I wasn't there in the 1970's/80's. I'm a 90's millennial. And, the info I have collected about the subject is mostly anecdotal, from one person, and a book titled "Life and Death of the New York Dancefloor". But, because of my imagination and whatnot, this is a thought.
Studio 54 was a lot like Charli XCX LA show night 1 in L.A. It was equivalent to a place where we see today's influencers and celebrities gathered. And, that place was Kia Forum on October 16, 2024.
Charli was so taken off by it, she even asks the audience mid-song, "are you f*cking joking?" because of the crowd's underwhelming energy and lack of presence.
Tik Tok from my perspective made LA night 1 out to be a night of influencers not knowing the lyrics and sort of standing around half-interested in the art and talent right in front of them.
So, as I am listening to sounds of 1977, I'm doing the "12 West Shuffle" in my kitchen. The 12 West Shuffle is a simple 4 on the floor step side to side, with a bit of flourish up top because of the scarcity of space all around. I began to think about what it was like to dance at 12 West. Crowded. The dancefloor was packed, and dancing was not jumping up and down in place. Shoulder to shoulder. Hot, but global warming wasn't like it is today, so probably relative to, but still cooler than, today. No phones. Dancing well into the morning. Most were tripping rather than drinking.
54, however, is what is glorified today when we look back at disco and gay and nightlife. Some might argue 54 was the pinnacle of disco. (The Saint was the pinnacle of disco, the Vatican of disco.) But, in my opinion, back in those years, 12 West embodied disco. And, it was the gathering place of the vanguard of disco. To have seen and been seen at 12 West would have been much more invaluable to those on the scene at that time, than to be seen at 54.
Now, am I comparing apples to oranges while making a vague comparison to bananas? Maybe.
Tldr; Studio 54 is to Charli XCX LA night 1 what 12 West is to Berghain