A7 (bar)

This article is about the bar. For other uses, see A7.

A7 was a club in New York City. From 1981 to 1984, it was the unofficial headquarters of the New York hardcore scene. The tiny space was located on the southeast corner of East 7th Street and Avenue A in Manhattan's East Village. The Violators were one of the first punk bands to play there, performing once a month for over a year. Other bands that played on The Violators night included Minor Threat, Social Distortion, SS Decontrol, The Undead, The Soviets, False Prophets, The Eliminators and Powertrip. Many the NYC Oi! and hardcore bands would play on the bill, including hardcore icons Bad Brains, and gradually the A7 club turned into a hardcore scene. The club was owned by (and a cover for) a cocaine dealer, and staffed by members of the NYHC scene, including Doug Holland of Kraut, Raybeez of Agnostic Front and Warzone, and Jimmy Gestapo of Murphy's Law. The only way to open the main entrance was with a single key that was frequently lost, locking people both in and out for hours. The club operated without a liquor license and was often raided by police. A warning spray-painted on the outside of the building read: "Out of town bands remember where you are."

Plaque

In October 2013, a plaque was hung in the room that used to be A7, now in a bar called Niagra, marking the space's history.

References

• Blush, Steven (2001). American Hardcore. Los Angeles: Feral House. ISBN 0-922915-71-7.