DJ Lono Brazil presents Disco Unusual Social Club at Danny's Tavern

February 16, 12:23 PMChicago Live Music ExaminerAmanda Nyren

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Happy Valentine's Day to all!

On Valentine’s Day, having failed to secure tickets to the sold-out FlosstraPROMus, I headed instead to Danny’s (1951 W. Dickens) for the Disco Unusual Social Club. I had no idea what I was in for. All I knew was that someone at the Fujiya & Miyagi concert had raved about this monthly night with DJ Lono Brazil, and that it was free, which is always a big selling point.

My friend and I arrived at the Bucktown tavern around 9 p.m., hung up our coats, and weaved our way from the front bar to a pretty quiet table in back. With many of the building’s original walls and corridors still in tact, Danny’s feels a little like an abandoned house with candles and chairs set up to create a clandestine lounge. A DJ spun 70s soft rock (ie. Todd Rundgren's “I Saw the Light”) while people sat around sipping on Fin du Monde and the requisite PBR.

Once DJ Lono Brazil took over around 10 p.m., the place turned into an impromptu disco. I didn’t recognize any of the songs - Lono Brazil seems to stray from wedding/karaoke staples like the Bee Gees or Donna Summer (thank God), opting instead for 70s and 80s dance deep cuts – but was on my feet dancing in about two minutes. My friend went out for a cigarette and came back to find me in the thick of the dance floor shaking it with some total strangers. We danced nonstop for about three hours before deciding to call it a night. When we emerged from the bar, sweaty and worn out, there was a line about 25 people deep waiting to get in, which only enhanced our surprise Studio 54 fantasy evening.

Catch DJ Lono Brazil’s Disco Unusual Social Club every month at Danny’s Tavern.  Check the event's MySpace page for specifics on date/time.