In the town of Trenton, NJ, there was a ramshackle club called “King Tut's City Gardens.” The club's main concert promoter during its heyday was Randy “Now” Ellis, who booked over 4000 bands at the club. During its lifetime, City Gardens hosted everything from underground punk bands to upstart alternative rockers. Riot of the Dance Floor tells the oral history of the City Gardens, which has since become somewhat forgotten in rock history. It is stated at one point in Riot of the Dance Floor that City Gardens was not a place that one went out of their way to get to. The club was situated in an industrial warehouse and was barely identifiable by the name written on the corner of the building. However, City Gardens was also considered one of the places that defined Trenton, which was a once prosperous town that went into serious decline and is now mostly occupied by State buildings. City Gardens was considered to be place filled with dedicated people that the bands would want to please. Booking the club was a passion project for Randy Now, who gave up his day job as a mailman, and any chance for a pension, to book the club full time. It was Randy's hard work that got many up-and-coming alternative rock bands, including The Red Hot Chili Peppers and Nirvana, to play at the club. In fact, the City Gardens could not survive without Randy and all that remains of the club today is the memories. Overall, Riot on the Dance Floor is a interesting documentary, which tells the story of location all but forgotten in rock history. 8 | LIKED IT Screenings:
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Friday June 13, 9:30 PM – Bloor Hot Docs Cinema
