Throughout the late 1970s Hurrah was New York’s premier punk/new wave dance hall with DJs filling in between the live bands such as the Damned, Buzzcocks, Dead Boys, Klaus Nomi along with Divine in the off-Broadway exploitative prison play WOMEN BEHIND BARS. Jim Fouratt hired me to work the front door. Haoui Montaug handled the guest list, while George Wrage collected tickets at the top of the stairs, since Hurrah was located in a second-story renovated dance studio. Getting up them was much easier than getting down, especially after drinking and drugging like it was 1978.
The stairs were dark and steep.
The deep-throated security man working with George was renown for his parting advice.
“Watch the stairs.”
Most people succeeded in reaching the bottom of the steps, but not all.
On more than one occasion John Phillips warned customers and then a clatter of heels signaled the tumble of a body down the stairs. If they were lucky, the mezzanine landing stopped their descent. A few
made it to the bottom. No one ever needed to go to the hospital, but New Yorkers were tougher in the 70s.
A lot tougher.
“Watch the steps.”