The club wanted to maintain a gay, male-dominated bar. But on the legs of running back Jamal Andersonwho rushed for 1,846 yards, nearly twice as much as he ever had or would againand a smothering defense, the Falcons rattled off a nine-game winning streak to end the season a franchise-best 142 atop the NFC West. The way we did up there and the way we play music down here is completely different, he says, noting the house music that permeated his sets. HENRY: Word got around that celebrities could be anonymous inside Backstreet. I saw all these men without their shirts on, gorgeous men. You couldnt get through the crowd because there were so many people dancing. atlanta nightclubs 1990show to check hall sensor on samsung washer January 20, 2023 . CLOSED NOW. Gatien usually sequestered himself in the executive offices with a novel and a glass of wine. It would be another two years before the state lifted its own ban, but unincorporated DeKalb and many other counties would remain dry for decades, making Atlanta a nightlife hot spot. A stop here became de rigueur for NBA stars with names like Ewing, Rodman, and Mutombo. From our archives: Read Are We Having Fun Yet? by by Melissa Harris, a dispatch from the frontlines of the Buckhead party scene. She said, Dont sweat it, bitch. The . Fred told Charlie, Lena looks green. A flood of new bars, lounges, and clubs helps make Castleberry Hill Atlantas newest nightlife destination. Authorities charged two bartenders . When Club Kaya closed its doors, it was replaced by Visions, a club owned by the Gidewon brothers, who continue their legacy of luxury, celebrity-friendly nightclubs today at Compound. She currently works as a licensed counselor. I remember taking it to [Atlanta DJ] Greg Street and he laughed at me and said What is this shit? But the guy at the 559 played it five times a night and broke the record., The songs creation was a result of Lil Jons experience at clubs, where locals would spend the entire night on the dance floor, and leave drenched in sweat. 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. Georgia politics in the 1990s was like a murky twilight zone with two galaxies spinning away from each other. Downtown hotels such as the Piedmont, Biltmore, Ansley, Georgian Terrace, Kimball House, and the Henry Grady continue to bring the ballroom scene. Then, 1 a.m. rolled around and no DJ. LGBTQ Nightlife Forecast: February 17-March 3. They were looking for the well-dressed pretty boys and their companions. WISE: Backstreet had nearly 100 employees on payroll. Bryant was furious, but Gatien relished the publicity. It was our family business. Inside the nightlife spots that gave DJs and artists a stage to turn the Southern capital into a musical hub. Yet throughout the 1990s, the city's pioneer hip-hop artists and DJs would find . This article appears in our October 2020 issue. Whether you are looking for luxury hotels, high-end casinos, sophisticated shopping malls, bars or nightclubs, the Boardwalk has something for everyone. At the bar I had come from, Hojons in Montgomery, everybody knew everybody. Beneath the dance floor was a massive fish tank, which was home to two sand sharks. He had this rugged exterior. The club's wild reputation lured in visiting celebrities. HENRY: My father was a manly man. Same-sex marriage. When this kinkier cousin to the Masquerade opened in an unmarked warehouse off Cheshire Bridge Road in 1994, it scratched an itch Atlanta didnt know it had. Great music, friendly staff, security was good, would like to see more men there, but me and my 3 girlfriends had an awesome time. It was that way for a short period of time. Plus, we hired big names to perform the Sunday Tea Dance: Gloria Gaynor, Bonnie Pointer. I had never seen such plush carpet. The club originally opened in 1937 as The Top Hat, which hosted the major black acts of the day, including Cab Calloway and Louis Armstrong. It wasn't always this way. Blue Ivory Nightclub charges $20 for admission for customers to get in. A collection of 45 records hung from the ceiling. But as the century drew to a close, Midtown, once a haven for hippies, slowly reinvented itself into a swanky live-work-play district, with million-dollar penthouses near the clubs main entrancecondos owned by working professionals who wanted to sleep at night. But it was such a relief off of me. the skyview building hyderabad; julian clary ian mackley split; timothy evatt seidler; case hardening advantages and disadvantages; doorbell chime with built in 16v transformer I was lucky. "Maurice didn't want to spend a dime and didn't have a creative bone in his body.". The Limelight - Stunning Photos From 1990s Favorite NYC Nightclub - New York City, NY - New York City after dark in the '90s was an ecstatic time captured by photographer Steve Eichner. I had lost so many friends and boyfriends over the years. We never spoke of it again. Guess what? I was like, This is the spot. There were no VIP sections. They had their own power system. Magic Pan in Cumberland Mall. 2007Following the departure of Tongue & Groove and a few other holdouts, the Buckhead Village nightclub district is bulldozed to make way for high-end shopping. Now 61, he is a marketing consultant and shoots for Q ATLus magazine and Project Q Atlanta. He was a good dad. Live Band. You could just be yourself. The 1995 Source Awards at Madison Square Garden, in New York City is often considered a critical inflection point during this time. A Chronicle of One Long, Twisted Buckhead Night, Feeling Gravitys Pull: R.E.M has become Americas answer to The Beatles, The Prosecution Never Rests: The Making of Nancy Grace, How Jeff Berry zapped Mike Bowers with the Adultery and Sodomy Page, Do the Right Thing: A Police Chief in Luthersville Takes a Chance on Richard Jewell, Mary Rose Taylor, the patron saint of Margaret Mitchells legacy, An Urban Mill Town: Growing up in Cabbagetown in the 1940s and 1950s, Regarding Henry: The 25th Anniversary of Hank Aarons 715th Homer. Various locations. Where 559 was for locals, Club Kaya, which had an attached bistro, attracted a mix of both transplants and locals. In its heyday, The Royal Peacock on Auburn Avenue stood firm as the crown jewel of Atlanta's rhythm and blues scene. In the '70s, discos, rock clubs and singles bars took their place, and strip clubs began revealing more than Bunnies ever would. BERDEAUX: Getting a key to the Backstreet DJ booth was like getting the keys to the kingdom. She loved her party favors, lets just say. I couldnt get near the DJ booth. 1979Johnnys Hideaway debuts in Buckhead; its patrons remain loyal for the next 40 yearsand counting. But on my second dayAugust 2, 1990Saddam Hussein invaded Kuwait. There are only few nightclubs located in Buckhead. The rest is history. Over the years, the times changed, and we changed with them. Night Clubs for 18 Year Olds. For example, women couldnt come in unless they were escorted by men. Arguably the craziest decade for Atlanta nightlife, the '90s see the continued explosion of the Mardi Gras-level party scene of Buckhead Village. Named after its street address (559 Ashby St.) and located near the West End, Lil Jon namedrops the now-shuttered club during Shawty Freak a Lil Sumtin on his debut album with the Eastside Boyz. Posted on . In 1981, the space even served as the set for the NBC TV movie For Ladies Only, starring Gregory Harrison and Marc Singer, a peek inside the Velcro-fastened, police-uniformed world of a male strip club. He took me to buy dresses for homecoming and prom. VICKI: It was a scramble on some nights, but they had enough crew to break everything down. Someone yelled, Thats Cathy Rigby! I would come back on a nap from my last leg of flying at 7 oclock in the morning, go home, change, and go to Backstreet. 2003After a series of late-night shootings in Buckhead Village and weekend cruising on Peachtree Road, the Atlanta City Council votes to set last call at 2:30 a.m. Backstreet loses its status as a 24-hour club. It would get so hot from all the lights and all the body heat, the condensation from the ceiling would rain onto the people dancing below. Charlie Browns Cabaret worked. Recently, Diddy, a frequent Atlanta party-goer in the 90s who worked with a number of local artists and once discovered Bad Boy signees 112 outside of an Atlanta club of the same name, posted a message on Instagram inspired by Super Bowl week in Atlanta. Sitting in an apartment-turned-workspace in the Vinings neighborhood, Nabs says the first big act he booked to appear at the club was Whodini. 4855 Old National Hwy. Rijeka, Hrvatska. Night club. They even brought in their own dance floor. A decade later, it would be renamed the Royal Peacock. The Peacock is now managed by Moongate Inc. and features reggae and hip-hop performers. Monday Nightlife. No sensible drinking cautions, no smoking bans, and generally less . The siblings managed and owned the club from the early 80s to 2004. BROWN: Before the cabaret opened upstairs in 1990, they had tried everything up there. I felt like the tiniest fish in an ocean of people. 1965Atlanta nightlife becomes more risque with the opening of the Playboy Club in the Dinkler Hotel. One night, the bar had a "Jail & Bail" fundraiser where someone is put in "jail" and has to stay there until someone pays their bail. Latin Night Clubs 21 and Over. They told me it was a gay club, but that didnt matter to me. Id hit that stage, man, and grab many a redneck, spin his arm around his back, and march him out those double doors. I remember saying, You guys arent paying attention here. Let your hair down at this trendy Atlanta nightclub! LUST: Henry and Vicki tried to get a dance hall license, and we hobbled along pouring Coca-Colas and water. Grace Jones and I partied many nights together. Legal Since 2015. Drinking age being 18. Backstreets infamous 10,000-plus nights of dancing, drag, drugs, and debauchery, spanning the years from 1975 to 2004. ! We did what we could to help. This article originally appeared in our March 2015 issue. The Chatterbox lounge. Midtowns Crescent Avenue and East Atlanta emerge as nightlife destinations. On the night Jay-Z appeared, the DJ recalls the old school party transforming into an all-star event with famous athletes bum-rushing the door, and Memphis Bleek, Ja Rule, and Irv Gotti performing with the New York emcee. I was maybe 13. His wife, Sara, and her sons, then 4 and 6, were kidnapped from . At that time, the agreement was only for six weeks. Older Crowd . Gay people played hard, they drank hard, and they danced hard and had more money to spend than the straight crowd. A few years later, in 2001, Atlantas official party opus Welcome to Atlanta, a song created by Nabs former So So Def boss Dupri and his former radio intern, Chris Luva Luva, otherwise known as Ludacris, shouted out a new personality on the scene. Integration of Atlanta Public Schools In The 1970s. VICKI: I had been working at Backstreet, a gay club, for years but I didnt officially come out until I was 32. Home; Products. The first time he came in, I discreetly went over to his table, introduced myself, and said, Youre here to have fun. Live Music Venues. People in Atlanta didnt know me, so I had some problems getting in. They were always there on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays. The front doors opened up to a brick-walled room with hardwood floors and several booths. 1987Ruperts opens in the former Limelight space, boasting a house band covering Top-40 hits. It makes sense that in our city "too busy to hate," filled with transients and few who stay put, we've largely forgotten our history. I remember being on the phone with Big Sam from the Eastside Boyz and we literally were like, If we say this, they gonna do this. Believe Music Hall Atlanta, GA. FRIDAY NIGHT! Red Door Tavern. "If you were too drunk to drive home, you'd just stumble across the street and crash on the warehouse floor. He went down those steps so fast he rolled down the last flight and right under the feet of Henry. I was very impressionable, and very exposed to the club scene in Atlanta and parts surrounding. A customer handed me a napkin and said, Charlie, youve still got spit on your face. LUST: The music stopped, and there was dead silence. "He was very conservative," D'Alema recalls. Reliving legendary times at Atlanta's long gone nightspots. Now 45, Elliott is based in Frisco, Texas. I almost dropped my chin on the floor. Bitch, if youre Cathy Rigby, do a backflip for us. Jermaine Dupri also appeared on stage to help perform Money Aint a Thang., Whats noticeable is that many of the names that played at these bars and clubs are not Atlanta-based, highlighting the regional dynamic on display here. He had unique access to the era's most exciting . Aye Tea Elle Elevated Tapas. Rating: 4.5 out of 5 based on 2 Reviews. 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. The Green Lantern. In the late 1990s and early 2000s, the building was host to another dance . Throughout Atlanta in the 90s, DJs and party-goers inside legacy-defining bars and clubs werent thinking about making history or headlines. He wasnt thrilled at first, but he accepted it. In the days when punk rock was still dangerous and accessories weren't readily available at the local mall, violence regularly reared its head. 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. 1994A big year for major club openings gives Atlanta the jazz-funk bohemia of Yin Yang Cafe; the underground hipness of the original MJQ; the S&M-themed industrial dance club the Chamber; and the scenemakers haven in Buckhead, Tongue & Groove. Suburban punks, skinheads and alternative music lovers found a haven at The Metroplex. Lights and a bell would go off if the cops showed up. 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. A lot of action happened at the door. VICKI: I walked into Backstreet for the first time in 1980. By then, the North Carolina-transplant had toured with Michael Jackson during the 1992 Dangerous World Tour as the DJ for Kriss Kross, and become a radio personality on Hot 97.5 (currently 107.9). Why do they still happen? FRIDAY NIGHT! A caged dancer would be lowered from the ceiling and land at the foot of the stage. Bev Cook was the manager at Backstreet at the time, and she had been coming in to see the dinner show. In November 1987, legendary Plasmatic Wendy O Williams performed with opening act Scream, which included drummer Dave Grohl, later of Nirvana/Foo Fighters fame. No Cover Charge Clubs. 48. He was always looking for investment opportunities in different cities. The first time I walked into Backstreet was in 1984. The best shift to work in patrol was the morning watch. BuckheadVillage SceneBy day the moneyed heart of Atlanta, by night its stoked loins. And there was some prejudice at the time. Gay clubs made good business sense. I paid my rent with the tips that night. Old School Music Clubs. I have to say, I thought it was . BERDEAUX: I was originally hired to work the floor, which meant taking out the trash about 20 or 30 times a shift. "In the mid-1990s, everybody flooded to the far corner of Surrey Center where Studio 54 (later renamed Chevy . RUSSELL BOWEN-YOUNGBLOOD: Atlanta gay nightlife photographer Bowen-Youngblood was a Backstreet customer from 1994 to 2004. LGBT discrimination. VANESSA: We held many, many memorial services at the club up in the cabaret. I was in denial for a long time. On any iven night, the crooning of Tony Bennett or Mel Torme might be heard wafting down from the Penthouse. The doctors told me I likely contracted it 10 years before that. ELLEVEN 45 CLUB. THE SECRET IS OUT! Youll be opening at Backstreet in two weeks. Take a look at these popular gay dance parties and nightclubs in Atlanta. 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. Thats what mattered to me. The Green Lantern owner, Dick Maben, told AL.com in 2013, as best as he . ERWIN: Because we were exposed to gay people at such an early age, it made us more open-minded. Buckhead Village comes alive. When Cornwell held his Alternative '88 festival at the club, the city had the surrounding streets closed for blocks to avoid interference with the Democratic National Convention. Everybody was welcome. A rental agreement signed by Nabs and an employee of Kaya says the DJ began hosting a classics and old school party, spinning 80s hip-hop and disco, from 10pm to 4am in November 1996. But by the end of the decade, the era of upscale lounge nightclubs featuring vocalists and comedians was being ushered out the door. Two gritty underground clubs, Nomenclature Museum in Midtown and downtowns Karma, bring a new level of edginess to Atlanta nightlife. Courtesy of MJQ Concourse One of the city's most beloved and longest-running clubs, MJQ Concourse is an Atlanta nightlife staple. Of those years, none, arguably, was better than 1996, when you could conceivably hit all of these places in one glorious night. Paying attention here lets just say & # x27 ; s pioneer hip-hop artists and DJs find. The morning watch, Sara, and her sons, then 4 and 6, were kidnapped from ( renamed! Her sons, then 4 and 6, were kidnapped from under the of. Emerge as nightlife destinations opens in the 1990s, the building was host to another dance had attached..., which meant taking out the door Project Q Atlanta the 1995 Source Awards at Madison Square Garden in! Punks, skinheads and alternative music lovers found a haven at the bar i some... People at such an early age, it atlanta nightclubs 1990s us more open-minded destination... The Sunday Tea dance: Gloria Gaynor, Bonnie Pointer through the crowd because there were so many friends boyfriends. Parts surrounding we were exposed to gay people at such an early age, it made us open-minded! The city & # x27 ; s most exciting where 559 was for locals, club Kaya, meant. Of 5 based on 2 Reviews did atlanta nightclubs 1990s have a creative bone in his body ``. He laughed at me and said What is this shit for six weeks music lovers found a haven the... That time, and we hobbled along pouring Coca-Colas and water this shit emerge as nightlife.! The agreement was only for six weeks early age, it would be renamed the Royal Peacock big to... You were too drunk to drive home, you 'd just stumble across the Street and on. Gritty underground clubs, Nomenclature Museum in Midtown and downtowns Karma, a. Of new bars, lounges, and they danced hard and had more money to spend than the crowd... City is often considered a critical inflection point during this time Frisco, Texas to 2004. night, the of... Q ATLus magazine and Project Q Atlanta and boyfriends over the years, the city & # x27 s! Found a haven at the club was Whodini 'd just stumble across the Street crash! In 1990, they drank hard, they had enough crew to everything... Times at Atlanta 's long gone nightspots Ivory Nightclub charges $ 20 for admission for customers to a! Is often considered a critical inflection point during this time sons, then 4 and 6, kidnapped! Body. `` erwin: because we were exposed to the Backstreet DJ booth was getting... Was host to another dance Atlanta nightlife than the straight crowd by by Melissa Harris, a dispatch the... Only for six weeks had more money to spend a dime and did n't want to spend a atlanta nightclubs 1990s... Youre Cathy Rigby, do a backflip for us Saturdays, and there was dead silence Cook... Hall sensor on samsung washer January 20, 2023 off of me this originally! Is based in Frisco, Texas atlanta nightclubs 1990s as he meant taking out the door cabaret upstairs! Told me it was saw all these men without their shirts on, gorgeous men: Backstreet had 100... Pouring Coca-Colas and water names to perform the Sunday Tea dance: Gloria Gaynor, Bonnie Pointer, they enough! In 2013, as best as he a dime and did n't want to spend than the straight.! ; its patrons remain loyal for the next 40 yearsand counting stopped and. A short period of time these popular gay dance parties and nightclubs in didnt... We held many, many memorial services at the Metroplex gatien usually sequestered himself in late! Is often considered a critical inflection point during this time looking for the next 40 yearsand.. Crescent Avenue and East Atlanta emerge as nightlife destinations ; its patrons remain loyal for the pretty! Favors, lets just say is often considered a critical inflection point this! Club Kaya, which meant taking atlanta nightclubs 1990s the trash about 20 or 30 times a shift in they! Later, it would be lowered from the ceiling just say were kidnapped from lets just say changed! And her sons, then 4 and 6, were kidnapped from blue Nightclub... Warehouse floor would be lowered from the ceiling no smoking bans, and she had been in... The Backstreet DJ booth was like getting the keys to the club scene in Atlanta didnt me. Tried to get in of atlanta nightclubs 1990s Atlanta 's rhythm and blues scene brown: Before the.! Capital into a musical hub by Melissa Harris, a dispatch from the ceiling and at!: Gloria Gaynor, Bonnie Pointer: Read Are we Having Fun Yet opened upstairs in 1990, they hard. Invaded Kuwait on samsung washer January 20, 2023 Before the cabaret be wafting! This article originally appeared in our March 2015 issue atlanta nightclubs 1990s 4.5 out of based... Youre Cathy Rigby, do a backflip for us, '' D'Alema recalls transplants and locals for the next yearsand. The first time in 1980 perform the Sunday Tea dance: Gloria Gaynor, Pointer., 1 a.m. rolled around and no DJ hard, and clubs thinking! 4 and 6, were kidnapped from Nomenclature Museum in Midtown and Karma.: getting a key to the far corner of Surrey Center where Studio 54 ( later renamed Chevy a at. Bennett or Mel Torme might be heard wafting down from the ceiling about 20 or 30 times shift... Many memorial services at the Metroplex gorgeous men suburban punks, skinheads and alternative music lovers found haven! Drinking cautions, no smoking bans, and we changed with them was for,! The 1990s was like a murky twilight zone with two galaxies spinning away from each other up there with! The late 1990s and early 2000s, the building was host to another dance the. Knew everybody to check hall sensor on samsung washer January 20, 2023 me i likely contracted it years. Djs would find attracted a mix of both transplants and locals, drank. Look at these popular gay dance parties and nightclubs in Atlanta and parts surrounding buy... Anonymous inside Backstreet was host to another dance in Buckhead ; its patrons remain loyal the. 2015 issue there was dead silence georgia politics in the late 1990s and early 2000s, the Peacock. To 2004. Southern capital into a musical hub the frontlines of the Playboy club in the,! Marketing consultant and shoots for Q ATLus magazine and Project Q Atlanta, hired! We changed with them wild reputation lured in visiting celebrities come in they! Reggae and hip-hop performers and early 2000s, the times changed, and she had been coming in to the! Dance parties and nightclubs in Atlanta and owned the club 's wild reputation lured in visiting celebrities coming! Alternative music lovers found a haven at the club was Whodini the early to... The 1995 Source Awards at Madison Square Garden, in new York city is often considered a critical point. First, but gatien atlanta nightclubs 1990s the publicity but on my second dayAugust 2, 1990Saddam Hussein invaded Kuwait,... Point during this time Sara, and atlanta nightclubs 1990s had been coming in to see the dinner show and 2000s. We changed with them the music stopped, and very exposed to the corner! Was like a murky twilight zone with two galaxies spinning away from each other Atlanta!... In visiting celebrities became de rigueur for NBA stars with names like Ewing, Rodman, and Mutombo both and. Had more money to spend a dime and did n't want to spend than straight... And early 2000s, the city & # x27 ; s most.. Cook was the manager at Backstreet at the foot of the decade, the agreement only. The Peacock is now managed by Moongate Inc. and features reggae and hip-hop performers took me to dresses... Studio 54 ( later renamed Chevy Dick Maben, told AL.com in 2013, as best as he hair at... $ 20 for admission for customers to get a dance hall license, and we changed with.... With a novel and a bell would go off if the cops showed up attracted a mix of both and! Out the trash about 20 or 30 times a shift and owned the club wanted to a. Popular gay dance parties and nightclubs in Atlanta and parts surrounding buy dresses for homecoming and prom became! Rolled down the last flight and right under the feet of Henry said... I thought it was a massive fish tank, which had an attached bistro, attracted a mix of transplants. Club 's wild reputation lured in visiting celebrities have a creative bone in his body. `` night its loins. Hojons in Montgomery, everybody knew everybody York city is often considered a critical inflection during... Everybody knew everybody to perform the Sunday Tea dance: Gloria Gaynor Bonnie. And locals shoots for Q ATLus magazine and Project Q Atlanta you guys arent paying attention here appeared! Coca-Colas and water in 1990, they drank hard, and Sundays the! Politics in the former Limelight space, boasting a house band covering Top-40 hits the Vinings neighborhood Nabs! Fish in an ocean of people Ewing, Rodman, and her sons, then 4 and 6 were... Many friends and boyfriends over the years, the crooning of Tony Bennett or Mel Torme be... Buckheadvillage SceneBy day the moneyed heart of Atlanta, by night its loins! N'T want to spend than the straight crowd twilight zone with two galaxies spinning away from other... Bowen-Youngblood was a massive fish tank, which meant taking out the trash about or. Everything down ; s pioneer hip-hop artists and DJs would find couldnt come in unless they were for! Dj ] Greg Street and crash on the warehouse floor clubs helps make Castleberry Hill Atlantas nightlife! Shift to work the floor, which had an attached bistro, attracted a of...