This blog is about nightclubs that are not longer in existence, and I use the term nightclub loosely.  To me, the difference between a bar or a tavern and a nightclub, is that a nightclub has entertainment.  A Band, A DJ, Karaoke, etc.  It would be unfair however to call some of the places nightclubs though.  Here's a list of some of the places I either worked, or played as a member of a band or just enjoyed as a patron, watching live music.   For over a year in the lat 80's I was a booking agent for Musicians Union Local #35.  They barely had enough members to keep the union going.  In fact, locally it ran out of gas in the 90's and our region became part of the Nashville based union.  Saying all this, some of these clubs were venues where I booked live entertainment, including male strippers and comedians. (Aren't they one in the same kinda??)

Funky's 2

I would say by far, this spot that used to be located where the parking lot of LeMerigo is currently.  Funky's 2 could easily hold 2000+ people.  I  remember when I was the DJ there in the 80's, one Saturday night before Thunder On The Ohio, we had 2200 in the place at one time.  One side disco, one side live bands, and in the back pool tables and a shots bar which I worked once or twice.  Funky's would bring in the very best regional bands as well as national acts.  I remember having White Zombie there, playing on a Tuesday night for a $5 cover.  It was the place to be for many years.

The Village Saloon

I went there during it's heyday in the 80's, but I also became house booking agent in 1989.  For many years it was a disco haven. New owners came in, I got involved and suddenly it was a rock bar.  Their entertainment budget was low, so it was often difficult to find quality live bands.

Neon's

After I quit working at Funky;s I became entertainment director for Neon's, a club similar to Funky's with a big bad room on one side and dance music on the other.  It was located in the old Eastpark Cinemas building, behind Arc Lanes.  The building is no longer there, apartments now have taken that place.  25 cent beer on weeknights,  Good, mostly hometown bands on the weekend.  It's lifespan ran out after about 3 years.  I had left about a year prior to that as I couldn't get funding to get the occasional big name regional act to play there.

Woody's

Similar in some ways to the aforementioned clubs.  A Dance side and a Band side.  Zak who owned Woody's was not afraid to shell out dough to bring in national acts like Halestorm, Puddle Of Mudd, Papa Roach, Trapt, Pop Evil and many others.  I give him credit for having the balls to risk money on those ventures.  A 'mysterious' fire nearly destroyed the whole building.  Zak moved to the West Side, but after all the struggles of being a club owner, he got out of the business.

Lanhuck's

An empty lot sits where this wonderful dive bar was once located, at the corner of Governor and Columbia.  Depending on what night you went you can hear original music in multiple genres.  From folk, to punk, to metal an everything else between.  A car ran into the building in May of 2014 and collapsed it.

Fast Eddy's

A fairly legendary club and home for 103GBF Thong Thursday for about ten years.  Eddy's would almost always have a really good cover band on the weekend with DJ music in between band breaks.   103GBF did tons of promotions there, an we brought Black Stone Cherry in for a show in the mid 2000's.  One thing I will say, that club had the nastiest bathrooms I have ever been in.

So as far as Hot Spots that have gone Cold, that's the essence of my list.  Honorable mention goes out to Bullock's, Jericho's, Wally's Place, 1123, Boney Junes,Dominicks, Three T's, The Green Oasis, The Blue Parrot, Shenanigans, Breaker's and if I forgot your fave, post in the comment section below.

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