Tag Archives: Verboten

Broke On Holiday: Independence Day 2015

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To-broke-for-a-vacation-ill-drink Another big ass American holiday has arrived, with you & I rocking thrift shop money in our pockets and a couple of days off. Instead of selling some plasma to hang out at a day club or sniping free drinks in the Hamptons, here are my quick picks that will leave you with scratch to buy lunch come Monday.

 July 2

EVOLVE has quietly become a force in the city. The consistent door busting Thursday night bar parties (and recent arrival at Cielo) are quality options, and I’ve sent many a confused/bored New Yorker to their events when they came to me, looking for a Thursday night. REsy & PONY are two of my favorite DJs, and watching them succeed from a comfy perch on the interwebs has been an absolute privilege. Bringing in Body Talk & Stephanie Blanding this week to give you even more firepower while you sip & nibble. Macao is a great spot downtown and it’s a free party just waiting for you.

July 3

Jay Hill is one of those DJs you really need to check out, but you’ve probably put off. If you’re still in the city this weekend, don’t. Wander over to the party, which is on West 14th, so you’ve got no lame train excuses either. The cosmopolitan, soulful vibes make for an amazing night. Trust, I’ve definitely lost track of the hours during one of her signature sets. Sheik & Beik know what they’re doing, especially when it comes to free parties.For fans of the heavier stuff, Slake has you covered. Drum & Bass has quietly crept back into the party universe, and on the 3rd, Seba of Secret Operations, Amit from Metalheadz & Ben Soundscape will be showing up. Throw in some local flavor from Matos + Lovelace & more, and you’ve got a proper evening of fast slow. It’s $15 before midnight, so get tickets or arrive early to keep it on the cheap side.
If you’ve got a couple more bucks in your pocket and you are looking for something even faster, Cielo’s got you. I can’t remember the last time psytrance was dropped in Cielo, so this might be a really special night. The Israeli psytrance group Coming Soon (yea, I know, I was confused too) does trippy, wonderful work, and on Cielo’s sound system, it’s going to be crazypants. It’s $25, but of course, it’s Cielo.

July 4 – Independence Day


This is my jam right here. It’s a little more pricey than anything on this list, but it’s all 2 parties in one. On days that are charging $80-120 for 4hrs of party, you’re getting 12hrs of party! One of the best nights this year so far, they’re back, in a new venue & bringing in some of my favorite music. PONY, the Donald of Deep House (only DJ on here twice), Dopeshoes, a local favorite, Teddy Roosevelt (best DJ name evar) are supporting a Eelke Kleijn & pair of Berlin starlets named Dan. I’m serious, Daniel Steinberg & Dan Caster are going to give you a shuffling, deep night to remember. This is my personal pick for the weekend.

July 5

If you’ve still got some life in you after the banging weekend there are a couple of day parties on the 5th for your review. Just tell them Terry Gotham sent you. Lucca Mentone & Raffel De Luca are two NYC based DJs that you’ve definitely heard if you’ve partied in SoHo, Meatpacking or the West Village. They inject global vibes into deep house and progressive in ways that I haven’t heard anywhere else in the world. Even the deep house in Prague was a less cosmopolitan. It’s free all day, with cheap mimosas, so get moving and put some brunch in your face.

New Hotness: Treetops ft. The ScumFrog, Mat.Joe, PONY & More!

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(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 BannerTreetops 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.

Attend: The Athena Collective East Coast Kick-Off Showcase @ Verboten

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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 →

Attend: Verboten & DiSORIENT Drop The New Year’s Afterparty

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Instead of being like every other website and giving a scroll-fest/listicle about the clusterfuck that is New Year’s Eve, I’m only going to make one recommendation about what you should be doing on January 1st so get Tickets here. And it only applies if you’re still standing the next day. Verboten, the Great Bulwark Against EDM in Brooklyn is continuing the insanity from their New Year’s Eve event with some further quality. The all day drinking & brunch will be soundtracked by maestros Damian Lazarus, Hector & a posse of support. This party is going until 10 PM January 1st, so even if you sleep all New Year’s Eve, you’ll be rested for this, which isn’t the worst idea. Our friends at Talon&Claw will also be showcasing their finest, but a NYD whiteowljaguar set isn’t even the best part. They’re going to be closing out the main room (!!) but wait, there’s more! DiSORIENT, the premier Burning Man camp here in Gotham, is taking over their second room.

This sets a very interesting precedent, one I hope will be copied all over the place.  The idea that a burner camp/crowd will control a space inside of a permitted/retail venue is something that’s only happened a couple of times. The couple of times, are always the stuff of legend. Most L-train venues have to stay focused on making rent, generating revenue through door & bar and keeping the cops, community boards and people who moved to Brooklyn expecting quiet off their backs. This means that it’s hard to really cater to the high-art crowd that Burning Man draws. Which shifts crowd demographics ever so slightly. A small difference, but to some people that’s all that matters. This alliance will ensure that there are wacky people in Pornj costumes and a crazy side room, as opposed to just residents, vendors and a more relaxed bar. Additionally, they’re bringing their own squizzad of DJs, so you can be assured DiSORIENT’s singular take on “house + something else” issues forth all day, so really, Tickets here. Speaking of which, how dope is the music in both rooms? Check this stuff out, and know that there are half a dozen DJs I’m not even mentioning, because, you need to get there to hear it all:

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Broke On Holiday: Turkey Football Hate Family Weekend!

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That’s right, the holidays are upon us again, and hundreds of thousands of people will be coming home for the weekend. To spend time with family, get uncomfortably close to barfing up that 3rd helping of mashed potatoes and then hate the people they’re surrounded by so much, they need to get to a freaking party as quickly as possible. To that end, I’ve rounded up some of the fairer bargains that ensure you have a good night instead of  playing the “argue with Uncle about immigration” game with your cousins.

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Earworm Of The Month: Submotion Orchestra – Swan Song (Kidnap Kid Remix)

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Submotion Orchestra - Swan Song (Kidnap Kid Remix)Truly a masterpiece of our time. Kidnap Kid‘s reworking of Submotion Orchestra is a triumph. The soothing beats melt into the soulful vocals, mixing together in an almost melancholy way. Submotion orchestra recognized the quality of this remix immediately, with MrSuicideSheep joining in to get the word out. I’ve been listening to this tune for weeks, and it always seems to lift my spirits, even though it may not be the most anthemic or euphoric of what’s out there these days. The Kid had a great night at Verboten a few weeks ago, and I’m hoping he comes back to NYC soon, as a talent like this needs recognition in Brooklyn. Put this track on and let the subtle vibes wash over you.

Attend: Verboten Brunch Has Dopeshoes & whiteowjaguar, Don’t Sleep On This.

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As Verboten continues to kill it Thursday, Friday & Saturday nights, one of the big secrets about the spot is their surprisingly great brunch. In case you find yourself in the area after a hectic Friday night, or if you’re going to be up for a race, yoga or some other random non-hedonist purpose, check it out. Talon & Claw is a new production group & DJ collective based out of BK, doing some interesting work in art & design in addition to phat beats of course. If you missed their Wednesday night jam called Outre, check the latest mix from it and be jealz of people who don’t need to be “with it” come Thursday morning.

Dopeshoes is one of my favorite DJs that you haven’t heard enough about. I showcased her on Hometown Fire a while back, but she’s kept grinding away being awesome. Her addition to the Verboten day party means they know, as well as I do, how well her signature deep, sexy, sophisticated sound will do at Verboten. It’s seriously a match made in tasteful bass heaven.

Cooper James is the newest addition to the Talon & Claw collective, and for good reason it seems. His recent podcast for T&C showcases a tight, almost fidget’y style which will go far as the pendulum swings all the way back from Big Room.

Should be a fun, delicious time. Don’t get drunk off the mimosas, get drunk off the bass.

Call In Sick, Verboten Grabbed whiteowljaguar, Sabo & REsy On A Wednesday Night.

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Now that I’m old and whiny when it comes to going out, weeknight events are a supreme rarity for me. I’m not the spry youngling I once was, able to knock out 9hrs at the office after dancing all night. However, every once and a while, I make an exception. I may need to finally show up at Verboten and watch some old friends do Brooklyn proud before a New York selectro himself. The global, deep & soulful vibes that Sabo drops are going to hold that dance floor together well into the morning. He knocked it out of the park on playa with Robot Heart I hear, so I’d imagine this will be all of the fun, none of the need for co-signers. If they keep grabbing talent like this, Outre by Evolve and Talon & Claw

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Mix Of The Weekend: When Did Collin McLoughlin Get Deep?

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My people at EDMTunes have made a serious pick up when it comes to exclusive mixes. I don’t know who convinced Collin McLoughlin to go deep for his new mix, but the Gods sing their praises. This new direction from the dubstep remix maestro extraordinaire is astonishing. To not only switch gears, but to make it seem effortless is truly amazing. The mix convinces me we need to get the kid at a Verboten or Deep Space events ASAP. Someone call Reda Briki and get this kid at Sankeys please. Because if they don’t…I just might.

Party of the Month: Verboten Presents Lee Burridge

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This month, I’m happy to report that Verboten has settled into its new 10,000 sq. ft. space in BK and they’ve been able to bring the raw awesome I remember from their events all over the city back home for us. The space has all the bells and whistles you’d expect, no VIP area, and is one of the first venues in the city to sport a no-tolerance policy on harassment. From their site:

Verboten is a pro-woman company, run by strong women and the men & women who love them. Harassment in any form will not be tolerated. If you are the victim of any unwanted speech, treatment, or physical abuse, please speak with any staff member and that person will be removed.

I really could not be pleased with language like that coming out of Verboten. I’ve been watching clubs & bars throw up their hands and say “boys will be boys” for years here in NYC, and I’m hoping Verboten is first in a long line of clubs that add this type of policy. Headlining next Friday is Lee Burridge, one of the top deep/tech house DJs in the world right now. Check out his Lightning In A Bottle Mix below if you don’t believe me. Keep reading 85 minutes from now, after he takes you on a magical journey.

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