SYLVESTER's wild stage performance of DANCE WITH ME IN THE DISCO HEAT

[remicks]

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Before Madonna ... before Janet ... before Gwen ... there was Sylvester




(For those who can't see the embedded video above use this link: YouTube - SILVESTER- DANCE- DISCO HEAT- (LIVE) )

I was becoming worn out just watching this five minutes of non-stop theatrics .....then I wondered what am I talking about .... we used to do this **** ..... ALL-NIGHT-LONG !!!!

please, ain't there some way to get back there !!! what a stupendous scene ! !



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I'm liking the effect of the heightened hand claps and ongoing whistle blows on this tune's vibe ...... a lot !

[discokicks]

What I think makes this video so magical is that it does seem to be a demonstration of sincere and unrestricted adult fun.....it's this excitement that we all associate with disco. I may be wrong (rose-coloured glasses again) but that was a time when it really seemed honest. So much of the music was derived from genuine human excitement and expression.

But as I watch Sylvester, there's no doubt to me that this was a person who had to dance and had to make music. It's like that t-shirt "born to boogie" and I believe that some of us are and were here to entertain the troops....that's our purpose.

The majority of people get caught up in the banal and everyday but some of us get beyond that. Disco and dance music certainly has been that constant, upbeat friend that's managed to keep pushing and pulling me to go forward.

[Mixmachine]

This clip was posted a while back by VideoScooter, I downloaded it and have seen it countless times.:icon_biggrin:

Not completely sure but I believe this is from a short lived televised Disco/variety show that was called "Fridays" , (can not see any hints on this Video itself), Michael Richards of ‘Seinfeld’ and the Betty Thomas who later appeared on the “Hill Street blues” TV drama show used to be regulars doing comedy sketches on this show.

I used to love the dancers on this show, they used to do a similar dancing "Line" as they did on "Soul Train", the blonde dancer opening here in the clip with Sylvester was my fave :icon_biggrin:, boy, she could move! and she was Hot!!

I’m pretty sure some of the dancer (especially the blonde) in this clip are/were member of this dancing troop called “Dancing Machine’ pictured in the cover of a Casablanca Disco album by Jeff Kutash, they used to be regulars on “Fridays”.

(A while back I couldn’t find this LP in my collection and just now I find it in the vaults!!)



Jeff Kutash and the dancing Machine

For me what strikes me the most about this video are the similarities to Miami’s area Discos of the day, with wild people dancing the Hustle every where, male dancers throwing their female partners in the air like they do here in this clip was a normal every day dance floor sight, the party club atmosphere captured on this clip (the likes of which I never saw again after the 70's.) is exactly the way it was at the Disco in those days.


It's only for an instance and hard to make out in this grainy video, but keep a eye on the off stage dancers, check out around the 50 second mark when Sylvester screams "Get on your feet and dance..", a dancer is flying and twisting 6" in the air in front of the Disco mirror ball, and then around the 30 second mark, again another dancer is twisting upside down in the air with split legs showing off her goodies , this was 'common' dance floor activities back in those days.

To the young readers here, this clip depicts the *real* Disco atmosphere in the late 70's in the USA, I saw the same scenes in NYC clubs during my '78 visit, nothing I ever saw in any other club's dance floor ever compared to that 70's Disco dancing fever.:icon_biggrin:
:icon_biggrin:

Edit: Oh, yes, this clip also demonstrates that dancing couples were doing the Hustle to 136 BPM "High Energy" records BITD.

Reading some of the comments on YouTube, a poster claims this was shot at the Trocadero in SF, maybe someone here can verify, the poster mentions the distinctive Mirror cluster. It would be interesting to know.

[Videoskooter]

Have you seen these 1's?

[discorecordplayer]

WOW!

no, I havent seen those. Thanks for posting them! Ive been dying to see more Sylveste videos! Ill have to watch them tomorow. I need to go to bned and get up early for work and it would take hours to load those.

[Discomanic]

The first video is from "The Midnight Special." He also performed "You Make Me Feel" and "Grateful." The last set of videos from Videoskooter "Live On Tonight Show," with Joan Rivers. Second is "Can't Stop Dancing" from Italian TV (if I remember correctly) and the last one is from his appearance at 1470 West in Ohio I believe. I have the complete concert which is fabulous (I would like to share but unfortunately I promised I would NOT make copies).
Loving is really my game is on Youtube from the same concert.

[remicks]

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Reading some of the comments on YouTube, a poster claims this was shot at the Trocadero in SF, maybe someone here can verify, the poster mentions the distinctive Mirror cluster. It would be interesting to know.

Hot damn !! You know what .... that sure is the Troc !! :icon_biggrin:


I spent many a night working moves about those thick pillars seen here ....and have a particularly fond memory of my dear friend Pam firmly clutching to one sometime around six/seven AM after a high flying night....... she still not ready to leave and resisting my every effort of physically pulling her while trying to convince her " Come on Pam , it's time-to -go !!!" ..... :icon_lol: :icon_lol: :icon_lol:

That's what I mean ...we used to do this stuff seen in this video .... ALL NIGHT LONG .....:icon_cool: I already loved the atmosphere, the scene being shown here , and now viewing it and realizing its taking place at the Troc ......truly bravura ....


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[remicks]

What I think makes this video so magical is that it does seem to be a demonstration of sincere and unrestricted adult fun.....it's this excitement that we all associate with disco. I may be wrong (rose-coloured glasses again) but that was a time when it really seemed honest. So much of the music was derived from genuine human excitement and expression.
.

Nope ... not rose colored glasses . The disco scene was a self -propelled and mutually-motivated group effort ... a force within itself despite all outside forces working against it .

The common goal ?? Come together and have a freakin' good time ' ... and dance and dance and dance your ass off !! :icon_cool:


I meant to mention in this video .... I'm not sure Sylvester had fully tried out his Dr. Disco medical costume before this shoot ... I wonder if its just a tad tight or stiff , as he seems a bit uncomfortable or a bit weighted when moving about. And is it me ....or is he a half-step off from everyone else throughout this ? :icon_rolleyes:

Finally......... be sure to notice the Two Tons on stage to the right. More than once Sylvester saunters over there and bops around with them . I don't know why they got NO tight shots :icon_sad: of their own .... but whenever you do see them ....they're having a good time up there too... ..


:icon_cool:


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[Mixmachine]

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Hot damn !! You know what .... that sure is the Troc !! :icon_biggrin:


I spent many a night working moves about those thick pillars seen here ....and have a particularly fond memory of my dear friend Pam firmly clutching to one sometime around six/seven AM after a high flying night....... she still not ready to leave and resisting my every effort of physically pulling her while trying to convince her " Come on Pam , it's time-to -go !!!" ..... :icon_lol: :icon_lol: :icon_lol:

That's what I mean ...we used to do this stuff seen in this video .... ALL NIGHT LONG .....:icon_cool: I already loved the atmosphere, the scene being shown here , and now viewing it and realizing its taking place at the Troc ......truly bravura ....


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So, not doubting your memories Remicks, but you say this first video was filmed at the Troc, and DiscoManic says is a "Midnight Special" clip, so.....

We have here many Trocadero regulars that could certainly dissect this video and finally put this issue to rest..

Anyone else wants to weight in with their firsthand observations???

[keefelc]

Hmmmmm, it might be the Troc! It does look like part of the mirror ball cluster in the center of the room, and the floor looks like Troc's floor. Could it be that the Midnight Special came up to SF to film the segment since Sylvester, Martha and Izora were all residing up here??? I'll have to ask around.

Today must be Sylvester day because if you head over to the www.remembertheparty.com website (after you are done here, of course!), we just added a brand new section of photos of Sylvester from the collection of a very close friend of Sylvester! Unless you knew Jason W., you probably have never seen these photos before! Cool shots of Sylvester and friends on and off the stage. One of Sylvester with Melba Moore. Plus, alternate photos from the photo session for the Pointer Sisters' first album on Blue Thumb Records. I never knew that Sylvester dressed them for that cover!!! :icon_biggrin:

[Discomanic]

Thanks so much keefelc for posting the link to the Troc!! The photos of Sylvester were "Fabulous." It is possible that Midnight Special may have taped the show at the TROC. I wonder if Jason has any of Sylvester's concerts on video or DVD?? If so, send me a private email at imaboogieman@yahoo.com

Thanks!!!!!

[remicks]

So, not doubting your memories Remicks, but you say this first video was filmed at the Troc, and DiscoManic says is a "Midnight Special" clip, so.....

We have here many Trocadero regulars that could certainly dissect this video and finally put this issue to rest..

Anyone else wants to weight in with their firsthand observations???

I'd like to know for sure too!
When I first saw the video The Troc never entered my mind ..in fact I thought it was some far away exotic supper club ...(chairs and tables) ... one I only wish I'd been to.

Then mixmachine, when you mentioned someone referring to it being The Troc I looked again carefully ...and !!! . It's the mirror ball clusters that most suggests that it is . I doubt the Midnight Special soundstage had one set up like that . ( I wonder why they didn't use them in this shoot? Too confusing? )
The Troc went through a couple of interior redos during its time ... this would be an earlier version ...so its hard to be certain ....

I hope Keefelc ....you will be successful in trying to find out !!

Now its off to look at those pictures over at www.remembertheparty.com


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[keefelc]

I made some inquiries, Remicks, and I'm still waiting for answers. However, as I wrote on the other thread, if you compare the part of the mirror ball cluster with the photos of the cluster on the RtP website, they sure look the same!

Discomanic, I haven't heard if Jason has any video footage of Sylvester in concert yet, but I'll ask our RtP producers and Jerry Bonham, who are close friends of Jason, if they know. I would not be surprised if he has video. Wouldn't that be treat? I also heard Bobby Viteritti has some wonderful rare stuff regarding Sylvester. Maybe he will add to his website one day in the future!!!

[Discomanic]

Hello keefelc:
You are the MAN!!! Now you've got me all excited about the possibility of some Sylvester concert video footage being found. You know I'm a huge fan of Sylvester's along with a bunch of other folks. Let me know what you find out...OK??? Thanks so much.

[markydefad]

hmmmm....I see the mirror ball cluster...but it sure looked like a soundstage in LA to me....but I can't say for sure....did they build a stage that big for all the dancers on the upper level??? Where's the DJ booth??? I don't see it.

It would seem that "Midnight Special" would fly Sylvester, Martha & Izora down to LA for taping instead of flying all those professional dancers up to SF...but I can't be sure....maybe they just happened to be in SF for some other event?

[keefelc]

I was thinking the same thing too Mark, but when I saw the mirror ball cluster, I started thinking it could be possible it was filmed at Troc. However, I did wonder about the large size of the stage. Also, could the DJ booth be covered up?

I wonder if we will ever find out???

[remicks]

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As time passes ... certain memories blur ...but I remember the earlier stage at the Troc being along the western wall .... not cornered below the DJ booth ...thus you wouldn't see the booth . I vaguely remember Claudja Barry once parting through the crowd and ascending those steps seen here to perform .
Later on when the stage was moved those pillars ..... became part of the dance area's bigger dance floor .


?????


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[Discomanic]

Hello again all:
I've reviewed the video of You Make Me Feel from the Midnight Special. Are my eyes deceiving me....I only see two disco balls with spotlights around them. I don't see the cluster of disco balls like the pictures I've seen of the Troc (Bobby Viteritti's website). Can someone point out the time mark of the disco clusters balls on the video? Thanks.

[Discovery]

Looks like the cameraman filmed from inside the DJ booth looking out toward the stage on the opposite side of the room. This would be the same layout as the present day Trocadero/Glas Kat. Was the DJ booth somewhere else way back then?

[keefelc]

Remicks, something about what you said sounds right, but I can't be sure. You're talking about the early days of Troc when Gary Tighe was spinning, right?

Well, members of Dick Collier's family have been in touch with the RtP producers. :icon_biggrin: So, hopefully, they will be sharing some photos of the Troc in it's early incarnations with us!!!

Discomanic, what we suspect is the bottom half of the mb cluster is glimpsed about 3:38, 3:12, 2:37, 2:22, 2:10.

Discovery, when Bobby V. was spinning, the DJ booth was at the corner where the stage is now located in the Glas Kat. A big tall mirrored pyramid right seated right in the corner! Take a look at the photos on Bobby's website - it will give you a sense where it was located, plus how huge the dancefloor used to be!

[Discovery]

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I was becoming worn out just watching this five minutes of non-stop theatrics .....then I wondered what am I talking about .... we used to do this **** ..... ALL-NIGHT-LONG !!!!

please, ain't there some way to get back there !!! what a stupendous scene ! !

If possible, please try to make the pilgrimage back to the Trocadero to attend:

"Remember the Party - Celebrates the 30th Anniversary of the Trocadero Transfer"

Sunday, October 7, 2007 - 6pm to 3am - 520 4th Street San Francisco

www.remembertheparty.com