Disco died in Chicago … but there are still places to dance to it.
Disco Demolition Night blew up (literally) on July 12, 1979, at then-Comiskey Park. Game attendance was low while disco was at its peak, so “Disco Sucks” shock jock Steve Dahl teamed up with the White Sox to pack seats.
Ahead of the night's 46th anniversary, let's revisit the history and explore where you can still dance disco in Chicago.
Disco Demolition
Their promo plan was (barbarically) simple: Bring a disco vinyl in exchange for a 98-cent ticket. It worked. The stadium filled past capacity. Then Dahl exploded the crate of disco records during a double-header. Disco haters rushed the burnt field.
It was a slap in the face to the groundbreaking artists who pioneered disco — many of them Black Chicagoans. Artists like Chaka Khan, Earth, Wind & Fire, The Emotions, Loleatta Holloway, Gene Chandler, and The Invisible Man’s Band.
Today, few proper, ‘70s-style discotheques remain in the city, but there are some great bars for throwback hits. And yes, some even have light-up dance floors.
Disco-Like Dancing Spots
Good Night John Boy in West Loop
The glowing dance floor at Good Night John Boy has the old-school colorful squares, which are just so fun to tippity-tap on when you’re tipsy. The ‘70s aesthetic extends beyond that, too, with shag-carpet and faux living room sets. Music themes vary night to night, but disco is often in play, especially for Friday Night Fever.
Disco Chicago at Celeste in River North
On the third floor of Celeste, Disco Chicago comes to life on Friday and Saturday nights. It’s disco-meets-River-North with a sleek, sparkly ambience complete with, yes, a blinking floor and a massive disco ball.
Holiday Club in Uptown
Holiday Club is lively most of the week, but I ❤ ️'80s Fridays are the most fun. It’s a real retro vibe with music videos projected on the wall for an extra immersive experience. ‘90s to Now Saturdays also offer a diverse range of bops. 🙏 Praying that Holiday Club stays put!
Other club-esque options that occasionally dip into disco tunes include Logan Square's Late Bar, The Whistler, and The Owl; Beauty Bar in West Town; and Hangge Uppe on the Near North Side.
Italian disco vinyls will be spinning Saturday at The Walk In. (Courtesy of ADHDJ)
Upcoming Disco Events
- 🕺🏻 DSTRKT DISKO | July 11, 18, 25 | DSTRKT | Wicker Park
- 🕺🏻 Retro Night - Disco Resurrection 1979 | July 12 | Hairpin Arts Center | Logan Square
- Celebrate disco pride on the anniversary of Disco Demolition Night!
- 🕺🏻 Disco Summer Social | July 13 | Sanctuary | River North
- 🕺🏻 FREQUENCi: House & Disco vs. Hip-Hop & R&B | July 13 | Foundation Room Chicago | River North
- 🕺🏻 Vintage House Chicago Presents: Disco | July 19, 20 | Artifact Events | Ravenswood
- 🕺🏻 Pisco Disco | Every Wednesday | Tanta Cocina Peruana | Streeterville
- 🕺🏻 Disco Bingo | Every fourth Wednesday | Meeting House Tavern | Uptown
- 🕺🏻 Midnite City: Indie Disco | Sept. 20 | Subterranean | Wicker Park
