Most Thursday nights in St. Louis are spent watching "The Office" and eagerly anticipating the weekend nights out on the town, but now we have a new Thursday night ritual to look forward to; Retro Clash at Dantes. Brought to you by Rose Mortem and Ashton Nyte, of Intervention Arts, Retro Clash is a retro club night for those of us who are going to be ill if we have to hear that "Hey Mickey" song ever again. This is not your typical 80s party. Instead, Retro Clash is a dangerous and glittering smash-up of 1970s and 1980s glam, new wave, dark wave, rock and psychedelic melodies, peppered with modern acts inspired by the retro gods.

After you decide to "get a little crazy" and go out on a work night, show up at Dantes with your I.D. and five bucks for the door at 9pm. If you have never been to Dantes, consider yourself forewarned; the place looks like a dungeon. It's not just any grimy old dungeon though, it's a dark, sleek, sexy dungeon. The secluded seating areas, furnished with velveteen cushions and couches and lit by candle light, give you a perfect opportunity to get comfortable with your date (or pick up a new one) as you overlook the spacious dance floor. Of course, you'll need something to drink while you try to awkwardly dance to Depeche Mode, and, luckily, beer and well drinks at Retro Clash are only $2.

In case you aren't a dancer, you can watch movies on the giant video screen; a surreal experience with the strobe lights and smoke lingering in the air. The flick of choice for the opening night of Retro Clash was David Bowie's fantastically odd sci-fi film "The Man Who Fell To Earth." The DJs spun everything from The Cure and The Talking Heads to the Beatles and The Doors. Normally, such an odd mix of musical styles and decades wouldn't work in a dance club environment, but somehow the flow was perfect. The playlist successfully avoided the usual suspects that drag retro nights into cheesiness (not that Huey Lewis doesn't have a proper place and time, but thankfully, this was neither the place nor the time). The combination of gargoyle statues, spinning disco balls, slick screen light shows, cheap drinks and beautiful people invoked warm fuzzy feelings of retro decadence; the perfect escape from the stress of daily life. If you can swing it, grab some friends and head to Retro Clash next Thursday and feel free to wear your best retro inspired ensemble, since you might be photographed for the website.