Studio 54, the Palladium, and the Limelight. These names of NYC clubs have become synonymous for drunken debauchery, expressive attire, and a damn good time. However, this infamy too often overshadows the instrumental force NYC nightlife has on the evolution of performance, music, and cultural production. Without these centers for inhabited creativity, such parings as Grace Jones and Keith Haring, Donna Summer and Giorgio Moroder, Madonna and the House of Aviance, could not have taken place. Bringing together nightlife luminaries, Michael Alig, Joey Arias, Ladyfag, and Michael Musto, Nightlife: An Oral History of NYC Club Culture examines the role of NYC clubs and nightlife as a nexus for vital artistic collaborations, how such communities were formed, evolved, and the too-often-underappreciated artistry found in NYC after the sun has set.
