By the late 1960s, Max's Kansas City had established its status as one of the preeminent clubs for new, edgy rock and roll music, but the venue was in its prime in the early 1970s. Located at 17th Street and Park Avenue, just above Union Square, Max's helped to nurture the brand new glam rock scene, with acts like David Bowie, Lou Reed, Iggy Pop and the New York Dolls performing there multiple times. Other soon-to-be rock megastars also played the venue, including an unknown Bob Marley co-headlining with an also unknown Bruce Springsteen in 1973. Max's would eventually close its doors for good in 1981.
Although the now world-famous CBGB's no longer exists in its original spot on the Bowery in Lower Manhattan, its logo can be seen on t-shirts and stickers all around the world. No club deserves more credit for helping to create the punk rock and new wave movements than CBGB's, even though the acronym actually stands for "Country Bluegrass and Blues." The list of influential groups from the mid-to-late 1970s that got their start at this tiny venue is nearly endless and includes the Ramones, Blondie, the Talking Heads, Patty Smith and Television. CBGB's would prove influential in the 1980s as well, although the late 1970's were the club's formative years.
In total contrast to the dingy rock 'n' roll clubs that downtown Manhattan had to offer was the uber-glamorous, celebrity studded Studio 54, located on West 54th Street in midtown. The club opened in 1977 and immediately became the most popular nightclub in the city. Unlike CBGB's and Max's Kansas City, Studio 54 was as much a dance club as it was a live music venue, yet it still proved influential in the music world by helping to make disco one of the most popular genres in the country. Celebrities from Liza Minnelli to Salvador Dali could be seen passing by the paparazzi on their way into the club. Although Studio 54 is technically still standing, it is used mainly for theater productions as opposed to swinging 1970s parties.