Every year when promoters in New York City start announcing New Year Eve events, I have to double up on my daily antacids. In a city so vibrant and teeming with talented individuals, the cornucopia of parties within our reach is simply overwhelming. Well, fear not. As the voice behind the Dance Bitch Twitter and Instagram accounts, I regularly curate party info for the Brooklyn underground dance community. This year I've simplified the NYE process for you, and put together an essential flowchart to help you decide where to party—scroll to the bottom of the page for more info and links to buy tickets.
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Some notes about the recommendations:
This is not an exhaustive list. My work as a Dance Bitch focuses on house and techno music. That said, if you're looking to escape the 4x4, our top recommendations are: 1) Mykki Blanco, Cakes Da Killa, MikeQ, Venus X and LSDXOXO at Mercury Lounge, and 2) DJ Kala, False Witness, Rizzla, Shyboi, Stud1nt, and Tygapaw in a secret location in Ridgewood (do some digging!). Both will be cute AF.
We've removed all member-only and invite-only parties. Sorry. If you were hoping to break into the world of extra exclusive underground parties, NYE is not the time to do it. Follow me on Twitter and take the bread crumbs I occasionally leave for my beloved followers.
My recommendations skew towards Brooklyn, which is enjoying a wealth of dance music events these days. However, there are a few great Manhattan parties on the list.
My pick for sleeper hit of NYE is Louisahhh, Gina Turner, Jubilee, DKDS, Devon James, and Brogen at Studio 299. This is a brand new club in East Williamsburg with a proper sound system and tickets are only $10-20. It's rare to find a NYE party in a club this affordable.
There are a number of local spots hosting some of the most talented DJs in the city with cover charges of $30 and under. Black Flamingo, Bossa Nova Civic Club, TBA Brooklyn, The Graham, and Cozinha Latina will keep you dancing all night without burning through your wallet.
Techno afterparty UNTER starts at 1AM, so don't go there expecting a champagne toast at midnight. That won't be happening and that's not the vibe.
Dressing up and paying a cover charge just to get stepped on and doused with a stranger's cocktail when you're in a bad mood is never the move. If you're feeling even the least bit cranky, stay home and go out to a party on New Year's Day. I've included some options below.
People make resolutions for New Years, right? If you're fed up with your usual go-to party spots, resolve to break out of your comfort zone and expand your party horizon trying something new.
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Warehouse Parties1) Rinsed - $60-100tags: house music, immersive installations, James Moore crystal cyborgs
3) Justice, Gessalfelstein, Bob Moses - $130-190, or free with Jukely Annual Membershiptags: french electro, Jukely, live performance, 18+4) BangOn! Time & Space NYE - $80-160tags: booty bass, 3D projection mapping, art installations, aerial performances
Soulful Vibes + Space to Dance1) Mahogani Music/808 @ Sugar Hill Disco - $45-60tags: detroit house and techno, warm vibes, soul food, surprise guest, Mean Red2) Tiki Disco @ Good Room - $90-100tags: house-disco-funk, forever sunday, breakfast buffet, champagne toast
Lofts and Smaller Spaces1) The Bunker @ Trans-Pecos (with C//TY CLUB and Wrecked! in the basement) - $20-30tags: intimate house party feel, contemplative exploratory techno, audiophiles unite
3) UNTER @ secret location - $15-20tags: techno for the apocalypse, berlin and eastern euro influences, stunning flyers4) Starvue @ secret location - $15tags: vintage klipschorn sound system, BYOB, vinyl enthusiasts, dance purists from the years of paradise garage5) Bespoke Musik NYE - $50-60tags: deep tech house, deep house, warm intimate vibes, private loftClubs1) Space: Joseph Capriati (seven-hour set) - $40-$70tags: italian techno, ibiza atmosphere, go-go dancers, bottles, VIP available2) Verboten: New Years Noir with Hot Since 82, Apollonia, and more, $60-80, or $135 for entire weekend passtags: 4 days of parties, supper club, champagne toast, brunch, bottles available3) Output: Oscar G, Victor Calderone, and more - $70-100tags: no photos, no bottles, house music veteran, funktion one sound4) Studio299: Louisahhh!!! Jubilee, DKDS, and more - $10-20tags: techno, house, bass, something for everyone, sleeper hit, affordable, bottles availableQueer and Eclectic Parties1) House of Yes NYE - $50-75tags: grand opening, theatrical performances, afterhours with yoga2) Whitney Day & Lauren Flax @ The Wick - $20-30tags: giant roving space, craft brewery
3) The Spectrumtags: closing party, last call, basement vibes, club kids4) You Are So Lucky @ secret mansion location - $99-140tags: masquerade, interactive performances, hidden spaces, exploration, magic
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5) Mykki Blanco, Cakes Da Killa, MikeQ @ Mercury Lounge - $30tags: boundary breaking, voguing, fierceness6) DJ Kala, False Witness, Rizzla, Shyboi, Stud1nt, and Tygapaw @ secret location - $10-15tags: Caribbean vibes, experimental club music, leave your shade at homeLocal Bars1) Bossa Nova Civic Club: Vereker, Shawn O'Sullivan, Marcos Cabral - Free before midnight, $10-20 aftertags: techno cheers, coquito, fog for days, dark corners and comfy booths for smooching2) TBA: I Love Vinyl - $20-30tags: no nonsense music, down to earth crowd, 24 liquor license3) Black Flamingo: Kaviar Disco Club & Friends - $20tags: vegan menu until 9PM, disco and house music downstairs, cocktail bar upstairs4) The Graham: Glitterball NYE - $20-30tags: EBM, industrial techno, photobooth, affordable champagne bottles5) Cozhina Latina: Down. - $10-20tags: FREE with RSVPNew Year's Day Parties1) BangOn! NYD with Lee Burridge - 5AM, $50-80tags: burning man sunrise vibes, beautiful crowd, talented locals rounding out the bill2) ReSolute, Verboten, Output (still going)tags: these people don't sleep3) Bushwick A/V - 5AM, $15-20tags: icelandic techno, affordable cover and drinks, legal venueDance Bitch is a Brooklynite who posts curated party info and insider tips for the underground dance community. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram
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