Some parties in March revolve around St. Patrick’s Day, some revolve around dancing. The latter was found last night at the Dance Party Time Machine, which has been going on for several years at our very own party hub, Cervantes’ Masterpiece. The Dance Party Time Machine 2019 went down in glitter and flames, with the likes of Marc Brownstein, Aron Magner, and Allen Aucoin of The Disco Biscuits, Mike Greenfield of Lotus, Jamie Shields of The New Deal, Jeff Franca of Thievery Corporation, Ryan Jalbert of The Motet, members of local favorites Analog Son, YAMN, Tiger Party, Fox Street, SuCH, Other Worlds, MLIMA, Rally Round The Family and others. Whew.
The night kicked off in a full swing of retro, throwback, funk-filled fun. From the energy and outfits on stage to the dance moves flexing in the crowd, the entire ballroom was engulfed in a force of nostalgia and happiness. The stage was stacked from side to side with world-class artists dedicating themselves to the art of reviving old tracks. It is safe to say that a better party would have been hard to find in the Mile High City last night.
The musicians rocked fiercely and seamlessly as if the all-star lineup operates as a band year-round. Denver music darling Jessica Jones brought her hefty vocals to belt tracks like “Bam Bam” by Sister Nancy, “Rock Your Body” by Justin Timberlake and “I’m Alright” by Kenny Loggins, which may be better known as the theme song to Caddyshack. The disco ball in the center of the ballroom shot spikes of rainbow colors around the room, which created a spectrum of light and color that matched the musical feat on stage.
One of the most engaging portions of the night included an ode to Wang Chung’s “Dance Hall Days,” which brought attention to the greatness of the ’80s and all of its glory. The performance of Eddie Murphy’s famous track “Party All the Time” showcased the brilliance of another local vocalist who served as a staple in the Time Machine performances all night long. “Rock The Casbah” then catered to a different but necessary rocker taste and brought the show to the end of its first half.
“I think this is the eighth year,” mentioned one of the musicians of the length of time the party has been going on, which sparked an uproar from the crowd. As the second set pushed on, the show refused to slow down, bumping Grandmaster Flash’s “The Message” to a room of fans screaming the lyrics back. Tiger Party and Analog Son’s Ashely Niven continued the ’90s R&B vibe by crooning Mya’s part on Ol’ Dirty Bastard’s “Ghetto Superstar.” Jones returned with a fiery cover of Anderson .Paak’s “Come Down” before Niven revitalized Fleetwood Mac’s “Everywhere.” The script flipped from Bohemian melody to the synth for 2000’s “Better Off Alone” by Alice DeeJay, but it was a rendition of “Sweet Dreams” from another singer that solidified the need to continue the raging until the early hours of the morning.
Each year the fluidity and talent that comes together to create the Dance Party Time Machine always leave fans aching for more. The performance from beloved Denver musicians creates new admirations and incentive for catching unknown bands and reinforces the dedication to following essentially any show that pops up at Cervantes’. Dance Party Time Machine 2020 is already rapidly approaching, so make sure you’re there.