Returning to DC’s 80s Dance Party

DJ Neal Keller has returned his long running 80s Dance Party to Adams Morgan. The new party–80s Dance Party: New Life–got off to a terrific start last week at its new home in Morgan’s in Washington, DC. Morgan’s a modest little club with a small dance floor upstairs. It feels intimate although there is elbow room to be had. My only complaint is that their one tap offers Coors Light!

Anyway, DJ Neal, who got his start supporting the original 80s Dance Party under the duo Romania (DJs Jim and Jon) way back in 1994, spun a lot of good New Wave tunes in his triumphant return. A lot of his regular supporters turned out and a good time was had by all.

It’s a pleasure to see Neal pull it altogether because he’s such a good host but I’m looking forward to hearing the new stuff he’ll enter into his mix. Riding along with his amigos in the Imaginary Boys Social Club lately, Neal has picked up on some of the best new bands like Ladytron, the Ting Tings, the Killers, Franz Ferdinand, and others that he’ll bring into the New Wave mix.  So the 80s Dance Party, while certainly having its roots in the 80s, has grown into a full tree, spreading out through the musical genre that could not be defined (or confined) by one decade.

80s Dance Party: New Life returns to Morgan’s this Thursday as a weekly event… until perhaps it gets too big for Morgan’s to hold it? Meanwhile, DJ Neal has announced the start of 80s Dance Party: Cinematique to run in the Rosslyn neighborhood of Arlington, Va. at The Continental pool hall (just over the Key Bridge from DC). It will run once a month on Fridays to concur with the 80s film series that Rosslyn will screen in an outdoor park beginning Friday, May 22.  It sounds utterly brilliant!