Disco Fever facts for kids

Disco Fever was a famous dance club in New York City, located in the South Bronx. It was open from 1976 to 1986. At first, not many people visited the club. But then, Sal Abbatiello convinced his father, who owned the club, to let him manage it. Sal quickly started inviting hip hop artists, including a young Grandmaster Flash. This made the club much more popular and well-known. The famous hip hop group Run-D.M.C. even performed their very first show at Disco Fever.

History of Disco Fever

How Disco Fever Started

Disco Fever began as a local bar. Albert "Allie" Abbatiello, Sal's father, already owned two other clubs in the Bronx. He decided to turn the old bar into his third nightclub. At first, he wanted it to be a place for an older crowd.

Sal Abbatiello shared how the club got its name. His mom saw an advertisement for "Saturday Night Disco Fever" on TV. She suggested the name "Disco Fever" for the new club. At first, they didn't like the idea. But the next day, they realized "Disco Fever" sounded pretty cool. So, Sal's mom actually named the club!

The Rise of Hip Hop at the Club

Disco Fever opened in 1976, but it wasn't popular right away. The club could hold 350 people, but only about 200 would show up on a good night. Sal Abbatiello worked as a bartender there. One night, after closing, he saw the night manager, George Godfrey, playing records. George was also talking on the microphone, getting the small group of people excited. Sal thought this was a great way to get people involved and dancing.

Sal asked George, who was known as "Sweet G," to suggest other artists who could do this. George took Sal to see Grandmaster Flash perform in a local park. Grandmaster Flash was with two other artists, and they called themselves "Grandmaster Flash & the 3 MCs." This group later became Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five. Sal asked his father if he could book musical artists for Tuesday nights, and his father agreed.

The First Big Hip Hop Night

In 1977, the first Tuesday night show featured Grandmaster Flash. He was paid $50, and the other two MCs got $25 each. Sal decided to charge only $1 to get in and asked people to buy at least one drink for $1. They also handed out flyers in the neighborhood to tell everyone about the show.

Because the prices were low and they promoted it well, a long line of people waited outside the club. Seeing the huge crowd, Sal called for extra help from his father's other club. That night, Disco Fever made $1,000! This showed that the idea of featuring hip hop was a big success.

Becoming the "Rap Capital"

Sal Abbatiello continued to bring in only rappers and DJs. The club quickly became very popular. Soon, hip hop nights expanded from just Tuesdays to every night. Disco Fever became the most famous hip hop club in New York.

The club was even mentioned in the Grandmaster Flash song "The Message" in 1982. In 1983, a writer named Bill Adler wrote in People magazine that Disco Fever was "the rap capital of the Solar System." Rapper Kurtis Blow said he went to the club to get new ideas and "to see what the street likes."

Sal Abbatiello even started his own record label, Fever Records, to help new hip hop artists. Kurtis Blow signed his first record deal with this label. Producer Russell Simmons thought the club was a great place to test new music. He said, "if a rap record doesn't go around in the Fever, it's fake." Simmons convinced Sal to give his younger brother, Joseph (who was "Run" in Run-D.M.C.), a chance to perform. This led to Run-D.M.C.'s first paid performance happening at Disco Fever.

Grandmaster Flash said that Sal Abbatiello would sometimes reward artists who performed really well. He would offer them champagne and a private room called "The Ice Room." This special treatment made artists feel like stars and attracted more people to the club.

Disco Fever's Community Spirit

Sal Abbatiello wanted everyone at Disco Fever, from employees to customers, to feel like a family. This friendly atmosphere helped the club avoid many of the problems that other clubs faced.

Sal also used the club to help the community. In 1982, the nightclub hosted a telethon to raise money for the United Negro College Fund. They raised $8,000! Sal also teamed up with two hip hop artists to start an amateur basketball league in the neighborhood. In early 1983, Disco Fever threw an Easter party for about 250 local children. They gave out gifts and food, and admission was free. The club even arranged transportation for people to visit family members in local prisons. Sal Abbatiello said the club became like "the YMCA of the Bronx" because of all its community work.

The End of an Era

The 1985 movie Krush Groove was filmed at Disco Fever. This movie, which featured stars like Sheila E., Beastie Boys, Run-D.M.C., New Edition, The Fat Boys, and LL Cool J, celebrated hip hop club life. Sal Abbatiello even acted in the movie, playing himself!

However, while getting permits for the film, the movie producers found out something important. Disco Fever had been operating without a special "cabaret license" since it opened. The local community board, which approves these permits, refused to give Sal one. Sal said they used a small rule to close his club, even after he had done so much for the community. He had renovated a park, helped the United Negro Fund, started a youth association, and even created a skating rink for kids. After not getting the permit, Sal Abbatiello simply closed the club and walked away.