And the Next “I Have to Work Tomorrow” Dance Party is…

Before I tell you, let’s recap the first ever “I Have to Work Tomorrow” Early Bird ‘80s Dance Party, at the Cat Club in San Francisco on August 7. The idea to host this party came to me as I was stumbling out of the Cat Club’s regular “Class of ’84″ dance night back in April. It’s held every Thursday, from 9 pm -1 am. I had a blast, but man was I tired. “Wouldn’t it be great to do the exact same ’80s dance party, but start it and end it earlier?” I said to my friends. Because if, like me, you find yourself in the years between being hip and breaking one, you treasure your eight hours of sleep each night.

I made a couple email inquiries. The good people of the Cat Club and DJ Damon got on board with the idea. I spread the word far and wide, and people responded, spreading the word farther and wider. Even when 2, count them, TWO, friends called at the last minute to say they couldn’t come because they had emergency root canals that day – this is what happens when you create an event for people over 30 – I had a feeling people would show up. They needed this.

There was a line outside at 6:51. It was a line of one, but still.

We threw open the doors promptly at 7.

The first forty people who walked through them got this badge.

The music started at 7:00:03 – DJ Damon threw some Echo up in that joint, since we’d both been at the show the weekend earlier – and the first people were dancing by 7:02. It never stopped. People kept streaming in and once they had a drink in hand, they headed to the dance floor and stayed there. People I knew, people I didn’t know, husbands, co-workers, Cat Club regulars…they just kept showing up. Three moms from the local elementary school moved into the cage and made it their own, for the rest of the night.

Photo and cage dancers courtesy of my friend Esther

Erasure, Prince, Depeche Mode, When In Rome, Talking Heads…it was a veritable cornucopia of dancealicious magic.

I was torn between catching up with my friends and meeting new people and really, really needing to dance. The latter urge won out, which is why my feet were dyed bright red the day after – the red suede shabooties I wore may have looked good, but they were not sweat resistant. Whatever. Badge of honor. PLAY ON, DJ DAMON!!

Best news of all? SEVENTY PEOPLE SHOWED UP. And you guys made it so fun for everyone that we’re doing it again. Mark your calendars, hire your sitters, round up your spouses and friends and co-workers NOW for the next “I Have to Work Tomorrow” Dance Party:

Thursday, November 6, 7-9 pm, Cat Club, 1190 Folsom Street

Want to do me a solid? If you had came out and enjoyed yourself, consider subscribing to the blog via email, in the box on the upper right hand corner of the blog. A bunch of wanna-be dancers said they never saw the Facebook posts about the dance party, because apparently Mark Zuckerberg hates ’80s music. Yes, you read it here first. But truly, I have no control over what gets displayed on Facebook, so if you want a failsafe way to keep informed, subscribing by email is the best way to go. Besides, Midlife Mixtape posts are like that dance party, but in written form!

And if you have any suggestions of how to improve the party, please leave me a comment below. Games? Giveaways? Awards for best costumes or best dance moves? I’m open to ideas.

Thanks again to everyone who came out! It was nigh on impossible to pick the best song of the night so this is my somewhat arbitrary choice:

Oh and for the record? I was in bed by 10:45.

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My latest is up at NickMom.com: “Top 9 College Situations I Wish My Kids Could Avoid.” #4: An unpaid internship that involves caged animals. Click here for the full list.

          
CommentsThat was sooooo much fun! And I was in my pjs by 10:40. ... by Janine KovacConsider hosting one of these in the South Bay! (altho yes, it ... by TracyI might have to stay over…;) So glad the first one was so ... by KirWoo hoo! It's on my calendar! by AmyRelated StoriesAny Old Excuse for a PartyBlogHer 2014: Stories Still MatterMidlife Mixtape Concert Review: Robyn and Röyksopp