Dreaming of the 90s is a dance party hosted quarterly by Alec Shahzad and Jess Dilday, also known as DJ Shahzad and DJ PlayPlay respectively, at The Pinhook in Durham.
“It’s basically just a shameless fun party,” PlayPlay said.
The party has grown and evolved quite a bit since its conception nearly a decade ago.
“We started it technically in 2013 as an Ani DeFranco afterparty at The Pinhook,” PlayPlay said. “We were kinda doing just weird stuff. I think we really legitimized it more in 2016.”
PlayPlay brought Shahzad into the 90s party in 2016, solidifying it as a consistent gig.
“I feel like that was the Durham thing back then,” Shahzad said. “Night life was sort of just starting out. There were a couple restaurants and bars opening up, but before that there was nothing.”
Shahzad first took an interest in DJing in middle school after he saw a friend mixing for the first time. He eventually got his own set of turntables and taught himself how to DJ, doing small gigs in downtown Durham throughout high school. He started doing EDM sets in 2009 when The Pinhook first opened and later collaborated with local hip-hop artists, playing venues such as Cat’s Cradle, Lincoln Theater and The Ritz. Shahzad became a full-time musician in 2016, the same year he joined PlayPlay in Dreaming of the 90s.
PlayPlay, a Greensboro native, started doing college radio in 2003, making the jump to early digital radio in 2005 and picking up turntables in 2008. PlayPlay had a strong mentor who taught them how to DJ with an all vinyl set up. They soon moved to a hybrid setup for DJing, and began working with The Pinhook to host shows.
“[I] started working with The Pinhook to throw all kinds of queer parties,” PlayPlay said. “Actually the 90s party was one of those.”
In 2011, PlayPlay was throwing EDM parties like Party Illegal with Shahzad and Queen Plz.
“Party Illegal, at first was a smaller party at The Pinhook and started growing based on who we would book,” PlayPlay said. “I feel like with the 90s party it was the opposite.”
When PlayPlay created the party it was something they had wanted to do for a while. At the time most of the kids going to clubs were teenagers.
“What I did was have a bunch of close friends in the music scene submit their old 90s photos, like their shameless 90s photos,” PlayPlay said. “We basically printed out all those photos and posted them around The Pinhook.
From there the party started to evolve and become more consistent. PlayPlay used nostalgia to draw people to The Pinhook. Soon they started hiring photographers to come during the party. Eventually they saw partygoers arriving dressed in theme for the parties.
PlayPlay and Shahzad have always loved the packed-house feeling The Pinhook provides. The two DJs also enjoy that the show is affordable enough for people to come and go as they please. Most nights, despite the fluctuation of people throughout the night, the venue stays packed.
PlayPlay has received several offers to host the event at a larger venue but they turned these offers down in favor of The Pinhook.
“It kind of changes the vibe up if you switch the venues,” PlayPlay said. “I think the vision has always been to be a consistent place to be shameless and nostalgic.”
Shahzad agreed, noting that the venue brings a particular atmosphere to the show.
“When you’re in there playing, especially at [The] Pinhook, and you start vibing, you see everybody just smiling and dancing and they’re just into it,” Shahzad said. “It’s just nostalgic and it’s fun. I mean I don’t know too many people that don’t like 90s music.”
The DJs have a simple goal for the future of the party: keep it going. They hope to maintain the positive nostalgic atmosphere for people to come and dance. The party is slated to return in the fall or winter. Anyone 21 or older can visit The Pinhook to experience a Dreaming of the 90s party for themself. Follow the party’s Instagram for updates on their next show.
