8BC

8BC was a seminal performance space, art gallery, and nightclub in the underground art scene that exploded in New York's East Village in the early 1980s.

History

Founded by Cornelius Conboy and Dennis Gattra it was the most critically acclaimed of the many venues that sprung up in response to the influx of artists and performers reclaiming the abandoned neighborhood known as Alphabet City. Regularly featured in the Village Voice, the diversity of its programming was reflected in coverage by publications such as Fortune Magazine, Artforum , Town & Country , Screw, Vogue , People Magazine , The Tulane Drama Review, East Village Eye and the Wall Street Journal.

Location

Named for its location on 8th street between Avenues B & C it was on a block of abandoned burnt out buildings and considered dangerous to get to. Typical of the ironic aesthetic of the era, empty lots were notably turned into a miniature golf course for annual July 4th pig roasts. In 1985, 8BC was awarded a New York Dance and Performance Award for its contribution to the vitality of the city's art community. The closing of 8BC for improper zoning usage made the front page of the New York Times and in 1999 the archives were requested by, and donated to, the Smithsonian Institution where they are available for research.

Performers

During its 2-year existence, Halloween 1983 - October 22, 1985, over 1,500 performances were held ranging from punk rock bands to Japanese Butoh dance. Notable performers included Karen Finley , Steve Buscemi , Ethyl Eichelberger , They Might Be Giants , Leisure Class, Holly Hughes and Charles Busch.

Popular Culture References

In 1996, due to its acclaim to the arts, it was honorably mentioned in the rock musical, RENT during the song "La Vie Boheme".