Better Days

Better days was my first gay club, I was in shock when I entered the club, I saw straight looking hot guys danceing with each other I was in heaven. Being there with my first lover I had to contain myself. Tee Scott played the hottest music I've ever heard I loved the club. Thank you Better Days

I was there also. My experience was not very agreeable. I remember going to this club and expecting a good time. However, everyone was stoned down. It turned me off,however, I know I'm in the minority regarding this matter. Clubbing and getting high was the name of the game then and now. I just believe that partying is more enjoyable when you're sober. I was going to hold this criticism back,however, my roommate advised me to have my say.

This place was for the male divas and thugs to join and enjoy. Every weekend I was in the city - First hanging at Better Days with all my friends, then later trying to get into the Garage. At six in the morning, as tired as we all were, we just had to get a bite to eat at Tiffany's Restaurant in the village. I do remember getting to Jersey about 11 AM in the morning. It's not like it used to be. What's up NYC? or is it me?

Wow, my first gay club at 17. It was the ballroom of the old Bellvedere Hotel. Getting slo gin fizzes at the oval bar and dancing our asses off to love hangover and love is the message. Girl you need a change of mind was the anthem. All the kids that took dance at Bernice Johnson dance studios in Jamaica ruled the dance floor ( shout to Paris and Billy!). Tee Scott ended the nite (at 2:30 Sunday morn) with the closing theme from Lady sings the blues. Then we'd grab something cold at Smilers on 8th ave and head to the Gallery down inn Mercer St.....wow, great memories!

Hi There, i am actually finalizing a 120movie/docu about the club scene from the mid90s, very professionnal, not amateur...i found this forum very interesting...i am actually living in France, and i will probably release my movie end of the year...
Do not hesitate to send me your feedback and if some of you have some footage to share, you are welcome...
Also anybody gots some early, rare, past and amateurs videos ?
Drop me a mess on djhedi@orange.fr
Peace!

www.backinthehouse.com

THIS WAS MY HOME AWAY FROM HOME FROM THRUSDAY TO SUNDAY. TEE SCOTT USE TO PUMP THAT MUSIC AND YOU WOULD DANCE UNTIL YOU WERE SOAKING WET. (WITH SWEAT) THERE WILL ALWAYS BE A PLACE IN MY HEART FOR BETTERDAYS. WHEN I FIRST WENT, I THOUGHT THE CROWD WAS KIND OF ROUGH LOOKING, AND I ALMOST DIDN'T GO. ONCE I GOT INSIDE AND HEARD THE MUSIC ALONG WITH THE SOUND SYSTEM, I WAS HOOKED. THERE WAS NO OTHER CLUB IN NEW YORK CITY LIKE BETTERDAYS. IT WAS A LEGENDARY SPOT FOR THE LEGENDARY CHILDREN. NEW YORK WAS A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT PLACE THEN AND THERE WILL NEVER BE ANOTHER BETTERDAYS.

they didn' t ask for I.D. and no voguing was allowed.
saw david cole perform there before the c and c factory fame.
the mixing was incredible!
circa 1979-1982

This club was the bomb. I love it. There was a really fast song and the lyrics was the following, I been watching you, you so good, you so good, your so good i been watching you! would party, party party. What is the name of this song?

Steve with the beautiful smile who worked the coat check invited me in 1973. It was my 1st gay club. I was still in high school. I still remember the huge oval bar and all the beautiful boys around it. When Tee would hit that new hot song you would hear a uniformed scream and the bar would empty to the dance floor. The twrillarinas would control the back room. Following a lucky slow grind you could begin a night romace on one of the black vinyl corner sofas. Admission came with a drink ticket and so much fun. Tee's theme song was 'Girl you need a change of mind' by Eddie Kendricks. Sadly all good things come to an end. Almost 10 years later I knew it was over when I had to be frisked upon entering. The glam was over and seedy had arrived...but my memories are as sweet as my 1st slow gin fizz. Thanks Steve!!!

Better Days was the first NYC club that I went to in the early 70's, I was hooked, I remember Tee Scott and Frankie Knuckles. The most amazing, wonderful music i had ever heard. I lived in CT, but after that first night, we were back every week, by bus, train, whatever. I remember the main dance room, it was circular and the rings of lights above were all big circles that could "chase" or "flash". "Honeybee" "Love & Happiness" "Dr. Love" "The Love I Lost" sooo many more great tunes! I think the manager's name was John. For a long time the last song of the night was "Closing Theme" from 'Lady Sings The Blues' When they closed at 4 we would jump in a cab and hit the afterhours clubs, The Loft or This N That Gallery where the amazing music continued! Best times of my life!! Great memories.

Better Day's turned me out!!! I was a waiter there and was Tee Scots waiter. I rember Grace Jones and her brother Noel came in, I love grace, she told me she loved my hair and ordered a seven and seven, I can not remeber what Noel had. I stood there talking to Grace and the manager said "leave her alone and get to work."
What were the labor laws back then because I was sixteen serving drinks.
Some weekends I would take off and go to The Loft, this was before the Garage opened. I was what New York Magaizine called Disco babies I would go to Xenon and 12 West and got in Studio 54 nine times before they closed.
Being from the Upper East Side I would let the young "mopers" have it, as everything I owned was paid for. I digress, anyway, I have never been the same since "Abby" took me there.
Better day's was my home. Then The Paradise Garage opened and OMG!!! Looking back now at 48 years old I should be dead, but here I am sharing my little warm memories of my nightlife in NYC!!!
RIP Tee Scot and Larry Levan you were my heros and because of Tee Scott and Larry I am a whole spiritual being Loving all, as music extols us to be. I am blessed that at a young age I found this out, for without music I would certainly perish.

this was the first club i ever went to back in 1985
I was 15 years old i remember the bar tender Dallas

Wow...Better Days - my first gay and sort of underground, grimy feeling club - I was hooked! I was all of about 17 and remember leaning against the oversized speakers and feeling the music go through me. I'd arrive at perhaps midnight and soon learned quickly to bring shades. I was there the night Better Days closed...and cried.

btw, this club was on 49th street (off 8th ave)

The best days of my life were spent in this club. It was open 5 days a week, from 10pm to 4am. I got there at 10:30pm every nite and stayed till closing. The music was insane..gospel-infused disco and R&B. Tramine Hawkins and Dar Braxton, Cornel Abrams, C&C Music Factory with Martha Wash, Thelma Houston, Diana Ross, Grace Jones...ohhhhh yeaaahhhh

I LIVED IN THE BELVEDERE HOTEL NEXT DOOR WHEN I WAS IN COLLEGE WITH A FRIEND (IN THE PENTHOUSE HE HAD THE MONEY AND THE LEASE) THAT MUST HAVE BEEN IN THE LATE 1960s or EARLY 1970s. IN THE 1990s I STAYED IN THE HOTEL AND IT WAS about 120 a NIGHT. BETTER DAYS HAD GONE OR WAS GOING. THEN, RECENTLY (2008) I WAS IN NEW YORK AND THEY WANTED JUST UNDER $400 to STAY IN THE HOTEL! I GUESS TIMES HAVE CHANGED!

I remember the unisex bathrooms. Those were the days.

BETTER DAYs. no glammer no lights.. the best music in nyc. dance, dance, dance, 100% sweat box.

Hard core partying!

Oh, do I remember this place. It was a wild place, with unbelievable characters. It is a shame that places like that don't exist anymore. I remember checking out some hot looking girls, then seeing the Adam's Apple. Opps! How about the loud Velvet Hats that were inside there. More velvet hats per foot then anywhere else in the world. The music was pretty good, very soul oriented. Got any pictures?