Private Eyes was a video nightclub located at 12 West 21st Street in Manhattan. [1] The club was owned by Robert Shalom. [2] It was a popular nightspot in the 1980s that catered to a variety of growing underground music scenes in its heyday. With 34 television screens, Private Eyes had an unusually advanced state-of-the-art video and sound system for its time. [3]
Due to the rise of MTV, the popularity of music videos increased and it reinforced the visuals in pop music. [4] 25-year-old Robert Shalom capitalized off this burgeoning visual art form and opened Private Eyes on July 17, 1984. [3] [1] Steve Sukman, vice president for program relations of the club, told Billboard magazine, "We have a commitment to music videos ... and we work very closely with record companies." [5]
The 500-capacity club didn't have a defined dance area. "It's like a living room with the coffee table pushed aside," said Sukman. [5] Due to the club having 34 television screens, New York Magazine described it as "a department-store television section, except at Private Eyes you can have a beer and you can’t change the channel." [6] The highly equipped club took advantage of new technology. Their tape library was cost-effectively built on VHS to deliver high quality. [5] By 1985 the club had nine tape decks to be programmed onto any of the screens. Video Jockeys were able to offer numerous combinations of promo clips. [7]
Actress Bette Midler had a viewing party for her HBO concert film Art or Bust at the club in August 1984. [3]
Pop star Madonna had her Like a Virgin album release party at the club on November 7, 1984. [8] Attendees included artists Andy Warhol and Jean-Michel Basquiat. [9]
Swedish actor and filmmaker Hans "Dolph" Lundgren worked as a doorman at Private Eyes, notably when he started dating singer Grace Jones.
In 1992, Private Eyes was purchased by a few of the owners of The Sound Factory, and it was reopened as the Sound Factory Bar. [10] [11]
Private Eyes was a video nightclub located at 12 West 21st Street in Manhattan. [1] The club was owned by Robert Shalom. [2] It was a popular nightspot in the 1980s that catered to a variety of growing underground music scenes in its heyday. With 34 television screens, Private Eyes had an unusually advanced state-of-the-art video and sound system for its time. [3]
Due to the rise of MTV, the popularity of music videos increased and it reinforced the visuals in pop music. [4] 25-year-old Robert Shalom capitalized off this burgeoning visual art form and opened Private Eyes on July 17, 1984. [3] [1] Steve Sukman, vice president for program relations of the club, told Billboard magazine, "We have a commitment to music videos ... and we work very closely with record companies." [5]
The 500-capacity club didn't have a defined dance area. "It's like a living room with the coffee table pushed aside," said Sukman. [5] Due to the club having 34 television screens, New York Magazine described it as "a department-store television section, except at Private Eyes you can have a beer and you can’t change the channel." [6] The highly equipped club took advantage of new technology. Their tape library was cost-effectively built on VHS to deliver high quality. [5] By 1985 the club had nine tape decks to be programmed onto any of the screens. Video Jockeys were able to offer numerous combinations of promo clips. [7]
Actress Bette Midler had a viewing party for her HBO concert film Art or Bust at the club in August 1984. [3]
Pop star Madonna had her Like a Virgin album release party at the club on November 7, 1984. [8] Attendees included artists Andy Warhol and Jean-Michel Basquiat. [9]
Swedish actor and filmmaker Hans "Dolph" Lundgren worked as a doorman at Private Eyes, notably when he started dating singer Grace Jones.
In 1992, Private Eyes was purchased by a few of the owners of The Sound Factory, and it was reopened as the Sound Factory Bar. [10] [11]