Club Scene
Victoria Davis- Abad Staff Whether it is disco balls shining down on the dance floor or colored lights strobing across the floor. There are people having fun with their friends or making new ones with strangers. While the club scene has changed over the years in the Bayou Region, it has remained a place of entertainment for teenagers and adults alike. In the past, night clubs were almost everywhere in the Terrebonne and Lafourche Parish area. Places like The Safari Club and The Greenhouse were once popular, but those places that used to bring in a huge gathering have disappeared into almost nothing. The Safari served beer and mixed drinks to everyone who came to party in Galliano. It was set up right across the bayou, but a fire broke out during its prime time in 1977, burning the building to the ground. After the fire, a new disco club opened in The Safari’s place known as The Big Apple. “It was like Saturday Night Fever with John Travolta,” says Claudia Spencer, a Larose resident. “It was like Saturday Night Fever with John Travolta.” claudia spencer As people moved on from disco, The Big Apple changed its theme from disco to country and started doing more events to draw in the young adults. All that remains today is concrete that is used for parking. The Greenhouse became a club for young adults in Cut-Off in 1982. The club had themed nights that it became known for, but it closed in 2012 due to lack of maintenance. Lee Brother’s Dance Hall was a small building in Cut-Off where many people danced the night away; but now it stands abandoned on the side of the highway with boarded windows and holes in the ceiling. Even though there have been multiple clubs that have closed down, there still are some today that draw in crowds. As the years have changed, so has the club scene. Old clubs catered to a specific audience with disco clubs or bands with live music. The clubbing scene has dropped because of several factors. WHAT HAPPENED? In 2015, New Theory Magazine said the reason why the clubbing scene is decreasing is a lack of revenue because the newer generation does not go to clubs as often as the older generation. In January 2023. The National Public Radio covered a story of a shooting in a Louisiana nightclub that injured a dozen people. With certain violent incidents like shootings happening in nightclubs, the customers would not feel as safe going back to the nightclub. Another factor could be the location of said nightclubs. When people think of nightclubs, they will think of the heavily populated city of New Orleans. When people search clubs in Louisiana on Google, the ones that get the most attention are the clubs located in the big city. Not many people would remember the nightclubs that the Bayou Region has to offer. Although some of the nearby nightclubs will stand out to the young adult crowd in the area. Halftime and Androgyny are clubs that are available for young adults. Halftime is a popular club for college kids in Thibodaux and Androgyny is a night club in Houma that has special themed nights for visitors along with drag queen performances. Miranda Danos, a Nicholls student, said. “Androgyny is a great club, and I think it really helps foster the LGBTQIA+ presence in this area.” Although the past clubs have disappeared with only memories left behind, the clubbing scene will not vanish into obscurity because people, no matter how young or old, want a place to dance and hang out with their friends. Androgyny Nightclub- Houma The Greenhouse The Safari
Dancing
Quincy Evans Staff While dancing is popular with all ages, the dance scene has actually begun to dwindle due to changes in club atmospheres. More specifically, to some people, going out to bars and clubs doesn’t have the same appeal to them as it did in their youth. “See, back then, the dance scene was accompanied by the bars and clubs’ atmosphere; it had more of a feel,” says Gordon Vinning, a club DJ. “And by a feel to it, I mean that it had a more lively and homier atmosphere to it. Almost like everything surrounding the place was trying to keep you coming back to keep having a good time.” The atmosphere of a place is essential in a club because it sets the tone and puts people at ease to have a good time while dancing, he says. “They used to have a little dance hall here at Peppers, and a lot of people would come by on weekends and just enjoy themselves,” says Ryan Guidry. “Whenever I come here, I still see some people dance to the music playing, but it’s not as it was before.” “Whenever I come here, I still see some people dance to the music playing, but it’s not as it was before.” Ryan Guidry While local clubs and bars now may not have the same appeal as in the past, the music has stayed consistent. And music and dancing go hand-in-hand. “For dancing to mean something to a group of people, the right music must be played,” says Stuart Tully, history professor at Nicholls State University. “For example, in breakdancing, the music played has a lot of techno beats and is very fast-paced, which works well with the actual breakdancing style. Everyone around them who saw these kinds of moves got them excited and either cheered them on to do more or joined them. Having both the music and the dance styles there showed what type of energy was at a bar, club, or social event.” No matter what has changed and what hasn’t, bars and clubs are still there for people to enjoy themselves and dance the night away. “Seeing someone dance to the music that I’m playing at the time gives me a kickback,” Vinning says. “Even if they are moving side to side or just nodding their head just makes me feel good about what I am doing.”
Drinks by the Decade
Delaney Ligori Staff
Bars in the Bayou Region
Dominic Lasseigne Staff The bar scene was a centerpiece in the lives of Southeast Louisiana’s youth during the end of the 20th century. Every weekend, the young adults of Lafourche, Terrebonne and Assumption Parish would show up to their favorite bars and clubs for long nights of music, dancing, and drinking. The South Lafourche region hosted a thriving nightlife. The Safari, a club in Cut Off, was decorated with palm branches and bamboo. According to Matt Dufrene, a longtime Galliano resident, The Safari was the most ambitious club down the bayou. “The decorations weren’t really like anything we had seen before at that time,” Dufrene says. “It’s a lot like the bars and clubs you see in big cities today. They had a theme and they stuck to it.” “It’s a lot like the bars and clubs you see in big cities today. They had a theme and stuck to it.” Matt Dufrene Locals recall streakers running through the building one Saturday night, to the dismay of some of the older bar-goers. The Big Apple, a disco club that set itself apart with its very large size, grew popular after The Safari burnt down in 1977. It featured a light-up dance floor, a disco ball, and a large U-shaped bar. It later became The Little Apple in 1984 when the main club closed down, leaving just the bar. Not only did the setup and theme of bars draw in crowds, but so did the live music. Toby Melancon, the owner of The Greenhouse, a bar in Cut Off, says he was able to pull bands from all over the United States; and sometimes out of the country. Dream Junkies, DNA, Crush, Enter the Machine, The Stranger, and Uncrowned all performed on The Greenhouse Stage. In Assumption Parish, The Rainbow Inn was home to many swamp pop musicians, a South Louisiana genre of music combining country with cajun and creole traditional tunes. People would tune in to see artists like The Richard Brothers and Don Rich. The Southeastern Louisiana region was booming with many great bars. Thibodaux youth enjoyed the trifecta of Iron Horse, The Foundry, and Colonel’s Retreat. Other popular bars and clubs were also visited frequently such as Lee Brothers’ Dance Hall and The Shady Pecan. “It’s a lot like it was back in the ’80s these days,” says Julie Chouest, a native of Cut Off. “The kids will drive an hour or however long to Houma and Thibodaux to go drink. We did the same, but there was a lot more stuff to do here down the bayou then too.” WHAT CHANGED? Louisiana changed its legal drinking age from 18 to 21 on September 1, 1986. The change was a result of the National Minimum Drinking Age Act, which was passed by the United States Congress. Before the change, individuals 18 years or older could buy and drink alcohol. Nicole Boudreaux, assistant professor of Mass Communication at Nicholls State University, recalls the change in policy “I was almost 20 — so close,” Boudreaux says. “It was the weirdest thing. One day you had the right to drink legally, and the next day they were putting a big ‘X’ on your hand with a sharpie to indicate that you weren’t 21.” According to Boudreaux, the beginning was the most strict. If you were underage and caught with a drink, most bars would kick you out. She says that people were creative with erasing the ‘X’ mark, however. Many of these bars and clubs have since closed down: The Safari burnt down; The Big Apple exists but only as the Red Apple Inn; and the shopping center that The Greenhouse was located in wasn’t maintained after hurricanes, leading to its closure in 2012. The closures of these once popular bars and clubs have contributed to the decrease of activities for Southeast Louisiana’ youth to participate in and, consequently, a lost youth culture. The Iron Horse- 1980s Rox’s Bar 1965 Iron Horse Movie Night 1975 Greenhouse Bartenders and Band Iron Horse Stained Glass Sign 1974 ad bands playing at Safari
Lights Fantastic
Jace Paul Fanguy Staff In 1978, South Lafourche High School students were still mourning the loss of one of the greatest clubs on the bayou, the Safari. But then The Lights Fantastic opened its doors, becoming the new hot spot for high schoolers to show off their dance moves. The club, located between Larose and Golden Meadow, was complete with a disco ball and the first light-up floor on the bayou, just like in the movies. Elizabeth Perque showed off her moves, winning a dance competition at the Lights on her first try. “They asked ‘If anyone wants to participate in the dance contest, get on the floor,” says Perque. “Me and my partner were very good at the jitter-bug and other disco dances, and we were the last ones left and won.” “Me and my partner were very good at the jitter-bug and other disco dances, and we were the last ones left and won.” Elizabeth Perque Although the Lights Fantastic was fun, it was crowded from wall to wall on most nights. The crowd also made the Lights a hot place, literally. Martha Mouton learned how hot it was the hard way, passing out at the Lights due to the heat. “It was New Year’s Eve and it was packed, probably over capacity,” says Mouton. “I was squeezing through the people while fighting the heat. Someone tapped me on the shoulders and as I turned around I fainted. I didn’t even have a sip of alcohol that night, it was just that hot.” The Lights changed its theme after the Big Apple, a much larger club, opened a few minutes down the bayou, attracting more people. Gone were the disco days of the Lights, as the club transformed into a hub for live music. The dance floor was taken out and replaced with a stage, and the walls were carpeted for better acoustics. Popular bands on the bayou like The Producers, Halifax, and Zebra would rock the night away. WHAT HAPPENED? Unfortunately, this change also attracted the wrong crowd. Biker gangs, at the time, began to cause a lot of trouble at the Lights, turning away crowds. “There was nothing fantastic about it anymore,” says Buddy Miller. “The wheelers (bikers) just commanded the place, they would bully everyone in there. It made everyone uncomfortable, so I took my money and spent it elsewhere.” It is not certain if the bikers were the reason the Lights closed, but the rise in popularity of live music clubs like The Greenhouse certainly didn’t help. The club changed its name to Windjammers in the late 1980s, but would close soon after, turning into a flower shop. All that remains is a concrete slab where the building once sat, and the memories of those who attended. Lights Fantastic Schedule Ticket
Rainbow Inn
Jordyn Voisin features editor Nestled in the heart of Pierre Part off U.S Highway 70, is an old, abandoned building wasting away from the effects of time. Since its opening in the 1930s, the building has been a thriving bar, restaurant and dance hall known as the Rainbow Inn. Eve Justilian who moved to Pierre Part in 1992, heard of the Rainbow Inn long before she arrived in town; but when she finally walked through the doors she felt like she was in “a part of history.” The Rainbow Inn was a place where locals would go to indulge in the best hamburgers or dance the night away listening to local swamp pop bands. “Swamp pop is a form of country music with cajun culture thrown in for a flare,” says Justilian. Pierre Part is home to many swamp pop musicians who became popular singing at the Rainbow Inn; such as The Richard Brothers and Don Rich. Rich says he grew up at the Rainbow Inn as a kid, eating hamburgers and drinking coke which he bought for 15 cents. “The Inn had the greatest hamburgers I ever ate,” says Rich. “They were homemade, not like they are today.” “The Inn had the greatest hamburgers I ever ate. They were homemade, not like they are today.” Don Rich Rich’s dad was part of The Richard Brothers band who would play at The Rainbow Inn when he was a child; then in his early 20s, he began playing there himself. Rich has been playing swamp pop music for 57 years and he still loves it today, but his most memorable experiences at the Rainbow revolved around the food. Since its opening in the 50s, the talk of the Rainbow Inn’s food made its way around Pierre Part quickly. Jennie Justilian who was born and raised in Pierre Part, says that she began going to the Inn when was 13 years old and was able to sit in the kitchen while the women cooked. Once Jeannie Justilian got older she would dance the nights away doing the jitterbug and drinking her favorite soda, a Cherry Coke. During that time, boys had to pay 25 cents to be able to dance but the girls were free. Despite its popularity, The Rainbow Inn shut its doors in 2019 due to the owners getting older and not being able to handle the property. The Rainbow Inn Richard Brothers at Rainbow Inn
The Greenhouse
Alayna Yarwood Staff The small town of Cut Off, Louisiana, was home to a busy club called The Greenhouse — a hub for young adults from Cut Off, Larose and surrounding communities. From 1982 to 2012, young adults would frequent The Greenhouse from Wednesday through Saturday nights to drink, dance, and hang with friends. “The early days in the week were more for hanging out, and the crowds were not too big,” says Bull Johnson, who worked as a bouncer at The Greenhouse. “Wednesdays used to be ladies’ nights, but Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays were the busiest nights.” Dancing and music were a big part of The Greenhouse. Owner Toby Melancon’s daughter Shae Melancon says, “My dad was able to get bands from across the U.S and even outside of the U.S to play on that stage.” Some of the bands that played on The Greenhouse stage were Dream Junkies, DNA, Crush, Enter the Machine, The Stranger, and Uncrowned. “It was a place people enjoyed being at to meet up with friends; and a stage bands loved to play on.” Melancon says. “It was a place people enjoyed being at to meet up with friends; and a stage bands loved to play on.” Shae Melancon The Greenhouse was also known for its themed nights like glow parties, ’80s nights, and naughty Santa costume parties. Crystal Redmond started going to The Greenhouse in 1984 when she was just 18 years old. A year later, Redmond met her husband at the club and they have been married for 33 years. “It’s funny telling my kids I met their dad at The Greenhouse,” Redmond says. “We wouldn’t leave to go out until 9 p.m. and we stayed out until 4 a.m. We would mainly go to dance. ” Melancon says after the BP oil spill in 2010, people didn’t have as much money and stopped going out to the club as much. Then the shopping center where The Greenhouse was located was not maintained after hurricanes, causing the club to close in 2012. The Greenhouse The Greenhouse 2010 Greenhouse Bartenders and Band Costume Party 2011 Damage Inside The Greenhouse 2023