Famous Dance bars in the '70's and 80's.

**JulianaMoon** · May-28-14, 10:45 AM

Hey Fellow Detroiters!!

I actually found this site doing a search for the name of a bar I used to go to in he 70's. [[I found out it was The Token Lounge). It pulled up a thread from an old site that turned into this one in 2009. It was about Dance Clubs/Bars in the '70s, and it brought back so many memories of my late teenage years partying at the Silverbird at 6/Telegraph. The drinking age was 18, but I found an ID at Hines Drive and the picture looked EXACTLY like me. I swear. What a find! We were at the clubs every weekend. I always wonder whatever happened to the bands that played the clubs back then. I recently saw an old video of Bittersweet Alley. It's on YouTube. I thought others might want to rekindle those days on a thread. Who was at The Silverbird Saloon the night Ted Nugent showed up, and played with the band "The D.C. Hawks" for an hour? I was.

**Smirnoff** · May-28-14, 03:00 PM

Wasn't the Silverbird Saloon a biker bar & not a dance club?

**DetroitPlanner** · May-29-14, 07:40 AM

Originally Posted by Smirnoff

Wasn't the Silverbird Saloon a biker bar & not a dance club?

I remember it as JL Seagulls.

**rb336** · June-03-14, 08:03 AM

I remember the weekend dance parties on the Boblo boats

**Honky Tonk** · June-03-14, 09:35 AM

Originally Posted by rb336

I remember the weekend dance parties on the Boblo boats

And, of course, the Moonlight Cruise. How about the "Battle of The Bands" @ the pavillion on the island?

**JulianaMoon** · June-02-14, 11:06 AM

Originally Posted by Smirnoff

Wasn't the Silverbird Saloon a biker bar & not a dance club?

I was a Silverbird regular. I was on that dancefloor every Friday and Saturday night with one of my girlfriends, trying to get the band to notice us, and fall in love with us. It was a little of both. Bikers hung out more around pool tables and the bar.

**Downriviera** · June-02-14, 05:42 PM

Originally Posted by JulianaMoon

I was a Silverbird regular. I was on that dancefloor every Friday and Saturday night with one of my girlfriends, trying to get the band to notice us, and fall in love with us. It was a little of both. Bikers hung out more around pool tables and the bar.

Anyone remember a band that used to play there called Salty Dog? I think they were from Boston.

**Downriviera** · May-29-14, 06:17 AM

The Silverbird was more of a rock bar with bands. People danced but I wouldn't consider it a dance club. Before Silverbird it was West Side Six, I saw the Rockets there. Uncle Sams just down the street on Telegraph was a dance club in those days. The Look played there too, and Dave Edwards is still around.

**Hastings** · May-29-14, 07:17 AM

I remember the West side six. There was a club farther south down telegraph in behind where the giant whipped cream can was. Saw Strut there on my 18th birthday. Any one remember that one or kopolskis on Conant?

**JulianaMoon** · June-02-14, 11:00 AM

Originally Posted by Hastings

I remember the West side six. There was a club farther south down telegraph in behind where the giant whipped cream can was. Saw Strut there on my 18th birthday. Any one remember that one or kopolskis on Conant?

Strut. Saw them sooo many times. Kopolskis!!! THAT'S the place my date took me that I spoke of earlier. I saw Michael Jackson on the big screen singing one of his hits from like 1981 and thought...is this a disco???

**jcole** · June-02-14, 11:50 AM

Wasn't that the SideDoor? It was a three level bar; rock at the middle level called the Side Door; country in the basement and groups that did 50's/60's stuff upstairs with an older crowd

Originally Posted by Hastings

I remember the West side six. There was a club farther south down telegraph in behind where the giant whipped cream can was. Saw Strut there on my 18th birthday. Any one remember that one or kopolskis on Conant?

**JulianaMoon** · June-02-14, 11:09 AM

Originally Posted by Downriviera

The Silverbird was more of a rock bar with bands. People danced but I wouldn't consider it a dance club. Before Silverbird it was West Side Six, I saw the Rockets there. Uncle Sams just down the street on Telegraph was a dance club in those days. The Look played there too, and Dave Edwards is still around.

If I had a dollar for everytime I saw a girl puking in the bathroom at the Silverbird.

**Smirnoff** · May-29-14, 07:51 AM

The very best dance club in the 70's was Tuesday nite @ Coral Gables!!!!!

**Downriviera** · May-30-14, 06:31 AM

Originally Posted by Smirnoff

The very best dance club in the 70's was Tuesday nite @ Coral Gables!!!!!

Yes it was. People lined up to get in on a Tuesday nite. I made good money hustling on the pool tables there. Several John Travolta aka Tony Manero wannabees there.

**JulianaMoon** · June-02-14, 10:52 AM

Originally Posted by Downriviera

Yes it was. People lined up to get in on a Tuesday nite. I made good money hustling on the pool tables there. Several John Travolta aka Tony Manero wannabees there.

Was that place over I Warren or Roseville? Like a tiny disco near an industrial area or something. I was on a first date and I think he took me there.

**Downriviera** · June-02-14, 05:40 PM

Originally Posted by JulianaMoon

Was that place over I Warren or Roseville? Like a tiny disco near an industrial area or something. I was on a first date and I think he took me there.

Coral Gables was in Taylor on Ecorse Rd near Telegraph. Its a gun store now. And thats ironic because one night an ex of mine wasn't happy that I was dancing with other girls so she told the bouncers that I was packing. They threw me out.

**rb336** · May-29-14, 08:08 AM

JL Seagulls I remember, I think it later became a church, now it is empty but still has the lighthouse. Uncle Sams turned into Nitro. There was a dance club called Taboo, I think, where Aretha used to hang out. A lot of girls I knew used to go to a gay club next to Bookies so they wouldn't get hit on

**rartinian** · December-11-17, 08:29 AM

I was the DJ at JL Seagulls and Maxies/Nitros also a club on Joy Road called Dimples. Very cool telephones on the tables. Many great times in these historic clubs. DJ Robbie Knight

**rb336** · December-13-17, 01:14 PM

Originally Posted by rartinian

I was the DJ at JL Seagulls and Maxies/Nitros also a club on Joy Road called Dimples. Very cool telephones on the tables. Many great times in these historic clubs. DJ Robbie Knight

I remember Nitro, I think it is now a "throw back" club. JL Seagull's still stands, I think - I remember the "lighthouse" it had

**mikefmich** · May-29-14, 01:37 PM

Red Carpet & Painted Pony were the first two that came to mind. I was at many others but....the ol' hard drive doesn't work as well as it used to.

Oh yeah...Uncle Sams too.

**kathy2trips** · April-19-19, 10:45 AM

Originally Posted by mikefmich

Red Carpet & Painted Pony were the first two that came to mind. I was at many others but....the ol' hard drive doesn't work as well as it used to.

Oh yeah...Uncle Sams too.

Did I used to go and see Cheap Trick in the mid-70s [[1975-1976) at the Red Carpet, or did I just dream that? Too many Singapore Slings, perhaps? LOL

**Lowell** · May-29-14, 06:19 PM

Alvin's on the north end of the WSU campus was having its day during that timespan. I closed out that place more than once.

**kryptonite** · June-06-14, 08:08 AM

Originally Posted by Lowell

Alvin's on the north end of the WSU campus was having its day during that timespan. I closed out that place more than once.

I'm friends with Alvin these days. I email him the occasional update on his former place. He's not much on emails though and won't join facebook. Basically I see him once or twice a year when he's in Detroit area. He's good friends with my next door neighbor is how I know him actually.