A combined restaurant, bar, and music club. Max's Kansas City was the hangout for the glam rock and art crowd in the late '60s and early '70s. Famed for its back-room scene of artists (Warhol's Factory regulars) and rock stars, Max's also had an upstairs music venue where numerous pivotal shows took place.
Where the glam rock scene intersected with the art world. In the early '70s, you'd find David Bowie, Iggy Pop, Lou Reed at the tables, and on stage, acts like The New York Dolls, Iggy & The Stooges, Alice Cooper. Debbie Harry waited tables here before Blondie made it. The Velvet Underground played their final shows at Max's in 1970 (documented in a live album). Bruce Springsteen played a solo residency in 1973. After reopening in 1975, Max's became the uptown counterpart to CBGB for the punk scene. The Misfits, The Cramps, and The Clash (their first US show in '79) all played Max's Phase 2.
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