THE BIG READ
FROM jiving in ritzy dancehalls to whizzing around roller discos and partying at all-night raves, Scotland’s nightlife has changed dramatically through the years.
Comedian Iain Stirling made it his mission to discover which decade had the most fun and travelled across the country to explore the history of our Saturday nights on the tiles.
Back in the 50s, it was at famous dancehalls – including Robbie’s in Dundee, the legendary Barrowland Ballroom in Glasgow and Edinburgh’s famous Fountainbridge Palais – where romance began for many with the immortal question, “Are you dancin’?”
In the BBC programme Scotland’s Big Night Out, Iain, 29, meets people who waltzed their way to a lifetime of love and romance.
He said: “I’ve always been fascinated by how nights out have changed over time and wanted to discover which era was the most enjoyable.
“I’ve heard lots of stories about the ‘good old days’ and was keen to experience it for myself.
“I discovered a lot during filming, including that I’m rubbish at slow dancing, but it was fun giving it a go.”
Iain found that the difference between a lonely walk home or a prized “lumber” was often down to prowess on the dancefloor.
He said: “My moves were terrible and I didn’t impress anyone. Hearing tales about how people met at some of Scotland’s most iconic dance halls, however, was really special.
“Many people have enjoyed long, happy marriages and look back on those times with such fond memories.”
When rock ’n’ roll music swept in from America – with slow dancing giving way to jiving – the rules of what was acceptable on the dancefloor were shattered forever.
To discover what it was like to be young in the 60s, Iain headed to the Twist capital of Scotland, Dundee, to meet the man who brought The Beatles to the city.
In the early 60s, concert promoter Andi Lothian flew to London to meet The Beatles’ manager Brian Epstein and agreed to pay the band £500 a night for a mini tour north of the Border.
They were beginning to attract a following and Andi knew he was on to something big.
He told Iain: “I’d never heard music like that