But where do our discos originate from? The history of the nightclub as we know it is closely tied to the French capital. Long before the era of glittery disco and superstar DJs, it was just after World War II near the Palais-Royal that a venue broke with the conventions of traditional dancing halls and birthed the concept of the "disco". Let's take a step back into post-war Paris, where recorded music reigned supreme in the nightlife scene.
The fundamental concept of the nightclub—as a venue where a continuous sequence of records gets played to get people dancing—has its clearest roots in Paris, even though it also draws from American and British influences. During the interwar period, dance halls became popular, with the emergence of the first "nightclubs" offering patrons not just dancing but also dining and live music, paving the way for the later bal-guinguettes of the 1930s, which continued to feature orchestras, singers, and jukeboxes.
It wasn't until 1953 that Régine, then working at Whisky à Gogo on Beaujolais Street, replaced the jukebox with a double record player, allowing for continuous music she could manage herself. This innovation made the club a pioneer of the discothèque scene, establishing her reputation as the future "Queen of the Night." To this day, she is partly credited with creating this legendary party venue, which has struggled to regain its former popularity since the Covid pandemic.
