Help with a 70s Disco Themed Party

[discodevil]

I am having my 50th birthday disco themed party.
I am going to have a group of mirrorballs and white pin lights.
Im thinking all silver foil strands etc around the room.
I would like to have real disco music not the usual "I will survive" stuff.
So if members have any suggestions on decorations and music I would love them.

[Cdnbob]

You should get your friends to dress up in the clothing and hair styles of the era.

[FranceJoliFan]

Originally Posted by discodevil

I am having my 50th birthday disco themed party.
I am going to have a group of mirrorballs and white pin lights.
Im thinking all silver foil strands etc around the room.
I would like to have real disco music not the usual "I will survive" stuff.
So if members have any suggestions on decorations and music I would love them.

Tantalizing invitations are a must. Maybe something classy/Studio 54 logo inspired. Or something hinting at trashy excess. And give your guests ideas on how to dress (insist that all the men wear tight polyester slacks and bikini underwear, and the women wear sequin tube tops.)

Silver foil strands is good (I spread silver glitter for my disco party, and it was nearly impossible to remove afterward.) And a few strands of Christmas lights go a long way. I like to stuff them in fishbowls and glass vases and create sparkly disco lamps.

Strobe lights are good, but use them sparingly.

Dry ice is a good idea in theory. But a smoke machine works better. They're pretty toxic, though. But I love the effect. And your guests will be impressed.

I got the best feedback from displaying old album covers. The tackier the better. I even scanned one and had Kinko's print out an enlarged poster.

Have some old disco dancing instruction manuals on hand. Maybe you can inspire your guests to try some old hustle moves.

Of course, you need a posh VIP lounge. Which could be a sofa covered in a satin sheet with lots of throw pillows. Or yards of gold lame' lining the walls. A place to enjoy drinks served by your shirtless bartender (on roller skates?)

Orchestral disco sets a nice mood for cocktails (Boris Midney, etc.) This is a chance to play more obscure music. Then for dancing, go a little more conventional. (As sophisticated as your guests probably are, they'll still get most excited when you play Dancing Queen. Never fails.) But as they get drunk, you can pretty much sneak in anything you like. I say, play the songs you like. The ones you remember dancing to back in the day.

Take lots of pictures. It's fun to go low-tech with a Polaroid camera. Set up a corner, and do it like a senior prom. Have glitzy cardboard folder frames for the photos. Your guests will love the instant gratification. Which is so 70's.

[SandraDee]

Don't forget the cocaine, qualudes & rampant promiscuity!

[RetroRuss]

I DJ at loads of these!! From my experience it all depends on your budget! I have DJ'ed where the people were mega-wealthy - it was a themed disco night...although elements weren't authentic...there weren't too many clubs that had lasers back in 1978!! However this room (in a big mansion) had several as well as the latest light show - but no smoke machine!! Also I find generally that if you go too deep into the music i.e. play tunes that are quite obscure you'd tend to lose the dancers..so I generally have to keep it on the commerical lilt - but hey you know your friends and their 'love of the music'!

As for fancy dress - I love watching people's interpretation of what was worn by folk like me BITD!! Flares were on the way out by 1977/8, as were platform shoes - flourescent hair bands, dark sunglasses and lurid spandex tights for men & women hadn't made their unwelcome appearance - just think Halston, Gucci, Fiorucci - c'est Chic n'est pas? It makes me laugh when people turn up looking like some hippy!! There weren't many of them in the discoteques I went to BITD!! LOL!!

If you are looking for a DJ -just holler!!

[discodevil]

These are great idea's from you all, FranceJoliFan you must have great parties.
I was thinking that guests have to wear a feather Boa of some kind male and females, so to keep it simple and easy to do.

[drlove]

Good luck on the party !!! Another idea you may want to consider is temporarily affixing to the walls disco LP covers (from extra copies of your treasured 70s LPs) or "throwaway" copies you find in thrift stores -- this may visually help set the right party mood for ya. Enjoy !!!

[FranceJoliFan]

Originally Posted by discodevil

These are great idea's from you all, FranceJoliFan you must have great parties.
I was thinking that guests have to wear a feather Boa of some kind male and females, so to keep it simple and easy to do.

The boas sound fun. Have you seen the ones with the silver tinsel mixed in?

I had my most ambitious disco parties when I was in high school. Very low-budget do-it-yourself affairs. I would cut stars out of cardboard and spray paint them silver, then glue them along string and hang them from the ceiling. Stuff like that. Turn the laundry room into a bar by throwing a sheet over the washer and dryer. Buy a bag of that silver glitter that you use on those bumpy spray-on ceilings, and spread it everywhere--sofas, window sills, the floor. What a mess! But as tacky as it was, my guests had fun.

I've also had luck at thrift stores:

Fluorescent bean bag chairs
Optical fiber lights (those things that look like stiff strands of fishing line where the tips turn different colors)
Hanging macrame plant holder (with plastic fern)

Sometimes you'll luck out and find one of those old infinity lights. Where the mirrors make the little lights appear to go on and on into the background. If you find one, grab it! Also look for Radio Shack disco lights. Usually some small plastic things with a few colored lights that slowly rotates. Or even a red police siren light. Or those red, yellow, green traffic lights.

Also look in the curtain department. You might luck out and find something big enough and flashy enough to cover an entire wall (I once found black velvet curtains from a high school auditorium. Huge panels. They looked great, and were dirt cheap.) Check out the blankets and sheets too. Black satin sheets make great table cloths.

Try some searches for this stuff on Craigslist too. I once saw someone post a string of heavy duty rope lighting for free.

So grab a roll of aluminum foil and a few mirror squares and get crackin'.

: )

[srg]

WOW!! Some really great ideas for this party (especially when I'M thinking of having one myself this summer for some of my non-disco friends!!)
Only thing I would not do is have a "period clothing" rule: you WANT your guests to DANCE; they will be SWEATING...I'd say keep it simple: tight white T-shirts, jeans (or painter pants...do they still make those?) for the gents; tube tops/slinky dresses for the ladies...runners optional...

Also, have only a little seating available (like South American/Brazilian get-togethers); your guests should be dancing/drinking/circulating...you don't really want them to get into groups sitting around talking politics while Fred Wesley's "House Party"(an ESSENTIAL party cut, IMHO) is playing loud!!

[discodevil]

There have been some great suggestions keep them comming.
The invitations are going to be 45rpm vinyl singles.
I have some things so far for my party, 12”, 8”, 4”, 2” mirror balls and two par 36 pin spots, silver tinsel shimmer curtains for doorways.
I have a bunch Richard Bernstein posters of 70’s stars.
There will be people that are not into disco that much.
Could members suggest a list of mainstream disco they may enjoy?
Just some to mix amongst the classics.

P.S. is there such a thing as 70's disco finger food to serve up?