NYC CLUBS STILL DYING
I hadn't heard a thing about this. But the ever resourceful /journalist Jonty Skruff sent this article out in his e-newsletter, which contains items of interest to clubbers from around the world. You can sign up for his newsletter by entering your email at www.skrufff.com. Someone commented last night that most parties are promotional events nowadays, while clubs, which are just for fun, are routinely sanitized. Of course, we know what goes in clubs and it isn't always legal, so there's plenty of sanitization to do. But why isn't anyone speaking out against NYC's archaic cabaret laws which are often the basis of these raids? I know that some are speaking out, but why doesn't the city government, which like Miami Beach, ought to realize that their cities' clubs are legendary as well as a source of income and tourism. I guess the promotional events pay better.
New York Party Police Hit 3 More Superclubs
Cops closed down the Roxy, Happy Valley and Avalon in New York City last week in
their latest onslaught against nightclubs in Manhattan.
While Roxy was shuttered for alleged non-payment of taxes and Happy Valley over
a property dispute with the buildings landlords, Avalon (formerly known as
Limelight) was shut for violating the Cabaret Laws, New York's infamous 1920's
era anti-dancing statutes.
According to press reports, Avalon promoters were unable to renew their Cabaret
License after being barred access from the building following an earlier raid,
which meant they couldn't obtain necessary paperwork in time. Leading club
promoter John Blair, who previously was forced to close Spirit and hosted Sunday
night parties at Avalon, as well as events at Roxy, told the Village Voice he
was disgusted by the latest police tactics.
"I've been in it (club promotion) for 30 years but no longer. I'm not going to
invest in anything or own anything in New York City again," he pledged, "The
police have turned the city into a Gestapo state."
Avalon co-promoter Susanne Bartsch, who was hosting a Halloween party at the
club when police raided at 1.45am, said she was personally harassed, with one
officer refusing to allow her back inside the building after she went outside to
meet her husband and deal with the raid.
"He was so disgusting, the policeman was willing to send me into the night
without a handbag, without money, without keys," she told New York Blade, "They
say they are trying to protect people, but it symbolizes how unreasonable they
are. They are just out to get the clubs."
Avalon director of operations Ricky Mercado was equally angry, declaring 'it's
just like they are saying, 'Nightclubs—get the fuck out of New York City', while
Larry Tee, who was DJing at Avalon at the time, was marginally more sympathetic.
"The police weren't particularly threatening to me but were typically rude when
trying to clear the sidewalk out front," Larry told Skrufff, "The police wont
stop bothering the new owners of Avalon, until it is turned into a health food
store," he said.
Though Larry agreed the latest raids were 'a little extreme', he predicted they
will have little impact long term on New York's club scene, suggesting 'it's
healthy to have new places and club changes'.
"Club owners have long been avoiding taxes and promoters that work with them
should have more caution," he added.
"No-one ever talks about club-owners that are in it for the quick buck and don't
pay taxes on the revenues they take in. It's always the cops people blame
because they have a reputation after the Giuliani administration," he said.
New York Party Police Hit 3 More Superclubs
Cops closed down the Roxy, Happy Valley and Avalon in New York City last week in
their latest onslaught against nightclubs in Manhattan.
While Roxy was shuttered for alleged non-payment of taxes and Happy Valley over
a property dispute with the buildings landlords, Avalon (formerly known as
Limelight) was shut for violating the Cabaret Laws, New York's infamous 1920's
era anti-dancing statutes.
According to press reports, Avalon promoters were unable to renew their Cabaret
License after being barred access from the building following an earlier raid,
which meant they couldn't obtain necessary paperwork in time. Leading club
promoter John Blair, who previously was forced to close Spirit and hosted Sunday
night parties at Avalon, as well as events at Roxy, told the Village Voice he
was disgusted by the latest police tactics.
"I've been in it (club promotion) for 30 years but no longer. I'm not going to
invest in anything or own anything in New York City again," he pledged, "The
police have turned the city into a Gestapo state."
Avalon co-promoter Susanne Bartsch, who was hosting a Halloween party at the
club when police raided at 1.45am, said she was personally harassed, with one
officer refusing to allow her back inside the building after she went outside to
meet her husband and deal with the raid.
"He was so disgusting, the policeman was willing to send me into the night
without a handbag, without money, without keys," she told New York Blade, "They
say they are trying to protect people, but it symbolizes how unreasonable they
are. They are just out to get the clubs."
Avalon director of operations Ricky Mercado was equally angry, declaring 'it's
just like they are saying, 'Nightclubs—get the fuck out of New York City', while
Larry Tee, who was DJing at Avalon at the time, was marginally more sympathetic.
"The police weren't particularly threatening to me but were typically rude when
trying to clear the sidewalk out front," Larry told Skrufff, "The police wont
stop bothering the new owners of Avalon, until it is turned into a health food
store," he said.
Though Larry agreed the latest raids were 'a little extreme', he predicted they
will have little impact long term on New York's club scene, suggesting 'it's
healthy to have new places and club changes'.
"Club owners have long been avoiding taxes and promoters that work with them
should have more caution," he added.
"No-one ever talks about club-owners that are in it for the quick buck and don't
pay taxes on the revenues they take in. It's always the cops people blame
because they have a reputation after the Giuliani administration," he said.
posted by Lady Bunny at Saturday, November 11, 2006
8 Comments:
One club I remember well, when I visited NY was The Manhole Club, where I was mistaken for a lesbian by two black men at the door they told me it was bi-sexual night on a Thursday, flaming cheek! A dingy cellar with no windows or ventilation, I thought we were going to get raped and pillaged, judging the rough clientele in there. An old man well past his sell by date offered to shave me, "I said no thanks, I shaved earlier" then he looked down upon my neither regions and I realised just where he wanted to shave me! I needn't have fretted about been raped and pillaged in there it was as tame as a kitten, notices were everywhere warning you of a lifetime ban if you are caught fucking, sucking or taking drugs which put a dampener on things. Luckily I wasn't caught noshing off a leather queen with a huge cock.
Tommy you called me a trashy little slut like its a bad thing!
I was only wondering if it was still open as I would like to go back there sometime.
Mitzi, it was quarantined shortly after your visit. --LB
I don't think it's a coincidence that as the internet became more and more popular, New York gay nightlife started dying. I think gays killed it themselves because they don't have to go out to hook up anymore.
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