Remembering Tracks
Visitors share their memories of D.C.'s iconic nightclub
Metro Weekly asked readers to submit their memories of Tracks. Some highlights.
”I believe a lot of people became ‘straight, but not narrow’ because of the social opportunity that Tracks provided. There is no other place like it anymore, but there should be.” — Ms. Deana Gurrrl
”I had just come out of the closet and had to decide whether I wanted to leave the club with this beautiful woman or this guy I just met. I finally realized that I could say I was bi all I wanted, I wanted to go home with the boy.” — Leon Dekelbaum, 35
”The Pet Shop Boys’ version of ‘Go West’ was one of the first songs I danced to at Tracks. … The words and experience of being at Tracks have a special meaning for me.” — John Dewey, 40
”One night, they had a moon bounce set up on the volleyball court, and I got in with a guy that I was crushing on. We bounced and rolled around and fell on top of each other and ended up going home together that night.” — Mike, 48
“[I remember] going with my secretary — we worked at the same construction company — on ‘bisexual night’ before I came out. And then kissing my first boy there about a year later.” — Bill Sawicki, 48
”DJ Michele Miruski’s music there … is what inspired me to become a DJ.” — Keith Hoffman, 35
”DJ Michael Malapit could outspin all of us with his hands tied behind his back! He would have the Sunday night kids doing backflips, carrying trash cans around, beating on the walls with beer pitchers, screaming and just generally scuzzing out all over the club.” — Michele Miruski, 46
”My first night to Tracks was at the Decades party Oct. 1, 1994. … I saw my roommate from Penn State. He said, ‘What are you doing here?’ and I said, ‘What are you doing here?’ If only we knew about each other while in college. After that I was hooked, went to Tracks every Saturday night!” — Don Oberholzer, 41
”I have to give a shout out to bartender Jay [Schmidt] who we lost late in 2012. Jay was right there when you walked into the club. He knew you and everyone — somehow — that walked through that door. If you introduced yourself to him once and ordered a drink he’d remember it to a fault.” — Kevin Brennan, 39
”The music and vibe was on point. … Tracks was and still is epic in my heart. People were open and enjoyed life like no tomorrow. Family and friends, straight and gay, [all had] fun awesome times at Tracks.” — Diamond Aviance, 41
”Tracks was where I became comfortable with being gay. … I am so happy and honored that I was able to experience Tracks in my life.” — Robert J. Mendenhall, 41
”I was dancing with my friend Cheryl, and a guy came up behind me and started dancing into me. He eventually put his arms around me, and grinded. Cheryl was amused. I went home with him. … I found myself in a condo in Alexandria. I needed directions to get home.” — Michael Singerman, 54
”Tracks will always be the place I introduced my mom to the D.C. gay scene. … My mom’s eyes lit up with all the eye candy. … Every time I looked she had a big smile on her face, a cocktail in one hand, a cigarette in her other…. She couldn’t believe all those good-looking men were gay! From then on out every visit she enjoyed going out with ‘her boys’ to all the different clubs in D.C., always introducing different guys to me with the line, ‘My son is single, let me introduce him to you.'” — Alan, 49
Read more about Tracks Reunion Weekend:
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