“Break out your tackiest neon jackets and headbands, and head on down to Cat’s Cradle,” the WXYC radio station’s website read, announcing a dance party to celebrate the 1980s nostalgia that has recently exploded in pop culture.
The WXYC radio station, located at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC) down the road from the Cat’s Cradle, hosts “decade dances” several times throughout the year, with the ’90s and ’00s dances being among the most popular.
Several DJs spun songs from a variety of acts, including the Clash and the Smiths, at the ’80s-themed event on November 29 at the Cat’s Cradle Back Room.
Seniors Tallulah Chen and Sergio Jimenez are part of the Teenage Mutants radio broadcast held at WXYC on Fridays from 5-7 p.m. Both attended the ’80s dance.
“I enjoy WXYC decade dances because I love dancing. I even wrote my Common Application about it,” Jimenez said. “It’s really difficult for teenagers to find fun things to do in a college town like Chapel Hill, so I take every opportunity I can to go out.”
Chen enjoyed attending the dance because the admission fee gave her the opportunity to support WXYC.
“I like supporting the decade dances because I’m a big fan of college radio,” Chen said. “I think it’s a really important and interesting way to discover new media and expand my understanding of the world. By going to these dances, I get to learn about new music and support an organization that I admire.”
The crowd at the event was largely made up of UNC students, with general admission at eight dollars and student admission at five.
Leif Nyland, a homeschooled sophomore, enjoyed the dance because the DJs employed music that fit his tastes.
“I think my favorite part was hearing music I recognized,” Nyland said. “I listen to music from the ’60s to the ’90s.”
While the WXYC decade dances often take place on weekends, the ’80s dance took place on a Thursday, likely contributing to the lowered attendance compared to other decade dances.
“Even though there weren’t tons of people at the ’80s dance,” Jimenez said, “I still had fun because your night is what you make of it.”
