PLAINS TWP. — During a silent disco, a crowd of people dance in what appears to be silence while each dancer has the same music wirelessly sent to their personal pair of headphones. Dance parties have been held like this as far back as the early ’90s, but advancements in technology have allowed for the use of multiple channels, giving dancers an option to change the channel to something more favorable. That will be one of the options available to silent disco attendees at Ole Tyme Charley’s April 16 event.

“The headphones are unique in the respect that you can use three transmitters to them, and when you turn they light up to the color input of what you’re listening to. With a quick glance of the room, you can see what people are jamming to,” said Brad Baesic, who bought 100 pairs of headphones with which to test the silent disco waters. “Say you don’t know somebody in the same room and you want to start a conversation with them, you’ve got the ability to do that, because you know they’re listening to the same thing you are. I figure it’s a great ice-breaker.”

The silent disco at Ole Tyme Charley’s starts at 9 p.m. and lasts until 2 a.m., and a $5 cover charge includes headphones and a night of live DJs. There will also be raffles throughout the night for free floats at Great Escape Floatation Center, Baesic’s new downtown Wilkes-Barre flotation location.

According to Baesic, everyone who pays the $5 cover will also receive a download of the night’s music. He also said the other amenities Ole Tyme Charley’s offers — karaoke, game rooms, restaurant and bar — will be open and available to silent disco attendees. If that weren’t enough, Baesic said event goers will have access to over 700 classic Nintendo Entertainment System games, with sound courtesy of the silent disco headphones.

“This will be the first place in the area we use these at,” Baesic said. He also plans to utilize his light-up dance floor, and expressed his desire to make both the silent disco equipment and the dance floor available for rentals in the near future.

For more information about the April 16 silent disco at Ole Tyme Charley’s, visit the Great Escape: Silent Disco! event page on Facebook or call Great Escape Floatation Center at (570) 472-8490.

Reach Gene Axton at 570-991-6121 or on Twitter @TLArts

Attendees will wear wireless headphones that simultaneously carry performances from two live DJs

By Gene Axton

gaxton@timesleader.com

Bryan Dewey, left, and Brad Baesic of Great Escape Floatation Center in Wilkes-Barre wearing headphones used for silent disco events.
https://www.theweekender.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/web1_silencio.jpgBryan Dewey, left, and Brad Baesic of Great Escape Floatation Center in Wilkes-Barre wearing headphones used for silent disco events. Pete G. Wilcox | Times Leader