ThoughtGallery.org > ‘Stories from Fear City: A Memoir of New York in the 1970s & 1980s’ Webinar

‘Stories from Fear City: A Memoir of New York in the 1970s & 1980s’ Webinar

Artists and arsonists. Punk rockers and panicky bankers. Sex workers and serial killers. New York City in the 1970s and 1980s was a tale of two cities — one of terrible economic and physical hardship, but also one of great artistic and sexual freedom. This is the story of what the “Big Apple” was like in one of its grittiest modern eras, from one local who experienced it all firsthand.

Join New York Adventure Club as we examine the roots of the 1970s New York City fiscal crisis and its effect on five Manhattan neighborhoods over the span of 20 years.

Led by licensed NYC tour guide Robert Brenner, who spent much of his youth exploring New York’s streets and happenings in the 1970s/1980s, our virtual experience down memory lane will include:

  • An overview of NYC’s fiscal crisis in the 1970s and how it eventually affected everyday life in the city
  • A close look at five neighborhoods during this rough patch in the 1970s and 1980s, from Times Square (aka “the sleaze capital of the world”) to Canal Street, where punk rock, hip hop, modern art, and old-school Chinese Kung Fu movies collided
  • Why there were few authority figures to enforce society’s rules
  • How NYC bounced back from these troubled years to later become one of the safest (albeit gentrified) big cities in the world
  • A look to the future to see whether the city could return to the “bad ol’ days” (or “good ol’ days,” depending on who you ask)

Afterward, we’ll have a Q&A with Robert — any and all questions about New York in the 1970s and 1980s are welcomed and encouraged!

Can’t make it live? Don’t worry, you’ll have access to the full replay for one week!

See you there, virtually! $10.

*Immediately upon registering, you will receive a separate, automated email containing the link to join this webinar

**For the best possible viewing experience, please ensure you’re using the latest version of your internet browser — Google Chrome is the most compatible. Exact technical requirements and a webinar user guide will be shared in the automated confirmation email upon registration.

***A full replay of the experience will be available to all registered guests for up to a week

About Robert

Robert Brenner is a licensed New York City tour guide, a certified member of the Guides Association of New York City (GANYC), and an almost lifelong New Yorker. He started exploring the city on his own as a teenager in the 1970s, and moved here permanently in the 1980s. In 2014 he launched his own small, independent, boutique walking tour company, Pig Feet Walking Tours, specializing in offbeat history, culture, and food walking tours; since then he has led walking tours for the Municipal Art Society, the Van Alen Institute, the Historic District Council, the Museum of Sex, and many other organizations. He currently lives in Chelsea with his wife and is pursuing a Masters in New York Studies at the CUNY Graduate Center.











When: Fri., May. 14, 2021 at 8:00 pm - 9:30 pm
Where: No Location
Via livestream

Price: $10
Buy tickets/get more info now
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Artists and arsonists. Punk rockers and panicky bankers. Sex workers and serial killers. New York City in the 1970s and 1980s was a tale of two cities — one of terrible economic and physical hardship, but also one of great artistic and sexual freedom. This is the story of what the “Big Apple” was like in one of its grittiest modern eras, from one local who experienced it all firsthand.

Join New York Adventure Club as we examine the roots of the 1970s New York City fiscal crisis and its effect on five Manhattan neighborhoods over the span of 20 years.

Led by licensed NYC tour guide Robert Brenner, who spent much of his youth exploring New York’s streets and happenings in the 1970s/1980s, our virtual experience down memory lane will include:

  • An overview of NYC’s fiscal crisis in the 1970s and how it eventually affected everyday life in the city
  • A close look at five neighborhoods during this rough patch in the 1970s and 1980s, from Times Square (aka “the sleaze capital of the world”) to Canal Street, where punk rock, hip hop, modern art, and old-school Chinese Kung Fu movies collided
  • Why there were few authority figures to enforce society’s rules
  • How NYC bounced back from these troubled years to later become one of the safest (albeit gentrified) big cities in the world
  • A look to the future to see whether the city could return to the “bad ol’ days” (or “good ol’ days,” depending on who you ask)

Afterward, we’ll have a Q&A with Robert — any and all questions about New York in the 1970s and 1980s are welcomed and encouraged!

Can’t make it live? Don’t worry, you’ll have access to the full replay for one week!

See you there, virtually! $10.

*Immediately upon registering, you will receive a separate, automated email containing the link to join this webinar

**For the best possible viewing experience, please ensure you’re using the latest version of your internet browser — Google Chrome is the most compatible. Exact technical requirements and a webinar user guide will be shared in the automated confirmation email upon registration.

***A full replay of the experience will be available to all registered guests for up to a week

About Robert

Robert Brenner is a licensed New York City tour guide, a certified member of the Guides Association of New York City (GANYC), and an almost lifelong New Yorker. He started exploring the city on his own as a teenager in the 1970s, and moved here permanently in the 1980s. In 2014 he launched his own small, independent, boutique walking tour company, Pig Feet Walking Tours, specializing in offbeat history, culture, and food walking tours; since then he has led walking tours for the Municipal Art Society, the Van Alen Institute, the Historic District Council, the Museum of Sex, and many other organizations. He currently lives in Chelsea with his wife and is pursuing a Masters in New York Studies at the CUNY Graduate Center.

Buy tickets/get more info now