Whether you call it a disco ball, glitter ball or mirror ball, there is no denying that they are the most iconic part of disco culture. We take a look at the history of this legendary piece. When you think of disco, the first image that usually comes to mind is that glittery sphere above everyone’s head, spinning round and creating groovy patterns on every surface. Hundreds, sometimes thousands of tiny squares combine to create this, each square having a mirrored surface. The first mention of a mirror ball was in 1897, electricians created a mirror ball for their shindigs and it was likely a one-off creation that was custom-made for the gathering. The mirror ball as a business enterprise didn’t manifest until a man named Louis Bernard Woeste applied for a patent for a “myriad reflector” in 1917. The sphere was offered for sale by his Cincinnati-based company, Stephens and Woeste, beginning in the 1920s and promised to fill dance halls with “dancing fireflies of a thousand hues”.
Myriad reflector patent, one of the earliest iteration of the mirror ball
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The early globes were 27 inches in diameter and covered in over 1200 tiny mirrors, adding a glittering sheen of colour to entertainment venues. Whilst the globes were relatively successful they never took the world by storm. In the 1940s, a company called Omega National Products in the USA which specialised in flexible mirrored sheets for art deco furniture got a hold of the idea and thus made them order for dance halls.
So, mirror balls existed way before disco, but they only really became a part of pop culture when the disco movement came along. This is also where the term disco ball comes from. Disco saw the beginnings of clubs as we know them today, and lighting was the perfect way for them to create an atmosphere. Hoisted high above the crowds and with spotlights directed at them, disco balls became a common feature in clubs. Omega dominated the market in the 70s and supplied many venues across the USA with their mirror balls, with the 48-inch models selling for $4,000 or $20,000 in today’s terms adjusted for inflation. As disco took over the world, mirror balls became synonymous with the genre, aided by the likes of Saturday Night Fever which even featured one on the posters.
Omega’s iconic disco ball
As the 1980s ensued and disco was starting to diminish, one of the things that stayed was the mirror ball. It still served its purpose – it provided atmosphere and was a symbol of nightlife. By the 00s, disco balls were still being used – the video for Murder on the Dancefloor featured one, Madonna emerged from one and Justin Timberlake even destroyed one.
Madonna emerging from a disco ball, circa 2006
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It’s reputation has made it a symbol of pop culture and also of nightlife. It has a bit more personality than your lasers and LEDs – the reflections are random and it symbolises parties, and good times and remains untouched as an icon of the night. You don’t see mirror balls in an accountant’s office – when you see one, you know it’s party time. The largest disco ball measures 10.33 m (33 ft 10 in) in diameter and was achieved by Bestival (UK) for the Desert Island Disco at Robin Hill Country Park, Isle of Wight, UK, on 7 September 2014. This record remains unchallenged nearly 10 years later.
The world’s biggest ever disco ball, Bestival circa 2014
Our forthcoming album Mirrorball Motel pays homage to this iconic disco symbol which drops on the 23rd of September. The album is available in limited edition pink vinyl, CD and digitally.
Pre-order the album here.
Buy tickets to the Mirrorball Motel album launch party.
Source: https://t-tees.com
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