Honka Monka
{{Short description|Nightclub in Queens, New York}}
The Honka Monka was a nightclub in the Sunnyside neighborhood of Queens, New York.{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1971/03/07/archives/at-honka-monka-and-roseland-dancing-their-troubles-away.html|title=Honka Monka and Roseland, Dancing Their Troubles Away|last=Bosworth|first=Patricia|date=March 7, 1971|work=The New York Times|access-date=2020-01-26|language=en-US|issn=0362-4331}} It was originally opened by Marvin Gray in 1969 as a Latin club, but soon rock and soul acts were booked for the club.{{Cite journal|date=November 24, 1969|title=Finding the Latin Action|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=rdsCAAAAMBAJ&dq=honka+monka+queens+1969&pg=PA72|journal=New York Magazine|pages=72}} Acts who performed at the club include Ike & Tina Turner, Wilson Pickett, Little Richard, and Aesop's Fables.{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1971/02/21/archives/for-a-nightclub-in-queens-its-rock-no-latin-si-owner-of-the-honka.html|title=For a Nightclub in Queens, It's Rock No|last=Wilson|first=John S.|date=February 21, 1971|work=The New York Times|access-date=2020-01-25|language=en-US|issn=0362-4331}}{{Cite journal|date=April 21, 1969|title=After Dark: Rocking 'N' Rolling|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=qdsCAAAAMBAJ&dq=honka+monka+queens+1969&pg=PA14|journal=New York Magazine|pages=14}}
History
Marvin Gray opened the Honka Monka on Queens Boulevard near 40th Street in January 1969. In 1970, Gray was co-founded a record company, Grande Records, which specialized in rock and soul music.{{Cite journal|date=June 13, 1970|title=Grande Productions Opens in New York|url=https://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-Cash-Box/70s/1970/CB-1970-06-13.pdf|journal=Cash Box|pages=9}} He sometimes promoted acts from the label at the club.{{Cite magazine|date=July 4, 1970|title=Image and Reality Acts to Push Disks|url=https://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-Billboard/70s/1970/Billboard%201970-07-04.pdf|magazine=Billboard|pages=44}} Gray spent six months designing the club whose name derived from a hotel at which he had visited in Japan. He intended the Honka Monka to be a Latin club after producing Latin shows in nearby theaters, but the audience who came were unfamiliar with Latin dances so he switched booked rock bands instead.
In July 1970, Ike & Tina Turner performed at the club. They were photographed by Bob Gruen who was yet to launch his career as a rock photographer.{{Cite web|url=https://pleasekillme.com/bob-gruen-ike-tina-turner/|title=Bob Gruen's Electric Photos of Ike & Tina Turner|last=Gruen|first=Bob|date=May 21, 2018|website=PleaseKillMe|language=en-US}}
Returning to his first love of Latin music, Gray imposed a Latin policy which from Friday through Sunday, Latin bands only performed. Eddie Palmieri's orchestra and the LeBrón Brothers orchestra are some bands that performed at the Honka Monka.