Ginger Perry and Michael Trundle on That '80s Night, their new night at Beauty Bar

By Josiah M. Hesse Tue., Apr. 17 2012 at 9:30 AM

What is it about the '80s that are so culturally transcendent? Is it just nostalgia?

GP: The '80s had such a strong influence on EDM that I think it's always going to be something people go back to.

MT: A lot of it is nostalgia. But it's such a broad-reaching genre. People that are into electro don't necessarily like rock. People don't tend to cross genres -- they like what they like. But the '80s, man...people love the '80s. Well, maybe not everybody, but most people. But I think a majority of the people who come to this night didn't listen to '80s music in the '80s.

I don't think anyone under the age of thirty can say they listened to this when they were teenagers. But they remember hearing these songs when they were little kids on the radio, and there is that love for what seems, from that perspective, as a more innocent time. And it's just great music. It's the only decade of music that is its own genre.

How does that music differ from what is made today?

MT: I don't particularly care for Lady Gaga and Rihanna and all these Top 40 artists -- it all kind of sounds the same. They've gotten the pop thing into a formula. And I don't feel like that was the case in the '80s. And that's why there were so many one-hit wonders back then. You don't really see as many one-hit wonders anymore: An artist will become big and then put out forty albums, and every song on the album is a single, because everything is so produced and so commercially crafted.

Whereas with the one-hit wonders, it was bands that just had one really great song and then you never hear from them again. Like how many people could name an A-ha song other than "Take On Me"? They may not know the name of the album or even the name of the band -- but they can sing every word of that song. And you don't really see that as much anymore.

That '80s Night has advertised itself as an event where guests should "dress appropriately." What does that look like for you?

GP: I don't care what people dress like, as long as dancing is the most important part to the crowd.

MT: Well, I was kind of a death-rocker back then and still am. So I'll probably just dress how I always do -- in black.

Are there any other themes that you'd like to tackle for a dance night?

GP: F yes! The roaring '20s! That party would be a blow! People would be so zozzled, it would turn into a petting party!

MT: There are some, but nothing I'd like to do once a month. I like to have freedom -- like at Lipgloss, I play everything: '80s, '50s, new stuff. But I would love to do a one-off post-punk night, lots of Joy Division, the Cure, that sort of thing. Maybe a goth-y type thing some night. I would love to do a disco night. But I don't know how successful those nights would be. With an '80s night, people immediately know what it is -- it speaks for itself.

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Location Info

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Beauty Bar

608 E. 13th Ave., Denver, CO

Category: Music

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La Rumba

99 W. 9th Ave., Denver, CO

Category: Music

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Ginger Perry, new club night alert Denver, Saturday April 21, That '80s Night at Beauty Bar with DJ Boyhollow

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Petshopboys

"Lately, Denver has been lacking the drum-machine glory of '80s dance nights" - really? What about Milk Bar's Saturday night? It's been going strong for years. Just saying...

Craig

Every time I've been to Milk Bar it's been more goth than 80s.

80sFan

Like the below poster said, there are 2 totally different rooms. The "Milk Bar" room is 80s only on Saturdays. Plus they rotate between 3 DJs each week so you a bit of a different flavor of 80s each time. The thing I like best at Mix Tape is that it's not only the Top 40 80s played. Theres a much wider mix and you hear some gems. I haven't seen one person *not* have a good time there. Maybe Westword should do a write up on Mix Tape so people can see their options and that there has been a hugely successful 80s night going for over 5 years now.

Aaron

I am a fan of people who can venture out of their regular spot and support something new. MILK does their thing every week, from what I read this is or was a one-time event at Beauty Bar. I promise you won't get your goth card taken away if you didn't go to MILK on a Wednesday/Saturday or hit up to 2 clubs in one night.

In regards to there not being enough 80's nights. Most fans of 80's music will not go out on a regular basis enough to keep a weekly 80's only club night alive. The reason it works at MILK, aside from having good DJs, is that the club overall is known as a goth night. and 'goths' rarely support any club nights that aren't labeled "goth/industrial/dark". If MILK didn't have an all 80s room the same crowd would still show up regardless of the music format in the black/white room.

If you haven't check out Rollercoaster Tuesdays at the Horseshoe Lounge, lots of non-typical 80's/90's/Brit Pop tracks.

80sFan

I agree with that, just wish they weren't in the same night.

Craig

Didn't you say on here that they won a best of westword award so didn't they already get their article and notice from westword? Anyways I agree with Jay. The more 80s nights the better.

Jay R

True - one room at Milk is 100% Goth. But the black and white room is all 80s all night. It's Erasure, New Order, Cure, 80s hits - and isn't "goth" sorta dead or evolved by now? Not sure if they call it goth anymore - whatever goth is. I personally enjoy the synthpop and new wave of the 80s. Always a good mix of that at La Rumba. So, I'm sure the new new night from the LaRumba djs will do good. This is America. If there wasn't a choice, we wouldn't have McDonalds and Burger King. Basically, the same thing. Right? Besides, can there be too many 80s nights? Where else will the drunk girls dance to Prince?