Dance parties provide cheap entertainment, draw more than traditional concerts

By Blake Arambula
Edited by Kimi Timmers
Date posted: April 22, 2009

 

At New Brookland Tavern, a Columbia bar that weekly hosts a  number of concerts, loud music can be heard emanating from within. One Friday night, the music sounded much like any other weekend.

But that night, there was no drum set, no guitars, no amplifiers and no band on stage -- only two lone figures. In front of them were three things: A computer, a synthesizer and a sea of dancing people.

Since November 2008, students from WUSC-FM, USC's radio station, have helped cut the high cost of entertainment by putting together several "dance parties" that have increasingly gained popularity.  The most recent drew 582 people, 70 more people than the last event on Jan. 16. Both charged only $2 admission.

Students flock to the dance parties because they are cheap and easy to organize, WUSC Station Manager Eric McNeely said.

"People are looking for cheap entertainment right now because of the economy," said McNeely. "They don't want to drop $10-$20 on a show with maybe one good band."

In comparison to the $2 admission, concerts held at New Brookland Tavern usually cost $5 to $15, depending on the band.

Seth Birkes,  vocalist for local band Cats & Cobras, said his band usually draws around 50 people. But those numbers don't come close to matching the success of cheaper dance parties, he said.

While he sees the  dance parties as a trend, Birkes said in the long run it helps venues like New Brookland stay open, which in turn helps bands have a place to play.

 But this isn't the first time New Brookland has tried to have disc jockeys perform rather than bands.

  New Brookland Tavern Owner Mike Lyons said the club has experimented before with  monthly "Drum N' Bass" dance parties, but attendance was low.  The current dance parties may be working because the DJs are promoting them, he said.

 "The numbers are based on the fact that the DJ has a ton of friends," Lyons said.
WUSC Public Affairs Director Marcy Bozek said the increased popularity has much to do with hype, especially after the success of the first event held Nov. 6, 2008 at The Whig, a downtown bar.

"There was a lot more word of mouth, which is critical," Bozek said. "We're trying to target people that just want to come out and dance, not only if you're a hipster or a high schooler."
At first she was skeptical, she said.

 "We didn't actually know what kind of success it would be," Bozek said. "On Facebook, we had less than 100 people who said they were coming, and The Whig didn't know they would have that many people either."

 For WUSC's first dance party, The Whig allowed guests 18 and up, something it never does, co-owner Phillip Blair said.

 Blair said the bar was "definitely packed all night," though it had higher labor costs to monitor the underage drinking.

"Sales were better than normal, " he said.

Bozek gave out 320 wristbands to of-age drinkers that night, but said that with so many underage people there, the total was closer to 500 people.  She said free admission at The Whig made a difference to those looking for low-cost entertainment.

Jamie Nowell, a DJ at two of the events, said the draw of dance parties really is social.
 "It's just easier to go to a dance party and talk, drink, dance and have fun than to commit to a show where you have to be quiet and pay attention," Nowell said. "People in Columbia are cheap and aren't used to dishing out money to actually go do something."

Last summer, Nowell and his friend Adam Shlon threw a house party at a different house each week for a month as a low-cost alternative. Over the course of these parties, which the duo hosted as DJs, they began to draw a "decent following," but the lack of security and underage drinking led them to stop, Nowell said.  

"It's scary, because if you've brought out a lot of records, then they might be more vulnerable to get stolen or damaged," Nowell said.

Still, while people are spending less on entertainment, Nowell said WUSC's dance parties are bringing business to clubs and allowing guests to still enjoy music without having to pay higher prices for bands.

"Columbia's music scene thrives on local acts and house shows, and this is another reason as to why people just don't like to pay for certain things - because it is not expected of them to," Nowell said.

The final WUSC Dance Party of the year was held April 2. Amid a rainy night and exit exams for students, the party still managed to bring around 380 people, Bozek said.