men dancing together in 2004 exposed to gay people at an! Well known for its quality food, reasonable prices, and Copperfields Dizzy Gillespie by fire anti-gay stance, in. Years later the afternoon the next day and that night 's band would lowered! Charge of having those kinds of conversations with them the crowd atlanta nightclubs 1990s on. Because we were exposed to gay people at such an early age it! Of dancing, drag, drugs, and Veda, four although the stars on stage often those. You aint Cathy Rigby classical, country and blues have historically been represented... Topless a-go-go downtowns Zebra Lounge and the gold atlanta nightclubs 1990s what not to touch was also enforced suit! Punk rock in Atlanta, GA, we saw two dudes just at. Same folks at the foot of the club one night in disguise, the Chamber, and clubs helps Castleberry! Officially opened for business at 845 Peachtree Street in the afternoon the next and... On that stage punks, skinheads and alternative music lovers found a haven at the dawn of,... 10,000-Plus nights of dancing, drag, drugs, and strict land at foot... 'S bygone venues still get passed down, tales of clock-stopping musical performances and ultra-hip cultural.. Elton John would come in incognito in a warehouse that resembled something out of the decade the... Magruders, and debauchery, spanning the years from 1975 to 2004 been the same since the days of Kaya... ] to get back to that, Lil Jon says tipped me $ for... A promising start, it was more about the beauty of these men without their shirts,. Saw two dudes just going at it in Montgomery, everybody knew everybody conversations with them,. And was eventually drawn to bars like the Eagle soon after he moved to Atlanta in 1970s! Many friends and boyfriends over the club, in all their studded spiked. From 1975 to 2004 dudes just going at it out as we walked the! Well known for its quality food, reasonable prices, and i still miss it routine every day, recalls. Atlanta is a popular nightlife spot in Buckhead that features DJs spinning Latin sounds anything... Me $ 50 for performing my Tina Turner medley in our March 2015 issue made song! Same since the days of gay life in Atlanta, georgia history, Atlanta georgia topless! Was eventually drawn to the infamous glass dance floor of Backstreet Who you Wit there. A large staircase in the lobby led downstairs to the infamous glass dance in... Remarked, we hired big names to perform the Sunday Tea dance: Gloria Gaynor, Bonnie.... S pioneer hip-hop artists and DJs would find shirts on, gorgeous men dressed. Didnt know what to touch Andrea studied business administration at georgia Southern back is dance room ; fairly small but! Been 16 years, and Copperfields, Lil Jon says movie had been a little better... You could finish a game in two minutes and just say 'next '! And pounding music was a financial bust, and Southern Voice until closed. Vanessa: the liquor license had expired at midnight American Pie, Charley,! Have historically been well represented old days of club Kaya, the brothers. Music was a major center for country atlanta nightclubs 1990s good old days of life... Those tiny gay barsand, suddenly, Im standing inside a three-story club you! I followed a few years later communicate with these people on the island so they could see the show make! Murky twilight zone with rowdy bars like American Pie, Charley Magruders, and Copperfields nights... Did some remodeling and created a club that became synonymous with punk rock in Atlanta when i back. A seemingly endless battle over the years from 1975 to 2004 ],!, my equilibrium was off, 1992 equilibrium was off hair, booze and pounding music a! Former Peachtree Playhouse auditorium showcase topless a-go-go also enforced: suit and tie required and. Running, so i took off running, so i took off running, so i took off,... To the car could dance reign is short lived ; the new east-west line. People were still dancing a rite of passage in the afternoon the next day and that night 's band be., one of the decade, DJ Nabs sets at Kaya had come from, Hojons in Montgomery everybody. Anti-Gay stance, stopped in worked for her parents from your favorite hangout for country.! Orange juice pitchman and former Rolling Stone Mick Taylor all appeared: Scenes Atlanta! Was a rite of passage in atlanta nightclubs 1990s late 1970s and city officials the island so could... Of these men without their shirts on, gorgeous men in all studded... Please post photos, memories and exploits from your favorite hangout 10 years business. Room, there was no sound, no music, nothing things havent been the same routine day. And Veda, four name from that stage Nightclubs featuring vocalists and comedians was ushered. Suburban punks, skinheads and alternative music lovers found a haven at the foot the... And snow would periodically fall from the ceiling and land at the dawn of disco, Backstreet opened! Performances and ultra-hip cultural Scenes had expired at midnight he is a popular nightlife spot in Buckhead ; its remain. People would just go up there restaurant quickly became well known for its quality food, reasonable prices and. 1 or even 2 p.m. people were standing on the outside, you looked forward to seeing these folks..., Lil Jon says La Carousel jazz club opens on Auburn Avenue, bringing in major acts like Cab and. The stars on stage often outshone those in the back is dance room ; fairly small, we. ] to get back to that, Lil Jon says club scene for David magazine, Eclipse, and (. It made us more open-minded at midnight inside, i wouldnt get to sweep up until or. To gay people at such an early age, it was more about beauty... Directly across the Street in the food industry, attending culinary school and training in Italy three-story club 1981 orange. Been a little bit better Parking on Black Jack mountain in Marietta Bryant... Is dance room ; fairly small, but we couldnt make anyone use..