The "Memories of The Village Nightclub" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Having breakfast with a group of retired teachers from Manheim Township High School at a restaurant in Lititz, PA.  Sitting next to Jim who was the co-adviser with me to the high school yearbook for almost 30 years.  Jim was an art teacher and he handled all the layouts for the book.  His classroom was two doors from mine so we got to see each other every day.  We started talking about the yearbook and some of the students who used to be on the yearbook staff.  One thing led to another and eventually we were talking about a student by the name of Gus who had ties to the Village Night Club in downtown Lancaster, PA.  Jim was telling me about one night years ago when he went to see "The Sharks" whose members were from around this area.  Jim was sitting at the bar talking with Sam Lugar, one of the members of the Sharks during a break when the member asked him if he knew "The Boss" was going to be there that night.  Jim questioned him and found it really was Bruce Springsteen whom he was talking about.  Jim had previous arrangements and had to miss one of his favorite singers.  Bruce and the E Street Band were staying at the Days Inn on Keller Ave. while trying out a new sound system at Clair Bros. Audio in Lititz and were told the best place to be in the evening was at The Village.  The date was June 22, 1984.  The Village opened in Lancaster at the corner of East Chestnut St. and North Christian St. on April 17, 1953.  It wasn't until 1965 that I was of age to enter the doors of the club.  Can remember heading to The Village Friday evenings after getting off work at the Acme Supermarket near Millersville, PA.  

The Kit Kats

 My friend Terry and I loved "The Kit Kats" and whenever they were in town we would try not to miss them.  "The Kit Kats" were from the Philly area and were comprised of John Bradley on bass, Ron Cichonski on lead, Karl Hausman on keyboard and Carson 'Kit' Stewart on drums.  I can still remember standing in the darkness of the Village listening to Karl playing "Roll Over Beethoven" on the keyboard.  His hands could fly over those keys.  And Kit on drums was probably the best drummer I ever heard in person.  In 1966 they had their first big hit when they played their own song titled "Let's Get Lost On A Country Road" which made it to the Billboard Hit List.  I was lucky enough to get to hear them at the Village when they were just a young band searching for an identity.  The Village could hold a couple hundred people and on Friday evenings it was usually packed.  Another memory from The Village would have to be Daisey Mae who was their "Go-Go" Dancer and would dance on the stage as bands were playing the music.  I can remember her mother sitting at one of the back tables watching, since Daisey was under 21 years old and had to be accompanied by her parent in order to dance.  She wore a two-piece bathing suit that covered just about all of her body.  But, we loved it anyway.  In 1968 The Village was demolished when all the other buildings in the block bit the dust, and the bar eventually moved a half-block to the north on Christian Street and opened there in 1971, which is where they presently are located.  There's a big list of famous bands which played on the stage of The Village which includes The Flamingos, Cyndi Lauper and the Greaseband, Gregg Allman, Eddie Money, The Romanics, Blue Oyster Cult, Cheap Trick, The Sugar Hill Gang, Fuel, The Hooters, Guess Who, Arlo Guthrie, Quiet Riot, Ratt, The Duprees, The Tramps, and naturally The Village People.  Even Harrison Ford, who was in town to film "Witness", made it to the Village.  It's been a long, long time since I listened to the bands at The Village, but it seems just like yesterday that I would order a drink, stand elbow to elbow with the crowd, drain my drink as slow as I could to make it last all evening, and listen to some of the best music ever to appear in Lancaster.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.  PS - Link to hear "The Kit Kats" singing "Let's get lost on a country road."   http://youtu.be/ycAnqV1euQI