I have seen the future of clubbing, and it is silent.
During the Tom Tom Festival in Charlottesville, VA, I went to a Silent Disco. What is a silent disco, you may ask? Good question, here’s how it works:
Everyone is given a pair of wireless headphones. These headphones can tune into one of several different music channels. You walk in, the lights are dim. Alcohol is available. There are flashing lights, and drunk people. It’s the exact same as regular clubbing, except you get to choose which music you’re listening to–and how loud it is. And that simple change makes all the difference.
Silent Discos take away all the problems of clubbing–the loud, annoying music. The impossibility of talking to anyone near you. The throbbing in your ears and brain as you leave, and replaces all of those problems with an elegant solution: choice. If you want to listen to loud electronic music, it’s there. But if you want to vibe out to oldies or rap, they are available too.
If you want to listen to loud electronic music, it’s there. But if you want to vibe out to oldies or rap, they are available too.
The headphones are actually really fun. Their colors change depending on which radio station you’re listening to, allowing you to see who else is in your musical tribe. It’s actually a great conversation starter. Even better, once you take the headphones off, it’s quite quiet, allowing you to actually talk to people, or just take a break from the music. It’s actually really, really refreshing.
Do the headphones ruin the party? Nope.Â
Before I tried it, I worried that wearing headphones would be annoying and ruin the experience. That was not the case at all. While they couldn’t match the Bose QC35s on comfort, the headphones had good quality sound and were pretty comfortable. They even worked with my long, messy hair.
Silent discos are the future of partying
It’s hard to overstate what a life changing experience a silent disco can be. Finally, you can listen to the music you want. Finally, you can meet someone cool and actually talk to them at the club. Finally, you can party without destroying your hearing–or you can, whatever. The point is it’s your choice. And that’s why silent discos are the future of partying.
