It’s 3pm on Saturday afternoon.
The lights are flashing, the music is pounding, and the dancefloor is packed – with folk over 30.
Fists pump the air, feet stomp, arms flail, hips swivel and shoulders shimmy, and there’s not a sniggering teenager in sight.
Everyone seems to have made a great effort to dress for the occasion.
I spot leather and leopard print dresses, feather boas, sequins, smart suits, a fair share of wigs, tutus and bright pink and green neon gear.
Tunes blasting from the speakers are absolute anthems.
The dance floor is packed and admittedly, most of the folk on it are women. A few men are to be seen giving it laldy, but it’s definitely got a girls’ (or ladies) day out feel about it.
Dancers and disco balls
Disco balls shine and shimmer above dancers as they throw back the drinks, and I linger around the edges, water bottle in hand.
I’m driving (and working) so I can’t fully immerse myself in the fun. But believe me, everyone is having a LOT of fun!
I’m at the launch of Club Tropicana’s first “daytime disco”, with the Dundee event promising to deliver an “afternoon club experience”, with hits mainly from the 1970s and 80s, and a few from the early noughties.
There’s no need for revellers to fret about babysitters, late-night transport, missing out on valuable shut eye, or wasting their Sundays.
Those embracing the event – which is billed as “Disco Days” and runs from 2.30pm to 7.30pm – can be firmly tucked up in bed by early evening, if they so wish, and wake up bright-eyed and bushy-tailed the next day.
Daytime discos are all the rage
The concept of “daytime clubbing” is something Tony Cochrane, the owner of the venue, had been deliberating since last year.
Realising that not everyone wants to stay out until 3am – when “normal” club nights tend to shut up shop – he decided to stage an alternative event that could cater for those over 30.
A few days after announcing the daytime disco, Tony revealed plans for “Rave Days”, a daytime rave on March 16 for over 25s featuring club classics from the 90s and 00s.
And with the March 2 Disco Days event completely selling out, Tony’s running a second one, on March 30. And the way tickets sales are going, he reckons it too will be a sell-out.
Classic tunes
The tunes blasting through the speakers are mostly classic 70s and 80s singalong hits – Kylie’s Better the Devil You Know, Frankie Goes to Hollywood’s Relax, Wham’s Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go, and the absolute anthem, Come on Eileen by Dexy’s Midnight Runners, to name but a few.
Other floorfillers include Queen’s Radio Ga Ga, Billy Joel’s Uptown Girl, Erasure’s A Little Respect, James Brown’s Get Up, Funky Town by Lipps Inc, It’s a Sin by the Pet Shop Boys, and Who Do you Think You Are by the Spice Girls.
You can dance and drink all afternoon, get a kebab, and be back home and in your bedsocks and jammies by 9pm.”
Dani Mitchell, 43
As I bop my way around the club, I chat to fellow daytime partygoers, some of whom are a tad tipsy.
“Dundee really needed a day disco for those of us with busy lives in our 30s, 40s and beyond!” beams Dani Mitchell, 43, a Tesco customer services worker from Monifieth.
“A lot of us still love the idea of going clubbing. But this way you can dance and drink all afternoon, get a kebab, and be back home and in your bedsocks and jammies by 9pm!”
No need to stay out until 3am
Erin Dolan, 34, a Tesco store manager from Monifieth, tells me it “feels like the evening”.
“Being a mum, it’s great to be able to get out and enjoy something like this during the day,” she says.
“I don’t want to be out dancing til 3am! I want to be able to get up early tomorrow for my wee girl. It means Sunday won’t be wasted.”
Dundee taxi driver Kevin Egan, 37, is out celebrating his birthday with friends.
“I came here as a teenager and in my 20s so there are loads of memories,” he says.
“It’s super busy and there’s a great party atmosphere with brilliant music.
“I’ve come out with a bunch of friends and we’re having a blast. It’s good it finishes at 7.30pm but the chances are we’ll head on out afterwards.”
Something a bit different
Operations manager James Hendry, 35, from Dundee, is also out for his birthday.
“It’s refreshing to come out to this – it’s something different,” he says.
“We could be home in our beds by 9pm – but we probably won’t be!”
Kirsteen Macfarlane, an appointments officer at Ninewells, says she’s loving the 80s tunes.
“This is our go-to music!” says the 53-year-old.
“Now that our kids are older, it’s good to be able to get out and about. And it’s easy to get the bus or train in and out from Monifieth during the day. You don’t have to worry about taxis.”
Dancing with folk of all ages (over 30)
Jane Stewart, a 48-year-old care worker from Dundee, tells me she feels at ease among those closer to her own age.
“Just because you’re a wee bit older it doesn’t mean you don’t still want a wee dance,” she adds.
“It’s a bit off-putting when you’re surrounded by young girls in tiny skirts with their bottoms hanging out! This scene is much more up my street!”
Meanwhile, Shonagh Glen, a 53-year-old accounts worker from Dundee, says dancing the day away, rather than the night, feels “a bit weird”.
But she adds: “It’s a brilliant idea.” And with that, she tells me to: “Have a great day!” Which does indeed sound quite strange…
I also interrupt 62-year-old Forfar gardener and grandfather Billy Stewart as he throws some serious shapes on the dancefloor.
“This is the best day out ever!” he enthuses. “It’s so good to sing, dance, drink and let it all hang out among likeminded people.
“I’ve already told my mates we’re coming to the next one!”
Club owner Tony heralds day disco a roaring success
I spot club owner Tony at the bar and wander over for a chat. He’s blown away by how popular the day event is and is grinning from ear to ear.
“I knew would be a good day but the crowd are lifting it to a new level!” he tells me.
“It’s great to see everyone so happy, singing and, dancing the day away. It proves you don’t stop having fun when you turn 30.”
The good news for folk feeling a wee bit tired – maybe it’s been a while since you sported a pair of stilettos – or those who simply want to chat to their pals – is that there are plenty of chill-out zones with comfy seating areas.
There are also a few novelty features, including a pink “Barbie Box”. Step into it and have your photo taken as if you’re a Barbie doll. I couldn’t resist…
Relive your youth and dance the day away!
Similar events have been – and continue to be – held across the UK.
While folk in Dundee danced the day away on March 2, Tony ran replica events in Aberdeen’s Aura Nightclub and Edinburgh’s Tropicana. These were equally popular.
Meanwhile, Fubar in Stirling is hosting an event called “The Old Record Club – Daytime Dancing” on Saturday April 27 between 3pm and 9pm and again, is for over-30s.
And V&A Dundee’s has been working with the legendary Rhumba Club DJs to put on “early doors” club events since 2021.
These started with the Night Fever exhibition, which explored the relationship between club culture and design from the 1960s to today.
The last event, Electric Dreams, ran in V&A Dundee’s Tatha Bar on February 24 between 7pm and midnight, and boasted club anthems – including old skool, house, disco, acid house – from Jon Mancini and Michael Kilkie.
Annie Mac and Vicky McClure are fans of ‘early bird’ clubbing
Back in 2022, former Radio 1 DJ Annie Macmanus, known as Annie Mac, launched Before Midnight, offering older clubbers the chance to rave like they did in the 90s – but with the promise of an early bedtime.
The event, which runs in various venues, begins at 7pm and ends before the clock strikes midnight.
And earlier this year, Line of Duty star Vicky McClure, 40, offered up a similar proposition, only even earlier in the day.
The DayFever disco event – at which Vicky appears as a guest DJ – starts at 2pm and finishes at 8pm and runs in cities including Nottingham, Leeds and London.
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