Retroactiv

Retroactiv is an 80's dance night in Indianapolis, Indiana. The night is currently held on the second Sunday of the month, from 8 p.m. to 1 a.m., at The Melody Inn.

The evening is hosted by two DJs, "Nightmare" and "Daydream". Nightmare is a long-time veteran DJ of the Indianapolis Goth/Industrial scene, while Daydream made her debut at Retroactiv's first night, on Sunday, November 11th, 2007.

Retroactiv is described on their MySpace page (myspace.com/retroactivlovesthe80s) as featuring New Wave, Synth Pop, Post Punk, Goth, Industrial and other Alternative Music from the 80's. Retroactiv features perennial favorites such as David Bowie, The Cure, Depeche Mode, New Order and The Smiths. The evening is also sprinkled with one-hit (or few hit) wonders such as Dead or Alive, Icicle Works, Modern English, Gary Numan and When In Rome.

In addition, Nightmare begins each event with "80's Underground," featuring lost hits and underground classics from artists such as Anne Clark, Freur, So, Wire and Yello. The DJs also have their own notable proclivities; for example, DJ Nightmare always plays Love Will Tear Us Apart by Joy Division during the evening, and DJ Daydream always ends her sets with a song by Industrial Music giants Skinny Puppy.

In November and December 2007, Retroactiv hosted events for small but appreciative and enthusiastic attendees. The evening began to pick up steam and host large crowds when, starting in January 2008, Nightmare and Daydream began to include themes. In January, Retroactiv featured an hour-long tribute to music from the Brat Pack movies.

February 2008 saw 'Tainted Love -- A Valentine's Party," which was described in the February 6th edition of Nuvo, the weekly arts and entertainment newspaper in Indianapolis, as "sweaty, kinky and naughty as hell." The fetish-oriented event featured kinky 80's classics by Divine, Frankie Goes to Hollywood, Soft Cell and more.

In March 2008, Retroactiv hosted "Go Away White -- A Bauhaus CD Release Party," which inspired yet another article in the March 5th edition of Nuvo. The theme of the evening was to celebrate the first album of new material by Goth pioneers Bauhaus in 25 years, and featured multiple songs by Bauhaus and related acts Peter Murphy, Love and Rockets, Tones on Tail and Dali's Car.

April 2008 played host to Retroactiv's biggest night yet, with a New Wave theme. The more unusual antics included the release of bags full of red balloons during Nena's 99 Red Balloons, and many people blowing bubbles during the Men Without Hats classic Pop Goes the World. Pictures of the evening can be found at www.indy.com/partycrasher.

In May 2008, Retroactiv hosted "Names and Slogans: A Tribute to Ministry & Co.", a half-hour tribute to the classic Industrial band Ministry and its related side projects. The tribute, which featured 80's classics from the various groups, was done in recognition of Ministry's decision to split up after nearly 30 years.

On June 8th, 2008, Retroactiv's theme will be "Cruel Summer," featuring a short set of summer and fun-themed songs by Bananarama, The Cars, The Go-Go's and The Motels. DJs Nightmare and Daydream also plan to give away a $25 gas card, among other giveaways.

According to the March 5th Nuvo article, Nightmare credits the longevity and popularity of 80's nights to more than just nostalgia.

“I see two types of people at these shows,” Nightmare said. “People who are my age, who remember the 1980s and are trying to relive their youth, but also these (twenty-somethings) that have just discovered the music and still love it as much as we do. That shows me this isn’t just a nostalgia trip; it’s music that has stood the test of time. It was brilliant then and it’s still brilliant today, and it needs a place to be heard, and that’s where this night comes in.”

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