Old Town Scottsdale remembers '80s club Amnesia

Amnesia. (Credit: Courtesy of Dave Andrea)

Do you remember Amnesia?

Next Saturday, the crew of former Old Town bar Amnesia is getting together to celebrate a 25-year reunion, and they're reaching out to anyone who may remember the dance club and its sister restaurant, Louie's.

Former operating partner Dave Andrea is inviting former employees, regulars and anyone else who was a part of the Scottsdale club scene in the mid-‘80s to swing by Bungalow for a drink and stories about the past.

Amnesia was an Old Town hotspot from 1984 to 1986 on the corner of Scottsdale Road and Earl Drive, and Andrea said his bar had a close-knit crew and crowd, a rarity in a nightclub setting.

He attributed the family vibe to the fact that he'd opened the club with several friends who became staffers, and all were from Steamboat Springs, Colo.

“Our theme song after everyone would leave at the end of the night was ‘We Are Family.' We'd put on the song and wrap things up,” said Andrea. “We would pass out doughnuts and coffee to customers as they were walking out at the end of the night. We just really took care of the staff and customers.”

Those living in the Valley at the time might remember Amnesia as a place that was busy seven nights a week, with a massive happy-hour buffet with prime rib and other upscale touches. It also put out a quarterly newsletter highlighting the customer and staffer of the month as well as drink and dance specials. It became a popular hot spot where Mr. T, Elton John, Val Kilmer and other boldface names came in for dinner and dancing.

“It was quite the phenomenon for the time and it had lines around the block most nights,” Andrea said.

After Amnesia closed, Andrea stayed in the nightlife business, opening up several other nightclubs and the Old Town Tortilla Factory. Today, he works as a business broker and runs a beverage marketing company called the Liquid Connection.

Other Amnesia alumni have gone on to run several bars and clubs in the Valley including Scottsdale's 18-and-older Buzz Nightclub and the Old Town bar Bungalow.

Details: Dave Andrea at 602-738-1274 or dave@theliquidconnection.com.