Is life too short to save the dancing for after dark? According to actor (and all-round mensch) Vicky McClure the answer is an affirmative yes. Together with her husband, Jonny Owen and friends including Jon McClure (no relation) of Reverend & The Makers, Day Fever is bringing disco to daylight hours. So if you want to get sweaty on the dancefloor but don’t want to find yourself stumbling home at 3am, dodgy kebab in hand, read on.
It all started with a simple idea, Vicky explains: “Jonny just said, ‘Have you ever seen those bars in town during the day? They’re rammed’ We were like, come on then, let’s do it and it went nuts.” Born from a WhatsApp chat, Day Fever brings affordable, joy-filled clubbing into the daylight hours. “The first one sold out in two seconds,” Vicky adds, “We did Nottingham, then Sheffield, then Merthyr and Cardiff and it just flew from there.”
The feel-good phenomenon has seen people of all ages (from their 20s to their 70s) let loose on packed dancefloors over the past 18 months. “We’ve had Jonny’s mum sneak in a bottle of gin and stash it in a bush outside in Cardiff,” Jon jokes. Vicky goes on to add, “It’s mothers and daughters, friends reconnecting, people on chemo, people grieving. These are your nurses, your cleaners, your teachers. These are the people keeping the world spinning and now they’ve got somewhere to let go and feel joy”. One story that’s stayed with Vicky is a woman who had barely seen her friends or family unless it was for a wedding or a funeral: “Now she’s got a new frock every month, and she’s out at Day Fever. She goes shopping Friday night, gets her hair done, and makes a proper event of it. That’s magic, isn’t it?”
Inclusivity is baked into the experience. “We’ve had people in wheelchairs come up on stage, and the crowd goes wild. It’s electric. We want it to be accessible to everyone,” says Vicky. “It makes your hairs stand on end.”
Although you might catch a familiar face on the decks – Jonny, Vicky, or even Jon’s wife Laura have taken charge of the reins – most Day Fever events are led by local DJs. “We’ve been really selective,” Vicky explains. “They know their crowd; they know what their people want to hear. And they’re smashing it. Bit of Northern Soul to kick off, disco, 80s bangers, 90s dance, a singalong, maybe some indie...but we always have Whitney.”…”If Vicky’s there, it’s the law” Jon adds. It’s not uncommon to see Vicky dancing on stage with partygoers, selfies flying and smiles everywhere. “When people realise we’re just there to have fun too, that we’re not up on a pedestal, they really get into it,” she says. “And I mean, come on, when do you get to go clubbing with your mum?”.
“Hits across the generations, that’s the key,” Vicky adds. “We’ve done themed nights, even Christmas clubs. And we’ll ask, ‘Do you want more Christmas songs?’ and they’re like ‘nah, just give us the hits.’” She laughs: “You just get a feel for it.”
Regional pride plays a part, too. “We make sure to tap into that local energy,” says Vicky. “It’s about community, about people being together.”
Even with their busy schedules, Vicky’s filming commitments and Jon’s recent tour of Australia, both say they miss it when they’re away. “Sounds a bit daft,” Jon admits, “but Day Fever cheers me up. You leave feeling lighter.”
Moreover, Day Fever is affordable fun, plus it’s actively helping to keep music venues across the country alive. “We shut up shop at 8pm,” Vicky explains, “they do a quick turnaround and run their usual night from 10. They’re making great takings and reaching a new crowd. It’s been a game changer for loads of clubs.”
Day Fever will be at the Oxford O2 Academy on 6 September 2025.
For tickets and further information including dates across the country, visit: day-fever.com
