Johannesburg is often referred to as a city of contrasts, a place where worlds collide in fascinating ways. This weekend, that contrast played out in full colour. Down south, global superstar Travis Scott was lighting up FNB Stadium with his high-octane Circus Maximus Tour, while across town, a different kind of energy took over. Generation X, Millennials, and even Boomers traded in mosh pits for moves at Bed By 10, South Africa’s first edition of the UK-born event series that celebrates daytime clubbing for grown-ups.
I enjoy a good groove as much as the next person, but I also value a whole night’s sleep, so when I heard Bed By 10 was finally coming to Johannesburg, I knew it was something I had to experience.
By 4:30 pm, Sognage was already buzzing. The first thing that struck me was the diversity of the crowd, a glorious mix of people of all ages, backgrounds, and energy levels who’d clearly come to dance. And dance we did. The music took us on a journey through the decades, spinning everything from 80s classics to early 2000s hits. It felt like time-travelling through the best of our lives, one track at a time.
What struck me most was that the venue was packed, even without a major DJ or headline act driving ticket sales. When I spoke to Louis Williamson, event coordinator at Like It Love It, the owners of the Bed By 10 brand, earlier this year, he mentioned that this is exactly the point. “There’s a shift happening globally where people are moving away from attending events based purely on who will be there,” he told me, “and they are attending now more for the vibe and the atmosphere, and that’s what we are cultivating.”
That ethos was clear on the dancefloor. People weren’t glued to their phones or trying to capture every moment for social media; they were just in it, dancing, laughing, and letting go. The vibes were unmatched.
At some point, the bar ran out of drinks, proof that our age group hasn’t lost its party stamina, but no one seemed to mind. The party ended promptly at 9 pm, and honestly, that felt perfect. I left with my feet sore, heart full, and a massive smile on my face. Pulling into McDonald’s at 9:05 pm with 2:05 am energy? Unbeatable.
There’s something special about dancing alongside people your age, and even people old enough to be your parents, without it ever feeling like it. Perhaps it’s because as we get older, age just matters less. What matters is joy, and Bed By 10 delivered that in spades.
So yes, it’s an easy 10/10 for vibes. Because if you can dance your heart out and still be tucked in by 10 pm, that’s living the dream.
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