Electric Circus

The Electric Circus was a nightclub located at 19–25 St. Marks Place in the East Village neighborhood of Manhattan, New York City. Opened in 1967, it became known for its combination of live music, psychedelic light shows, circus performances, and experimental theater. The venue occupied a former ballroom known as Arlington Hall, later used by the Polish National Home. As The Dom, it was a performance space for Andy Warhol's multimedia production, the Exploding Plastic Inevitable, in 1966. Designed as an immersive entertainment environment, the Electric Circus became a prominent part of New York City's countercultural nightlife of the late 1960s. It closed in August 1971 following a period of declining popularity and negative publicity after a bombing injured 15 people in March 1970. The building was subsequently used as an addiction treatment and residential facility before being converted into apartments and retail space