Memories of The Silks Nightclub

Memories of The Silks Nightclub

In the late 1970s through the early 1990s, frequenting night clubs was at its height. I was always at some Bay Area club on the weekends, “partying like it was 1999!”

There were numerous nightclubs, discos and other places to party from Sacramento to San Jose that invited you to enjoy a night of dancing to a local house band or a special celebrity group event. Most places had a DJ who could spin you right onto the dance floor until you had to run outside for some fresh air and dry off!

The nightclub that broke the mold of night-time entertainment was ‘The Silks’ in Emeryville. At first glance, you wouldn’t think that this unassuming brick building was what many deemed the hottest night club in the entire San Francisco Bay Area!

You had to get there early to secure your spot (or a table if you were lucky). Of course, most local die-hards wouldn’t appear until 11 p.m. (After that, it was standing room only!).

The Silks nightclub had three levels with a distinct dance floor on each one. It was open a few times a week until 2 a.m.. But It was the after-hours evenings on Fridays and Saturdays until 6 a.m. that was most popular. People came from hundreds of miles to party at The Silks, from Sacramento to Los Angeles.

Want to reminisce a bit? Click through this photo gallery of The Silks by EHS co-founder Paul Herzoff

But none of this would have been possible without Ken Bukowski, the former five-time mayor and council member of Emeryville. The Silks had originally opened as “Silks Restaurant and Ragtime Bar” at the site of the pre-renovated Public Market at 5800 Shellmound Street. When the restaurant didn’t take off, they pivoted into a night club. Ken had met a notable interior-decorator and top-notch designer of the original Silks Restaurant, Robert Sarella. The timing was perfect as the dawn of the Disco era was just taking root.

Many DJs spun their wax at Silks into the wee hours of the morning creating non-stop music mixes for dancers who just couldn’t get enough. Adrian Santos was one. Another was legendary Bay Area personality Michael Erickson, who was a local radio DJ working the graveyard shift at the now-defunct soul station KSOL. Erickson took his love for mixing beyond the radio, working as a DJ at Silks. Sadly, Erickson died in 2014 at the age of 54 after battling cancer.

Aside from the DJs who were popular in their own right, were the live musical groups that were booked. The Silks built its reputation as one of the East Bay’s hottest night clubs by hosting acts like disco legend Rick James and others (many don’t realize that hip-hop artist M.C. Hammer got his start here as a dancer). New artists of the day were booked to promote their latest song and album.

The joint was always jumpin’ as they say. Many up-and-coming personalities performed at Silks before they made the big time. The list of names that crossed paths at Silks is unbelievable: Prince, Pointer Sisters, Sheila E, early ‘80s pop group, Five Star, Ohio-based funk band Slave, and many more (there were too many to name!).
 
Oaktown’s 357 was a rap group formed by MC Hammer in 1989. Members included Terrible T, Sweet L.D., and Lil P. They got their start as backup dancers for MC Hammer in the late 1980s. In an Oakland Tribune article, Sweet L.D. (Djuana Johnican of Hayward) remembers their days partying at Silks.

The above video of “I was a Soul Train dancer,” Soul Train regular Leland Ferguson describes how his Soul Train crew along with Rosie Perez came to Silks in Emeryville and competed with MC Hammer, Oaktown’s 357 and other dancers that evening.

Disco had and still has its detractors. Those who wretch at the mere mention of the word will shout out for all to hear their opinion on the subject: “Disco sucks!” But no matter how much you may shy away from admitting you are a fan of the era, there is no one I know who will deny that The Silks in Emeryville, whether it was a Discotheque or not, was THE place to go.

Silks was and still is popular as it ever was, even to this day. The mere mention will rain unending comments of the good times enjoyed here. Reunions are occasionally held for “Silks Alumni” to gather and reminisce about how they danced til 6 a.m., met their first love, or found their soul mate and eventually married. There are also social medial groups devoted to The Silks, full of memories from members who remember this extraordinary club.

If you’ve now become nostalgic for Silk’s, Adrian Santos has uploaded some of his original recordings from when he DJ’d at Silks in the 1980s.

If you feel like waxing nostalgic about The Silks, join The Silks, Emeryville Facebook group where former patrons are always eager to reminisce about the good times shared.

Google Street View where The Silks once entertained which is now the Public Market Emeryville.