Discover and relive the history of the 82 Club in the very room it took place.

An East Village night spot, starting in the 1950s the 82 Club offered lavish drag shows three times nightly for 20 plus years before becoming a rock and roll club (where Wayne Conty and the New York Dolls played among others) and later a cruising ground.

Incorporating hundreds of photos and audio and film clips, Joe E. Jeffreys' multi-media talk will stir up many tales and ghosts of the fabled space.

This special event is part of HOT! Dixon Place's 16th Annual NYC Celebration of Queer Culture.

Monday, August 6, 2007
6pm at the Bijou Theatre
(former 82 Club)
82 East 4th Street
and at 8pm at Dixon Place
258 Bowery
$12 general, $10 students/seniors
reservations (212) 219-0736

Great idea.

Sometimes I can't type or spell. Wayne County (now known as Jayne County) played the 82 when it was a rock club and in fact debuted the song "Fuck Off" there. The Mumps, Television, and Another Pretty Face also played it as a rock club.

International Chrysis performed there when it was a drag club.

Also home of Stormy/ the first drag king, and the mother flawless Sabrina.

Can you 'splain us the difference between what's happening at the 1st venue and what's happening at the 2nd?

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Miss Understood,

In many ways Lucky Cheng's and the 82 Club are more similar than different.

I haven't been to the First Avenue venue for a while and never to the Vegas version so correct me if I am wrong in what I say of Cheng's. Also, I never was at the 82 and base everything on my research. The 82 was closed as a drag space by the time I was in the 2nd grade.

Both Cheng's and the 82 employ(ed) female impersonation as the draw for a primarily straight audience.

While food was served at the 82, it was more about drinks there. Cheng's is much more about food.

The show cast, and correct me if I am wrong, was bigger at the 82 with as many as 35 impersonators. Also at the 82 all the acts were all live, no lipsynch, with a band of 7 or more pieces behind them. There were also a good number of dance acts (drag strippers, ballet, can can) on the bill with singers and comic acts or impersonations of folks like Garland,Steisand, etc. The show at the 82 lasted about 1 hour 15 minutes and was offered 3 times nightly with the last starting at 2:30. Is Cheng's open that late?

The 82 show was on a good sized deep thrust stage, not among the tables. There was less direct contact with the audience.

The 82 show had an opening production number, middle number and finale that all featured most of the cast in elaborate coordinated costumes and tight choreography. These numbers were all themed, like Paris in Spring or Holidays in Hell.

The 82 also was also conservative in many ways never allowing any vulgar language or too blue humor.

Hope this answers your questoin and that I haven't misrepresented either establishment.

Anyone have a different take on the matter?

PS-- Flawless Sabrina and Storme never performed at the 82 though they did visit it.

Oh,sorry. I read "venue" as avenue in your question. Must read slower.

It was the same talk at both spaces with hundreds of photos shown via PowerPoint, video clips and audio clips from interviews with many folks who worked at the 82.

Will be doing the presentation again in the fall at La Mama.

Thanks to all you folks who came to the Bijou and Dixon Place.

It was really great to be in the actual space. Sorry your time was so limited. Drag stripping is not completely dead. I occasionally send them to parties. My biggest problem (for me, not them) is that the girls who pass well tend to eventually get their boobs done. If there's not a male left under there to "reveal" the point of the act can get lost.
I've been told that Chrysis would pull it off anyway by flattening her hair, even though it was long, under a wig cap so she could yank off her wig at conclusion of the strip. Then she'd say something in a deep voice like "nice to meetcha, my name's mike." That is not something most trannies would do.