Actor Vicky McClure and musician Jon McClure (no, they’re not related) have announced a new wave of Day Fever dates, with the rave descending on Bristol O2 Academy on 13 September and 11 October. Warren Higgins catches up with them to find out more about the day party concept’s success and why life’s too short to save the dancing for the dark.
Pictured: Team Day Fever (L-R): James O’Hara, Chris McClure, Vicky McClure, Jonny Owen, Jon McClure (Credit: Rob Nicholson / Pedalo Photography)
If you ever thought clubbing was just for the under-25s stumbling home at 3am, think again. Day Fever, the unstoppable daytime disco dreamt up by actor Vicky McClure (Line of Duty, This is England, The Replacement), her husband Jonny Owen, and pals including Jon McClure of Reverend & The Makers, is flipping the nightlife script, one sunlit dance floor at a time. Born from a WhatsApp chat and now heading to 24 towns and cities in September (and returning for a handful of round-twos in October, including Bristol), Day Fever brings affordable, joy-filled clubbing into the daylight hours.
“The first one sold out in two seconds,” Vicky beams. “We did Nottingham, then Sheffield, then Merthyr and Cardiff and it just flew from there.” It all started with a simple idea. “Jonny just said, ‘Have you ever seen those bars in town during the day? They’re rammed!’” laughs Jon. “We were like, come on then, let’s do it and it went nuts.”
Now, this feel-good phenomenon sees people of all ages, literally from their 20s to their 70s, letting loose on packed dance floors.
“We’ve had Jonny’s mum sneak in a bottle of gin and stash it in a bush outside in Cardiff,” Jon jokes. “That’s the vibe! Bit of mischief, loads of laughs, and not a bit of trouble.” And it’s that warmth, spontaneity, and inclusiveness that keeps people coming back.
The crowd goes wild
Vicky’s voice lifts when she talks about the kind of people turning up to dance: “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 her 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 isn’t just a buzzword here; it’s 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, visibly moved. “It makes your hairs stand on end.”
While you might catch a familiar face on the decks – Jonny, Vicky, or even Jon’s wife Laura – 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.”
And yes, music is taken very seriously. “There’s a loose structure,” Jon explains. “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.” Vicky grins, “Hits across the generations, that’s the key. 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.”
With so many entertainment options pricing people out, Day Fever deliberately keeps things cheap. Vicky says. “We’ve always wanted it to be affordable. A night out can be £100 easy. We didn’t want this to be that.”
Normal people
Jon adds, “Jonny said from day one it’s for ordinary people. Families, people with kids. We’re not here to rip people off.”
Venues love it too. “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.”
If Day Fever feels like a family party, that’s because… it kind of is. “Jonny and I are married, Jon’s wife DJs, his brother Chris and childhood friend Jamie are involved. Even Jonny’s daughter Katie’s behind the decks,” Vicky laughs. “It’s one big gang, and when people come through the doors, they’re part of it too.”
It’s not uncommon to see Vicky herself dancing on stage with partygoers, selfies flying and smiles everywhere (pictured centre and right). “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?!”
With appearances at festivals like Splendour and Reverend & The Makers’ 20th anniversary show in Sheffield this summer, things are scaling up, but slowly. “We’ve had offers to take it abroad, but we’re being really careful,” Vicky says. “It’s only 18 months old, it feels like a decade, but we want to make sure we look after what we’ve built.”
They’ve even announced their own Day Fever festival at Nottingham’s Arboretum on the 23 August. “We’ve got loads of ideas,” she teases. “But for now, we’re just enjoying this moment. It’s simple, and it works.”
Even with their busy schedules, Vicky filming Trigger Point, Jon touring Australia, both say they miss it when they’re away. “Sounds a bit daft,” Jon chuckles, “but Day Fever cheers me up. You leave feeling lighter.”
And that’s the magic, really. Day Fever isn’t just a disco, it’s a dose of pure happiness.
Day Fever lands at Bristol O2 Academy on 13 September, and returns on 11 October. Tickets are available from day-fever.com (selling fast!)
