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Oh my god, I remember Backstreets in Ft. L soooooo well!!!! It was the only club to go to in Florida (where you didn't have to hear commercial drivel). I first heard ABBA- the Visitors EP of course - there. Blew me away.....

amazing cool place bigger than most at the time (1982) and anything went....

Thanks for bringing back some GREAT memories!!!

Backstreet was phenomenal!! This was pre-South Beach, where the best nightlife existed in Ft Lauderdale. The energy, music, men & mixed crowd made it such a fun club. No attitude, no dress code, just be yourself & have fun, pre-aids 80's.
Great times!!

...I forgot to mention the fireworks that would go off every night...

This was THE club. I have never been to a club which had the energy of fun that Backstreets had. It is the club which I was taught how to spin fans. And YES the stories are all true about what went on in there......including tales of shots of "special punch" being handed out to friends of the bar.

BTW....Backstreets Atlanta closed last year....no more 24/7 service

my fondest memory was the the song from backstreet that everyone sang. it's the roof is on fire we don't need now water burn mf. well, that's were i first heard it.

I used to go to Backstreet all the time. It was the best place to have a good time in the early 80's. "Live" performances (Sylvester, Lime, Hazel Dean, etc) dancing, all the bars...they don't make clubs like Backstreet any more...sigh.

i was a DJ at "the Candystore" on the strip in Ft Lauderdale in 86....

Most the employees after work (we closed at 2) used to head to backstreets after work for some nitecappers....Being from NY....I used to live in a hotel at the time, and used to spin at Candystore 6 days a week, and from what i can remember, we used to alwayz go Backstreets after work...kool place
kool time in my life....was it by the airport?

No I think you might be thinking City Limits....Backstreets was by the train tracks in Downtown where all the little cafes and Broward Center of the Performing Arts is now...Also, there is a place close by called Riverwalk

it was city limits...ty

Having spent my time during the mid 80's and beyond as a booking agent and events promoter in Miami I had the honor and sometimes headache of working with nealry every club from the tri country area,as well as getting my groove on the dance floor.

Backstreets did not only break the gay/straight barrier, but it also helped break a cultural barrier between Anglos and Latinos as hundreds of Miami Latino club goers would drive off towards Ft. Lickerdale (lol) while getting off at mile marker 28 to get to Backstreets.

Ft. Lauderdale as it always has been was very Anglo populated,and tensions were already high between Latino's and Anglo's but esculated further after the arrival of fleeing Cubans during the 1980 Mariel boat lift.

Backstreets may have been one of the best venues to go to,but it was also one of the most dangerous venues.

I cannot remember any Friday night I was there on business or play, that atleast two fights didnt break out during the night,thank God for Backstreets quick to react bouncers,who I considered the best out of any clubs security staff.

I can till remember being in the booth when fights broke out,as myself,Bob Mero and his wife Maria,who also worked for Backstreets at the promoting end of things,as well as hiring acts, just stood there shaking our heads.

If you ever took a good look at Bob, you'd know he looked like the main DJ for the Hells Angel motorcycle gang, yet I as a Latino can say there wasnt an ounce of racism in Bob's body.

But thats how both sides thought of each other,and sadly one night some pour kid lost his life for simply looking to Gringo like,if you can stomach that notion.

Those commonly growing issues is what ultimately lead to Backstreets closing,as even on Gay nights it had become dangerous for Backstreets lifeline, which was their strong Gay following.

I have never been ashamed of being Latino, even though I was born in this country,but watching the crap that went on at Backstreets was the first and last time I did feel some disgust.

Either way,the times and experience I had there are times I wouldnt want to replace.

Sorry for the long post,Im just a detailed kind of person.

Get use to it! lol

Some of my best memories of the early 80's is from Backstreets.That was the greatest club, there will never be another one like it. I wish there was a cd available with Bob Miro/ Backstreet music. Does anyone remember a dance song, some of the lyrics:
"Morning Sad Morning(I Poppy)"

MiamiDisco,

The lyrics "morning sad morning" are from the song, The Mexican...in the 80's, Backstreets played the version of this song from John "Jellybean" Benitez.....I don't remember "I poppy", except from another song...."Clave Rocks" by Amaretto....it was probably mixed together....These tunes were definitely from the mid to late 80's when the club started changing and turning for into Freestyle Music and the Latin crowd....Up until about '84-'85...the club played predominantly Disco, High Energy and lots of Italo....those were the good ole' days!

Wow. What memories. I actually flew home to Miami from Tallahassee (while at FSU)just to go to Backstreets in October 1985. It was Halloween weekend and the line was all the way out to Broward Blvd.
This was a club like none other. The music, crowd, energy, and I guess most of all the time in my life. Carefree and just into the music and energy while dancing the night away.
During the day, I actually went to the pool and got sun, went home, ate, gym, napped, and returned for the evening.
What a great time. I still have all those 12" dance singles being played there at the time.

Well I had some of my best timed spinning at Backstreet before I moved to NYC. I loved that crowd. Actually I was the one that use to cut in "b****" for "white" in white horse. heeeee. a little tongue and cheek. Anyone know where Mike Mayburry is?

Backstreets was definitely the place of all places. Remembering people like Lemon (the bouncer) and Ira ( the door man) who unfornutely is no longer with us. If we could only turn back the hands of time for a few weeks!!!!

I remember going to Backstreets on my spring break and deciding that my life would never be the same after that. There was such a sense of celebration and harmony. My highlights were;

Hearing Mike Mayberry (sweet, generous, talented) play "It Feels Like I'm in Love", "The Visitors", "Ain't no Mountain High Enough (Boystown Gang).

Gazing at that hunky bartender, Dwight...Grrrr.

My first dose of MDA.

Belle Knincaid (RIP)

and Angelo the bouncer.

DJ Bob Miro was a great DJ, But Scotty Blackwell the DJ prior to DJ Miro, was the absolute best! Scotty's partnered with God now and is doing the best of the best in music production. Too many stories to tell about Backstreets, and definitly one of the best Dance clubs EVER!

I was wasted most of the time...but the music and energy reverberated deep inside and both you and Bob knew how to work a crowd...Excellent programming, well thought out sets....superb mixing and welcomed surprises throughout the night! What I'd give for one more night dancing until the wee hours when the tempo went to sleeze and driving music....at the time we'd chase the sun to make it home before the sun came up over Dade County...Scotty do you still spin as a hobby? It seems all of the vinyl is just about gone in Ft. Lauderdale....except for the Punk stuff at Uncle Sam's....Thanks for the good times and unforgettable memories!

So you we're the culprit behind the Laid Back tricks!! Fun stuff, I know you had a lot of tricks up your sleeve to raise the vibe of the crowd! Would love to hear some of our hilights,

Marco

Yes Scott, I know were Mike Mayberry is !

Hi Bob,

How are you doing. You did s great job at Backstreet. Remember the dj vs dj session in basement at Tory's? I would love to catch up. Hope all is well with you and yours. I am still spinning. I have had a fri and sat residency here in LA @ Padri for the past three years. I am a low voltage contractor during the week. I would love to connect with Michael too. Hope to hear from you soon.

Hey Scott, I'm doing well and it sounds like you're a survivor also. Send me your email address or phone # at bobmirobackstreet@gmail.com and we'll catch up. Keep them dancing !!!

Wow, this is a great site, and thanks everyone for sharing the memories. just to be back there once again....

somone above was very right-on saying that seems everyone just could easily get caught up in the music. time flew there. no pretenses like s.beach bars.

Recalling backstreets, another thing that stands out in my mind are the hottie male strippers on (some) friday nights! dare to remember Frankie...I was 18 yrs old... he was my first 'crush'....Frankie.. the amazing puerto rican hottie!
remember, they legally let us kids in after 2am!

I have a surprise for everyone reading this.... want to really bring back the memories? get these 2 cds! Exactly the Backstreet music from 87-89!
My favorite was 'wake up' --you'll know it once you hear it... and the hits by LIME.
1. circus disco
2. freestyle's greatest hits
both are avail at cduniverse.com

pleae email me if you have photos of backstreet, club 1235, or casanovas
taken before 1990.

Thanks to all for sharing the memories. Me being the nostalgic type at my current age, these posts bring back incredibly wonderful memories. Some of them of things that I would now not want my own kids to do! Like getting drunk on the drive from Hialeah (yes I was one of those Cubans that made the drive up 95 to enjoy the ONLY dance club worth going to back then) so we only had to buy a couple of drinks (we was poe!); I’d sip a couple of Long Island Ice-Teas the rest of the night, having gotten thoroughly buzzed on the drive up. Then head to Denny’s at 4 am when we had our fill of the music, the women (for a “gay” club, there was no shortage of beautiful and approachable women) and dancing. Then home to sleep most of Sunday. And then work all week with the anticipation of the next Saturday at Backstreets! It was the first night club I experienced where everybody danced with anybody. You could even dance by yourself and it was cool. I don’t remember all the fights mentioned by some previous posters; not denying that there tensions or fights, but I remember it as a place where most got along. There wasn’t all of the posing that went on at other discos, where you had all the macho boys hanging by the bar waiting for you to look at them the wrong way to get into a fight. As I recall, if you were on the first floor by the dance floor it mostly meant you wanted to dance; and most danced the night away. And yes, I also recall the “Burn the MF Down” chant. I clearly remember one night arriving late, and as I was walking from the parking lot to the entrance the chant of Burn the MF down could be heard clearly and loudly outside! What a place, and what a moment in our lives. It was short-lived, reflecting back on it now. As with most great things in life, they last but for a relatively brief moment. Eventually other clubs emerged and South Beach was reborn. I eventually moved on to clubs like Fire and Ice and the Kitchen; and then I just got old.

Henry, nice hearing from fellow Dade commuters ending up at Backstreets...I totally agree with you that Backstreets was head and shoulders above the rest..but lets not forget that in the 80's, there was no shortage of great places to go Nightclubbing in Dade and Broward County...Also, I understand that Backstreets was not that shortlived, it was happening as an predominantly Gay Club long before we Heteros infiltrated in the mid to late '80's. When I first was introduced to Backstreets it was already mixed...my wife remembers going in '82 before we met and she remembers it predominantly gay....but ALWAYS the music was it!!! Best song memories.. Color my Love - Fun Fun, White Horse - Laid Back, My Forbidden Lover - Tapps, When Doves Cry - Prince...too many to list! Great Hi Nrg, Italo Music, Disco and later Freestyle...Early Freestyle was great - The Mexican - Jellybean, I Want it to Be Real - John Rocca...Divine, Bobby O, it goes on and on....

Does anyone know if the building is still there? My daughter goes to concerts at The Revolution and I'm wondering if that's the same building.

Great place, great times!

Frankie the stripper was my favorite too!!

This was my favorite of all time Discos. I went around 1981/82. It was still pretty Gay the best music and the best vibe. I don't remember any fighting. I remember guys dancing with huge fans or with a snake wrapped around them or playing castanets. I remember the men in chaps riding the mechanical horse in the room to the left of the entrance . I remember smelling amylnitrate in the air. I remember a lesbian girl grabbing my a** while I was dancing with my future husband. I saw Claudja Berry and will always regret not seeing Sylvester. I remember guys diving into the pool naked. There was a rumor that a guy in the parking lot would give you $5.00 if you let him suck your feet. I was straight out of highschool and this place made quite an impression on me.

Wow! What great memories. Backstreets was the best. I can remember the Jai Alai guys Freddy and Pete were always there on Fridays and Saturdays having a good old time. Does any body know them or if they are still around.

Wow so cool to hear from all you Backstreet people!!!My friend Carlota and I used to steal her father's van while he slept so we could go to the club!We were in high school(Hollywood Hills)I have no idea how we got in all the time!I remember seeing Secret Society,Nocera,Taylor Dayne,Bonnie Pointer,and the guy who sang "Boom Boom Boom lets go back to my room!!Those were the greatest times!!!I still love the clubs today,but it's not even close to how it used to be!!!

I had my best times at Backstreet both with Hot 105 appearences and perforning as Will to Power. It is actually Backstreet where I first took my acetate of Dreamin'. Bob Miro was loved by everybody.

Wow Bob Rosenberg!My best friend and I loved you & Suzie Carr back then,your music was amazing and we still listen to it today!I used to work at Publix on sheridan street back then and waited on your mom many times and she would always brag about you!Coming out with something new soon?

Backstreet was a great club. I remember hearing Kraftwerk's Number as I waited to get in. The music was always fresh and you can hear it from the outside. You can see everyone from the second floor looking down having the best time. The size of the club and energy was wonderful. I spent Halloween 1981 there. It was the perfect place to see the largest and most spectacular customs. The place reminded me of Moulin Rouge. Everything was happening at the same time.

I spent many a night at Backstreet. I was listening to a Bob Miro mix today as a matter of fact. It was Easter time and Debbie Jacobs was performing. Bob did the mix of her medley. She said it was a killa. I was there that night. I am friends with Debbie so when I turned 30 my friends Steve and Sue ratted me out and Debbie sang Happy Birtday to me on the Stage at Backstreet. Later that year, Debbie performed at Uno in Miami for New Year's eve and would be at backstreet the next night. Went to Bob Miro's house and laughed as he told of Belle Kincaid falling from the ceiling on New Year's eve. The only one I missed! Maybe some time...we can do it all again!

Bob Miro was fantastic mainly in his ability to read the crowd. That is why people from Dade County even took the drive to Backstreet. I did many DJ appearences with Hot 105 (Wednesday nights with Bobby Ellerbee) and also used turntables in Will to Power show.

This pic is from 85-86. I have my turntables on stage (in front of DJ booth). The kid on stage watching is DJ Laz.

The best Club south of Club Studio 54 no club can ever get close to that.I make the drive from Hialeah every saterday. I started going there before the pool patio was open 1980 to 1983 was my place to Party and meet grils most gays new me and never had a problem. Hialeah ,Carol City ,West Chester,and Northmiami all went to have fun, the fight's started after people sall we were having fun and destroyed the Best Club Ever But nothing last for ever.Best Memory's

Its great to hear from so many who had the privilege of calling Backstreet home. Remember the killer Rum Runners from the outside bar. Or the greatest bartender Bernie, who always had a waiting drink for me. Hearing the songs "The Dominatrix sleps tonite" or "The Mexican". Backstreet was my home from Wed thru Saturday. The only club I would drive from Miami to Ft. Lauderdale to and it was worth every mile. I still remember the saloon bar, the riding bull that became the piano room, the pool, the jacuzi, the outside stage, the gym and so on. My club membership and how I skipped the line that wound around the block. Good times, that I cherish to this day. I partied during Sobe hayday and it still doesn't compare to Backstreet back in the day. Before the fights started, all got along, gay, straight, black, white, hispanic, it was the most divsersified club of its time. None has come close to its glory.

Wish I had every dime I ever spent in this location on drinks and recreation. Spent many a happy times there from 1982-1986. Mostly Sunday "Tea Dance". When I hear the music and shut my eyes, feels like only yesterday. The thing I remember the most was the tolerance. Everyone was accepting of differences, Gay, Straight, Black, White, etc, just didn't matter. Even within the gay community, so many 'branches' of the family tree, it was a place everyone could enjoy the party. Feels like that's been lost. Society seems so segmented these days, it's a loss. If we do go to heaven and we get to create our own versions, I know mine is gonna have a Backstreets in it. :)

Does anyone remember the name to a song that went like this? "I can feel the presence of another women, its all over you face, someone's taking my place, ooh babe, I'm losing you". If anyone can tell me the name of the song and who sung it, I would be grateful. Thanks in advance!!!

Hey Diana!

Are you talking about the Temptations, "I'm Losing You"

http://www.justsomelyrics.com/610185/Temptations-I'm-Losing-You-Lyrics

I belive it was remade after the Temptations by a girl group called "Uptown"....

I remember dancing to that at Backstreet,awesome jam...

Thanks Kam, Thanks Mair, the one by Uptown is the version I'm looking for. By any chance do you know from what site it might be available for purchase via download? Thanks!!!

Diana, It's the Uptown verision I used to play, I have many CD's recorded live with that song, if you can't find the download.
dj Bob Miro
Backstreet

Bob and Diana,

Let me know where I can download "I know I'm Losing You" by Uptown. It used to be on the Oak Lawn Record label out of Dallas

Paul & Diana
If you guys want to email me an address where I can send you a CD each, It'll have "I'm losing You" on it! BobMiroBackstreet@gmail.com

I saw Laura Brannigan perform GLORIA there, while Scott Blackwell was there. An excellent club, as everone before me can attest to. A very strong 10 on my scale.

There was no other club to be on a Wendsday nite in the mid to late 80s. The nite started at the strip but always ended up back dancing to those incredible mixes that building pushed out for hours after hours. I can still remember the build up while waiting in line to get in....That was the greatest club ever...Hands Down!

You definitely needed to get out more. The Copa had better music. Many clubs had better lights and sounds, a quick example. BIG DADDY'S in North Miami on 163rd street. Finer women, should have gone to CASANOVAS or 1235. Better gay clubs, two or three on the beach, easily. Ambiance,1235,CLUB MYSTIQUE to name two. DeeJays,now there BACKSTREETS was tough. But still, CASANOVAS had TWO great deejays. So to call BACKSTREETS the "greatest club ever...hands down" is both foolish, and a lie. Ever been to New York City?? There were hundreds of better clubs there!

Hey vynil,
Did you read the first line of my post?
Been to every club you mentioned. All were fantastic in the day. I don't remember any of them packing the crowds on a Wendsday nite like Backstreets did. No disrespect to NYC. I'm from City Island orig.
Peace

Point Taken. You are right. On a Wednesday night this was the best place in town. everyone got that. There were some Clubs in New York that had FANTASTIC Wednesday nights though!

Hi guys, well I do agree that the club seen was great at Backstreets but you have to admit that The Copa had a better sound system. I remember standing right in front of the DJ and looking over the dance floor and you can almost visually hear the music moving from one end of the dance floor to the other. The crowd dancing to Bill Kelly's great mixing. That to me was the place to be!

While BACKSTREETS was a pretty incredible place, it was THE COPA that made the Fort Lauderdale area DANCE. Every other club was trying to get whatever The Copa had. The problem was that BACKSTREETS didn't have the deejay longevity of Bill Kelly. It did have Scott Blackwell for a while, but that was for a short period of time only. This is a good comparison though.

How about danceing on the big a** speaker!And how about Roopaul.One big shemale

Did you know that RuPaul actually was a high school basketball star? She always had a thing for BALLS!! She loved to play with them. As for that big speaker you were talking about, it was actually a regular horn and bass bin, but was exaggerated for the purpose of letting people dance on it.

I didn't get better...Backstreet was the place to be!!!! Viola Wills and Hazell Dean...And who could forget Belle Kincaid! Does anyone remember Belle Kincaid's Dynasty routine? Crystal after a few lines...Claudia in a state of depression and of course Steven. I still laugh about it 23 years later. I loved Belle...the world became a little more somber when she left us.

I did Backstreet a handfull of times when visiting from NYC. It was a great place really loved the set up, had that whole "southern belle/Charleston" look and,I thought, was attitude-free. I didn't catch any fights either, but I wasn't there often. When did it close? Any idea what's there now? The matches say: 200 W Broward Blvd. Peace.

Frank, it's not closed!! The place remains a club, just not the famous BACKSTREET. I think there is a live house band, and dining. No more DISCO!

Thanks for the update, Vynil... next time I'm in FLL I'll definitely stop in. Gather its not gay anymore...not without disco! Ciao

That's right, but there are plenty of Gay Clubs near-by!!

Hey Ya'll have many many fond memories of backstreets and the Copa.. hey does anyone remember "patty cakes" and "kelly anderson".... I wish I knew what became of them..and a bartender at the copa..he worked the upper bar..his name was joel..

They did an amazing job remodeling the old Backstreets,it is now an events venue,not really a club,they host concert events there more then anything.

See for yourselves.

http://www.jointherevolution.net/catering/index.htmlt

Hey 305, thanks for the pic. Wow what a difference!! Though I still prefer the old backstreets, I mean it had a pool and jacuzzi and a riding bull!! FYI all, I know this is off topic but there is a 10yr renunion party at what used to be Amnesia on South Beach on July 16th with DJ David Knapp. I doubt its a foam party but it would be great if it where.

I am going to say that Backstreet IS the best club ever. As a Hot Mixer for Hot 105 and performer for Will to Power, no place comes close to the fun and audience response that I got there.

The first place I brought the Acetate of Dreamin' was to Backstreet. Bob Miro put it on and the crowd was already singing to the second chorus.

We played every club in NY and although there were some nice ones like Paladium and 1018, nothing came close to the "Energy" that was felt in Backstreet. It had the warmth and familiar feeling of a local bar yet it was huge, the DJs were fantastic and there were so many sections you never got bored. NY is mostly hype.

Bob Miro was like a "Big Brother" to all the male and female patrons. He was never stuck up and he read that crowd like a book.

Will to Power did a show there while it was Chili Peppers but went by a different name on Sundays which was a Gay crowd. I forgot the name, Thunder or something.

As always we did an early and a late show. The Police busted the club between the 1st and 2nd show for serving minors and when we returned for the second show, they were closing.

We had to get our equipment. I tried to go in through the pool entrance and a bouncer stopped me and would not let me in. I told him I was with Will to Power and he told me to "leave the property now!"

He called the manager on his walkie talkie and gave me dirty looks for 10 minutes until the manager got out there. He told the manager "This dude is claiming he is supposedly in Will to Power". The manager confirmed I was and everything turned out ok except we did not get paid for a second show.

Hey Rigo (305Disco)! Why don't you put together a "Backstreet Reunion"? That would be hot except don't host in at 94th Aero Squadron.

A Backstreet reunion party would be awesome!!! but not at 94th aero squadron, it would have to be at revolution of course. A freestyle event would work. Many freestyle artists tour extensively (i.e. lime, debbie deb, etc) though not per se backstreet music but pre-freestyle was starting to play at backstreet just prior closing, correct?

OMG I can't beleive there are others still talking about Backstreets. That was the greatest club ever.Hey Bob I saw you there plenty of times.I found this site because some friends and I are looking for any info on a song we remember from Backstreets.The lyrics I remember are "take,take take, a bite". I would like to go to a reunion.

I loooove that song used to hear it all the time at Nepenthe!!!!

i was just going through a old box of mine and found flyers promoting backstreet! i have alot with so many cool artists like debbie deb and lime! and more! wheres belle kincaid, that drag queen who did dynasty!? this was our studio 54! it was the time of my life~!!!! we need to bring it back!

Bille Kincaid. I remember her. She also use to entertain at the Copa. I heard she passed away many years ago. I think the artist for "Take a Bite" is Marlena Shaw. That was a good tune.

Hey Beni,thanks for the response. I don't think it's Marlena Shaw,I checked her out on Amazon and she seems purely R&B.I did an artist search on Limewire and no "Take A Bite".I don't know if that's even the real name of the song.I'm still hoping someone can come uop with something.

Well it's time for me to jump in !!! Just to set the record straight the song I played is called "Take a Bite" by an artist named Eve Electro, Belle Kincaid passed years ago.

Thanks BOB,I did find somebody on google selling the record.
Can't find the cd though.If someone has the song on cd for sale please contact me at jfm19@netzero.net .

Thanks Again!!!!





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That's it!!! I need a Backstreet CD so I can download into my ipod.

Nepenthe was also a great place. The Nepenthe Special, by far the coolest drink I've ever had.

OMG life goes on.. wot an amazing memory, Backstreets.

The incredible Bob Miro. The acts sunday nights! pocahontas) the pool. belle Goodness...great great times. life is good

This thread brought me many great memrories. I worked the back bar behing the stairs from opening night till June of 1984.

It was a great place to work and party! I live in Arizona now, but would love to hear from people I knew back in the day.

wayneroot@cox.net

Oh I remember Backstreets very well, what a great club. Bob Miro was a fantastic d.j. and played all the best dance music. He used to come into my music store "Fast Trax" from time to time.

What a great flashback... thanks to all who posted earlier. Reliving the early 80's, and yes Bob Miro best spinner - bar none! I dj'd parties and every dollar I made was spent according to Bob's play list. I would try to write down names of songs or phrases on napkins and then go back down to Hialeah and buy the vinyl from the record store at the Palm Springs shopping center next to Richard's and Woolworth...taking you back huh? I remember the Puerto Rican Princess "...pa ya aire de lluvia..." and the bar tender on the first floor north bar (think he was pictured above), who would offer 'his newest concoction'. HUGE Lemon the bouncer. Best times, I can remember... Recently went to a show near there and remember the train tracks! Heard of the fights, and yes the bouncers had no problem "helping" a$$holes outside. I MISS BACKSTREET.
BOB MIRO, happy to read you're still around. Are you still spinning?

Christ I miss this place, Was the best ever club. The music, Bobby O, TAPPS, Lime and more. I used to drive up from Miami beach with the boys then with my gorlfriend who became my wife. I will never forget the music, the energy and the good times. Was really a well sorted mixed crowd. I used to love to ride the bull on the left. I would tip the guy a buck, most times I stayed on the wholes time. Would draw a crowd of guys, man, white shoes, blue pants, polo shirts, wish I could go back in time. 81 to 84. Will never forget.

I was a "mojona" back then all of 16 and my boyfriend Bernie was 18. He would get in first, get stamped with the invisible ink and then come back out to the parking lot. I'd lick the back of my hand press it together with his..and in we'd go until 5 a.m. The excitment of driving all the way up from Miami and the possibility of not getting in...I can still feel the high! Now I'm a Mom of a 16-yr old and her curfew is 11:00 PM. How times of changed!
Marilyn

I miss Backstreets. Wow, reading all of these posts is a great trip back in time for me. I loved watching Belle Kincaid do Dynasty. I loved the music and the amazing energy in the place. I feel so lucky to have been there for it.

Interesting place.I had a few gay friends that were into the party scene(not gay)Went from '83-'85.Lee & Chi at the door.Although into dance music,not into disco per se.But it was the first place I heard Blue Monday (NO) when it was f-ing new!!Saw Ron Woods there,steve martin,sylvester,Burt Reynolds etc. noone bothered them and they mingled.I went for the latin babes (anglo) and did very well.Hi suzy&Vivi!!Lots of hot latinas.Most of the music wasn't my taste,But the women were top notch.didn't see many fights then.went couple x's '87 and yes more fights.By that time my tastes changed to Fire & Ice,more my style,and music taste.My gay friends started to call it Backstraights.heh heh.Did see sisters of mercy and ministry there in 2006.Ah the eighties legal XTC good times,good times

Oh, one other thing.About the last time I went to BS.Likely early 1987.I was burning a J in my car parked s. w. of the club across the street.And I see either a security guard or cop chasing a guy.And the guy turns around and pops off several shots.The cop falls down,then realizes he ain't hit.gets up and keeps looking for the shooter.Who ducks behind the hedge and changes clothes.And later when a bunch of cops arrive.He's blended in with the spectators,watching the cops.After that I saw many more shootings in south Fl.What a show heh heh never went back.

Amazing memories. I just had an 80's party last night and was trying to remember the name of this club that I frequented back then. The carousel was so memorable..I actually thought the club was called "Carousel". Backstreet...yes...that was the coolest club ever! At my young and tender age (16 or so...fake i.d....it was a simpler time) it was really my first :-)

We were all about the music and the DANCE, DANCE, DANCE. Yea, Rupaul. My first drag :-)

I remember Backstreets circa 1983-84. The club had a very mixed crowd, but was tipping from gay to straight. There were problems arising from the fact that the straight people were sometimes very belligerent to the gay clientele. By the time 1985 rolled around, the makeup of the club was about 75% straight to 25% gay. Most gay people stopped coming and it wasn't long before the it closed. Things were different back then. The generation coming up now seems to be alot more open minded about sexual orientation, race, etc. Times change and people change, but our generation paved the way.

I can't believe I found this thread about Backstreets! Absolutely the best club EVER! I remember every artist and every song mentioned above. Whatever happened to wonderful music like that? I spent many, many nights at Backstreets dancing for hours on end on top of the huge speakers1 No wonder I was so skinny back then. I actually met my husband there (didn't last though, imagine that). I haven't lived in So. Florida for a long time. Miss it. Reading this made me feel like I'm old and boring now : (

BACKSTREET...amazing! Much to the annoyance of the core gay crowd that made the place-BACKSTREET became a de-facto melting pot of cultures.Miro had this thing where about 2a.m.-after everyone was sufficiently liquored up-he would shout into the mic:"WELCOME TO BACKSTREET! YOU ARE NOW STANDING INSIDE THE WORLDS LARGEST GAAAAAY BAAAAAR!!!" This would be met by loud cheering...and a few looks of shock & surprise by newbies.He would usually then drop the needle on LIME:BABE WE'RE GONNA LOVE TONITE...or MIQUEL BROWN:SO MANY MEN...SO LITTLE TIME.
Michael Loebs was Bob's light man & VJ.His favorite line when he knew he & Bob had the crowd by the soul was :"YEAH!...YO' MAMA!!!" You would see lots of trends at that club that paved the way for the acceptance of gay culture.You don't see it so much these days...because gay culture is no longer a "sub-culture".It is a MAINSTREAM ELEMENT of life in large cities.That being said-those trends were:

* Straight women would go to gay clubs to get away from the crush of horndog straight men.Those men would then of course follow them to the club.This is also how South Beach blew up.

* "Curious" men would go with their girls in "kill two birds with one stone" mode.

* Latin men "ON THE DOWN LOW" would come up from Dade County to satisfy that element of their double life.You could always pick them out in the crowd.They were the belligerent macho acting ones who had to punch the power bottom they were later going to make out with.Had to let him know who was boss. ;^D

* Gay men of all colors & backgrounds would come from the four corners of the Earth to be who they really were.

I remember the owners being an affluent married couple...Ken & Betsy Cameron.I think both were attorneys.Ken could drink like a fish.Betsy was a Hillary Clintonish power babe.I remember the "Gay Dude Ranch" murals in the area where the mechanical bull was.Also the mall like area with the pool & hot tub out back.Mostly I just remember Scotty Blackwell and Bob Miro rippin' it up night after night.Thanx guys.

Wow Backstreet sounds like a great club! What's available in FLL now that plays 70's and 80's music? We have a large crowd of fun partiers that are looking for a club we could frequent and party to the classic sounds!

Please provide us with options!

First Gay club experience. Used to go with Chai early enough to get in before they checked ID. Belle Kincaid, the music, the shows, the pool. Even worked there for a short time and sold memberships. Very straight latin crowd on Saturdays and gay Sundays. Still good friends with Chai who worked the door. I forwarded him this site.

I so agree w/ Jules comment about now feeling old (w/ a boring life now)! Oh the bliss of being young, carefree at backstreets at 4am !!
Listening to 'circus disco' cd here on a Sat. night at home hearing 'babe were going love tonight'.... closing my eyes, recalling the place, and very much wishing that it was a sat. night exactly 22 years ago! Imagine 1986 again...

Oh well. This site is wonderful to recall all the splended parts of the disco. Apparently circus disco in LA was playing many of same songs that were spun at bst. There is a cd 'circus disco 25 anniver.' to get the bst. sound. Remember Mandolay song?

Anymore photos on this site would be FAB!

After discovering Ft. Lauderdale's gay life in the early 80's and constantly vacationing here I stumbled across the Backstreets. I've never seen a club like this (and really haven't to this day). It was enough to help me decide where I wanted to move to (couldn't stand the New England winters anymore and wanted to eventually live in a warm gay place).

Unfortunately by the time I moved here, the club was gone. However I've watched a series of clubs come and go in this location. Since the mid 90's there have been occassional gay parties at the venue but nothing that matched the greatness of Backstreets. In the mid 90's they had a Sunday gay night in part of the complex but that didn't catch on. I believe they essentially reconfigured the large dance floor into 2 parts and made 2 clubs out of it.

A few years ago a local promoter had a wondeful White Party event Labor Day weekend. They opened up almost all of the clubs where the former Backstreets was. It was the closest experience I've had in this venue to match the good old days. At least 3 clubs plus the outside area (now a club on its own) were open for business and the place was packed!

The promoter has had some subsequent paties (even trying a gay Friday night party called Berlin held in one of the clubs -Revolution) but it didn't catch on. I believe that parking and mixing with the Hip Hop crowd in downtown Ft. Lauderdale didn't encourage many gay people to attend especially the ones old enough to remember Backstreets.

The South Florida nightlife (SOBE and Ft. Lauderdale) is currently horrible as all the big gay clubs are gone. I long for the days of the mega club events to come back but in this economy I won't hold my breath.

Thanks for posting the picture of the Flirts, I remember coming down there with them, My ex - GF is on the left, The red hed Holly It was like an almost surprise semiengagment weekend for us! We never did get marrie3d but had a great time! Had a lot of Fun! I still have by Studio 54 at Backstreets t"shirts.
Any chance of getting a copy of the poster? I was basacally there manager at the time.

thanks
Bruce G former GM Of the Underground

Man I loved this Nightclub back in 83-85. Spent many a Sat night there. Thanks for the memories. Will have to see if I can find my membership card.

I am speechless....this place changed my life...every time I pass the building I get chills....

It is amazing seeing how many people felt like I did.

I remember seeing Laura Branigan, Hazel Dean, Donna Summer, Claudja Barry, Sylvester, Uptown, Gloria Gaynor, Expose, Sequel (remember them?), Lime, and so many more..... These posts fill me with emotions... It is so sad to see how pathetic So. Fla has become... wow...

bob and bob

kelly's brother chuckie hope everything is well would love to chat miss the music all the time never missed a wed, fri, or sat at backstreets for years
chuckie

I loved this place! The DJ played my favorite song at closing all the time "Electric Dreams". Very good memories, sometimes I wish I could go back :(. Will find my pictures and upload them soon.

Wow, reading all of this is so much fun. I was a bartender there for years, even lived with Barclay and Bob and Maria Miro. Backstreet was owned by Frank Cashman and a man named Henry Vara from Boston. Ken and Betsy Cameron didn't own even a brick in the place! Angelo the door man/bouncer passed away last November at 85. We were close friends, I miss him. It would be a blast to have a Backstreet reunion, but who would actually be there?

does anyone remember john upstairs bartender serving green lizards.

Rick, were you the bartender that worked the upstairs outside bar? If so, you were my favorite bartender. My friends Michael, Jamie and me used to sit and talk to you all the time.

@RICK:

So what was the Camerons' role at the Backstreet?
Owner front?...upper mgmt? Club ownership is a murky
undertaking.They were just the ones I saw walking the place & pointing fingers.

Good Memories of Backstreet, friday nights.
The DJ always played a song which I have not been able to find (Take, Take, Take a bite) can anyone help me find it.

Eve Electro - Take A Bite

Found it on youtube.

OMG!!!! This was the best club ever. All my friends hung out there every weekend. After the Copa in Ft.L kind of faded out, this was the place to be on Friday and Saturday night. I loved dancing on the speakers. The people there were great. Even when it was so packed you could hardly move and you could get buzzed off the smell of poppers in the air, the place was incredible. I'll have to dig through some boxes of old pics and post a few.

Wow! All this 80's talk got me hungry to chime in. 87-91 was the thrill for me. I was a bouncer at The Candy Store for 2 years then onto City Limits for 3 more as the front door guy there Dave Frasier was the owner of Limits back then & Bobby Van was the owner of the CS back in the day and he was a really good guy to me. I lived in the hotel connected to the CS and had a different girl in the room every night. I thought life couldn't get any better as a young guy. JOEYGHOST would like to know your real identity??? I hung out with some DJ's from the CS. Little Ali was my boy and Ray who had a brother that DJ'd for Power 96. Good people! I miss guys like Big Bob, Johnny Hot Dog, Manny, Tommy(The Hit Man) Shook, Dancin Sam, Andy, Dominic(Cracked Engine), Mook, the list is endless! Listen, I will never forget the females I met and hung with at THE CANDY STORE and CITY LIMITS. I even married one from The Candy Store. What a friggin mistake that was! Shes long gone now but I'm living back in Ft.Lauderdale with a girl 20 years younger than me. Now that's the s***!I know I'm off topic a little but just wanted to share. Much love for all the Ft.Lauderdale cops I met along the way(Dave Lewis, Scott and Ira Israel and so on) and my cousin(Jeff Marano) who is still a Hollywood cop nd all my friends from City Limits and the great Hollywood Officers I met there in my stay. Mikey Saffrin, Kevin Companion, The Two Archies, Greg Saladino,Jeff May, the list of friends and officers is endless at both these World Famous Establishments. I love all you guys and gals. I hope you are all doing well. Look me up sometime as I am now a Corrections Officer for our Sunshine State! God bless you all!
yanksfan69@rocketmail.com
Rob(ROSIE)

Hey I forgot a real important friend. Steve Innerfeld. He was the MC of all the wet t-shirt contest and bikini contest back when I bounced at THE CANDY STORE. Mind you I always had the pleasure of working all those contest with him. Man If I could write a book I'd be worth friggin millions today. The s*** we did in the dressing room before the wet t-shirt contest with the girls was off the hook!I know I missed so many names of friends but you all know who you are and that the Rose-Man always kept you safe and had your back! Just want to shout out to the females also.........I loved every bone in your bodies! ESPECIALLY MINE!!!

JOEYGHOST.........You most definitely partied at CITY LIMITS after we closed up at THE CANDY STORE @ 2am LIMITS was open until 4am Copa until 5am Button South until 6am then back into town at ITB's or
B & W's(Paulie & Daniel) until whenever........You could drink 24 hours a day back then. What a freak show on the beach at 10am all hung over!

I actually went to BackStreets a couple of times. Anyone remember club MIRAGE out west on University and Studio 51 on Oakland Park. How bout CONFETTI on Commercial or Casey's Nickelodeon in Hallendale or how bout KOZ's on Federal, Summers, and the infamous MARLIN BEACH HOTEL next to THE CANDY STORE. When I worked the door at the CS I would send all the drunk idiots in there for a room(gay hotel)samething at CITY LIMITS if you were an A-HOLE I sent you to THE COPA. Thanks for letting me ramble.......Stay safe and god bless!

SIDENOTE;
Nothing at all against gays.........It was just fun to play back then. I hung out at THE COPA sometimes after work at CITY LIMITS. This one time though I was making out with this female bartender we just hired at LIMITS inside THE COPA and this gay bouncer comes up to me and taps me on the shoulder and says how would you like it if I came into your club and was making out with my BF? I said you'd probably get beat up but knock yourself out! Again in closing "NOT A GAY BASHER" Peace.........

rob

you did not get backstreets if you only went there a couple of times. All those other places where OK at best compared to backstreets.

Chuck.........I'm sure it was a good club but with my schedule I never had much time. City Limits and the Candy Store were no mere bag of shells either though!

Hey Scotty Blackwell. It's me Mike Mayberry. Doing good. I see Bob Miro around town (Wilton Manors & Ft Lau.) every now and then and always say hi. Always thought about how you and your family were doing and would see your name every now and then in the music business. For the uninformed, I opened Backstreet, Ft. Lauderdale as primary DJ with Michael Tompkins as alternate. (The DJ from Backstreet, Atlanta came down for the opening as well). We were a smash hit from day one. Bob Miro came in a few months later from San Francisco and we then shared the busy nights. I got canned after winning David Magazine's DJ of the Year award for 1981 or 1982?. Bob and Scotty were super talented. Scotty was (and is) the most flawless mixer of music I ever heard. Scotty and I used to see each other in NYC after he moved up there. I remember a night at Backstreet, Ft Lau. where Scotty (still single) had a hot date that he climbed up to the roof DJ booth to be with and I proceeded to play every disco love song I could think of while he was "in flagrante", we laughed for days on that one. I remember Lime, my Disconet re-mix of the Weather Girls "It's Raining Men" with the Gene Kelly "I'm Sing In The Rain" slow intro, the Viola Wills test pressing of "If You Could Read My Mind" (they recalled the test pressing and I refused to return it because Backstreet loved it!) and a Donna Summer's unreleased track of "Don't Cry For Me Argentina" (Gergio Moroder produced) that nobody else had. I remember Backstreet getting Laura Brannigan in So. Florida first and a reunion gig with Sylvester and The Weather Girls (Two Tons of Fun). Backstreet's gay customers (it got straight as time went by) were loyal, loud, ready for new tracks and the best freestyle dancers I ever had the pleasure to entertain. Great reading the comments about the club that was certainly the highlight of my career as a DJ. You can search for me on facebook and as me to be your friend and would be happy to do that.

Hi...we did the soundsystem for Backstreets...the original owner was Henry Vera from Boston.
I also did the Copa system with Jerry Cameron..now doing sound for the Angels...which had a much smaller dance floor & lower ceiling height.
My favorite component was the EAW BH880's we laid on the dancefloor...some big mofo bass cabinets, with EAW BH215's in the air.
Bob & Mike were really good at taking care of the system...tho i do remember the call i got asking how we did the special effect one New Years where smoke & flames came out of the upper speakers....the JBL K145's had caught fire !!

Hey, Mike Harris, thanks for the GOOD sound at Backstreet. Opening night we had lots of glitches but then it smoothed out incredible. The light system was rushed and never achieved what it should have evolved into. The expolsive (gun powder) bags we hung from the cieling used to scare the f*** out of people. It was a good way to have people spill thier drinks as they jerked on the explosion and then go to the bar for a fresh cocktail. My light man Michael from San Francisco loved to make an extra large explosive bag to explode on a peak song and laughed his a** off as the explosion created a paniced reaction. Hey we got our yuks were we could.

I was from the Backstreet Atlanta house. I was only there for 4-5 months, (1982) when I could go there, during assignment from Baltimore to Warner Robbins, GA. I had never been out of my state, and never been into my own city before I was sent down there. Boys on base took me to Backstreet and it blew my mind. I returned the next year, needing a fix of Backstreet. Then I went off to discover lots of other clubs, around the US and Europe. I got back to Atlanta, to Warner Robbins in 1989 and went back and it had lost it's familiar feeling. I was so disappointed. Like all of us, whoever created the environment at Backstreets was genius!

I can shut my eyes and remember just about everything from my days at Backstreet.

Still being in high school and completely under age, I relied on my older brother to get me in every weekend. I can remember the good times with The Patrick Cowley Singers, Sylvester, The Weather Girls, Laura Branigan, The Flirts, Viola Wills, Mary Wilson, Claudja Barry and many many more.

Actually, I remember kissing a boy in the balcony when Donna Summer's unreleased version of 'Don't Cry for Me Argentina' came across the speakers. I was there! Oh the things you remember.

I also remember visiting Belle Kincaid in the hospital after the 'famous' drop from the ceiling, and we laughed for hours over that. Who couldn't love Belle and her 'champagne' cocktails served out back on the patio from the bartender, Albert on Sunday evenings.

But without a doubt, when you heard the beginning's of ABBA'a 'Visitor' back in '82, everyone ran for the dance floor, including myself.

That was fun, that was another time.

Thank you.

Wow. How fun to come across this site!! I went to Backstreets almost every weekend it seems in 84' & 85' mostly and some afterwards..So sad i couldn't make it to the final party in 88' (?). When i was 14 & 15 years old!! Catholic School girls during the day.. I remember we would save up our lunch money and stuff maybe 5 or 6 girls into a taxi since we weren't old enough to drive and were sneaking out or 'spending the nights' at a friends house. We were straight, but i had tons of gay guy friends and model (straight and gay) friends who went every weekend as well.
We had a membership card we would share. Whoever went in first would drop it back down to one from one of the upstairs balconies. Or we would do the lick the back of your hand and press against your friends hand. One of the policeman would actually get me in sometimes. He would warn us when they were going to raid the place. And i specifically remember him getting me in free on my 15th birthday. He'd tell me stories of vacations he took with his wife in their motorhome and was really nice. (Sounds terrible now, i realize).
I remember Frankie.. he was friends with the older sister of one of my classmates so i would get right up in front when he stripped and get to take of those boxing wraps. And Belle Kincaid called me Paloma Picasso due to my chin length dark brown bob i had back then. Over the microphone "Paloma Darling!!". We actually bought poppers for the head rush. Having no idea of their other uses.
And the drinks.. (remember we weren't driving & would usually share them) frozen orgasms, long island iced teas, kamakizes.
We also used to go to Miami for 1235, The Kitchen, Warsaw Ballroom...
I no longer live in Fort Lauderdale, but there still has never been a club like Backstreets. I went to the one in Atlanta in the early 90's but it couldn't compare!

If you partied there in the beginning of the 80s, how the whole cocaine boom affected you? I mean cocaine cowboys, all the killings, availablity of this stuff...parents let you out during those years at all?:)
It would be meganice if you can spare your photos from this era. I'm junkie for that era:)

Thanks!

I met my wife in Backstreets. From the first time that I went to Backstreets, I knew there was no better club. I remember Lemon with his trademark hats, Bob playing the best music. I also remember the crazy Gringos Chuck and Kelly who were just the nicest people you could ever meet. My friends and I crashed at their apartment a few times. Does anyone remember a song with the Power drill? I have been trying to get it.

Thanks,

Rich

rich



Whats up those where the fun days. hope everything is well did you here about kelly she passed away . she was living in nyc she ate some bad food and got ecoli. this was 2003 .

chuck

Chuck,

Sorry to hear about your sister. We need to catch up, You can e- mail me at gtirichard@att.net

Hi
Well Backstreet was the best night club in south Florida
I have to say that I’ve worked at backstreet in 1985 at the front door
The music was the best
I was only 18 years, am pretty shore there were many other clubs but to me this was the best

HI... by far the best night club by then. Sure before the South Beach develloping, and even till now if you asked me, THE FIRST TO MIX MUSIC; FUN; POOLSIDE; 3 MUSIC GROUPS AT A TIME IN DIFFERENT AREAS (indoor & outdoors); RADIO STATIONS LIVE; JAMMED PACK AND LINES TWO BLOCKS FULL; YOU DEFINITELY HAD TO HAVE YOUR CARD TO ASSURE YOUR ENTRANCE; LADIES NIGHT ON WEDNESDAYS; UNCOMPARABLE. Does anyone remember the famous "GREEN LIZARD SHOTS"?
BEST PARTYING TIMES OF MY LIVE. REMEMBER DANCING ON THE SPEAKERS SURROUNDED AND JAMMING AT ALL TIMES.
GREETINGS AND BEST WISHES FOR ALL THAT CROWD.
JORGE - PERU