Music On Long Island - Venues: S

Exterior of the building which housed The Sahara:

Located at 140 Jericho Turnpike in Syosset, New York, The Sahara was a restaurant, bar and grill which briefly hosted all-ages live music events. Among the notable artists who performed at The Sahara -- which featured shows promoted by Christian McKnight -- were Taking Back Sunday, Thursday, Poison The Well, Matchbook Romance, Hotwire, Bayside, Anterrabae, Eighteen Visions, The Pietasters, The Casualties, The Bouncing Souls, T.S.O.L., Shai Hulud, Piebald, The Starting Line, and ASOB (featuring Jeff Rosenstock).

The same site reportedly at least one live performance by Twisted Sister. Footage of Taking Back Sunday performing live at The Sahara in 2001 can be seen here.

Flyer from a then-upcoming live event at The Sahara:

Sources:

https://www.setlist.fm/venue/sahara-syosset-ny-usa-43d61767.html

https://www.longislandpress.com/2016/03/02/the-evolution-of-taking-back-sunday-2

http://sahara-restaurant-bar-grill-in-syosset-ny.cityfos.com

https://www.brooklynvegan.com/8-amazing-live-videos-to-watch-while-youre-home-and-every-show-is-cancelled

https://www.angelfire.com/indie/stopthetrain/tour1.html

https://www.reddit.com/r/longisland/comments/14jzx32/concert_ticket_prices_in_the_early_00s_on_li

https://octoberxswimmer.livejournal.com/159069.html

 

Researched by Darren Paltrowitz on April 19, 2025.

Located at 897 Front Street in Uniondale, New York, Screwy Louie's was a popular local bar and grill. It reportedly existed from 1991 through 1998. The space occasionally featured touring acts. Located just off-campus from Hofstra University, this spot was often referred to as a "Hofstra bar."

Edna's Goldfish (featuring future Reunion Show bassist/singer and blink-182 and Guns N' Roses tech Brian Diaz) was documented as performing at the venue.

Flyer from venue:

Keychain from Screwy Louie's:

Sources:

https://www.setlist.fm/venue/screwy-louies-hempstead-ny-usa-23d1d8ab.html

https://www.facebook.com/groups/24418454914

https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/713456746

https://defiantlydutch.blogspot.com/2008/10/well-have-different-kind-of-debatewhen.html

http://toliveanddieonlongisland.blogspot.com/2010

Researched by Darren Paltrowitz on April 19, 2025.

Exterior of Slipped Disc Records:

Slipped Disc Records opened in 1982 at 68 Rockaway Avenue in Valley Stream, New York, and quickly stood out from other record stores by specializing in metal, hardcore, and punk music. The store also stood out for selling hard-to-find import albums and hosting prominent artists on-site for in-store events. Ultimately, Slipped Disc closed its doors on April 19, 2008, after being open for over 25 years. Founder Mike Schutzman remains active within music, organizing and overseeing an ongoing record show in various locations in the northeast of the U.S. called Vinyl Revolution Record Show.

Among the notables who appeared at Slipped Disc over the years were The Rolling Stones' Mick Taylor, Metallica, Slayer, Megadeth, Motörhead, Twisted Sister, Judas Priest's Rob Halford, Ronnie James Dio, Zakk Wylde, and Sepultura. More on the early days of Metallica can be found here, per early fan and friend of the band John Kornarens.

Examples of flyers for in-store events featuring major events at Slipped Disc:

Sources:

http://www.buymusichere.net/rel/v2_home.php?storenr=249&deptnr=43

http://www.slippeddiscrecords.com/SDRmainPage.htm

https://web.archive.org/web/20080219102503/https://getthrashed.com/media/slipped-disc.html

https://www.elektra.com/roadrunnerrecordsblabbermouth.net/news.aspx

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qfos6l1iedA&pp=ygUac2xpcHBlZCBkaXNjIHZhbGxleSBzdHJlYW0%3D

https://www.instagram.com/hownice212/p/DFFrJiupvnT/?next=%2Fwearenhea%2Ftagged%2F&locale=zh-hans&hl=am-et

Researched by Darren Paltrowitz on April 19, 2025.

Prior venue at the same address, The Action House:

As located at 50 Austin Boulevard in Island Park, New York, South Beach Water Club has previously been the site of The Action House, The Shell House and other venues featuring live music.

Among the notable artists who performed at this short-lived concert venue were the Dropkick Murphys, The Beach Boys, America, The Distillers, The Bouncing Souls, Less Than Jake, New Found Glory, The Dwarves, Catch 22, and Mustard Plug.

Sources:

https://www.concertarchives.org/venues/south-beach-water-club--998866

https://www.setlist.fm/venue/south-beach-water-club-island-park-ny-usa-6bd48aa2.html

https://www.myconcertarchive.com/en/event?id=24394

https://cousinfungus.com/its-cousin-fungus-on-top-of-lis-heap-newsday-nightbeat

https://www.villagevoice.com/rocking-the-cradle

Researched by Darren Paltrowitz on April 23, 2025.

Located at 1955 Deer Park Avenue in Deer Park, New York, Sparks was a rock-centric venue believed to have closed in 1994. Among the notable performers who graced its stage were KISS' Ace Frehley, Blind Melon, Dream Theater, Green Jelly, Testament, Ugly Kid Joe, Zebra, Spin Doctors, Blue Oyster Cult, Murphy's Law, Stu Hamm, Doyle Bramhall II, and Blues Traveler.

Ticket stubs from Sparks:

Advertisements for then-upcoming shows:

Sources:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/57040713427

https://www.setlist.fm/venue/sparks-deer-park-ny-usa-53d62bb5.html

https://www.setlist.fm/setlist/dream-theater/1992/sparks-deer-park-ny-5bd6cffc.html

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z78SqHGNmwU

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0OL3JD1xMU0

http://www.blindmelonarticles.com/1993/shows/1993-03-27_deerpark.html

Researched by Darren Paltrowitz on April 13, 2025.

Speaks -- not to be confused with Sparks -- is believed to have been located in the same spot as The Action House and Rockpile, as owned by promoter and manager Phil Basile. Speaks is believed to have been in business from 1978 through the mid-1980s. Its address has been documented as 50 Broadway in Island Park, New York.

Among the notable artists who had performed at Speaks were Aerosmith, Twisted Sister, The Stanton Anderson Band, Rat Race Choir, and Cyndi Lauper.

Advertisement for Speaks:

Sources:

https://www.instagram.com/p/CzTqvSlMaJM/?igsh=eWE5MHBka2s3bm13

https://msmokemusic.com/blogs/mind-smoke-blog/posts/5280861/rock-geography-the-action-house-island-park-ny

https://www.facebook.com/groups/7387168561297326/posts/7613254112022102

https://www.songkick.com/venues/195388-speaks

https://www.concertarchives.org/venues/speaks

https://www.city-data.com/forum/long-island/292192-speaks-i-think-island-park-4.html

Researched by Darren Paltrowitz on April 21, 2025.

Located at 2965 Hempstead Turnpike in Levittown, New York, Spit was a nightclub and music venue believed to have opened in 1978 and closed in 1992. Spit had been the site of origin for many WLIR radio broadcasts. The space also had the name at Uncle Sam's and had alternately been known as Spitz. 

Among the notable artists who performed at Spit were Madonna, Duran Duran, Iggy Pop, Kansas, Blue Öyster Cult, Steve Vai, Fishbone, Mr. Bungle, Tiny Tim, Electric Love Hogs (featuring future Goldfinger singer John Feldmann and future Buckcherry bassist Kelly Lemieux), L.A. Guns, Zebra, and Eddie Money. Reportedly, Duran Duran played their first ever North American gig at Spit on September 16, 1981. A recording of Mr. Bungle's 1992 performance at this venue can be found here.

Duran Duran "all access" pass believed to be from their 9/16/81 performance:

Madonna performing live at Uncle Sam's (a.k.a. Spit) -- and notably, Madonna announced a world tour in 2023 with help from Long Island natives Judd Apatow and Amy Schumer. Additional coverage of Madonna can be seen here.

Signed ticket stub by L.A. Guns' Tracii Guns (original Guns N' Roses member) contributed by Anthony Dalto:

Additional ticket stubs located online:

Spit jacket:

Sources:

https://www.setlist.fm/venue/spit-levittown-ny-usa-3bd23408.html

https://www.concertarchives.org/venues/spit

https://www.facebook.com/groups/61343641536

https://www.facebook.com/groups/HeyLongIslandDoURemember/posts/10156806096931245

https://www.reddit.com/r/longisland/comments/m8mo47/uncle_sams_in_levittown

https://archive.org/details/19920403Mr.Bungle-SpitzLevittownNYUSA

https://web.archive.org/web/20150202081614/http://www.theintegralworm.com/longislandnightclubs.html

Researched by Darren Paltrowitz on April 19, 2025. Updated May 7, 2025.

Undated exterior photo of former site of venue:

The Spize nightclub was a popular live music venue and nightclub located at 1058 NY-110 in Farmingdale, New York, the same space which later occupied The Crazy Donkey. Situated across from Republic Airport, the space had also been home to The Long Island Saloon and The BIJOU. The venue had the nicknames "The Elvis of Dance Clubs," "The Video Dance Club," and "Where the People Make the Difference." Spize appears to have been open from 1983 through 1993.

Among the notable artists who performed at this venue were R.E.M., Ministry, Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (OMD), Modern English, Joe "King" Carrasco, Martha & The Muffins, and Anti-Nowhere League. Venue advertising for OMD's then-upcoming performance at the venue can be seen here.

R.E.M.'s 1983 performance at Spize can be heard here. Performances recorded at this venue were sometimes broadcast via WLIR. Other examples of live performances at this venue can be heard here, here and here.

Flyer for venue:

Vintage t-shirt showing the venue's logo:

Sources:

https://www.setlist.fm/venue/spize-club-farmingdale-ny-usa-5bd627c8.html

https://www.facebook.com/groups/SPIZE

https://bygonebrand.com/products/spize-danceclub-tee?srsltid=AfmBOorovaGqjYiDc_mXDLSuhQbX7yWy96guRBchDwkc-QMGt94Jqm9W

https://www.facebook.com/groups/HeyLongIslandDoURemember/posts/10159951079566245

https://www.instagram.com/bygonebrand/p/DHioUYjJVTT/?api=1%2F&hl=zh-cn

https://www.nytimes.com/1986/04/13/nyregion/the-new-bar-scene-soft-drinks-and-fences.html

Reesarched by Darren Paltrowitz on April 30, 2025.

Sundance was a live music venue located at 455 Main St in Bay Shore, New York. It was opened by Frank Cariola in 1981 as a country music club, eventually switching over to rock-centric programming in 1985; Sundance is also known to have hosted live professional wrestling events. Cariola opened up other Long Island music venues and had worked as a songwriter and associate of Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons.

Among the notables who had performed at Sundance were Criss Angel (a native of East Meadow), Buddy Rich, Guns N' Roses, The Red Hot Chili Peppers, Soundgarden, Faith No More, The Ramones, Dream Theater (Long Island natives), Alice In Chains, Slayer, Primus, Bad Brains, Ace Frehley, Sepultura, Megadeth, Winger, Yngwie Malmsteen, Anthrax (whose guitarist Scott Ian used to live in Merrick and Seaford), Dokken, Extreme, Testament, Michael Monroe of Hanoi Rocks, Danzig, George Jones, and Motorhead.

Advertisements for then-upcoming events at Sundance:

Ticket stubs from Sundance:

Sundance ticket stubs contributed by Anthony Dalto:

Slash of Guns N' Roses live at Sundance in 1987:

Vinnie Vincent Invasion live at Sundance:

Sources:

https://www.concertarchives.org/venues/sundance--3

https://www.setlist.fm/venue/sundance-bay-shore-ny-usa-bd731f2.html

https://www.facebook.com/groups/50900863925

https://www.piercingmetal.com/coming-early-2020-the-sundance-roxy-reunion-w-zebra-overkill-yt-more

https://www.city-data.com/forum/long-island/421389-sundance-rock-club.html

https://www.setlist.fm/setlist/slayer/1990/sundance-bay-shore-ny-4bde4f9e.html

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JLV1IRNhfO4

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YZ3t3_Zrjig

Researched by Darren Paltrowitz on April 16, 2025.