Disco Domingo is the daytime dance party Miami's been missing
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This could be you, rocking the disco head, at the next Disco Domingo. Photo: Courtesy Scott Salzman
When Miami native Scott Salzman returned after a stint in New York City, the music scene he found was familiar and "disheartening."
- He saw favorite bands skip the city, DJ sets starting at 1am and a "one-dimensional" club culture less about the music than being seen.
Why it matters: In November, Salzman and a dozen like-minded friends launched Disco Domingo, a daytime disco party rooted in openness, inclusivity and positivity.
- The group, which calls itself the "boogie committee," crafted the concept over months of discussions to identify gaps in the city's music offerings and offer their fellow dance-lovers an alternative.
The intrigue: Everything was crowdsourced. Before the first event, a few committee members went to more than a dozen venues around the city — on bikes — to get a feel for each space.
- "We wanted it to be outdoors, and we wanted it to be intimate," he said, mostly because the crew had no idea how many people to expect.
The first event, hosted at Maggie Wine Bar in Little River, attracted 170 people — and it's only grown from there.
The big picture: Though the event is focused on disco music, the dance party is also meant to be a celebration of Miami and what it's like to live here.
- When summertime hits in cities like New York, "everyone is outside," Salzman said, pointing to the daytime celebrations and block parties that engulf the city after the cold weather subsides.
- "We have the exact thing here, but reversed. So while we have it, let's be outside and show what it's like to be in Miami in winter."
How it works: Disco Domingo's season will run from November to April.
- The group partnered with Tremendo Soundsystem, a local hi-fi listening pop-up, to elevate the sound quality.
- The music featured at the events isn't limited to the traditional '70s-style American disco. DJs, mostly local, will play more worldly sounds, like Latin or Italo disco.
- The party ends at 8pm.
Fun fact: The committee tries to plan surprises at each event, outside of the features partygoers can always expect, like lollipops, bubble guns and a disco head people can wear.
- The second party featured dance choreography, which "boogie committee" members taught to attendees.
- The most recent event, this time at River House Wine & Bar, featured an aerial dancer.
The bottom line: Moving forward, the group wants to ensure it's the best day party in Miami, if not necessarily the largest.
- "No matter who you are, if you love to dance and you have good energy, we'd love to dance with you," he said.
What's next: The next Disco Domingo event is March 22, this time in collaboration with Tigre Sounds, the local media platform focused on amplifying Latin and global music.
- The event, again set for River House & Wine Bar, will be featured during the platform's three-month Sonido De Miami campaign, meant to support and empower local venues and artists.