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Flashback: The Early Days Of Disco
By
Jen Carlson
Published Mar 31, 2011
Modified Mar 31, 2011
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By
Jen Carlson
Published Mar 31, 2011
Modified Mar 31, 2011
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Disco is dead, but that doesn't mean we can't revisit it every now and again. The above photo was taken in 1969 at a club called The Sanctuary; the caption reads: "Former German Lutheran church is now thriving as a disco called Sanctuary Club." Located at 407 West 43rd Street (between 9th and 10th avenues), it was founded by Arnie Lord and was initially called The Church.
According to this website, the official maximum capacity was 346, but more than 1000 people would cram in on a normal night. It was also the "first totally uninhibited gay discotheque in America," and catered to a mixed crowd of "conservative wealthy men, street kids and even hookers." It was up and running from 1969 to 1973 (the very early years of disco), and in 1971 was even used in the Jane Fonda movie Klute.
Currently the building houses The WestSide Theatre, where you may have seen The Vagina Monologues.
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1969
club
disco
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Sanctuary Club
Jen Carlson
Jen Carlson is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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