RIP Don Hill
APRIL 1, 2011 TAGS:
The death of the legendary New York City rock club booker and nightlife promoter Don Hill hits the city at an odd time. The investment-banker-bottle-service culture that flourished before the economic meltdown of 2008 has thankfully passed, but so have the days that leather-clad rockers with asymmetrical haircuts had identity-making cultural impact. New York nightlife, which constantly reinvents itself, has rendered rock ‘n’ roll and the late-night catwalkers that Don Hill did so well to entertain as neither fish nor fowl.
Of course, the droves of young-ins who pile into Don Hill’s eponymous nightclub in the West Village might take issue with that evaluation. And for good reason. The roux of heavy guitars, pumping synths, fashion and late nights will forever nourish an immutable aspect of youthful exuberance.
And so Don Hill’s death, like other impresarios of their day, inspires reflection and gratitude. Don Hill was 66 and spent the better part of four decades stamping hands at the door, booking hot up-and-coming rock talent and throwing awesome parties. From the remembrances passing around the web today, it’s clear that no one ran a rock ‘n’ roll nightlife business quite as briskly and as affably as he did.
Donald Mulvihill was born in New Jersey and got his start booking acts for the club Castaways, including convincing a young Bruce Springsteen to appear for a weekly fee of $200. What a deal.
His next step was Cat Club in NYC, which played host to legends of 70s and 80s rock. In 1993 he opened Don Hills, (The Smithereens headlined the club's inaugural night) which ever since has been a chief scenster destination for everyone from club kids of the 90s to hipsters of 2000s. Weekly parties like “Misshapes” and “80s Night” complimented booking bands like The Strokes during their rise to fame.
It’ll probably be even harder to get into Don Hill’s tonight than usual. But I hear the DJ’s pretty good.
Of course, the droves of young-ins who pile into Don Hill’s eponymous nightclub in the West Village might take issue with that evaluation. And for good reason. The roux of heavy guitars, pumping synths, fashion and late nights will forever nourish an immutable aspect of youthful exuberance.And so Don Hill’s death, like other impresarios of their day, inspires reflection and gratitude. Don Hill was 66 and spent the better part of four decades stamping hands at the door, booking hot up-and-coming rock talent and throwing awesome parties. From the remembrances passing around the web today, it’s clear that no one ran a rock ‘n’ roll nightlife business quite as briskly and as affably as he did.
Donald Mulvihill was born in New Jersey and got his start booking acts for the club Castaways, including convincing a young Bruce Springsteen to appear for a weekly fee of $200. What a deal.
His next step was Cat Club in NYC, which played host to legends of 70s and 80s rock. In 1993 he opened Don Hills, (The Smithereens headlined the club's inaugural night) which ever since has been a chief scenster destination for everyone from club kids of the 90s to hipsters of 2000s. Weekly parties like “Misshapes” and “80s Night” complimented booking bands like The Strokes during their rise to fame.
It’ll probably be even harder to get into Don Hill’s tonight than usual. But I hear the DJ’s pretty good.
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