Dancing in a Safe Space

Photographs By Preston Thalindroma

Club Decades is a weekly themed party that includes multiple rooms of dancing, DJs, and live music and has quickly become a nightlife favorite in Los Angeles, California. The event’s organizer and resident DJ William Reed talks about how the party came to life, the different themes, and how Club Decades prides itself in being a safe space for everyone.

Los Angeles, California

Club Decades is a weekly party in Hollywood, California . What is the party all about ?

Yes, Club Decades is every Friday night at Boardner’s in the heart of Hollywood, California. First and foremost, the party is all about the freedom of personal self expression. A place where progressive, like-minded individuals as well as those with a diverse, unique, and original style and taste can get together and enjoy live music, DJ’s and dancing in a safe space that fosters a sense of community and self expression brought together by the common love of music.

What's the story behind Club Decades? How did it start?

Before the pandemic I was hosting and producing a handful of monthly events in Los Angeles at a variety of venues across the city. During lockdown I decided to consolidate them all under one roof in a venue where we could incorporate live music. The inspiration was to create an experience and atmosphere that I would want to hang out at.

What makes Club Decades unique from other parties in Los Angeles?

That’s a good question. One of the things that sets us apart from other parties is the fact that our format changes weekly. Last Friday was 80’s night, this week it’s indie rock night, next week it’s disco. You get the idea. In addition to DJ‘s, dancing and our amazing Go-Go dancers we also incorporate live music so each week you can expect a concert from 1-3 different bands. We offer multiple rooms, indoor/outdoor, guest DJ’s weekly and fun production elements.

How do you choose the themes?

The themes are influenced from events that I have produced over the past two decades both in Phoenix, AZ and here in LA. We also incorporate themes based upon upcoming events. For example, we recently hosted a pre-party for Cruel World festival which included some of the performers making guest appearances.

In addition to a DJ dance party, you also feature live music on the outdoor stage. Why is this important?

Yes, we feature anywhere from 1-3 bands performing live on the outdoor stage every Friday. Live music is an essential part of Club Decades. It offers our patrons the option to switch between rooms while adding value for the customer and supporting local musicians.

Which theme has been the most popular ? Which one is your personal favorite?

They are all so different. Club Decades has its regulars that show up each week. But we also see new faces weekly as a result of our ever changing formats. Some of the most popular ones are 90s night, disco, Emo, 80’s and our band themed nights, just to name a few.

What's next for Club Decades?

We celebrate our one year anniversary on Friday, June 17 with special guest performers and a few surprises. Aside from that we just announced our summer lineup. And are working on some big things for the fall. You can follow us at @clubdecades or www.club-decades.com for our upcoming calendar.