To paraphrase SNL comedian Bill Hader’s iconic character, Stefon, “New York’s hottest club has everything: Dancing, disco balls. And your parents.” That’s right: a nightclub in Manhattan‘s East Village called Joyface not only encourages people to bring their mom, dad, or both—it rewards them.
Why should tripping the light fantastic have an age cap? Dancing is one of the many threads that link people of all ages together. Making the fun a family affair only adds a little extra magic to an already great night out.
‘Bring your parents, get right in’
Joyface lists the idea right in their bio: “Bring your parents, get right in.” In other words, people who bring their parents as plus-ones don’t have to wait in line; they can head straight onto the dance floor.
In an Instagram post, The Female Quotient explains, “A hot and happenin’ nightclub in New York’s East Village isn’t the easiest to get into… with one exception. Joyface leans all the way into 70s nostalgia, from the decor to the music to apparently the VIP list.
Patrons looking to dance might have long lines to contend with, but access to the dance floor is granted immediately if you show up with a mom or dad. Who said the club nights were only for 20-somethings?!”
Named after mom, Joy
The bar is co-owned by Jennifer Shorr, who adorably shared that the discotheque is named after her own mom, Joy. DJs who have “spun” there find the vibe refreshing. Mike Vosters, a “destination DJ and event engineer,” shares on his website that Schorr had given just one note when she booked him. “Before my first night, the owner, Jenn Shorr, gave me a simple creative brief…nothing newer than 1984. Mostly disco.”
At first, Vosters wondered how this would work. “My initial reaction was…wait…what? The entire night? You only want disco & oldies? There’s no way that’ll fly in New York. But at the same time, after a decade of DJ’ing in NYC, it was a refreshing brief. Everyone else defaulted to club bangers, and it had started to get monotonous. So I sat down and got to work digging through my digital crates…crates I’d never thought I’d pull from for a club.”
Combining worlds
The comments under Joyface’s post are as positive and effervescent as the idea. One Instagrammer writes, “Honestly, making your parents the VIP pass is kind of genius. Joy gets bigger when generations stop acting like they’re supposed to live in separate worlds.”
One mom shares, “I’m 57 and been going to nightclubs alone for the past decade that I’ve been single. I routinely stay out until 4-5am. My oldest turned 21 in January, and he’s been coming with me to all the underground events at the Latin dance club I go to in Cambridge, MA. Everyone thinks it’s awesome that I bring my son and tell him how lucky he is that his mom is so fun and youthful. It’d be a riot to try this place out and hear they think he’s the one bringing me.”
Another Instagrammer hopes a trip to the club with her mom will bring back memories. “Is this forever and always??? My mom and I are going to NYC at the end of October. My mom was born and raised in the city, she tells me stories of how she would close down Studio 54 when it was a nightclub. She’d love a NY club night again!!”
