This is waaaaay late and I don't want to procrastinate any longer.
So for Sunday i'll cut right to the evening's activities.

An APB was put out on a location for Sunday's meet up.
While we were at the Bleeker Street Bar on Saturday night, I stepped outside to .
While on the block I took a stroll next door and had a look inside a nice looking restaurant called...



...The NoHo Star.

Stepped inside and was pleased that there was no loud music (good for conversation) so I asked if reservations were required. They weren't.
Took a scan of the menu because Anx would be attending and my memory seemed to tell me that he was some form of vegetarian.
They had veggie dishes. Perfect!
After getting a positive consensus from the rest of the crew, we decided this would be tomorrow evening's jump off spot.

I arrived earlier than the appointed hour so that i'd have time to cruise around the neighborhood and see what had become of 152 Bleeker Street
(The Cafe Au Go Go) and The Garrick Theater during daylight hours. These establishments were on a very "short" block so they would be easy to locate.

My heart sank when I got near my destination...



...and saw the whole block covered with scaffolding.

What's the matter with these people? Don't they know what musical history this small zone was a part of?

Found this cool picture (along with the poster)...



...of what this historical strip of earth looked like back in the day (have no idea who this guy is).
You can clearly see the club facade, box office, the Infinite Poster store and The Garrick Theater marquee.
Name artists of various genres (Rock/Blues/Folk/Jazz) played this room during the 60s.

A few yards to the right of where the fellow in the b/w shot is standing...




...is where I met and shook hands with Jimi Hendrix.
The Asylum, i'm guessing, is the spot that used to be a walk-down bar called The Tin Angel.
This is the place my friend and I waited for Jimi to come out of.

The Night Owl Cafe (now Bleeker Bob's) ...



...was another famous Village club where one might've run into The Blues Magoos or The Lovin' Spoonful at one time.


After this devastating experience it was time to walk back up Bleeker to The NoHo Star and meet everyone for dinner.
Standing on the corner by the restaurant, scorning all of humanity for the injustice i'd just experienced, down the block I saw Org legend Anx coming across the intersection. Very dapper gentleman dressed in a stylish Pea coat. The gray/white in his hair gives him quite the distinguished look.

We talked outside for a bit and then went inside for a drink. Within 30 minutes or so everyone had arrived
(Natisse, Ocean, Byron, NWF, Cborgman, purplecam, superspaceboy and Uncle Grandpa)

Dinner pix...






...The beautiful people.

We had a good dinner and everyone was well behaved although...



...Anx and Cborgman had to receive a "time-out" for their bad table manners.

One very nice pic I took during dinner regretably didn't come out as well as it looked in the tiny camera viewer...



...If you increase the size it's out of focus. Maybe you can use it as a wallet photo Anx.


After dinner, using Anx as tour guide (and a very qualified one I might add), we headed off to a place called the Beauty Bar on 14th Street.
As the name implies, opposite the bar are fully functional salon chairs.

Since we were only a few blocks away from My Old School (Stuyvesant H.S.),
I decided to break away for a few minutes and see if the building was still there.

And it was. ...



...It's currently the High School for Health Professions.

On the way back I thought i'd take a stroll down memory lane and retrace a path to the Fillmore East i'd taken many times during my school days.
As I couldn't remember exactly how far it was and didn't want to remain estranged from the group too much longer, I asked an older hippie-type woman how far down 2nd Ave i'd have to walk and more importantly if the building was still there.
To my horror she informed me that the space was now inhabited by a bank and condos!
Decided I could live without seeing that and turned tail back to the Beauty Bar.
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Fillmore East structure - 105 2nd Avenue (chronology as an entertainment venue):

The LOEW's Commodore (movie theater) - 1926-1966...



...circa 1966 with Timothy Leary pictured.


The Village Theater - 1966-1968 (concert venue)


The Fillmore East - 1968-1971 (acquired by Bill Graham)...





...during its heyday

And eventual...



...demise.


The Saint - (disco) 1980-1989(?)


Emigrant Savings Bank...



...currently (condos/apts above)
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Anx suggested another bar (can't remember the name or location so help me out here) so off we went.
Another interesting place that had a very cool isolated sitting area...



...You don't get a true feel for the room's ambience (candle lit) as I accidentally had the flash on.

Ask everyone if they can remember what their favorite bathroom graffiti was.

Inevitably, Dandy Don had to figuratively sing, "Turn out the lights, the party's over."
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

Epilogue

This will make the 2nd such "Invasion" i've participated in.
And in meeting what must be at least between 30-40 people, what has stayed with me was the absence of even 1 diarrhea-dripping a-hole type.
Think about that for a minute. Even where you work there'll usually be at least 1 (generally more) that'd fit the description.
Either that's pretty amazing or i've been extremely lucky. I'd prefer to think it's the former.

This one was special because, outside of meeting the people, it was also a trip back to the city where I was born and raised. New York is just a special place.
And even though certain areas may have lost their gritty edge (Times Square used to be a E-ticket ride through the darkside of humanity) it has retained the energy I remember.

To all those that I met, it was a pleasure.
To those I didn't, next time.

And to The City itself...

I've seen all the movie stars
In their fancy cars and their limousines
Been high in the Rockies under the evergreens
But I know what I'm needing
And I don't want to waste more time
I'm in a New York state of mind

...


tA

Tribal Disorder

http://www.soundclick.com...dID=182431
[Edited 4/17/06 16:49pm]

Stunning memoir and review. Great, great work.
And, regarding the Invasion and your good fortune to meet such phenonenal people, not only were you lucky, but they were lucky too....you are an amazing person and anyone should consider your friendship a gift.
Thanks....not only for sharing your memories, but by reading yours it reignited some good ones of mine.
I can't wait for the next Invasion to hear all about it!

and then...there's this

IAintTheOne said:

Don't even get me started on The Scene. More history.

If you got that, you've gotta have this...



...Monti Rock III (couldn't find a shot with his ashtray)


tA

Tribal Disorder

http://www.soundclick.com...dID=182431

cubic61052 said:

Thank you

Instead of waiting to hear about it, you should just go to one.


tA

Tribal Disorder

http://www.soundclick.com...dID=182431

the bar we went to after beauty bar was the phoenix - it was one of my favorite watering holes when i lived in new york, and thankfully the cozy candlelit side room was dead so we got to take it over for the night!

my favorite graffiti at the phoenix that night, by the way, was "BEYONCE SHOPS AT STRAWBERRYS!!!"

theAudience said:

Might consider it if it is ever in NYC again, Chicago, Montreal, Florida or Atlanta.....we'll see.....

Anx said:

Good one and thanks for the memory-jog.

I'll throw out Patti Smith rocks my cock. (I think that's right)

There's another one i've held back because of its raw factor.
Let's see if anyone else quotes it.


tA

Tribal Disorder

http://www.soundclick.com...dID=182431

awww...

i still say the meetin' jimi story was worth conquering my fear alone, but meeting everyone was heaven.

That was a great night. The Phoneix was really cool. A great spot to chill and that bathroom . theAudience you were just too camn cool for words and seeing all those places you showed us was supercool. That was a great weekend!

theAudience said:

I totally agree. If you can make it, go!

...

Great final Chapter!!! but kinda sad and bittersweet, too...


New York's still the coolest place...But it does give you an odd feeling, seeing how much of it has changed. One of the last times I was up there, LA/Elroy was showing us places like the Brill Building and Electric Lady Studios...but as you pointed out, so many legendary spots just aren't there any more....


...

Great pics and review tA, I wish I could have been there

review edit
[Edited 4/17/06 14:01pm]

This thread is a great history lesson tA. Unfortunately, change is all over lower Manhattan. I don't recognize Houston Street at all anymore myself. The worst has to be St Mark's Place. One of the best small clubs back in my time, Coney Island High (where I saw goth legends Alien Sex Fiend) has been replaced with a Quiznos! That's change for ya.

I hope everyone got a chance to experience CBGB's at least once, particularly the bathroom.

spelling edit
[Edited 4/17/06 15:33pm]

This sooo rawks!!!

sextonseven said:

i saw tribe 8 at coney island high, and i went to a birthday party for mo b. dick there once...it was a cool joint.

sextonseven said:

awesome!!!!!

I remember all your personal history that was part of that Sunday evening walk...it was impressive how you filled us in on what the area meant to you when growing up. Made the whole evening that much more memorable...

I truly love your summary of events you provide from these meet-ups, mon ami....hopefully there will be plenty more to look forward to.

A thousand years late but never out of time, I had a wonderful trip to NY and I loved meeting the crew that was there. This was my best vacation in a while because I could finally afford to go somewhere plus it was just perfect timing right around my birthday. Thanks Natisse for putting thought to action, Cameron for being so kind in guiding my lost self, Neal just because he's Neal, and all of the rest, how ever brief our time was together. When the planets align again, I hope to meet up at the next major invasion. Peaceness!!

tA, tell us another story.

I coulda sworn I saw Gramps get onstage at the MSG Musicology opening night..he danced..I coulda sworn that was him..in a funky outfit...?

sextonseven said:

Thanks.

The Cafe Au Go Go/Garrick Theater is now a Ben&Jerry's/Subway/Wireless/Nail Salon complex.

We looked at the building from down the street.


tA

Tribal Disorder

http://www.soundclick.com...dID=182431
[Edited 4/20/06 20:51pm]

Byron said:

Thanks Mr. B.

Looks like there's one right around the corner in our own back yard.


tA

Tribal Disorder

http://www.soundclick.com...dID=182431

purplecam said:

I'll be hunting you down when I come back to the city.
Get those vocal chops together.


tA

Tribal Disorder

http://www.soundclick.com...dID=182431