Ultragroove: A House Oddity?

For fans of John Travolta, bright lights and diva fever, the news that 'Disco is dead' would have hit home hard. Originating on colourful dance floors and flourishing under powerful fluorescents, Disco is a genre that seems to have bypassed our generation and the decisions of our DJs.

It therefore seems an odd decision for Cabaret Voltaire to endorse it on a bi-weekly basis, branding Ultragroove as a club night featuring everything from Disco to Techno. Thankfully, the evening retains credibility through the subtle mixture of Disco and House. 

Taking place on the first and third Saturday of every month, a £5 student ticket will grant you access to the rarely explored genre of Disco. Upon first hearing the pitch for the night, you may be forgiven for imagining a bizarre combination of fizzy drinks and Saturday Night Fever-inspired dancing. But somehow, Cabaret Voltaire have managed to produce the antithesis of cheese.

This subterranean Cowgate haunt manages to capture the classic crowd-pleasing aspects of Disco without the inevitable embarrassment. If Cabaret Voltaire can do anything, it is making a club night cool. Describing itself as an open-minded House night, guests are advised to be as liberal as the music itself. Credible Disco is new for 2011, and Cabaret Voltaire is proud to condone it.

This week’s line up featured the likes of Lel Palfrey and Carina Ramos, joining Ultragroove favourite Gareth Sommerville. For a Saturday night at one of Edinburgh’s most esteemed student establishments, the night was an interesting choice. Branding itself as a 'House Odyssey', it might appear to be more of a house oddity, but it was nonetheless enjoyable. A reasonably priced £5 entrance fee is convincing enough to merit dancing to Disco, with quality DJs ensuring that cheesy Disco is nowhere to be seen, or indeed heard.