Montclair, NJ – Remember Danceteria? A Montclair DJ is bringing the music back.
Radio mix show DJ, club DJ, and music producer Rafe Gomez will debut “Danceteria REWIND” on the Twitch livestreaming platform beginning on Thursday, February 10 at 8:00 p.m. “Danceteria REWIND” will be a weekly, two-hour tribute to the innovative music blend that was featured at Danceteria, one of Manhattan’s most popular and influential nightclubs in the 1980s.
“There was fantastic cross-pollination of music styles and genres at Danceteria,” says Gomez. “Clubgoers enjoyed a boundary-free experience that combined rap, reggae, electro, new wave, hip hop, rock, old school funk, salsa, boogaloo, ska, and pretty much anything else that was cool and rhythmic. The DJs spun whatever got the floor moving, and there was no other spot in the world that was so unpredictable and exciting with their soundtracks.”
Danceteria was open in Manhattan between 1979 and 1986. Its four floors at 30 West 21st Street offered live music, video expositions, art displays, multiple simultaneous DJ sets, and one of the most colorful clienteles in the city.
“My goal with ‘Danceteria REWIND’ is to re-create the club’s innovative sonic vibe,” says Gomez. “On my first stream, I’ll seamlessly serve up floor-filling jams by such artists as Kraftwerk, Mantronix, Run DMC, Shriekback, Grace Jones, the Beastie Boys, Derrick Laro, Love & Rockets, The Clash, James Brown, and Madonna – whose career actually began at Danceteria.”
In the 2000s, Gomez was the host and DJ of “The Groove Boutique”, a syndicated mix show on terrestrial radio stations across the U.S. and a finalist in the 2005 New York Air Awards as the Best Mix Show in the tri-state area market. Gomez has also performed in clubs around the country, was a QVC music host, and was the co-producer of the Chill Jazz Remix of “Quiet Storm” by Smokey Robinson featuring Roy Ayers on the album Motown Remixed.
Along with the appeal “Danceteria REWIND” will have for fans of 80s music and nightclubbing, Gomez also hopes the the livestreamed mix show will resonate with younger ears.
“Gen X, millennials, and Gen Z will instantly recognize many of the tracks I play from their usage in film, TV, video games, and as samples in pop and rap hits,” says Gomez. “Fans of alternative music will also connect with ‘Danceteria REWIND’ because of its bold, iconoclastic and fresh sounds.”
“Danceteria REWIND” is a tribute to the original Danceteria nightclub, and is not affiliated with the Danceteria. It launches on Thursday, 2/10, and will livestream on Twitch from 8:00PM to 10:00PM. Gomez will host and DJ “Danceteria REWIND” every subsequent Thursday.
For announcements and info, visit @DanceteriaRW on Twitter.