Quote:
Originally Posted by Jeff Inman
Hi,
I am Jeff Inman, I was the Dee-Jay Wednesday through Sunday from late 1984 to Late 1988. (and yes i had a mullet cut) To those of you whom never attended during its hay day,the power company was a gay force. It was Grand period, packed with the who's who. Club owners form the eastern seaboard would visit , famous for its people and size. The building was a Kress dept store in a former life. Lady had and upper level, main level, two raised levels on the main floor and a Lower level. the lower lever was larger than 98% of the clubs in NC and don't for get the famous Dressing rooms on the 3 floor. (Don't ask Don't tell) My best memories were meeting Sylvester and those new years and Halloween nights. Oh and can we talk about the music, the period produced thousands of dance hits, I played everything not the same beat all night. What left of the gay clubs should be ashamed. For North Carolina The Power Company and 42nd street was a big slice of grand and we were young and grand. In my travels I have found few places in 5 countries that could measure up. We should have the power company Class reunion? I am at [email]jwi919@aol.com[/email] to share stories.
Jeff Inman
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I used to go there in the 90's while in college...my friends and I would drive from Greensboro. It was so much fun, wow did we dance our feet off, all the levels were great. I remember one Halloween one of my friends had never dressed in drag and decided to for Halloween. Well, two very funny things happened to us, I was dressed like a WWII soldier. When we arrived he said he had to go to the bathroom, I said ok, I'll stand here and wait. This woman out of no where walked up to me, and said I saw you with your girlfriend/wife coming in "I think it's so open minded of you to be willing to bring her to a gay bar on Halloween, do you have gay friends you're showing support too?" The exact same time she had asked me this question my friend walked out of the men's room and was pulling on his dress. The woman looked at me and didn't miss a beat, she proceeded to say "I guess it's really hard being in the military, and gay." I cracked up, I didn't know which was funnier her 'response' or her not realizing I was dressed like a WWII soldier. I said to her "Mam, I am dressed in a WWII uniform, I'm not really in the military." She then said "Well the hell with both of you your friend shouldn't look so damn much like a woman, and you shouldn't have such short hair", and walked off. IT was a bomb.
The second thing to happen the same night, we were sitting in the loft area (tables & booths), and he saw a guy he'd been friendly with.
It was a total bomb, we were both so stoned, drunk and Lord (Lawd) knows what else, and he wanted to talk with him. I remember I was so stoned, but I still knew the guy didn't recognize him, and I kept telling him. He said it ten times if he said it once, "I know he recognizes me".
My friend had forgotten he was dressed in drag and told me to go downstairs and wait for him. I said whatever...I'm going and find someone to dance with me.
Well, he walked over to the guy's table spoke to him, the guy said according to my friend "Who the hell are you, and why do you keep waving at me? My friend said he could have died, it had finally dawned on him he was dressed in drag. So he told the guy he was mistaken because he didn't have his glasses and apologized (he didn't wear glasses).
Once he finally decided to come down the steps, (the ones with two landings), he made it to the first landing and fell the rest of the way down the steps. The guy I was dancing with asked if I were going over, and help him up. I said, "Are you crazy, I don't want all those people to know I'm with him. Wow, was I a great friend ... he wasn't hurt, he managed to pull himself up with some assistance, and proceeded to fix his dress. It was so funny, I almost died.
We had so many good times there...
You know I moved Richmond, Va from Greensboro quite a while ago, and I have 'NEVER' had the fun here I used to have there. People here have always been so cliquish...Don't misunderstand we have our clicks everywhere in the community. However, the people here are very different. They're just not as friendly, and if you don't have ancestors that landed in Jamestown (which I do) a mere accident I found this out. You really don't count here, I've had so many more people want to be my friend now knowing I had ancestors to land in Jamestown than I ever did in the many years prior to that.
People in Greensboro, Charlotte, Durham, Raleigh and Washington, DC actually are so much nicer and are willing to talk to you. It's quite refreshing to come for a visit.
I do have to admit I've had some really great times in DC, and they were quite crazy. Richmond is only 1 1/2 hours from DC, and it makes living here tolerable.
Well, enough of my story...I just wanted to tell someone about the fun times I had at Power Company. I hope someone gets some fun out of reading my experience.
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I currently live in Raleigh, and some folks talk about Durham like it's Afghanistan or Iraq. 
