With summer creeping up on us, event producers have begun to come out of hibernation, yawning & flexing their dope party muscles. The Day-into-Night party is one of those things NYC club kids & burners look forward to all year. I managed to find a day-into-night event for you Saturday, showcasing a new Bushwick space that includes a big backyard and cavernous dance floors, for under 70 bucks.
(While my Attend feature is still your best place for the events you just can’t miss, I wanted to take a moment to showcase people starting something new. Starting a new party or dropping a new concept on Gotham is always difficult. So, a new column focused on the events taking their first steps. Ladies & Gentlemen, I give you, the New Hotness.)
Treetops is good for NYC. In a wholesome, quenching kind of way. The kind of relaxed vibe that these producers are going for is exact opposite of the mega-plumage that litters NYC scene. Run by two savvy luminaries, they’re bringing some whimsy & relaxed appreciation to the dance music scene here in NYC. To that end, they’re bringing a pile of talent, and telling you to wear your comfy shoes. Comfy everything in fact, as it’s about enjoying yourself with cool people & not popping bottlez while Instagramming your clubbe, bro. The Scumfrog has earned a reputation for excellence in the NYC House music community. I think I’ve seen him at 4, maybe 5 different venues? Each time it’s dope. This guy is a master at work, and I’ve listened to sets of his in Brooklyn, Baltimore, and flying over Bratislava. His April mix is a fantastic example of the smooth perfection of The Scumfrog. The dirtybird BBQ is a legend in its own right, and we were blessed to have one last summer. Christian Martin‘s posse showed up properly and the tech house, techno, dirty bass & minimal, almost acid vibe kicked off like you’d expect for a day party in Brooklyn with this level of talent. Listen to that set if you need a little more persuasion. You know the tech house, deep house & techno is serious when there’s talent in from Berlin. They’re bringing Mat.Joe out from Deutcheland to add their soulful stylings to the roster. I’m a big fan of the sound Mat.Joe works in, a fusion of techno & hip hop essentially. There’s a lot of hit or miss work involving progressive & future bass melding with hip hop. This stuff definitely hits the mark. There’s a nice groove to the dance floor that I can’t wait to see when these two take control. PONY, what more can I say about the man. The Caliph of Crushing It is making this thing happen so I have a feeling his set is going to be quite interesting. If you’re a fan of his sets at I Feel or Evolve Thursdays @ Macao, definitely show up and compare. I bet he’ll save a couple of musical inside jokes just for you. I am really digging this progressive tech house & hip hop vibe that Treetops is bringing to Brooklyn and showcasing Duane Harriott is a great choice. Dirty Decibels provides additional deep house related support, with some catchy, butt-shaking that still manages to stay surprisingly synthy at times. Bryan Cosgrove‘s grooves were a touch tough to find, but I found an eclectic set from a couple of years ago that I’m throwing in for free because I love you people.
With visuals by Levitation Theory and a Paper Box location, I think this event has all ticked all the right boxes. #Treetops has wings & you’re gonna want in on the ground floor. Get tickets here and show up on Facebook here. This is going to be a good night, and you’ll see me on the dance floor. Maybe I’ll see you.
I was lucky enough to hit up a couple of Groove Therapy shows when I was in the city and the events at SRB, Sullivan Room & other spots were utterly ridiculous. On May 15th, Slake is going to have a heavy dose of vintage Groove Therapy. The label has been holding it down in the scene for a decade (as you may have guessed), which, in NYC, might as well be a century. Staying in biz that long is no easy feat, and this party is a testament to their resilience in a fast-changing, expensive as fuck city.
This is going to be an absolute shitshow. The lineup is a who’s who in NYC rave massive. This kind of music doesn’t get played out very much anymore and it’s a FREE PARTY. That’s right, just like the good old days before the 30-40 buck tickets came out. Slake is hosting this ridiculousness so it’s also nice & central for people from all parts of the city.
To show how long these cats have been running around, I’ve included a Lenny Dee set from 1995, and a heavy techno mix from DJ Gonzo from 3 days ago! It’s not as if these people have retired, they’re still out there doing work. They know what their crowd has wanted through the years, and I’m going to be really interested to see what happens when these sounds come out from under the EDM rug. They’ve been swept under since the explosion of Big Room, but it seems that’s faded. These guys are going strong and I think their community will be out in force to support.
The collab/b2b aspect of the event is going to be proper. Double Dragon going to give us a legit jungle set, coming off #marchdnbmadness, we’re all itching for more. I have no idea what genre or genres Dali, Hiyawatha & Alex English are going to drop, but I assume the set is going to be one for the record books. This b2b2b will be more than enough to get the party started. BUT WAIT, THERE’S MORE!
They’re opening up the 2nd room for this night and piling in a bunch more of the Groove Therapy DJs. PJay, HOWHARD, Integrity, Steve Nice and HardBass Addicts all ring a bell if you’re a veteran of the NYCRavers & previous eras of parties. Back when before CandyBall was banished to Exit in Brooklyn & when Brooklyn warehouse parties had not a soul for blocks in every direction. These tunes will definitely bring you back and help show us where the local scene is going. To get your name on the RSVP list, go here.
This event is a little different than my usual party recommendations, as it takes place entirely during brunch hours. The days are getting longer, and with them, come day parties you actually want to go to. This Saturday, The Athena Collective shows up at Verboten Brunch. Working with ENTDECKEN, they’re going to be giving lucky Brooklynites a full day worth of lady DJ majesty. The lineup is stacked with some of the best DJs in NYC today, some I’ve swooned over before, with others entirely new to my mind. In the Control Room, Amy Rogers of The Hoop Movement will be getting us moving. While old people still associate hula hoops with disco, any casual attendee of Burner events, Figment and other flow arts events in the city know hoop dance is here to stay. Add Dollar Mimosas, one of the best brunch offerings in Brooklyn & the soaring sound system, this needs to be on your weekend’s itinerary. Continue reading
We had Hospitality, we’re getting Crissy Criss & now, to round out #marchdnbmadness, Slake is closing it out with RAM Records. That’s right, Delta Heavy, Loadstar & Optical are showing up. I am so pleased that attention is being paid to Drum & Bass and I’m hoping this shows producers here in NYC that these shows can sell. Crowds show up ensure that these artsts get booked again & that the old stereotypes of the d&b crowd being a rough night on the bar go out with the night’s profits. Slake will get rowdy so get tickets here for this D&B extravaganza. Continue reading
March Drum & Bass Madness Continues! This time heading out to The Paper Box in BK to get into the harder Drum & Bass. This isn’t the liquid stuff I talk about most of the time ladies & gentlemen. This is proper, massive, “drop the patriatchy’s monocle in its tea cup” Drum & Bass. BP2 has been holding it down when it comes to this end of the spectrum here in the city better than anyone, and have partnered with Grade A to bring you this insanity on March 21st in Brooklyn. They deserve the respect & your attention. Before we go any further, Facebook Event Info Here & Tickets Here. Yes this thing will sell out. No I’m not kidding. Continue reading
I don’t say this very often, but this event is truly important. Not only is it going to be a sweet party with some of the best breaks anywhere on the planet at this point. Not only is it going to be at The Paper Box, one of the last semi-retail venues in the area of Brooklyn it’s in. Not only is DanceSafe going to be there (so happy about this), but it’s to help one of my favorite people. Lexi, or as you know her, Illexxandra has been producing some of the most innovative & infectious dance beats Brooklyn has ever seen, and she needs our help. Because Vitamin B has actually created a community over the years, it’s coming together to support her in her time of need. For this reason, above all else, you should support this party. This is what community in dance culture looks like, and we need to lionize it as such. The music will of course be second to none.I won’t go on about Lexi anymore, so just put the bass in your face. Tim The Enchanter continues his global quest to get people to go “omg breaks are dope” that is shaping up quite nicely actually, as his recent work illustrates. There’s always been an accessibility to the genre when Tim gets behind the decks which I think other DJs could take notes from.Tektite is one of my favorite truly real people in Brooklyn. His taste in music, food & design are all second to none, as this perfect set of his illustrates. Shisaa is a recent addition to the team but acquits herself quite nicely. This is some global bass that fits in perfectly with the rest of the Justice League. I wanted to save this for last because it’s gigantic. Parametric’s 2.5hr Vitamin B set from their 6th Anniversary. As I said, this is a group that is a true member of the community. Get tickets here and drop by the DanceSafe booth when you get there. If you’d like to donate to her fund personally, show this link some love. This is what we’ve been fighting for ladies & gentlemen.
I almost fell down when I heard this was happening. A real, live, actual Hospitality night here in NYC, and at a club that doesn’t make me cry. That’s right ladies & gentlemen, Slake is hosting three of my favorite Hospital Records DJs first Friday of March. The talent assembled here is simply stunning, but before I dive into the stupendousness that is the three of them, I wanted to shout out Slake for making this event happen. It seems they’re the one of the only clubs taking risks on talent these days, bringing in stuff other than craplectro, big room & VIP house. I hope they’re keeping the lights on with this, because it’s one of the things you hope make them the cash they need to stay open & keep doing it. But, onto what you’re still reading for:
This is a set of previews from Nu:Tone’s latest album, from Nov. 2014. It’s the drum & bass you used to write home about to your best girl while you were fighting in the struggle. The lightness that Nu:Tone is able to issue forth doesn’t sacrifice any of the dope jungle, liquid or soulful roots you need in a proper D&B album. This may seem like surface stuff, but put the whole album into your world, and you’ll find a surprising amount of depth and throwback themes & vibes to turn your head while you groove.
Metrik dropped an album about 5 months ago, but it contained one of my absolute favorite tracks of 2014, Make The Floor Burn. The album is rapturous joy, a sonic journey that most producers should spend a semester studying. The progressions, chords & bass are unmatched, except by other members of the Hospital Records stable. When London Elektricity says he’d take a bullet for the record, you know it’s not something to ignore.
Bringing up the rear is the irreplaceable Etherwood. Etherwood creates drum & bass that I can only describe as crushingly beautiful. I would go on about his attention to detail, deep understanding, or perfectionist production skills, but really, that would just be more time you spend reading this and not listening to his album preview. So, go listen to that. When you’re done, here’s some icing for your drum & bass cake.
DJ Dali is one my hometown favorites that ensures parties like this actually happen. He & Nicky Twist going B2B on some d&b will be a sight to behold, and my Konkrete alumni know what I’m talking about. Cameron Kush holds the record for the weirdest set I’ve heard at Slake that maintained a full dance floor, so I’m always interested in hearing what he’s got cooked up for us. Tickets can be purchased here & the event info is right here.
Update! Dali & Alex English have dropped another D&B mix to get you hype for Saturday night. Respect!
It’s finally returned, bigger, longer & with better views of the city! The not-quite-annual, yet much-anticipated BiOLUMiNESCENCE winter boat party is back! This time the boat has been severely upgraded, from the Queen of Hearts (old & busted), to the Hornblower Infinity (new hotness). While the name of the party is best known for being the title of the theme to Requiem For A Dream (yes, that one), it also refers to the Latin idea of “eternal light,” that, especially by late February, we’re all gonna need reminders of. The last time I was on this boat, I was reviewing a DJ Chuckie/Dirty Dutch party. I can safely say that the party will be qualitatively different, on every discernible level. The costumes, the deco, the people, the music, will all be totally different. Hooo boy will the music be different. Continue reading
(I’m going to be covering this for ElectronicNightLife later this month, and if you’re interested in the harder end of the dance music space that doesn’t involve diplo, you’re in luck. This is going to be an astonishing night of trance, with a focus on hard & psy-infused variants I’d wager. This is going to be a big one, so don’t miss it,)
If you’re not at OpenUp100 on January 31st, you’re going to be missing something very special. Simon Patterson, the trance genius he is, realized what NYC hasn’t had since New Years Eve last year. Astrix hasn’t been back since his legendary performance with Infected Mushroom at Best Buy Theater. Boy have we missed him. The Israeli psytrance guru has been knocking clubs & parties around here on the East Coast for over a decade (as my ticket to his performance at Nation in DC back in 2004 reminds me). He’ll be bringing his signature brand of hard trance & psy-trance to the stage of Slake, the increasingly crucial venue for people who can’t tolerate big rooms here in NYC. Here’s one of his better progressive & psy mixes to sink your teeth into.
It’s hard to introduce Simon Patterson properly. When you’ve had 17 straight Beatport #1 releases, explaining how dope your sound is can get kind of tiring. Open Up has become one of the most listened to DJ podcasts, especially in the trance & psytrance arenas. This guy is going to do some amazing work on the 31st, I have no doubt in my mind. As a vintage (read: old) fan of this tempo, space & genre of music, I’m gonna be raging hard all night. If you can’t figure out why, check out his mixes here:
Get tickets here and I’ll see you guys there. This is definitely going to be one for the record books. Psy is so hard to come by in NYC & if you’re into the genre but haven’t heard either of these headliners play live, you owe it to yourself to check this out. Just in case you don’t believe me that this is a match made in heaven, check out a collab between Simon & Astrix. It is some potent psytrance, and that’s what I know we’re going to be served up all night at Slake. Esscala has been killing it with these bookings lately, and this event is going to ensure they start 2015 with a bang.
Terry Gotham 