You've got to see this:
http://media.photobucket.com/image/Loew%252527s%20175%20st.%20in%20NYC/HeightsMike/Loews175.jpg

HateroPardo:

Let me speak about what I personally know; I grew up at 177 sT. and Wadsworth, just two blocks away. As a kid it was the LOEW's 175 st. theater. There was also the LOEW's Coloseum at 181 st.
It was a beatiful theater just two blocks from my front door at 86 Wadsworth Av. It was beautiful!

In the middle 1970's it was sold to Reverend Ike; An African American Charismatic "prosperity" gopel preacher who would fill the whole shebang with droves of people arriving in Cadillacs and Mink coats and fancy clothes flocking to get a blessing from IKE. Money, Dollar bill, y'all!

As far as I knew it was never a venue for music or a chic place for local sophisticated music lovers.