I lived first in a scary boiler room in a sketchy Bellevue Ave apartment, and then at the Summit Vista on Summit street '86-'89. The Gay 90's was one of my favorites. Strong-ass drinks. My then gf asked the bartender to add a bit more coke to basically a glass of rum, and was asked, "What's that? You want milk?" (cackle). Just down the street was a great pizza place… Abruzzis? Anyway, a trip to the Gay 90's was always followed by pizza and then giant long island iced teas at the Gibson. Downtown at that time was completely abandoned after 7pm. Like post-apocalypse, zombie-crackhead wasteland.

Squid Row was the best. Our friends played there pretty frequently (Skin 'n Bones). For shows they would throw plywood on top of the pool tables, and the place was literally packed to the rafters. There was no stage, just a corner that the band would be jammed into.