In celebration of the opening of the Saint nightclub in New York City's East Village on September 20th 1980,The Saint At Large presents the second chapter in its series "Stories of the Saint."
This was my first job in the city, at age 18. For me, the bar was set so high that everything else was a disappointment after The Saint. What an amazing place! Nothing else compares to those memories. The music, the planetarium and the dancing transcended you to another place; it was a trip in every sense of the word.
I remember when I went to my first Black Party in March of 1981. It was an unforgettable 18th birthday. What unforgettable days. Something you truly had to experience.The best XTC and K Holes on record. I remember the last dance after they took the dome down in 1990 and then I recall standing in the rubble strewn ,snow covered lot of what had been.I could still see the back stairs to the lockers. I was in my early 30's and no sissy. I wept for what we had lost. All the people that had died of AIDS and the wonder and memories that were THE SAINT. *UNFORGETTABLE* !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The Saint on Sunday night was the place to be in the 80s. Red Parrot was my preferred place on Friday and Saturday along with Private Eyes and Limelight. But Sunday belonged to the Saint
Later in the club's history they opened one night a week to straights. I got to go once or twice and have been to a lot of clubs but never one that I talk about like The Saint. The light show was brilliant! I wish that they talked about the first floor and bar area. I remember giant carpeted blocks to sit on and climb. Amazing space! So glad to have seen and had a taste of it!
There leaving out that the circular light well space ship with the giant capsule was on Hydraulics at one point it would begin to rise like it was flying and the capsule would turn with a show shooting out from it and at the beginning when tons of people were there having the time of there lives the lights would all at once shoot straight up. A Hatch opened and a long mirror ball would lower with a light show in it as well and the people would go crazy. My Mother came to visit and being a party designer. One of many, she was given the VIP treatment and allowed into the DJ booth to press the button that lowered this massive object. LOL she went nuts and had a fantastic time. But she got dizzy and had to go downstairs where you could relax Talk and get to know people. She told people about that night for years.
Love, love, LOVE learning about gay life in the 1970s. I was born into the maelstrom of AIDS & Reaganomics & crack that was the mid-'80s when it was all Cold War & conservatism & greed. Born in the wrong era I guess.
I have the Blueprint plans that I received as a Charter Member and also a copy that is white background too. They are to me, as a relic of "The True Cross of Christ" is to the Church. lol
