"After Dark" is a must-read!

After Dark is the story of The Best of Friends (TBOF) who identified a social need in New York City in 1971 and ignited the most important social and cultural happening of the 1970s – the disco boom. Leviticus, Othello (renamed Justine's), and Bogard’s were the first black-owned clubs in midtown Manhattan. TBOF also owned Lucifer's in Queens and Brandi's in Brooklyn.

On this 50th anniversary of the group’s first discotheque, readers of After Dark will reminisce over the songs of Isaac Hayes, Wild Cherry, McFadden & Whitehead, James Brown, Chic, and many more as they read the behind-the-scenes account of how TBOF transformed midtown Manhattan into a hot party zone. These clubs were groundbreaking in that they provided a safe, welcoming gathering place for an unprecedented array of diverse patrons: black and white, rich and poor, gay and straight.

After Dark is a first-hand account of how the disco era actually started. Soul, funk, and R&B sounds were blended together to form a new sound. When played on powerful, crystal clear speakers, accompanied by blinking lights and glass ball, dancers were transported to a new place, a place free of problems and worries. Many found it to be euphoric. This all happened during a stressful time in New York City, which was suffering from high crime, budget shortfalls, frequent strikes, and white flight. With that as a backdrop, discotheques were a welcome escape. After Dark also provides a rare and authentic insight into middle-class African American culture. It is a fascinating story that has never been told — until now.