Consider what indicates a successful night out in Chapel Hill: it’s all about who you see, what you do and what you hear.
But let’s face it; no matter where you go, you’re bound to hear the same songs over and over. You cannot go anywhere in this town without hearing “Watch Me (Whip/Nae Nae)” for the 400th time (and wanting to die) or “Bad Blood” for the 500th time (and still wanting to die).
So, as a young, adventurous night-on-the-town-er looking to change things up once in a while, where can you go to hear music other than the same exact playlist every night?
There were two opportunities to experience significant musical change this weekend in Chapel Hill: the local, student-run radio station WXYC’s semi-annual 90’s dance at Cat’s Cradle, and a (probably lesser-known) house party known as “The Funk Function” on Martin Luther King Boulevard.
The first featured four DJ’s from WXYC who played a variety of classic 90s jams, including Mariah Carey’s “Fantasy,” Lauren Hill’s “Doo Wop (That Thing)” and Nirvana’s “Smells Like Teen Spirit.” The DJs played a great mix of different genres and artists to cater to everyone’s interests, which could be determined by the range of outfits —one of the best parts about going to a throwback-themed party. Luckily, choker necklaces have already come back into style, so no one had to go out and shell out those extra three bucks for one night. To spot the non-choker wearers, one could simply look around and see every character archetype from "10 Things I Hate About You" played out in a sea of scrunchies, waist-tied flannels, colorful windbreakers and light-washed, denim jackets.
“The Funk Function” was equipped with a disco ball, several afro wigs, silk shirts and a killer playlist. Hearing music by the Jackson 5, Earth, Wind & Fire, James Brown, Chaka Khan, Stevie Wonder and more was both funky and fun. Every single person at this house party was, without a doubt, not alive when any of these songs came out — yet every person at this party was screaming the lyrics to “September,” which is truly a great thing to witness.
Why do we long to hear music we were never around for? Why are “90s” kids so attached to the 90s, when most of them were, at most, 6 years old at that time?
Science has told us for a long time that music triggers several different portions of our brain, specifically ones that attach music to memory and emotion. If a song carries a significant memory of a particular place and time, that memory is triggered every time you hear that song. So, even if you never heard “Baby One More Time” until the early 2000s in your Britney-self-discovery phase, or “Boogie Wonderland” with your dad on every long car ride, those can be nostalgic for anyone at any age. And hearing them in the midst of nights full of songs only telling you to take shots or “break your legs” is very refreshing.
That’s not to say that there isn’t some serious good stuff happening in music this year (see: anything and everything by Fetty Wap, the glaucoma-ridden yet humble and angelic hip-hop/R&B overnight sensation).
But, every once in a while, change must come.
If you’re sick of ThrowBack Bar on Thursdays or can’t find anything else in Chapel Hill this weekend that will play some classic tunes, throw your own party. And don’t be afraid to switch it up and veer away from the typical music themes — who knows, a 1700s Beethoven shindig could be one for the books.
medium@dailytarheel.com
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