My piece in today’s Agenda Sydney…

Silent discos – every city council’s favourite kind of nightclub – are enjoying their moment in the sun (or should that be moon?). They’re here, there and everywhere right now, from Goa to Glastonbury and, now, Sydney’s good ol’ Spanish quarter.

When the eponymous play ‘Silent Disco’ opened at the Griffin Theatre recently – about two iPod-loving teens navigating sex, school, drugs and more – it seemed too good an opportunity to miss: combine the edgy and much-feted play’s cast and crew with a clubbing trend. Voila, Silent Disco’s very own silent disco, ‘Silent. Disco. Shut up. Dance.’ was born.

For those who haven’t indulged in a silent oeuvre before, this one-off night at the intimate and ever-hip GoodGod Small Club is a hootenanny with a twist. Decks: check. Up-for-it crowd: check. Fully stocked bar: check. Big bassy speakers: erm, none, other than sound-packed headphones worn on each and every reveller. Then it’s up to the seasoned DJs, including Discopunx and Generic Collective, to channel tunes directly into each headset, leaving the dancefloor and bar… well, silent.

Remove your headgear and not only will you be able to hear yourself think and speak above a live DJ set – a novelty in itself – you’ll also find it far easier to chat and hobnob with the stars of the play and behind-the-scenes Griffin Theatre crew. Oh, and the crowd dancing around you in silence makes for a surreal treat, too.

Where: GoodGod Small Club, 55 Liverpool St, Sydney
When: 18 May | 8pm-late
Price: $10 | $12 at the door
Details: griffintheatre.com.au

Or, read online here.