Remember parties in Valencia: why 80s, 90s and 2000s music is filling dance floors again

Music from the 80s, 90s and 2000s is filling dance floors again. The songs that played on the radio, in clubs and on school trips are now the weekend plan for thousands of people who want to dance to what they know, with their friends and without staying out too late. Valencia also made history with the Ruta del Bakalao, and remember parties have a loyal following here.

This guide covers why musical nostalgia works so well, what plays at a remember party decade by decade, why the tardeo is its perfect format and where to dance to it.

The essentials in 30 seconds

• A remember party revives the hits of an era: pop, dance, electronic or rock.
• It works because of nostalgia, shared memories and because everyone knows the words.
• Its star format is the tardeo: music from mid-afternoon and home at a reasonable hour.
• Each decade has its crowd: from the 80s to the 2000s.
• In Valencia it has its own roots, with the Ruta del Bakalao of the 80s and 90s.

Why musical nostalgia hooks people

• The music of your teenage years sticks like no other.
• It brings different people together: old friends, colleagues or couples all sing the same songs.
• Nothing new to learn: from the first song, everyone is in.
• It is a group plan: organised with the friends you had back then.
• It makes the night younger: you dance like you were twenty, on a thirty- or forty-something schedule.

What plays at a remember party, decade by decade

• The 80s: Spanish pop from the Movida, new wave, Italo disco and the first electronic hits.
• The 90s: Eurodance, dance, the club sound of the Ruta, Spanish pop and the big radio anthems.
• The 2000s: Spanish pop and pop rock, early reggaeton, commercial electronic music and the songs of every summer.

Why the tardeo is the perfect format

• Timing: it starts mid-afternoon and ends around dinner time or soon after.
• Crowd: 30 to 50-year-olds who want to go out without being up all night.
• Atmosphere: a venue or terrace with light and a DJ, without the crush of a club in the small hours.
• A complete plan: tardeo, dinner and, if you fancy it, a drink.

Here is what tardeo in Valencia is and what to wear to a tardeo.

The Ruta del Bakalao: Valencia's own remember

Between the 80s and 90s, the clubs along the El Saler road and around Valencia became a phenomenon known throughout Spain: the Ruta del Bakalao, with weekends of electronic music and sessions that lasted for days. That sound, the «Valencia sound», is part of the DNA of many remember parties in the city.

How to enjoy a remember party

• Go with your old crowd: half the fun is sharing the memories.
• Comfortable clothes for dancing, with a nod to the era if you like.
• Arrive at the start: the best moments often come early, when the floor fills up.
• Book if you are a group: tables and VIP areas sell out.

Remember parties and afternoon sessions at Palau Alameda

At Palau Alameda, on Paseo de la Alameda, weekend afternoons have several options:

• Saturdays at Azza: the afternoon session with Vicente Buitrón, with 90s and 2000s anthems to dance and sing to, with entry, VIP tables and premium service.
• Saturdays in La Gran Sala: AfterYou, the afternoon party with DJs and live performances.
• Fridays and Saturdays at Àtic: the afternoon session on the terrace.
• Sundays at Àtic: Bamboleo, with rumba and flamenco-pop.

Throughout the year there are also orchestras and tribute acts to the bands of those decades in La Gran Sala: dates are in the concert agenda, and here is why tribute concerts fill venues.

Frequently asked questions

What is a remember party?

A party devoted to the music of a specific era, usually the 80s, 90s or 2000s, with the hits everyone remembers.

What is a remember tardeo?

A tardeo, that is, a party that starts mid-afternoon and ends at a reasonable hour, with music from the 80s, 90s or 2000s.

Why is 90s and 2000s music so popular?

Because it is the music of the youth of many people now aged 30 to 50, it brings groups of friends together and everyone knows the words.

What was the Ruta del Bakalao?

The circuit of clubs around Valencia that, in the 80s and 90s, became famous throughout Spain for its weekends of electronic music.

Where are there remember afternoon sessions in Valencia?

At several venues in the city. At Palau Alameda, for example, Vicente Buitrón's session at Azza plays 90s and 2000s anthems on Saturday afternoons.

What should you wear to a remember party?

Comfortable clothes for dancing and, if you like, a nod to the era. At a tardeo, smart casual works well.