It was one of the first victims of Seattle’s late 1980s Teen Dance Ordinance a police raid closed it.ġ8. THE GORILLA GARDENS: A two-auditorium space on the edge of Chinatown was the site of some great Seattle punk shows. A huge, two-level, warehouse-type space, it has since been demolished and a large, ugly building is under construction on its site.ġ7. RKCNDY: One of the two bookend clubs on either side of the Denny Way freeway overpass (the Off Ramp being the other) that ruled the Seattle scene during the early 1990s, when the city was discovered by the world. Four large and obnoxious pillars were always in the way, but nothing could stop the crystal-clear sound system from reaching every corner of this former infirmary.ġ6. THE BACKSTAGE: The real bastion of alt-country before it lost its lease and handed the mantle to the Tractor. It later offered these and other bands a place to play to youthful audiences that had been shut out of other clubs because of draconian city ordinances.ġ5. VELVET ELVIS: An incubator for Seattle’s current music scene, the all-ages club hosted matinee punk rock shows that attracted future members of bands like Modest Mouse and 764-HERO. SAFARI: How could a gay sports bar on Capitol Hill not last forever? Now sadly replaced by the very unsporty Bad JuJu Lounge.ġ4. THE MONASTERY: Bathhouse/disco/drug haven of the ’80s goes down in glorious courthouse flames.ġ3. OFF RAMP: Ghosts of grungies past still wander this Eastlake dive, but its reincarnation as Graceland-which has seen some of the best current rock bookings in the city-should soothe those savage beasts.ġ2. THE EASY: Ah, sleazy Easy, wherefore art thou? Buried first under poor, doomed Spintron, and now reincarnated as a slick, soulless spot they call Ego.ġ1.
FOXES: How many drag queens does it take to screw in a lightbulb? Not enough, apparently, to keep this gay-dive-turned-trashy-hipster-hangout all lit up it closed early this year but just may be back for another round.ġ0. ROMPER ROOM: Fear not-horny yuppies still meet and mate at this spot, only now they call it Watertown.ĩ. Someone we know once had her hair maliciously set aflame right on the main floor, and she promptly broke the perp’s nose-yeah, it was that kind of place, but still sorely missed when it closed its doors.Ĩ. UNDERGROUND: This famous ’80s teen haven on the Ave showcased everything from the Dwarves to dance nights.