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A Brooklyn Party Is Reimagining the Club from 'Saturday Night Fever'

The legacy of Saturday Night Fever's 2001: Odyssey disco club lives on in temporary new space.
Tony Manero in 2001 Odyssey in Bay Ridge. Still from Saturday Night Fever

If you've ever seen Saturday Night Fever, then you probably know about 2001 Odyssey, the infamous Brooklyn disco club where Tony Manero lit up the sparkling dance floor in 1977. We're 39 years on from the film, but now, 2001 Odyssey is being revived and souped up as 3001: Odyssey, a three-week pop-up club in Brooklyn, organized by the New York DIY promoter extraordinaires RINSED.

Taking advantage of a loft and rooftop space with a custom-built sound system, 3001 will be home to six club nights across its intentionally short existence. The DJs at the events are no-nonsense selectors, representing the finest in New York's true underground. Heads like R Gamble, Eli Escobar, John Barera and Max McFerren are all slated to spin, along with some special guests, and resident DJs from the Occupy The Disco and RINSED families. Perhaps most notably, the parties will only cost $10 for entry, a wild bargain for a night out in New York.

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In addition to the club nights, 3001 will also be offering two "Dark Yoga" classes, which will be audio-physical experiences involving, as the promoters describe, "abrasive music and unconventional breathing exercises."

RINSED founders and DJs Dan Wender and Blacky II talked to THUMP about how 3001: Odyssey will revive the spirit of a club that, before it was made famous by Saturday Night Fever, was a humble, no-frills local spot with dope programming.

THUMP: Why did you decide to start a party like this?
Dan Wender: When we started RINSED, it was a time where there were no good night clubs. Studio B had just closed and there was a shortage of good spots to have a solid night out. Now it feels like the opposite is true, there are hundreds of options each night, but they're overpriced and sold on the premise of big name headliners. 3001: Odyssey wants to say straight out the gate, this is a low-key dance spot, intended to give you one less decision to make. If you like dancing, the cover will be cheap, the music will be great, the sound will be loud and clear, and the drinks will be strong and affordable every night.

Can you talk about the lineage from 2001: Odyssey to 3001: Odyssey? Which elements of the old disco club are you hoping to continue with the new party?
2001 Odyssey was a club in Bay Ridge that your parents went to (if your parents are from Brooklyn). It was a place that operated independently of the trendy nightlife scene in Manhattan, it was a local spot. You worked your ass off all week, dressed up, and went out to dance your troubles away and maybe get laid if you were lucky. Super simple human shit. No "are you going to this place or that or blah blah blah." There was one place in the neighborhood that you could count on for good music, and consistent parties, and everyone went. That simplicity, and some of the key decor (pre-Saturday Night Fever) will transfer on to 3001: Odyssey. The sound system and lighting will be an enormous improvement over the original.

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Let's talk about Dark Yoga. What sort of stuff can we expect at these classes?
Dark Yoga is a vision realized by Harrison Johnson (of Vestment) and Alejandro Louro (a longtime YTTP teacher). Yoga practices today, especially in western society, focus on the light, positive aspects of being. DARK YOGA is not about soft democratic poses and individuality; it's about submitting yourself to the dark side—the fears, the discomfort, and the pain we all share. Heavy, abrasive music, Kundalini breathing exercises, and sensory deprivation create an overwhelming sensory experience. Just as the many points of pain in a bed of nails create a nirvana.

How did you go about curating the space and the DJs while keeping the events low-cost?
We were very lucky. A friend reached out with the opportunity, he had the sound system, he had the space locked in, we thought; this is 3001: Odyssey, this is how we can make it happen. We're also INSANELY fortunate that the NYC underground dance community are a super open, collaborative group who value the pleasure of others above all else. No one is getting cash rich off this thing, but we have the opportunity to do something that provides more value than money. It's going to be an amazing experience for 3 weeks, and then it will be gone.

3001 will only be around for a few short weeks—how are you going to maintain your momentum from the party after it's all gone?
We're super focused on our new label, The Umbrella, and we have some great records coming out this spring. We're doing this because we had a great opportunity to bring the scene together under one "umbrella" for a few weeks and then we'll return to quiet living for a bit while we focus on our upcoming releases. However, there is some real truth there when it comes to putting a lot of energy into an event or event series and then it ending and feeling like, "wow that was a lot of effort and now it's over". That is a big part of the reason we started the label, our releases are half event and half musical release, so when the party is over you still get to enjoy the music.

The opening 3001: Odyssey party is on April 15. More information on all the parties and tickets available here.

Jesse Weiss is THUMP's intern. Tweet him.