Roy Thode recorded Live January 21, 1979. This performance from NYC’s Ice Palace 57 is an excellent example of when Roy was ultra-playful in his musical presentation. He always had an element of technical expertise, even on his worst nights behind the turntables however on these nights, for whatever the source of the inspiration, his mixing was over-the-top. We hope you enjoy this sampling of some of the extraordinary elements of Roy’s mixing talents. 

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Roy Thode at the Ice Palace 57 NYC recorded Jan 21, 1979  

Roy Thode recorded live at the Ice Palace 57 NYC Jan 21, 1979

Of all the master tapes from Roy Thode that I inherited most of the boxes and some of the reels have labels identifying the venue and date recorded.  A few of them however also have names. They are a handful of very special nights that Roy chose to give an extra designation to by naming them.  This is one of those meaningful nights, presented here in two parts, Roy Thode's debut performance at The Saint, NYC on October 25, 1980, simply titled: “First” 
(poster/cover art credit: Michael Vernaglia)

"First" by Roy Thode  The Saint 10251980 Part 2of2 - SOUNDCLOUD

"First" by Roy Thode, The Saint Part 2 of 2

"First" by Roy Thode Part 2 of 2

“Homecoming” is another of the few nights that Roy named. Recorded on the 28th of July at the Ice Palace Disco in Cherry Grove, it commemorates Roy's return to his Fire Island DJ booth after an unfortunate accident landed Roy in the hospital the night before the iconic Beach '79 party in the Pines, which he was scheduled to share the DJing responsibilities for with Howard Merritt and Jim Burgess. I offer this musical journey as a companion to Episode 10 of my The Heartbeat Of The Dance Floor podcast as we delve into this story and many others with a very special panel assembled to Remember Roy Thode on the 40th anniversary of his passing, May 21st 1982.

Roy Thode "Homecoming" Ice Palace Fire Island, Cherry Grove NY July 28, 1979; companion to HBOTDF episode # 10

Roy Thode "Homecoming" Ice Palace Fire Island, Cherry Grove NY July 28, 1979

This is Part 1 of 4 of my 6 hour set at Hot For You, New York Pride July 2024.

This event was a total joy to play at in a room filled with amazing energy and wonderful soulful moments.

Next installments coming in the following weeks.

Butch le Butch - Live At Hot For You - New York Pride July 2024 - Part 1

Sets recorded from the Bottom Forty Campout 2024 at Forest Creek in Washington state.

Bottom Forty Campout 2024

Horse Meat Disco Live at Bottom Forty Campout - Saturday Night (Disco/House)

A portion of DJ Chuck Parson's set at The Saint's 1983 Halloween Party on October 29, 1983.

Live At The Saint: Halloween 1983 - DJ Chuck Parsons

Horse Meat Disco - Phonox - 18.12.15

A portion of DJ Shaun Buchanan's set at The Saint's 1983 Night People party on November 26, 1983.

Live At The Saint: Night People 1983 - DJ Shaun Buchanan

+++ posted with kind permission of Marsha Stern (copyright holder) +++
...an epic 6.5 hour DJ set by legendary DJ Roy Thode at the even more legendary night club "The Saint" where dance music history was written. This is a special, so-called "morning music" set.

Quote from Tim Lawrence about this:
Robbie Leslie: "At around 6:00 AM, in a ritual that was not replicated in other venues, the DJ would let the final record of the peak set fade, accept applause from the crowd and acknowledge the work of the lighting person and the generosity of the crowd (if indeed the applause was enthusiastic, which wasn’t always the case). After that, the DJ would take the tempo right down and play a set that was commonly referred to as “sleaze” or “morning music”."
[taken from "The Forging of a White Gay Aesthetic at the Saint, 1980-84"]
http://www.timlawrence.info/articles2/2013/7/2/the-forging-of-a-white-gay-aesthetic-at-the-saint-1980-84-dancecult

...and Barry Walters on RBMA:
"As the night progressed, the tempo and intensity increased by tiny, nearly imperceptible increments until climaxing around 6 AM, when the DJ would stop the music and the still-sizeable crowd would applaud as if giving a Broadway cast their standing ovation.

Then the DJ would resume, but at a somewhat slower tempo, and in a more lyrical and romantic style known as “morning music.” In a morning music set, the tempo of the tracks might build again, but typically not their intensity. Instead, DJs programed morning sets to ease dancers off stimulants and take them down an ethereal, more relaxing and soulful path for several more hours. Then the jock would usually take another encore, henceforth playing what many call “sleaze.” Sleaze might be overtly sexual, like Skatt Bros.’ “Walk the Night,” but usually not; its foundation was openhearted R&B; songs of longing, or regret, or sorrow or unmitigated joy.

This misnomer – Leslie emphatically objects to it – was especially deceptive because quintessential “sleaze” selections like Sharon Ridley’s “Changin’” or Viola Wills’ “Somebody’s Eyes” ranked among the evening’s most sensitively arranged tracks. Even when club music lost much of its compositional sophistication as the decade progressed, a “sleaze” set always radiated class. "
[taken from: "Nightclubbing: New York City’s The Saint"]
http://daily.redbullmusicacademy.com/2015/07/nightclubbing-the-saint

Roy Thode - Morning Music at The Saint (6.5 hours!) NYE 1981/82

Back in October 2019 we took over Oval Space for a mammoth 10 hours with our good friends Little Gay Brother. Finally we have the recording of the whole night which we would love to share with all of you who were there that night and those who were not! Here is part 1 of the night and Part 2 will follow next week!

We have lots planned for 2020 so watch this space for news very soon.

Hope you all enjoy 
x

Horse Meat Disco || Marathan @ Oval Space - London <> Part 1

DJ Robbie Leslie playing live at The Saint.
The closing party for the 1983 season.
Saturday/Sunday, June 25th - 26th, 1983

12 Hours in four parts

Live at The Saint - Robbie Leslie - 6-25-1983  -   Program Three

What is The Heartbeat of the Dance Floor ®?
To recount and record the stories and music that inspired today’s dance-music culture, from the late ‘70’s right through to our modern festival culture. Whether told from the perspective of the DJ, the lighting/special effects person, the club owner/management or the record promoters of the day, these are the elements that make up “The Heartbeat of the Dance Floor”.

© 2023 BACKLIT PRODUCTIONS, LLC - The Heartbeat Of The Dance Floor ®. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.