Why oh why did they get rid of 'the slow set'?

Cleite

Just a random thought for the night that's in it - Friday:D Probably a question that should be in the Mysteries of the Unexplained thread, but I'd love to know, why oh why oh why were the slow sets done away with? Not that it makes any difference to me as I'm past all that now, but I often wonder if the youngwans and fellas nowadays ever wish that they had the chance for a slow dance when they're out getting plastered:p Surely it was easier on the fellas to get talking to a girl when there was a slow set?

Das Kitty

Youngsters these days are into high-speed shifting.

God, I used to hate the slow set, where "Will ya dance?" was synonymous with "I'm going to try to stick my tongue in your mouth and grab your arse." Yeah, no thanks.

Ella

There's an over 30's club in Dublin city that brought it back.

Cleite

ah yeah Das Kitty, but for all those awful gropes there was also pure magic sometimes...:)

krudler

bogger clubs still do

awec

This post has been deleted.

Das Kitty

krudler wrote: »

bogger clubs still do

Being from the bog, I disagree. I haven't seen it done since 2003.

Nothing is worth being groped by drunks.

Ella

Das Kitty wrote: »

krudler wrote: »

bogger clubs still do

Being from the bog, I disagree. I haven't seen it done since 2003.

Nothing is worth being groped by drunks.

Hey! I'm usually the groping drunk!

Das Kitty

Ella Bella wrote: »

Hey! I'm usually the groping drunk!

I should have specified non-consensual groping!

Ella

Das Kitty wrote: »

Ella Bella wrote: »

Hey! I'm usually the groping drunk!

I should have specified non-consensual groping!

Yup, probably me too....

Cleite

ah yez have not a romantic bone in yer bodies

iguana

Even in the mid-late '90s slow sets were extremely rare, ime. Most would probably do one or two on Valentines night and a short one on New Years Eve but other than that they were an anomaly. An unpleasant anomaly. I have to say I never enjoyed them, clubbing was for being fast and raucous, a slow set tended to spoil the momentum.

Catari Jaguar

Back in my teen disco days, have a shift to Flying Without Wings or S Club's Never had a Dream Come True. Rosemantic. Mostly just spent pretend ballroom dancing & twirling around with my girl friends.

damselnat

Couldn't think of anything worse!! I'm here for the rave baby

RacoonQueen

Das Kitty wrote: »

Youngsters these days are into high-speed shifting.

God, I used to hate the slow set, where "Will ya dance?" was synonymous with "I'm going to try to stick my tongue in your mouth and grab your arse." Yeah, no thanks.

Now they just charge up to you at any time of night and groin grind you/grab your arse, 'kiss' you...

Classy.

English clubs are like a whole different story to here, ones I've been in anyway, but I think english men in general are totally different to Irish guys anyway.

Lia_lia

Am I the only person here that has absolutely no idea what "the slow set" is?

Duggys Housemate

Lia_lia wrote: »

Am I the only person here that has absolutely no idea what "the slow set" is?

The music at the end of the discho where people danced liked they used to before the discho era - cheek to cheek. Groin to groin. To similar type music too.

dellas1979

Hold on, when I was a young wan back in the 90s, there was always 2 or 3 slowsets during the night in the club (not just at the end).

Its where the DJ would play slow songs or a "set" of songs (maybe 4/5) and you'd get asked to dance (or not). Was a great way of interacting with fellas. Was great craic!!!!

Would be great if they'd bring them back. Was really cute. A boy askin a girl to dance.

Now its all that heavy beat music and random people tryin to grind up on ya (not the boy who asked you to dance if t'was a slow set).

I know there were alot of drunk guys flyin around at the end of the night lookin for the shift (avoid), but really it was a sweet way to meet guys.

Ilyana

I've never experienced this 'slow set' business, and I'd like to see what it's like! Shifting in a club is by no means romantic; a bit exciting on the odd occasion but generally unpleasant to the point of violating.

To me, clubs are for dancing like an eejit with your friends and having drunken chats in the smoking area. Maybe a kiss from a nice boy you've been talking to. But if you want romance, don't get your hopes up. I've had more romantic dances with a boyfriend at weddings or other such occasions.

It probably is a sad thing for people who remember slow sets fondly. But I don't think they'd work in clubs today, which aren't exactly a great hunting ground for a boyfriend or girlfriend anyway unless you're very lucky.

Polloloca

The only reason I go to clubs is because they will keep serving me until a time that I can't remember. Definately not good for meeting boyfriends/girlfriends in. Shift and drift.

starlit

Lia_lia wrote: »

Am I the only person here that has absolutely no idea what "the slow set" is?

I know what it is but luckily I haven't ever stepped in the disco/club scene when the slow set was in vogue. So haven't experienced it.

Didn't really head out much before the smoking ban came into affect I went out more after it came into affect and enjoyed being out more! I prefer to dance freely to be honest. I like music that has a nice rhythm and beat and easy to listen to, the slow set music can get tired after a while and I think it really for love birds not for those looking for someone. The bar scene is a better place where you can chat to people.

I think of slow sets as an almost uniquely Irish mating ritual that clung on so long because of our drinking culture i.e men drank them selves drunk enough to have the courage to talk to a woman, at that stage they needed an excuse to go up to a woman that didn't involve actual talking to a woman ( accept asking them to dance ).

Lyaiera

There's someone I'm imagining slow dancing with right now.

But really, I have feck all friends who want to go dancing. There's one guy who will dance, and it's great that I do get to dance when he's around, but really he's trying to impress half the world around him while he's dancing. And so is everyone else when they're dancing (or at least a load of people are.) There's nothing so depressing as to be getting your dance on and to look around and see people eye'ing each other up, and avoiding the people eye'ing them up, or dancing "seductively" towards the guy who has been eye'ing them up, or to be pulling moves, or to be dancing with their friends because their friends want to dance even though they don't want to. I just want to go a little bit mental and get lost in the music. It might as well be "slow set" these days. The music is just as bad, the contrived social communication of dancing is just the same (it was with someone on those days, it's near someone these days.)

I'd love to just go somewhere and dance, without any pressures and anyone looking at you or anyone thinking anything about anything. The best bit of dancing I ever had in my life was when I was 17 and my friends were pissing me off and I went to the local "drugs" club. From 11pm, when the place opened I stood at the edge of the dance floor and let fly. I stopped for a load of waters and the odd few beer, all quickly knocked back and went at it without a care in the world. I had about 10 people come up to me asking what drugs I was on and could they get some, and every time that felt amazing because I just smiled at them and said, "No drugs, just dancing!" I might as well have been off my head, but there's something to just standing, connecting with the music and letting your arms and legs, and hips and torso go free. It's like four hours of dancing, drunkenly in your chair in front of your computer except you're in a night club and get to be sweaty.

I've been eye'ing up "dance" night posters. They're always in places I wouldn't go to on a normal night out. And my biggest problem is I can't tell what kind of music they're for. There's tonnes of different kinds of music, I'd quite like to head out for a night and just dance my arse off, but I don't know if I'm going to be surrounded by knackers or chilled other dancers. It is very disappointing.

But if I got a chance to slow dance with someone (and there's one person in particular) I'd go for it. Because separate to all that cultivated sub-verbal communication going on, there's nothing like a good aul dance.

dorothymantooth

and is this person a celebrity or a friend?? can think of a few i would like to get up close to right now aswell:P

Lyaiera

This person is a friend. And we have actually already done a slow set (stop being dirty, not that type of slow set!) He's nice, and I like him, and it's not going that way, and that's kind of my point. I like dancing, but to me, looking at this thread dancing seems since the beginning of time to have been a mating ritual. I cannot deny that I have been dancing, made a connection with someone and thought "I'd like to jump ontop of him right now!" But really dancing isn't about that for me. It's about finding a one'ness with the music, and letting your limbs and hips and torso flow, and simply letting go. And it sounds awful that for a lot of people that was what the "slow set" was about, but it doesn't seem vastly different to what's going on today.

All that being said, I'm off to the electronic music forum to ask the experts where I can dance like a nutter for a night and not have to deal with any bollocksology.

dorothymantooth

Lyaiera wrote: »

This person is a friend. And we have actually already done a slow set (stop being dirty, not that type of slow set!) He's nice, and I like him, and it's not going that way, and that's kind of my point. I like dancing, but to me, looking at this thread dancing seems since the beginning of time to have been a mating ritual. I cannot deny that I have been dancing, made a connection with someone and thought "I'd like to jump ontop of him right now!" But really dancing isn't about that for me. It's about finding a one'ness with the music, and letting your limbs and hips and torso flow, and simply letting go. And it sounds awful that for a lot of people that was what the "slow set" was about, but it doesn't seem vastly different to what's going on today.

All that being said, I'm off to the electronic music forum to ask the experts where I can dance like a nutter for a night and not have to deal with any bollocksology.

ha god no. dont sell out. im with you, nothing more sensual than moving together and feeling his touch. i love the thought of no talk, not a word. there the rules

iguana

mariaalice wrote: »

I think of slow sets as an almost uniquely Irish mating ritual that clung on so long because of our drinking culture i.e men drank them selves drunk enough to have the courage to talk to a woman, at that stage they needed an excuse to go up to a woman that didn't involve actual talking to a woman ( accept asking them to dance ).

Historically we didn't have much of a drinking culture though. That's very recent in this country. Up until around the mid-90s we had one of the lowest rates of alcohol consumption in Europe.

The drunken thing is from my young days...My mother use to have us all laughing so much with her tales of going to dances, there was no alchoal...there would be a brake half way through the evening and a man who was interested in a woman would buy her a cup of tea or a mineral and if he was really keen he would offer to take her home on the bar of his bike....If a woman refused a man a dance he could complain and she might be asked to leave:)...they also had this dance where men got in a circle and women in another circle and when the music stooped you had to dance with who ever you ended up with.....all this with out the aid of drink.

Sea Filly

iguana wrote: »

Historically we didn't have much of a drinking culture though. That's very recent in this country. Up until around the mid-90s we had one of the lowest rates of alcohol consumption in Europe.

I reckon it was always been pretty high in men. (Not as high as now though) I think alcohol consumption in women has probably greatly increased in the last 20 or so years and this is pushing us up the consumption tables. And then the "boom" years buggered us completely, only adding to it.

I Need The Sun

Lia_lia wrote: »

Am I the only person here that has absolutely no idea what "the slow set" is?

Commonly referred to as "The Erection Section" by hard working DJ's.

"True" by Spandau Ballet (I believe) was always a crowd pleaser.

(Am I banned?)

I do think drink is a big factor in socializing and meeting the opposite sex in Ireland slow set or not.... the amount of non drinkers in Irish society is decreasing...funny enough my father did not drink my first husband did not drink and my now husband dose not drink, I drank very little as a teenager and in my twenties.

I Need The Sun

I'm told that Tag/ AKA Shag Rugby is the new dating method. Great to see Sport having an increasing role in the coupling process.

Madam_X

Are they definitely done away with? I only associate them with underage discos in community halls/GAA clubs that I went to up to 1994. After that, it was bars and clubs which wouldn't have been playing them anyway. I don't know what got played in underage discos after that.

mackg

I've never been in a club where they did it and I'm 25, my sister is 35 and when she was going to clubs in Tralee in the mid 90's it was really about dance music from what I've gathered talking to her and her friends.

The only time I've heard about stuff like this going on would be in hotels where they do nights aimed at people from the older generation where this would be what they were used to when they were growing up. My father and mother met at a dance in the late 60s/early 70s and they would be the age group the nights would be aimed at. I think it was the White Sands Hotel if that means anything to anyone and I'm not even certain they go on anymore.

Acoshla

mackg wrote: »

I've never been in a club where they did it and I'm 25, my sister is 35 and when she was going to clubs in Tralee in the mid 90's it was really about dance music from what I've gathered talking to her and her friends.

The only time I've heard about stuff like this going on would be in hotels where they do nights aimed at people from the older generation where this would be what they were used to when they were growing up. My father and mother met at a dance in the late 60s/early 70s and they would be the age group the nights would be aimed at. I think it was the White Sands Hotel if that means anything to anyone and I'm not even certain they go on anymore.

I heard plenty of slow sets in Spirals in Tralee from in 2000-2002 so it was very much alive and well then, every feckin night there were one or two of them at the end, followed of course by the national anthem.

Claasman

Acoshla wrote: »

I heard plenty of slow sets in Spirals in Tralee from in 2000-2002 so it was very much alive and well then, every feckin night there were one or two of them at the end, followed of course by the national anthem.

Spirals!!!! That a blast from the past!!!

mackg

Acoshla wrote: »

I heard plenty of slow sets in Spirals in Tralee from in 2000-2002 so it was very much alive and well then, every feckin night there were one or two of them at the end, followed of course by the national anthem.

Well that pretty much validates my decision to go for Horans. I'm certain you didn't get it up there, was I just that drunk? I really don't remember it. I can't believe they were still at that national anthem business in '02. Saying that I heard it played in a pub up the northside of Cork this year.

smcgiff

Claasman wrote: »

Spirals!!!! That a blast from the past!!!

That's where I met my wife... And a slow set was utilised. True story.

Acoshla

No don't think I ever heard it in Horans, but then the crowd in Horans weren't ever really there for the hook up or the romance, more the music, the student scene and the drugs, if you happened to score as well then awesome but it wasn't the cutesy lovefest that Spirals was.

stargazer 68

I Need The Sun wrote: »

Commonly referred to as "The Erection Section" by hard working DJ's.

"True" by Spandau Ballet (I believe) was always a crowd pleaser.

(Am I banned?)

You must be the same age as me! Back in the '80s this was the favourite. I used the hate the slow sets - would disappear off the floor in Saints as soon as the DJ looked like he was getting the 'smooching' records out!
In case noone asked me to dance! :eek:

I Need The Sun

Dovies wrote: »

You must be the same age as me! Back in the '80s this was the favourite. I used the hate the slow sets - would disappear off the floor in Saints as soon as the DJ looked like he was getting the 'smooching' records out!
In case noone asked me to dance! :eek:

You must have run for cover when this came on... : )

http://youtu.be/-CasqYcqfqI

I Need The Sun

mackg wrote: »

I've never been in a club where they did it and I'm 25, my sister is 35 and when she was going to clubs in Tralee in the mid 90's it was really about dance music from what I've gathered talking to her and her friends.


I'd say that was pretty acurate. I was living in London in the 90's and it was all rave/"dance" music, and people dropping E's. Mad, in a bad way, not good.

I went to a club one night with me mates from home, not one person was drinking alcohol in the club. Bottled water only. My mates were out of their trees. I didn't hook up with them again after that, not clubbing anyways. I'm more live music and beer than garbage and drugs.

I was approached by a good few pushers that night. One wanted to give me the **** for free. Yeah right!

I spotted a bar man who I knew who got me a bottle of lager from the vaults, dust and all on it.

In the jacks, attendant sitting there beside crates of oranges. So I says "What are they for?", to which he replies "Don't you ever get dehydrated mate?". "No" says I, "do you?"

Dropping tabs and mad dancing all night made one dehydrated, apparently. And I wasnt old either, 25 I guess...out of the scene, yes for sure, thank ***.

Which is why the drinks industry brought out "Alcopops", cos no one was drinking beer/alcohol in pints or glasses, totally uncool.

Whereas the lucid, brightly coloured branding for Alocpops was "cool".

So my point is, yeah, that was the end of the slow section. Music had gone "Bang, Bang Bang" in the mid to late 80s'....the show was over, the romance had gone from the dance floor, but there was plenty of explicit "hot action" to be had elsewhere.

So if you wanted a slow dance, you had to nip down to the Irish centre in Kilburn, but I was way too cool for that back then...;).

Mind you, I'm about the right age for it now. Anyone care to dance?

the_syco

Cleite wrote: »

ah yez have not a romantic bone in yer bodies

This can be read several ways :P

I Need The Sun

the_syco wrote: »

This can be read several ways :P

I was going to say "or in several places", but I better not. :P

Sarn

If anyone wants to see what it's like, go to Club Nassau in Dublin. We ended up in there one night, all of us in our 30's. With music from the 80's and 90's it was a real nostalgia trip. I'd say most people there were in their 20's.

the_syco

Sarn wrote: »

If anyone wants to see what it's like, go to Club Nassau in Dublin. We ended up in there one night, all of us in our 30's. With music from the 80's and 90's it was a real nostalgia trip. I'd say most people there were in their 20's.

Sounds mad. Where is it?

Ave Sodalis

Went to a nightclub a few months ago, they had a DJ who looked about 60 or so. He tried putting on a slow set and to be honest, the reaction was most people standing about the place looking awkward and/or bored before leaving the dance floor or the few very drunk lads who were still dancing as though the music hadn't changed at all and was still upbeat and energetic :P

I Need The Sun

@sup dude. Quality description there. : )

stargazer 68

sup_dude wrote: »

Went to a nightclub a few months ago, they had a DJ who looked about 60 or so. He tried putting on a slow set and to be honest, the reaction was most people standing about the place looking awkward and/or bored before leaving the dance floor or the few very drunk lads who were still dancing as though the music hadn't changed at all and was still upbeat and energetic :P

They probably had no idea what to do!!

Sarn

the_syco wrote: »

Sounds mad. Where is it?

It's on the corner of Nassau street and Kildare street, near Leinster House.

aaabbbb

mackg wrote: »

I've never been in a club where they did it and I'm 25, my sister is 35 and when she was going to clubs in Tralee in the mid 90's it was really about dance music from what I've gathered talking to her and her friends.

The only time I've heard about stuff like this going on would be in hotels where they do nights aimed at people from the older generation where this would be what they were used to when they were growing up. My father and mother met at a dance in the late 60s/early 70s and they would be the age group the nights would be aimed at. I think it was the White Sands Hotel if that means anything to anyone and I'm not even certain they go on anymore.

You're talking about grab a granny night in Tomangoes!! haha they still have them alright every so often.... :P