Our friends over at The 5 Spot are doing their damnedest to stamp out the negativity in the phrase “I have a case of the Mondays.” Every Monday night, The 5 Spot over in East Nashville hosts the “Keep on Movin’!” dance party within its instrument-adorned halls. This party — featuring hit songs from the 50s, the 60s, girl groups, Soul artists, Doo Wop artists, and Garage bands — is organized and produced by Nashville’s friendly, neighborhood, all-encompassing creative company, Electric Western Productions. Keep on Movin’! has become so ubiquitous around town that it’s famously called “The Monday Night Dance Party” by the locals. Moreover, the tastemakers over at GQ Magazine recently called it “The most stylish party in America” in their April 2012 issue. Quite the honor.
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“And while you’re down south, hit the most stylish party in America. (Sorry, Miami and L.A. — it’s in Nashville.) Don’t believe us? Show up at East Nashville’s The 5 Spot on Mondays around midnight. The guys dress like Buddy Holly, the girls dress like Bobbie Gentry, the Black Keys mill about, and everyone sweats out the booze dancing to old-school southern soul.”
As someone who’s not too inclined to shake and flail himself around in public, whether or not upon a dance floor, I put off attending my first Keep on Movin’ until last Monday night, going with my brother, my girlfriend, and one of her friends in tow. The venue was a bit more of a dive than I had anticipated, but it had a hell of a lot of character (a la the old drums re-purposed as light fixtures) and characters inside, and the side/back porch area provided a perfect space for a respite from dancing. Maybe it’s because I’m an old soul, maybe it was the two drinks I had downed, or maybe it was the fact that my brother was in town visiting, but I was moved by the old school rock and roll and had a great time out on the floor actually dancing — or at least doing what I consider dancing — and that’s something I rarely utter. I can’t recommend this gig highly enough, and I’ll definitely be returning soon.
To get a preview of how you might find yourself moved at this shindig, check the video below.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CMviIT2H-lo&feature=player_embedded]
