As you may already have read on some "blog," Andrew WK, the apotheosis of American creativity and earnestness, and Spencer Sweeney, also creative, have combined their energies to create a nightclub/show place unlike any other. OK, that is false, but better than most. Possibly better than all. Depending on who and when you ask, the name is either Santa's Party House, Santo's Party House, or 100 Lafayette. If you were too shy/lazy to figure it out, this is what all those "Fuck You I'm Going to Santa's" shirts all those skaters have been wearing since January are all about. Andrew and Spencer decided they weren't going to do any interviews about the place and supposedly no photography's allowed inside (we'll see how long that lasts), but Andrew did invite me over while they were doing bartender training to sketch the place as a little "sneak peek" so that's what happened…
The downstairs section is a dance club with a sunken conversation pit and lights that change color like the Emerald City in The Wiz. I don't know if they'd just been shined or something, but the disco balls are brighter than any other I'd seen before.This is the pit:
Andrew has been printing out, laminating and taping up orange signs all over the club that say things like "YOU'VE ALWAYS BEEN PERFECT" and "ALL DANCING ALLOWED." When you enter the stall in the men's room there's a sign reading "OH NO I HAVE TO SHIT!" and opposite the toilet is a companion sign that inquires "ARE YOU SHITTING YET?" I'm not sure if that's an attempt to dissuade people from doing coke or merely an attempt to be awesome.
The upstairs of the club is a mid-size concert venue, like a miles less shitty Bowery Ballroom or Mercury Lounge. The house sound system looks insane—giant speakers lining the walls to the left and right going up to the ceiling. They've also got a laundry machine backstage for the bands, which is pretty much unheard of elsewhere (I think).
Back downstairs there's a VIP Lounge hidden away like one of those basement drug dens at Studio 54 or Al Capone's vault. It was still being decorated when I saw it, but at the time it was outfitted with a couple of pinball machines, a weird statue made of working speakers, a couch, a minibar, a big light-up Santos/Santa sign, and a stack of old Mad Magazines. It's like it an adult tree fort. The exclusivity of this private room is yet to be determined, but I get the sense that I will never get to see it again as long as I live.
That's it. Go there. Oh and here are what the drink tickets look like, as well as a sticker featuring one of Lee Scratch Perry's most famous quips.
NICK GAZINPS: We'll be hosting the first of our many VICE LIVE summer parties at Santa/os' on June 19. Stay tuned for more info.PPS: Ha! "Stay tuned"? I can't believe we actually just wrote that. It's like what's our fucking problem?
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The downstairs section is a dance club with a sunken conversation pit and lights that change color like the Emerald City in The Wiz. I don't know if they'd just been shined or something, but the disco balls are brighter than any other I'd seen before.This is the pit:
Andrew has been printing out, laminating and taping up orange signs all over the club that say things like "YOU'VE ALWAYS BEEN PERFECT" and "ALL DANCING ALLOWED." When you enter the stall in the men's room there's a sign reading "OH NO I HAVE TO SHIT!" and opposite the toilet is a companion sign that inquires "ARE YOU SHITTING YET?" I'm not sure if that's an attempt to dissuade people from doing coke or merely an attempt to be awesome.
The upstairs of the club is a mid-size concert venue, like a miles less shitty Bowery Ballroom or Mercury Lounge. The house sound system looks insane—giant speakers lining the walls to the left and right going up to the ceiling. They've also got a laundry machine backstage for the bands, which is pretty much unheard of elsewhere (I think).
Back downstairs there's a VIP Lounge hidden away like one of those basement drug dens at Studio 54 or Al Capone's vault. It was still being decorated when I saw it, but at the time it was outfitted with a couple of pinball machines, a weird statue made of working speakers, a couch, a minibar, a big light-up Santos/Santa sign, and a stack of old Mad Magazines. It's like it an adult tree fort. The exclusivity of this private room is yet to be determined, but I get the sense that I will never get to see it again as long as I live.
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NICK GAZINPS: We'll be hosting the first of our many VICE LIVE summer parties at Santa/os' on June 19. Stay tuned for more info.PPS: Ha! "Stay tuned"? I can't believe we actually just wrote that. It's like what's our fucking problem?