Disco’s Attempted Assasination (July 12, 1979)

The year was 1979. The White Sox were struggling from declining ticket sales. At the time, disco was a fairly recent movement. There was a DJ named Steve Dahl who was known for mocking disco – an international mix of genres, which also centered queer coded culture. To man, disco was a dog whistle for colored/sinful music.

Back to Sox Stadium. This DJ partners with the White Sox to host a promotional night. He asks fans to bring disco records in exchange for admission for 98 cents. These records would be gathered in the center of the field during half time and blown up in a controlled explosion. Such a bizarre and specifically targeted promotion, right? 

It was a HIT. Specifically amongst young, white male fans. In fact, the promotion event sold out with more than 20,000 extra fans waiting outside the Sox Stadium gates. During the game, prior to half time, the fans became disruptive and rowdy. They began throwing the records on the field, lighting firecrackers, drunkenly fighting each other, etc. The game had to be stopped several times. By the time it was half time, chaos had peaked. The records were blown up – in what ended up being a very UNcontrolled explosion. In fact, it was more like a bonfire that exploded – destroying part of the field. Police came in tactical gear. It became a riot after that – as the fans were riled up by the already political move. People jumped the gate into the field. Bases were stolen, and almost 40 people were arrested. The Sox had to forfeit the game. 

After this event, the DJ and the Sox public relations went on a damage control campaign, claming there was no intentional bigotry behind the promotional night. Of course, disco was originally connected to Black, Latin, and queer culture. The black, queer, and people of color communities all saw this event for what it was – a dogwhistle for a xenophobic mindset – similar to a Nazi book burning. 

Not much after this event, Disco was in decline. Ironically replaced by the increasingly popular rock movement – a movement originally also started by the black community. Because rock was more successfully appropriated by white male artists, it was embraced at a time the political scene was swinging right as well. 

Disco was targeted in Sox stadium, however, the assasination was a failure. Disco went on to influence house music (and hip hop) as turn tables and synthetic sound increased in popularity. The revival of the offspring of Disco bloomed into the 21st century. The extremist promotional event ultimately signalling the fear of progressive sound evolution.