The Loft, The Gallery and Studio 54

Marcio** · September 12th, 2004, 12:22 PM

Although its R&B, soul, funk and Latin lineage reaches further back, the birth of disco is pegged in part to David Mancuso's "Love Saves the Day" party held at his Loft club in SoHo on Valentine's Day 1970.

A tradition of large parties for friends and "members" was born. The primary revelers were gay men, and a new star was emerging: the guy in the back controlling the lights and spinning records on multiple turntables.

One of the early leading disco DJs was Nicky Siano, who opened The Gallery in 1972. "The Loft was for gay people," said Siano, who created the soundtrack for the disco exhibit. "We wanted to do a Loft for straight people."

The Gallery featured innovations such as a killer sound system, special lighting, a balcony overlooking the dance floor and a basement where partyers could chill out and hear each other talk. Siano's layout was much imitated, and the New York club scene reached its zenith in April 1977 with the opening of Studio 54.

Run by Steve Rubell and Ian Schrager, the club on West 54th Street was The Gallery times 10. The former theater held 3,000 people. It became the "in" spot for gays, straights, celebrities and "people of the night," with velvet ropes and bouncers keeping posers locked outside. Inside, Andy Warhol, Halston, Calvin Klein, Bianca Jagger, Truman Capote and Liza Minnelli danced and drank and snorted.

Studio 54 had 10 lighting systems, 30 special effects, 60 pieces of scenery and, according to Siano, who worked there when it opened, 110 tons of air conditioning.

"It was like going to a Broadway show," said Siano. "Only you were in the Broadway show."

from

"plaindealer"

:)

**Anonymous** · September 13th, 2004, 01:03 AM

Originally Written by Marcio

"It was like going to a Broadway show," said Siano. "Only you were in the Broadway show."

:)

Exactly. A Broadway show with drunken and drugged stars unable to dance, talentless wannabees on overdrive, businessmen in suits with snot running down their faces, tacky matrons in too tight designer gowns and hideous perms and not enough deodorant and debutante daughters complaining in nasal voices about the music: they're playing this disco stuff and not rock'n roll like in Austin!

**Videoskooter** · September 13th, 2004, 10:19 PM

Are there people on this board who ever were in the real Studio 54? Or the Gallery or the Loft? If so, can you describe the real atmosphere coz' I only know them on photo or film. Was it really like in the movie "54"?

And another one: was The Zoo from the movie "TGIF" a real club or a studioscene?

**DiscoMan** · September 13th, 2004, 10:46 PM

I never made it to Studio 54 though I do know several people who were fortunate enough to get in. Yes, is just like in the movie "54". The goings on at Studio 54 were accurately portrayed in the movie from what I've been told and similar experiences I had in other clubs. They were wild times the likes of which we'll never see again. Sex and drugs were common - I smoked pot right on the Dance Floor in some of the clubs I went to.

As I understand it; the Zoo was only a movie studio set. If it was just a set it was an excellent representation of the Disco clubs of the day.

**JussiK** · September 14th, 2004, 01:00 AM

I went a couple of times and no - it was not like in the film. It was stuffed either with totally ordinary people or with overdressed, badly dancing, sweating OLD people, meaning folks well into their thirties for god's sake! Drunk, drugged, nasty and horrible, those scenemakers were not a pretty sight to behold at all. Not that the film was anything to cheer about either. If there was anything interesting about the whole 54 thing it must have been the Warhol connection, naturally not dealt with in the film at all.

**DiscoMan** · September 14th, 2004, 01:05 PM

I should have been more clear: My point was about the decor of the place. The mother of a friend of my son went to Studio 54 once when she lived in NYC (originally from)and she filled me in on the place. Her recollection of the crowd was not quite the same though she did say the place was so crowded you couldn't move and the aroma was overpowering.

**JussiK** · September 15th, 2004, 01:00 AM

The decor was totally perfect in the film, in that respect respect is due to the makers of "54". If you see it again pay attention to the typographies of posters, flyers and the overall look of the presentation - again, just impeccably done. Pity about the plot, though...:-)

**DiscoMan** · September 15th, 2004, 10:06 AM

The look of the set is right on. The music is terrific and the plot though weak, worked fairly well about 2/3 of the way through until the character of Shane gets tied up with the soap actress then the whole fucking movie goes off into the weeds.
And another thing that killed "54" was that it turned into a morality play. The morality is totally unnecessary and completely immature. Myself, friends of mine and our future wives, husbands and in-laws indulged in ALL of the excesses portrayed in the film, we knew what we were doing, THAT"S WHY WE WERE DOING IT, kept our **** wired tight, didn't **** ourselves up and managed to live happily ever after so...