DiscoMusic.com

The ultimate Disco!
It was magical!

What a magical place! I LOVED it at the Saint. Every Saturday night was like a party!!!!!!!!! The best ever or since!!!!!

Actually, the closing date was in 1988--the spring, I believe. I can find the exact date somewhere; I remember an article in THE ADVOCATE about it.

I got to go once, on Oct 22, 1983, and will never forget it!

Yes Francois you are correct the Saint closed in 1988 and reopened, briefly, in 1989 and it was not the same. It was the best place on earth! Bruce spared no expense. In fact, several friends and I reminiced over the Winter Party last weekend. I wonder if anyone who goes to Saint-at-Large parties even know that the Saint was a club in the 1980's!?

The Saint was fun, fun, fun.

Bernie,

Actually the Saint was at 2nd Avenue and 6th Street across from a Church.

Thanks for the info. Please read my interview with Robbie Leslie as he said the Saint closed in 1986. Will have to look into that.

The first time I went to the Saint was in 1982 with three other Aussie guys! I could not belive the electric atmosphere in that place. And the moment when we were all dancing and the crowd started moving to a area, around a stage and it was Linda Clifford live! That blew us away!

Bernie,

I just looked at my Closing Party T-Shirt and the Saint closed May 1988. It did re-open in 1989 for a few months, but the dome was gone and it was not quite the same. The Saint was such a wonderful place that I will not go to a Saint-at-Large party.

Discodevil,

The Saint was the best disco in NYC during the 80's. I was at that party with Linda Clifford. It was a very electric place with all good, fun loving people!

I was stationed in Australia in the 70's.

I love it when you hear of people being at the same place or venue as themself in Disco History! Does anyone know of some of the names who performed at the Saint?

Discodevil,

There wer so many over the eight years, but here are some of the people: Laura Branigan, Viola Wills, Thelma Houston, Grace Jones, Betty Buckley, Natalie Cole, Celi Bee, Linda Clifford, Paul Parker, Martha Wash, Debbie Jacobs, Nona Hendrix, George Hearn, Liliane Montivecchi, Jeff Stryker, Kelly Marie, Madelane Kane, Seventh Avenue, Sam Harris. That is just the tip of the iceberg, but all I can remember right now. These are people who performed at the Saint not the the Saint At Large parties. The invitation to the Saint parties were great! They were poster size and could be framed in fact I had the grand opening party poster framed for a friend of mine as a gift.

Bernie,

I just re-read your interview with Robbie and I do not see where he says the Saint closed in 1986. Here what he says in youe interview:

"Robbie was well versed and able to play in such an environment with ease and stayed with the Saint until late 1986.


A night of dancing at New York's Saint (1980's)
Thirty Something In November of 1986 Robbie Leslie celebrated his 30th birthday and with that came the stark realization that things had to change. As he puts it, "There was no where to go, but down and that was really troubling me". "

He left the Saint in 1986, but the Saint stayed open until 1988 when it finally closed. Leaving a void in the NYC nightlife for gays.

Can anyone remind me of the layout of the Saint in detail! I just remember the dome ceiling. Well at least I think it was a dome.

Apparently it was seldom photographed for any publications. I have two magazines that have some extroidinary pictures of the clubs atmosphere/achitecture. It's was in After Dark and one of the porn mags like Blueboy or something. I also have a membership kit which has many impressive pictures as well. I feel lucky to have them... I will scan them someday and post them.

eventidenyc,

I have the same press kit too. There is a website that is selling the kit for $50.00. I have a few pictures of the Saint too. Too bad taking cameras to clubs was not the thing to do back in the 80's!

Blaine

Blaine,
Can you imagine with todays digital infusion. It would have such icon status. ( I thought they should have left it for a gay history museum or a rescue mission ) The pictures are great, of all the disco/clubs I've been to or worked at the saint was the only one that left me without words to describe. It was so ahead of time and trends.
The legacy that is the saint today does not have an atmosphere that you feel as though you are not part of a time or space.
eventidenyc

eventidenyc,

I know what you mean! It would be so amazing with today's technology! It was amazing anyway, but WOW! I spent MANY nights and days at The Saint. I wish I had a chance to buy a place of it when they had the sale after it closed! A friend of mine has a brick from The Saint. But I have my memories which are priceless.

Blaine

MGS,

I have visited the site and it is great! I was a member from 1982 to the closing year. I had the best times at The Saint!
I used to live in Philly..

Blaine

Yup, the Saint was a once-in-a-lifetime experience. But let's get real; don't you think its membership policies and the sheer cost of membership reeked of class-discrimination; this a mere ten years after gays had fought the battle just a few blocks away at the Stonewall, thus beginning their struggle AGAINST discrimination. Moreover, a somewhat unscientific but logical thought would be that there is a conspicuous absence of Saint memorabilia because those who would today be in possession thereof are no longer with us. They're the ones who'd trot over to St. Mark's place to the bathhouse early in the morning when things wound down at the Saint. Need I say more? Of course, at that time, they didn't know what was happening to them, so I re-assure you I'm not laying blame on a single soul. So many, many of my friends from that era are not around any more. I cry for them often; when I hear a song, visit the city and pass by an apartment house or a restaurant. Enough of that. The Saint was a one-of-a-kind and I defy anyone to copy Bill Nachman's ingenuity. He was, with others, involved in the start-up of venerable Japanese restaurant Nobu and, I believe, was involved in it and other ventures until his death.

JudyDoggie,

I have MANY friends to AIDS was well.

I was a member of the Saint from 1982 to 1988 when it closed. I loved the Saint! But let us be real, it cost Bruce Mailman a FORTUNE to change the Filmore East to what became the Saint. It cost him, on average, $10,000.00 a night just to turn on the lights. In the beginning years they changed the interior over the summer when they were closed. The Saint was the THE place for the "A LIST" queens of NYC. Let me say I was not one of them, I lived in Washington, DC at the time. I got a membership though a friend. Now I will also say that the farther you live from NYC your membership was cheaper. I do not know what it cost in NYC, but DC was about $150.00 which in 1980's money was a fair bit. But I wanted to pay it, because it was like family when I went to the Saint. I did not mind the entrance fee. If you went on Sunday for movie night it was free to go in. It was a magical place and I am glad I was there for it..nothing these days compares.

You have to remeber it was NYC in the early 80's and people in NYC are will pay to be a member of a club, because they feel it makes the place exclusive. Even our friends who have died paid the price to get into The Saint. And yes many of them did go to the St Marks baths, but not all of us did. I wold say that their policy, in the early years, regarding women members or guests was a bit discriminatory. But Bruce had built the place for gay men it was our heaven on earth.

I HAVE TO AGREE WITH BLAINE'S COMMENTS FROM UP ABOVE. THE SAINT COST A FORTUNE TO PUT TOGETHER AND TO RUN. I KNOW AS I WAS I/2 OF THE TEAM(GREABAR PRODUCTIONS) THAT INSTALLED THE SOUND SYSTEM . THE CLUB WAS UNPARALLED FOR SO MANY YEARS FOR ITS INNOVATIVENESS AND SPECIAL PARTIES THAT IT HELD. THE WHOLE CONCEPT FROM THE DOWNSTAIRS BARS AND AREAS TO RELAX, TO THE DANCE FLOOR AND THE INCREDIBLE SKY DOME, TO THE BALCONY(WHERE ONE COULD BE ALONE-SO TO SPEAK), MADE THIS PLACE WORTH EVERY PENNY THAT ONE PAID TO GET IN. AFTER ITS INITIAL OPENING THERE WAS A WAITING LIST MILES LONG , AS SO MANY PEOPLE WANTED TO GET IN. AS FOR THOSE THAT STATE THAT SOME OF THOSE WHO WENT THERE, WENT TO THE BATHS AFTERWARDS, I'M SORRY FOR THAT IS A LAME EXCUSE. YOU HAD FIRE ISLAND, , THE BACKROOM BARS,THE WESTSIDE RAMBLES(CPW), BOOKSTORES, ALL WHICH CONTRIBUTED TO US LOSING OUR GREAT FRIENDS. THE SAINT AND ITS MEMORIES WILL LAST FOREVER. WHOEVER KNOWS WHAT THE SITE IS TO GET SOME MEMORABILIA FROM THE SAINT OR ANY OF THE OTHER PLACES FROM THAT ERA, PLEASE LET ME KNOW.
BARRY

Barry,

Thanks! The Saint was the best place on earth! The sound system was amazing! I NEVER left the Saint with a headache from it as I do know when I leave Roxy or Twilo. Where is the dome? Barry is right, in those days if you wanted to find sex all you had to do was look and it was there. I must say that it seems to be that way now too. All the years I went to Saint I never saw sex on the dance floor, but go to Roxy and you can find 2 queens doing it right next to the DJ's booth or in the middle of the dance. I think rampiated sex is more available these days then it was in the Saint!

I still have a couple t-shirts and my locker tags. I had the first opening poster, but I have it mounted and gave to a friend, Steven Skipton from NYC, who LOVED that Saint. He is a diehard Saint queen!

I think it would be great if the Saint had a reunion party for those of us who were actual members. I always wonder how many people who go to Sain-at-large parties even know what the Saint was? But then there were queens who went to the Saint who most likely did not know what Flamingo was..I know I have just dated myself!

The Saint lives on in our hearts!

Blaine

HI EVERYBODY.I USED TO BE A MEMBER OF THE SAINT FROM THE BEGINING.I HAD A WONDERFUL TIME.I AM FROM MEXICO,BUT I LIVED IN NEW YORK AT THE TIME,NOW I LIVE IN PUERTO RICO.

When I was in NYC in the early 80's my pals took me out to The Saint, and from the arrival and mobscene it was paradise, pushing through the heavy bronze doors, paying fifty bucks (!) to get in with members as a guest, stepping over pornstar-like shirtless hotties, sliding through up to balcony where ANYTHING GOES, getting pawed and fawned over for my surfboy looks, dancing with poppers and queens and clones, oh my! Always had fun in NYC, from Underground to Studio to Area to Limelight to Xenon to Roxy to The Eagle to Bonds to Private Eyes to Mudd Club to Milk bar to Pyramid to Club A to Nell's to well, it was a blast! -Roy Rogers

Actual address: 105 Second Ave., between 6&7 Streets. The lobby of the theatre/club is now a bank. The main part of the club was demolished in the early 90's, and yuppy apartments were built in its place. Sad...

I was maybe 19 y.o. when I went to The Saint. I just find out that it was a member ship club, maybe I was cute enough to no have a problem in getting in the saint, Cause never had a problem getting in Studio 54 or Xenon,like everybody mention now, at that time nobody asked me for ID either. it was about the vibe or the look or who knows what was in those doorman's head. the thing is that I got adventage of it and went to all those places, Fortunately for me it was all about dancing and the world of lights more than sex.
I used to come to NY city many times a year, sometimes even for the weekend from south america where original I am from,
I went to the saint thinking about a new club that a friend told me about and said that I was on the guest list, but I though that was just to get in, that he sign me.
First surprise: when i got there on line was when i read the capacity of people that the primises could hold, I though that it was a typo too many zeros after a number , how big was this place?
Second surprise: the price to get inside The saint, oh my God it was more expensive than Studio 54 but Studio was Studio, how good can this place be for that money?
when I got in, I saw a big space and I said all that money for this? but when I start to walk around and see the rest of the club and when I saw those lights efects and that huge white dome and the bigest bathroom in a club ever seen and the coat cheking room and all the bla bla bla I can say about The saint and that nobody will beleive unless they were there, then I just wanted to go back to the door and pay more money cause it was just too much, And from there on, it was surprise after surprise for me, by then I didnt apretiate The Saint cause everytime I used to come to NY city there was something new better than the last,and I though that next time there will be something better than this club, but what i didnt know .was that AIDS was on its way and that soon everything will stop, no more clubs, no more bath clubs,no more fun, and of course, no more clubs better than THE SAINT.

To Staying Alive and the rest of those who've endured some of my P.C. drivel -- I recently had a conversation with someone who had the privilege of attending the Trocadero reunion in L.A. -- people flew in from all over the world.
All I need say is that, whatever the price of admission (sure, they beat 54 except for some very chi-chi parties), the few of us who've survived and were privileged to experience The Saint should truly, indeed, cherish the memory. And if we talk about it enough to our friends, especially those who're younger than we are, perhaps another great creative mind will come up with an experience just as spectacular.

I WENT TO THE SAINT ONLY ONCE, A BASEBALL PLAYER(WILL NOT MENTION NAME)TOOK ME THERE FOR MY BIRTHDAY. THE PLACE WAS AWESOME. I REMEMBER THE SONG LIFT-OFF FROM PATRICK COWLEY WHEN THIS TOWER OF LIGHTS FROM THE CENTER OF THE DANCE FLOOR CAME INTO VIEW, I WAS MESMERIZE. I REMEMBER A BLACK FEMALE DJ-ING THAT NIGHT. IT WAS A GREAT NIGHT, I CAN SAY THAT I WAS THERE.

I was 20 years old when I got the job as a lighting operator at The Saint in 1980. I worked the first Sunday night and then contnued on for the next 6 and a half years. Looking back, it was one of the great experiences of my lifetime. There was no other place like it for a lightman to "shine"and showcase his/her talents. I feel proud to have been a key player in that important period in clubland.
Unfortunately most of the Saint's lighting operators are gone now.

It was the creme de la creme of gay clubs.
Ask just about anyone who was there.

I enjoyed reading the comments on the Saint. It was special. I was not a member but you could meet guys going in and ask them to let you be their guests for the purpose of getting in. Most would agree. Living the burbs, I was familiar with a lot of gay New York but not this kind of club. I had never been to Flamingo or Studio then. I had been to Filmore East when it was a rock club though. The size of it all, the spacious of it was wonderful. It was much classier than any gay place I had been to. The main dance area was wonderful with the globe and lights. I liked the strobes particularly when everything changed speed. I think it must have gotten warm since I remember taking off my shirt. A lot of guys were shirtless. I was in my early thirties and looked late twenties and hot. Once I went with my boyfriend from Westchester. He was really wowed. We met a guy from Argentina. It was great. Another time I met a sort of arty guy who took me home to his 23rd St. apartment. He had a third guy show up. He had a fantastic collection of postcards that he had made and had mailed around the world in a sort of conceptual art of some kind. I mean the people were interesting. A lot of them looked liked the kind of clones that I would not like to meet though. However, many were hot. I met a guy in leather who I picked up and twirled around holding his arms and having his legs suspended about a couple feet off the ground as I spun in a circle. He was turned on. It was an original move that I regularly did leveraging my body-building strength. He took me to an East Village house where he had a Doberman. Ultimately he was too much of a pig (or he thought I was too little of a pig) and took off for the Mineshaft. Yeah, the Mineshaft. Other guys suggested that thinks ended up at the Saint. Well, there were worse, much worse, places to end up. However, I always left with a guy that I met or brought. I think the guys who regularly ended up at the St. Mark’s baths must have not clicked since I found that a lot of people were cruising. I play Abba’s the Visitors and think back to dancing to it at the Saint. That was the song that was my Saint. The sound system really did that one wonderfully. It is impossible for me to duplicate it on my system. I remember the tables off the entrance/coatcheck hall with drinks and cookies and such. The front room was very cruisey and I got picked up there. The balcony had about 20 rows and several aisles. It was a big area. People were getting sucked and other people were smoking weed. However, I found it sort of disappointing. It was not a great orgy like the baths or Mineshaft or Anvil at least when I was there. Sort of boring compared to the dance floor.

Ahhhhh the Saint. A once in a life time experience. I became a member after being tired of having to call another member every week to go in as a GUEST. Best money I ever spent. Someone should find the author of that website and put that great stuff back on line. Even had design documents of the space. Anyone know what happened to it ?

I walked into the Saint straight and walked out gay.

Today is the 25th anniversary of the opening of the Saint. I'm gonna put on some Cerrone and Voyage and dance to remember...

I wasn't aware of the 25th anniversary. Thanks...
I'll play some Two Tons o' Fun and Talk Talk and
join you in a sentimental spin.

I will never forget seeing Swing Out Sister there New Year's Eve (1997)performing "Breakout". The Place was amazing, and god rest Richard Sabala one of the lighting geniuses.

It is nice to see Richard Tucker recently posting here. I remember your fabulous light shows very well, Richard, and Robbie's sets all to well! The freakish light effect where you would rotate the star machine so its base no longer stayed parallel with the floor and made you feel like the floor was sinking at an angle was SO f****** AMAZING. It was my favorite effect.

I DJ in Seattle and Portland at the ripe young age of 47 and play a Teadance at The Cuff on Sunday's in Seattle. All of our wonderful, lovely club disco classics (right down to Hot Butterfly) never die. In fact, they live each Sunday for a new generation (and of course us old farts) to revel in an enjoy again and again when I spin at 70's Tea! Richard, I wish you could be there to do the lights even though they are nothing like we know from then. Robbie's music inspired me in my youth. So did Jim's.

Recently I played the Walter Gibbons remix of the Magic Bird of Fire and pumped the floor with that little tidbit. Boy we had some great music then. Robbie and the late Burgess (RIP) we're and still are my most favorite DJ's EVER. They could make me cry on the dancefloor. I remember Jim playing "neither one of us" / GLADYS) as his last song at the infamous closing party. Talk about tears flowing. Well I could write forever, but gotta stop. Think about this- I live the music of The Saint (and 12West!) each and every Sunday. It never died for me and people are still turned on by it today.
With love- DJ Peter

The Saint didn't close in 1986, it closed around 1988-89. I know because I worked as a DJ on Friday nights and occasional private weeknight parties.

It was an honor to have worked in such a beautiful club even though I wasn’t considered one of there top DJ's it was still and honor.
The lighting was mesmerizing and the sound systems was one of the best I've ever worked with at that time. I cried when they closed down, I even have a small piece of the doom and plenty of pictures.
Thank you for letting me share, I will always remember the Saint.

Eddie

the saint sucked because it wasnt enough diversity.I went there once in the early eighties,it was about people being promiscuses not at all about real music.I find it ironic that the majority of the records being played there were by black women but you rarely saw blacks there as someone stated it was for nyc upper class queens and you didnt see women there which is a total contradiction.As bad as the funhouse and danceteria and studio 54 were i had more fun at those venues than at the saint.Bruce Maiman cheapened the experience by allowing people to have sex there that in itself devestated the white gay community.lets get real and mentin that.

Lucius makes a point. For all the strides made on the civil rights front by gays, there was still plenty of racism and other elitism by the gays of wealth and privilege who were members of the Saint -- the "Pines crowd" if you will. I don't remember seeing a black face in the Pines in summer (unless they were household help).

About the sex... nobody there *knew* about AIDS until shortly before the Saint's closing. I recall one "Saint Queen" wearing his "gay cancer" as a badge of inner-circle status (pretty awful, ain't it). A small proportion of the Saint's customers couldn't wait until later -- so they did just what was going on at Studio 54 and elsewhere at the time; they acted out sexually.

I take exception with the criticism of the music. There has yet to be a spectacle and entertainment concept which equals the "no expense too large" policy that the Saint had.

Paul Lewis

being a musician myself i was somehow turned off by the saints music.It represented the cheesier side of disco.I come from a real musical place that incorporates live instruments and real singers.That kind of disco was computerized and rarely had real singers except the weather girls and sylvester and donna summer.As afr as blacks they had there own kind of disco it was more slow and soulful.People always say disco brought people together but i gues in our own little way we segregated ourselves.By the mid eighties i was turned off by the saint by its tacky music and paradise garage got to commercial so a friend took me to a club which many say is the prototype for nightclubbing as we know it. It was called the loft and david mancuso was the dj.That experience changed my life never did i see a place of such diversity

Hi,
It is very interesting to read the last few comments on the club. For those true Saint fans, this is Barry 1/2 of the company that installed the sound system for the club (as well as 12 West, Les Mouches, Trocodero in S.F. and Probe in L.A.). I mention this only to let you know that I was privy to many of the inner workings of the club. To begin with, there were many people in attendance there (as well as the Pines) that were of color. To insinuate otherwise is simply not true. The comments regarding the "black" music being played is utter nonsense. As a former DJ and friends with all the DJ's that played there, I never knew any DJ that marked their records accordig to the color of the artists. The Dj only knew from beats per minute. I agree that Bruce could have been more diligent in watching the balcony, but there is a limit of being everywhere all the time. Also if the members attending the Saint didn't do it there, they would find another place. Besides, even the great Studio 54 had its problems. And as one other person responded earlier, we are writing this in hinesight.
In short, I think of the Saint as one of the best achievements in sound, lights, music and design. It is a club that was way ahead of its time and if it could be opened today, it would still be as exciting as it was 20 years ago.Take care.
DJBJ

I totally disaagree with the last comment of there being many different persons of color at the saint.You may have seen a couple of blacks and puerto ricans there but it was in no way a culturally diverse dance floor. those men of color that were there are what we refer to in the black community as snow queenswho were primarily into white men.Not saying anything is wrong with that we like who we like but it is what is.Again i never meant to make it seem as though the djs at the saint didnt play black music ,it was just in my opinion really bad black music.If you look at the play list of black and white clubs in the seventies you would find that there were alot of similarities.I distincly remember hearing give me love by cerrone and got to have lovin at many white and black clubs.Get on the funk train was a big hit in the black and latin discos.That record was recorded by munich machine in munich for god sakes. The point in the early to mid eighties music changed.The djs at the saint played a very paticular kind of music that was geared towards the white crowd.Where as at the garage and the loft you never knew what you would here.you might here i.o.u by freeze or something by talk talk i can even remember hearing love is a battle field by pat benatar at the garage a very rock white record in a black club. These things were played next to stuff by chaka khan. In closing i dont think the saint was as great as stated previously maybe it had a decent sound system,which by the way no clubs sound system has ever or will ever match david mancuso system at the loft.The saint succeded in segregating blacks and whites even more,Bruce mailman with his roof top balcony or whatever it was devestated the gay community,someone earlier mentioned studio,people were having sex at studio but definetly not as much as the saint.The saint also left a legacy of really bad dance whose influence can be heard in progreesive house techno and all other top 40 dance music playlists(think barbiegirlby aqua).But what would i know i have only been clubbing since 1973.

Lucious,
I couldn't disagree with you more. However since this is not a forum, let me limit my comments to the Saint. As to the "lack of black patrons" of the club, the Saint did not have an agenda. Whoever applied , more than likely got in. As for Paradise, it was first a basiclly white club. However their opening party bombed and suffered greatly for 2 years. In that time its membership changed into a more mixed crowd.
As for sound I agree that the Loft had a dynamic sound system. However it was first in his living room and was in a small space. It was loud and piecing, but worked well with the spiked drinks that were served.When David moved, the space was much bigger and the accompanying sound system was great. You cannot compare the Saint and Loft as they were entirely 2 different clubs.
The Saint had a sweeter and full range sound. and the space was 10 times larger than the original loft. I go back earlier than you, so what would I know.
As for the music played, that is up to the individual club owners/djs. At a place like the Saint, there were many of the top djs playing there. However at the Loft or Paradise you had only Larry and David(the latter who was not a good dj) and he admits it. However I have no complaints for I enjoyed all of the places.
We all wish every place we go party at could be more of a blend. Sometimes it happens, sometimes not.
However part of the blame, goes to the black community. Why did Better Days turn out all black. I went there and had a ball, but other"white" people might have had a problem with that. As for the Saint, I never differentiate re: men of color. Black is Black as the old song goes. However you seem to have a problem with this -not me or all the patrons of so many clubs of that era. But how should I know as you so nicely put it, I was only a disco pioneer and was color blind.
DJBJ

Barry, thank you for your comments. Lucius, thank you for yours as well. I just wanted to say that I appreciated the sound at Garage, although I preferred the sound system at 12West and The Saint even better as they really were more well balanced sound systems. 12West was a jewel with its pristine mid's and highs. The Saint expounded on that as Graebar was brilliant in all of their executions. I really need to say that even though I am white, I loved dancing with everyone at any venue, blacks, whites, et al. And their really was no bad black music at The Saint or 12West. I remember Burgess mixing Faith Hop & Charity's 'Don't Pity Me' with Stevie Wonder's 'That Girl' and if that ain't the epitome of fine black disco and flawless mixing, God help us all. Let me close here with saying that all of the clubs back then had their own special merits. How nice that we even had the musical option to choose where we wanted to go for a either a gutsier heavier serving of white or a gutsy heavier serving of black flavored sound. I mean, even Gibbon at Galaxy21 was amazing with black music, and he was white. "We all need love, I swear it's true. All God's chidren, me and you." ...remember that one! -Peace. DJ Peter

Barry i hope you dont think im being racial because im not my child is half white.Everyone please dont ask me about my child the late seventies were a very confusing time i thought i was attracted to women at that point lol.It just irked me that people were saying how great the saint was when it seperated people even more.You mentioned better days also,i agree with you that better days was a very black street gay club but again it wasnt mixed enough for me either.I like to think of a dancefoor as the world in in my perfect world all nations shall come together in the name of love and music.But barry you have to remember that better days was created out of necessity.Black gay kids coulnt go the the pines or twelve west or the flamingo or studio 54 we basically had know where to go.The loft was so underground you had to know somebody to get in which is disco snobbery but it worked somehow. The garage was there but suppose you didnt want to go to the garage.You white guys had choices we didnt even though disco was first embraced by us latino and gay men. You mentioned the loft and its acid yes there were drugs there but didnt every club back then have drugs or some sort of heddonistic pleasure like the saint with its rampant sex.You alo mentioned davids sound system ,yes it was in his living room and sound does travel differently in small quarters but when you did the loft and heard the song it was like the musicians were right there thats how good it sounded. Barry i would like to refer you to a film called maestro by josell ramos.It is the best account of the beginning of dance music and clubs that we have.IT has very rare footage.People i didnt even know about were in it like francis grasso who many say was the first real dj.It is an excellent film.Barry im not being prejudice i just wish the saint could have been more of a melting pot.And just to let you guys know that i dont hate all eurodisco and high energy to of my favorite songs of all time are dont u want my love by debbie jacobs it has a great lryic and romeo and juliet by alec constadinos a master piece i could go on and on as i am a true lover of music .I have to go know im going to disco classics night at the monster ,keep in touch with me everyone i will be on here ready to talk about music,peace and love lucius

Interesting last few comments. Lucius is correct it was an elite white club but so what the garage was kind of an elite black club. Its a fact, blacks do have fewer options and that is not right but to lable it racist is going a bit far. Its like the new york athletic club it was all white men and NO WOMEN. Everyone swam nude in the pool until one women bitched and went to court needless to say it destroyed the place and its never been the same. Maestro by josell ramos was awful. I am happy it was made and did buy it. But it did seem more focused on the camera angle and lighting type things then the story. Come on you have Steve D'aquisito and Francis Grasso sitting in front of you and those were the questions he asked ? Geez, what a waste. To demonstrate my point Josell Ramos during his commentary states, "we left Steve off camera for the first 50% of those interviews on purpose" Who the hell cares that he was off camera, you have two of the greatest legends of the time in front of you and you have one off camera and that during your commentary is what you rememver. This only furhter proves my point that the film maker did not really give a damn about the subject content he was more interested in the lighting and camera angles.

The music at the Saint was not Black, I have over 2000 12 inch from that era and the music was FANTASTIC at the Saint. In fact Shaun Buchanan was fantastic. Remember Sleeping Lions sound of my heart. At his last party we all cried when he mixed Remember Me followed by NO Regrets there was not a dry eye in the place.

Concerning the Sex, it was happening on fire island in the bushes, and on the third floor at the Saint but to blame Bruce is so silly. For gods sake he owned a bath house and if you did not like sex then dont have it. But at that time we were all free and loving it. After years of repression and being told NO it was great to have lived in that era. We did not know about Aids so trying to ascribe blame is just dumb.

One last note, it was Amazing to see Richard Tucker post here.

I heard the saint cost 5 million dollars to build which according to just National GDP figures would be worth 19 million dollars today. Someone said it cost 10 but I beleive the real figure was around 5.

Glad to have the memories and despite what lucius thinks, it was a fantastic and wonderful place. I beleice that Lucius is just upset about the fact that it was predominately white and upper class. For some reason that seems to really piss him off. But hey everyone is entitled to their opinion

James,
Thank you for your comments and compliments.I am definitely proud of the Saint and 12 West. We were lucky to have been at the right place at the right time.The sound was wonderful as was the atmosphere of both clubs. The djs were nothing short of great. And I agree with you, in that it was good to see Richard Tucker's post on the Saint.
What we have to remember is - that was a time when our lives were so much different.
No one knew the where Aids was coming from and we continued to have dance-filled nights of pleasure.
It was only 5 years later that we realized what was going on. The racial question will always be around but I feel we are getting much better in dealing with it. The music as I said was color blind. The djs just played what they liked.
So I hope we can put this to rest and just remember the good times the Saint provided us and hope that its' memories won't fade and hope that the clubs of today continue in the same vein.
Thanks
DJBJ a.k.a Barry
Feel free to contact me!!!

i remember walking by the Fillmore East after the Saint closed and taking (Chipping, Chopping coercing) a block from the corner and bringing it back to my apt as a memento. but it smelled not too good. neither did the EV in that day, but thispiece was particularly repellant. i had to put it on my fire escape and there it stayed for 10 years on the LES. when i got brave i'd touch it for luck. an to remember the love. yay!

Back in the day, you know, boys and girls, we didnt drink ALCOHOL. we lived for the music, the scene, the memory of forgetting... and we napped from 9pm til at least 4am to get a fresh start to our beautiful day!

I still look at the pictures given to me that were taken shortly before closing night, and I still listen to the tapes I have aquired from a few parties.
I remember Joel,Kenny,Warren and of course,Richard whose work I can still see in my head when I hear certain music. I count myself lucky to have experienced it.

I first went to the saint in 1981.
Every saturday nite all of us would meet at Corky's apt on west 10th...buy poppers on Christopher and walk to the club. We wouldn't get ther until about 12:30 or 1am. ..only to emerge outside at about 7:30 the next morning covered in sweat and a pounding headache from the poppers. AMAZING! I will never foregt the saint or the great guys I met there. BEST and it will never be duplicated. 54 and Xenon never even came close

I consider myself fortunate to have experienced and been a member of The Saint. (One of the best perks for members was the private locker room upstairs where you could refresh your self (and your drugs) and change into something more confortable!) A group of us lived in Boston at the time and we would make regular trips to New York to go to the Saint, usually for a special party, or to hear a particular DJ, usually Robbie Leslie. We all would book rooms at Colonial House, a brownstone guest house which was owned by Mel Cheren, of West End Records (and Paradise Garage fame). Mel was a great host to us and treated us like gold. I never did experience the Garage, but have heard eyewitness reports from my current lover, who was a regular there. Each of us has fond memories of our experiences.

I felt that the Saint was the most amazing club in terms of design. Every detail was thought out and actually inplemented, cost no object. I heard that the dance floor was actually mounted on a spring or suspension system to absorb shock and be more comfortable for extended dancing. The sound and lighting technology of the dome itself made the experience absolutely mind blowing. I am very much an audiophile, and am experienced with the finest high fidelity reproduction and the sound engineering was ideal - balanced with extended highs and deep but controlled bass, with a midrange to die for. Never was it fatiguing of agressive. Vocals had a presence very much like a live performance. At various points on the dance floor, a vocal in a particular mix seemed as if it were whispering in your ear. I remember one night, I believe it was Robbie playing, where at about 7AM the music reached a climax and the dome went dark signalling the end of a set. As we stood there applauding for several minutes a section of the famous Moody Blues LP "Days of Future Passed" started playing, the part where Justin Hayward recites a poem with an orchestral backdrop as a prelude to "Nights In White Satin". If you'll indulge me:

Cold hearted orb that rules the night.
Removes the color from our sight.
Red is gray and yellow white.
But we decide which is right.
And which is an illusion?

At that point the star projector was in place and the entire some was a star field at which point:

Pinprick holes in a colorless sky
Let insipid figures of light pass by.
The mighty light of ten thousand suns
Challenges infinity and is soon gone.
Nighttime, to some a brief interlude.
To others the fear of solitude.
Brave helios wake up your steeds
Bring the warmth the countryside needs

at this point the orchestral music swells up as if splendid sunlight were all of a sudden streaming in. The dome started to glow as if it were dawn, and the "morning music" started. It was a stunning transition, all the more effective when you were just getting off on ecstacy (the real stuff). The X at that time was almost theraputic in that it released you from barriers, insecurities and judgement, so that the feeling of friendship and sharing was greatly enhanced.

I'll share more memories later - look for me at about 2 o'clock (the DJ booth is 12 o'clock) on the dance floor!

Hi all:

About 1 or 2 years ago, I posted here looking for the promo poster advertising the Saint's Closing Party. My best friend is pictured on the poster (wearing a cowboy hat), and I'm still trying to find / buy the poster for him as a gift. He's now in his mid-late 40s.

Any ideas on where I might find this poster ?? Thanks for any tip out there.

Greg

My locker number was 802. I was a member from 1980-1988. Richie Tucker, you sweatheart, a true 12 Wester you are. Geez I guess I had all the black friends at The Saint...hmmmm. and that back room, oh well, was the times. The music was steller, the sound system the best. Studio 54 was an animal of a different color. I knwo cause cause I was the fan dancer at them all. The Saint was light years ahead of its time. And yes, no woman allowed except for maybe 10 exceptions. But take note, no drags queens were allowed in the club either except on Halloween. No smoking or drinking on the dance floor. All those rules and 5000 guys seemed to abied by them every saturday and sunday night. The sound ssytem and lighting show was the best in the world. True it was all wonderbread...But how did I have so many black and latino friends from there????? I even had woman friends. The Dj's were all great, Roy, Alan, Shaun, Robbie, Micheal, Warren, Jim, Howard, Chuck...all artist and the lights, Richie, Mark all gifted in so many ways. It was a magical place. Be careful what you say about it folks...lots of angels up there lookin down......hee hee..."I'll be standing right here waitin on your return"

Magical!

Teddy

Ps: I have no pictures , just picture memories that will last a lifetime. A fandancers dream palace. Coming from 12 West to The Saint was like being a shooting star!!!!

I'm turning 50 in November of 2006. To this day nothing evokes such wonderful memories or a smile like thoughts and remembrances of the Saint .

can someone post a long list of saint classics, including morning music favorites!
thanks
M A R L O N

As wonderful as Flamingo was (it was like a private club where you knew everyone) the Saint was on a completely different level. I remember opening night-most people (including me) had no idea of the technology in the place-until Abba's "The Visitors" came on and the light machine swooped down toward the floor like a space ship about to land...the place exploded!

Wow,I worked at both the Saint Marks and The Saint for many years. I was wondering if any of the other employees, especially of the St Marks are still around?????

DJing in New Hope Pa (prelude) A bunch of us would close the bar at 2am and head to the Saint. Arriving by 3:15 and stay till ? Such inspriation!!!! Every time I hear a song with Sun,Sky,Stars,Heaven,Moon It puts me in the middle of the Dome....I still have the Last Party shirt,postcards and booklet that they were giving out, and the Last Party Poster....Framed.
DJ Jim Whitman

when i think about the hours i spent wearing down the wood on that dance floor it makes me smile...

to karen, james, eleanor, frank, german, jimmy, jean, sandy, sal, fabio & even u claudia stinky face... i miss the laughs we shared, the men & women we cruised, the dance we danced - mm, fun, fun...

i have some original posters from the saint: one is the signature movie poster size and one is from one of their classic halloween parties. Anyone interested in some memorabilia?

YES I AM INTERESTED
SEND INFO TO MY EMAIL ADDRRESS
BARRY

hi barry--
for some reason my login has ghotten screwed up and i can't respond to your post. email me at: gogoaway@sbcglobal.net

Hey there Tim21 - I too am interested in possibly acquiring a poster. Please email me if possible:

jeff@jeffkinman.com

Thank you!

I remember...I close my eyes and I am still there.When I hear a song and goose bumps hit me....The hights we all flew ...My Tambourine and I grew up hitting the scene at 16. My friends and I walking the strip on the west side from 12West down to the c*** ring and fire island when the grove was wall to wall.Then at 20 I was having fun, so I thought. UNTIL the SAINT !! It Owned Me..it would lift me up....then higher and higher swirl me around and place me gently on the floor.It truely was a lover of the mind and soul.The energy levels reached between us all. I remember standing on the edge many times watching the entire sea of sweaty bodies moving as one like the pulse of a machine,we were the engine the music the fuel and the lights the path ....I lost a great lover when the doors closed, I still need that itch scratched. I look and look but nothing since. You always remember your best lover, and to me The Saint was mine.

I went to the saint at large parties and knew of the The Saint but was too young to have gone (I am 33 as of last week). But, my first White Party weekend in Miami (13 yrs ago - DAMN!) I was lucky enought to meet Susan Morabito at the pool. And between her Michael and Buc got a good lesson on the origins of the dance. It is a shame that there isn't the same feeling of tribal community that there was when I first went. I miss that. It felt like you were dancing for a great reason as one huge community.

Oh yes......the Saint. i have many fond memories of the place. Does anybody remember Ethel Mary? The vive was so great and the music just took you to anothe world.
My favorite night was the night Laura Branigan perforemed Shatterd Glass. Me and a friend flew in from toronto just for that night and flew out again the next day. That's how much of a draw tha place was.
Was not too fond however of the White Parties. I was in my black phase then and showed up with a female friend, both of us in black. Needless to say if looks could kill. We both appreciated the guys however in the bridal gowns!!

I have the original poster-sized invitation for Laura Branigan's performance, mentioned above (plus TONS more). Does anyone know if this memorabilia would be worth anything to a collector?

HI,
YES,
IT MIGHT BE. I HAVE SEVERAL FRIENDS INCLUDING MYSELF THAT WOULD HAVE AN INTEREST.
I WAS PART OF THE COMPANY THAT INSTALLED THE WONDERFUL SOUND SYSTEM
PLEASE CONTACT ME AT BARRY254@MSN.COM AND LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU HAVE
THANKS
BARRY

I just found all the sites that deal with the Disco years in NYC. I don’t know what took me so long since I often think back to those days as the very best days of my life. I was in my 20 and 30’s during the 70’s and 80’s. Considered very good looking and hung with the A’s. That was me then and now I’m 61 and fading. I often wonder what happened to the survivors from that era. The guys that I danced next to at Flamingo, Studio 54, Sandpiper, Ice Palace, The Saint and anywhere else that we would congregate to have a wonderful Saturday evening of dancing. Because of my job my partner and I are now living in Philadelphia. Therefore we don’t get to out to the clubs nor do we have the ambition to venture out much. I’m wondering if there is a forum where the dinosaurs gather to talk about the 70’s and 80’s in NYC. My direct email is: newyorkmann@yahoo.com Thanks Michael LaBue

How great to hear from fellow Saint-travellers! Guess it's all been said, except for personal stuff. It really was a world unto itself...and weren't we all so HOT! (I was in my 20's + 30's back then, too!) It's where I had great times and grew up and learned about people. Still wondering though: what was with those qualludes? Insane when you think about it, just put you to sleep. The music's never been beat, no crowd's been hotter, and the whole tribal feel has never and can never be duplicated. The "era" and the "time" are unique and just can't be brought back. The world is different now -- especially for gay people -- and it'll never be the same. Someone may come close to the feel of The Saint, but it'll never be duplicated. It just can't be. It was great to be there and be a part of it. "Trippin' On The Moon" and -- believe it or not -- Abba's "Save All Your Love For Me" bring back those times. (I kissed this babe I thought was a drag queen one Halloween, just fooling around, turned out to be Grace Jones...she was gracious dealing with a clueless stoned boy...) God, remember the black parties with the muscle numbers chained to the support stantions up near the ceiling? The tattooed muscle-number bent over a motorcycle behind the bar on the main floor, his equally hot partner working in a fist? Man the memories do come flooding back, dont they? My lover Ernie Don (gone 6/95) had a membership, and I could always find the b****** in the balcony! Miss him, miss The Saint, miss you guys...

I was a dream come true getting to go to the Saint in 1982. Being 1 of the thousands of club DJs working outside the big cities to get some tme off to go to the greatest dance club that will ever be was amazing. I still go to the basement and turn on the lights, throw some vinyl on the 1200s(over 25 yrs old and still running like new)and think of all the good times I had during the 70's and 80's; Roller skateing with Robbie Leslie in Columbus, OH after a Rudely Elegant party, playing guest spots at Hunt & Chase in Indy. I think of all the men that used to dance with me, next to me and because of me and wish they had not had to leave us to go to dance at the great disco over he rainbow. I miss them and the Saint

I still have the orignal saint poster and the invitation (and my locker tag). The invite was the blue print of the saint dome with the hydrolics lifing the center lighting system. The other part had the floor plans of the entire building.

Each month Bruce had a theme party where people would fly in from Europe or the west coast. Back then NYC was the gay party capital of the world.

The land of Make Believe with blow up dolls/characters was so cool. Once Flamingo closed, the Saint adopted the white and black parties. The first white party, I bought for all my friends armbands with white orchards. Joel Teilbaum (the general manager) and Bruce saw it and the following year, they lined the walls and ceiling in the main lounge with fish netting and filled all the netting with white orchards which arm bands. There were so many orchards you could not see the ceiling nor the walls.

Bruce and his partner Steve, must have spent a small fortune for flowers each week,,,, not only were the flowers top notice, but each invitation for each party was unique. (i.e. for one black party everybody got leather Tonto mask).

As a Charter member I along with my friends had lockers. So many "private parties" would take place in that locker area.

I also have to agree with Blane. I was a charter member and lived in NYC. Charter's paid $125 a year, but we only paid $10 on a saturday, special event parties were $20 and once you walked in the door (and if you had a locker) you paid for nothing (unless you wanted booze). Draft beer, coffee, soda, juice, fruit, modified breakfast was free.

It was also free the Sunday of Gay pride.

As far as the membership policy (you needed either two members in good standing or one charter member to get a membership). If you or a guest was found to be nasty and creating any fights, you not only were asked to leave but you lost your membership (if a guest was involved in an altercation, the member bringing him would also lose his membership).

Many so called eqalitariun clubs had to install metal detectors and had histories of stabbings and fights. The saint never had one problem nor was the police ever called in (no undercover cops either). Nobody was ever busted for drugs either, just because of the strick membership policy. If the saint didn't have such policies, it might have gone the way of the club called the Avalon (the disco that was once a church on 21 and 6 avenue). Places like that were haunted with not only fights, but murders. Again, the saint didn't have one, not one such incident.

Like I had said earlier,,, Bruce spared no expense when it came to decorations for parties (especially flowers), Bruce wanted you to feel like you were walking into a super safe upscale party environment (one friend called it an amusement park for gay men).

I shutter to think if anybody was allowed in, the saint would not lasted more than a year. You also forget the building itself cost 6 million dollars and then another 6 million for fitting it with lighting and sound system.

Someone asked about the layout of the saint. Ground floor was the main lounge with two bars, one in the center and one at the end near the locker rooms (there was also coffee and danish there as well as other drinks and fruit).

At the main entrance were two sides of coat rooms, with ultra modern electronic coat room. With two main stair cases leading to the upper level and the lounge outside the bathrooms. As you enter on either side were a spiral stair case also leading up to the bathroom lounge and it went further up to the balcony.

On the dance floor. On either side of the dj booth, were stairway leading down to the main lounge by the coffee bar (we us to call the structure the fort). Totally opposite the dj and light booth were two exits leading to the bathroom lounge (there were two bathrooms).

The ceiling of the dance floor was a speecial dome with a skin like consistancy which you can see through from the balcony. Above the hydralic light system in the middle of the dance floor was an astro/star projector and above that was a trap door (there was a room) where a mirrored ball would come down. Mark Ackerman originally designed and fan the lights. If Mark wanted me to come to the dj booth, we had a signal. he use to bring down the mirrored ball, and make the star projector stand verically almost touching the mirrored ball. Mark new I loved when he did that, and he use to tell me he did it to get my attention (at the time we were dating).

Along side the entrance was another entrance which led to the saint office and originally Mark Ackerman had his apartment there.

BTw one of my scariest moments at the saint, was one holloween, when Grace Jones was suppose to perform. Grace was several hours late. ON the dance floor, suddenly, this person with a black veil walked through the crowd with a flashlight under her chin. Her big nasty body guard, started shoving very twisted people out of her way. Many of which were hurt. Bruce was furious with Grace. That was the only time in the history of the Saint that anybody ever got violent or hurt.

When I read lucius johnson's commment's I can't help think, if you did't like the place, then it wasn't for you, plain and simple. But for those who did go, they loved it. Nobody twisted your arm to go. BTW if it was so racist, how did you get your butt in the door?

As far as the balcony and the sex going on, you forget when the saint opened, nobody even heard of HIV/AIDS. Everybody (even straights) were having open sex (look at Plato's retreat). Again, nobody twisted your arm to have sex!

BTW they were having sex at the Garage as well as other clubs (i.e. Crisco disco, underground, river club), so to blame Bruce is totally moronic. Sounds like someone has a bunch of rotten grapes souring their mouth!

As far as no latins or people of color, I guess you didn't look very hard, true the majority of the saint members were gay white males, but if someone recommended a black or hispanic guy, they were not turned away. I dated/tricked with many hispanic men from the Saint. I can remember one very tall Black guy who use to paint his head and be the most graceful dancer. I am sure if you asked him and his black friends, they would have told you they loved the Saint. You, on the other hand, didn't like the music, sound system, the place in general, then the Saint wasn't your "bag". So stop whinning already.

Again, if it was so discriminatory towards black men, HOW DID YOU GET IN? Obvously, you didn't have a problem in getting in now did you, unless you did a Micheal Jackson and bleached your skin white, I don't think so.

Any person that experienced the
Saint Discotheque in its heyday, must try to keep those memories alive. I was lucky to been brought there knowing I was about to enter what was going to be an experience. And was it. I remember every one telling me to keep my eye on the eye in the sky...the lights shining down. And when I was fading I was brought back up by the most amazing drug called Ecstasy. This drug is not I repeat not what is given out today. Such a shame the nasty crytal meth invaded the clubs. No one did that then unless totally necessary...Then it hit with cerrone and the dome filling with smoke and God thank you for letting me be their!!!

Hey all,
I just got back from the latest Saint-at-Large Black party and it just left me a little sad for the old times. I know they can't be reborn, but they are missed. I keep my locker tag from the final closing party on my key chain to remind me of all my friends dancing in heaven.
Does anyone know where I can find a copy of the poster for the closing party? I'm still kicking myself for not getting one that night.
BTW, my favorite memory is when Robbie played "When You Wish Upon a Star" into "Wrap Your Arms Around Me." Pure magic.

Pardon my lengthy discourse, but as a tutorial for those who never made it and as a fond reminisence for those who did, here is my take on the place, which I dearly called home from 82-88.

What strikes me about so many of the Saint experiences I hear is how they focus almost wholly on what happened on the dance floor, in the dome or under the mirror ball. Rarely is the journey that one had to take to that altar or the importance of that journey to the final experience explored in detail.
The Saint was no store-front disco. No pounding blast of music pelted your face as soon as you entered. There were no metal detectors, no pat downs or bag searches. Entering the Saint was a specific trip a worshiper took to the high altar in a hallowed cathedral. And, as with any holy place, you were only able to reach the altar after you had taken a pilgrimage.
You arrived at a set of nameless metal doors, stepping into a dark small antechamber with a tiny ticket window on the left. If a member, you presented your card. If a guest, you gave your name and the name of the member who put you on the list. You were then given a slip and told to enter through the next door.
Upon going through this second set of doors, the lobby opened up and you were at the bottom of a long wide marble hallway. The floor gradually rose towards two sets of double doors at the far end. A grand black marble ticket counter lined the left side. Dark mirrored panels and framed windows, featuring posters of the current or upcoming party, were on the right. Presenting your slip, you paid the entrance fee and received a receipt and a ticket. At each step you were greeted with a heartfelt, "Good evening."
As your ticket was taken and you crossed the lintel into 'the club' the strains of the music started to work their ways with you. It was luring you, the beat seduced up from within you, not driven down into you.
Coat check,on the right and left, (if you had not rented a locker for the season) was free; all you had to offer were your initials and tip. Receiving a plastic coat check tab with a number and "The Saint" imprinted on it, there was no paper to get destroyed in your sweat soaked jeans.
To the left and right of the coat check area were wide grand off-white marble staircases leading directly to the dance floor above you, if you just could not wait to get to the dance floor.
Between the coat check stalls, a dark gray carpeted channel led you to the lower bar area. As you approached the next set of stairs, you had to split left or right and descend to the seating area that surrounded the four-sided main bar. The descent down those stairs made for fabulous entrances at parties, especially Halloween. In the seating area you could chat, relax and hold intimate conversations without battling the sound of the music. Yet you could hear what was playing upstairs in case you were pulled into the beginning of a song (the rush of people tearing to the stairs when the vamp of "No Frills Love" started was especially memorable.)
At the rear of this level was the back bar, ensconced below the soaring remnants of the building's theatrical days with rigging and pipes that rose high above your head. It was back here that the coffee and cookies were routinely put out in the morning.
Open black metal stair cases led from this back area to a landing mid-air that gave you the ability to look out and over the bar area.
After leaving the first landing you walked up the stairs looking down upon the back bar to your right and the scrim that led upwards, ascending to the next level. You were now at the base of that dome. Rising before you, arcing perfectly into the dark recesses of the ceiling out of your eye sight, the Dome pulsed with light, sound and bodies.
At each step the music's volume slowly built as you neared. The perfection of the sound system unequalled. Perfect balance, perfect tone, perfect amount of bass and treble. You truly could not determine the source of the music, it was ethereal. The music now so associated with the Saint era reflects the design of that magnificent sound system. So many layers of instrumentation overlapping from grounding staccato beats to delicate bells and chimes, each subtle layer sounding its fullest.
At the base of the dome, before you, the entrance to the dance floor beckoned. Lights, music and men were streaming out of the entry way and all rushed past you. You were drawn in.
Now you proceeded to take the most important steps you would take. As you approached the entry way, you faced a small flight of stairs that would take you up to the dance floor. As you took each step, the level of the floor (and what was on and above it) slowly came into view. The side walls and the floor became eye level as you ascended. The room opened up before you, as you passed through this last portal. You finally could take a step onto the dance floor itself. Those magical last steps up to the floor were the final journey.
You had entered the chancel. The circle of the dance swirled around you. The beautifully smooth floor slid under your feet. (no smoking or drinking on the floor added to the sanctity of the space) You were now fully enveloped into the worship.
It was this layering of levels, doorways, hallways and staircases, creating the steady ascent towards the Dome, that heightened your understanding that this was a place to be revered. A place of beauty. A place of worship. A place that had to be found. And when you had finally reached forward and found it, you became a part of that space. You were a part of that spirit.
It was only by taking the long journey to the front of the cathedral that you were rewarded with the arrival of the mirror ball, spilling its shimmering rain of perfect light upon you. It was only by traversing those repetitions of gray and black halls and stairs that you were able to be amid the stars as they spun perfectly around you. After all those steps and turns, now there were no sharp angles to stop the infinity of the light. You had the ability to follow an individual speck of illumination from the mirror ball as it traveled from atop the ceiling, rounding the Dome in graceful circles, until it reached your hand, your face.
The journey of that speck of light reflected that journey you had taken to see it. The meeting of those two journeys was magic. You and the light, you and the music, you and the space were one.
Alas, with the change of the entrance to 6th street, to accommodate the liquor permit regulations when the club opened to the general public and therefore could not be directly across the street from a church, saw the diminishment of this pilgrimage to the upper room. (except on party nights - remember how nice it was to use the 'old' entrance on party nights?)
My lasting memories, however, of the prayers in that magic circle will forever be shaped by the steps of revelation that the journey to the altar showed me.

Well done Franklin F you know exactly what it was like and that is what it was like in the saint!!!

I remember going there with some friends from New Hope. PA. We were like these country mice and when we entered and some how could not see anything untill we reached the dance floor, I think we all froze in a combination of shock, euphoria and dis-belief. I never recovered.

I have a selection of reel to reel tapes that I can no longer play since my machine died some time ago. They are from the Saint,Flamingo 12 West etc. They were given to me by a friend before he passed on years ago from HIV.
The music from that era was the best with the most phenominal memories ever.

You guys, with your legendary stories...I'm so envious. I was 12 years old in 1980. I can only dream of a fantastic place to dance and be free and breathe in the love, lust, sweat, energy, beauty of the Saint. I've heard a few stories about the place from guys online who were there. I wish there was something like it today here in Chicago.

A bit of my story tho if you like: in 1979 when I was 11, my mom asked me what I wanted Santa to bring me for Christmas. I was adamant with my reply: " I want Donna Summer's 'Once Upon a Time' on 8-track "...To my mom's southern bible belted chagrin, Santa brought me that very 8-track. I can thank my older gay brother for my disco education. See? We all have a story.

"Once Upon a Time"...alot of us can use that opener for our "growing up gay" fable.

Long live the memories of the Saint for you that got to experience it.

I wish you all peace, love, and music!!!

i went to the saint once in '82 with 2 gay guy pals. I also have the poster to their closing event in 1988.
it was a wonderful space; like the planetarium, only better! would be great to hang out with gay guys from that disco era who love to dance and talk about these old clubs, but most of my guy pals from that time have died(aids/arc).

Question for those lucky enough to have experienced the Saint. When did the AIDS epidemic begin impacting the club. I know it opened to the public in Oct. 1985 but was wondering when people first noticed things were changing.

I noticed some guys who were regulars at both at The Saint and the St. Mark's Baths, started to disappear around Oct. 1981 (they were not at the Holloween party). It became really evident, and we were hearing more rumors about the gay disease at the end of 1982 beginning 1983!

One of my group went "in mass" to a meeting at a schol on the Eastside during the spring of 1983 (I went with my lover who made the comment "I will probably be one of the first"). He wasn't, that following Sept. 1983, at the re-opening, we both (my lover and myself) and my friend who was the Saint house artist (he designed the tshirts, posters & membership cards) noticed a lot of people who normally flew in from the west coast and from Europe at major Saint parties, were suddenly missing.

BTW summer of 1984, many guys who stopped dancing were seen at Jones Beach (east bay) who looked in great shape and health, but they told me they had GRID (the original name for AIDS), and they didn't expect to live another 6 months.

BTW opening of 1984, many regular saturday nights were almost bleak on various weekends. Only during monthly parties did the place look somewhat crowded (not as crowded as previous Monthly special parties).

I went to The Saint once I believe it was 83 or 84. I was on vacation from Virginia. I remember the place being surreal in its appointments. The dance floor phenomenal, the dome incredible. I had also gone to studio 54 a year or two before so some of the layout of the two I get confused when trying to remember. I do remember dancing shirtless on the packed dance floor and two guys who where completely naked started dancing with me. I am so glad that I got to live in a time when I was able to experience the Disco Era of the 80's. I am even more fortunate to have survived it unscathed.

Does anyone have a song list from the 1988 Last Party or the 2003 SAL White Party? I'm having a blast listening to the Last Party on the Saint at Large web site but don't know all the songs being played. And thanks for all the memories above! I'm getting psyched for Rites XXX this March. They should figure out how to fit a dome over the dance floor at Roseland.

It's wonderful to read these comments from some of you,you have brought me nothing but touching and emotional memories from the "Temple of Dance" as I used to refer to it...
to the person who posted and claims that the Saint was racist & discriminatory towards latins/blacks- you are dead wrong!!!why? because I was a member from 82-88 ( sponsored first by a regular member,then later paid & got my membership) and I'm a gay latino,it is true that the majority were of anglo-saxon background but there were several latin & black dancers in those days.
I 've been to 18 Black parties and I have to tell you that what they put together at Roseland these days is nothing but "a money making machine for those new Managers/owners" tickets selling for up to $140 just to experience heavy pounding music "driven into you.." young muscled up chelsea boys twisted out of their minds who never heard or experienced the term "morning music or little less "sleaze", guest defecating on the dance floor...etc,etc..should I say more! These days the saint at large does not charge a cover if you are under the age of 30!!! all others including us former charter members pay full price I believe it should be the other way around since we were the soul of the Saint- the Dancers.
To all of you Peace, Love & Health
"...Make That feeling come Again"
jorge

Jorge,,, actually the one who owns Saint at large is Bruce Mailman's straight partner, Steve. But I agree with you, all Steve cares about is the almighty buck, where as Bruce, cared about the membership and the music.

I remember on many a night me and my friends dancing with Bruce and when the music turned "sour", Bruce immediately went up to the dj booth.

I also agree with you, Steve and the management want the pumpted up younger set, after all they think those type of men will attract more guys, which equate into more big bucks.

Dear,
Fan dancer with bells..,thanks for your posting and for sharing your memories with Bruce, it's people like you that keep the memories and the Spirit of the Saint alive.
It's sad that I can only re-live the sounds of that era in my memory or the few tapes I still have ( can you believe that)
on late night I walked into Ty's bar and I heard some amazing music coming from the "reel to reel" player through the speakers..I asked the bartender who is the DJ..? he replied..Robbie Leslie-white party 1985!
I almost cried..

Jorge,

You can hear the saintly sounds now, on the saint at large radio. go to www.saintatlarge.com, click on the last party and click on the radio button at the bottom of the page, and up will come the 4 dj's who played that night, Michael Feirman, Warren Gluck, Jim Burgess and Robbie Leslie (btw Robbie still plays and he should be playing on a sunday on the queen of hearts, presented by Michael Fesco, the former owner of Flamingo.

An added bonus is Jr. Vasquez from another saint at large party night.

Hope you enjoy! I have been loving it.

Lee (btw you might recognize me I use to dance right in front of the dj booth using tank tops in place of my fans, which were stolen at the underground, years before. I always had a colorful hankerchief around my neck, and always chewing fruity double bubble yum gum, usually grape or watermelon, use to drive the queens who were tripping nuts.

Dear fan dancer...,
thanks for the info, you made my day...! they don't make music like that anymore.
I do attend the Queen of Hearts usually when Robbie plays at the end of their season in Sept.I loved it last year!! looking forward to Robbie next month.

I remember getting an invite for a Black Party event which was a Mapplethorpe photo of an African American male in a business suit and as you unfolded it you say the man's p**** which kept unfolding. Those invites always got better with each event.

"GAY ANGST WROTE"
I remember getting an invite for a Black Party event which was a Mapplethorpe photo of an African American male in a business suit and as you unfolded it you say the man's p**** which kept unfolding. Those invites always got better with each event>>

If you think the Saint At Large currently has better and better invites to their black party, you should have seen the invites to the REAL OLD SAINT.

Just for example of the invites that use to go out not only included poster that were real art work but such items as:

1) Real Leather Tonto mask as part of
your invite:

2) Army patches You could actually sew
on your clothes,
3) Armbands

These are only 3 of the many types of invites that use to be sent out to memebers. Besides the Black and White parties (where were originally started by Micheal Fesco of Flamingo and only taken on by the Saint when Flamingo closed it doors), but Holloween (I called the gay new years), New Years eve, plus each month had a Theme party. By those standards, today's Saint at Large Invites are cheep and cheesy

Also, when it came to gay pride, Sunday pride the Saint threw a Gay Pride party every year and it was FREE TO ALL PAYING MEMBERS (BOTH CHARTER AND REGULAR)

http://www.flickr.com/photos/timothyhartleysmith/sets/72157603013834938/

Dear Tim,
Thank you so much for the AMAZING photos/images of our "Temple of Dance.." your posting brought tears to my eyes...! and fond memories of all the beautiful men and music that has now passed from history unto Legend.

BTW: Robbie Leslie has tracked down the original Star Machine is now owned by a private collector , I believe in Phoenix...Robbie is thinking of perhaps shipping it to NYC for the Black Party 30 anniversary.

The first clubs I ever went to were the Pier Nine and the Eagle In Exile (the Exile) in Washington and I was a regular at those and other clubs in DC, Baltimore and New York. They were amazing fun. But nothing prepared me for the first night I went to The Saint. I have fantasies that somehow I might yet experience something like that again in this lifetime, but more and more I believe it was a moment of sheer perfection in the universe, both random and preordained at the same time. Lightning never strikes twice in the same spot, but the memories are blazing and eternal.

Tim,

The year the Saint opened I was dating a bartender who worked at the Exile in DC. His name was Peaches and his roomate was Mai Ling (who worked at the Attic). While Peaches worked, I was chaperoned by Mai Ling to the DC Eagle, to make sure nobody would seduce me while Peaches worked.

I went home for the opening of the Saint and came back to tell Peaches, the owner (I believe his name was Steve) and Mai Ling.

Do you know if Mai Ling is still living in DC? I had heard Peaches moved back to Montana and passsed away from AIDS around 1985-86.
Lee

I don't know; sorry. I moved to New York from DC in 1984 and never really went back except for the occasional funeral of a friend. No one I knew in DC is alive today to recall those years.

Hugs!

My cousin Marty went opening night. At his urging, Robert and I went the next weekend, and became members OX44MO7 a few days later. For eight years The Saint was "home" on Saturday nights. So many friends. In the early years we had to call ahead to put friends on the guest list. We loved watching their eyes light up as we brought them up to the dome for the first time, up the spiral stairs.

I started collecting 12" records, became an at-home DJ mixing "Saint" tapes for friends. In the middle years, on regular weekends, the crowd was sparse and only the side door was open. The last two years were fantastic. The letter finally arrived, as we knew it would:

"17 February 1988 Dear Saint Member: To those of you who have been members during the past 8 years, I thank you for your support and for making THE SAINT the legend it has become... Although in our 8th year the party attendance is still extraordinary, regular attendance has fallen for complex social and economic reasons, and THE SAINT has been losing money for several years. Economics asode, we had created and maintained a weekly entertainment level that now we are able to create only on occasion. It is, therefore, with great regret that I am writing to tell you that THE SAINT will close this Spring...."

Life goes on. We return to The Saint often. It's easy to do. "I don't have to try, I just close my eyes."

There are no words!!!!!!!!!!

member from the start to the end!

Oh My God, I just stumbled upon this site. I too have soooooooooo many unbelievable memories from "The Saint". I work for the RR and went to NYC every other weekend in the '80's -- just to go to The Saint. Would leave their late Sunday morning and jump on a train back to DC...did it for years. I still have my locker key and EVERY SINGLE INVITATION mailed beginning with the second season (became a member) to date (from the now Saint at Large). I was going to put the package on Ebay to see if there was any interest. It is so difficult to describe that club to people who can't fathom the magic, the music, the men.

Thanks for these post...many great memories, guys !!

No matter what some of these naysayers say, you can never ever take the memories of the Club from me!
OH and hello Mr. Fry! You lovable fandancin' fool!

I went to the Saint at Large parties for a while after the club closed--but stopped that a good while back--cleaned up and ...you know...became a responsible citizen.

(Final Song played at the Actual Saint was Gantamanero) About 200 of us laid down on the floor as it was played--don't ask!

I miss Jeffery...I dance alone at 11 O Clock...but near my friends. Often wore a white football jersey #10....Young Blonde Haired Fluffball that I was.

Retirement is so boring...but I dance in my head and occaisonaly at home with my lover of 15 years in my arms.

I miss you all.

Just found this site and love reading the stories of the "old days" at The Saint. I was a member from the first year until it closed. When they first opened I remember having to go in for an "interview" upstairs at their office in the afternoon before being okayed for a membership. It seems they were pretty selective back then.
The closing night party ran from Saturday April 30th through Monday May 2nd 1988. People came from as far away as Europe just for that party.
One of the most emotional moments I remember at The Saint was Sean Buchanan's last night. His health was failing from AIDS and he was going back home to England. He played "Remember Me" by Dianah Ross and I don't think there was a dry eye in the place.
I can remember Roy Thode always playing Amanda Lear's "Follow Me" around 4 am (you could almost set your watch to him...lol)
I found myself setting up my work schedule around The Saint so I could be there as much as possible. I had a close group of friends and we used to grab the first banquet as you came in. It was the best vantage point for checking everyone out as they came in (lol).
I'm 60 now and retired in Houston but look back fondly on the fantastic times and great friends I had back then. So many of them gone now but definitely not forgotten but remembered with love.
I'm sure that someday when the rest of us get there they'll have that party in the sky going hot and heavy.

I get teary eyed everytimes I read and re-read the postings. There will never be another place like THE SAINT!.

Besides the fantastic memories, those unique sets of music, where you suddenly were taken to a different plane! It was truely spiritual.

When Amanda Lear sang Come to me (long version), you suddenly transported, your mind, body and the Space at the Saint BECAME ONE.

All those wonderful, beautiful, energetic, creative men we have lost since the Saint opened and closed. Each time I play a Jim Burgess or Alan Dode tape, I am transported back in time, when things were simple and wonderful.

May all the men who are now gone still dance to the beat of the Saint in Heaven!

WAS ANYONE THERE THE NIGHT THE DISCO BALL FELL INTO THE STAR MACHINE? (c;

Oh yeaaaahhhh!!! I remember being down at the bar with some friends at the time and someone came running up to the bar and excitedly yelling, "THE MOTHERSHIP HAS LANDED! THE MOTHERSHIP HAS LANDED!"
We later found out the ball had fallen on the star machine.

Wow-IM totally blown away. My first exp.of The Saint wasn't until 1983-84 and was a Sunday Tea, prior to dancing we watched the movie, The Woman, sitting on the floor and the film projected on the dome. This time frame must have been after those grand,decadent,glory days,that I heard so much of. In 1981, fresh out of H.S. I just began work in the Interior Design field in the Fine Arts Bldg. My employer, a well known designer & manufacturer would tell me and the bookeeper every monday morning, in detail, about all the incredible dancing, the lights, the sound, and of course the men, the hot men, the models,the jocks, the partying and the balcony sex that he and his friends (other well known designers) particpated in. At 17, it scared me to death. When I look back now, you know what, they are all gone. A whole generation. It's mindblowing, but, the music and memories, still live on. IM now 45.

What a wonderful place. I remember that the dance floor had powder spread on it and dancers were skating and gliding around. My diary from Sunday April 12, 1982 reads: "Left Phila at 7:10PM, arrived at the Saint at 9:40PM. $9 each cover. Classical music playing, went up through aisles of seats to snack bar, then to dance floor. "Swearing to God" playing. "Thank God For Music", "Now I Need You", "Menergy" (instrumental version), "For Your Love", "Dancer", "On and On and On" (Abba), "Konga-Rhumba", "Thank God for Music" (again), to snack bar, sat down, loeft at 2:10, home 4:45AM. Heard on radio (NY station) "Best Part of Breaking Up" and "I Specialize in Love."
I remember having a really great time that night, especially with my significant other, Craig, who I had met six months before and we've been together ever since.

Joel Teitelbaum (the General Manager and my friend) was the first to spread powder on the dance floor and then I started using small plastic bottles of baby powder (also chewed double bubble fruit gum/watermelon and grape). I still do use baby powder. It enabled the dancer to do spins without falling on their faces and glide on the dance floor, it also dried the floor from all the sweat that fell on the floor by all those hot sweaty bodies. Of coure, those wearing cowboy boots hated when I sprinkled baby powder. NOwadays, clubs don't like when we spread baby powder for fear someone might loose control and slip and slid and fall on their face and then sue the club.

I am so dissapointed at this years DJ line up ...
one of them is straight(hetero),the other DJ is a lesser known with very little following and of course Junior Vasques- who never in his life set foot inside the Saint,known to have criticized Saint parties & its music during the early '90's!
It looks like their ticket sales are not brisk as years past.., they have posters in the streets of chelsea,they are now offering a "special reduced admission for $50.00 after 10:45 am..,they just posted a "Members only " $60.00 with original Saint member card ( what real member would attend this party to suffer the music)..?
very tragic.., just tragic.

I loved The Saint and went there several times. I own a poster ("The Saint") by Vernaglia 80 in its original plastic shrink-wrap. I would love to sell it -- what is the best venue? Is there a poster or gay art auction house or should I take it to Sotheby's or Christie's? Any suggestions (also possible valuation) appreciated. Robert

Dear Robert.., if i only had the money I would purchase it from you I really would!.., since my small collection of Saint posters I cherished suddenly dissapeared during my move from Miami Beach back to NYC;
Sotheby's or Christies should consider an item like this -unfortunately as many items dealing directly with gays & our culture of masculinity, disco, sex liberation & AIDS they may have very narrow minded feelings towards it.
"Make That Feeling Come Again..."

I had the pleasure of playing at the Saint for the 1984-85 season. It was super sureal being behind those decks and I will never forget it. To this day as I play at clubs I will never feel the love and respect that a DJ received at the helm of the dome.

I remember my roomate Michael DePrisco(dj FireIsland/Philly/GatsbysNJ), and Greg Mauger(both RIP)took me to the closing party for the summer also Gay Pride weekend, took my breath away. I was when the RAMP to the Dome went thru the downstairs, and you went up this way but NEVER, NEVER DOWN.....anyone remember those unwitten rules. The Lights, Sounds and the Men and everybody was very happy and got along very well. Nobody dances anymore, how come, maybe its the music??? I remember when gay men stuck together, too. Keep the memories alive gentleman, when our friends where with us and we all danced TOGETHER. I danced with my buds at the 1 0'clock mark, dj@twelve. It was this closing party I did my first hit of ethel *not mertz. and MDA. Got high, closed the place, marched in the parade, went to a after party if I didnt meet someone(anyone remember when gay men tricked, spent the night?)thanks alot manhunt. I would be up for two days of nonstop dancing. In the following years ended up at MOONSHADOWS, RAMROD, OR RAWHIDE??.with my friend Ricky Colon(rip). Later my friends George and Shawn (partners, rip) took me to my first WHITE PARTY, (dalmantion print theme) it was midnight, we were the only ones out on the street in the Village, and it started to SNOW.OMG so beautiful. So many great memories, my favorite WHITE PARTY was the chandelier theme....with the crystals hanging from the dome.....great job btw Michael Cavalone. I was on windowpane with my friend and now great DJ STEVEN DIRKIN, who spins in Rehoboth. Had to remember to take the hit, just as you went through the tunnel. My good friend Don Gissolman(rip) wore nothing but Pearls and a jock...........Now all the big places are gone or closed(ROXY)......went to FireIsland Pines for the first time, nobody dances? just standing around and binge drinking....glad I went to the Grove, lots of fun, friendly people. HUGS TO ALL YOU DANCERS, LOVE YOU ALL, LOVE ALL THE MEMORIES YOU GAVE ME(tears hitting the keyboard), LOVE TO ALL MY FRIENDS GONE AND STILL WITH ME,....We will all dance together again,.....someday......"High above the clouds"...take care everyone, LOVE .GREG COLE

I met Bruce in Key West one winter. He told me he had a club in NYC and if I was ever there to come by. I remember he gave me a card with only a number on and said I didn't have to wait in line.

I made it to NYC in early spring and went to the Saint on Saturday night. There was a line around the corner. I went to the front and showed the guy there my card. He whisked me in to a window where they took my card and ran it through a credit card machine. I then took the paper to another window and handed it in. I thought it was such a strange procedure.

Once inside I saw the coat check. It was like I was at a dry cleaners. I walked into lover level and could hear the thump of the base. As I walked up to the dance floor I could see the shirtless men around the sides of the dome dancing. The floor was full of more shirtless men. The odor of poppers permeated the area. I saw the star-generator in the center but it was dark. The dome was lit by lights on the side walls and coming though the screen.

The beat began to change and the lights turned orange and darkend, like the sun was setting. The stars began to appear out of nowhere. The day became night and the stars were shinning bright. The music began to intensify and the stars began to move... the whole dance floor was blazing its way through the cosmos. We flew by Jupiter and Saturn making our way to the far reaches of the solar system all the while the best music I had ever heard was beating and the masses of men were gyrating. Several year later I went and met Mark Berkely. He was doing promotions for the club. He gave me a sales kit of floorplans and photos as well as pictures. When I moved a couple of years ago I either threw the kit out or packed it in a box and it is somewhere in storage. When I move again and go through the boxes I will see if I still have it.

fabulous place I was a late night regular and teasure many of the posters some I had framed others I store carefully and regret giving a few away so many memories and not just Betty Buckly on New year,,,,thinking of my days there always brings a smile and makes me think of the many people I met and loved and now miss