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ManRay


Manray was a nightclub in Central Square, Cambridge, Massachusetts. It was named for Dada artist and photographer, Man Ray.

The site previously held a restaurant called Simeone's Restaurant, until in 1983 the location was turned into a gay club called Campus. In 1985, a second part of the location was opened as Manray. Eventually the two places merged into the modern day Manray space. The club billed itself as an "art bar", and often featured gallery shows by local artists in its lounge area. Manray gained national attention when it was featured in Life Magazine, and in a televised segment by talk show host Geraldo Rivera.

Manray catered to a variety of alternative lifestyles. Its longest-running night was Campus, a night "for gay men and their friends". Also popular was New Wave Night, held every Saturday, which featured DJs Chris Ewen and Gary Conzo playing new wave and disco anthems, respectively. Manray also hosted many live music acts, including Alien Sex Fiend, Peter Murphy, and Nirvana.

Manray gained a reputation as a hotbed of strangeness in the early 1990s, when it became home to the goth and fetish/BDSM scenes in the Boston area. Alternating Friday night events would be geared to one, the other, or both subcultures, resulting in a local scene that was unique in its cross-pollination. Events with names such as Hell, Xmortis, Fantasy Factory and Ooze earned Manray a place in local lore as a destination not for the timid or squeamish. Strict dress codes and a tight-knit community that looked out for its own helped bolster its image as an otherworldly locale, full of dark secrets.


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