Big Fish Little Fish

(I've just linked this post up to We're Going On An Adventure's "Tried & Tested" linky)

The boy and I were very kindly invited by the organisers to the Big Fish Little Fish party on Saturday 12 April at the Brixton Jamm.  This was a baby disco, designed to entertain parents too.  The choice of venue itself was making a bit of a statement: the Jamm is known for its range of DJs and house nights.  Perhaps this company was started by parents who missed their clubbing days?

Indeed, the BFLF website states that it is a:

"brand new, creative and exciting music and dance party for the post-rave generation of parents and kids: all the fun and freedom of a mini festival, right in the heart of Brixton, Crouch End, Balham……

Music policy will be eclectic but not cheesy. Everything from ska, old skool rave, through soul, indie, hip hop, house, disco, dubstep and drum’n’bass – plus the pop hits you’d forgotten you loved. The DJs are professional club and festival stalwarts..."

First impressions were good: lots of staff on site, a covered buggy park area, glow sticks handed out on the door.  

Once inside, everything was on the ground floor, with two different rooms playing different music.  More indie/soft rock in the chill-out/craft/baby room and proper dance music in the disco room itself.

The full bar was open (hurrah!), and this was complemented by free Happy Monkey smoothie cartons for the kids and a fun cake pop stall for anyone requiring a sugar rush:

I have to say we were expecting cheesy disco music, perhaps some 1960s/70s numbers to bop along to.  It was actually pretty modern, "proper" dance music - played at perhaps a slightly lower volume (I always find nightclubs too noisy anyway - maybe all clubs should play at this level!).  I don't really know my dance music genres but if I had to guess I'd say it was house/ska/garage?  I am reliably informed that it was Tony Thorpe from Moody Boyz behind the decks...

The glitter ticker drop, bubble machine and wall-to-wall balloons all went down very well with the boy.  He appreciated the space to show off his killer moves (best arrive early for this as the rooms filled up quite quickly).  And as for the adults - well it's funny how quickly we lose our inhibitions when dancing with toddlers.  Moves were thrown with abandon, with not a thought to how we looked, and do you know what? It felt great.

I have to say the behaviour on (and stickiness of) the dance floor was no worse than, say, the Ice Factory in Perth on a Saturday night...

We stayed for the first hour (the party continues from 2 to 4.30pm), as our 17 month old was starting to tire.  Perhaps if we had paid full price we would have stayed longer, but certainly an hour of disco is a good effort for him, given the moves he was busting!  We would certainly go back, especially as they welcome kids of all ages, and in particular 0-8 year olds.

The husband commented that the whole experience was like an uber mums and toddlers playgroup, but the "nights" version... 

We were given free entry to this event from the organisers. All views above are, however, my own.

For more information and future events, see: http://www.bigfishlittlefishevents.co.uk/