Carols Speakeasy had an amazing lineup of talented DJs in 1979: Peter Lewicki (Thursdays), Frankie Knuckles (Fridays), Greg Collier (Saturdays), and Mike Graber (Sundays). Now, Debonair Social Club is one of the only places on this stretch of Milwaukee Avenue where you can order bottle service and dance to music late into the night. 1 review. Earl Reid, who was an alternate for Lou DiVito at Dugans Bistro, became the clubs first DJ in July 1977, spinning Monday through Thursday. Sadly, you can't bust a move inside the most legendary Chicago nightclubs of that era (RIP The Warehouse), but a new crop of late-night destinations has stepped in to make sure the beat goes on. There's no arguing that Chicago is a city that helped shape dance music, thanks to DJs like Ron Hardy and Frankie Knuckles, who began spinning a new strain of disco music (later dubbed house music) in the 1980s. Not because it was exotic, but because it was so exhilarating, Chicago nightclub Pervs House, described by Abramson as the Cadillac of the clubs I visited like a Playboy Club for the South Side. But there are nightclubs throughout the city as well, many of which host weekly themed partiesand host talented DJs and electronic acts year-round. These days, Berlin is best known for its weekly drag shows and late-night dance parties that keep the music going until 4am or later. One night during a bar fight, a can of beer hit a mirror on the wall over Ezebukwus head. One of the regular club bands, Panic, regularly plays new wave and alternative classics from the '80s. St. Petersburg. On July 12, 1979, 50,000 people descended upon Comiskey Park in Chicago to attend Disco Demolition Night. We will be spending 1 night in Munich and traveling to Salzburg the next day. 1.The Gspot. Cover charges tend to be expensive and reservations are nearly essential for marquee acts, but if you've got cash to burn, this is one of the Chicago nightlife scene's glitziest locales. Abramson, the white photographer from New Jersey, wasnt sure whether hed be welcome to take pictures of people enjoying themselves in black nightclubs. Yes I have a dark side, doesnt everyone? The consent submitted will only be used for data processing originating from this website. In the early 1980s, fewer and fewer disco records were being released, but the genre remained popular in some Chicago nightclubs and on at least one radio station, WBMX-FM. Smartbar 396 Dance Clubs Bars $$Lakeview "it carries an old school flavor of Chicago Bars & clubs that popped up in the 80s embracing musical." more Outdoor seating 2. Maybe your hair has turned white and, yes, those are bags under your eyes, a trace of jowls. The '90s, Not the '20s, Were Chicago's Golden Age It wasn't just the Bulls that usurped the city's gangster image, but Wilco, Liz Phair, Charlie Trotter, and a state senator named Barack Obama.. If you grew up in Chicago during the 1980's, then come aboard this nostalgic ride. His nightlife photographs from the 1970s earned Abramson a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts in 1978 and eventually resulted in a beautiful hardbound book,Light: On the South Side, housed in a slipcase along with a 2 LP set featuring Chicago blues as heard from the stage and the jukebox (Numero Group 2009, Grammy-nominated). The area collected its share of oddballs, hustlers, hookers and Outfit characters. When you need to refuel, order one of the signature frozen cocktails. Rows of hanging LED lights create a lively atmosphere, synchronized to whoever is spinningon stage. Losing these Chicago bars and clubs was even more heartbreaking than when Cheers went off the air. With a solid lineup of resident DJs, seven bars spread throughout the space and a powerful sound system, the various dance floors at this club always seems to boast a spectacular scene. This two-floor club is a holdover from Wicker Park's past as a nightlife destinationa time long before chain restaurants and shoe stores began taking over the neighborhood. Wasn't that empty lot just yesterday a bowling alley? The clubs sixth anniversary featured nine mirror balls and four mortar guns shooting foam stars. Yes, the air of this bachelorette/frat-party-run-amok was filled with the scent of Paco Rabanne, Right Said Fred at eardrum-obliterating levels and miles of Silly String. Charles Perkins DJed there in the early 70s, playing music so loud he regularly blew out tweeters. A visual tribute to '80s Chicago, where house music began - Huck Magazine Organizer David Floodstrand says the gathering "promises to be the ultimate industry reunion party" and indeed it will feature many performers who, like and including Floodstrand, have plied their talents in the clubs that once dotted the area and made it, for a few decades, the beating (fluttering) heart of the city's entertainment and carousing scene. Find Out in The Spill. It turns out he was very welcome. Opened in the early 1980s, Medusa's on Sheffield was one of the defining nightclubs in Chicago's house music scene throughout the '80s and early '90s. The 20s-themed Underground Cocktail Club serves fancy mixed drinks in a speakeasy-inspired space located directly above the subterranean club. How Suburban Chicago Became the Unlikeliest Clubbing Scene of the 1980s The cocktails are still great, though.Trader Vic'sWhat it was: Tiki bars experienced their first bout of popularity in the '50s and '60s, so when Trader Vic's opened in 1957 it quickly became the city's premier purveyor of island vibes. But if having clowns roaming around your bar wasnt fucked up enough, there was an unexpectedly seedy underbelly to all this suburban partying, and the glory days were soon to end, thanks in part to something with the code name Operation Glitter. In 1988, undercover police cracked down on open and notorious cocaine deals that had been going on for years within these suburban hot spots. chicago nightclubs 1980s . A relatively new addition to Chicago nightlife scene, Le Nocturne channels the more casual vibes of a French nightclub, complete with a relaxed "come as you are" dress code. They have more than 3,000 members who supply a steady stream of commentary, photos, questions and, naturally, memories. Copyright 2023 InsideHook. 2023 Guardian News & Media Limited or its affiliated companies. None is a more active and intelligent contributor than Philip Wizenick, who spent much of his career working as a bartender at the Drake Hotel, Corona Cafe and other area spots. We would play a little rock, we would play a little pop, R&B, soul, jazz.. This is such an amazing story, so diverse and impacted by a combination of social and economic criteria. The '90s, Not the '20s, Were Chicago's Golden Age that carries the torch for the city's house music scene. Ephemeral, disposable, they served only one purposeto let someone know "I'm here. For great art and culture delivered to your door, visit our shop. For example, I have a chapter titled, 'The Children of Rush Street,' that is all about the sons and daughters of people who worked on the street and what it was like growing up in the area. (Val Mazzenga / Chicago Tribune). In September 1979, Don Eric enthused that the club played European imports unknown in the U.S., such as Baccaras Yes Sir, I Can Boogie. In 1980, Tom Parks and Brett Wilcots (Importes Etc. Dugan alluded to the clubs restrictive door policy in a 1974 Chicago Tribune article, explaining, Were primarily gay, and we dont want straights filling the place up so our regular clientele cant get in.. This was the beginning of house music, which got its name from the Warehouse, a members-only gay club for Black men helmed by legendary DJ Frankie Knuckles. manager and buyer and future owner of Gherkin Records) DJed for Mans Country, presenting Loleatta Holloway live at one of Renslows famous annual white (clothing) parties. She has contributed to "Globe Pequot" Barcelona travel guide, "Gulfshore Business Magazine," "Connecting Lines: New Poetry from Mexico" and "The Barcelona Review." Buddy Guy was a regular at Johnny Pepper's Bronzeville hotspot at 43rd and Vincennes. We recommend getting a reservation, unless you love queuing up. Much like the oft-promised renaissance of Howard Street, a new, revitalized Biddy's was always just around the corner. Saturday afternoons featured a roller skating party and Sunday featured shows by the Bearded Lady. So he named his new bar The Living Room. Beyond Heaven: Chicago House Party Flyers Volume II, From 1981-1992 is out now, and published on Almighty & Insane. Wanda Lust, performer, DJ and entertainment director, even held classical musical nights. Most of those busted were actually employed by the nightclubs themselves. Three levels of dancing, drinking and lounging. Not for the stretches of shopping malls and Jiffy Lubes, explained Judy Hevrdejs, writing for the Chicago Tribune in 1989, but for the huge dance clubs that line the highways stretching beyond OHare.. Unfortunately my champagne was flat. All sorts of individuals would come into Rialto, Ezebukwu recalls. Its mainly 30+ crowds. A quieter, more typically suburban era was soon to arrive. chicago nightclubs 1950s He had, in turn, made an even more on-the-nose pivot toward the older and older suburban parents now residing in the area. By entering your email address you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and consent to receive emails from Time Out about news, events, offers and partner promotions. And you can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. That chic clothing store, wasn't that the basement club where you once danced your head off until 4 a.m.? The club started as a supper club in the late '40s, but transitioned to an after-hours jazz club by the '60s. #10 Woods Theater, Oriental Theatre, Sherman Hotel, Chicago, 1967 4 Points Upvote Downvote * #11 Casino Royale marquee on State Lake Theater, 1967 4 Points Upvote Downvote #12 Chicago and Northwestern train on bridge, 1967 4 Points Upvote Downvote * #13 Chicken man on Maxwell Street, 1967 4 Points Upvote Downvote A Visit to One of Germany's All-You-Can-Fuck Brothels - Vice The regulars got to know. Then, in 1991, a mansion in an upper-middle-class Des Plaines subdivision was busted for nightly coke deals. A portion of all party proceeds will benefit the Lupus Foundation of America. Following Chicago's Disco Demolition Night in mid-1979, disco music's mainstream popularity fell into decline.