Where Was the Disco Capital of America?... Of the World?

[peppertree5706]

From 1975-1980, I lived in Miami, NYC and Philadelphia.

Philadelphia was mostly anti-disco. Rock stations got a lot of publicity with their disco sucks weekends.

New York had a good disco scene and many good discos, but disco was just one fun thing out of many. So much was going on in New York then, that disco may have passed by some people without their notice.

Now Miami. I think that Miami was the disco capital of America. Disco/Salsa/soul-motown disco and disco clubs was an important part of the Miami culture. Disco was important to our lives and it was a big part of life.

I think that Miami was the disco capital because disco had a prominent place in the lives of people in Miami and in the culture.

On the radio we had three all disco stations. 96X(or disco 96), Studio 107 and WMBM which played a lot of Black artist disco. It was fantastic that a market like Miami could support three disco stations.

Washington DC should be mentioned because I know of no station to play all disco prior to 93 WKYS going disco. Georgetown section had many, many discos up and down the streets.

My vote is with Miami though.

The World? I don't know, I am not yet a world traveller. Where is the disco capital of the world?

[QUINNY]

New York had the glitz and the Pzazz. L.A seemed a lot more laid back to us Brits and Miami rarely got any particular mentions, although we did probably like the music coming out of there more than the glitzy NYC stuff.
I'd go for NYC on balance.

[markydefad]

Doesn't EVERYTHING in the U.S. get it's start in New York City????

[QUINNY]

NYC is like the Liverpool of the U.S.A. loud, proud and cocky. :lol: I personally find them both a little too loud, a little too proud and a little too cocky for my rather demure disposition. Ooh how vulgar! :oops: :lol: :oops:
Oh dear, certain board members will never get to love me now, unless they do have a sense of humour, after all.

[markydefad]

LA is mostly "loud, proud and ultra-cocky" EX-New Yawkers. And Mexicans. :P

[peppertree5706]

Re: Quinny ... hits out of NY.

The big disco labels, Casablanca was from LA and TK was from Miami. K.C. and Sunshine Band, George McCrae and most of the acts on that label were Florida talent.

The point is, that many came out of Florida.

[QUINNY]

Everyone wants to be in Hollywood. So where do weary L.A party people go to to hibernate. What do you call LA people, I wouldn't have a clue. Waiters?

[markydefad]

LA is a "company town"...NOT that much all-night long nightlife here, to tell the truth. Most everything closes at 2:00am. That's why Eddie Murphy has to go "Tranny-troweling" on Santa Monica Blvd. afterhours. :P

New York is "the city that never sleeps". Lotsa stuff goes all night long.

[QUINNY]

What! No parties up in da hills? 2 a.m. is more or less late enough, especially if you have to look good in the morning.

[HustleBaby]

PepperTree

NYC was the "disco mecca" of the world. Yeah K.C & The Sunshine Band and many others came from Florida however there were just as many acts from NYC or more. We have our share of record labels as well. Let's face it when people think of the hottest discotheques, NYC is the first name mentioned. We had discos like Studio 54, Regine's, The Loft, Paradise Garage, Ipanema's, McKoy's, Pegasus, Roseland, Starship, Xenon, 371, Le Jardin etc......Not taking away credit from other cities but you did post the question and The Big Apple takes the cake. I guess that I'm one of those super cocky New Yorkers .

*DISCO DELIGHT*

[QUINNY]

PepperTree

I guess that I'm one of those super cocky New Yorkers .

*DISCO DELIGHT*

Who have to say everything thrice!!! :lol: just kiddin', I know the board's been playing up lately.

[DiscoTony]

My Vote goes to New York, there was a disco on every corner and we had all the big name clubs here, Studio 54, Regines, The Roxy, The Funhouse, The Saint, The Garage, 12 West, Barefoot Boy etc.

[PaulC]

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[Mixmachine]

The Miami/Ft Lauderdale area never had any shortage of “big’ clubs, early clubs like “The Shanghai” and “The Mix two” were molded from the NYC experience, others like “RumBottoms” and “Limelight” with their million dollar light show and sound systems were second to none, DJ Bob Lombardi (and later Luis Martinee of Exposee ) used to spin there with 4 original 1200 Turntables (shocking at the time) and if you were brave enough to venture to close to the speakers you could loose your dinner in the process, other early clubs like “Mr Pips” “The PlayPen” “Honey For the Bears” “Widow McCoys” “Studio 51” “Pete & Lennys” “Alexanders” “ Scaramuche” and countless other were all top notch at the time and early favorites of the “DiscoTecos” like me.

If you wished to, in Miami you could party until 5 AM every night of the week to many different types of music, and the so call “Disco Sucks” campaign never reached down here, while others burned records elsewhere we were oblivious to this fact and opened even more “dance” clubs and party harder, early to mid 80’s clubs like “Manhattan” “Parallel Bar” “Faces” “Casanovas” “ Infinity” were packed with dancers of all ages, expensive, exclusive private clubs like “Cats” “Regines” “Ensign Bitters” attracted a more affluent world clientele, and if you liked “Salsa” and Reggae” clubs we had many of those too..

In the mid 80’s, when South Beach first became a popular club destination, Mega Clubs like “1235” “Club NU” “OVO” and many others brought the party to the beach, by the 90’s SoBe was so crowded with clubs that one could literally step out for air and walk back into the wrong club if you were not careful, SoBe to this day still is considered one of the hottest club destinations of the world, you’d be hard press to find places where you can dance all night and enjoy a beautiful sunrise while having breakfast by the beach..…

So guess who gets my vote…. :)

[Marcio**]

Reading the Bernie's interview with disco DJ David Mancuso, the disco DJ Mecca was is NYC at Loft.

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