Bye Roxy

Last dance at the Roxy NYC

The Roxy) was a popular nightclub located at 515 West 18th Street in New York City. Located in Chelsea section of Manhattan it began as a roller skating rink and roller disco in the late 1970s, it was founded by Steve Bauman, Richard Newhouse and Steve Greenberg then acquired in 1985 by Gene DiNino until it closed in March 2007. It even hosted a party for the famed Olympic gold medal-winning USA Ice Hockey team in 1980.

Beginning in the early-1980s, the owners began hosting dance nights. Referred to by many as the Studio 54 of roller rinks, it thrived as such for several years. Then, as the popularity of skating began to fade, Pat Fuji revamped the space into a dance club in 1982. Ruza Blue, a British expatriate nicknamed "Kool Lady Blue", founded an all-ages, all-races hip hop club in June 1982. Jon Baker, the future founder of Gee Street Records, worked the door. Hip hop pioneers Afrika Bambaataa and Afrika Islam began DJing there, and were soon joined by Grandmixer D.ST, Jazzy Jay, Grand Wizzard Theodore and Grandmaster Flash.[1] The club sponsored MC battles, Zulu Nation gatherings, breakdancing competitions with the Rock Steady Crew, graffiti murals, and double dutch competitions. The club had a major influence on the evolution of hip hop culture over the next few years.[2] A Roxy Bambaattaa performance was captured in the 1984 film Beat Street.

The Roxy hosted New York City's largest weekly gay dance night, Roxy Saturdays, promoted by John Blair Productions, which has featured many many famous deejays including Junior Vasquez, Manny Lehman, Victor Calderone and Peter Rauhofer. Artists such as Cher, Madonna, Beyoncé, Bette Midler, Chaka Khan, Yoko Ono and Gloria Gaynor have all performed at the Roxy.

A documentary entitled "Roxy: The Last Dance" premiered in 2008, co-produced by Gene DiNino and Red Thread Productions.

Roxy had stopped for several weeks in the fall of 2006, but resumed operation once again on December 2, 2006. The club closed their doors for good on March 10, 2007. The Roxy will eventually be demolished in order to make room for new residential apartments.

Category:

Entertainment

Tags:

• Roxy
• club
• NYC

[RS4HHR]

THANX ALOT NYC 4 destroying nightlife

R.I.P. Roxy NYC

Miss ya.

[hotchrisli420]

I had a great time!!

[alexorin]

I miss the roxy very much!! I wish it would return,, New York is not the same,,,

[mikeliolive]

oh yea.jeeze nyc was known worldwide for its night life..infinity, 54,garage,12 west roxy,ice palace, flamingo,les mouche, les jardin, new york new york....list goes on and on..now NOTHING. SHAME. what fun those days were..at least we have fire island..

[annoda81]

i will never forget.......:(

[Khultan]

What?!? It was still around in the 2000s?!? I thought it had disappeared in the late 80s. Wow, CBGBs and now The Roxy. That's just great.

[TLR91]

alcatraz - give me luv

[cheech2056]

can anyone tell me the name of the track?