History of Club 101 Subject of ‘Only in El Paso’ Video

Before there was the Union Plaza District, there was Club 101. Before El Paso had an alt scene, there was Club 101.

The fabled former downtown club is the subject of a digital short on the fourth season of the KCOS web series, Only in El Paso. The documentary briefly touches on the history of the beloved club and its originator, Joe Dorgan.

Born in December of 1989, Club 101 quickly became the club to be at on a Friday and Saturday night.

Dorgan didn't renovate an old, abandoned warehouse as much as he just cleaned it up a bit and added a dance floor, bar, and DJ booth. And that ain't me throwing shade, either, because Club 101 wasn't about the decor or the building it was housed in.

It was about the people. And the vibe. And the music. Especially the music.

The music Dorgan and his djs played was as legendary as the bands that played that venue. Joe had a knack for discovering bands that were on the cutting edge. Many of the artists he exposed El Pasoans to would never have played here as there was no other venue at the time that would have hosted them.

If it wasn't for Club 101, Anything Box would not have had a career. Joe sure loved bringing them in, amirite?

Yeah, Club 101 was the ish.

And if you were lucky enough to be around during its heyday you will never forget it. Good times, man, good times. Thanks for the memories, Dorgan. Because of your vision, my Saturday nights were epic.

Only in El Paso - Club 101 (Season 4, Episode 6)