The Antique DJ Booth From 1978

It was one of those things I had for so long, I forget it was there.

Back in the Party Machine days of vinyl records, I had a DJ console that was removed from one of my old night clubs when it was remodeled into a Mexican restaurant. We used it for a few years, and then retired it as mobile DJ technology got smaller and lighter. It was hauled up into the attic, where it stayed collecting dust for many years.

We decided to restore it and use it when we booked not one, but two Disco Theme parties in February, for which we planned to go all-out with authenticity, and play vinyl records.

Only slightly updated from 1978!

Our first event on the 6th was a birthday party for an old DJ friend, who also used to DJ at the club where the booth was, so it seemed only appropriate. What was cool was when we removed the cover, and showed it to his young son, and explained that Daddy used to use this before he was born!

The DJ Booth only sat idle for 3 weeks, until its appearance at the Fort Worth Boat Club 60th Annual Commodore’s Party. Party Machine Celebrations provided entertainment in two rooms, a 50s and 60s crooner-style lounge band in the Ballroom, and a 70s Disco in the downstairs Bar, where I was the DJ.

I forgot how much fun it was to beat-match records on vinyl, manually, without computers, and how cool some of the old music was for dancing and just getting crazy!

I have concluded that “50 is the new 30,” and Disco dancing will always be fun for the generation that lived it the first time around.

And The Party Machine will always have the BEST Disco parties. Some things never change.