This one is almost ubiquitous if you live in a major city center with a bustling scene of young people, unfortunately my current city isnāt exactly the ripe format for this (although San Antonio has its pockets for this kind of thing right now and the scene is small but mighty) any chance I get to get under some strobe lights and fog machines in front of a big sound system - I get a true taste of what freedom is. I can move my body in an expressive manner and expect little to no judgement (maybe a grilling from my friends), stay up as late as Iām willing to, and share stories/secrets/opinions with friends and willing strangers in a chill out room. I think nightlife has a sore reputation at times for being an asshole magnet but some of the most creative and sensitive beings Iāve met have been in this kind of environment I miss it dearly and canāt wait for the next dance, truly
addendum to this: it doesnāt have to happen in the confines of a legit piece of property or space. Iāve seen this on bridges and in tunnels and baseball fields and an abandoned long john silvers it doesnāt matter if the tunes bang and people wanna have fun
I miss Griessmuehle in Berlin, especially the Cocktail dāAmore parties there, the sex pit in the basement, and jumping into the adjacent canal to swim as the sun rose. I miss the old Ashley House in London, when Adonis was there. Great raves need rambling spaces with lots of different rooms to roam and explore and fuck in. We canāt hold onto every great space, but I appreciate those in our community who fight to try. The Queer Nightlife Community Center (QNCC) is a new initiative being launched by Seva Granik to convert the Brownsville warehouse where he throws NYCās best rave, Zero Chill, into a permanent, year-round community space aimed at supporting queer nightlife. Iām all about it.
full disclosure i work with the venue but that is only because i went and loved it so much. itās perfect. some things about it: - the dance floor is an immersive art installation
- incredible bookings of up and coming artists and big names by the co-owner/operator and creative director who is herself a dj
- the sound is so good its insane. perfectly tuned and balanced
- the dance floor has some āgiveā to it so itās wicked comfy to dance on ā i never get sore
- thereās COAT HOOKS *on* the dance floor
- the drinks are delish. theres this one cocktail called āthe coffeeā it is to die for. thereās a sick happy hour but drink prices are always reasonable
- the bathrooms are made for selfies but in a genuinely cool way
- the dance floor is intimate but thereās tons of seating and tables and places to chill throughout the rest of the venue (and you can hear all the music on the same sound system)
- the service is insanely good everyone who works there is so kind
- i never once have felt awkward or out of place there itās just such a good vibe and i always make new friends thereās more but i canāt put it all in one post or iāll be here all night
Itās getting darker, itās getting colder, and that sweaty warehouse in a derelict part of town is beckoning. A strong line up of DJs with character paired with a group of friends you love dearly can equal the greatest night of your life.