The Orange Loop
The Orange Loop is a neighborhood near the beach in downtown Atlantic City with a focus on live music establishments such as indie rock venue Anchor Rock Club and Tennessee Avenue Beer Hall.[1][2][3]
Location
[edit]
The loop runs perpendicular from the boardwalk inland roughly to St. Nicholas of Tolentine Church, and includes the three beach blocks of New York Avenue, St. James Place, and Tennessee Avenue.[4][5] It is bounded by Tennessee Avenue, New York Avenue, Pacific Avenue and the boardwalk (with St. James Place running down the center) and derives its name from the orange color of those three beach blocks on a traditional Monopoly gameboard.[6][7][8]
History
[edit]
Historically, Tennessee Avenue was a shopping and dining district in the city, prior to urban blight.[9] The vicinity of New York Avenue on the loop and what was then Snake Alley (now Schultz-Hill Boulevard) one block over was once known as a bustling 1970s-era gay neighborhood and nightlife district.[10] Venues like the Saratoga Club (now the site of Cardinal at 201 S. New York Ave), the Chez, the Rendezvous, the underground club Pukalani and the Chester Inn contributed to the culture and nightlife of the area.[11] [12][13][14][15][16] In the late 2010s, a number of investors began efforts to revamp properties in the area with the aim of attracting back and growing more walkable dining and nightlife in the neighborhood along with residents and the arts.[17][18][19] [20][21]
Establishments and events
[edit]The outdoor Orange Loop Amphitheater hosted the Frantic City punk and indie rock music festival on the loop in 2022, emceed by Fred Armisen.[22] The inaugural Orange Loop Rock Festival, with rock acts from the 1980s and 1990s, took place in 2022 at the Showboat Festival Grounds (several blocks east of the actual district).[23][24] A number of venues on the loop hosted shows during the North to Shore Festival in 2023.[25][26][27]
See also
[edit]- New Jersey music venues by capacity
- LGBT history in Atlantic City
- Dante Hall Theater
- Noyes Arts Garage
- Nightclubs in Atlantic City
- Stockton University's Atlantic City campus
References
[edit]- ^ Selena Vazquez. The Press of Atlantic City. Orange Loop turning around Atlantic City 'dead zone' (Oct 2023)
- ^ An indie venue is coming to life in Atlantic City from a team with Johnny Brenda’s cred
- ^ DeLuca, Dan (July 29, 2021). "An indie venue is coming to life in Atlantic City from a team with Johnny Brenda's cred". The Philadelphia Inquirer.
- ^ Finn, Jennifer (August 5, 2020). "In Atlantic City, Developers Envision Attractions Beyond the Boardwalk". New Jersey Monthly.
- ^ Hawk, Tim (June 15, 2022). "5 Monopoly-themed murals bring walls of Atlantic City beer hall to life". NJ.com. Retrieved October 24, 2024.
- ^ "Orange Loop Rock Festival To Take Place June 10–12 In Atlantic City". www.newjerseystage.com. May 9, 2022.
- ^ Kelly, Joe (December 2, 2022). "Big Change in Atlantic City Orange Loop Restaurant Scene". Cat Country 107.3.
- ^ Coppola, Anthony V. "Developer wants to give Atlantic City downtown new identity". The Daily Journal.
- ^ "Could Atlantic City's Tennessee Avenue become the next 'South Street?'".
- ^ Simon, Bryant. "New York Avenue: the life and death of gay spaces in Atlantic City, New Jersey, 1920-1990." Journal of Urban History 28.3 (2002): 300-327.
- ^ Writer, SELENA VAZQUEZ Staff (June 18, 2023). "Atlantic City was once famous for its gay bars. Now it has none". Press of Atlantic City.
- ^ Laurie Greene. Drag Queens and Beauty Queens: Contesting Femininity in the World's Playground (December 18, 2020)
- ^ Spreng, Mortimer (May 25, 2023). "We all miss New York Avenue in AC". Out In Jersey.
- ^ "Ted Larson Collection - Danny Windsor's Funtastiks". www.queermusicheritage.com.
- ^ Waltzer, Jim (January 22, 2009). "Creatures of the Night". Atlantic City Weekly.
- ^ Writer, SELENA VAZQUEZ Staff (October 6, 2023). "'Snake Alley' no more". Press of Atlantic City.
- ^ name="auto"
- ^ "Anchor Rock Club". July 20, 2022.
- ^ "Atlantic City tries for a gayborhood as the party returns to the Boardwalk town". 16 April 2022. Archived from the original on 2023-05-27.
- ^ "Atlantic City has a new non-casino music venue, with South Philly ties". 17 October 2019. Archived from the original on 2023-05-29.
- ^ "Johnny Brenda's". Visit Philadelphia.
- ^ SCHWEIBERT, RAY (September 20, 2022). "Orange Loop Amphitheater goes indie with inaugural Frantic City festival". Atlantic City Weekly.
- ^ "Orange Loop Rock Festival / Stone Temple Pilots, L.A. Guns and Hoobastank highlight day three | MetalTalk - Heavy Metal News, Reviews and Interviews". MetalTalk - Heavy Metal News, Reviews and Interviews | We are MetalTalk and we publish Rock 'n Roll. June 22, 2022.
- ^ DeLuca, Heather (July 15, 2023). "The Coolest Outdoor Bars in Atlantic City". SoJO 104.9.
- ^ Finn, Jennifer (November 9, 2021). "Will the Anchor Rock Club Revive Atlantic City's Music Scene?". New Jersey Monthly.
- ^ "Anchor Rock Club Aims to Amp Up Atlantic City's Music Scene". New Jersey Monthly. September 17, 2019.
- ^ DeLuca, Dan (July 29, 2021). "An indie venue is coming to life in Atlantic City from a team with Johnny Brenda's cred". The Philadelphia Inquirer.