If you’ve ever spent time clubbing in the mid-city sector of Los Angeles then you may have heard of UNION nightclub, one of the hottest spots for major DJs and artists. This bi-level, multi-room nightclub built up a fresh new following in the past two years since club owner Mitch Edelson bought the formally known Catch One. But few know the background of historic Los Angeles hotspot that was once deemed a safe haven for the African American gay community.
As one of the first black discos in the United States and one of the only major gay bars in Los Angeles, Catch One was intersectional in nature — being owned by a gay black woman in 1973. Jewel Thais-Williams started Catch One with a simple intention of providing a place for gay black men and woman to have fun but also to serve as a safe haven for those displaced or disowned for their identity.
On October 14th Catch One and the ONE Archives foundation, one of the only and largest LGBQ archives in the world, will honor Jewel with the History Maker Award at the event titled “Queer Noise”, a night of music, DJ’s, and performance.
Performances include Kelela, San Cha, BAE BAE, Adee Roberson, Amanda-Faye Jimenez, Rush Davis, Solomon Georgio, Thurmon Green, Liza Dye, Bitchface, L.Z Love presented by MUSTACHE with Asmara and DJ Kita, and more.
Tickets include a year-long membership to the ONE Archives Foundation supporting free exhibitions, public programs, and education initiatives. Be sure to check out more history of Catch One by watching the Jewel’s Catch One film on Netflix.
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Written by Charmaine Griffin
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