A7 was a club inNew York City that between 1981 and 1984, was a main location of theNew York hardcore scene. The tiny space was located on the southeast corner of East 7th Street and Avenue A inManhattan'sEast Village,[1] and operated by Dave Gibson andDoug Holland. The venue hosted fast punk bands such asThe Stimulators andThe Violators. Slowly, a hardcore scene of initially about 100 persons formed around the club which spawned bands likeAgnostic Front,Antidote,Cro-Mags,Heart Attack,Kraut,The Mob, The Abused and Urban Waste who played the A7 regularly, some of them weekly.[2]
Although the venue was putting on performances from lesser known New York punk rock and hardcore bands likeFalse Prophets and The High and the Mighty, it became the scene's unofficial headquarters afterBobby Steele began performing at the venue due to being banned fromCBGB andMax's Kansas City.[3] It also played host to a fertilejazz andreggae scene during the 1980s.[4]
The success of the club led to the owner opening the 2+2 Club on the intersection of East Houston Street and 2nd Avenue in the summer of 1982. This venue was larger and could host bigger performances.[5]
In 1997, the venue reopened and is now called Niagara. Bands continually perform in the room that used to be A7. In October 2013, a plaque was hung in the room, marking the space's history.[6]
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