Forget what you think you know about the '70s, because the real action wasn’t in the bell-bottoms, it was on the dance floor.
Welcome to the glitter-soaked, bass-thumping, mirror-balled madness of the wildest discos of the 1970s. These weren't just clubs, they were electric temples of freedom, fashion, and freak-outs. From Studio 54’s velvet ropes to underground hideaways where the rules didn’t apply, disco was more than music, it was a movement. A rebellion in sequins. A revolution in rhythm.
Lace up your platforms, baby, we’re time-traveling back to the nights that pulsed with pleasure and defined an unforgettable generation.
1
Copacabana
Long before Barry Manilow sang it, the Copa was dripping in feathers, sequins, and drama. The original high-kitsch hotspot where love, loss, and mambo met the mirrorball.
2
Leviticus
Old Testament name, all-night commandments. Leviticus was high glam, high drama, and high heels. Somewhere between Moses and Donna Summer, you found enlightenment.
3
Le Clique
Velvet ropes, velvet voices, and velvet everything. Le Clique was where you went to be seen, then ignored, then worshipped by 3am. Exclusivity never looked so electric.
4
Empire Roller Disco
Brooklyn’s temple of four-wheeled funk. Empire was where disco met derby, and the only thing faster than the skaters was the gossip. Lace up, lean in, spin out.
5
GG’s Barnum Room
A circus-themed disco filled with drag, leather, latex, and pure chaos. GG’s was if P.T. Barnum had access to cocaine and roller skates. You didn’t just go, you survived.
6
Ice Palace 57
Located on Fire Island, and colder than your ex’s heart; Ice Palace 57 was equal parts glitz and goosebumps. Glittery escapism with a sea breeze chaser.
7
The Gallery
Before Studio. Before Paradise Garage. There was The Gallery. A sacred space where DJ Nicky Siano mixed funk, soul, and joy; and accidentally invented modern clubbing.
8
The Saint
A domed ceiling, a spinning star projector, and a sound system that made your bones rattle. The Saint wasn’t a club, it was NASA for nightlife. Liftoff guaranteed.
9
The Other Side
Mysterious. Moody. Magnetic. The Other Side was exactly that: a shadowy, seductive world where you left your day job behind and became whoever you wanted.
10
The Pier (Pier 9)
By day, an abandoned shipping pier. By night, the holy ground of hedonism. Open air, open shirts, open everything. Nature + disco = spiritual awakening.
11
Paradise Garage
A haven for disco purists, this underground club was famous for legendary DJ Larry Levan, whose mixes could keep crowds dancing till dawn.
12
The Library
No books, just beats. This West Village gem was for those who liked their literature silent and their disco LOUD. Required reading: Donna, Diana, and decadence.
13
Dugan’s Bistro
Drag queens in 12-inch heels. A dance floor like a runway. And a giant spoonful of outrageous. Dugan’s was Broadway meets Studio 54, with a splash of poppers.
14
Studio One
L.A.'s answer to Studio 54: Studio One was the musclebound, tan-lined cousin with movie-star dreams and a dance floor that didn't quit ‘til sunrise (or until Cher showed up).
15
Artemis
Named for the Greek huntress, Artemis was a sanctuary for fierce women and their equally fabulous entourages. Think moonlight, mythology and disco.
16
The Loft
David Mancuso’s intimate, invite-only parties focused on the music and community, sparking the underground disco movement.
17
The Sanctuary
A former church turned disco inferno: stained glass, spiritual ecstasy, and zero confessions. This is where New York’s wild found salvation under strobe lights and bass drops.
18
Crisco Disco
Named after actual cans of Crisco stacked at the DJ booth (don’t ask unless you're ready), this meatpacking district hotspot was sweaty, shirtless, and proudly X-rated. If the walls could talk… they’d moan.
19
Cheetah
One of the first discos, with a reputation for wild dance floors and pioneering DJ sets that helped define disco’s sound.
20
Studio 54
The most famous disco ever, where celebrities, models, and party animals mingled under a kaleidoscope of lights. Known for its exclusive door policy and wild themed parties.
