At the time, gay bars and clubs were the only safe spaces for queer folk, especially considering the constant barrage of police raids, often without warrants, that terrorized Chicago’s gay community. It initially operated as a members-only club almost exclusively frequented by black and Latino gay men. The nightclub The Warehouse first opened its doors in 1977 in Chicago.
Some have even failed to recognize that the foundation of almost all genres of current electronic music today is house music.Ĭertain folks seem to think that house, techno, dubstep, drum ‘n’ bass, electro, and the many other sub-genres spawning from the universal need to dance were created by white, European men in the early-to-mid 2000s, which couldn’t be further from the truth.Īs a matter of fact, house music has a long and sprawling history that began at the end of the 70s in Chicago. Many people who call themselves EDM enthusiasts today fail to recognize the roots of house music and its distinct connection to the LGBTQ community and the communities of color that created dance music as we know it today.